Tomlinson breaks TD mark

Barry was the most exciting RB I have ever seen, and he must have inspired some real fear into opposing defenses because no play was ever truly busted when he was involved. Whereas LT can be stopped on any given play, but he just keeps coming back and eventually seems to overpower the D.. like the cliche about running downhill and getting stronger as the game goes on, but he definitely does.

I would agree on the physically demanding. If you think about it, when you're in the water, in every direction you move an arm or a leg, you face resistance. It's like lifting weights with every movement you make. It's the ultimate for resistance training.

I swam varsity through high school and college, and I can tell you that while it's really physically demanding, it takes absolutely no skill. You put a bunch of swimmers on a basketball court for five on five and you'll be laughing your ass off at what you witness. Some top swimmers have less hand eye coordination than a newborn baby.

Each sport has it's own value. Swimming's great for a physical test, golf or baseball are great for coordination, basketball for quickness agility and coordination, and football really for everything - speed, strength, power, agility, coordination.

That's why football rules. It tests everything. And if LT becomes the top football player one day, you may be able to say he's the best athlete to ever play sports.

Pro football does not test everything, it's much more of a physical test sport. Football requires far less practice and much more training. The skills in football can be acquired by almost anyone (besides the QB position). Baseball and Basketball require the physical abilities, however, they also require unbelievable amounts of practice (working on jump shot, dribbling, thowing, catching, hitting) football has tremendous athletes, but taking a handoff and running up the field takes much less "skill" than hitting a baseball or making a jump shot. However, I am aware of how difficult it is to develop the balance that is required of a running back, and the ability to read blocks, but that doesnt compare to baseball and basketball skills that must be acquired.

I'm pretty sure that's wrong. Route running, reading blocks, picking up the rush, downfield blocking - those all take considerable skill to master. There are some crazy solid athletes in the NFL who aren't great players.

so jerry rice was a better athlete than michael jordan???? (two best players of all time at their sports in my opinion)

Speaking of which, and this could be a thread in and of itself, but best athletes of all time across all sports? In some order:

Michael Jordan
Babe Ruth
Wayne Gretzky
Jack Nicklaus
Tiger Woods?
Wilt Chamberlain
Mario Lemieux
Babe Didrickson
Mark Spitz
Pete Sampras?
Michael Phelps?

I don't know if there's any one football player that fits in there yet. Some say Payton, Jim Brown, Rice, and then there's a slew of QBs one of which has to be Joe Montana. But Tomlinson could join the conversation someday.

Who is Michael Phelps? How did he get on this list?

Here is what ESPN think are the top 100 North American sports atheles ESPN.com: Top N. American athletes of the century (http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html)

Dunno if I personally would go there or not, but it could be reasonably argued. You have to take account of the fundamental differences of the sports, though (i.e., Rice was 1 of 11 on one side of the ball, Jordan was 1 of 5 who played both O and D).

Who is Michael Phelps? How did he get on this list?

Here is what ESPN think are the top 100 North American sports atheles ESPN.com: Top N. American athletes of the century (http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html)

Phelps went to the high school for my neighborhood. The entire record board at the pool is filled with his name.

Who is Michael Phelps? How did he get on this list?

Here is what ESPN think are the top 100 North American sports atheles ESPN.com: Top N. American athletes of the century (http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html)

Too bad that list has two horses on it, what about my dog, she can fetch a piece of meat with the best of em