Just because that Lance dude won his seventh straight Tour de France, don't go and start thinkin' that he might be a special athlete or some such nonsense. In mind-numbing prose, the legendary Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman tells us to cut the celebration short by reminding us,with stunningly warped logic,yet again of the pecking order in sports.
". . . But Tiger won four consecutive majors a few years back and now has started another dominating run. All in asport that is much more competitive than cycling.
". . . Hey, I'm not trying to argue that the Tour de Lance is no big deal. . . But Tiger's more amazing. . . How many guys can win the Tour de France? Five? Maybe six? And they've all got teams working on their behalf. How many guys can win the Masters, 50? How many can win the U.S. Open, 100? How many can win the British Open, every golfer in Europe? Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton seem to prove just that. And no one's working on Tiger's behalf.
"Armstrong's a stud. I'll be the first to admit. But I think sometimes his athletic accomplishments are enhanced by all the side stuff going on. The cancer plot, which is inspiring but not particularly relevant to the current debate. Sheryl Crow. The wristbands. They all make a mosaic about this mythical bike rider.
"And Tiger has no myths? Nope, he doesn't let us inside. Everything about Tiger is golf. His coaching scandal, when he switched from Butch Harmon to Hank Haney? His romance and eventual marriage to the Swedish nanny? None of those stories existed outside how they would affect Tiger's golf game.
"Tiger is all golf, all the time. His fame, his fortune, his hold on the American sports fan. It's all about what he does on the links. Not so with Armstrong.. . Tiger's an icon only for what he does with a golf club in his hands. And that makes Tiger the world's greatest athlete."
". . . But Tiger won four consecutive majors a few years back and now has started another dominating run. All in asport that is much more competitive than cycling.
". . . Hey, I'm not trying to argue that the Tour de Lance is no big deal. . . But Tiger's more amazing. . . How many guys can win the Tour de France? Five? Maybe six? And they've all got teams working on their behalf. How many guys can win the Masters, 50? How many can win the U.S. Open, 100? How many can win the British Open, every golfer in Europe? Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton seem to prove just that. And no one's working on Tiger's behalf.
"Armstrong's a stud. I'll be the first to admit. But I think sometimes his athletic accomplishments are enhanced by all the side stuff going on. The cancer plot, which is inspiring but not particularly relevant to the current debate. Sheryl Crow. The wristbands. They all make a mosaic about this mythical bike rider.
"And Tiger has no myths? Nope, he doesn't let us inside. Everything about Tiger is golf. His coaching scandal, when he switched from Butch Harmon to Hank Haney? His romance and eventual marriage to the Swedish nanny? None of those stories existed outside how they would affect Tiger's golf game.
"Tiger is all golf, all the time. His fame, his fortune, his hold on the American sports fan. It's all about what he does on the links. Not so with Armstrong.. . Tiger's an icon only for what he does with a golf club in his hands. And that makes Tiger the world's greatest athlete."
