Is Kelly Slater the best sportsman ever?

At present, Kelly’s number one in the world and, when he scoops ninth or better at the Rip Curl Search event in San Fran, will win his 11th world title. Anyone who’s picked up a surfboard knows who Kelly is, knows what he’s done. Is Kelly the best sportsman ever? According to Mark Occhilupo he sure is. Occy recently told Fox Sports Australia that Kelly deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Muhammad Ali, Pele, Rog Federer, Michael Jordan and Don Bradman – if not in an even higher regard:

“I think he’s as good as any sportsman, for sure,” said Occy. “He’s dominated our sport as much, if not more than anyone else has done in other sports. In some ways, surfing is harder because not only do you have to be the best, but you have to have luck with the waves. It’s pretty ridiculous that he’s been able to win that many times.”

Occ then went on to outline Kelly’s strengths and lack of weaknesses (Career longevity! Big or small waves! Backhand or forehand! He adapts!): “He’s covered two eras. First there was me and Tom Curren in the 90s, and now there’s the likes of Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson. So he’s really covered a 20-year span. He can surf big and small waves. He hasn’t really got any weaknesses in his backhand or forehand, and he rides such a different variety of boards. He’s changed his surfing to adapt to the new criteria. He’s not as powerful as before, but he’s very exciting to watch because he’s more creative so you’re never sure what he’s going to do. He’s always mentally switched on, and he’s really confident. He’s certainly the hardest guy I’ve ever surfed against.”

What then follows the article is interesting. You think our discussion boards are passionate/incensed? Mainstream sports fans are a tough crowd, too. Beneath Occ’s quotes are 140 comments of articulate and divided opinion, focused on whether or not surfing’s even a real ‘sport’ and whether or not Kelly even stands up against some of the aforementioned heroes.

So, what do you think? Is Kelly the best sportsman of all time? How does he square up against Ali, Jordan, Bradman, Federer? Or is the comparison a moot point, ’cause surfing’s love and art, not sport, man?

Check out the full article (with entertaining comments) here.