After posting on Bo Jackson I was thinking what was the best era. I may be partial but after thinking about it a while (5 minutes). I would have to say the 70's-80's were the best overall. Maybe in all sports.
Basketball. Jordan, Magic Bird Jabbar
Football. Montana Sanders Bo Sanders
Baseball. Rose Ryan Bench
Hockey Gretzky
I could go on and on with names that challenge that list. I cannot think of any names that challenge this list with the exception of Lebron and Kobe but I wouldnt put their names above any that I listed. The only two I would put above is Wilt and Oscar.
Im sure I will have disagreements.
You also have to consider:
Phelps-Swimming
Bolt-Track
1974 & 1975 first time there was a 2 time heisman winner. Archie Griffin!!! I agree 70's and 80's.
80's take it, IMO.
NBA- Bird, Jabbar, Doctor J, Barkley, Jordan, Magic, Malone, Stockton all played
NFL- Montana, Marino, Elway, L.T. Payton, Bo Jackson,
CFB- Barry Sanders, Primetime, Hershel Walker
Boxing- Evander Holyfield, Tyson vs Douglas, Sugar Ray Leonard
Hockey- USA vs Russia Olympics, Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers
MLB- Rickey Henderson, Nolan Ryan, Pete Rose
definite Golden Age of Superstars.... Also coincides with mainstream Cable TV and access to viewing these stars more than once a season.
I'd take any current ATHs. They only get bigger, faster and more freakish every year and every so often you'll get the freak of nature like LeBron a 270 pound beast who moves like a PG.
pick one player to start your NBA team with, who you takin? Lebron, Magic, Jordan or Bird?
Pick a running back to start your NFL team with, in the draft..... Adrian Peterson or Walter Payton or Barry Sanders or Bo Jackson?
Do you want Revis or Primetime at cornerback?
WR you taking Jerry Rice or Andre Johnson?
7th game of the World Series, who takes the mound Nolan Ryan or Verlander, at the plate Tony Gwinn or Buster Posey, on base Rickey Henderson or .....yada yada yada.
Would Reggie White, Ronnie Lott, Chris Spielman, Lawrence Taylor not be all-pro today?
who wins Hulk Hogan or CM Punk?
fun to think about.
I think things like this seem better when you look to the past. You remember the good old days and the big sports figures of the time. In 30 years we'll be looking back to now remembering Kobe and Lebron, Manning, Tebow, and all the other current big names.
Though their accomplishments have been tainted, that summer of '98 was probably the best season baseball's ever had. Sosa and McGwire, chasing the record all year long; that's a narritive that even ESPN couldn't ruin.
Also, the '90s also gave us some pretty epic dominance in all sports: the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees in baseball; Michael Johnson in track; FSU, Nebraska, and Miami in college football; the Chicago Bulls in basketball; not to mention the Dream Team haha.
I mean, when the decade included the pinnacles of Michael Jordan, Barry Sanders, Ken Griffey Jr., Deon Sanders, and the tale ends of guys like Bird and Gretzky--I dunno, gotta give my formative years the nod here.