The Greatest of All Time

In any professional sport, there will always be some debate about the designation of the GOAT – the Greatest Of All Time. Although there are a few sports which have a clear choice, in many, there are differing opinions, and often legitimate arguments to be made for various individuals.

In football, Tom Brady is considered by most fans to be the GOAT, although there are still people who prefer Joe Montana, or even some of the players from previous generations, such as the great Jim Brown. The NFL has certainly had some great players, but it’s hard to overlook Brady’s record.

One of the hottest current debates centers around the NBA. Despite the accomplishments of LeBron James, many (including myself) will always look no further than Michael Jordan when seeking the sport’s GOAT. Or why not Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, or Bill Russell?

In hockey, there are Wayne Gretsky fans and others who support Gordie Howe. In soccer, there are several names usually mentioned including Lionel Messi, Landon Donovan, Diego Maradondo, or even the renowned Pele from years past.

Boxing has Muhammed Ali, baseball has Babe Ruth, golf has Jack Nicklaus (or Tiger Woods), and men’s tennis has Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, or Novak Djokovic. Or maybe a legendary great such as Rod Laver. Sometimes it really is difficult to decide on a single person. Another huge debate is in the sport of women’s tennis. The recently retired Serena Williams is certainly one of the greatest female tennis players of all time, but not everyone would agree that she is the best ever.

Margaret Court could be considered the GOAT. So could Martina Navratilova. I have a hard time thinking of anyone more dominant in her time than Steffi Graf. Or maybe Serena really is the greatest, but it’s not as clear cut as some people would think.

I suppose the hardest aspect of the debate (in any sport) is the reality that it is nearly impossible to compare players from different eras. Things change. Rules change. Equipment changes. The level of competition varies. I guess that’s why so many people try to base the decision purely on statistics. That of course leads to even more debate.

The problem there is longevity. Any player who performs at a high enough level, and stays healthy and active over a long period of time will invariably accumulate some impressive statistics. That’s a given. And those records that result are worthy accomplishments. BUT, such records alone don’t necessarily prove that a particular player is better than others who may have had comparatively shorter careers. And being Good for a very long time, doesn’t necessarily make one Great.

And (IMHO) no offense to LeBron or Serena, but athletes who nominate themselves, campaign for the designation, or feel the need to argue in favor of themselves? You’re probably not the GOAT. Just saying.