The Parking Spot: The Greatest of all Time
March 25, 2015
Superstars come and go, but the G.O.A.T.S remain forever. A contentious topic that should be handled with caution among sports fans, the debate over who are the greatests of all time is, has been, and will always be the most disputed, unresolved sports discussion, forever. With that said, here’s my attempt at unraveling the truth.
MLB- The Great Bambino
Babe Ruth changed the sport; the Jesus of baseball. No one influenced and impacted baseball as dominatingly Ruth did, not Barry Bonds and not Willie Mays. Arriving when the game started to shift towards the home run era, Ruth established himself as the home run machine. With the third most career home runs at 714 (and first when he retired) and seven World Series titles, Ruth proved himself to be one of the greats, but the individual impact he had in baseball makes him the best ever.
Bringing life to the “Live-Ball Era,” the Bambino transformed baseball into a more offensively-geared sport. Baseball became more exciting to watch, and his fashionable play attracted international audiences to the sport. A true pioneer of baseball, the Sultan of Swat has the stats, the legacy, and the unmatchable impact he had on baseball and the entirety of sports as a whole, making him greatest of all time in not just the MLB, but also among all other sports leagues too.
NFL- World
There wasn’t a ball in the “world” Jerry Rice couldn’t catch. His stats can speak for itself: most touchdowns at 208, most receiving yards at 22,895, and most receptions of all time at 1,549. Not really much of an argument to be made about Rice, he’s just the best football player ever born, the greatest of all time in the NFL hands down.
NBA- Air Jordan
I wish it was Kobe Bryant, but in the depressing state the Lakers are in right now, 24’s not getting his sixth ring. On the other hand, this means that Michael Jordan is the undisputed greatest basketball player of all time, to my dismay.
The dunks, the tongue, the clutchness, the style, the success, the 72-10 of 1995-1996, the shoes, 23 has it all. Just like Ruth, Jordan brought an element of dominance to the NBA in such an exciting and riveting fashion that attracted fans all over the world. Now with sixth championships, an international flourishing business under Nike, and an unparalleled level of fame and prominence, I have to respect and bow down to his “airness” with surrender.