REAL MAN NEWS

I Say It Here, It Comes Out There...

By MICHAEL WOODS

Golf Analyst, Real Man Magazine

ORLANDO, Florida (RM) -- In a previous column I pointed out the fact that today's competition pales in comparison to the competition during Jack Nicklaus's days. Although I pleaded that readers not get caught up in their girly emotions, but instead focus on the raw numbers and facts, I recevied loads of email chastising me for daring to suggest that Tiger Woods is something less than Christ reincarnate. (See the previous article here - The Competition Makes A champion).

As I've said over and over again, Tiger Woods is an incredible golfer. He's head and shoulders above the rest of his competition. He will likely be the greatest golfer ever when his career is over. But to suggest that right now, today, he is the best golfer ever is ridiculous.

As I pointed out previously, Tiger Woods has faced nowhere near the competition as Jack Nicklaus. It's not opinion. It's simply a fact. But don't take my word for it. The best analyst on TV, bar none, is Johnny Miller. In a recent broadcast, in response to a viewer's email, Johnny pointed out exactly what I've said all along - Tiger Woods has not faced the same level of competition.

There is no Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Johhy Miller, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Raymond Floyd, Biily Casper, or Hale Irwin. These guys were closers. They finished hard on Sunday. They didn't simply wilt like a flower in Nicklaus's presence as today's golfers do in Tiger's presence, as Johnny eluded to.

At Bay Hill, Sean O'Hair had a five stroke lead. All he has to do was shoot a 71 to win. Instead, he packs it in from the first hole and limps home to a 73. Tiger, who hardly made a putt all day, finally makes one on the last hole to win. An accomplishment for sure. But hardly anything to suggest he's a golfing god. Let's also not forget that there were a dozen other players within 2 strokes of Tiger. Not a single player stepped up and challenged him. None. Can you imagine Palmer, Trevino, Miller, Player, or Watson folding like that? Of course not.

And don't think for a moment that Tiger doesn't know that his competition is weak. Tiger is a competitior. He wishes he had a real rivalry like Nicklaus did with Palmer or Watson, or Bird did with Magic, or Ali had with Frazier. Unfortunately, he has to live with these also-rans, and so do we.

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