John McEnroe, he of tennis and Mr. Deeds fame, came out today and said that Roger Federer is the best men’s tennis player of all-time. It caused me to think, who’s currently the greatest in each sport? And who may they endorse as their predecessor in the future?
Football:
The Present: Peyton Manning
Yes, he has multiple less championships than Tom Brady and Joe Montana. But, we’re talking about individual achievements here, and Peyton’s defense has been bad for years. Peyton’s production throughout his career is unmatched. He’s one of the most accurate quarterbacks you’ll ever find, he serves as the Colts de facto offensive coordinator, and he helps his offensive line a ton through his ability to avoid sacks. Quick release, accurate, master preparation… there’s no one else that touches him.
The Future: Matthew Stafford
When discussing the greatest of all-time (GOAT) in football, the discussion begins and ends at the quarterback position. While Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan have proven a lot, it’s hard to imagine their ceiling surpassing that of Peyton Manning. I wasn’t a fan of the Matthew Stafford pick at the time, but he more than proved me wrong in 2009. Stafford may never be as accurate as Manning, but his arm gives him unlimited potential. I don’t think we’ve seen Peyton’s predecessor yet, but if it’s anyone in the current NFL, it’s Matthew Stafford.
Basketball
The Present: Michael Jordan
No-brainer. In basketball, rings matter a bit more because of the impact a single player can have on a team. Michael Jordan has the statistics and the rings. He proved as a young player that he could score with anyone. He proved as a veteran that he can win championships (6 of them, in fact). One of the greatest athletes we have ever seen, MJ is the greatest in basketball history.
The Future: LeBron James
Okay, so basketball was a no-brainer. If anyone has the chance to surpass Michael Jordan, it’s undoubtedly LeBron James. His athleticism for his size is something that we have never seen before. His scoring is obviously elite, but so is his rebounding, passing, and defense. Early in his career, LeBron was a lazy defender. Now, he is one of the best. His ability to make up for his teammates’ defensive mistakes is an incredibly valuable skill that few players possess. I firmly believe that LeBron will one day surpass Michael Jordan as the GOAT, and it may be sooner rather than later.
Baseball
The Present: Barry Bonds
This may be controversial, but it’s 100% factually correct. Even before any hint of steroids, Barry Bonds was one of the best hitters of his generation. During his best years with the Giants, Barry Bonds put up four of the greatest hitting seasons in baseball history. Add his defensive and base running abilities early in his career, and this one really isn’t even close.
The Future: Joe Mauer
If Mauer’s hitting continues to progress in a normal career path, he could creep into GOAT discussions. A great hitter for average, Mauer added power hitting in a big way in 2009. Given that he is providing that hitting as a catcher, Mauer’s value is through the roof. I don’t think Mauer will surpass Bonds, but he’s probably our best bet currently.
manning-not even close. 1 championship. Good regular season stats. Playing at a time when my grandmother could throw 30 touchdowns a year. Too much is made of him changing plays at the line. Who cares. Just win baby… He may eventually own all the important quarterback records but they are cheapened by the rules changes that have made it impossible to actually play defense or come close to hitting a quarterback.
The best football player of all time is …….Barry Sanders
Mike Jordan the greatest? Not quite my friend. How do you judge that? Most championships? not him… best scorer? not him…most spectacular dunks? who cares… he can run and jump…whoopie.
He did change the game… made it so traveling was no longer a violation. He won nothing until Pippin arrived. Good Athlete, great endorser of products but not the best basketball player.
The best Basketball player of all time was…..Larry Bird!!!!!
I should not even comment on your absurd statement of the best baseball player. That player you named should not be mentioned ever again. He was a great player before he started cheating then became awsome. He should be given no credit for anything he did while cheating. Hitting home runs while Juiced is like hitting off a t from second base. He is a total disgrace. The fact that some people think he is the best of all time only goes to show how morally shallow this country has become. Is there no shame in cheating anymore?
The best baseball player of all time was Babe Ruth….
Best baseball player of all time….Babe Ruth
Comment by eric westin — February 9, 2010 @ 7:36 pm |