The greatest SMU athlete ever?

[Charleston Pony]

no mention of 2 sport stud Oscar Roan?

[couch 'em]

Half our history has no advocate in this discussion (pre 1960s)

[BaldingBear]

Half our history has no advocate in this discussion (pre 1960s)

Doak Walker says hi

[Stallion]

2/3rd of the best athletes had no opportunity to play before 1966

[Nacho]

doak-pre modern era
gary hammond-modern era
dick-greatness

[couch 'em]

2/3rd of the best athletes had no opportunity to play before 1966

Meaningless inflammatory statement. We are looking for best SMU athlete. Lots of great athletes never attended SMU. The why doesn't matter in this discussion. The best athletes in 1975 couldn't compete today but we are looking at who was at SMU judged against their era.

[Stallion]

Inflammatory? Its the Truth. I actually saw the transition with my own eyes. Generations of kids never had the opportunity and any consideration of pre-1966 athletes should definitely recognize the "greatest athletes" of their era perhaps were not given the opportunity.

[PoconoPony]

In my opinion "athlete" means being outstanding in multiple disciplines. Michael Carter was a standout soccer player in high school coached by his dad. I believe that his national high school shot put record still stands at 84' 6' and no one has ever come close to that distance. He was a great SMU football player All-SWC, NCAA shot put champion in both the indoor and out door championships, All-Pro with the San Francisco 49ers and a shot put silver medalist in the Olympics. His weight lifting is legendary with bench presses over 660 pounds.

[Grant Carter]

Inflammatory? Its the Truth. I actually saw the transition with my own eyes. Generations of kids never had the opportunity and any consideration of pre-1966 athletes should definitely recognize the "greatest athletes" of their era perhaps were not given the opportunity.

How do you propose to figure out which of the great pre1966 athletes that were unfairly not able to attend SMU should be counted as having attended SMU for purposes of this poll?

[East Coast Mustang]

Stallion is just trolling for attention again.

[couch 'em]

Are we to include all the potential athletes that couldn't get in due to academics or because they were living in China?

[Nacho]

who was our best in the decathelon? by definition that is our best athlete.

[East Coast Mustang]

Honestly though, how is it not Dickerson?

[couch 'em]

Depends on how you define athlete. Does greatest running back top being great in diverse skills/multiple sports? Could a golf player ever be a greater "athlete" than a football player?

[lwjr]

My vote goes to this guy:

Doak Walker played college football at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, where he was a running back, defensive back, and place kicker. He also threw and caught passes, punted, and returned kicks. He was a three-time All-American, in 1947, 1948, and 1949. He won the Maxwell Award as a sophomore in 1947 and the Heisman Trophy in 1948 as a junior. Walker's impact on SMU and football in the Dallas area led to the Cotton Bowl being referred to as "The House That Doak Built." Walker was also a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and lettered on the SMU basketball and baseball teams. In 2007, he was ranked #4 on ESPN's list of the top 25 players In college football history.