The Tiger prowls again.

[Boris Badenov]

It's been my opinion for about 8 years now, that if I could steal any other human's ability or skill, it would be Tiger Woods' golf swing.  Of course, unless the physical and, more importantly, mental strength came with it, I would just be Adam Scott.

You're basically right but I think you're listing the abilities in the wrong order. The mental toughness is what matters. If you had JUST that you could excel in almost anything.

Tiger has a good case for being #1 on the all-time mental toughness list, doesn't he? I think Jordan is the other choice...is there anyone else in contention? I can think of a few others (Montana, Sampras, Bird...) but those two seem alone at the top. I can't evaluate guys in cycling or boxing, but would Armstrong be up there?

[ACF]

Tiger, the Wayne Gretzky of golf.

[Big Ticket]

It's been my opinion for about 8 years now, that if I could steal any other human's ability or skill, it would be Tiger Woods' golf swing.  Of course, unless the physical and, more importantly, mental strength came with it, I would just be Adam Scott.

You're basically right but I think you're listing the abilities in the wrong order. The mental toughness is what matters. If you had JUST that you could excel in almost anything.

Tiger has a good case for being #1 on the all-time mental toughness list, doesn't he? I think Jordan is the other choice...is there anyone else in contention? I can think of a few others (Montana, Sampras, Bird...) but those two seem alone at the top. I can't evaluate guys in cycling or boxing, but would Armstrong be up there?

I understand the mental toughness is what sets him apart, but it's still meaningless without the swing, in my opinion.  (I'm a 5 handicap, and I still would have no shot at ever making it with my swing and his focus).

[CoachCowens]

Tiger, the Wayne Gretzky of golf.

So your rating him number 2 to Jack Nicklaus?

If you wanted to rate him number 1 you would have said Bobby Orr.

[GroverTheClover]

Tiger, the Wayne Gretzky of golf.

Or Wayne Gretzky, the Tiger Woods of hockey.

[ma11l]

Tiger, the Wayne Gretzky of golf.

Or Wayne Gretzky, the Tiger Woods of hockey.

Agreed.  Tiger has done more for his sport than anyone else is the history of sports.  We saw over the last 8 months what the PGA Tour is like without him.  In my opinion he is more dominant than Gretzky was at hockey.

[ACF]

Tiger, the Wayne Gretzky of golf.

Or Wayne Gretzky, the Tiger Woods of hockey.

Agreed.  Tiger has done more for his sport than anyone else is the history of sports.  We saw over the last 8 months what the PGA Tour is like without him.  In my opinion he is more dominant than Gretzky was at hockey.

You're just saying that because
WG is Canadian 
Seriously, look at this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NHL_statistical_leaders

[nickagneta]

Tiger, the Wayne Gretzky of golf.

Or Wayne Gretzky, the Tiger Woods of hockey.

Agreed.  Tiger has done more for his sport than anyone else is the history of sports.  We saw over the last 8 months what the PGA Tour is like without him.  In my opinion he is more dominant than Gretzky was at hockey.

You're just saying that because
WG is Canadian 
Seriously, look at this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NHL_statistical_leaders

If Bobby Orr were playing at the same time as Gretzky, Orr would have been THE star in the NHL. Orr played in a much less watered down league and much tougher league. If The Great One had to play in the late 60's and 70's, he wouldn't have even been better than Phil Esposito nevermind Bobby Hull or Gordie Howe.

And as far as I am concerned Tiger Woods is the.....Tiger Woods of golf.

[ACF]

There are some fairly good names
on that list, Nick.
Anyways, by saying what I did, I
just meant to illustrate how much
better TW is than the rest of the
golfers in the world.
Hence, the Gretzky analogy 

[nickagneta]

There are some fairly good names
on that list, Nick.
Anyways, by saying what I did, I
just meant to illustrate how much
better TW is than the rest of the
golfers in the world.
Hence, the Gretzky analogy 

Oh I know that my friend. I'm just a gigantic Bobby Orr fan and think that he is overlooked by Gretzky's gawdy stats as being the best hockey player ever. I meant no atitude in my post. Just pointing out my love for number 4.

Wayne was a great offensive hockey force but let's be real about who did the backchecking and defensive work from the forward positions. It was Messier. Gretzky was a wonder to watch in the offensive end in the larger rinks that were built during his time but if you transported he and Messier back in time to play a couple of decades earlier, it would have been Messier that was the star and Gretzky who was the second banana. And I'm not trying to be disrespectful to Messier by saying he was a second banana but it was The Great One who got most of the pub from those teams even though those in hockey circles knew the greatness of Messier.

Sorry, I digress. I just don't think that Wayne Gretzky is the Babe Ruth of the NHL and in retrospect I think people don't realize the difference in the game between Gretzky's time and that of his great predecessors. If you took modern players like Tiger and MJ and Manny Ramirez(was trying to find a clean modern day player) or Peyton Manning and transported them back 20 years or more in their sports, they still would have been as dominant. I just never saw that in Gretzky because of the difference in the game between his era and the 70's and earlier.

