It finally happened. Phil Mickelson after
42 straight chances, over 10 years of trying, has shed the
title of “best player who’s never won a major.” He is now
the Master’s champion. There was no question before Sunday
that Mickelson was a great golfer. Anyone who watched him
play knew this. But he wasn’t discussed as the best around.
Granted, in this day and age of golf, no one not named “Tiger”
is included in the conversation, but that doesn’t change the
fact that Mickelson wasn’t on the table. The more I thought
about that, the more it resurrected an old argument – Are
titles the only thing that define greatness? Can you be great
without a title? Yes. But can you be in the conversation for
“greatest” without it? Is there anything else? Can records
bridge the gap between a title and “The Greatest?”

Football

Football is probably the hardest place
to draw a distinction. When people talk about the greatest
players in the history of the NFL they are forced to bring
in the guys with the rings. Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Emmitt
Smith and Joe Montana usually top the list. Each won a title.
Rice, Smith and Payton dot the NFL record books with spectacular
feat after spectacular feat. In fact, the only player I can
really think of that comes to mind that hasn’t won a title
or set a record is Barry Sanders. When Barry was on the field
he was amazing. There’s no doubt about that. Most think he
walked away too early. Most think that it would be his name
at the top of the all time rushing record book instead of
Mr. Smith had Barry just stuck around for a few more seasons.
Truth be told, at his current age, it’s not unthinkable that
Barry would be over 20,000 yards right now. But the fact remains,
he is not. Moreover, he never won a title. Detroit never even
came close to a title. And Detroit was Barry’s team. As he
went, they went. When Barry had a bad game, the team lost.
At one point, when Herman Moore and Johnny Morton were tearing
up the field, Detroit might have had a chance. But they never
got there.

So here’s the question – Does Barry belong?
I don’t think he does. Detroit had a few chances. But they
never reached the Superbowl. Barry had his shot at Walter
Payton’s record. But he hung it up before he got there. Maybe
he wouldn’t have made it. Maybe had stuck around he’d have
got a chance at a ring. Maybe he wouldn’t have. The simple
fact remains, he doesn’t have the record, he doesn’t have
a ring, and I don’t think he belongs in the conversation as
the greatest.

Hockey

I don’t think there’s even anything to
discuss here. When you hold every conceivable offensive record,
have 4 titles and the league retires your number, you’re the
Greatest. In fact, you’re the Great One. Maybe we’ll check
back in 20 years and see if anyone even belongs in the conversation
with Wayne Gretzky.

Basketball

Basketball is another one that seems
pretty obvious. Michael has 6 titles and the all time scoring
average. Kareem has 4 titles and the scoring title. Wilt,
Magic, Larry and Dr. J all fit the title bill. There is one
name that comes up though. One guy who’s been around forever
and is on the doorstep. He’s Karl Malone. Malone is sneaking
up on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all time scoring record. Missing
half of this season to injury has slowed his pursuit. At the
beginning of the season he seemed a shoe-in for not only Kareem’s
record but also a World Title, having signed to play along
side Shaq, Kobe and Gary Payton. But with the Kobe controversy,
Malone’s inability to stay healthy, and the resounding thud
the Lakers made as a team in being crushed by rival Sacramento
on Sunday, nothing seems assured for Malone. So it begs the
question…

…Does Karl Malone belong in the conversation
as the NBA’s greatest player? His run with John Stockton was
legendary. He played in the Olympics. He played in 2 NBA Finals.
He was at the peak of his abilities for a solid 15 years.
He’s #2 on the all-time scoring list, ahead of even Michael
Jordan. He’s been an MVP. But he’s never won a ring. Many
of his contemporaries won. Clyde Drexler won. Hakeem won.
David Robinson won. Many did not. Charles Barkley ran into
Michael Jordan in the finals as well. Patrick Ewing ran into
him in the playoffs, and when he didn’t, he ran into Hakeem
and David. But then again, most people don’t bring up Sir
Charles or Patrick when speaking of the league’s greatest
player. They are brought up for losing to Michael, time and
time again.

And maybe that’s where Malone belongs.
At least for now. If he catches Kareem I could argue with
a straight face for him. He’d have the all time record. In
fact, he’d have a record that perhaps no one currently playing
right now will even approach. That would be something. If
he got that and his ring, well, that would be truly great.
But for now, he’s got neither. So right now, at this point
in time, if I’m talking about the greatest player in the history
of the game, he’s not coming up.

Baseball

I saved baseball for last because it’s
the hardest. With 150 years of history it’s a whole lot harder
to lay out the greatest player ever. Babe Ruth’s 714 home
runs lay on top of a pile of World Series rings. Hank Aaron’s
755 home runs have stood for a generation. Ty Cobb set records
for hits and runs that weren’t broken until he’d been not
just retired but dead for decades. Willie Mays combined 660
home runs with perhaps the greatest play in post-season history
to make his case. Cal Ripken hit 400 home runs, had 3,000
hits and set a consecutive games played record that, assuming
no injuries, couldn’t be broken for 15 years. On the mound,
Cy Young still stands tall with over 500 wins. Nolan Ryan
had over 5,000 strikeouts. Sandy Koufax was MVP of the World
Series twice.

The bar is set pretty high. It’s easy
to argue the Babe. In addition to the homers and the rings,
he also won over 100 games as a pitcher. It’s easy to argue
Hank Aaron. His tally of 755 home runs is perhaps baseball’s
most revered record, as was Ruth’s before him. It’s easy to
argue Cy Young. Though playing in a different time, his 500
+ wins best the number of starts made by all but the most
exceptional pitchers. I could argue Ripken, who helped bring
back the game from the strike, entered the elite company of
the 400/3,000 club and erased the Iron Horse from the record
books. I could argue Pete Rose, whose record for hits will
never, ever be broken. I could almost argue Rickey Henderson,
who owns the all time record for steals, runs scored and walks
and has the bling on his fingers.

And yes, there’s a glaring omission from
my list. You’re probably asking where’s Barry? Where is Bonds?
And I don’t have an answer.

What Bonds has done is amazing. He’s
got 500 steals to go with 500 home runs. He’s got more MVP
awards than fingers. He holds the single season home run record.
He’s a single, solitary home run from tying his Godfather
for 3rd all time. Screw the steroid controversy. Screw my
own feelings about whether or not he’s been juicing. None
of that has been proven, and as long as it’s allegation, it’s
nothing. Everything has come through his own ability. And
on his current pace, sometime next year he’ll pass Babe Ruth
for 2nd. And early on in 2006 he’ll drop the bat on last time
for home run 756 and erase Hank Aaron’s name from the top
of the home run mountain.

But right now, well, right now he’s not
there. Right now he’s one of only 4 men to hit 600 home runs.
But Aaron has the all-time record and Ruth and Mays have titles.
Does Barry need one to be thought of as the greatest player
ever? Does he have to catch Aaron or find a way to win a World
Series? Yeah, I think he does. There’s no doubt that he’s
great. There’s no doubt that what he’s done has been great.
But without a ring, and without a record, I think you can
point to someone greater. You can point at Ruth’s titles.
You can point at the ring on Willie’s finger that made that
spectacular catch. You can point up at Aaron on the home run
list.

When Barry reaches one of those goals,
then we’ll put him up. But not now. Not quite yet…

Last 5 posts by

• The Balance - April 1st, 2005
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