Mount Rushmore of Sports

I got the idea from ESPN, they are doing a Mt Rushmore of sports, state by state. They also talk about the overall Mt Rushmore of sports. I asked every sports fan i know. Some i agreed with, some I completely disagree with. The great thing about this topic is: if you think seriously, there are no worng answer. The only criteria are influence and performance. The weight you give it is up to you. This is my Mount Rushmore of Sports:



Jackie Robinson,

The Hall of Famer lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track while at UCLA. He broke the MLB color barrier becoming the first black baseball player, which began the process of integration in the sport, in 1947. He was the 1949 NL MVP.







Muhammed Ali,

The three-time World Heavyweight Champion was an Olympic gold medalist and SI's "Sportsman of the Century." He had the personality of all personalities, the swagger that came to define a champion.







Michael Jordan,

The five-time NBA MVP won six NBA titles and was Finals MVP each time he won a title. One of the greatest basketball player of all time. Most influential basketball player of all time.







Vince Lombardi,

Lombardi coached the Packers to five NFL titles, including first two Super Bowls. The Super Bowl trophy is named after him. He has influenced every NFL coach in one way or another.

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Some other contenders that came extremely close to making the final cut

Bill Russell

Babe Ruth

Tiger Woods

Joe Montana

Bill Walsh

Jim Brown

Jerry Rice

Phil Jackson

James Naismith

Willie Mays

Some of the more clever options I heard

Secretariat

Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Rocky Balboa

Michael Phelps