Durant/Lebron/Jordan/Tiger/Gretzky/Howe and other GOATS

The debate currently rages as to whether Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors has supplanted Lebron James of Cleveland as the best basketball player in the world. The answer would appear to be -- maybe.

Let's not forget that for the longest time many didn't want to admit that James was better than Michael Jordan. Some still cling to that notion, but it's misguided.

Thing is, Lebron can do everything Michael could do -- ball handle, shoot (from 3-point range as well), run, pass/assist, rebound, be cerebral on the court, and play tenacious defense. Only James was bigger (taller) than Jordan. Hence, he was/is more of a force on the court -- better.

Ah, but many will say Jordan won all those (6) championships. True enough. But Bill Russel and the Boston Celtics of the late 50s and early 60s won twice as many. You've never heard anybody claiming old #6 was better than Jordan. So that argument doesn't necessarily hold water in a team game.

So far, Kevin Durant has won a grand total of zero championships (though he certainly appears to be on the cusp of his first). During the Finals, mano-e-mano, he has outplayed Lebron James to pretty much be the star of the show. And there's the same comparison again. Everything Lebron can do, Kevin can do, given the same criteria listed two paragraphs above. Plus, he's several inches taller as well -- better.

No doubt, James was the greatest of all time (GOAT) in recent years, but it just might be that Durant has replaced him like Lebron once did Michael. It's a hard pill for "King" fans to swallow, but it's sure starting to look like reality. Time marches on and players get bigger, faster, and better than in generations past.

One upon a time many considered Tiger Woods to be the GOAT of golf. Certainly many still do as well. From the late 90s through the early years of the Obama administration (2008-) he put up the greatest decade the game had even seen. Tiger was winning seemingly everything and surely would eclipse Jack Nicklaus' all-time major record of 18. But he didn't. As we know, through solely his own fault, his personal (married) life crashed, then so did his game. The latter wasn't helped by various injuries and back surgeries.

So OK, though some hard-core loyalists still won't admit it, the glory days of Eldrick Tont Woods are past tense. No, he won't ever return to his former greatness. Besides the injuries, Father Time has taken his inevitable toll and there's way, WAY too many young guns on the tour that will beat his brains out like Tiger once did to the former generation.

In the end, it would be difficult to argue that Jack doesn't remain the GOAT of pro golf. And that's not even getting into, shall we say, "character" issues. Mr. Woods found himself on the hot seat again just recently while Nicklaus was the paragon of a gentleman and model citizen over all these many decades.

On that note, how about Pete Rose? Was he the GOAT when it came to being a major-league hitter? After all, he surpassed the great Ty Cobb to be, far and away, #1. Thing is, Cobb's accomplishments happened a century ago and many don't know he was less than a "likable" guy. It was said he even killed a man once. But Cobb's career batting average was far higher than Rose's. Due to the length of seasons and years played, Rose got far more at-bats to get all those hits. So who was better? Character issues indeed. Rose got caught up in that whole gambling witch-hunt a while back which has so far denied him his rightful place in the Hall of Fame. Peter Edward may have been dirty in that regard, but that hardly detracts from his accomplishments on the field. Who's the GOAT?

Was Babe Ruth the GOAT home-run hitter? Maybe. Henry Aaron surpassed him, but like Rose, had far more at-bats to do so. Let's not forget, George Herman was a pitcher in his early years, so he forfeited a lot of trips to the plate.

Or maybe it was/is Barry Bonds who eclipsed them both. Sure, there's the whole steroids, human growth hormone, performance enchancing drug thing that continues to hang over his head. But though the authorities moved heaven and earth trying to nail him -- they never officially did. Bonds was never found guilty of any drug charge, only some minor obstruction of justice matter. So the record reflects that, like OJ, he didn't do it. Believe what you want, but it's no more than heresy and opinions. So who's the GOAT?

For many decades Gordie Howe was considered the GOAT of the NHL. Then along came that Gretzky kid. Over his long career, Wayne would not only surpass Gordie's once thought to be unapproachable scoring marks -- but shatter them.

In a mutual display of humility, both considered the other the GOAT. Comparatively speaking, Gretzky possessed far more skill than Howe. A faster skater, a magician with the puck, both shooting and passing to teammates.

