As far as I am concerned the Academy is NOT a guideline for what is or isn't great when it comes to actors / actresses or movies.

It's more political with them than anything else if you ask me.

But I don't want to hijack this topic, so we'll save that debate for another topic.

As far as I am concerned the Academy is NOT a guideline for what is or isn't great when it comes to actors / actresses or movies.

It's more political with them than anything else if you ask me.

But I don't want to hijack this topic, so we'll save that debate for another topic.

Actually, I agree. I have very little respect for the Academy. It's left-wing and "clubby."

As far as women actors, how could they leave out Darla from the Little Rascals?

Maybe the 'other' in that category is for the race horse Secretariat.

I had the same problem as you Bibble in regards to Ali vs. Gretzky.

I went with Gretzky, Ruth and Jordan ( not specifically in that order). Ali would have been my next pick as he was very close in my decision.

Actors/Actresses : Hepburn, Hoffman and Other. The other for me is Spencer Tracy.

Entertainers : Elvis, Sinatra and The Beatles.

While I am not a huge Beatles fan, and am more of a fan of several others on the list, I do feel that the Beatles are one of the greatest in that category and deserved my vote.

As a matter of fact that is really how I picked out of all the categories above. I did not neccesarily pick names that may be my favorites, but I picked names of those who I feel deserve to be categorized amongst the greatest in their respective fields.

Angels in America, Sophie's Choice, Silkwood, The Deer Hunter, Out of Africa, The French Lieutenant's Woman?? If she had never made another film after Sophie's Choice, I would still consider her a great, great actress. Her work in that film alone is amazing.

Great thread, SC.

I went with sports figures:

Babe Ruth (the quintessential American sports figure, he dominated his sport as no other athlete has. He saved baseball in his time of the Black Sox scandal, and put the Yankees on the sports map. I hate the Yankees, but I don't hesitate to give Ruth his due. By the way, he was a top pitcher as well.)

Michael Jordan (I've never seen a basketball player as good as he. He, like Ruth, had a magnetism that made him larger than his sport.)

Hank Aaron (a model of consistency and excellence in the 50s, 60s and 70s, and in my eyes, no athlete has ever surpassed him in class and dignity.)

In entertainment I went with

The Beatles
Elvis
Springsteen

In acting I selected

DeNiro
Hoffman
Henry Fonda

I probably would rethink Fonda.

SC, any plans for lists of public figures/politicians/writers, etc.?

Interesting thread. But before I vote, I'm a tad confused by the "American" part. A lot of these people aren't American...

Clearly the theory is that all the greats come from the greatest nation in the world.

Who the hell would vote for that Lennon fellow, anyway? Lennon; the hell is that? Is that some sort of reference to communism? Fucking limey's. All a bunch of hacks.

By greatest nation in the world, I do mean select area's of Portugal.

Perhaps not by birth, but a lot of these non-Americans had a great impact on America OR owed a large part their "fame" to America.

I'll stick with "great impact on America" then, and will have a little fink...

I actually had five categories for this poll but deleted politicians/scientists and authors because it got too unwieldly. That'd make a good separate poll.

I liked her In The Bridges Of Madison County.

Nice topic SC

My choices are.

Sports
Hank Arron-The greatest home run hitter ever, that worthless cheater Barry Bonds doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Hank. He had class still does.

Wayne Gretzky-Only the greatest hockey player of all time, what can you say about a guy who holds/shares 61 NHL records? Plus when he retired the NHL hall of fame waived the 3 year waiting period.

Joe Montana-quite possibly the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL(and it pains me to say that as I'm a huge Troy Aikman fan)

Entertainers
Elvis Presley-Never liked his music, probably never will but there is no denying the impact he left.

Other-Johnny Cash The Man in black I'm a fan of some of his songs. Plus what can you say about a man who is in the Country hall of fame, Rock 'N' Roll hall of fame, and the songwriters hall of fame.

I could only bring myself to vote for 2 in this category

Actors

Robert DeNiro-He's delivered some damn fine performances in unforgettable roles his role as Max Cady springs to mind.

Al Pacino-Absolutely unforgettable as Michael Corleone & Tony Montana.

