Five athletes you wish were active today and in their prime

Cobb would almost be worth it just to see the internet and ESPN go berzerk when he did something like slide into third spikes high or said something racist.

 

Gretzky
Jordan
Orr
Sayers
Banks

 

That's what I was thinking. Imagine also, John McGraw managing today. He'd be tossed out by the umps every game and suspended by Selig every other week.

Anyhoo, my five, since they haven't been taken yet:

Ted Williams
Willie Mays
Bronko Nagurski
Bill Russell
Joe Louis

Pro wrestler division:
The original Tiger Mask (he'd be a lot of fun flying around with today's athletes)
Lou Thesz (Put a real shooter in the ring)
Ricky Steamboat (He'd be putting on classics each week)
Bruno Sammartino (put him up against Cena)
David "Dr. D" Shultz (Another legit tough guy who was kinda the precursor to Steve Austin).

 

I'd like to see how these guys would fare today:

Willie Mays
O.J. Simpson
Bob Feller
Joe Namath
Lance Alworth

 

Eddie Merckx
Richard Petty
Secretariat

 

Seka.

 

Davey Allison
George Best
Ty Cobb
Jack Nicklaus
Steve Prefontaine

 

Traci Lords. Kay Parker. Aunt Peg

 

I'd rather be able to go back and see these athletes wthiin the competition of their time than place them in a current environment where they would surely be disappointing. A guy like Wilt couldn't even compete in today's NBA.

That said, I'd love to see guys like Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Ben Hogan, Babe Ruth and Joe Louis.

 

Ali
Hagler
Duran
Barry Sanders
Roberto Alomar

 

Joe Montana
Otis Taylor, so people could see how great this guy really was.
Pele
Wilt Chamberlain
Diego Maradona