The Greatest Ever, Part 1

In all sports, the issue of who is the best player of all time inspires eternal debate. At the same time, fans can argue over the best active player, and whether he belongs in the same company as the hall of famers and legends of the game. While this is a soccer blog, I’ll take some time to address some other sports before I move on to soccer, because of course, I can’t resist weighing in. See what I mean?

I’m a Boston kid, as much as my better known contemporaries like Ben and Casey Affleck, Mark and Donnie Wahlberg, and Matt Damon. I grew up in Weymouth and went to Boston College High School, a great Catholic school in Dorchester. You’d expect me to enter into this debate writing:

The best hockey player ever was Bobby Orr.
The best baseball player was Ted Williams, and the best pitcher was Pedro Martinez.
The best football player ever is Tom Brady.
The best basketball player—a tie between Bill Russell and Larry Bird. (Surprise!)
However, I will not succumb to my Boston based prejudices.

The best hockey player ever was Wayne Gretzky, and second place isn’t even close. Don’t believe me? Check the record book. They might as well call it the Gretzky book for as many times his name appears. Orr was the greatest defenseman of all time, and a top three overall guy with The Great One and Super Mario, but didn’t play long enough and was betrayed by his balky knees.

The best baseball player ever was Babe Ruth, but the gap between him and Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Frank Robinson, and Hank Aaron is slim. Frank Robinson is definitely the most-underrated player of all time, and has never gotten the respect he deserved. Only in the past year of Bonds’ steroid-fueled record assault has Aaron gotten the respect he deserves, both as a player and as a man. By the time A-Rod’s done, people will be talking about his inclusion in the select group, too, provided no evidence of performance enhancement sullies his achievements. The best pitcher may stay the same as above. Martinez hasn’t been damaged by accusations, and for five years he was the most dominant pitcher on the planet. If I were a manager who needed to win one game, and I could have any pitcher from any time in history, I’d take the 1999 Pedro over anyone, including the 1968 Bob Gibson. Living in Boston and seeing Pedro pitch every week was truly special, and I doubt we’ll see a time like it again. His five best years stack up nicely with those of Sandy Koufax. However, it’s hard to argue against a Walter Johnson or Cy Young as the greatest ever, considering statistical importance, particularly in baseball.
The best all-around football player of all time was Jim Brown, and he may have been the greatest athlete of all time too. (If only Bo Jackson hadn’t destroyed his hip, he might be recognized as such.) People forget about Brown’s baseball, track, basketball, and lacrosse achievements. He’d have been the best at whatever he chose to do. Of course, the nature of football demands further specification because of the uniqueness of the positions. Best QB? Montana—a winner, pure and simple. Maybe in another eight years and a couple of more titles, Brady will eclipse Montana, but for now, Joe’s on top. Best receiver? Rice—and it’s not even close after that. Best defensive player? LT—and you know I don’t mean that whiner in San Diego. He plays offense, and it’s a shame young people think of him when they see those initials.
The best basketball player exhibits a Gretzkyesque stranglehold on the top position, and it’s so obvious I risk insulting your intelligence by mentioning his name—Michael Jordan. I love the 80’s Celts and Larry. He was a great player, would shoot the three and outwork his opponent every night, but His Airness is ionospheric.

I’ll have to stop here for now. This entry came out a lot longer than I intended it to be, which I suppose is a good lesson for a student. When you feel your writing flowing, ignore other distractions, and go with it! Of course, in formal, non-blog writing, you’ll need to go back and reshape/revise what you’ve produced so that your message is effectively communicated.
Bye for now!