I don't think the gap between Tom Brady and a few others is that big of a gap. Is definitely the best ever I just don't think the gap is that large.
Jerry Rice is the best receiver ever and it's a huge gap. Maybe number two is Steve Largent? Or Randy Moss?
Muhammad Ali was great but I don't know if the gap is that large with him either. Is he that much better than Frazier? Foreman?
Yes to Bolt, Jordan, Federer, and Phelps. Best by a country mile.
Babe? What was he? 200lbs? I don't think he could play in today's game. I don't think you can have a best ever in baseball. Maybe by position?
It's impossible to compare across eras so you look at dominance compared to peers.
On the minus side, Babe didn't have to face African or Latin American pitchers.
On the plus side, he played at a time when all the best athletes played baseball (except for a few that boxed), and a higher percentage of Americans played baseball. It was the only real professional sport you could make money at (again, other than boxing).
His numbers were so much better than everybody else's, they invented a word for it..."Ruthian". In 1926, Ruth hit 47 HR with a .372 batting average. The guy in 2nd place hit 19 HR. In 2016, the top HR hitter also hit 47. But the guy in 50th place hit 27. That's how much better Ruth was than everybody else in his era. In 1920 he broke his own HR record by hitting 54. The guy in 2nd place hit 19. That year, Ruth hit 284% more HR than the guy in 2nd place. That's why when your stats dwarf everybody else's, they call it ruthian.
Plus Ruth hit for average (career .342, STILL 10th best all-time) AND he was a solid pitcher before they made him an every day player (set a long-standing record for scoreless innings pitched in the WS).
So in my book, he's the baseball GOAT.
Alex.