As for defense, Howe was a force to be sure through his sheer physicality. It should be noted Gordie was not one to be trifled with when it came to fighting. As tough as they ever came. Gretzky wasn't much into slugging it out, but he played a more cerebral version of defense while on the ice.

Often an opposing team would assign a player to "shadow" Gretzky all over the ice. His solution was to shadow a second player on the opposition. It was a brilliant tactical maneuver. With Gretzky in essence tying up two players, it resulted in his teammates having a 4 on 3 advantage elsewhere on the ice. Tons of goal resulted. It remains a testament to Gretzky greatness how he was still able to rack up so many goals and assists under these conditions.

Yes, Howe was great indeed, the GOAT back in the day. But it would difficult to argue that Gretzky didn't ascend to the throne over time. The sheer numbers speak for themselves.

In ladies' tennis, who's the GOAT? Serena? Martina? Match them up head-to-head in their primes, and who would win? Take your pick.

How about the GOAT running back in the NFL? Emmett Smith holds the all-time record for rushing yardage. But he had the luxury of playing all those years for the Dallas Cowboys, who have always been noted for putting together terrific offensive lines that open holes for backs to run through.

Back in the day, Jim Brown was considered the GOAT. He was fast, powerful, and would flat run over defenders. A brute indeed, but he only played nine years. His rushing record has been passed by a lot of folks in the mean time.

Maybe it was Gail Sayers. The man was absolutely a sight to behold during his career with the Bears, but it was cut short due to a tragic knee injury. Surgeons couldn't fix those things back then like they can now.

How about Barry Sanders? Even playing for the woeful Detroit Lions, Barry was well on his way to setting the mark out of sight. But he wearied of their losing ways and culture and took an early retirement while still in his prime. Had he played for another 4-5 years, who knows how high he would have set the bar?

Put Walter Payton into the conversation. Though he too played for the usually not-so-good Bears, Peyton was Jim Brownish (speed/power) but also had terrific moves. Tragically, Sweetness died young of liver cancer.

Yet there is one that nobody wants to recognize for their own reasons, but he was, and remains atop the heap when it came to productivity. His per-game rushing average was a whopping 136 yards, a huge 12 yards better than anybody else has ever attained.

His name is Orenthal James (OJ) Simpson, currently still behind bars on a robbery charge. No, OJ never played on a Super Bowl winning team while toiling away in Buffalo, but to average 12 yards a game more than his nearest competitor over his then storied career is definitely an eye-opener.

So who's the GOAT indeed?

Probably the true "goats" are those that profess to name one or the other in various endeavors and cite reasons to support their so-called logic.

In truth, we'll never know, but it makes for great arguments among not only the talking TV heads, but also fans as well.

Me, I'll forever maintain my claim it was Jethro Bodine of the Beverly Hillbillies. Aunt Pearl's boy, bless her yodeling heart. Anybody that could be a brain surgeon, double-naught spy, international playboy, fry cook, and shoot the eye out of a fly at 100 yards has still got my vote as the all-around GOAT. Period.

The rest of them were just jocks. They come and they go, but there will only ever be one Jethro.

Those silly 2%ers

Granted, yours truly has no particular favorite in this year's NBA Finals between Cleveland and Golden State. But I am a bit tired of hearing Lebron this, Durant that, with an encore of Steph. One thing I know for sure is that one of them has to win and the other lose -- eventually. Definitely two heavyweights slugging it out for basketball supremacy.

Yet earlier today on a sports talk show, I heard an astounding prediction. The so-called "experts" gave Cleveland only a 2% chance of winning this series, given they were already down 2-0.

Wait a second. Only TWO PERCENT? Didn't the same thing happen last year? You know, after the Warriors had set the all-time record for wins in the regular season? And hadn't they trounced the Cavaliers in the first two games as well?

We know how that turned out. In fact, the stats show that Golden State beat Cleveland even worse last year in the first two games. A combined total of 48 points. This year it was only 41.

So where do they get off with this 2% thing? Surely, the Cavs are capable of coming back -- right?

And there it was. History was repeating itself. The Cavs were going to win Game 3. They were ahead by 6 points with under three minutes remaining, and playing at home. What could go wrong? Let's make it a 2-1 series and see what those wise guys come up with on their percentages tomorrow. Betcha that 2% goes up quite a bit.

