Whos the better athlete?

[airdweller 0]

Lance winning 7 Tours de France

Tiger completes the Career Grand Slam for the second time

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"From the mightiest pharaoh to the lowliest peasant,
who doesn't enjoy a good sit?" C. Montgomery Burns

[popsjumper 2]

No comparison....Lance by 7 tours.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[vid666 0]

Comparing Tour De France cyclicsts to Golf "Athletes" is the same as comparing the SPORTS of Chess and Skydiving.

[BGill 0]

hands down, Lance.

battling cancer then winning the tour 7 times in a row? absolutely. lance is the definition of athlete.

[Ashtanga 0]

In this case I would say lance. However, Tiger Woods is close though. They interviewed a few Braves players here in Atlanta that are avid golfers. One of them made a comment that golf is a lot harder than baseball. He said this is because a golfer has to excel in every aspect of their sport. They have to be good at driving, chipping, putting and using their irons. Where as a baseball player has to excel in one position and or batting. The stress level of a pro golfer is very high.

Lance is just awesome though.

[kenz 0]

tiger is a very respectable athlete, however lance has overcome so much, and really i dont know many people that would have the endurance lance had... not only 7 times in the tour but defeating cancer that spread throughout a majority of his body .. what an amazing comeback... rock out lance

"life does throw curveballs sometimes but it doesn't mean we shouldn't still swing for the homerun" ~ me

[Tink1717 2]

What Lance does on a bike is so much more in terms of effort, stamina and motor skill, that what Tiger, or any other golfer does isn't even in the same league.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[gweeks 1]

An honorable mention should go out to Bobby Gill who by pure athleticism has perfected the art of one handed packing.

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And what better use for the free hand?

(Don't answer that)

[kelel01 1]

My thoughts: cycling is a full-on sport, requiring athleticism. Golf is a game, requiring SKILL. So who's the better "athlete"? Lance Armstrong. Which one is better or more impressive than the other? NEITHER. They're both extremely talented, hardworking individuals.

[Icon134 0]

Lance by Far...

but I also want to give an honorable mention Steven Redgrave a british Rower that won 5 consectuive Olympic Gold medals in an aerobic event. (keep in mind that's over 20 years of being at the top of his sport)

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Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[Tonto 1]

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The stress level of a pro golfer is very high.

I can imagine! What consequence when the little ball doesn't go in the hole... another shot! Wow. What a price to pay! It's a bit like when a swoop goes wrong. You get another try - if you're a Buddhist - in your next life.

Golfers are not "athletes" even by the futherest stretch of that term.

from Oxford...

"Athlete" - Person who is good at Athletics.
"Athletic" - Muscular and physically active.
"Athletics" - Sport, esp running and jumping.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Designer 0]

Lance you Knuckle head.Hitting a golf ball around is about as exciting as watching grass grow!

[haymangonzo 0]

Nice question.

Two great athletes, but how to compare? Certainly Lance has dominated the tour de France now for seven years and Tiger has achieved an amazing dominance and record with his wins. But who is a better athlete? Perhaps the best way to compare is to measure how much better they are than other champions(past and contemporary) in their own sport. I have a tremendous respect for Lance his achievement, but there have been in the history other champions who have won the Tour many times. (Not as many as Lance though and winning 5 Tours 20, or 30 years ago was undoubtedly more difficult then now). How many other great golfers have there been that have dominated like Tiger or achieved Tiger's results? If both are the best that there have ever been in the history of their sport, I personally feel a tendency to see Tiger's achievements as more difficult as, he has in the end to do it all by himself and Lance is in a team sport. Lance his qualities are not only his power in cycling, but also in getting a team of other cyclists around him that makes it possible for him to win. This in itself is of course an achievement and makes me doubt my initial feeling and think that perhaps he has the edge.

Tigers's sport is more technical and 100% dependable on his own qualities. Lance his Tour wins demand a physical (and mental) dominance over others but is also influenced by politics and cash flow.

