Today, Tiger Woods stands primed to supplant Muhammad Ali as the greatest athlete of our time. He combines ability, work ethic, plus a magical touch that few athletes have possessed in our lifetimes. After Ali, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky, I struggle to find any others worthy of consideration. Jordan and Gretzky were fortunate to have teammates to help shoulder their tremendous expectations. Jordan once deferred to Steve Kerr for a shot to win an NBA title.
Tiger defers to no one, embracing all pressure and expectations without a safety net.
And he won't have to worry about the punch-drunk mileage that tarnished Ali's daunting legacy. Despite the disconcerting final chapters, Ali remains the highest standard of which to judge others. Ali always will hold a certain reverence for his ability to transcend social and cultural lines, establishing himself as an icon on a worldwide stage. With four major victories already in his pocket, Tiger eventually will catch Nicklaus and his 18 major career victories, filling in the blanks on a record that will not be surpassed in our lifetime. Or barring future shock, any other.