--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the greatest all-around athlete…" description: "\"I think the greatest all-around athlete ever was Jim Brown. He played lacrosse, basketball and ran track at Syracuse. He played professional football f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/will-mcdonough-25658_athlete_i-think-the-greatest-all-around-athlete_1066135.png" --- # I think the greatest all-around athlete ever was Jim… ![“I think the greatest all-around athlete ever was Jim Brown. He played lacrosse, basketball and ran track at Syracuse. He played professional football for the Browns.” quote by Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/will-mcdonough-25658_athlete_i-think-the-greatest-all-around-athlete_1066135.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/will-mcdonough-25658_athlete_i-think-the-greatest-all-around-athlete_1066135.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/will-mcdonough-25658_athlete_i-think-the-greatest-all-around-athlete_1066135.png) > “I think the greatest all-around athlete ever was Jim Brown. He played lacrosse, basketball and ran track at Syracuse. He played professional football for the Browns.” [Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcdonough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Jim Brown excelled across multiple sports, exemplifying rare athletic versatility. **In simple terms:** Brown was a multi‑sport star. Key Takeaway Study versatile athletes for broader training. Themes sports versatility excellence Mood analytical inspirational Type sports historical When to use this quote - coaching - cross‑training - talent scouting - fitness programs Key Concepts multidisciplinary training athletic genetics Questions to Reflect On - How can athletes diversify skills? - What trade‑offs exist in multi‑sport careers? A Different Perspective Modern specialization may limit such breadth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Greatest athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-athlete/) [Lacrosse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacrosse/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [I grew up in Michigan, so I played hockey, football and basketball. I played a little bit of lacrosse, too. My brother played more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-yeun/i-grew-up-in-michigan-so-i-played-hockey-football-and-basketball-i/) [Steven Yeun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-yeun/) > [I played street hockey in Riverside Park when I was a kid. I played goalie. I didn't make the hockey team in college, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-katzman/i-played-street-hockey-in-riverside-park-when-i-was-a-kid-i-played/) [John Katzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-katzman/) > [I played everything. I played lacrosse, baseball, hockey, soccer, track and field. I was a big believer that you played hockey in the winter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-played-everything-i-played-lacrosse-baseball-hockey-soccer-track/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [I loved school. Not sure how much I focused on the education; just had fun and played lacrosse for seven years. It was lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-loved-school-not-sure-how-much-i-focused-on-the-education-just-had/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [I played lacrosse for a hot second, but I was mainly a swimmer - captain of my swim team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-gummer/i-played-lacrosse-for-a-hot-second-but-i-was-mainly-a-swimmer-captain/) [Grace Gummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-gummer/) > [I grew up with lacrosse in my life because my dad played lacrosse all throughout college, so I grew up with the gear in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-posey/i-grew-up-with-lacrosse-in-my-life-because-my-dad-played-lacrosse-all/) [Tyler Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-posey/) > [I've played lacrosse players, football players, basketball players. I think that's just because of how I'm built. I look young, and I'm also a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-butler/i-ve-played-lacrosse-players-football-players-basketball-players-i/) [Ross Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-butler/) > [I used to imagine what it would be like to do what Jim Brown was doing. I used to imagine what it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-used-to-imagine-what-it-would-be-like-to-do-what-jim-brown-was/) [Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/) > [My top three were Jim Brown, Wilt Chamberlain and Bo Jackson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-schaap/my-top-three-were-jim-brown-wilt-chamberlain-and-bo-jackson/) [Dick Schaap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-schaap/) > [It's grossly unfair to judge Walter Payton solely on the yards he gains. 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He dominated the game for the Chicago Bulls and brought the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcdonough/overall-i-think-michael-jordan-is-the-greatest-athlete-in-any/) [Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcdonough/) > [Yeah, it's definitely special, definitely an honor to come behind Herschel Walker at Georgia and now Jim Brown. That's two greats who I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-chubb/yeah-it-s-definitely-special-definitely-an-honor-to-come-behind/) [Nick Chubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-chubb/) > [You can play football and be the next Jim Brown or play baseball and be the next Reggie Jackson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-jackson/you-can-play-football-and-be-the-next-jim-brown-or-play-baseball-and/) [Reggie Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-jackson/) > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) ## More by Will McDonough > [I don't think there is enough educational programming, but unfortunately, television is built around advertising and those shows don't get the big ratings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcdonough/i-don-t-think-there-is-enough-educational-programming-but/) [Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcdonough/) > [One of my first jobs was at the Boston Globe. I worked in the sports department six months a year. When I was ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcdonough/one-of-my-first-jobs-was-at-the-boston-globe-i-worked-in-the-sports/) [Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcdonough/) > [The ability of players to jump teams when their contracts are up has hurt fan loyalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcdonough/the-ability-of-players-to-jump-teams-when-their-contracts-are-up-has/) [Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcdonough/) > [I don't think we use television the way we should or the way the inventors intended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcdonough/i-don-t-think-we-use-television-the-way-we-should-or-the-way-the/) [Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcdonough/) > [The future is electronic. 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