When he’s not busy buying Lincoln Navigators for kids in the urban community, Dwyane Wade continues to perform at the level of a NBA legend. Nearly a quarter of the season in, Wade has improved his already remarkable talents. His assists are up by almost two per game, and he’s doing everything without the help of Shaquille O’Neal, who is looking at a long hiatus from the Miami Heat. Recently, D-Wade was honored by Sports Illustrated with the award of Sportsman of the Year. Given out during the month of December, SI’s distinction has always been a topic of conversation, whether it be for good (Lance Armstrong) or the controversial (Tom Brady last year). The reasoning behind the award has merit, but we can’t always be perfect. That is why, for all his talent and accomplishments, Dwyane Wade is not the most deserving of SI’s prestigious title. Tiger Woods is your real Sportsman of the Year 2006.
Back in the mid 1990’s, young Eldrick was a phenomenon that nobody was ready for. Now, we are consumed with his mastery of golf. SI gave Woods the Sportsman of the Year in 2000, and since then has been consistent and sometimes dominant each and every week. While 2006 gave us the likes of Roger Federer seemingly winning every tennis tournament, Tiger Woods endured the most painful year of his life. His father, Earl, succumbed to prostate cancer in May. When it seemed like Woods was ready to call it a season, he won five tournaments when most players were lucky to make half of them. He won two majors, in addition to six other tournaments. After an 11-year career, all Tiger has done is be the best. It goes without saying that he will be the greatest player of all time when he is just getting ready to enter the Senior tour. Jack Nicklaus only wishes he was this good, this fast.
High praise and congratulations aside, this is not an indictment against Wade or Federer, but rather a conjecture that perhaps Woods did not receive the highest recognition of this special year in his life. The general public has taken for granted how good Woods has become. This is a player, after all, who has averaged nearly 5 tournaments wins a year and he only won once in 2004. And if we forget all about his accomplishments, consider the financial impact he has made for golf and sports in general. Before Tiger, NIKE would never even consider the thought of a commercial that featured golf players. After Tiger, ESPN was willing and eager to get Tiger on television every weekend and bands like Hootie and the Blowfish were doing videos set in golf courses. Pocketing $65 million from playing golf and hundreds of millions more from endorsements, Woods is on his way to being the first billionaire of any professional sport. After a 2005 of 6 wins, Woods won another 8 in 2006, overcame the loss of his father just a month from Father’s Day, and showed the world that golf was one hell of a game all over again.
Sportsman of the Year? You better believe it.
Back in the mid 1990’s, young Eldrick was a phenomenon that nobody was ready for. Now, we are consumed with his mastery of golf. SI gave Woods the Sportsman of the Year in 2000, and since then has been consistent and sometimes dominant each and every week. While 2006 gave us the likes of Roger Federer seemingly winning every tennis tournament, Tiger Woods endured the most painful year of his life. His father, Earl, succumbed to prostate cancer in May. When it seemed like Woods was ready to call it a season, he won five tournaments when most players were lucky to make half of them. He won two majors, in addition to six other tournaments. After an 11-year career, all Tiger has done is be the best. It goes without saying that he will be the greatest player of all time when he is just getting ready to enter the Senior tour. Jack Nicklaus only wishes he was this good, this fast.
High praise and congratulations aside, this is not an indictment against Wade or Federer, but rather a conjecture that perhaps Woods did not receive the highest recognition of this special year in his life. The general public has taken for granted how good Woods has become. This is a player, after all, who has averaged nearly 5 tournaments wins a year and he only won once in 2004. And if we forget all about his accomplishments, consider the financial impact he has made for golf and sports in general. Before Tiger, NIKE would never even consider the thought of a commercial that featured golf players. After Tiger, ESPN was willing and eager to get Tiger on television every weekend and bands like Hootie and the Blowfish were doing videos set in golf courses. Pocketing $65 million from playing golf and hundreds of millions more from endorsements, Woods is on his way to being the first billionaire of any professional sport. After a 2005 of 6 wins, Woods won another 8 in 2006, overcame the loss of his father just a month from Father’s Day, and showed the world that golf was one hell of a game all over again.
Sportsman of the Year? You better believe it.
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