What players have fundamentally changed a sport?

[EvilBetty]

Not gonna read through all the replies so sorry if already posted.

Marcus smart. There are flopping rules now in both the ncaa and nba in large part for what he became known for.

 

[VeloClone]

Reggie Miller tried this every bit as much as Harden, the refs just didn't go for it as frequently...a few times when they did go for it in big games it was pretty controversial.

In the same era down low Karl Malone would square up and knee his defender in the balls constantly when he moved toward the rim, it was his signature move.

I'll never forget watching Anthony Peeler jump into set defensive players in Hilton again and again and draw a foul call every time. He went 20-20 from the charity stripe and finished with 42 points in a 2 point Misery victory. He defined hunting a foul call.

 

[cyclone13]

I think Halaand (soccer) is probably in the process of changing his game at such a young age if he stays healthy. His accuracy and power as a striker is something I've never seen. Other areas of his game where he won't be greatest ever but what he does is a pretty great talent to have.

I disagree. He is a typical number 9 that we haven’t seen for awhile just because in the last few years a lot of top teams choose to play without no 9 as their focal points.

Back in the 90s Jurgen Klinsmann was very similar to Haaland: strong, fast, great positioning. Casagrande was the same too. Marco van Basten was even better than Haaland - too bad injuries robbed him.

Imho from soccer standpoint it was just Maradona and Pele who transcended the sports. The rest were good in terms of being identified with the sports (like Ronaldo and Messi, people now identify those if they are asked a footballer name that comes to mind).

 

[VeloClone]

I had always heard that Matt Blair was so dominant in blocking kicks (20 career blocks) that they changed the NFL rules. But I have never been able to find proof of any rule change during that time.

 

[cybearsbullssox]

Just let it go man, let it go...

 

[CY05O]

Scott Bloomquist

 

[cybearsbullssox]

I read through the first 3 pages and literally no one mentions Jackie Robinson...pathetic

 

[diaclone]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

 

[diaclone]

Walt "Clyde" Frazier

Set the bar for “coolness”,,,,,,but the first NBA star that was known for defense.

 

[FLYINGCYCLONE]

Wilt Chamberlain
30 points 20 boards. His numbers for his NBA career. Not exact but somewhere in that area. 100 point game. AND, the Roland Rocket, owned him.

 

[HawaiiClone]

w

best swimmer all time. But what did he do that changed the sport?

Showed fans that a swimmer could win even more swim medals at an Olympics than Mark Spitz.

 

[clone52]

NFL is the hardest sport for me to define true game changers because there's less "generational talent" gaps. Some that you could argue would be guys like Montana, Moss, Sanders, Emmet, Favre, Brady, Manning. People tuned into to watch them - how many wouldn't have would be hard to say.

Other than way back with more passing, you may be right. Mahomes might be there with the different arm angles.

 

[keepngoal]

Showed fans that a swimmer could win even more swim medals at an Olympics than Mark Spitz.

he certainly did that, and brought viewers to the sport every olympics .. but that didn't change the sport. He is the GOAT without a doubt.

 

[HawaiiClone]

he certainly did that, and brought viewers to the sport every olympics .. but that didn't change the sport. He is the GOAT without a doubt.

I'm including the fan experience as being part of the sport. And with more fans of the sport, it seems like sponsorship dollars may have gone up for swimmers.

 

[Angie]

The fact that Agassi and Sampras got me to watch fricken Tennis says something. I believe @Angie was a Sampras fan while I liked Agassi.

Always a Sampras fan! Three-Pete!

 

[cyclones500]

I had always heard that Matt Blair was so dominant in blocking kicks (20 career blocks) that they changed the NFL rules. But I have never been able to find proof of any rule change during that time.

I'm not aware of rule-changes based on that, either.

Semi-related, "pondering" thought: I wonder if kick-blocking became "a bonus if it happens" and not a point of strategy, involving specialists of Blair's ilk.

 

[Jer]

Always a Sampras fan! Three-Pete!

Agassi had the shoes and hair, he didn’t need the wins

 

[CyberJJJ]

I read through the first 3 pages and literally no one mentions Jackie Robinson...pathetic

Look back at one of my earlier posts. I mentioned him.

 

[VeloClone]

Agassi had the shoes and hair, he didn’t need the wins

And the Red Hot Chili Peppers commercial...

 

[VeloClone]

I'm not aware of rule-changes based on that, either.

Semi-related, "pondering" thought: I wonder if kick-blocking became "a bonus if it happens" and not a point of strategy, involving specialists of Blair's ilk.

While Blair was really good at it, I would balk at calling him a specialist. He was an All-Pro caliber linebacker in his own right. In those days you rarely found Blair's speed at the linebacker position.