Is there anyone more clutch or more dominant in the sports world over ...well....its been about a decade now... than Tiger Woods?
No, there isn't. He might be the best there's ever been and ever will be when you apply every sport and every athlete to this equation. About a month ago he added another chapter to his growing resume and it even made Tiger shake his head and say it was his greatest ever. Greatest is hardly the right word.
When you stand over a putt more than ten feet in length...after a grueling 71 holes of golf which has pushed your body to the physical max withstanding pain that is palpable even to the naysayers in a national audience....(regrettably that's me...see side thought 1 for more) and you knock that putt down with everything on the line for the United States Open Championship you are right there with greatness.
When you do it again after an 18 hole playoff the next day....wondering if your body, which will require season ending knee surgery, can withstand the taxes to be paid one more day in order to outlast the new national "cheer for me I'm the likable underdog named Rocco" (side thought 2). That is legendary!
Side 1- I was right there with Retief Goosen in the naysayer crowd that thought Tiger was playing up the pain...the same way Jordan would play up the "Oh, I'm sick...I need an IV to score 30 plus and beat the Utah Jazz again and again back in the day. But no, I was wrong...Tiger was really hurt...and I look like a complete IDIOT. Not the first time...ah well the life of a cynic.
Side 2- Hey Rocco Mediate was great....and won over alot of fans...but people he's been on the pro tour for a bagillioin years....why is it that all of the sudden everyone loves him after complete career obscurity. I'll tell you why, and this is something all great athletes know...sports fans and the sports media is obsessed with winning and only on the biggest stages.
You could win 7,000 games in a row and hold every record...but until you win the big one or dominant on a stage that is one of the biggest in your sport....nobody cares and they will say as Chris Berman loves to say "Yeah But".
Phil Mickelson knew that pain for a long time. I remember my eyes got wattery when that guy finally won the Masters because I had covered him, knew he was a great guy/great dad and I knew he had almost lost his little girl that year. I already knew he was a great golfer...he won the BoB Hope in a Masters tune-up spraying the ball everywere and still making birdies. I loved the Masters win because I was relieved that he didn't have to live with the monkey on his back anymore.
Thank God for my Colts and Peyton Manning....who according to most of "The experts" wasn't one of the best quarterbacks ever because he hadn't won a Super Bowl.....it's his fault and he's a loser because he can't control everything in a game that requires over 30 different players to compete.
What was beautiful about Peyton's win was the irony. I mean he didn't even play that well all playoffs....it was the defense....it was the running game....it was a team that was complete and he did his part. Dallas Clark was the MVP of the Bowl run..... Dom Rhodes should have been the MVP of the Super Bowl...but the history books will have the QB's name who everyone knows and now believes is a true winner.
It's such a joke. I used to get so worked up over this when people compared Marino to Montana. Now its become Brady and Manning. Let's rate one players legacy based on rings. Yeah, that makes sense...I mean it takes 33 players offense/defense/special teams plus backups, role players, a coaching staff, and GM who knows what the hell he's doing to even dream about playing the game at the elite NFL level...but the quarterback determines everything.
People are idiots who believe that and want to engage in long debates constantly playing the ring card. It is completely irresponsible and ignorant but what the hell...let's use titles to compare Woods to the rest...its what everyone relates to I guess.
So Tiger Woods yo.....hahahhaha... As I was saying Tiger is legendary. I sat there watching...my eyeballs popping out of my head like that scene in Pee Wee's big adventure when the truck driver asks Pee Wee if he wants to see something scary....my heart pounding...hell I was nervous just relating to the nerves that a plus 10 foot putt for the U.S. Open commands. I was with my friend Stabbone who is a avid sports fan and extremely knowledgeable...he turns to me and says
"This is why Tiger Woods is who he is. It's moments like this. If he hits it....he's Tiger...if he doesn't he's a chump. He's gotta miss just once, right?"
I love that he said that because it rings true with the fact we expect Tiger to win even though doing it comes at such a huge difficulty level. He's made the impossible routine.
No....no missing. He's Tiger. And here's the thing with this argument I started back in my opening sentence...it's just Tiger out there. There is no teammate who must catch the ball...or is out there helping. Golf is an individual sport.
