Greatest Athlete in D.C. History (team sports)

[thebluefood]

Barring something exceptionally shameful with his behavior, Ovi's place on our sports Rushmore is safe. I don't know if he'll break Gretzky's record but he's moving up the goals leaders list at a relentless pace. It's incredible.

 

Baugh (among other things) made D.C. a football first town. Ovie and the Caps over the past decade or so have seriously challenged that as a hockey team, something that shouldn't even be possible in a city south of the Mason-Dixon line. 

[Warhead36]

1 hour ago, Sticksboi05 said:

 

Another Cup would be nice to solidify his DC GOAT status.

 

 

He's been the DC Goat for 5+ years now.

[DogofWar1]

Aside from winning a championship, I think the think that helps to push Ovi over the top ever so slightly (over Green imo) is the fact he's doing what he's doing in the era of the Butterfly style of goalie.

 

He's maintaining a Gretzky-in-his-own-era pace in an era where Gretzky probably would have scored only 500-600 goals.

 

The change in goalie styles is such a huge shift and it's very clear from looking at most goals per season by players over the years.

 

I still think it's close with Green but Green is hampered by position unfortunately.  He has championships, but unfortunately it's harder to measure productivity, and what's more, he doesn't have a Gretzky from an easier era who he kept pace with in a tougher era.

 

Baugh was a revelation at the time but I don't think he would keep up in later eras.  It's a bit unfair to him but "best of the era" is still pretty impressive.

[OVCChairman]

*** disclaimer - ALL members of that list have their legacies cemented in DC sports history.  The following is not an indictment or bashing of any of those listed ***

 

 

It's gotta be Ovi.  The Cup instantly vaulted  him to that position.   

 

Ovi is likely to be in the conversation as the best shooter to ever lace em up.   

 

 

 

 

 

[Elessar78]

Raul Diaz Arce. 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Gotta be Ovi, no doubt about it now.  

[Mournblade]

In fairness, I never saw Baugh, Hayes or Walter Johnson play.

 

From the athletes i HAVE seen play:

 

1.  Alexander Ovechkin first ( by a VAST margin -- he is a hockey messiah to DC)

 

2. Braden Holtby (2nd most important player to the modern Capitals)

 

3.  Darryl Green

 

4. John Riggins

 

List should probably include Cal Ripken Jr, who was a monster figure in the DC during the 1980s. 

Edited April 8, 2019 by Mournblade

[Warhead36]

2 hours ago, DogofWar1 said:

Aside from winning a championship, I think the think that helps to push Ovi over the top ever so slightly (over Green imo) is the fact he's doing what he's doing in the era of the Butterfly style of goalie.

 

He's maintaining a Gretzky-in-his-own-era pace in an era where Gretzky probably would have scored only 500-600 goals.

 

The change in goalie styles is such a huge shift and it's very clear from looking at most goals per season by players over the years.

 

I still think it's close with Green but Green is hampered by position unfortunately.  He has championships, but unfortunately it's harder to measure productivity, and what's more, he doesn't have a Gretzky from an easier era who he kept pace with in a tougher era.

 

Baugh was a revelation at the time but I don't think he would keep up in later eras.  It's a bit unfair to him but "best of the era" is still pretty impressive.

Green? As in DARRELL Green? LMAO. Its not even remotely close. Ovechkin is one of the greatest hockey players ever. Darrell Green was never even the best in the league at his position. I wouldn't even put Green as a top 5 Redskin of all time.

[tshile]

If the question is athlete, the just pull up the highlight reels. Ovechkin has dozens of circus style goals, in addition to just great goals due to accuracy power and timing. 

 

The guy can spin in circles on his knees sliding down the ice and get it past a goalie while being chased down by a defender. 

 

I cant really think of another athlete I’ve see such acrobatics from - not a one or two time thing but time and a time again. I’m sure they exist, I just can’t think of them. 

 

I always thought it was ridiculous to hold him accountable for a team sport that’s rotating 3 lines of 5 (minus double shifting guys) through a game. Not to mention the puck luck/random bounce/hot goalie aspect of playoff hockey. 

[Mournblade]

6 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

Green? As in DARRELL Green? LMAO. Its not even remotely close. Ovechkin is one of the greatest hockey players ever. Darrell Green was never even the best in the league at his position. I wouldn't even put Green as a top 5 Redskin of all time.

 

I doubt you ever saw him play. I mean no Skins fan in his right mind would ever say this. 

[Popeman38]

6 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

Green? As in DARRELL Green? LMAO. Its not even remotely close. Ovechkin is one of the greatest hockey players ever. Darrell Green was never even the best in the league at his position. I wouldn't even put Green as a top 5 Redskin of all time.

