Greatest of all Time Players in America's Big 3 Sports
Edition #74
HEADLINES:
Major League Baseball:
MLB batting average is down 7%
A judge in Shohei Ohtani's sports betting case ordered to get gambling treatment
agent at Bad Bunny-led firm loses MLB certification
Jordan Montgomery has switched agents from Scott Boras to Joel Wolfe of Wasserman after a 1-year deal.
College Basketball:
Donovan Clingan leaving UConn for the NBA Draft
Kentucky hires new Men's Basketball coach
NHL:
LA Kings clinch playoff berth
Rookie Matt Rempe becoming a cult hero for the Rangers
NBA:
Joel Embiid leaves the game with an injury
Golf:
Tiger Woods makes historic Masters cut
INTRO:
G.O.A.T’s. Have you ever heard of them? No. I’m not talking about the goats who make the sound *bleeeeeeet*. No.
I’m talking about the Greatest of all Time. The term greatest of all Time.
Why did I choose this article for this time? As you saw in the headlines above, Tiger Woods is doing something special. Tom Brady is teasing a return to the NFL. Steph is trying to beat LeBron for seeding in the playoffs. Ohtani is just incredible. There is not one country in the world that does not talk about Ronaldo and Messi. We argue so much about who’s the goat in every sport that I decided to put my perspective into things. So, hop on board, and let’s explore the G.O.A.T.’s of every sport.
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G.O.A.T.
American Football
I think this is becoming tougher every year we see Patrick Mahomes in this league. He’s seriously doing the unthinkable.
Unthinkable: Winning championships with NO wide receivers.
How does he do it? Like, I’m dead serious. How? Tom Brady had Gronkowski. He had Mike Evans. He didn’t have the strongest weapons (as Jalen Hurts has), but he had a fair amount.
Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Dan Marino, and Peyton Manning don’t even come close to this. The only people who can be included in this debate are Tom Brady (obviously), Patrick Mahomes, and maybe Joe Montana.
My pick. Ruling out Joe Montana's first round. It’s Brady vs Mahomes for all the marbles.
If Mahomes takes over, Brady’s always going to be known as the backup G.O.A.T… He was drafted with the 199th pick in 2000. While Mahomes was drafted with the 10th pick in the 2017 draft. Brady’s story was just like Purdy’s.
That’s only if Mahomes takes over. Which he might. But, whether we be old, or whether we be just born, you will certainly know Brady. You will see Brady. You will hear people talk about Brady. There will still be the Brady channel. He’s not going to just go off the face of Earth.
Mahomes already has 3 rings. Brady has 7 in like 22 years of playing. With how Mahomes is performing and if he continues the same dominance, he’ll pass Brady in Super Bowl rings. The question is, do Super Bowl rings really matter?
For example, Caitlin Clark. She didn’t win a National Championship, but look at her style of play. That’s how we know she’s good. Steve Nash. Didn’t win a ring either. There are so many players in the sports world who deserve to win rings, but they don’t. Yeah, rings matter, but play style and statistics are also superbly important.
Basketball
LeBron vs. Curry vs. Jordan vs. Chamberlain. That’s what this fight is. Guess who I think this is between?
LeBron vs. Curry.
I’m going to admit it right here. No one. Not ONE person can beat what Michael Jordan has to offer. Maybe Victor Wembanyama can break that, but until that happens, let's focus on the present. Michael Jordan is a 14-time All-Star, 5-time NBA MVP, and 10-time All-NBA First Team member.
But let’s first list out all of the achievements these two superstars have earned.
Steph Curry:
4× NBA champion: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022
NBA Finals MVP: 2022
2× NBA Most Valuable Player: 2015, 2016
The only unanimous MVP selection in league history (2016)
10× NBA All-Star: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2022
NBA Western Conference Finals MVP: 2022
9× All-NBA selection:
4× First team: 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021
4× Second team: 2014, 2017, 2022, 2023
Third team: 2018
NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2010
13× NBA Player of the Month[1]
20× NBA Player of the Week[1]
2× NBA scoring leader: 2016, 2021
2× NBA Three-Point Contest champion: 2015, 2021
NBA steals leader: 2016
7× NBA three-point field goals leader: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022
4× NBA free-throw percentage leader: 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018
50–40–90 club: 2016
The only player in league history to achieve this feat while averaging over 30 PPG
NBA vs. WNBA Three-Point Challenge champion: 2024
NBA Skills Challenge champion: 2011
NBA Social Justice Champion Award: 2023
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2023
NBA Community Assist Award: 2014
NBA Sportsmanship Award: 2011
NBA 75th Anniversary Team: 2021
LeBron James:
4× NBA champion: 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020
4× NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020
4× NBA Most Valuable Player: 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
20× NBA All-Star: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
3× NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2006, 2008, 2018
19× All-NBA selection:
13× First team: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
3× Second team: 2005, 2007, 2021
3× Third team: 2019, 2022, 2023
6× NBA All-Defensive selection:
5× First Team: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Second Team: 2014
NBA Rookie of the Year: 2004
NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2004
NBA scoring leader: 2008
NBA assists leader: 2020
3× NBA minutes leader: 2007, 2017, 2018
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2017
Curry may have different kinds of awards, but I’m going to give this one to LeBron here. LeBron? He can do everything. From rebounding, to assisting, to dunking, to mid-range, to shooting threes, to being the best defensive player in the league.
Curry? He’s a specialized shooter. But he can still do all the assists, rebounds, and mid-range shots. The only thing that puts LeBron over is defensive play.
James is just a better all-around player.
Baseball
My opinion. Shohei Ohtani. Any single damn day.
But can he pitch as well as he did before his second TJ surgery?
Then there’s Ruth, Ichiro, but I asked a few people who they think is the G.O.A.T. in this sport, just so that you don’t receive a biased input (lol).
:Yeah, it probably is Barry. I have a soft spot for Henry Aaron, though he was not as complete a player as Barry or Willie Mays, another top contender. In five years it’s possible we’ll answer Shohei Ohtani but a lot will depend on how well he can pitch after his Tommy John surgery.
: Barry Bonds: I have seen arguments for Josh Gibson. Looking forward to the SABR Jerry Malloy conference in Cooperstown during June to learn more.: Gotta be the Bambino.Conclusion:
I hope you liked this article. Sports Square’s got a lot more specials coming.
NBA Playoff Coverage is going to be in complete swing over the next few weeks. The NFL Draft article is coming soon. Stay tuned for that. I’m planning to do Power Rankings in the Sports Square chat every week.
Peace Out
-Smayan
(Btw, did you see the Dodgers game last night? It was WILD!)
Imagine if Brady ended up playing baseball after being drafted by the Expos instead of replacing an injured Drew Beldsoe under centre? Fun "what if" journey there.