Your own Mt. Rushmore of athletes...

I know there's already a discussion about it through the ESPN link, but I think it's worthy of further discussion.

PS - Can be Horn athletes, can be other athletes too. I'm leaving this wide open.

Mine?

Nolan Ryan
Dr. Tom
Hakeem
Brook Berringer (not because he was a great player but because he defined everything a Nebraska athlete should be)

 

My personal one:

Vince
Nolan
Ted Williams
Tiger

Who I would have on it if there was such a thing (assuming for this country):

Babe
MJ
Gretzky
Jack/Tiger
Football's too damn hard to pick

 

Vince
Earl
Ricky
James Brown

J.B. Is the Theodore Roosevelt of this group, but he led us out of the nadir of Texas football, and what he did for us should not be forgotten.

 

me, myself, and I... & moi

 

Easy:

Vince
Earl
Ryan
Landry

 

Hakeem
Vince
Earl
MJ

 

Vince
Hakeem
Biggio
TBD

 

Ryan Leaf, Gino Torretta, Tim Couch, Roy Munson

 

Babe Ruth
Vince Lombardi
Michael Jordan
Walter Payton

(...and Bear Bryant, if there's any rock left to carve.)

 

Carl Lewis
Vince
MJ
Steffi Graf

 

Wilt Chamberlain

Lance Armstrong

Muhammed Ali

Tom Seaver

 

Outside the gates of Cooperstown:

Pete Rose
Shoeless Joe
Roger Clemens
Barry Bonds

 

From the Big 4 pro sports:
Teddy Ballgame
Oscar Robertson
Wayne Gretzky
Joe Montana

Current players from pro sports:
Albert Pujols
Kobe Bryant
Tiger Woods
Peyton Manning

 

I've always wanted to have the four #34's Nolan, Earl, Ricky Williams, and Hakeem
But my own personal "hero" Mount Rushmore is: Nolan, VY, Ricky, and Robert Horry

 

Here's my list:

Pheidippides
Duke Kahanamoku
Jesse Owens
Jim Thorpe

 

it's too bad that clemens is embroiled with the steroid stuff. a mt. rushmore with him, nolan, earl and lance would have been my 4 a year or so ago.

 

Here's my Mt Rushmore::

Augie, Brown, and Barnes

Sincerely,
Deloss Dodds

p.s. - you're welcome

 

Mackovic
Gus
Penders

 

Jim Thorpe
Babe Ruth
Jim Brown
Wilt Chamberlain

 

Street
Earl
Vince
Colt

 

Ernest Givens
Vernon Maxwell
Glenn Davis
Sleepy Floyd

As a kid, it didn't get much better than that.

 

if I take it on the serious side, then it would have to make a social and historic statement as well as something special to a sport, or sports in general.

So I would go....

Thorpe
Owens
Ruth
Robinson

In that case, basketball players are left out. And golf. Great as players in those sports are, if I only have four spots, I have to go with those who are a part of history in a special way. The greatest athlete may be in basketball, but MJ came at a time when there was nothing he could give to America but helping the NBA game itself.

 

The guy side of me says:
Cat Osterman
Maria Sharapova
Sasha Cohen
Heather Mitts


The practical side of me says:
(on pure athelticism alone)
Pele
Nolan Ryan
Herschel Walker
Deion Sanders

 

Babe Ruth
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Jim Brown
Jim Thorpe

Honorable mention:Jesse Owens, Bruce Jenner, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Muhamed Ali.

 

Wayne Gretzky
Kelly Slater
Hank Aaron or Jackie Robinson
Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, or Jim Brown

 

Actually, good idea to put Babe Didrikson Zaharias. I like that choice. She represents a key element I'd left out.

Growing up, her brother lived in my hometown. They had a life-size photo of her in the hallway. It was a sporty family in general. Her nephew, a grade ahead of me, was my big envy. He had a custom old chevy painted white and I even helped spray paint it, a TR3 sports car, and a Triump mototcycle.

So....
Thorpe
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Ruth
Owens

 

Babe Ruth
Jim Thorpe
Muhammad Ali
Michael Jordan

Just missed the list: Jeff Van Gundy

 

Vince Young striking 4 different poses.

 

I'm gonna cheat and give mine for each sport that I care about.

FOOTBALL
VY
Earl
Landry
DKR

BASKETBALL
TJ
Dr. J
Magic
Travis Mays

BASEBALL
Gus
Augie
Billy Bates
Dave Winfield

GOLF
Jack
Tiger
Crenshaw
Kite

 

All sports (athletes):Ruth
Jordan
Unitas (football is pretty tough)
Gretzky

College Football:
Grange
Herschel Walker
Sammy Baugh
Dick Butkus

College Football Coaches:
Bryant
Rockne
Osborne
Joe Pa

Horns:
VY
Street or Steinmark (I'd go with Steinmark)
Layne
Earl