The Difference

Since we started this blog, I had been thinking of what my first official post would discuss. Where as baseball and the NCAA tournament are fighting for centerstage while the NBA is winding down, I thought that maybe a specific sport should not be the focus. But in the introduction post, the idea was born.

When it's said that sports athletes, players and figures* lose their luster, I always ask back to the TV to whom exactly?

Well, the "to whom" part is not what I had in mind. But the asterisk? Ah, what the heck does he mean, you ask?

My generation (the twentysomethings born in the early 1980s) have dissected and soaked in every debate there is about the best in sports across generations. After all, unlike seeing Bill Russell's eleven championship dominance, we had Michael Jordan. Instead of Babe Ruth and after Hank Aaron, we have Barry Bonds. For as long as I can remember, debates ensued about who is truly the greatest athlete of all time. This question always seemed a bit strange to me. In retrospect, I see why.

Many consider Michael Jordan to be the greatest athlete in the history of basketball (and all of sports). Ask why and you'll hear about the buzzer beater shots, the six championships and Olympic medal, the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, the scoring titles, etc. Yet, that would come from the fans, and with good reason. Ask the "fan" that stopped watching when Jordan retired the second time and they will say a few of the same aspects, but they will also say the marketability, the political correctness, the media-friendliness, the way he broke Knick fans hearts... sigh.

Many consider Muhammad Ali the greatest. Sure, he defeated four all time greats in Sonny Liston, Ken Norton, George Foreman and Joe Frazier, but what really makes him the greatest in the eyes of many was his bravado, his (again) media-friendliness and his highly-publicized political stances.

Some still say Babe Ruth. Though a few of us have never seen the man play, the idea that he held the sacred home run record gives enough credence. Not to mention the so-called Curse.

Folks, I'll be for real and say I don't believe any of this is true to be called the greatest athlete of all time. For one, the definition of an athlete:
A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.
Some have just as great a natural ability as the aforementioned, even if the success may not equal theirs. There are nothing but phenomenal athletes throughout the annals of the NBA. One can say that Julius Erving was more agile than Mike, that Dominique had greater hops, that younger players have greater bodies. But, there is something amazing about what these athletes had done.

Greatest players? Again, something to think about. In my eyes, a player is someone who is able to get in the game and stay in the game. So with the average pro sports career spanning about three years, I'd say that limits the pool much more. Yet, to be great, the player has to be savvy, has to know the nuances better than everyone else. Someone who seems to see the game before it's even played. Someone like... Ray Lewis? Greg Maddux? Pele? Mario Lemieux?

What truly separated guys like Jordan and Ali from everyone else was not the on-court/in-ring feats, but the figures they molded themselves as. They are the reasons why you pay attention outside of the game. Throw Tiger Woods in that mold thanks to his Buick endorsements. Serena Williams for her fashion. Lance Armstrong for his plight against cancer.

So, the more I think of who is the greatest athlete, the more I tend to separate between athlete, player and figure. The great athletes aren't always known, mainly because they play games that are not part of the seven biggest sports in the world (basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, tennis, cricket and American football). They are cyclists and mountain climbers, exerting their bodies through much more than what we consider. They are runners who scour the globe for 26-mile marathons year-round.

The greatest players? Well, there is no doubt in my mind that those whose names are thrown out are great players. In understanding the game better than the rest, they rightfully take their places. Barry Bonds is simply the most patient and consistent power hitter as the years have passed. Familiarity with pitchers and minimizing strikeouts have made his push for Aaron's record compelling. Even more so is that he is hitting when it matters: during a push for the playoffs. Walter Payton used to sit that extra second in the backfield before he pushed through the line of scrimmage. Heck, Patrick Roy's gambling in front of the net would be quickly neutralized with his cat-like relfexes. He dared the offense enough to frustrate, and evenutually make the save.

The greatest figures is what the masses are truly debating. A combination of athletic skill, on-court instincts and a pearly-white smile (or a bravado that invites cameras) makes a great sports figure. The people we think of just did it better than everyone else.

So who would I say is the greatest of all time in each? Again, difficult to say. Jordan had the savvy, but eleven rings for Bill Russell is still unparalled. Muhammed Ali was an unrelenting public figure, but as he once said: "You think I'm bad?!?! Jack Johnson was the baddest of them all!" The Babe was the womanizing drunk everyone loved... until he was traded to the Boston Braves at career's end. I can say that I have an idea for who are the best right now.

I think Lance Armstrong is the best athlete on Earth.
I think Ray Lewis is the best player (even if he only plays defense).
I think David Beckham is the best figure in the world.

But this is right now. In this decade. In this capsule of our generation.