The Top 10 Greatest All-Time Competitors in the History of Sports

   In watching Monday night's U.S.Open final, I was reminded yet again of the metronome of effort that is Rafael Nadal.
   He never ever never ever never gives up. On a match. On a set. On a game. On a point. On a shot.
   There was a time not long ago when we thought no one in tennis would break Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slams. Then came Roger Federer. And now arrives Rafa.
   One of the greatest competitors in the history of sports, I think Nadal will finish his career with more titles than any player before him. With last night's Open he now has 13. He needs five more to pass Federer. He's only 27 years old.
   You hear athletes talking about "the zone." It's that rarified air of singular focus where mind, body and spirit get so immersed in the moment that if you walked up and asked them for the time you'd get a quizzical look as to what day it was much less the exact time. Or perhaps you'd get a fist full of their intensity right in your distracted kisser.
   Nadal isn't the best player in the history of tennis. But - along with Jimmy Connors - he is the sport's fiercest competitor. He takes his tube of talent and potential, and painstakingly squeezes every ounce of performance from it.
   When elite skill morphs with relentless will, locally we get guys like Bill Bates and Nolan Ryan and J.J. Barea and Emmitt Smith. On a wider scope, you get Rafael Nadal and the rest of the greatest competitors in the history of sports ...

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   10. Derek Jeter - Post-season at-bats are gripping theater.

   9. Jimmy Connors - Worked crowds into frenzy to use as fuel for determination.

   8. Dick Butkus - Took every yard gained as a personal insult.

   7. Bill Russell - So singularly dedicated to rebounding, blocking shots and winning, he forgot offense existed.

   6. Ray Lewis - Lame pre-game dance ritual be damned, his intensity and effort were unprecedented.

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   5. Larry Bird - So gutsy that he made his historic shooting touch his second-best asset.

   4. Rafael Nadal - Plays every point as if food, shelter and survival were at stake.

   3. Tiger Woods - Turned pristine golf courses into his personal fist-pumping grind factories.

   2. Pete Rose - From running over catchers in All-Star Games to lying about betting, always passionate and persistent.

   1. Michael Jordan - Ultimate combo of loving to win, and hating to lose.

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The Top 10 Players in NBA History. Yep, "He"'s Already on Here.

 

   Hate LeBron James.
   In fact, I'll never forgive him for mocking Dirk Nowitzki's flu cough in the 2011 NBA Finals. But these days, in the wake of Miami's Finals' triumph over the Spurs, I can't deny how damn good of a basketball player he's become.
   Last week he accomplished being only the third player in NBA history to win MVPs of both regular season and The Finals in back-to-back seasons. The other two? Bill Russell and Michael Jordan. Yeah, wow.
   Facing elimination in Games 6 and 7 against San Antonio James produced two epic performances totaling 69 points, 23 rebounds and 14 assists.
   Like him or not, you can't deny that greatness.
   Stubborn as I am, I can no longer keep LeBron off my list of the NBA's greatest all-time players, an elite collection that doesn't include the winningest player (Bill Russell), most dominant physical specimen (Wilt Chamberlain) or 2nd all-time leading scorer (Karl Malone). I can only take solace that LeBron's 11-1 in playoff series as a member of the Heat.
   And all us Mavs' fans gleefully know who gave him the one defeat. Right?
   My Top 10 Players in NBA History ...

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   10. Allen Iverson - Pound-for-pound he's the best player ever. I've stood next to him during an interview. Dude is about 1-inch taller and 10 pounds lighter than me. Stand next to the behemoth LeBron and you'll realize how daunting The Answer's task was. Four-time scoring champ, three-time steals leader and '01 MVP was amazing.
   9. Shaquille O'Neal - More powerful than polished, he bulled his way to four championships and 15 All-Star teams. Guys like Hakeem Olajuwon were more talented, but not more accomplished. Or dominant.
   8. Tim Duncan - The Big Boring white-breaded us to death via four championships, two MVPs and 13 straight seasons on the All-Defensive Team. Also set an unofficial record for whines after foul calls.
   7. Oscar Robertson - Yeah, I know he's only got the one ring and just one MVP, but in 1961 the combo guard - get this - averaged a triple-double to the tune of 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.8 assists.
   6. LeBron James - With a consistent shooting touch out to 3-point land added to his brute force finishing around the rim, he's muting critics with two championships, two Finals MVPs and four MVPs. Scary thing? He's still only 28.

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   5. Larry Bird - Simply the most-competitive, best-shooting player to ever bounce a basketball. His three titles and three MVPs don't begin to tell his fiery story.
   4. Kobe Bryant - His drama is loathed, but his play can't be anything but loved. Five championships, two Finals MVPs, two scoring titles and nine All-Defensive teams just can't be dismissed.

   3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Six titles. Six MVPs. But most importantly, a record 38,387 points behind the most lethal, unstoppable shot in NBA history: The Sky Hook.

   2. Magic Johnson - Along with five championships and three MVPs, he made the NBA cool and popular with his stylish passing and Showtime smile.

   1. Michael Jordan - His Airness introduced the NBA to a game played above the rim and beyond known standards. His legacy includes six championships, five MVPs, 10 scoring titles and countless corporations benefiting from his brand.

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