Re: Is Tiger The Most Intimidating, Imposing and Frightening Figure Ever in Sports?
LOL - I totally forgot that was the original point of this thread...Sorry to hijack it, 4BiddenKnight! Funny how threads can take off in any direction - but props for starting a very good discussion! But, scoman makes a good point - comparing golf to, say, boxing is kind of unfair. I'd say Nicklaus was the most intimidating golfer, but it's all opinion - but then, it's hard to say because I think his competition actually had some testosterone back in the day (definitely a controversial opinion, but that's another thread in and of itself....) A lot of what people say about Tiger today they said about Nicklaus back then, but an especially interesting exercise is to read old quotes about how Jack was ruining the game because he could drive the ball way over 300 yards with a wooden driver! That's unbelieveable, especially if you have ever tried to hit a wooden driver...I still carry one around once in a while when I'm carrying my beater set of clubs, and once in a while I'll pull that sucker out and try to hammer one. It usually ends up one of three ways:
1) a nice drive, 210 yards or so in the short grass
2) a banana slice that goes so deep into the woods I need a machete and a guide to find my damn ball
3) a clubbed, topped, snap-hook directly into the wrong fairway
I'd say 90% of the time, it's #2 or #3. I will say, though, that nothing beats the feeling of stroking a solid drive with a wooden driver - you definitely know when you hit the sweet spot with those things (but damn is it hard to hit a sweet spot with a wooden driver).
Touche, ifuxwitu - every star gets calls...Although you could argue Wilt intentionally got calls AGAINST him (at least early in his career), because he got so sick of refs allowing the opposition to do whatever they wanted to him physically that he considered quitting and becoming a professional track athlete (All-American track @ Kansas). Nevertheless, I do feel personally that Jordan got more calls in his favor than any superstar in sports history. That is, unless Dwayne Wade plays for another 8 years (this year's finals...I'm just leaving that alone for now).
As far as the physical advantage Wilt and Russell enjoyed, that is true, but they also were hindered by rule changes which were specifically enacted to limit their dominance (3-in-the key, among others). Jordan, on the other hand, enjoyed rule changes arguably made specifically to enhance his perimeter-oriented stardom - well-defined zone defense rules, the elimination of 2-hand and then subsequently 1-hand checking, liberal flagrant foul calls, etc. So, on the whole, I think the physical advantage vs rule changes competitive balance sheet is a wash.
I think the problem with hockey is that people are forgetting it's a sport.
You bet your arse I remember Gordie Howe, though. Mr. Hockey was great for 2 primary reasons, though: 1) he dominated both the "finesse" aspect of the game (great scorer, passer) and the enforcer aspect (old-skool roughneck), and 2) because he was a dominant player for so frickin' long. A lot of real hockey-heads put Orr as their consensus #1 guy, but it's splitting hairs. I go with Gordie as the best ever*. Just as long as no one tries to put Gretzky in the discussion (the hockey equivalent of MJ, but not quite to that extent).
*For purposes of disclosure, I am from Detroit and a hopelessly biased pro-Motown sports fan. Which probably explains a lot of my opinions, now that you all know...
LOL - I totally forgot that was the original point of this thread...Sorry to hijack it, 4BiddenKnight! Funny how threads can take off in any direction - but props for starting a very good discussion! But, scoman makes a good point - comparing golf to, say, boxing is kind of unfair. I'd say Nicklaus was the most intimidating golfer, but it's all opinion - but then, it's hard to say because I think his competition actually had some testosterone back in the day (definitely a controversial opinion, but that's another thread in and of itself....) A lot of what people say about Tiger today they said about Nicklaus back then, but an especially interesting exercise is to read old quotes about how Jack was ruining the game because he could drive the ball way over 300 yards with a wooden driver! That's unbelieveable, especially if you have ever tried to hit a wooden driver...I still carry one around once in a while when I'm carrying my beater set of clubs, and once in a while I'll pull that sucker out and try to hammer one. It usually ends up one of three ways:
1) a nice drive, 210 yards or so in the short grass
2) a banana slice that goes so deep into the woods I need a machete and a guide to find my damn ball
3) a clubbed, topped, snap-hook directly into the wrong fairway
I'd say 90% of the time, it's #2 or #3. I will say, though, that nothing beats the feeling of stroking a solid drive with a wooden driver - you definitely know when you hit the sweet spot with those things (but damn is it hard to hit a sweet spot with a wooden driver).
Touche, ifuxwitu - every star gets calls...Although you could argue Wilt intentionally got calls AGAINST him (at least early in his career), because he got so sick of refs allowing the opposition to do whatever they wanted to him physically that he considered quitting and becoming a professional track athlete (All-American track @ Kansas). Nevertheless, I do feel personally that Jordan got more calls in his favor than any superstar in sports history. That is, unless Dwayne Wade plays for another 8 years (this year's finals...I'm just leaving that alone for now).
As far as the physical advantage Wilt and Russell enjoyed, that is true, but they also were hindered by rule changes which were specifically enacted to limit their dominance (3-in-the key, among others). Jordan, on the other hand, enjoyed rule changes arguably made specifically to enhance his perimeter-oriented stardom - well-defined zone defense rules, the elimination of 2-hand and then subsequently 1-hand checking, liberal flagrant foul calls, etc. So, on the whole, I think the physical advantage vs rule changes competitive balance sheet is a wash.
I think the problem with hockey is that people are forgetting it's a sport.
You bet your arse I remember Gordie Howe, though. Mr. Hockey was great for 2 primary reasons, though: 1) he dominated both the "finesse" aspect of the game (great scorer, passer) and the enforcer aspect (old-skool roughneck), and 2) because he was a dominant player for so frickin' long. A lot of real hockey-heads put Orr as their consensus #1 guy, but it's splitting hairs. I go with Gordie as the best ever*. Just as long as no one tries to put Gretzky in the discussion (the hockey equivalent of MJ, but not quite to that extent).*For purposes of disclosure, I am from Detroit and a hopelessly biased pro-Motown sports fan. Which probably explains a lot of my opinions, now that you all know...
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