Here we go again. The best. The greatest. The man (or woman). For those who have read my previous blogs (all seven of you), you know how I feel about the best in regards to team sports. Than I read this article and I said, "...alright." The question of the day is " Who is the most dominant athlete in his or her (team) sport in America today?"
I'm going to restrict my debate to the team sports athletes. I actually agree with the author when he says that the individual sport athletes shouldn't be included. Today's athletes are just distracted by other things (i.e endorsements for example) to bring the proper intensity to maintain dominance. I'm just going to give you my opinion on the major candidates and let you have at it for other candidates.
First, lets go with the author's pick: QB Payton Manning of the Colts. He cites his back to back MVP awards (four total) as well as his overall career stats. But if you insist on picking a guy who is dominating his sport, he (or she) has got to win more than one championship in his career. Heck, he wasn't even the highest rated QB last year.
Now, if you want to talk about dominating the media, you can bring Bron-Bron in the conversation. While he too has won back to back MVP awards and led his former team to 127 regular season wins the last two years, he has no championships (not even any conference titles) to show for it. He did have a high rated show on ESPN this summer.
For me, you want to talk about dominance, lets talk about it on the court, field or diamond. When I think of dominance, I think of guys of like Lawrence Taylor. This guy had quarterbacks calling timeouts when they couldn't locate him on the field. Another dominant player of his time was (who else?) Michael Jordan. Six titles, 30 ppg average for his career and 14-time All-Star.
If you want someone close to that, you have to bring (I always have to preface this by saying that I am not a Laker fan) the Black Mamba in the conversation. Leader of the current two time NBA champs. Five titles. Two time international gold medal winner. Six last second game winning shots this past year alone.
If you want domination, don't hate the player, hate the game.
Have a great weekend!!!
GAJ, great post as usual bro.. here goes my spin on the topic of the day.. I agree with a lot of what has been said (except maybe for Ko-me, but that's another debate for me, Teej & Slugger) but if you ask me to name the individual athlete that most dominated a team sport.. I gotta say none other than the GREAT one himself.. Wayne Gretzky!!! Now, I'm not even going to try to pretend I'm a hockey fan, but I read a lot about Gretzky when he was playing and he came in and dominated the NHL from day one.. Check it out, it's just crazy what he did in the 80's (he was male athlete of the decade by the way).. 8 straight MVP's, 7 consecutive scoring titles (setting numerous records for assists and goals).. First (and still only, I think) player to score more than 200 points in a season, and he did it 4 times.. And then throw in 4 Stanley Cups just for good measure (and series MVP's of course).. All that was before 1988 when he was traded to LA.. In fact "By the time he finished playing in Edmonton, he held or shared 49 NHL records, which in itself was a RECORD." I got that from Wiki, but d&mn he set a record for setting records... How about they put his statue up in Edmonton while he was still playing.. Then when he retired.. The NHL said f&ck the waiting period and put him in the HOF right away.. Now that's dominating your sport and having them bow down before you!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat again breezy..dammmm good...but for me when you talk dominance...yes I will say it for the first time in my life!!! In the same breath...Michael Jordan and Kobe!!!! Their I said it...two of the greatest...next I will add Kareem because he dominated for so many yrs...he ran to the block tussled with the defense player caught the ball and everybody including the hot dog lady knew the hook was coming and no one ever stopped it!!!! never. Football...Lawrence Taylor...dominated his sport...unstoppable...Ray Lewis will go down as one who dominated the game of football...another name to mention in his day and it's crazy he is NOT in the HOF but yes Haley dominated football and has the rings to prove it. (unfortunately he was crazy) Baseball..hard to say because of drugs ...I feel like these guys don't deserve credit...now...I am confused...Bonds, Clements and Arod....I will give more credit to Jeter but not call him dominant
ReplyDeleteJordan, Kobe, Barry Bonds!!
ReplyDeleteLate to the topic but anyway lets see changed the game dominated the game and unstoppable with high sport IQ...
ReplyDeleteKareem
Gretzky
Jim Brown
Ali - honorable Joe Louis
Pele
I'm still asleep at the baseball game and the golf course, and my neck hurts from tennis.....womens beach volleyball any one.....