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Most dominant athlete NOT in the 6 major Sports. No MLB, NBA, NFL, Nascar, PGA, or NHL


The first ever showdown between HOFer and NFL Guru Goodell and the over-matched and out classed FN amateur, MOH Coach!

I choose Michael Phelps.

- 38 National swimming titles
- Set 23 World Records
- 6 Gold medals in the 2004 Summer Olympics
- 18 Golds and 3 Silvers in World Championship meets
- 8 Golds and 3 Silvers in Pan-Pacific Championships
- Currently holds 6 World Records
- Currently holds 13 US Records

He has dominated men's swimming since 2001 and is expected to dominate the event again in the 2008 Olympics!

Be kind Mr. HOFer, don't be to hard on the Ol' Coach!


Walter Ray Williams Jr

Who??

Well, currently he is leading the PBA in points....But his career numbers are staggering.

44 PBA Tour wins starting in 1986 and spanning all the way to this year. He is currently a member of the ABC Sports Hall of Fame, PBA Hall of Fame, and the World Horseshoe Pitching Hall of Fame.

He is currently the ALL TIME win's leader in PBA histroy with those 44 Tour Wins. Whats more intersting is that he has won atleast 1 title every year, for the past 13 years....Yes, 13 years.

Lets look at it this way...

Year Walter Ray Williams won his first title: 1986
Year Michael Phelps was BORN: 1985


What a quandary. One of my pet peeves is folks that wish to dictate what is, or is not a sport yet here I am forced to defend an Olympic Swimmer against a bowler!? You are a crafty bugger.

In all seriousness however, the physical and athletic demands of a world class swimmer are far and away more substantial than those of a bowler no matter how accomplished. Williams must be able to hold 16 lbs with his right arm, walk 5 to 6 steps and roll a ball accurately. He need not be concerned with stamina, strength or cardio fitness unless he simply wants to live healthy. The 'sport" itself lends itself to longevity while swimming is a young persons sport.

Lastly, Williams dominates in the US while Phelps dominates against international competition.

In 40 International events from 2001 to 2007 Phelps has won 32. That is 80%. In the 8 events he did not win he placed second 6 times and third the other two. 14 of those wins were in World Record time and 3 more were Olympic Records. These stats do not include 2008.

You mentioned his age? By the end of 2008 he will have put together the single greatest swim career in history at the ripe old age of 23.


"Lastly, Williams dominates in the US while Phelps dominates against international competition."

Sorry Coach....

Williams won his first international title in Japan in 1991....And his most recent international win came with the 2006-07 Dydo Japan Cup, Tokyo, Japan. He has also won in Canada among other countries.

PBA Bowler of the Year: Williams won 6 times
World Swimmer of the Year: Phelps' won 4 times

YOu forgot to mention that 15 of Phelps' medals came on a relay. So he was a good part of the team that won, but he didnt beat out the entire field by himself

Along with holding the record for most tour win's in PBA history, Williams is also the all-time money winner in PBA history.

Most televison apperances
Most 300 games in a tournament (4)
Most major titles in a season

I have a correction on my first argument...Williams did NOT win a title in 13 consecutive years on the PBA. It's actually 15 consecutive seasons. So since 1993 he has won a Major Title every year. That means he's been winning every year since Phelps was 8 years old.

Dont forget this TD is about the MOST DOMINANT ATHELETE. Not whether swimming is more physically demanding than typing


Please forgive my ignorance of bowling trivia. (insert blush here)

While I am loath to deem one activitity a sport while denigrating another I don't think it is quite the same thing to debate whether a bowler is an athlete or not. He is no doubt a great sportsman as are some hunters and fishermen.

Webster definces athlete as: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.
A bowler need not possess particular strength, agility or stamina to be successful.

While you point out that this debate is about the most dominate athlete and not which sport is most physical, neither is it about age or longevity.

Williams has been great for a long time however his sport allows for such. There aren't too many 49 y.o. world class swimmers.

This further illustrates my point about bowlers questionably being considered athletes.

Strength, agility and stamina are in serious decline in a pentagenarian. Mr. Williams continues to dominate his sport against men in their physical prime. (if a bowler has such a thing. LOL) Swimmers are done by age 25.

Impressive Sportsman? Yes
Dominating Athlete? mmmm not so much!


"Webster definces athlete as: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.
A bowler need not possess particular strength, agility or stamina to be successful"

Freaking great Coach......Is this a "Bowling IS NOT A Sport" TD now??? ;)

Stamina - you must poses GREAT stamina to not leave the bowling alley totally drunk. It takes great paitence and reserve.

Strength - Its pretty hard to throw a bowling ball while your drunk at the bowling alley

Agility - You need cat like reflex's not to fall on you ass while bowling. Let alone hit the pins after about 6 pitchers of beer


All jokes aside...For a person to be inducted into 3 different HOF's is not a fluke. It's not some chance thing that either of us could accomplish.

The TD title says...."Most dominant athlete NOT in the 6 major Sports. No MLB, NBA, NFL, Nascar, PGA, or NHL"

Seeing how Williams has been dominating his repsective sport since Phelps was still **** his mom's teet, Williams would be the more dominant of the 2.

Good TD Coach

Bowling is not a sport. It's a hobby.

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bowling? not a sport... its a game that requires you to throw a ball the same way everytime. Swimming works every muscle group in your body requires you to be in prime shape and is globally reconized far above bowling or horse shoes haha

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Since when is the most popular sport in the world (by a huge margin) not a "major" sport?

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Well, cause NO ONE cares about soccer

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I'm sure by "no one" you mean "a lot more people than any other sport".

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I like how everyone becomes the authority on what is and is not a sport.

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No Cowace...By "No One" I meant no one that matters....I dont care what Pierre thinks of his French National team. I dont care what Pedro thinks of his Brazialian team. Unless that Briziallian team was the swim suit models from SI.com

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LOL That is one of my own pet peeves here Porkins!! Although Goodell did his best to force me into a corner on that account the rascal!

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Hey look, Goodell is the kind of person who embarasses other Americans when we're overseas!

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I'm sure by "no one" you mean "a lot more people than any other sport".

cowace2 | 06/03/08, 10:35 AM


Awesome.

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I dont care what Pierre thinks of his French National team. I dont care what Pedro thinks of his Brazialian team. Unless that Briziallian team was the swim suit models from SI.com

Goodell: HOF Before Reed? | 06/03/08, 10:44 AM


This raises an interesting question: Would Juan Pierre root for Brazil or France?

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^Not Brazil...that's Portuguese. Aw, hell...you get where I'm going with it.

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bowling?

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Hey look, Goodell is the kind of person who embarasses other Americans when we're overseas!
cowace2 | 06/03/08, 10:50 AM

Hey look, Cowace is the kind of person that embarasses other American's while IN America by watching soccer.

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Just trying to be creative there Vrabel........You wanna TD Manning vs Brady?

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Walter Ray Williams Jr is an excellent bowler and is easily the best bowler...maybe ever. Michael Phelps is good, but Williams Jr is better at the moment.

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Good job going with the bowling pick...I watch it from time to time.

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Note to self.....

DO NOT PICK BOWLING FOR A TD AGAIN

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Whew...good arguments so far by both. I keep changing my mind.

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think more people care about soccer than bowling...

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