The kids are all right
Every generation has its sports heroes, and every generation puts forth that one special athlete who rises above the championship circles and all-star games to join the pantheon of the all-time great legends of the game.
Their names are trotted out at family gatherings and dinner tables all across the country. The greatest generation had Teddy Ballgame, Joltin’ Joe Dimaggio and Rocky Marciano. The Boomers talk about the Golden Bear, Jim Brown, Wilt the Stilt, the Mick and Muhammad Ali. But what about today’s fans? Do they have something to tell their kids about, too?
The current generation of sports fan has witnessed some of the greatest legends in sports history — rewriting the record books and rounding out the rafters with their retired jerseys. They’ve witnessed some great talents, athletes like John Elway, Lawrence Taylor, Brett Favre, Joe Montana, Jeff Gordon, Pete Sampras, Magic Johnson, Mario Lemieux, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roger Clemens and Cal Ripken. Along the way, there have been disappointments, too … those who should have been great, but weren’t. Names like Mike Tyson, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Brian Bosworth and Heath Shuler come to mind.
Still, a look at the names of players spawned in this generation who will go down as some of the all-time greatest players reveals an incredible lineup of skill and championship pedigree.
In hockey, this generation watched Wayne Gretzky redefine the sport from his “office” behind the opponent’s net. In baseball, they watched Barry Bonds destroy the game’s historic home run marks. In football, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Dan Marino proved to be tops at their positions. Tiger Woods has eclipsed everyone in the game’s history as he demolishes golf courses all over the world. Roger Federer has turned men’s tennis into two leagues — himself and everybody else — as he continues his quest to win more majors than anyone else before him. On the woman’s side of the net, Martina Navratilova and her 59 titles already represent the highest standard.
And they’ve witnessed some of the greatest teams in history. The 1998 Yankees deserve to be compared with the great Yankee teams of the ‘20s and ‘60s. They watched as the 1986 Mets put it all together in one of the most entertaining seasons in baseball history. They’ve seen the 1985 Chicago Bears (and unfortunately, their accompanying rap video), the Cowboys dynasty of the ‘90s and the great 49ers teams of 1984, 1989 and 1992. In hockey, they witnessed the Oilers and Islander dynasties. At the Olympics, they saw the 1992 basketball “Dream Team” and the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” hockey team.
All things considered, the kids — and their sports legacies — are all right.