I just can't make my mind up!!!!!

I vote for Valentino Rossi! Yeah, thats the solution.

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Nice to meet you toot!

[aerohaga 0]

Let me see-Tiger hits a little ball around with a big-headed stick and walks around (sometimes rides a cart).
Lance rides a bike for over 2200 miles for 21 days.
No question-it's Tiger (kidding of course)

For my part, I know nothing with any certainty,
But the sight of the stars makes me dream.
-Vincent Van Gogh

[Ashtanga 0]

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Golfers are not "athletes" even by the futherest stretch of that term.

There are some people that say skydivers are not "athletes". Everyone has their own opinion. I do feel that golf is a sport and the professionals are athletes. I also feel that skydivers are athletes.

[Dougjumper 0]

Geeez..man thats a no Brainer come on.

Armstrong gonna Livestrong!

The glass is half full or half empty doesn't matter. Let go and have the Lord guide your path. He will take care of it all.

[vid666 0]

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Golfers are not "athletes" even by the futherest stretch of that term.

There are some people that say skydivers are not "athletes". Everyone has their own opinion. I do feel that golf is a sport and the professionals are athletes. I also feel that skydivers are athletes.

I would say that both are competitors - only one is an athelete.

like Tonto said - a physical exertion is needed to be an "athlete" - in such, I guess one can say that getting a plane ride to 13K and then fallin flat and stable, opening, landing and paying a packer is not necessarily athletic either ( just think of some tandem students ). .. Now turning x amount of points, coming down for a swoop and packing on your own - that's probably a bit more of an athleticism, eh ?

hmm - pushing a ball around, dressed in khakis and a polo shirt, then driving your cart.. Not to mention having somebody else carry your bag - show me where is this guy supposed to break his sweat ?

BTW, I am an arguing athlete - my wife forces me to practice quite often ....

[Frenchy68 0]

As of now, Lance. But let's see what Tiger has accomplished by the time he retires...

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[DrewGPM 0]

viewing this from an athletic stand point is the wrong angle...as evidence by the debate over whether golf is an athletic activity. a more appropriate questions might be: "Which example of domination of his sport is more impressive...Lance or Tiger?" The fact that both can be recognized by first name alone indicates that both have achieved greatness...so hats off to both.

Lance dominated one race, on the same course every year. an incredible feat, no question about it. Especially doing 7 years in a row.

Tiger had to win on 4 different courses, with different conditions each time. He has also played in other events in between each major...and has won a lot of those too. Tiger Woods' record of 142 consecutive tournaments making the cut also goes toward his domination. The next longest streak is 113.

In terms of dominating the sport, Tiger is more impressive. Had Lance won other events, he might prove to be more dominant. Had he won a more stages in the tour, he might prove more dominant. how many times could tiger the US Open if that was the time he played?

For domination of a sport...I think niether of these guys come close to Edwin Moses... 122 consecutive wins over a 10 year period. THAT is total domination of your sport!

[RfukfreeflyingW 0]

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hmm - pushing a ball around, dressed in khakis and a polo shirt, then driving your cart.. Not to mention having somebody else carry your bag - show me where is this guy supposed to break his sweat ?

I'm sorry when is it that pro golfers are riding around in carts? I can think of 1 pro that did, and that was hard fought in COURT to allow that.

Its funny how everyone thinks its just hitting a ball with a "stick" if it was that easy, there would be alot more pros. your club head could be a half of millimetter off, and ur ball is hooked into the woods. Your approach has to be consistant, you dont have a team protecting your lead, and if anyone has ever played on a professional course, they will be able to tell you that keeping a ball on the green, and close to the hole itself is one of the toughest thing there is.

Not saying Lance isnt a good athlete, but just because someone use a different set of muscles, doesnt make then any less of an athlete.

There is far more skill in golf, and far more aerobic exercise in bicycling. But I would argue that Tiger is more dominent of an athlete.

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-God, you are the perfect amount of dumb...

