[Other Sport] Lewis Hamilton the greatest living British sportsman?

Herr Tubthumper · Oct 26, 2020

I always feel it’s a bit pointless comparing sports stars like this as people have their own biases and agendas. This is clearly the situation here given the best example the OP can come up with is the lazy and tenuous Hugo Boss argument. And to then state Lewis is an idiot, then name Botham and Fury cements my case.

I have zero interest in F1 but Hamilton is clearly very good at his chosen discipline and generally seems to conduct himself well on and off the track and also uses his lofty position positively. Im aware of a few tax dodges, and his crime of wearing Hugo Boss scent, but he has done far more good than bad.

I’d far rather the kids look up to Lewis than Fury; they won’t even know who Botham is.

BLOCK F · Oct 26, 2020

Pogue Mahone said:
I know she is not a 'sportsman', but the achievements of Rachel Atherton over the last fifteen years, in one of the toughest sports imaginable, are criminally underestimated. To my mind, you don't have to be in a sport that gets enormous media coverage to be considered the greatest.

I guarantee that the majority of people who read this will not even have heard of her.

She has been utterly dominant in Downhill Mountain Biking for over fifteen years, She even had one season when she won every single World Cup race. To watch her is a nerve jangling experience, and I find it incredible that such a successful British sportswoman has never received the kudos she deserves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhTFVa0h9Rk

I have to admit I have never heard of her, but watching that video was quite breathtaking.
What skill.

Wozza · Oct 26, 2020

BLOCK F said:
I have to admit I have never heard of her, but watching that video was quite breathtaking.
What skill.

More Red Bull bike skillz...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAEBNEscL0c&ab_channel=RedBullBike

Is it PotG? · Oct 26, 2020

Skill? SKILL?

I'll show you skill.

Bold Seagull · Oct 26, 2020

A1X said:
True but this is where the physicality comes into it. I don't deny F1 is an incredibly demanding sport physically, but Hamilton also isn't driving a Grand Prix every day. Redgrave would have had to row virtually every day for those 16 years, and realistically a few years before that.

It's all relative isn't it. I have no idea what either sportsmen had to endure to get to the top. I note only 2 other rowers have achieved 5 Olympic Gold medals in Rowing. He and Pinsent are the only male rowers to get over 3 Olympic golds in the sport so it is a truly unbelievable achievement. One doesn't diminish the other. But like motorsport, rowing is dominated by a certain demographic and economic background. For Hamilton to get to where he has got to he has had to not just do well, but dominate at every single stage of his career, from a 10 year old in carts to winning F3 and F2 championship titles, it's a phenomenal story.

GT49er · Oct 26, 2020

Pogue Mahone said:
I know she is not a 'sportsman', but the achievements of Rachel Atherton over the last fifteen years, in one of the toughest sports imaginable, are criminally underestimated. To my mind, you don't have to be in a sport that gets enormous media coverage to be considered the greatest.

I guarantee that the majority of people who read this will not even have heard of her.

She has been utterly dominant in Downhill Mountain Biking for over fifteen years, She even had one season when she won every single World Cup race. To watch her is a nerve jangling experience, and I find it incredible that such a successful British sportswoman has never received the kudos she deserves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhTFVa0h9Rk

Wow! Just wow!

Deportivo Seagull · Oct 26, 2020

yxee said:
Are there any other sport where a British person has dominated for so long? Cycling? But it's not an Olympic year. Has to be him for me.

Steve Redgrave pretty much ruled the the roast from the 86 to 2000. 5 Olympic golds, 1 bronze. 9 world golds. A couple of silvers and a bronze and 3 common wealth golds.

Granted he was either in a pair or a four but at the end of the day the boat is as only as fast as the slowest rower, particularly in a pair.

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METALMICKY · Oct 26, 2020

In a sport dominated by the quality of the car and not the driver! It's a huge No from me. Not that likable a person either.

Deportivo Seagull · Oct 26, 2020

Bold Seagull said:
It's all relative isn't it. I have no idea what either sportsmen had to endure to get to the top. I note only 2 other rowers have achieved 5 Olympic Gold medals in Rowing. He and Pinsent are the only male rowers to get over 3 Olympic golds in the sport so it is a truly unbelievable achievement. One doesn't diminish the other. But like motorsport, rowing is dominated by a certain demographic and economic background. For Hamilton to get to where he has got to he has had to not just do well, but dominate at every single stage of his career, from a 10 year old in carts to winning F3 and F2 championship titles, it's a phenomenal story.

I agree with what you say but Steve Redgrave went to a state school. As far as I’m aware Marlow are still the only state school that rows. Turning up to a Regatta with a single scull lashed to the roof of a clapped out ford Cortina would certainly have raised a few eyebrows in the early eighties. A quick scan of cars at regattas now show a disproportionate number of land rovers, bmw etc.

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Deportivo Seagull · Oct 26, 2020

Deportivo Seagull said:
I agree with what you say but Steve Redgrave went to a state school. As far as I’m aware Marlow are still the only state school that rows. Turning up to a Regatta with a single scull lashed to the roof of a clapped out ford Cortina would certainly have raised a few eyebrows in the early eighties. A quick scan of cars at regattas now show a disproportionate number of land rovers, bmw etc.