Uh oh. What's that? The Warriors came storming back to win by 6 points -- in Cleveland? Get outta here. That wasn't supposed to happen. How, in the name of Hillary, did they blow such a comfortable lead?

Well then. I stand corrected. Instead of 2-1, the series is now 3-zip. And Cleveland star Kevin Love looked like he might have turned an ankle in a bad way in the waning seconds of the game. Oops.

Huh. Let's make that 1%. Where's Dandy Don Meredith when you need him to sing?

"Turn out the lights -- the party's over......"

And tell the fat lady to start warming up......

All hail --- Oklahoma?

Yep, congrats are in order for the Oklahoma ladies' softball team. They are national champions once again.

After a tournament that seemed like it would take forever to finally play out -- I mean, good grief, they've been going at it for a month -- how long should it take? -- even Congress is faster than that -- the Sooners wound up on top.

This was somewhat surprising, given they were merely a #10 seed going in and had to face heavy favorite and #1 Florida in the finals. But beat those pesky Gators twice in a row they did.

It's tough to begrudge the state of Oklahoma any sports glory. Once dominant, the boys' football team at OU hasn't been very good in recent times.

And the entire state has a grand total of ONE professional sports team. The Oklahoma City Thunder, which are the transplanted Seattle Supersonics. No NFL team. No Major League baseball, no NHL presence. They probably have a pro soccer team somewhere -- but who cares?

At that, in recent years the Thunder have seen such mega-talents as James Harden get away to Houston, and just last year Kevin Durant bailed to the Golden State Warriors. Things aren't looking exactly rosy on the NBA front -- one man show Russell Westbrook notwithstanding.

Besides, Oklahoma has to put up with all those tornadoes that tear up things, dust storms, droughts, and can the next swarm of locusts be far behind? It's always something in Okieland.

So here's to the Lady Sooners. They made (see-ya) laters out of Florida.

It's at least something.....

The case for Phil Mickelson

Once upon a time, many years ago -- believe it or not -- I was actually recruited to write this nonsense. I didn't go looking to do it, but a certain editor sought me out. He was and remains a great guy, smart as they come, and has actually even been promoted in the interim, but it's probably a fair question to ask --- what the hell was he thinking when he brought a nitwit (me) on board? Maybe it was one too many bacon and cheese omelets that choked off blood flow to vital parts of his brain.

Nevertheless, back in the day, I was given a few commandments to abide by.

Thou shalt not get overly vulgar with cuss words.
Thou shalt not use racial, ethnic, gender, or any other terms that could be deemed derogatory in any way, shape, or form.
Though it was never spelled out, it was tacitly understood that this is supposed to be a sports blog, so staying away from the hot rails of politics and religion were also highly recommended.

And one more. If "borrowing" someone else's work, ALWAYS credit the source. That plagiarism stuff can land one in hot water in a hurry.

Editors are a bit god-like. One never knows when they're checking out your work product, but it's best to assume it's 24/7.

That said, I hereby acknowledge one Karen Crouse of the NY Times for originally providing most of the following.

It seems long-time PGA golfer Phil Mickelson finds himself in a dilemma. His daughter Amanda's commencement exercises (high school graduation) fall on the very same day as this year's opening round of the US Open -- June 15.

Phil and his family live in California but the Open will be in Wisconsin. So regardless of whatever tee-time he might be assigned, there's basically no way he can attend both.

It should be noted that the US Open is the only major golf title that has so far eluded Mickelson. He's already won the Masters, British Open, and the PGA. So you just know he really, REALLY wants to win a US Open to complete a career "grand slam" before he heads off to the senior circuit -- if he so chooses.

Lefty will turn 47 on the very day of his daughter's ceremonies and the opening round in Wisconsin.

In other words, his window of opportunity is rapidly closing. Father Time won't spare him any more than he has anybody else over the years. Given the plethora of young guns already on the Tour, it's unlikely Mickelson was going to win an Open anyway. But ya never know when an "old" guy might rear up and shoot four good rounds in a row on a very tough course. Could happen

Yet to his credit, Mickelson didn't have any problem making the choice. Of COURSE he was going to be there for his daughter. He's played in hundreds, probably over a thousand PGA tournaments in his long career, and this year's Open is but one more. But his daughter will only ever graduate high school one time.

