Survey Says: Jordan Could Beat LeBron, Plus Other Sports Results

With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, here are some noted results of a recent sports survey.

Public Policy Polling polled 1,400 people about sports subjects and here are the five best results:

1. 34% think Michael Jordan could beat LeBron James in a game of 1-on-1 right now.  With Jordan being 52-years-old, somehow only 54% think LeBron would win. The other 12% aren't sure. For what it's worth, Michael hasn't played since 2003, and he was just okay at the time.  LeBron was drafted later that summer, and made his debut the season after.
2. The NFL is the most popular professional sport, with 56% of Americans saying they're fans.  Baseball is a close second at 46%, the NBA was third with 37%, golf was fourth at 23%, and the NHL and boxing are tied for fifth at 22%.
3. This month's "Fight of the Century" didn't generate as much enthusiasm as promoters had hoped.  68% of Americans say they didn't care about the outcome. For those who did, 18% rooted for Manny Pacquiao, and 13% rooted for Floyd Mayweather.  Interestingly enough, Mayweather was not hurt by the female vote. 13% of men had a "favorable" impression of Mayweather, but so did 14% of women.  Somehow men were more likely to have an unfavorable feeling toward Mayweather, 30% for women and 48% for men.
4. Tiger Woods isn't America's favorite golfer anymore.  That honor goes to Phil Mickelson, who got 35% of the vote.  Tiger was the runner-up with 16%, followed by Rory McIlroy at 15%.
5. Among baseball fans, 55% preferred having batters hit the way they do in the National League.  33% like the designated hitter, the way they do it in the American League, and 12% aren't sure.