Being black, in a white sport with bugger all funding and then doing what he has done is a magnificent achievement.

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Bold Seagull · Oct 26, 2020

METALMICKY said:
In a sport dominated by the quality of the car and not the driver! It's a huge No from me. Not that likable a person either.

AP McCoy can do one as well.

The Lemming Stomper · Oct 26, 2020

Lenny Rider said:
Worthy of such a title?

Sorry not for me, it has to be the full package, ie both in the chosen sport and away from it, and whilst he’s a superb driver off the track he’s an idiot.

For me it’s one of three, Sir Steven Redgrave, Lord Botham or a bit left field but look at his life journey and his achievements within his sport, Tyson Fury.

What an idiot for sending that young boy dying with cancer his Spanish GP Trophy and an F1 car to his front door

Icy Gull · Oct 26, 2020

METALMICKY said:
In a sport dominated by the quality of the car and not the driver! It's a huge No from me. Not that likable a person either.

Does the greatest have to be likeable to qualify then?

You do realise that the best drivers get the best cars, just like the best footballers end up at the best clubs? Messi is only great because he is at Barcelona? OK then

As a counter argument to the OP's first post. I guess it all depends on the sports you like. As far as I'm concerned boxing can feck off from about 20 years ago and I wouldn't put a living boxer in my top 50 sportsmen. :smile:

Seasider78 · Oct 26, 2020

I think it depends which of these you are using to measure against

sportsman
1. a man who takes part in a sport, especially as a professional.
2. a person who behaves sportingly.

Hamilton is an incredible driver who has maintained phenomenal levels of performance and consistency for some time now. His levels of determination to win are frightening. The best drivers get the best cars and he has more than earned his seat over the years.

For behaving sportingly like Schumacher I think Hamilton has that ruthless streak that makes him the successful driver he is but won’t win him that many friends around the pit or in the general public.

That’s why you get these divided opinions on him as different people use different views of what they want from their sportsman.

It is very rare for someone to have the talent and the grace to go with it and beyond Federer struggling to think of any active sportsman who do.

Deleted member 2719 · Oct 26, 2020

jakarta said:
Did a few years Karting when younger, won a few Club and Regional Championships (Senna, Prost & Mansell all contemporaries, obviously they were a wee bit better than me!).

The essential problem with motor sport is that if your equipment is clearly better than the opposition you will likely win.

My dad had been a TT Racer who prepared his own Bikes and it was clear that the Karts my Older Brother and I raced were simply better prepared & quicker than other peoples (Brother actually became 125 British Champion).

Didn't stop me enjoying winning of course, but emphasised to me that it wasn't particularly down to my talent!

Oh and the finest British Racing Driver is a close call between Sir Stirling Moss and Jim Clark, I think I will go for the latter, just.

It's interesting that someone clearly understands motor sport picks the PR boy that Moss was?
I agree with you on Clark, but Stewart IMO was far better on and off the track than Moss.

How do you think lando will do? Do you think he will get in a top car or sit with mcclaren and help develope a top car?

Questions · Oct 26, 2020

Bold Seagull said:
He also drives a Mercedes. You may as well conclude any German manufacturer that existed pre WWII and survived beyond it probably had some link with the Nazi regime at some point. It’s amazing what people latch onto.

I was talking to a customer who had a friend who was involved in a group who dressed up in 2nd world war army uniforms. You couldn’t get anyone into a British Khaki get up, they all wanted to be SS officers because of the lovely styling.

Nice cut.

Guinness Boy · Oct 26, 2020

Seasider78 said:
I think it depends which of these you are using to measure against

sportsman
1. a man who takes part in a sport, especially as a professional.
2. a person who behaves sportingly.

Hamilton is an incredible driver who has maintained phenomenal levels of performance and consistency for some time now. His levels of determination to win are frightening. The best drivers get the best cars and he has more than earned his seat over the years.

For behaving sportingly like Schumacher I think Hamilton has that ruthless streak that makes him the successful driver he is but won’t win him that many friends around the pit or in the general public.

That’s why you get these divided opinions on him as different people use different views of what they want from their sportsman.

It is very rare for someone to have the talent and the grace to go with it and beyond Federer struggling to think of any active sportsman who do.

I wonder if it's the same people who say that Brighton's players are too nice and that we need to up the gamesmanship a bit who then call Lewis dislikable? If so, I wonder why that could be?

Not Andy Naylor · Oct 26, 2020

Icy Gull said:
I would be fascinated to know how many of those that dismiss F1 as a sport actually enjoy driving and have driven high performance cars anywhere close to the limit.

I don't dismiss F1 as a sport, but you'd have to concede that unless everyone drove an identical car, serviced by the same crew, there will be doubts about whether the victories belong to the driver or the vehicle.

There are probably fewer doubts as to whether Andy Murray would have won Wimbledon or Olympic gold with a different racquet.

Swansman · Oct 26, 2020

I dunno... you have nothing better than some car driver?

Herr Tubthumper · Oct 26, 2020

Questions said:
I was talking to a customer who had a friend who was involved in a group who dressed up in 2nd world war army uniforms. You couldn’t get anyone into a British Khaki get up, they all wanted to be SS officers because of the lovely styling.

Nice cut.

This. They might have a lost the war but they looked damn good doing it.

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