Tiger?s great, but the greatest?
Can a golfer be the Greatest Athlete of All Time?
That?s the hype surrounding Tiger Woods this week after he cruised to a five-stroke victory at the PGA Championship, winning the 12th major title of his career. When I first heard the suggestion that Woods is not just the greatest golfer of all time (already a contentious point, but one with some merit), but the greatest athlete, I nearly did a spit-take. But I didn?t want to waste my whiskey.
Here?s the gist of the pro-Woods argument: He dominates his sport. He?s a household name. He?s in excellent physical condition. And he?s got plenty of Tiger left in the tank at the tender age of 30. That?s it? That?s the best you can do? Puh-leeze. This is like shooting dead fish in a barrel. Albert Pujols dominates his sport. Peyton Manning is a household name. Carl Edwards is in excellent physical condition. Do these facts say anything about these three people as athletes? And you simply don?t judge anybody?s present greatness based on what may happen in the future. Sheesh.
I shouldn?t even have to bother discussing the athletic merits of the sport of golf. It should be self-evident that the sport doesn?t exactly challenge your athletic ability like, say, anything short of hot-dog eating. If we truly want to judge Tiger Woods as an athlete, let?s see if his skills translate to other sports. Does he have the foot speed to keep within shouting distance of Ichiro? Can he make adjustments on the fly like Steve Nash? Is he strong enough to deal with big ol? Michael Strahan?
I would sooner compare Woods as an athlete to Dallas Cowboys kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Both are at the top of their game, perhaps the best of all-time at what they do. And both are in outstanding physical condition. Most importantly, their tasks are similar: Get lined up, stay focused, and swing away. The difference between the two just happens to be measured in millions of dollars.
Like Public Enemy said, don?t believe the hype. But be thankful, handicappers, that people are willing to inflate Tiger?s value to mythic proportions. Woods is an incredibly short +175 to take this week?s PGA Tour event, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. The next closest competitors on the odds list are Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson, each at +1600. Even if this were the only threesome on the golf course, would you give Tiger at least an 82-percent chance of winning?
The invigorated Woods has played four events since missing the cut at the U.S. Open. We?ll throw that result out, since he was playing in his first tournament since the death of his father. Woods finished second at the Cialis Western Open, then first at each of his next three events: the British Open, Buick Open and PGA Championship. That?s a 75-percent success rate. As a thought experiment, let?s invent a golfer named Phim Mickelyk and give him +800 odds to beat Woods (+175) head-to-head at each of these events. Mickelyk wins the Western Open, Woods the other three. If you bet a unit on either side for each event, Mickelyk comes out five units in the black. Tiger pays just 4.25 units.
And that?s completely ignoring the rest of the field. Thanks to the presence of many of the top players on the European Tour, the field of 75 invitees includes the likes of Ernie Els (+2000), Vijay Singh (+2500) and Retief Goosen (+2800). Any of those three men can steal Tiger?s thunder at Firestone. Also in attendance will be 2004 winner Stewart Cink and Western Open champion Trevor Immelman, each at +5000.
Having said that, it shouldn?t surprise even the staunchest anti-Woods advocate if he wins this week. Woods is the defending champion in addition to his victories in 1999, 2000 and 2001. But Tiger is not the only multiple Bridgestone winner in the field. Spain?s Jos? Maria Olazabal (1990, 1994) is waiting in the weeds at +10000. Olazabal has put together a nice season for himself, finishing third at the Masters and taking Woods to a playoff at the Buick Invitational. Scott Verplank is also available at +10000; he may be motivated by his selection to the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
The action gets underway Thursday at Firestone?s South Course, with ESPN ponying up for a four-hour package starting at 2 p.m. Eastern during the first two rounds. CBS takes over for the weekend.
--Perry
BetWWTS.com
Can a golfer be the Greatest Athlete of All Time?
That?s the hype surrounding Tiger Woods this week after he cruised to a five-stroke victory at the PGA Championship, winning the 12th major title of his career. When I first heard the suggestion that Woods is not just the greatest golfer of all time (already a contentious point, but one with some merit), but the greatest athlete, I nearly did a spit-take. But I didn?t want to waste my whiskey.
Here?s the gist of the pro-Woods argument: He dominates his sport. He?s a household name. He?s in excellent physical condition. And he?s got plenty of Tiger left in the tank at the tender age of 30. That?s it? That?s the best you can do? Puh-leeze. This is like shooting dead fish in a barrel. Albert Pujols dominates his sport. Peyton Manning is a household name. Carl Edwards is in excellent physical condition. Do these facts say anything about these three people as athletes? And you simply don?t judge anybody?s present greatness based on what may happen in the future. Sheesh.
I shouldn?t even have to bother discussing the athletic merits of the sport of golf. It should be self-evident that the sport doesn?t exactly challenge your athletic ability like, say, anything short of hot-dog eating. If we truly want to judge Tiger Woods as an athlete, let?s see if his skills translate to other sports. Does he have the foot speed to keep within shouting distance of Ichiro? Can he make adjustments on the fly like Steve Nash? Is he strong enough to deal with big ol? Michael Strahan?
I would sooner compare Woods as an athlete to Dallas Cowboys kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Both are at the top of their game, perhaps the best of all-time at what they do. And both are in outstanding physical condition. Most importantly, their tasks are similar: Get lined up, stay focused, and swing away. The difference between the two just happens to be measured in millions of dollars.
Like Public Enemy said, don?t believe the hype. But be thankful, handicappers, that people are willing to inflate Tiger?s value to mythic proportions. Woods is an incredibly short +175 to take this week?s PGA Tour event, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. The next closest competitors on the odds list are Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson, each at +1600. Even if this were the only threesome on the golf course, would you give Tiger at least an 82-percent chance of winning?
The invigorated Woods has played four events since missing the cut at the U.S. Open. We?ll throw that result out, since he was playing in his first tournament since the death of his father. Woods finished second at the Cialis Western Open, then first at each of his next three events: the British Open, Buick Open and PGA Championship. That?s a 75-percent success rate. As a thought experiment, let?s invent a golfer named Phim Mickelyk and give him +800 odds to beat Woods (+175) head-to-head at each of these events. Mickelyk wins the Western Open, Woods the other three. If you bet a unit on either side for each event, Mickelyk comes out five units in the black. Tiger pays just 4.25 units.
And that?s completely ignoring the rest of the field. Thanks to the presence of many of the top players on the European Tour, the field of 75 invitees includes the likes of Ernie Els (+2000), Vijay Singh (+2500) and Retief Goosen (+2800). Any of those three men can steal Tiger?s thunder at Firestone. Also in attendance will be 2004 winner Stewart Cink and Western Open champion Trevor Immelman, each at +5000.
Having said that, it shouldn?t surprise even the staunchest anti-Woods advocate if he wins this week. Woods is the defending champion in addition to his victories in 1999, 2000 and 2001. But Tiger is not the only multiple Bridgestone winner in the field. Spain?s Jos? Maria Olazabal (1990, 1994) is waiting in the weeds at +10000. Olazabal has put together a nice season for himself, finishing third at the Masters and taking Woods to a playoff at the Buick Invitational. Scott Verplank is also available at +10000; he may be motivated by his selection to the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
The action gets underway Thursday at Firestone?s South Course, with ESPN ponying up for a four-hour package starting at 2 p.m. Eastern during the first two rounds. CBS takes over for the weekend.
--Perry
BetWWTS.com
