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Posted 06/18/2008 at 09:18 PM
Tiger Woods has taken the mantle of greatest athlete of this generation from Michael Jordan of the 1990's. His just-completed victory in the U.S. Open will go down in golfing lore after it was learned that Tiger played with a torn ligament in his left knee that he suffered 10 months ago. The Stanford product also suffered a double stress fracture to his left tibia just two weeks ago.
But for ultimate sports gut checks, I would have to rank it way down the list. Golf is a non-contact sport, and all golfers have to do is walk a course while someone else carries their bags. Sure it probably hurt when he was swinging, but you really can't compare it against other athletes suffering an injury.
You want guts? Talk about Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Jack Youngblood playing Super Bowl XIV with a broken leg, or Kirk Gibson belting a homer for the LA Dodgers in the 1988 World Series. I could also mention the numerous mixed martial arts fighters or boxers who suffer broken hands during matches that continue to fight. Rich 'Ace' Franklin's victory over David 'The Crow' Loiseau to defend his middleweight title was also an extreme gut check at UFC 58: USA vs. Canada, winning a unanimous decision despite breaking a hand and a foot in the process.
You want another slight against Tiger? He is universally hated in Las Vegas for being a noted cheapskate. Friends of mine who are bellman and valets say he doesn't tip very well at all. I'm not talking about throwing out $100's for opening a door, but as Bill Murray's character Carl Spackler cracked in 'Caddyshack,' how about something for the effort?
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