Go Back   New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com > Main > Everything Else

Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

this is a discussion within the Everything Else Community Forum; Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time? Is it a local kid who went to high school or college here and climbed to the top of his or her profession -- someone like Shaquille O'Neal, Pete Maravich, ...

Like Tree4Likes
  • 1 Post By ScottF
  • 1 Post By exile
  • 2 Post By SmashMouth

Closed Thread
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-24-2014, 07:45 AM   #1
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Mandeville, LA
Posts: 36,912
Blog Entries: 29
Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time? Is it a local kid who went to high school or college here and climbed to the top of his or her profession -- someone like Shaquille O'Neal, Pete Maravich, Peyton Manning, Terry Bradshaw, or Willis Reed?

Or is it an import, an athlete who joined one of the state's pro teams and, in so doing, became a Louisianan? Players such as legendary Saints quarterbacks Drew Brees and Archie Manning.

We've looked at hundreds of top Louisiana athletes over the last century or so and come up with a comprehensive list. But before getting underway at lunch with No. 51, the extra point to our Top 51, we want you to weigh in on whom you think should be No. 1 on the list.

For a guideline, we used the Louisiana Hall of Fame's criteria for eligibility. Our candidates competed for at least two years at the varsity level in high school or college in Louisiana, or gained fame in Louisiana at the professional level.

So, for example, Bill Russell was born in Louisiana but moved when he was 8: not eligible. Drew Brees was born in Texas, played college football at Purdue, but gained fame in New Orleans. He counts.

This is a tough list to compile and because Louisiana apparently is America's sports capital, Hall of Famers, All Stars and legends did not make the cut. We're counting on you to tell us where we went right and wrong -- and whom you'd cut before you make an addition.

read more

Pretty interesting topic here. Many great names to list. What say you?
SmashMouth is offline  
Old 06-24-2014, 07:41 PM   #2
1000 Posts +
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Metairie
Posts: 1,129
Re: Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

Off the top of my head I'm gonna say Terry Bradshaw. To this day he still holds the Louisiana State record for the Javelin and it's quite possible it'll never be broken. He was the first player drafted when he entered the NFL and he was the starting QB for four Super Bowls. Plus he's damn funny on the Fox pregame show.
billyt81 is offline  
Old 06-25-2014, 12:03 PM   #3
Pink Nightmare
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 3,028
Blog Entries: 7
Re: Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

I'd go with Bradshaw
SapperSaint is offline  
Old 06-25-2014, 04:56 PM   #4
5000 POSTS! +
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 6,324
Re: Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

Did Bradshaw know about this list when he recently dissed Peyton?

Either are solid choices, but I am going with this guy:

Career highlights and awards
5× NBA All-Star (1973–1974, 1977–1979)
2× All-NBA First Team (1976–1977)
2× All-NBA Second Team (1973, 1978)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1971)
NBA scoring champion (1977)
No. 7 retired by Utah Jazz
No. 7 retired by New Orleans Pelicans
NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
2× College national player of the year (1969–1970)
3× Consensus first team All-American (1968–1970)
3x NCAA Division I scoring leader (1968-1970)
3× SEC Player of the Year (1968–1970)

Maravich double-dipped, playing at LSU & with the Jazz. He AVERAGED 44.2 in college, without a three-point line. He was player of the year twice, and couldn't play varsity as a frosh
Crusader likes this.
ScottF is offline  
Old 06-25-2014, 05:14 PM   #5
1000 Posts +
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 4,645
Re: Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

Tons of really good athletes came out of Louisiana, but great athletes win championships.

Bradshaw.
dam1953 is offline  
Old 06-25-2014, 06:39 PM   #6
Site Donor 2014
Truth Addict
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Spanish Fort, AL (via NO and B/R)
Posts: 24,635
Re: Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

I gotta say Ingram or Harper.
Danno is offline  
Old 06-25-2014, 06:43 PM   #7
Cake or Death?
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,608
Re: Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

Bobby Boucher
SmashMouth likes this.
exile is offline  
Old 06-25-2014, 07:24 PM   #8
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Mandeville, LA
Posts: 36,912
Blog Entries: 29
Re: Who is the No. 1 Louisiana athlete of all time?

Originally Posted by Danno View Post
I gotta say Ingram or Harper.
Crusader and exile like this.
SmashMouth is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:53 PM.


Copyright 1997 - 2020 - BlackandGold.com
no new posts