Yeah Montana and Brady are clutch...but they had Dwight Clark/Jerry Rice/John Taylor catching legacy forming passes. I will give Brady this until Moss came...and he hasn't won the big one with Moss....Brady made magic with mice. His receivers were not even close to Montana's in his 3 Super Bowl wins. Dieon Branch had huge games...signed a huge contract with another team...but Jerry Rice or even a B+ level receiver Branch is not. Even so, there's still other people involved with the play.
Basketball...Jordan didn't win titles until Pippen emerged. Bill Russell was great but played with many other All Stars and Hall of Famers. So look at boxing and people will start with Ali.
In terms of being an icon...a beacon of pride for an entire race and a source of endless entertainment for the world....nobody will ever touch him. But he did lose title fights.
Tiger has never lost a major when holding the lead going into the final round. Tiger has never met his Frazier and there is no Larry Holmes either...even though Dimarco and Mediate have tried most recently. Let's hope Tiger doesn't stay too long like Ali...but then again if Greg Norman can almost win the British at 50 plus....think Tiger could? You know the answer.
Go to racing...too much depends on the car or the team that builds and prepares it to be comparable. The skill to pilot it and push it to the limits is beyond what any of you can possibly imagine...but too much rests in the performance of other factors to compare anyone to Tiger.
Tennis- Roger Federer has been cross compared many times over the past five years. Well deserved and earned. But open your eyes, Federer is cracking....he's on the downswing now, granted at his down swing he is better than probably 98 percent of the people who are the best at tennis. Also there's too many names atop the pinnacle of tennis in terms of majors won. Don't know what I'm talking about here you go...on me.
(this posted before recent US Open win...despite win...Federer clearly still tough..but not peaking anymore...win total was adjusted)
Grand Slam Tennis Titles
Pete Sampras 14
Roger Federer 13
Roy Emerson 12
Rod Laver 11
Bjorn Borg 11
So we turn to Golf and yes Nicklaus is still above Tiger. But do any of you really believe when Woods is done he won't own every record...and by more than a few over The Golden Bear.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golfers_with_most_wins_in_men%27s_major_championships
As you will see on this link ....Tiger has only 4 less Majors and he's done it in half the time.
There are questions about his health. His knees have been cut on almost as much as Burt Reynolds face now and its unknown what kind of effect that could have down the road. It's also new territory for Golf because there is no real database out there of athlete decay with knee injury's like we have in basketball and football. I do know this though..... I'm betting on Tiger.
No, there isn't. He might be the best there's ever been and ever will be when you apply every sport and every athlete to this equation. About a month ago he added another chapter to his growing resume and it even made Tiger shake his head and say it was his greatest ever. Greatest is hardly the right word.
When you stand over a putt more than ten feet in length...after a grueling 71 holes of golf which has pushed your body to the physical max withstanding pain that is palpable even to the naysayers in a national audience....(regrettably that's me...see side thought 1 for more) and you knock that putt down with everything on the line for the United States Open Championship you are right there with greatness.
When you do it again after an 18 hole playoff the next day....wondering if your body, which will require season ending knee surgery, can withstand the taxes to be paid one more day in order to outlast the new national "cheer for me I'm the likable underdog named Rocco" (side thought 2). That is legendary!
Side 1- I was right there with Retief Goosen in the naysayer crowd that thought Tiger was playing up the pain...the same way Jordan would play up the "Oh, I'm sick...I need an IV to score 30 plus and beat the Utah Jazz again and again back in the day. But no, I was wrong...Tiger was really hurt...and I look like a complete IDIOT. Not the first time...ah well the life of a cynic.
Side 2- Hey Rocco Mediate was great....and won over alot of fans...but people he's been on the pro tour for a bagillioin years....why is it that all of the sudden everyone loves him after complete career obscurity. I'll tell you why, and this is something all great athletes know...sports fans and the sports media is obsessed with winning and only on the biggest stages.
You could win 7,000 games in a row and hold every record...but until you win the big one or dominant on a stage that is one of the biggest in your sport....nobody cares and they will say as Chris Berman loves to say "Yeah But".
Phil Mickelson knew that pain for a long time. I remember my eyes got wattery when that guy finally won the Masters because I had covered him, knew he was a great guy/great dad and I knew he had almost lost his little girl that year. I already knew he was a great golfer...he won the BoB Hope in a Masters tune-up spraying the ball everywere and still making birdies. I loved the Masters win because I was relieved that he didn't have to live with the monkey on his back anymore.
Thank God for my Colts and Peyton Manning....who according to most of "The experts" wasn't one of the best quarterbacks ever because he hadn't won a Super Bowl.....it's his fault and he's a loser because he can't control everything in a game that requires over 30 different players to compete.