Other-Clint Eastwood a true american Icon(towering above John Wayne, I'll probably get flamed for that one big time)


One thing that really gets to me. Is how can Ali get 14 votes? Good Grief, besides Ali wasn't even his real name.

But I'll get off that as this is neither the time or place to get into that kind of discussion.

Actually, I think it is the time and place for such a discussion. It's an interesting thread, but it could easily become a boring one with people posting a list of names and nothing more. SC left it open to interpretation as to how and why we vote - I assume it was to encourage a variety of reasons and open a window for debate.

I haven't voted yet, but of the nominees, I'd pick Ali first and unquestionably in that category. Why? Because I'd be voting people on the basis of international embodiments of American iconography (forgive the iffy term). In short, "cultural significance" - and the US happens to be the most culturally significant country on the planet.

Or, put it this way; you yourself said of Elvis:



I think Ali as a person(a) exists as much outside of the boxing world as he did inside it. Wayne Gretzky, meanwhile, gets a comical reference in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and had a videogame out not so long ago. But what makes NHL records inherently great? (I'm not saying they're not.)

So, in response, why wouldn't you vote for Ali?

Because Jordan is the greatest!!!!

Nerd

How am i a nerd.Jordan is the greatest athlete.Don't get me wrong,Ali was and is the Greatest boxer to ever fight,but i still think Jordan has it over him and was a lot more humble guy.

Plus Jordan could kick Ali's ass now

So take that Chopper,you Aussie Gangster try-hard.You ain't Chopper!!!!

I think jordan is ace



i just like winding you up



nerd

Try-hard.

Guys, please take this love affair of yours to a motel room or PMs. Thanks.

No,probs

you two should get in the ring..

nah dont want to embaress him

Look,This is the last irrelevant post I'm going to write as i don't want to piss off SC,but as for getting in the ring,i think Chopper is the type of guy who would prefer to Take it in the ring..if you get my drift.

good come back








if it come down to it whispy my little girl it would be no contest

I think you captured the reasons for Ali. As an American icon, he could be included in the top names. I gave some weight to the historical and cultural impact, but I did not include Ali because I believe that over the years he has been overrated as a fighter, and as a heavyweight he did not rise above his peers the way that Ruth and Jordan did. I believe that his celebrity has contributed to him being viewed as the Greatest.

In the 70s I believe that Muhammed Ali was the beneficiary of some very questionable decisions. I and many thought Jimmy Young defeated him in 1976, and later that year Ken Norton was absolutely robbed in his fight with Ali in Yankee Stadium. Two years later, Leon Spinks mopped up the ring with him and had to survive a split decision.

Don't get me wrong; he was a great fighter and a true champion, but the greatest of all time doesn't lose to Leon Spinks, or struggle and rely on a biased decision to beat Young.

He was more hip, outspoken and controversial than any other athlete, and that, as much as anything, feeds into his legend.

Gretzky dominated his sport as much as Jordan, but, Capo, you hit on a point, with which I agree. His cultural impact is limited by the relative lack of poularity of his sport and his mild mannered demeanor. I like Gretzky a lot as a person and athlete, but I passed him over largely because I think the other sports have a much greater cultural impact on America.

Although when Gretzky's wife was knocked out cold by an errant puck during one of his games, and she was taken by ambulance to the hospital, he stayed and finished the game. He truly was the Great One.

Elaborate on the relevance of his name change please. I'd love to here how that matters at all. Besides -- the man changed his name, his name is what he says it is, and that's it. Why so bitter? A true global and American icon if there ever was one. As far as stature goes, there's no denying he towers over guys like Montana anyday.

Sports... Pscchhh...

I still don't get them. I think I can appreciate the work that goes into them, and I'd go so far as to say its an artform in its own right. But, the bottom line is, I don't know who won the Super Bowl, and I didn't even know which teams played until the other day.

I'm just not a competitive guy, and I don't really understand competition in the first place. It's weird, I don't understand why I never followed sports. Even as a child I was oblivious and uninterested.

I don't know. Just a few thoughts.

Don't worry, I'm quickly not caring day by day.