Mistake of The Decade: Tiger Woods--Top Athlete??

I awoke Thursday, and, almost automatically, logged on to my beloved ESPN account. After trading away numerous under-achieving players in fantasy football, and reading the NBA headlines, I went to the home page.

That was when my jaw dropped open; not out of sheer joy or extreme surprise; but of utter disappointment. I was devastated and furious at the same time about the news that I had just encountered. I looked down once again at my Mac, and once again anger raged inside of me.

I looked at the picture underneath the headline—a big picture of my new arch-enemy arose. A picture of him walking across patches of green with his golf club in his left hand, smiling, almost mischievously laughing; it was Tiger Woods, athlete of the ending decade.

“AAH!” I shouted almost at the top of my lungs. No one was home; I could release my anger as much as I possibly wanted. But where, could you ask, did all this anger build up inside of me? Why should I, a simple sports writer, detest this almost unanimous decision with such hatred?

Though I have recently learned to despise Woods personally, with the whole issue concerning his commitment tribulations towards his wife Elaine, I have had nothing against his game. Ever. Truthfully, I think he is an amazing golfer, much more athlete.

How could he be placed as the winner amongst such greats as Armstrong, Phelps, and, most shockingly and most notably, Federer?

Though I would not be classified specifically as a Federer fan, I admire his game and might be the first to admit that, despite my like for Nadal and other tennis greats, that he is the best tennis player to ever lift a racket.

Unlike Woods, Federer has already reached, and surpassed, the record of most grand slams, and is most likely not in the vicinity of retirement. Woods is still a monstrous six majors off tying the record; held by Jack Nicklaus at the time. Though Woods is neither in the stage of retirement, he has just announced an indefinite leave from the game, and six more majors seem unlikely.

Federer has won all fifteen of his grand-slams in the past decade, whilst Woods won two before the arrival of the then new-found decade. Federer dominates the game with such grace and perfection, that it is hard to imagine that anyone will ever accomplish such a feat of fifteen grand-slams.

Importantly, Federer has played his whole career at a time of tennis greatness, while Woods is playing against much lesser opponents. Federer has faced Sampras, Nadal, Agassi, and many others; that leaves us pondering how Woods hasn’t won more majors playing against sub-par opponents in Steve Stricker, Tom Watson, and, winner of the last British Open,  Stewart Cink (??).  Woods’ opponents don’t compare.

I’ve already clarified that I believe Federer should have undoubtedly been the voted Best Athlete of the Past Decade, but I would still go as far as to say that Woods could have been placed as far down as number four.

First and foremost, Phelps has just dominated a sport like no other has ever dominated. He abolished the Olympics, miraculously winning six gold medals in ’04, and a perfect eight for eight in ’08. Woods has never conquered his sport near what Phelps has done the past decade.

Then we are left with the one other athlete that can compete with Woods. The one other athlete is no other than a cancer survivor, a Tour de France winner, and with the name of Lance Armstrong. Armstrong won six of his seven Tour de France winnings this decade, winning all after his phenomenal recovery from cancer. He made a controversial and debated return last year, and stunned the world, finishing third at a sport where age is crucial, winning at the age of 38. Once again, this is a cyclist, an athlete that has dominated the sport like never before.

This is where my anger was built upon from; from the disbelief that Woods was selected as the best from a stack of betters. The three former athletes that I have just cited have been the best of their sport in all of time. Woods is not. Woods is not the best golfer ever; and is certainly not the best athlete of the past decade.