Was there ever any doubt as to what person would hold the distinguished title of Athlete of the Decade? Yes, that man is indeed Eldrick "Tiger" Woods. He burst onto the scene as a toddler on the Mike Douglas show, grew up winning US Amateurs, shocked the world with his dominance at Augusta, won the Tiger Slam, and proceeded to become the defining athlete of a generation.
Resume
-14 Major Titles, #2 in golf history behind Jack Nicklaus (12 this decade)
-71 PGA Tour Wins, 3rd all-time behind Nicklaus and Sam Snead
-Highest career earnings of any golfer (over $92 Million)
-Only man to ever win all 4 majors in a row, creating the Tiger Slam
-9 Time PGA Player of the Year
Facts
-Won the 2000 US Open by 15 shots.
-Holds career scoring average record
-Set all-time record for consecutive cuts made (142)
-Only golfer to win US Amateur 3 straight times
-The obligatory link to the Career Achievements Wikipedia page.
-First person in the history of the universe to earn $1 Billion by playing sports for a living.
Why He's Here
-If you in any way question this decision, then you've got some explaining to do. Tiger Woods is the defining post-Jordan athlete. There is no other person that has captured the imagination of the sporting nation, and the sporting world like Tiger Woods. In a way, he's been destined for greatness since the beginning. I wonder if he's even ever lost a game of Tecmo Bowl growing up, or is he just used to always winning? Along every step of the way, Tiger Woods has been as close to perfection as you can get from an athlete. Oh, and he still has about 10-12 years of his golfing prime ahead of him to rewrite the record books even more. But, you ask, is golf even really a sport? Come on, that's what old ladies play at their retirement homes in Boca Raton. If you have that attitude, you've come to the wrong sports blog. Golf is indeed a sport, and the most mentally challenging at that. Tiger is the most dominant, most successful, most accomplished, most transformational, most recognizable athlete of this decade and this generation.
(Of course, there is a little bias here because Tiger is the only athlete in the countdown to actually acknowledge yours truly. At the Memorial a few years ago I had a deep philosophical conversation with Woods about his place in history:
Me: Go get 'em Tiger
Tiger: Thanks
This conversation moved me in a subtle, yet complex way. As an impressionable kid just out of high school, the mere acknowledgement of Tiger Woods changed my life. Maybe I could wear that red shirt some day and be as great as he is. Ok, that last part might be a little much, and I might have slightly overstated the significance of the moment, but it was kinda cool. At least I didn't get punched by his caddie or anything...)
Lasting Impact
-Where to begin? Golf was never exactly seen as a sport open to the masses before Tiger Woods came along. It was mostly a country club sport for old, white dudes (cough, Augusta, cough). However, Tiger broke through that barrier in a huge way and opened up the sport to an uncountable number of people. For a man of black and Asian descent to do what Tiger Woods has done on the golf course is astounding. Much like the Williams Sisters, Tiger's lasting impact in this way is untouched by most all other athletes. Furthermore, his commercial appeal is only rivaled by that of Jordan and has elevated golf into must see viewing whenever he swings the clubs. One could make the argument that he doesn't use his position as the world's most famous athlete to do enough good much like some criticism of Jordan, but he does have the Tiger Woods Foundation amongst other charitable work, so it's largely unfounded.
On the course, he's provided some of the most memorable performances in golf and sports history. The Tiger Slam might stand the test of time as one of the impressive achievements in sports this decade, century, and millennium. He won one US Open on one leg, and won another one by 15 shots. Only Tiger Woods can leave you speechless on Sundays in that way. Not to mention his countless shots that have seemed only possible in the imagination. Tiger has transformed golf. His power and athleticism are unmatched, his putting in the clutch is unbreakable, and his competitors (save for YE Yang at this year's PGA of course) have been left wilting.
At 33, some cracks in the armor have appeared, and critics have been ready to pounce on them. But, when looking back at the 2000's, no other athlete comes close to the stratosphere that Tiger Woods occupies. He is the indisputable #1 Athlete of the Decade. Surely, that has to rank right up there with those 14 majors, right Tiger? For a close, here is for my money the most remarkable shot in golf history. I'll always remember my brother Y2 calling this shot perfectly, and when it rolled in, the roof came off of Augusta and every house watching. Roll it!
That's it for the countdown! Stay tuned for the recap later tonight and our next Decade Series Top 10 list will come shortly! Bye for now...
3 comments:
As I have never played golf, how would you compare the mental side of golf with that of tennis (of which I am a huge fan)? I would really like an insight, for I acknowledge the love for Tiger, but I don't *really* understand what's involved.
That's a great question karena, and thanks for your comment. I would actually compare the mental side of golf and tennis quite favorably. In both sports, you have to be mentally strong to overcome bad shots and not let it affect your round or match. Both sports are also a mental grind, especially in the major tournaments. Any brief slip in concentration could prove fatal to your chances. I think it's no surprise that our top 2 athletes, Federer and Tiger, are the two most mentally strong athletes of our generation. Hope this helps!
I'll say that the mental side of golf is huge. Both of us played competitively and I know that the mental aspect of golf haunts me to this day! I still can't make a 4 foot putt to save my life. There's an old saying that the toughest 6 inches on any golf course is between your ears.
I think the difference between golf/tennis is the downtime in golf. There is so much more time in golf between shots for the mind to play tricks or plant seeds of doubt vs tennis, football, basketball, etc which might be more reactionary. Tiger's greatness is the fact that his mental toughness is unmatched in the history of sports. His focus is unparalleled. Anytime he needs a clutch shot it's like he wills it to happen not through talent, but sheer mental toughness. While other rivals might melt amidst tough conditions, or in the pressure of a major, Tiger always comes through.
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