Sure, Mickelson already likely has more money than he'll even be able to spend, but this is a man that has his priorities right. So even assuming he would have made the cut at the Open for another cha-ching, it took a back seat to more important matters.

A gentleman on and off the course, and nary a whisper of a scandal of any sort. You've never seen, nor will, Lefty cursing or throwing a club in frustration like another celebrated golfer of not long ago.

Yes, for every spectacular shot he's made over the years, he's probably had the "yips" on a 3 or 4 foot putt. Lots of those have gone wide left or right. But that's what makes him Phil.

A truly good man, faithful husband, and devoted father.

While it hasn't gathered much media attention to date, Phil Mickelson should indeed be applauded for having a hard choice and keeping it simple. He knew what the right thing to do was all along and didn't hesitate when it came time. In the same position, not just everybody would do the same.

Hear, hear. Bravo.

NBA Finals -- as expected

It could probably be fairly said that, so far, the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have gone as expected.

Two home games for GS, and two wins. As the heavy favorites going in, this was supposed to happen, although the margins of victory were a bit of an eye-opener. Twenty two and nineteen points in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Not exactly close calls. Far closer to blow-outs.

One could surmise that these results are a bit demoralizing for Lebron James and the Cavaliers. After all, King James was his usual model of excellence in Game 2, putting up a triple-double, while his star teammates Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love each contributed 20 points or so. But they still got drubbed. That's likely because the remainder of their team was basically shut down by the Warrior defense.

Make no mistake. While the high-flying and high scoring Warriors can definitely put the ball in the hoop, they also play terrific team defense.

Former two-time league MVP Steph Curry put up a triple-double of his own, but was vastly overshadowed by the magnificent play of teammate Kevin Durant, including a whopping five blocked shots.

So now the series moves to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4. A couple different scenarios are possible. If GS waltzes into Cleveland and takes Game 3, consider the series over. No way is anybody beating that team four straight, despite what happened in last year's Finals. Remember, GS was up 3-1 and blew it. They got complacent, as they've been prone to do on certain occasions, and it cost them dearly. Don't for a minute think they've forgotten that.

Or maybe Cleveland regroups and wins Game 3. That would come as little surprise either. Still business as usual. If Cleveland wins Game 4 as well, it's definitely series on and things get interesting, to say the least. In a best two-out-of-three, anything can happen, especially if an injury to a key player pops up. You never know.

Yet most knowledgeable basketball people (which I do not profess to be) think Golden State will win at least one of the next two games in Cleveland. It's not like the Cavs are unbeatable at home and if the Warriors get it going in either -- look out.

For that matter, a sweep isn't totally out of the question. If the Warriors stay focused and play up to their capabilities, as good as Cleveland is, Golden State is better. The addition of the above-mentioned Kevin Durant last year has taken them from terrific to formidable. His presence on the Warriors can't be overstated.

Last year, the Warriors were noted for the "splash brothers" -- Curry and Klay Thompson, with Draymond Green doing the dirty work. Though Curry remains front and center, when's the last time you heard Thompson's name bandied about by the talking heads? Though he remains the same terrific player, he's been relegated to option three or four. This is a luxury no other team -- including Cleveland -- enjoys.

But just for the sake of argument -- what would happen if the Cavaliers came storming back and won the Finals like they did last year? Nobody seems to have even mentioned the possibility -- but it certainly exists.

No doubt, Lebron James would be exalted to God-like status. Any and all comparisons of who was the better player between him and Michael Jordan would be quashed. James would clearly assume the throne, and likely rightfully so.

But what of Golden State? After adding Durant, they were supposed to be a "super" team, and waltz to a championship. If they get knocked off in the Finals -- again -- what's THEIR next move?

Tiger Woods and idle thoughts

So Eldrick Tont Woods, sometimes known as Tiger, turned out not to be drunk after all in his recent tete-a-tete with the law enforcement types. The ever reliable "authorities" say he blew 0.0 on the alcohol breathylizer. That's the good news for him.

However, the charge was DUI, as in Driving Under the Influence."Influence" is certainly not restricted to alcohol consumption only. It also entails any drug usage which would hamper his ability to drive an automobile. And that doesn't have to mean illegal substances like marijuana, heroin, meth, acid, and the like. Being under the influence also extends to prescription medication. Take too much of whatever, get zoned out, then drive a car, and if you get caught -- you have a problem.

