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The Best 5 Cleveland Athletes of the Last 30 years

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  • The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
    #20

    After some research, I have come up with some names  of athletes who went to HS in NEOhio that could fit the Top 5 athletes since 1980.  I have used a few  objective criteria...and some subjective:

    LeBron James.      St. Vincent/St. Mary      I assume there will be no arguments here:

    Orlando Pace  Sandusky HS    Recent Pro Football HOF Inductee

    Desmond Howard   VASJ  HS.......simply on the basis of having won the most prestigious award in sports:  The Heisman Trophy

    Troy Smith   Glenville......ditto on the above

    Alvin Robertson   Barberton.    Olympic Gold medal winner...plus....one of only 4 players to ever officially record a Quadruple Double...and the only one in which steals was one of the stats.    (Akeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Nate Thurmond.)

    This list is based on these objective criteria..but, honestly, based on their overall athletic careers, the last three would not rightly be in this game....but it is highly difficult to say who would.   

    Other candidates:

    Basketball:

    Clark Kellogg  VASJ  

    Charles Oakley...not sure which HS...but Cleveland

    Jerome Lane...SVSM

    Larry Nance Jr.   Revere

    Steph Curry was born in Akron...but he went to HS in both Toronto Canada, and graduated from a Christian School in Charlotte NC.

    Football

    Bernie Kosar  Boardman

    Beanie Wells  Akron Garfield

    Mike Vrabel  Walsh

    Whitney Mercilus  Akron Garfield

    Antoine Whitfield  Akron Garfield

    James Harrison   Coventry

    London Fletcher  VASJ

    Chris Spielman  Massillon

    Donte Whitner   Glenville

    Ted Ginn Jr.  Glenville

    Bryan Hoyer  St. Ignatius

    Charlie Frye  Willard

    If I were to replace the three above that I mentioned, in their stead I would probably put  Kosar, Kellog, and probably Spielman in there.

  • @the-gipper said:

    How about this:    The Best Athletes produced out of Northeast Ohio....since 1980.  

    What I will say is:   someone who came out of the High School systems in NEO.

    Ergo...that would eliminate people that played for like Akron U or Kent state etc....unless they also went to HS here. (so...e.g.  that would take out Jason Taylor....HOF DE from Akron U...but who is from somewhere in Western Pa. )

    You're right it will open up another whole list of potential questions, all interesting and causing one to think.

    First make it easy professional or other and make it north of Columbus, eh?

    The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
    #21

    @mjp28 said:

    You're right it will open up another whole list of potential questions, all interesting and causing one to think.

    First make it easy professional or other and make it north of Columbus, eh?

    It would be like a line from Sandusky....to Mansfield....then over to like Steubenville.

  • @mjp28 said:

    You're right it will open up another whole list of potential questions, all interesting and causing one to think.

    First make it easy professional or other and make it north of Columbus, eh?

    It would be like a line from Sandusky....to Mansfield....then over to like Steubenville.

    mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by
    #22

    @the-gipper said:

    It would be like a line from Sandusky....to Mansfield....then over to like Steubenville.

    "EAST of Toledo" to Western Pa just outside of Pittsburgh?  North to the lake including Ashtabula and Erie? You know NE Ohio-ish.

  • @the-gipper said:

    It would be like a line from Sandusky....to Mansfield....then over to like Steubenville.

    "EAST of Toledo" to Western Pa just outside of Pittsburgh?  North to the lake including Ashtabula and Erie? You know NE Ohio-ish.

    The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
    #23

    @mjp28 said:

    "EAST of Toledo" to Western Pa just outside of Pittsburgh?  North to the lake including Ashtabula and Erie? You know NE Ohio-ish.

    NO part of Wester Pa would be involved.  Hell no.

  • @mjp28 said:

    "EAST of Toledo" to Western Pa just outside of Pittsburgh?  North to the lake including Ashtabula and Erie? You know NE Ohio-ish.

    NO part of Wester Pa would be involved.  Hell no.

    mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by
    #24

    @the-gipper said:

    NO part of Wester Pa would be involved.  Hell no.

    Excellent. You have the job, congratulations. 

  • @dutch-oven said:

    Stipe Miocic?

    And who the egg foo yung is that?

    Dutch OvenD Dutch Oven wrote on last edited by
    #25

    @the-gipper said:

    And who the egg foo yung is that?

    Stipe Miocic is the current heavyweight champ of the UFC

  • The Cysko KidT The Cysko Kid wrote on last edited by
    #26

    Depends on if you are using success as a measure of just athletic ability. If it's the latter than Josh Gordon is probably conversation worthy. 