[okalb 78]

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Lance dominated one race, on the same course every year. an incredible feat, no question about it. Especially doing 7 years in a row.

Quite a bit of the tour de France route changes from year to year, so that is not totally accurate, although I see your point.

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Tiger had to win on 4 different courses, with different conditions each time.

Weather conditions like wind and rain play a major role in the tour de France as well. Also, in the tour you are competing against other riders that are constantly trying different strategic attacks. You are not just riding a bike. Your strategy is constantly changing based on what your opponents are doing and where they are in the race. For the most part in Golf you are competing against yourself and your strategy rarely changes. I realize that you may need to hit more aggressive shots if you are behind and such, but it is not really the same thing.

Those that brought up the fact that the tour is a team event are correct. Remember though that it is Lance (with the help of the manager) that is determining the team strategy as well as motivating the team to ride FOR him. To me that shows that he is not just a great rider but also a great leader.

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Had he won a more stages in the tour, he might prove more dominant.

That is not how the tour works. You either win stages or the GC (General Classification) you don't do both.

I think both are great athletes in their own right, but there is no doubt in my mind that Lance is far superior and one of the greatest athletes of all times.

Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

[RfukfreeflyingW 0]

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For domination of a sport...I think niether of these guys come close to Edwin Moses... 122 consecutive wins over a 10 year period. THAT is total domination of your sport!

how about Misty May and Kerri Walsh, going on a 89 match winning streak in 1 year, including an olympic gold!

and lost only and going 128-9 in the last 2 years...

thats pretty good too!

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-God, you are the perfect amount of dumb...

[RfukfreeflyingW 0]

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Tiger had to win on 4 different courses, with different conditions each time.

well first off he won 4 different majors twice over, but they werent all at the same course. his major record was won on about 8 different courses. keep in mind only the masters stays at the same course.

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Weather conditions like wind and rain play a major role in the tour de France as well. Also, in the tour you are competing against other riders that are constantly trying different strategic attacks. You are not just riding a bike. Your strategy is constantly changing based on what your opponents are doing and where they are in the race. For the most part in Golf you are competing against yourself and your strategy rarely changes. I realize that you may need to hit more aggressive shots if you are behind and such, but it is not really the same thing.

Golf you are competing against the course, weather that can take a good shot into the water or sand, and various attacks from many other golfers, that are VERY capable of winning everytime. When someone is second place to Tiger, its people that have multiple major wins themselves, not to mention many tournement wins. Lances closest competitors wouldnt have dominence of their game even if lance was gone. the only reson people like VIjay, Ernie, gooson, and mickelson, arent considered as dominent players is because of Tiger. You take Tiger away, and they would be considered dominent golfers.

When you can suppress multiple players that have won multiple major wins, thats dominence.

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-God, you are the perfect amount of dumb...

[Spizzzarko 0]

Those of you who don't play golf have no idea how difficult it actually is to be good at. Most of the people who play golf will reach a plateau, and never beable to break par on a round. Those who work at it, and work at it, and work at it, may beable to breakthrough and be a good player. Ever fewer will be able to ever really make a living at it.

I used to say golf was a stupid game, where you hit a little ball into a little hole a quarter mile away with a stick, but then I really tried to play the game, and now I play at least once a week if possible. There's something about the precision of the game that I really like. I also like the quietness of the game. So if you havn't tried it, then don't knock it.

[Airbender 0]

I must agree with spizzarko it seems most of you have never played golf. It is very athletic you need to be in tune with every inch of your body and make sure it is doing what it should. I also think Lance is awsome it takes a different kind of athleticizm to do what he does I don't think you can compair the two. Tiger works just as hard as Lance does if he is having a bad day he will hit the driving range after a round and hit balls till he works it out. I havn't ridin a bike in months but I don't think I will suck at it next time I get on one. I f I don't play golf for a few months its like starting over again. The way I see it skydiver can't bash golf about being a sport what kind of shape do you have to be in to fall out of a plane.