Michael Jordan. Tiger Woods. Muhammad Ali. All phenomenal players of their respective sports, and each arguably the greatest at what they do. Michael Jordan dominating the NBA for many years, winning 6 NBA championships, 6 Finals MVPs, 5 MVPs, accumulating 14 All-Star appearances, and holds innumerable records.
Tiger Woods, an unbelievable golfer. Woods has won fourteen professional major golf championships, the second highest of any male player, and 65 PGA Tour events, third all time. He has more career major wins and career PGA Tour wins than any other active golfer. He is the youngest player to achieve the career Grand Slam, and the youngest and fastest to win 50 tournaments on tour.
Woods has held the number one position in the world rankings for the most consecutive weeks and for the greatest total number of weeks. He has been awarded PGA Player of the Year a record nine times, the Byron Nelson Award for lowest adjusted scoring average a record eight times, and has tied Jack Nicklaus' record of leading the money list in eight different seasons. He has been named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year a record-tying four times, and is the only person to be named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year more than once.
Muhammad Ali. In his own words, he was "The Greatest." Mike Tyson being the only boxer ever to truly challenge his status as the most unbelievably dominant fighter ever (that's a tough distinction to make, but I've got to go with Ali as the better pure boxer, Tyson as the more physically powerful), to date, he remains the only man to have won the linear heavyweight championship three times. Ali defeated almost every top heavyweight in his era, which has been called the golden age of heavyweight boxing. Ali was named "Fighter of the Year" by Ring Magazine more times than any other fighter, and was involved in more Ring Magazine "Fight of the Year" bouts than any other fighter. He is an inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and holds wins over seven other Hall of Fame inductees. He is also one of only three boxers to be named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated. He is regarded as one of the best pound for pound boxers in history. He was a masterful self-promoter, and his psychological tactics before, during, and after fights became legendary. It was his athleticism and boxing skill, however, that enabled him to scale the heights and sustain his position for so many years.
But now. Perhaps, another? Michael Phelps. Winner of a record 11 Olympic gold medals. He has set the record for the men's 200m Butterfly 7 times. He holds an unbelievable 30 world records, having broken many of his own numerous times. I believe he has joined the ranks of Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Muhammad Ali as not only the greatest swimmer ever, but the most unbelievably great Olympic champion the world has ever known.
What do you think?
BTW if you can think of any others that could be on this list, post them.