By his own public admission, Woods is on the hook for such an infraction. Basically, he's already confessed to the crime. Tiger stated he was on post-surgery pain relievers and muscle relaxers, and didn't realize he had overdone it. That's the bad news.

Idle thought -- though he was found sound asleep at the wheel, with the vehicle still running, how did the car wind up with two flat tires? That question has yet to be answered.

At any rate, he was certainly unfit to drive. A potential menace to any and all other drivers who might have the misfortune to be in his vicinity. If a guy -- or girl -- keeps falling back asleep after being confronted by the cops, and doesn't know where they are, where they came from, or where they were going -- it could fairly be said that whatever they were under the influence of -- chalk it up to the f'ed up category. Way too much of something.

It will be interesting to see how the local prosecutors decide to proceed in this case. A conviction of some kind or other is already a slam-dunk -- if they want it. But will they? Who would be surprised if some sort of "arrangement" was reached, whereby Woods totally skates? Maybe a hefty donation to a worthwhile charity somewhere could make it all go away. Remember, this is Tiger Woods, not your average shop rat, super-sizer, or retarded blogger such as yours truly. The rules are different, and God bless America. Ahem.

Chances are, Tiger will plead guilty to a minor infraction and get off with the proverbial slap on the wrist. A couple thousand dollar fine -- laughable in his world -- and maybe a few months pseudo probation. No way will he have to wear a "tether", although his ex Elin probably wishes she had thought of that idea back in the day. And he can't be expected to "drop" periodically, because his own doctors will attest he needs to remain on certain meds.

Another idle thought -- what's more dangerous than Tiger being "off his meds"?

Answer -- Tiger being ON his meds.

Scary.

NBA Finals and the usual lies

They lied to us all day long. Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers was going to start at 9:00 PM. It said so in the paper. On the 4-letter network they even had a countdown clock in the corner, ticking off every second until game time. Click on the "guide" channel, fast forward enough hours, and, sure enough, there it was. 9:00.

But you know that's never going to happen. No major sporting event, and lots of minor ones, ever starts when it's supposed to. At 9:00, the players were still milling on the court warming up and the national anthem had yet to be sung.

Ah, but an update. Tip-off was to be at 9:07 sharp. Guess what? That didn't happen either. Another lie. They finally trotted out some yahoo (and the mandatory giant flag across the court) who proceeded to jazz up the anthem. God, I hate that. Can't they just sing it the way it was written? It's even disrespectful to the country.

Finally, FINALLY, the game got underway.

To the surprise of few, Golden State would pretty much have their way with Cleveland. No matter how you slice it or dice it, a 22 point victory is quite convincing.

At one point in the second half, a remarkable statistic was shown. The Cavaliers had turned the ball over 10 times and the Warriors none. When the other team is taking the ball away from you, and you can't reciprocate, then you have a problem.

Sure, Lebron James got his 30 or so points and Kyrie Irving chipped in with 20-some. But Kevin Durant was lighting it up for almost 40 with Steph Curry his usual 30. When the two best players on the other team are out-balling the two best players on your team -- you have another problem.

See Draymond Green (he of the past groin kicks) muscling up Lebron James. See Green manhandle James and wind up with an easy lay-up. See James get called for a foul after Green had done the dirty work. This would appear to be problem #3. The refs weren't kow-towing to the "King" like they so often do.See Lebron complain to no avail. A bad sign for Cleveland and their fans.

So officially the series stands at 1-0 in favor of Golden State. They definitely looked to be the better team, but folks have said that all year long. Let's not forget the same was said all of last year. In 2016, Golden State even raced out to a 3-1 series lead in the Finals. We know how that turned out in the end. In other words, this thing is far from over.

True, it's possible the Warriors could sweep this series in four games to complete an astounding 16-0 playoff run and capture the championship. But it could also flip back the other way. Different refs, different strategies, the Cavs get hot or the Warriors go cold -- who knows? Anything could happen.

Now we await Game 2. It's scheduled for Sunday night at 8:00.

And that will be a lie too. Maybe by quarter after we'll see some action. Maybe.

And also just maybe we'll get to see and listen to a singer that will give a proper, respectful rendition of the Star Bangled Banner.

But I wouldn't hold my breath on that one either........