What was beautiful about Peyton's win was the irony. I mean he didn't even play that well all playoffs....it was the defense....it was the running game....it was a team that was complete and he did his part. Dallas Clark was the MVP of the Bowl run..... Dom Rhodes should have been the MVP of the Super Bowl...but the history books will have the QB's name who everyone knows and now believes is a true winner.
It's such a joke. I used to get so worked up over this when people compared Marino to Montana. Now its become Brady and Manning. Let's rate one players legacy based on rings. Yeah, that makes sense...I mean it takes 33 players offense/defense/special teams plus backups, role players, a coaching staff, and GM who knows what the hell he's doing to even dream about playing the game at the elite NFL level...but the quarterback determines everything.
People are idiots who believe that and want to engage in long debates constantly playing the ring card. It is completely irresponsible and ignorant but what the hell...let's use titles to compare Woods to the rest...its what everyone relates to I guess.
So Tiger Woods yo.....hahahhaha... As I was saying Tiger is legendary. I sat there watching...my eyeballs popping out of my head like that scene in Pee Wee's big adventure when the truck driver asks Pee Wee if he wants to see something scary....my heart pounding...hell I was nervous just relating to the nerves that a plus 10 foot putt for the U.S. Open commands. I was with my friend Stabbone who is a avid sports fan and extremely knowledgeable...he turns to me and says
"This is why Tiger Woods is who he is. It's moments like this. If he hits it....he's Tiger...if he doesn't he's a chump. He's gotta miss just once, right?"
I love that he said that because it rings true with the fact we expect Tiger to win even though doing it comes at such a huge difficulty level. He's made the impossible routine.
No....no missing. He's Tiger. And here's the thing with this argument I started back in my opening sentence...it's just Tiger out there. There is no teammate who must catch the ball...or is out there helping. Golf is an individual sport.
Yeah Montana and Brady are clutch...but they had Dwight Clark/Jerry Rice/John Taylor catching legacy forming passes. I will give Brady this until Moss came...and he hasn't won the big one with Moss....Brady made magic with mice. His receivers were not even close to Montana's in his 3 Super Bowl wins. Dieon Branch had huge games...signed a huge contract with another team...but Jerry Rice or even a B+ level receiver Branch is not. Even so, there's still other people involved with the play.
Basketball...Jordan didn't win titles until Pippen emerged. Bill Russell was great but played with many other All Stars and Hall of Famers. So look at boxing and people will start with Ali.
In terms of being an icon...a beacon of pride for an entire race and a source of endless entertainment for the world....nobody will ever touch him. But he did lose title fights.
Tiger has never lost a major when holding the lead going into the final round. Tiger has never met his Frazier and there is no Larry Holmes either...even though Dimarco and Mediate have tried most recently. Let's hope Tiger doesn't stay too long like Ali...but then again if Greg Norman can almost win the British at 50 plus....think Tiger could? You know the answer.
Go to racing...too much depends on the car or the team that builds and prepares it to be comparable. The skill to pilot it and push it to the limits is beyond what any of you can possibly imagine...but too much rests in the performance of other factors to compare anyone to Tiger.
Tennis- Roger Federer has been cross compared many times over the past five years. Well deserved and earned. But open your eyes, Federer is cracking....he's on the downswing now, granted at his down swing he is better than probably 98 percent of the people who are the best at tennis. Also there's too many names atop the pinnacle of tennis in terms of majors won. Don't know what I'm talking about here you go...on me.
(this posted before recent US Open win...despite win...Federer clearly still tough..but not peaking anymore...win total was adjusted)
Grand Slam Tennis Titles
Pete Sampras 14
Roger Federer 13
Roy Emerson 12
Rod Laver 11
Bjorn Borg 11
So we turn to Golf and yes Nicklaus is still above Tiger. But do any of you really believe when Woods is done he won't own every record...and by more than a few over The Golden Bear.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golfers_with_most_wins_in_men%27s_major_championships
As you will see on this link ....Tiger has only 4 less Majors and he's done it in half the time.
There are questions about his health. His knees have been cut on almost as much as Burt Reynolds face now and its unknown what kind of effect that could have down the road. It's also new territory for Golf because there is no real database out there of athlete decay with knee injury's like we have in basketball and football. I do know this though..... I'm betting on Tiger.
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