[Big Ticket]

Tiger, the Wayne Gretzky of golf.

Or Wayne Gretzky, the Tiger Woods of hockey.

Agreed.  Tiger has done more for his sport than anyone else is the history of sports.  We saw over the last 8 months what the PGA Tour is like without him.  In my opinion he is more dominant than Gretzky was at hockey.

Definitely in modern times... would be tough to say he's done more for his sport than anyone ever (Jackie Robinson would be my first evidence)... but you might have a point, other athlete's have done a ton for their "league".  Tiger made golf cool not just on the Tour, but all around the world. 

My high school in a 20,000 person town long dominated not only their little rural golf competition, but regularly competed as one of the top teams in the state.  They did so because out local county course gave free golf lessons to kids every Saturday, going back to the early 90's.  They did this because the head pro, Rudy Duran, was a strong advocate of junior golf.... this was during a time when the only kids that grew up with golf were either country club members or had golfing parents.  Anyways, my point... Tiger exploded onto the scene in 1996-1997, and within a few years, young kids everywhere were playing golf.  Our dominance quickly faded and more closely aligned with what you'd expect from a 20,000 person rural town with one course and no country clubs.  (And if Rudy Duran sounds familiar... it's probably because you know him as Tiger Woods' first real golf coach... taught him for about 6 from ages 4 to 10).

[ma11l]

I agree with you Ticket, when I first typed him having the biggest impact on his sport Robinson's name came to mind.  I rationalized it as Robinson's impact being more on a race, a country, and a culture, as opposed to simply the game of baseball.


I also agree that Gretzky's stats are amazing, but so aren't Tiger's.  He is only 6 Tour victories, and 4 majors behind Nicklaus, who most can agree is the measuring stick for greatness.  He has 67 victories in 218 Tour starts.  That a .307 average, that average would get him in the baseball hall of fame, never mind the golf hall of fame.


These are just few of the many that a lot of us are familiar with.  It's hard to compare hockey to golf, but I figured if we have the Great One's stats up here we might as well highlight some of Tiger's as well.

[ACF]

There are some fairly good names
on that list, Nick.
Anyways, by saying what I did, I
just meant to illustrate how much
better TW is than the rest of the
golfers in the world.
Hence, the Gretzky analogy 

Oh I know that my friend. I'm just a gigantic Bobby Orr fan and think that he is overlooked by Gretzky's gawdy stats as being the best hockey player ever. I meant no atitude in my post. Just pointing out my love for number 4.

Wayne was a great offensive hockey force but let's be real about who did the backchecking and defensive work from the forward positions. It was Messier. Gretzky was a wonder to watch in the offensive end in the larger rinks that were built during his time but if you transported he and Messier back in time to play a couple of decades earlier, it would have been Messier that was the star and Gretzky who was the second banana. And I'm not trying to be disrespectful to Messier by saying he was a second banana but it was The Great One who got most of the pub from those teams even though those in hockey circles knew the greatness of Messier.

Sorry, I digress. I just don't think that Wayne Gretzky is the Babe Ruth of the NHL and in retrospect I think people don't realize the difference in the game between Gretzky's time and that of his great predecessors. If you took modern players like Tiger and MJ and Manny Ramirez(was trying to find a clean modern day player) or Peyton Manning and transported them back 20 years or more in their sports, they still would have been as dominant. I just never saw that in Gretzky because of the difference in the game between his era and the 70's and earlier.

No offense taken, buddy.
We can't agree on everything.
Too bad I'm too young to have watched
Bobby Orr play. I'll go check out some
clips when I find the time 

TP's to Nick and ma11l for good posts.

[kenmaine]

Greatest competitor I've ever seen. Or at least most dominant in his game-I still can't bring myself to call golf a sport
I don't generally watch golf, but had a bad day yesterday(car broke down, rainy day, had to be towed).  So I felt like sitting in the recliner and doing nothing. It was a cold rainy afternoon, and I was channel surfing and found the golf tournament(I'm not a college hoops guy-NCAA is too corrupt for me to really enjoy it, plus I just prefer watching the pros).
Anyway, when I tuned in, Tiger was in second place, seven shots behind, and I was hooked. The stage was set for another comeback, and he did it again, in pretty dramatic fashion. He made that last putt look so easy, but it was something like 12 or 15 feet- and that ain't easy for a normal person!
For one player to stand out like Woods does is just mind-boggling. I used to golf(not that well, approx. 12 handicap), and I can appreciate how great ALL the pros are. Just amazing to watch him make insane,almost impossible bunker shots, and putt after putt. Something like 50 out of 50 from 6 ft. or less. That's not human. And he's won I believe 29% of all the tournaments he's entered! Against hundreds of other incredibly good players.

[Big Ticket]

I still can't bring myself to call golf a sport