Monday, July 25, 2005
I'm impressed as all get out with Lance Armstrong-- I road 30 miles Sunday, probably averaged between 11-12 mph, and was wiped out for the rest of the day and leg weary today. He averaged 28 mph over the month of July, through Alps and every other damn thing-- probably the equivalent of at least a marathon a day, with some ultras and a Boilermaker, and maybe some sprints thrown in. Lance is probably the most amazing endurance athlete in history-- but he got to where he is by dominating a single event in a very esoteric sport. Sportswriters are trying to put Armstrong's accomplishment in perspective, and I have to admit, I don't envy them the task. On the one hand-- wow. On the other hand, the range of skills that bicycle racing tests is a narrow set-- isn't it fair to say that ball sports test more?
Skip Bayless proposes the following list of candidates for Greatest Athlete: "[Michael]Jordan was the greatest basketball player and greatest clutch performer ever -- but he failed miserably at baseball. So if you want the greatest all-around athletes -- combining the widest array of talent and skill at the highest levels -- choose your favorite from this list: Jim Thorpe, Jackie Robinson, Wilt Chamberlain, Mickey Mantle, Jim Brown, Bjorn Borg, Wayne Gretzky, Bo Jackson, John Elway and Deion Sanders."
I say, Borg? How'd he get here? No tennis players on this list, please. I also think that if you are going to have a list like this there ought to be at least one other decathalete besides Thorpe. Bruce Jenner turned into the white Michael Jackson, so not him, but how about Rafer Johnson? I could probably think of others to add to the list (O.J. Simpson anybody?) but at the end of the day I think I would go with Thorpe vs Jim Brown, a tough call. On the one hand you have Thorpe saying to the King of Sweden, "Thanks, King," probably one of the proudest moments in the history of democracy. On the other hand, you have Jim Brown in "The Dirty Dozen"-- a hard act to follow.
Skip Bayless proposes the following list of candidates for Greatest Athlete: "[Michael]Jordan was the greatest basketball player and greatest clutch performer ever -- but he failed miserably at baseball. So if you want the greatest all-around athletes -- combining the widest array of talent and skill at the highest levels -- choose your favorite from this list: Jim Thorpe, Jackie Robinson, Wilt Chamberlain, Mickey Mantle, Jim Brown, Bjorn Borg, Wayne Gretzky, Bo Jackson, John Elway and Deion Sanders."
I say, Borg? How'd he get here? No tennis players on this list, please. I also think that if you are going to have a list like this there ought to be at least one other decathalete besides Thorpe. Bruce Jenner turned into the white Michael Jackson, so not him, but how about Rafer Johnson? I could probably think of others to add to the list (O.J. Simpson anybody?) but at the end of the day I think I would go with Thorpe vs Jim Brown, a tough call. On the one hand you have Thorpe saying to the King of Sweden, "Thanks, King," probably one of the proudest moments in the history of democracy. On the other hand, you have Jim Brown in "The Dirty Dozen"-- a hard act to follow.