Green was top 5 at his position for damn near 20 years. He was 1st Team All Pro in 1986, 1987, 1990, & 1991. By definition, that means he was top 2 at his position. He was a 7 time Pro Bowler. He was also a 1st ballot HoF. You don’t do any of that and not be considered the best at your position. TFOH

[max21]

It’s Alexander Ovechkin, it’s not even remotely a debate. Anyone who thinks it’s Darrel Green is delusional. The real question is will they make a statue of the Great 8. 

[Hersh]

Why is this thread still active/open? Anyone suggesting it's not Ovechkin?

[Popeman38]

32 minutes ago, max21 said:

It’s Alexander Ovechkin, it’s not even remotely a debate. Anyone who thinks it’s Darrel Green is delusional. The real question is will they make a statue of the Great 8. 

I voted Ovie, but saying Green wasn't a top 5 Redskins is ludicrous. 

 

Ovechkin is a generational talent, likely the best goal scorer in the history of the NHL. He is putting up 50 goal seasons at rates rarely seen before (Bossy & Gretzky, that's it) in an era when it is harder to score than ever before.  It is crazy, absolutely insane, that hockey people are actually talking about him breaking Wayne Gretzky's all time goals record IN THIS ERA. The numbers that Gretzky put up in the stand-up era should make his record untouchable...

[max21]

19 minutes ago, Popeman38 said:

I voted Ovie, but saying Green wasn't a top 5 Redskins is ludicrous. 

 

Ovechkin is a generational talent, likely the best goal scorer in the history of the NHL. He is putting up 50 goal seasons at rates rarely seen before (Bossy & Gretzky, that's it) in an era when it is harder to score than ever before.  It is crazy, absolutely insane, that hockey people are actually talking about him breaking Wayne Gretzky's all time goals record IN THIS ERA. The numbers that Gretzky put up in the stand-up era should make his record untouchable...

In the era of more coached and strict defenses and goalies it truly is remarkable

[ixcuincle]

kyle guy 🙄

[Warhead36]

14 hours ago, Popeman38 said:

Green was top 5 at his position for damn near 20 years. He was 1st Team All Pro in 1986, 1987, 1990, & 1991. By definition, that means he was top 2 at his position. He was a 7 time Pro Bowler. He was also a 1st ballot HoF. You don’t do any of that and not be considered the best at your position. TFOH

I never said Green wasn't top 5 at his position, but he was never the best. Deion Sanders played in mostly the same time period and he was better. Then you had guys like Charles Woodson, Rod Woodson, later on Champ Bailey, etc.

 

Green is an all time great and a HOF-er, but to even suggest he's in the same stratosphere as Alex Ovechkin is laughable.

[Mournblade]

Comparisons with Sanders are just foolish. Green was a star of the 80s, by the time Deion came into the league Green was well past his prime. In his prime Green was a faster player than Sanders, and Green was NOT afraid to tackle players, unlike Sanders who was notoriously soft. 

 

 

 

 

[skinfan2k]

this conversation ended last year. It's Ovi without question now. 

[Captain Wiggles]

4 hours ago, Mournblade said:

Comparisons with Sanders are just foolish. Green was a star of the 80s, by the time Deion came into the league Green was well past his prime. In his prime Green was a faster player than Sanders, and Green was NOT afraid to tackle players, unlike Sanders who was notoriously soft. 

 

 

 

 

 

Green was well past his prime by 1989? 🤨

 

 

Edited April 10, 2019 by clietas

[Kurd Cudins]

On 4/8/2019 at 2:10 PM, Warhead36 said:

Green? As in DARRELL Green? LMAO. Its not even remotely close. Ovechkin is one of the greatest hockey players ever. Darrell Green was never even the best in the league at his position. I wouldn't even put Green as a top 5 Redskin of all time.

Were you, by chance, at a baseball field in Connecticut this past Saturday?

[Sticksboi05]

34 years old. 3 hat tricks in 6 games. 14 goals in his last 7. Two away from 700 and assuming he hits 50, that would tie for the most 50-goal seasons ever. He could legitimately approach Gretzky's all-time record.

 

In the top 10 of the NHLs goal scoring chart right now the next closest player in age is 28.

 

Do not take this for granted folks.

[Warhead36]

Its gonna be a sad day when 8 hangs em up.

 

Greatest athlete we'll likely ever see in D.C.

[Sticksboi05]

Alex Ovechkin is 36 years old and shows zero signs of slowing down.

 

First in goals, third in points, and just tied Brett Hull for No. 4 all-time. It is a privilege.

 

 

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

As great as he is, I still can't bring myself to give a frenchman's **** about hockey.