Usain Bolt: World’s Most Dominant Athlete?

By Chris Le

Another race, another world record.

On Sunday, at the Track and Field World Championships in Berlin, Usain Bolt pistol-whipped the 100-meter field, breaking the finish line in a world-record 9.58 seconds.

If you’re unfamiliar with track and field or if you’re the average, Customary System-loving Yankee who can’t quantify 100 meters and the idea of traversing such a distance in 9.58 seconds can’t register in your head, check this: Bolt ran, considering acceleration, at the average speed of 23.35 miles per hour and approached a top speed of 28 miles per hour.  That makes Bolt the fastest biped in the world that’s not an ostrich or kangaroo (which can reach a hopping speed near 44 miles per hour).

But it’s not just the speed at which he travels that amazes, it’s also his atypical body for a sprinter.  Past record holders hover around six feet: Tyson Gay, 5’11; Maurice Green, 5’9; Donovan Bailey, 6’0.  Bolt, who measures at six feet, five inches, one hundred ninety pounds, and endowed with the fastest of fast-twitch musculature, moves in ways a man his size shouldn’t be capable of.  Watching Bolt run, you begin to think that if there is a God, he was generous the day he created Bolt.

No other human comes close.  In the finals, to Bolt’s right ran Gay and Asafa Powell — holders of the next two fastest 100-meter times ever — and yet Bolt instantly eliminated any notions of contention.  Gay and Powell ran the race of their careers, and all they received in return was a feature in Bolt’s highlight reel.  No other athlete makes his craft seem so effortless.  Which naturally leads to the question: Who is the world’s best?

The only possible candidates for Most Dominant Athlete are Michael Phelps, Roger Federer, Manny Pacquiao, Tiger Woods, and of course, Usain.

But do any of them compare to the Lightning Bolt?

Take the Olympics.  Bolt so comfortably distanced himself from the field that he pulled up after 70 meters, jogged the last thirty and still broke the world record.  And this was in the Olympic Finals.  No other athlete has the ability and, most tellingly, the cajones to be so brazenly confident.

Michael Phelps can’t afford the luxury of decelerating to gaze back at his competitors on the final leg of a meet.  Roger Federer isn’t so assured as to cede a set, knowing he’ll win the next two (though, granted, he’s cocksure enough to make a jacket stitched with the number fifteen, before winning his fifteenth major).  I’ll make out with Emmanuelle Chriqui before Manny Pacquiao plays defensive and surrenders the championship rounds, thinking he has the previous nine in the bag.  And Tiger Woods — well, given his year and his recent withering at the PGA Championship, I think it’s safe to say Woods is out of the running … until next year.

I'm more likely to show her my 'O' face.

Only Pacquiao and Phelps can challenge Bolt for the title.

Since a late career metamorphosis, aided by trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao has sent back all challengers regretful, and usually in a heap on the canvas.  Entering boxing at flyweight (106 pounds) and being most comfortable at featherweight (126 pounds), Pacquiao has risen as far as welterweight (147 pounds) to face all comers, most recently against Ricky Hatton (KO 2), and most famously opposite Oscar De La Hoya (TKO 8).

Pacquiao is the best boxer in the world.  But I say that with a little hesitation, and that little hiccup is typically brought about by the recently retired and un-retired Floyd Mayweather, who not too long ago held Pacquiao’s pound-for-pound crown.

There’s no such pause when discussing today’s greatest runner.  The answer is immediately Usain Bolt.  Whether it’s sprinting or long distance, there’s no better track athlete.

But it can be argued that Michael Phelps, swimming wonder and out-of-pool douche, has the upper hand against Bolt.  Unlike Bolt, Phelps has mastered a wider range of strokes (butterfly, freestyle, medley) and distances (100-, 200-, 400-meter), amassing 14 Olympic gold medals and six world records.

Because of his range and overall dominance, I’m going with Phelps.

What say you?

Olympics Update (for Saturday)

By BJ

After avenging their semifinal loss in the 2006 FIBA World Championship to Greece (2-2), the U.S. (4-0) took care of Spain (3-1) as well, steamrolling past them 119-82 on Saturday. The win in the match up of undefeated squads clinched the first seed for the U.S. in Pool B, who will finish opening-round play against Germany (1-3) on Monday before advancing to the quarterfinals.

Anyone who didn’t know if Kobe Bryant or LeBron James was the leader of the team, here’s what James had to say after the game. “I’m the leader of the team, and I’ll make sure there’s no slippage.”

The dream race in the 100-meter Olympics never formulated, rather it was a one-man show by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt. American Tyson Gay finished fifth in the semifinal to be eliminated from the final, and Asafa Powell finished in a disappointing fifth in the final. The 21-year-old Bolt captured his first gold medal in stunning fashion Saturday, breaking his own world record of 9.72 seconds with a 9.69 finish, despite looking around and posing for cameras before crossing the finish line.

