Greatest award in sports?

Discussion in 'The Thunderdome' started by Unimane, Jun 8, 2012.

  1. Unimane

    Unimane Kill "The Caucasian"

    I suppose I'm just in the mood for throwing out discussion questions this week, but I was reading my Olympics post and it brought me back to an argument I had with someone over the best title, or award, in all of sports. This could include any kind of title from the Yellow Jersey to the Balon d'Or to a Super Bowl trophy. I think the criteria might be, if you told someone you won this, they would be more impressed with this than any other accomplishment in sports. Obviously, this is on average. Some dude in Afghanistan might be most impressed that you won the world championship of elephant soccer or something. Besides, it's just an opinion. Anyway...


    I think it has to be a more individual type title. I suppose a World Cup title may be impressive to the world, but I just get the sense that other awards have more of an impact. You need something that says "Oh shit, really, you won this?" more than anything else. So, in that sense, I see two rising above the rest. One is an Olympic gold medal and the other is the Heavyweight Champion. There's some panache in saying "I won the gold medal..." or "I was heavyweight champion....." that nothing else could surpass.

    However, to pick one, I think I'd have to go with the Olympic Gold Medal by a nose. First of all, there's just one for each event, not seven different organizations awarding a gold medal for the 100 meter dash. Second of all, it's one thing when it's Mike Tyson as the champ and quite another when it's a Klitschko or Michael Moorer. Fair or not, some of the guys holding that title would be kind of scoffed at by some if they showed up at a restaurant or the My-T-Sharp barbershop as not as good as some other legit dude like Ali, Louis or Frazier. On the other hand, I can guaran-damn-tee that I would get the "holy shit" treatment if I walked in the same place with a gold medal around my neck.
     
  2. droski

    droski Traffic Criminal

    In america? Super Bowl MVP. Worldwide probably gold medal.
     
  3. cotton

    cotton Stand-up Philosopher

    15 years ago, I would say Heavyweight Champion without any hesitation. I can't tell you who holds that title now--my guess would be some Russian guy.

    I'm not sure anything really stands out today. There are so many Olympic events, and so many that nobody really cares about, that Gold Medal just doesn't have the weight, IMO. MVP of any of the big 3 would be in contention, with special mention to Cy Young and Superbowl MVP. #1 in the world in golf or tennis. 100m record holder. I don't know if any really stand out above the rest.
     
  4. Unimane

    Unimane Kill "The Caucasian"

    Yeah, I considered the numerous events of the Olympics, but I still think that, if you just stated "I won a gold medal.." that it would draw the type of response I was throwing out.

    As for the Super Bowl MVP, I can see the argument for that, in America. However, I'm not sure it has any more effect on someone that simply flashing a ring and certainly very few outside our borders would give two shits.
     
  5. volfanjo

    volfanjo Chieftain

    I still think winning a batting title is most impressive. It doesn't mean anyone remembers who they are from year to year but it has always impressed me as an unbelievably difficult feat.

    This is a bit outside the scope of the question but the Triple Crown in baseball and horse-racing are pretty unbelievable when someone actually achieves it.
     
  6. NYY

    NYY Super Moderator

    Baseball's Triple Crown.
     
  7. cotton

    cotton Stand-up Philosopher

    Follow your quote with the words "in kayaking, badminton, synchronized swimming, or curling" and I think it loses a little of the wow factor.
     
  8. cotton

    cotton Stand-up Philosopher

    Speaking of which, I'll Have Another apparently just scratched.
     
  9. Unimane

    Unimane Kill "The Caucasian"

    I actually think that lends some credence. The fact that no one would give two shits about you winning in those sports in any arena outside an Olympic gold medal lends impact to the cache of a gold medal.
     
  10. cotton

    cotton Stand-up Philosopher

    I place "I won a gold medal for slowly rolling a rock across vigorously swept ice" several steps behind "I was long snapper for the Browns for two seasons" on the impressiveness scale, if that tells you anything about my ranking system.
     
  11. hallowed_hill

    hallowed_hill Active Member

    If we're counting cumulative awards like this, golf's grand slam is the greatest achievement of them all. In a sport that doesn't lend itself toward domination as much as others, a grand slam in golf is unreal.
     
  12. tvolsfan

    tvolsfan Chieftain

    America:

    Team-Vince Lombardi Trophy
    Individual-Heisman (in terms of prestige, not actually my personal opinion)

    Worldwide:

    Team- FIFA World Cup Trophy
    Individual- FIFA player of the year
     
  13. droski

    droski Traffic Criminal

    whose more likely to get laid in say Spain? Aaron rodgers or team curler #3?
     
  14. tvolsfan

    tvolsfan Chieftain

    Landon Donovan
     
  15. kptvol

    kptvol Super Moderator

    Not so sure I'd rate Super Bowl MVP so highly. A mediocre player could have one great or lucky game and then he's got it. Also not sure how many people really remember the recipient of that award.
     
  16. kptvol

    kptvol Super Moderator

    Not sure Rodgers is a big enough celebrity at this point for him to have that much clout over there. Tom Brady could pull it off.
     
  17. hallowed_hill

    hallowed_hill Active Member

    Is team curler #3?
     
  18. kptvol

    kptvol Super Moderator

    I'd hit it.
     
  19. droski

    droski Traffic Criminal

    how many people remember who won the long jump gold medal last olympics? Bet a lot remember the past two super bowl mvps are eli manning and aaron rodgers.

    just being a famous american athlete would help. plently of elite soccer players could come here and no one would know who they are. I bet plenty of ladies would be interested if they were told who they were though.
     
  20. kptvol

    kptvol Super Moderator

    Aaron is certainly famous, but I wonder how many Spaniards could pick Senor Rodgers out of a lineup.

    Sort of just busting your balls about picking a Cal player for your example, though.
     

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