They don't have to be the best...only your favorites. May be professional or high level amateur.
Coinstartled
Posts: 10,135 ✭✭✭✭✭
This may not be easy. 
1. Barry Sanders.........He never spiked the ball.
2. Bill Rodgers.............Look him up if you need to. Got to run with him once!
3. John Elway...............You guys can debate the GOAT. Elway was just fun to watch.
4. Mickey Lolich..........1968 World Series.
5. Willie Mays..............No explanation needed.
6. Dan Marino.............Best arm in the NFL, ever.
7. Gordie Howe...........Not a nice guy but Hockey is not a nice game.
8. Magic Johnson........Lit up the league.
9. Martina Navratilova .......Only time I watched tennis was when Martina was playing. True,
10. Jim Furyk...............For a few reasons. He will never be in the Tiger/Jack discussion, but he is a grinder that even in his late 40's remains competitive. Finally, everyone else on my list has been retired for a dozen years or longer and I needed a current, active player. 
Comments
Terry Bradshaw - big game QB and four for four in THE big game. And Cowboys killer.
Willie Stargell - Won the trifecta MVP in 1979. Respected player and person by everyone.
Zeke Elliott - Best Ohio State running back in history. Destroyed the tide.
Jimmy Connors - Won more singles Championships than any other player. Gutsy performer.
Margaret Court - best women's tennis player in history.
Andre Agassi - best return of serve in history.
John McEnroe - Discovered the sport of tennis because of him. Still fun to watch to this day at age 60.
Roberto Duran - He was better than Sugar Ray Leonard
Rocky Marciano- pound for pound, the best fighter in history.
IT CAN'T BE A TRUE PLAYOFF UNLESS THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONS ARE INCLUDED
Frank Thomas-Just destroyed the ball
Dan Marino-Super arm, Lightning release
John Elway-Best arm I ever saw
Wade Boggs-greatest eye at the plate I personally saw
George Brett-Intense
Roger Clemens-Saw him warm up in the fenway bullpen as a child. Must have left a big impression on me as I was very impressed. to 10 year old me, I had never seen or heard anything like it.
Greg Maddux-such command
Randy Johnson-scary
Joe Montana-the guy was in control
Reggie White-such a beast
Barry Sanders-always preferred him over Emmitt. Could take it to the house on any given play
Hakeem Olajuwon-such a smooth underrated player. I would put him up against any of the great centers.
there are more, but this is good for now
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
George Brett- Will never forget listening on the radio to every game during the chase for .400
Willie Stargell- He never forgot baseball is supposed to be fun. Watched him slide into second, pop up 3 feet
short of the bag and try to call time out.
Len Dawson- Greatest Chiefs QB ever.........................until Mahomes passes him in due time.
Danny Manning- Enjoyed watching him play basketball for KU more than anyone else. Was just a natural at the game.
Kirk Heinrich- Maybe my second favorite KU player. Improved so much between freshman and senior years it was amazing.
Barry Sanders- Favorite running back ever. Amazing moves.
Randy Johnson- Loved watching him strikeout hitters, could be absolutely dominant when he was on, which was often.
1992-93 Dallas Cowboys - Best team in Football ever.
Emmitt Smith - Best running back ever...closely followed by Jim Brown.
Roger Staubach - Favorite QB - He invented the "Hail Mary" in a playoff game against the Vikes.
Tony Dorsett - Loved the way he ran......he has the longest run from scrimmage of 99+ yards on MNF against Vikes.
Jack - Best golfer ever. No last name needed.....he is MR. Golf!
Magic Johnson - Just fun to watch.
Micheal Jordan - Best Basketball player ever.
Dr. J - Just loved to watch him play.
Ali - Best Boxer ever. The comeback against Forman was unbelievable.
Sectrateriat(SP) - Best Racing Horse ever! His run at the 1973 Belmont was the greatest performance by a Horse ever!
Pete Rose - My favorite hitter ever. He played 200% on every play. The HOF is a JOKE without him in it!
Willie Mays - Best all around Baseball player EVER!
Mickey Mantle _ Best power switch hitter ever!
Reggie Jackson - Loved to watch him hit homers and stand at the plate and admire his blast!
Jimmy Conners - great player.
Chris Everett - Great player with class!