Now that’s impressive. As for those who might see it as mockery to his fellow competitors, the 6’5″ sprinter responded, “I wasn’t bragging. When I saw I wasn’t covered, I was just happy.” Heck, he can do cartwheels across the finish line if no one can catch him. Bolt is the heavy favorite to win the 200 meters next week, and Michael Johnson said that he is prepared to see his 12-year-old world record of 19.32 seconds be broken. And just think, Bolt hasn’t reached his prime yet.

Roger Federer won his first medal in three Olympics, gold in doubles play of all things. He and Swiss partner Stanislas Wawrinka defeated Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson of Sweden 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in the final Saturday. Federer truly is the paradigm of sportsmanship. His Wimbledon loss was nothing short of respectful (unlike James Blake‘s recent loss) and his uncanny doubles win resembled that of a child winning something great. But I definitely tip my hat to Federer, one of the greatest tennis players ever.

Remember the Greco-Roman wrestler who dumped his bronze medal in the middle of the mat during the medal ceremony? He’s not getting it back. The IOC ruled on Saturday that Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian would be the fourth athlete kicked out of the Games and have his medal be the third removed, but the first not associated with doping.

Brett Favre makes his debut tonight as a New York Jet in preseason action against the Washington Redskins at 4p PT. I just now really took the time to think about how Favre’s Jets are in the same division as New England, and the AFC South and AFC North are stacked so they have 0% chance of making the playoffs. I can’t see what he’s playing for at his age other than for the love of the game because it’s going to be a long, playoff-less season for the future Hall-of-Famer.

With the AP preseason poll released Saturday, Georgia held top rank as well as in the coaches’ poll. Ohio State switched spots with USC with Oklahoma and Florida rounding out the top five. Check out the rest of the poll on ESPN. Season kicks off on August 28.

Phelps: Greatest Athlete Ever?

By Chris Le

Michael Phelps, the face of these Beijing Olympics, has been the hottest topic of the past week. His quest to eclipse Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals has been the most captivating show in sports today, reaching the “must-watch” territory previously occupied by only Tiger Woods and LeBron James.

And Phelps hasn’t disappointed. Five events. Five gold medals. Five world-records.

To call this accomplishment amazing might be shortchanging him.   Since Phelps is so prolific and dominant, I think people lose perspective of how difficult it is to win one medal, let alone seven gold. But that’s the thing with all the greats: they alter perception. For an NBA analogy, guys like Bill Russell, Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan—players who seemingly collect championship rings—make winning seem easy, almost common. But for every Duncan, Jordan and Russell there are hundreds like Tracy McGrady, Dominique Wilkins and Elgin Baylor—incredible talents who never had the fortune of capturing a title.  Phelps is in the Jordan category; he makes things look easy.

In other words, Phelps might be the most dominant athlete today alongside Tiger Woods. So, needless to say, I think Phelps has already exceeded the hype.

And yet I can’t help but cringe when sports writers and the general public proclaim Phelps to be the greatest athlete of all-time. Have these people forgotten about the aforementioned Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Babe Ruth and about fifteen other athletes of the past who qualify as the “G.O.A.T.”?

If there’s an epidemic in sports, it’s definitely our infatuation with the present. It never ceases to amaze me how easily we become prisoners of the moment, proceeding to fling around ridiculously audacious claims. It happens, unfortunately, all the time. We see Tiger Woods dominate and say he’s the best ever, even though he’s still four majors behind Jack Nicklaus. We see Kobe Bryant score 81 points and, assuredly, in our minds, he’s better than Jordan, right?

The same is happening with Phelps.

Now, I don’t want to come off as a hater. It’s quite the opposite, in fact. I’m rooting for Phelps. I hope he sweeps every event and shatters all records. But I’m hesitant to even call Phelps the greatest American Olympian, let alone the greatest athlete in history. I just don’t buy the argument that having the most gold medals ever equates to being the greatest ever.

Don’t get me wrong, Phelps is definitely in the conversation, but here are a few Olympians that can also lay claim to that title.

Mark Spitz – The man Phelps is still trying to reach. He was Michael Phelps before Michael Phelps. In the 1972 Olympics, Spitz won seven gold medals and set seven world records. In a four-year span from 1968 to 1972, Spitz set 33 (!) world records. And do you hear his name being thrown around with the likes of Jordan, the Babe, etc., in many “greatest athletes ever” conversations?  I didn’t think so. If Spitz doesn’t belong, neither does Phelps.