  • @the-gipper said:

    And who the egg foo yung is that?

    Stipe Miocic is the current heavyweight champ of the UFC

    mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by
    #27

    @dutch-oven said:

    Stipe Miocic is the current heavyweight champ of the UFC

    What's the UFC?

    But if you're a heavyweight champion of most anything you're a bad-azz. (except maybe eating wings or pizza 😆 )

  • @the-gipper said:

    And who the egg foo yung is that?

    Stipe Miocic is the current heavyweight champ of the UFC

    The Cysko KidT The Cysko Kid wrote on last edited by
    #28

    @dutch-oven said:

    Stipe Miocic is the current heavyweight champ of the UFC

    Longest tenured hw champ of that organization. Possibly my favorite guy in Cleveland. 

    i.jpeg

  • S SD_Tom wrote on last edited by
    #29

    Stipe is the baddest man on the planet. Set the record for consecutive title defenses at hw.  

    Wrestled and played baseball at Cleveland state.  Firefighter.... Hometown guy who made it big time.  Pretty awesome 

  • W Westside Steve wrote on last edited by
    #30

    Jim Brown

    Brian Sipe

    Bob Feller

    Omar Vizquel

    Johnny Powers

    WSS

  • @the-gipper said:

    And who the egg foo yung is that?

    Stipe Miocic is the current heavyweight champ of the UFC

    The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
    #31

    @dutch-oven said:

    Stipe Miocic is the current heavyweight champ of the UFC

    OK....fair enough.  But that is only one that you listed.   I was looking for your Top 5.    Who are the rest?

  • Depends on if you are using success as a measure of just athletic ability. If it's the latter than Josh Gordon is probably conversation worthy. 

    The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
    #32

    @the-cysko-kid said:

    Depends on if you are using success as a measure of just athletic ability. If it's the latter than Josh Gordon is probably conversation worthy. 

    You are free to name any 5 you like.   If you want to put Gordon in amongst your 5, you may.  But, again...you gave only 1 name.   Is he the only one you deem "worthy"?

  • Jim Brown

    Brian Sipe

    Bob Feller

    Omar Vizquel

    Johnny Powers

    WSS

    The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
    #33

    @westside-steve said:

    Jim Brown

    Brian Sipe

    Bob Feller

    Omar Vizquel

    Johnny Powers

    WSS

    OK....some of you cannot count to 5.   Others, like here....didn't get the fact that we were looking for just the past 30 years.  Only Omar would fit here.

  • The Cysko KidT The Cysko Kid wrote on last edited by
    #34

    LeBron

    Kyrie

    Kevin Love

    Josh Gordon

    Stipe Miocic

    Hon. Mention : Joe Thomas

  • @westside-steve said:

    Jim Brown

    Brian Sipe

    Bob Feller

    Omar Vizquel

    Johnny Powers

    WSS

    OK....some of you cannot count to 5.   Others, like here....didn't get the fact that we were looking for just the past 30 years.  Only Omar would fit here.

    W Westside Steve wrote on last edited by
    #35

    @the-gipper said:

    OK....some of you cannot count to 5.   Others, like here....didn't get the fact that we were looking for just the past 30 years.  Only Omar would fit here.

    Well then, blow me. 

    😆

    WSS

  • @the-gipper said:

    OK....some of you cannot count to 5.   Others, like here....didn't get the fact that we were looking for just the past 30 years.  Only Omar would fit here.

    Well then, blow me. 

    😆

    WSS

    The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
    #36

    @westside-steve said:

    Well then, blow me. 

    😆

    WSS

    Update your list and we shall see!!!

  • @westside-steve said:

    Well then, blow me. 

    😆

    WSS

    Update your list and we shall see!!!

    W Westside Steve wrote on last edited by
    #37

    @the-gipper said:

    Update your list and we shall see!!!

    Too much work bud. Kobayashi Maru.

    WSS

  • @the-gipper said:

    Update your list and we shall see!!!

    Too much work bud. Kobayashi Maru.

    WSS

    The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
    #38

    @westside-steve said:

    Too much work bud. Kobayashi Maru.

    WSS

    Its just naming 5 guys off the top of your head.

  • @westside-steve said:

    Too much work bud. Kobayashi Maru.

    WSS

    Its just naming 5 guys off the top of your head.

    mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by
    #39

    @the-gipper said:

    Its just naming 5 guys off the top of your head.

    Yes it's not that hard just think of your top 100 and whittle it down to 5.  😆