Andre Agassi - best return of serve in history.
This is just a start.
Woody Hayes - Greatest Buckeye coach ever. Urban needs three or four more National Championships to be in his class.
Jack - Yes, Greatest golfer ever.
Lucas, Havlicek, Nowell, Siegfried, Roberts - Not the greatest team ever, but my favorite.
LeBron - Greatest ever. After he retires hindsight will know he was much better than Jordan.
Cleveland Browns. Used to be pretty good. Now lovable losers.
Ali - Not the greatest ever but a great boxer and showman.
Big Red Machine.
Ted Williams - My favorite when I was young.
Jim Brown - Not only my favorite running back but actually the greatest ever, by a wide margin.
Otto Graham - GOAT
Mahomes - Fresh face QB. Could end up better than Brady, a bit behind Graham (the older I get, the better he was,)
I admit to being a bit of a homer.
http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/
Ralph
A.J. Foyt - Would race anything, anytime, anywhere and knew how to win. Unique crusty personality too.
Tony Stewart - see above.
Tiger Woods - Yes, he's a scoundrel but golf is fun and has a buzz when he is rolling.
Derek Jeter - Always seemed to be a class act and respected by his opponents.
Alexander Ovechkin - For being able to put up the scoring numbers that he does, year after year. And for the leadership to finally bring the cup to DC.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Richie Ashburn, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Sandy Koufax, Tom Seaver, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Steve Van Buren, Chuck Bednarik, Carson Wentz, Wilt Chamberlain, Bobby Clarke, Joe Frazier, Jim Thorpe, Joe Paterno
As a kid in Minnesota I liked Bill Goalsworthy, Bill Brown and Harmon Killebrew. I also liked Wilt Chamberlain and Arnold Palmer.
From my lifetime
Players
Basketball - Larry Bird
Baseball - Mariano Rivera
Football - Lawrence Taylor
Hockey - Mark Messier
Golf - Tom Watson
Boxing - Evander Holyfield
Tennis - Boris Becker
Pro Wrestling - Randy Macho Man Savage
College Basketball - Grant Hill
Olympics - Carl Lewis
Teams
98 Yankees
86 Giants
86 Celtics
94 Rangers (oddly enough, the only time I ever watched a full season of hockey. Girl related)
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur, Gilles Villeneuve and his son Jacques Villeneuve Canadian formula 1 drivers ,Michael Jordon,Tiger Woods,all Canadian Olympic Gold medal female hockey teams, American male hockey team winning the gold medal against the powerful Russians at Lake Placid,in Canada we saw it live on tv and Billy Sims,i saw Michel Schumacher in his Ferrari G.P. car doing four wheel drifts entering and leaving a chicane on his first lap in Montreal,lastly Tayler Hall of the Memorial Cup Windsor Spitfire team in Windsor Canada he was like a waterbug on skates.
Ken "Junior" Griffey, best ball player of all time. Too bad injuries became his legacy.
Derek Jeter, ONLY Yankee to get 3000 hits, plus he won multiple World Series. Sorry Babe and Joe, you got nothing on the Captain.
Michael Jordan, I mean, who doesn't want to be like Mike?
Keith Brooking, I don't know why, but he has always been my favorite Falcon.
David Seaman (you'll probably have to Google him), goalkeeper for Arsenal and England.
Brady Quinn, best Notre Dame player I have ever watched.
Greg Maddux, best pitcher I have ever watched.
Clayton Kershaw, the 2nd best pitcher I have ever watched.
Roman Gabriel, never saw him play football, but I got to caddie for him a couple of times at a celebrity golf tourney. Such a nice guy.
Oscar Robertson. Again, never saw him play, but met him and talked with him. Such a nice guy. Very down to earth and loves to talk about basketball.
Favorites:
Hockey: Steve Yzerman, Wayne Gretzky, Bob Probert
Football: Barry Sanders
Basketball: Joe Dumars
Baseball: Kent Tekulve, Alan Trammell
Tennis: Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Michael Chang
took these of Jimbo back in '14 at Augusta National. last pic is of him skipping one across the pond on #16, as is customary during practice rounds.
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
https://howtheyplay.com/individual-sports/Why-Roberto-Durn-Is-the-Greatest-Boxer-of-All-Time
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama