The most over-rated sportsman in sports history ?

[petebeard]

Dont get me wrong I love O'Sullivan and was gutted when he said he is not playing again this season cos I honestly dont think he will be back. However he has almost half the world titles Stephen Hendry has so therefore how can he be called the greatest ever player. Artetafan has nailed it with his last sentence.

As for Paul Hunter, I know its harsh because of how tragic his death was. (Its still one of the few famous people's deaths the genuinely saddened me) but after it was like yeah he would definitely have won the world championship. His masters record was superb, but i dont think he would have ever been world champ, and was overrated even before his death.

 

[Allezfan]

Hendry always struck me as underrated if I'm honest. Everyone preferred the likes of White or Parrot.

But he's probably the cloest thing this island has ever produced to Lother Matthaus or Michael Schumacher. An utter genius.

 

[Groucho]

He is, in my eyes, the most naturally talented player there's ever been. Hendry and Davis got where they were through hours and hours and hours of practice. While O' Sullivan undoubtedly had to practice too, he had an eye for shots that no one else would ever have seen, with maybe the exception of Alex Higgins.

Davis and Hendry dominated, and while O'Sullivan has done to a lesser extent, he's certainly the most naturally talented player the game has seen.

 

[petebeard]

Hendry got a 6 by 3 table at the age of 13 and was professional 3 years later. He played at a speed similar to Jimmy White when he first started. (There's clips on youtube of when he is 16, 17). He was every bit Jimmy, Ronnie and Alex but molded his game as he was getting beaten. He is the most attacking player I've ever seen. I hated the guys guts in the 90s but you had to respect the talent.

One thing O'Sullivan is underrated on is the safety game.

 

[Allezfan]

My ma has never forgiven the BBC for given sports personality of the year to Gascoigne rather than Hendry.

 

[bluejock]

Hendry always struck me as underrated if I'm honest. Everyone preferred the likes of White or Parrot.

But he's probably the cloest thing this island has ever produced to Lother Matthaus or Michael Schumacher. An utter genius.

Hendry's the greatest player ever to have picked up a cue. At his best, it was like watching an assassin at work, it was chilling.

 

[Walken]

Hendry's the greatest player ever to have picked up a cue. At his best, it was like watching an assassin at work, it was chilling.

yeh mos def, when he at his peak, his long potting was ludicrous, he forced so many errors because you couldnt afford to take easy safetys against him.

 

[Groucho]

My ma has never forgiven the BBC for given sports personality of the year to Gascoigne rather than Hendry.

That's quite funny

Hendry's the greatest player ever to have picked up a cue. At his best, it was like watching an assassin at work, it was chilling.

Excellent yes, and his positional play was great but like Sampras and Federer in tennis, I found him rather clinical as opposed to entertaining. This is where Ronnie o'Sullivan excels.

 

[noharmdone]

Ronnie o'sullivan is on life stories on itv4.. Maybe worth a watch ??

 

[toffeejack]

Ronnie o'sullivan is on life stories on itv4.. Maybe worth a watch ??

watched it last week it was good. Agreed on hendry the best ever, won the worl title with a broken bone in his arm ffs

 

[noharmdone]

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, I just don't get it.

Don't you just hate it when that happens..

 

[EFCNIK]

O'sullivan is an utter weirdo. Not a fan.

 

[evilwebby]

Ronnie O'Sullivan belongs on this list? SRS?

Even Hendry has gone on record saying that at his best he IS the best. That he didn't hit top form as consistently as Davis or Hendry is rather besides the point.. I mean, he still has 4 world championships, all of which he won at a canter, showing just how much better he was over his peers. Remember his 2 crucible semi-finals where he literally destroyed Hendry? I've never seen better snooker in my life.


If you want overrated Snooker players, I give you Alex Higgins - rediculous claims of greatness based upon one legendary clearance against Jimmy.

 

[malfosse]

Don't you just hate it when that happens..

I like to think my comments spurred him on I was just using a bit of reverse psychology.
* I think I got away with that

 

[evilwebby]

Gilles Villneuve
Aryton Senna

There's something about dying like James Dean in an F1 car that elevates your status in the eyes of the fans.

I mean, I grew up watching the Senna/Prost/Mansell era, and while Aryton was clearly the fastest driver most of the time, but there were plenty of times when his incompleteness as a driver would mean he was beaten by his peers.

Villneuve regularly makes top 10 all time greatest lists, but I have to say I don't see it myself. Some great drives, but of the school of drivers who do not know how to drive anything less than 11/10ths, which is counterproductive over a season.