Carl Lewis – It’s unfortunate that my most indelible image of Lewis is his absolute butchery of the national anthem (see here). It’s a shame because he might’ve been the greatest U.S. track and field athlete ever. Lewis owns nine gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m and long jump over a span of four (yes, four!) different Olympic Games. It may come as a shock to many American sports fans, who absolutely love instant gratification, but there is something to be admired about longevity. In some ways, consistent excellence over an extended period of time may be more impressive than utter dominance in a short span.

Jim Thorpe – Phelps does one thing and does it better than anyone in the world: swim. But how do you compare Phelps to Jim Thorpe who, during the 1912 Stockholm games, won gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon? Both events include the 100m sprint, 100m hurdles, 1500m, shot put, high jump, long jump, javelin, discus and shot put among others. No wonder decathletes are considered the best overall athletes in the world. In total, Thorpe won eight of the two competition’s 15 individual events. Oh yeah, Thorpe also played baseball in those 1912 games. And I’m not even mentioning his time in the NFL and professional baseball and basketball leagues.

Jesse Owens – Owens’ four gold medals (100m, 200m, long jump and 4x100m) in the 1936 Berlin Olympics may seem paltry compared to Phelps’ five (possibly eight) in this year’s games, but you have to consider the circumstances. The Berlin Olympics were essentially an arena where Adolf Hitler and his crew could show to the world true Aryan supremacy. Well, Owens, an African-American, had other ideas and proceeded to shit on all of Hitler’s plans. Owens was more than an athlete; he was an icon and a national hero in a dark time of segregation. Phelps just can’t touch that.

Clippers Looking Playoff-Bound

By BJ

Posey Cashes in With Hornets, Camby (and Azubuike?) to the Clippers

James Posey. A great role player who has won championships in Miami and now Boston. A career average of 9.2 points per game and 31 years old. A four-year deal for $25 million to help New Orleans’ league-worst bench.

This may be a great short-term add for the Hornets but no way does Posey contribute whatever he does now for four years. I’ll let my man, John Hollinger provide the argument as to why Posey was rewarded just for being at the right place at the right time.

The Clippers, the most active team this offseason, traded a 2010 second-round draft pick for Marcus Camby, the 2006-07 Defensive Player of the Year. Camby has two years and $20 million left on his contract and at 34, is coming off of a career year.

So after all of the signs and trades, this is what it came down to for the Clippers: Elton Brand and Corey Maggette for Baron Davis and Camby. I like what the Clippers have done, and as immediate a response as Camby was to replace Brand, on Thursday, they found Maggette’s replacement with Kelenna Azubuike of the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors have seven days to match the offer sheet of 3 years, $9 million but are expected to let him go due to their depth at the shooting guard position.

Are the Clippers playoff-bound?

Jackson on a Rampage

Quinton Jackson was arrested Tuesday in Costa Mesa, CA after a five-minute police pursuit, where Jackson ran red lights, hit three cars and drove on the sidewalk, causing pedestrians to flee. He is being charged with felony evading, reckless driving and hit and run. Jackson, who lives in Irvine, admitted in an interview the day before that he was depressed from his July 5 title fight loss to Forrest Griffin. On Wednesday, he was detained by Irvine police and hospitalized for a mental health evaluation after his friends were concerned about his behavior and remarks he was making.

Geez, talk about an emotional guy.

Pistorius Fails to Qualify in Individuals

Remember Oscar Pistorius? Yeah, he didn’t make the 400-meter qualifying time for South Africa despite running(?) his fastest time at 46.25 seconds, below the Olympic individual qualifying standard of 45.55 seconds. South Africa can still select Pistorius this weekend to join the six-man roster for the 1,600-meter relay.

Mediate Shares Lead After First Round of British Open

Remember Rocco Mediate, that guy who had the U.S. Open in his hands in June, only to succumb to Tiger Woods‘ unbelievable feat yet again? Yeah, he’s got a piece of The Open Championship lead in England with two others after shooting a 1-under 69 amid unfavorable weather conditions. I actually buy the recent talks of the sport surviving sans Tiger, as a Mediate win here would provide some quasi-sweet redemption for the 45-year-old.

Sexson Signs With Yankees

Richie Sexson, who was released last week by the Seattle Mariners after signing a four-year, $50 million contract in 2004, signed with the New York Yankees for the prorated minimum of $390,000.

Finally, a great signing by the Yankees organization to get something for nothing, as Sexson hit 34 home runs with 107 runs batted just two years ago. The reason for Sexson’s release in addition to his .218 batting average as well as striking out every 3.3 at-bats this season? Sexson was on the bench with the relievers and not in the dugout during a game. Talk about indifference toward the game.

The 33-year-old first baseman took over for Jason Giambi Friday and batted fifth against Oakland.

Pistorius, Double-Amputee, Allowed To Sprint

By Chris Le

It was announced earlier today that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has allowed Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee sprinter, to compete against able-bodied athletes in the forthcoming Olympic qualifiers. This arrives after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruled the 21-year-old South African ineligible last January.

