Lance Armstrong

[Liam]

Does being able to recognise someone make someone more famous?

I wouldn't know what Ralph Lauren looks like, but I wouldn't say he wasn't stupid famous.

Fame to me suggests a knowledge of the guy on a mass scale as much as anything, and whether people can point out who Armstrong is, or whether it makes them interested in cycling, it hard to argue that he isn't pretty well known.

[RoyWill Rumble]

Jordan is above Beckham. He was in a movie with Bugs Bunny ffs. I don't see kids in China wearing 'Air Beckhams' either.

How many kids do you see in China, then? From what I remember when he signed with the Galaxy, Beckham is DISGUSTINGLY popular in Asia.

Speaking of the man, I saw him in downtown Toronto last week, but didn't realize it until after he'd passed by. I couldn't yell "HEY, IT'S FUCKIN' DAVID BECKHAM!" simply because I would have felt bad about the ensuing chaos.

And as far as Armstrong goes, it's really hard to say. In North America and Europe, sure, but I've got to question his popularity in Asia, Central America, etc.

He's certainly up there, at least.

[Liam]

Thats a fair point. Man Utd, Real Madrid and David Beckham are all huge in Asia.

[DMN in the House]

So is Michael Jordan. I don't see space aliens coming to earth and stealing Pele's football playing abilities in a wild mad cap scheme to capture David Beckham and take him back to their home planet where he shall sign autographs and get scored on by little alien children while chained down, only to be stopped by Bugs Bunny et al.

Do you?

[Liam]

It's in the pipeline.

[-A-]

I didn't know they still made Air Jordans, they're probably still wearing sweatshop defects. Even so, it's just a brand now - their popularity doesn't mean that kids in China actually know who Michael Jordan actually is.

Plus, Jordan hasn't done anything in almost 10 years as far as I know. That means that kids under 12, which is about 90% () of the developing world have no chance of knowing who he is.

Fame in general relies on non-sports fans knowing who someone is, and when you're not in the limelight then your fame diminishes rapidly. I haven't heard or seen anything of Michael Jordan in years and years, so I doubt that a random non-sports fan off the street in any country that doesn't religiously play basketball will know who he is. Same with Pele in non-footballing countries. Beckham has far more casual name recognition than either of them, by a country mile.

Sportspeople suffer compared to actors or musicians in that they're entirely topical. People will always know who Elvis and the Beatles, Pacino and Schwarzenegger are because their work is still out there and used. People don't rewatch old sports events unless they're hardcore fans.

Edited July 31, 2008 by -A-

[DMN in the House]

I think you under estimate the level of fame Michael Jordan achieved, but I'm tired of arguing it, as seen by my 'replace Jordan in Space Jam with Beckham' post.

Plus, I never saw Michael Jordan on a reality TV show with Snoop Dogg, eating at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, so Beckham has that going for him.

[IAceI]

I saw a girl in an Air Jordan shirt last night.

Seriously doubt she had a clue who he was. Or gave a shit.

I think there's a fine line now between Jordan's fame, and a fashion line that's caught on.

[DMN in the House]

Call me a decade after Beckham has retired, and we'll see where things stand. Right now, just from an American stand point, Michael Jordan is, arguably (and the only real arguments are Muhammed Ali, Jackie Robinson, and Babe Ruth), the most famous athlete of all time.

[IAceI]

And in 10 years from a British, and possibly broader European view, Beckham could be one of the most famous athletes of all time?

But.. if you think in 10 years I'm still going to be here, God help us

[DMN in the House]

Fuck, if we're both here in 10 years, I give you license to shoot me in the face.

[Pesci]

I think over here most males have heard the name "Michael Jordan" but I'm not sure about the teenage females - probably once, though they might not know who he is. At very best they'd know him from Space Jam, which I maintain is awesome. There's no question that Beckham is bigger now that he's "broke America", because he's probably the biggest celebrity there is over here. He's on the cover of so many gossip magazines all the time, and he doesn't even live here any more.

[Guest Kou]

Here's the important part, he's American. So he's a a household in North America.