The controversy surrounding Pistorius, also known as “The Blade Runner,” whose legs were amputated when 11 months old due to congenital absence of both fibulas (the outer bone between the knee and ankle), lies in his “Cheetah Flex-Foot” prosthetics.

There are claims by researchers and fellow sprinters that the synthetic appendages specifically used by Pistorius are unnecessarily long, allowing him to cover more ground with each stride. Additionally, since consisting of carbon fibre, the prosthetics are able to do and withstand certain variables the average human ankle cannot. The little—meaning still insufficient—research that has been done, shows the artificial limbs do provide Pistorius with advantages.

But does his advantage of technology outweigh his disadvantage of missing two legs?

This is a tough issue to address and a bit of a heart vs. mind situation. On the one hand, who wants to root against a disabled person? No matter what, you’re going to look like a dick. Pistorius is an inspiration and should be lauded as such. He embodies all the feel-good qualities of sports. He’s the ultimate underdog. Emotionally, I want this guy to go to the Olympics, win the gold medal and live happily ever after.

But I’m finding it almost impossible to overlook the mechanical one-up on his competitors. Slice it anyway you want, in the end, it’s an uneven playing field, whether the prosthetic turns out to be in his favor or not.

As callous as it may seem to ban him from running in the Olympics, it might be as unfair and irrational to allow him to compete.

The Greatest Forgotten Seasons

 

By Chris Le

(Original post on 1/15/08)

If you don’t already know, Tom Brady is having a monster season – arguably the best in football history. And when you have a football player with crazy statistics, you will undoubtedly have football nuts debating and comparing that season with the likes of Peyton Manning’s 2004, LaDainian Tomlinson’s 2006, Eric Dickerson’s 1984, and Dan Marino’s 1984. In the wake of such discussion, ESPN.com compiled their list of the top 25 individual seasons, not in just football, mind you, but all sports (Brady’s 2007 season ranks fifth). A monumental task, no doubt. So unsurprisingly, as I read the rankings, I felt that some extremely historic years were unjustly overlooked.

So, I present to you seasons in sports lore that I feel deserve to be in the top 25…or at least honorable mentions.

—

Secretariat, 1973 – The greatest horse in racing history was peerless in capturing the 1973 Triple Crown, setting track records at the Kentucky Derby (1:59) and the Belmont Stakes (2:24), both of which still stand today, the latter being a world record for that distance on a dirt track. Secretariat punctuated his Triple Crown with a legendary run at the Belmont Stakes in possibly the single most dominant performance in sports history, winning by an ungodly 31 lengths. Relive this moment here.

Roger Federer, 2006 – This was Tiger Woods circa 2000 (which was fourth on ESPN’s list) on a tennis court. Federer reached the finals in all four of the Grand Slams, the first to do so since Rod Laver in 1969, and won three. The only Slam he did not win was the French Open, losing to Raphael Nadal, arguably the best clay player in history. For the year he went 92-5 with 12 titles in 17 tournaments. Of the 17 tournaments, he failed to reach the finals only once. In 2006, it was a surprise if he even dropped a set.

Jesse Owens, 1936 – It’s probably more like the greatest week in sports history rather than the greatest season, but Owens accomplished in seven days what most don’t even fathom of doing in a lifetime. The setting: Berlin, the 1936 Olympics with Adolf Hitler and his postures of Aryan supremacy as the host. Owens, an African-American of all people, sure made him look silly and proved him wrong, winning gold medals in the 100- and 200 meter dashes, the long jump and the 4×100 relay team. Owens became a national hero in the process.

Cael Sanderson 2001-2002 – Some may say Sanderson’s senior season was merely a part of a greater whole, thinking it more appropriate to congratulate him on his career than any single one of his campaigns. But I maintain the pressure to finish his collegiate career undefeated was immense; even the greatest amateur wrestler of all-time Dan Gable fell under the pressure in his last match. That’s what happens with expectations and everyone gunning after you. Not so with Sanderson. He went 40-0 (37 by pin, technical fall or major decision), rarely relinquishing unforced points on his way to capturing his fourth NCAA championship, third Dan Hodge Trophy for college’s best wrestler, and the cover on Wheaties.

Jim Brown, 1958 – I can understand how people overlook Jim Brown and his most gaudy of seasons; compared to today’s players his stats aren’t too mind-blowing: 1,527 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Ostensibly, that’s an average season for LT. What people fail to realize is that Brown accomplished what he did in only 12 games. The NFL did not move to its current 16-game schedule until 1978. Extrapolate his numbers (127.3 yards a game on 5.9 yards a carry!) for 16 games and you get this: 2,036 yards and 22 touchdowns. And this was in an era where defenses were geared towards stopping the run. Just sick numbers by probably the greatest running back of all-time.