The Golden Age of GOATS
Athletes that have defined a generation
How does one define greatness?
Regarding professional athletes, it’s not such an easy question.
There’s no particular metric that can be used to calculate greatness. No specific milestone that can be reached to achieve greatness. It’s not something that can be tangibly acquired.
Disagree? It’s hard to.
Winning championships doesn’t automatically make an athlete ‘all time’ great. (James Jones)
Winning an MVP doesn’t automatically place them in the Hall of Fame. (Shaun Alexander)
And reaching “#1 player in the world” doesn’t automatically put them in the same class as the greatest to ever do it. (Andy Roddick)
So… How does one define greatness?
Dominating ones’ sport is obviously a stepping-stone to being considered one of the all-time greats.
But it takes more than that. Much more.
It takes supreme dominance.
It takes performing on that ‘MVP’ level consistently, relentlessly, year-in-year-out, over more than a handful of seasons.
That is the only way to even receive an invite to the conversation of being considered with the best.
A myriad of remarkable professional athletes have come and gone, winning countless titles, trophies, and accolades. But very few generations have seen individual greatness that measures up to what we’re seeing right now — where once in a lifetime type of players, who each could be argued as the ‘Greatest Of All Time’ in their respective sports, all break out, hit their peak and sustain unmatched dominance within the same 15 years.
Very few have personified greatness like the ‘Core Four’ athletes of the 21st Century.
The 4 individuals who have created “The Golden Age of GOATS.”
LeBron James — Roger Federer — Tom Brady — Lionel Messi.
Yes, I know, WOW.
I hope you’re intrigued just seeing those names together. I know I am.
Special.
Talented.
Superhuman.
Legends.
Those are just some of the words that come to mind when describing these 4. All of which are completely warranted.
What these athletes are doing is unimaginable… unthinkable. And for all of them to be doing it at the same time, well… I guess we should just consider ourselves lucky to be present day witnesses.
Each of them rose into the limelight between 2001–2004 and are still, in 2018, at the top of their profession.
The King, Fed, TB12, and Messi have all reigned supreme and taken over their sports. But, while they’re very different as people and as superstar athletes, they also share qualities that have helped them perfect their craft and dominate their opponents.
Let’s take a look at how each of these 4 “possible” GOATS has achieved unquestionable GREATNESS.
-KING JAMES-
LeBron James dominates you physically, mentally, and with unselfishness that we’ve rarely seen from Tier 1 NBA superstars.
Physicality
6-foot-8, built like a freight train, runs a 4.6, and can jump out of the gym. We all watch LeBron simply overwhelm his opponents physically, in a superhero type of way. Like he has special superpowers that the competition is lacking. And it’s true, he kind of does.
From season 1 to season 15 LBJ has remained in the top group of NBA highflyers. The way he maintains his body and manages the grind every year, without ever getting injured, somehow doesn’t get praised enough. His beastliness jumps off the television screen, appearing in almost an unfair way. LeBron James being a freak athlete is certainly no secret.
Mentality
But even more impressive is the way he operates mentally. How he can break a team down and completely own the court with his mind. What makes LeBron the best player on the planet is that he’s a play ahead of the opponent every single time down the floor. His anticipation, awareness and feel for the game are almost uncanny.
Many times, us fans are left saying “how?” … How did he see JR Smith leaking out for a full court pass and layup when the opponents shot was still in midair? He makes it look so easy because he sees the game like few others ever have. LeBron’s basketball IQ and basketball mind are head and shoulders superior to that of even other NBA all-stars. Combining the IQ and feel with the obvious physical gifts makes stopping LBJ nearly impossible.
Totality
The final thing that makes The King so unbelievable is the completeness of his game. How he can do literally everything on a basketball court. Passing, scoring, dribbling, rebounding, defending, shot blocking. There is nothing the man doesn’t do at a high level. This also makes playing against him an absolute nightmare.
His unselfishness is remarkable. Something you don’t see in the world’s best players too often. His ability to set up teammates as a willing passer — (not to mention the fact that he can make every pass out there) means no player on the opposition can tune out for even a second. That along with the simplicity LeBron plays with, how his mentality is to make the right basketball play, makes his dominance even more historical.
Whether you’re a LeBron James fan or not, please don’t question his greatness. Arguing against it is a no-win situation.
-FED-
Roger Federer dominates you stylistically, with beauty and rhythm that has almost never been seen in sports, let alone tennis.
Attack, attack, attack has been Roger’s mindset since he won his 1st grand slam in 2003. To be on the offensive as much as possible. But for him, it’s always been a calculated offense. Most players with an attacking style of play try to overpower the opponent and normally, they’ll be an all or nothing type of player. One that either hits the big winner or the unforced error. Not Roger.
He attacks with purpose, intention, and consistency.
Watching Fed play is one of the most remarkable sites in sports. The variety, versatility and precision he plays with never seize to amaze. Watch enough and you’ll realize he has EVERY SINGLE shot in his arsenal.
His bread and butter, the big forehand, has many times been called the best one tennis shot any player has ever had.
His fluid, finesse serve and the silky-smooth one-handed backhand.
His ability to finish a point with top-spin or to slow play down with a slice, while also using the most absurd angles when necessary.
Federer has his opponent on the ropes in almost every rally because they have no clue what’s coming. Even if they guess correctly, Rog is so precise hitting his spots and painting lines that they still can’t defend it. And then, even when they think they have his pattern figured out, he’ll go to the softest of drop shots, causing his opponents’ knees to buckle. He makes it all look so simple, so beautiful, and above all, so damn fun to watch.
Adaptability
Even more admirable is the way Rog has changed his game with age.
How he’s approached the net more and more and learned to finish points quicker, as his career’s progressed.
How he’s incorporated the serve and volley into his game and unbelievably perfected that craft as well.
Anything the man attempts on a tennis court seems to come with ease. Approaching the net more takes him out of lengthy rallies and is a big reason why at 36 years of age, he’s won 3 out of the last 5 grand slam championships and is still the best player in the world.
And lastly, because he’s so offensive minded, his mobility goes unnoticed. When he needs to, Roger can scramble to stay in any point and get to any ball. He glides around the court like no one ever has. Doing it all with such grace, never appearing to break a sweat or strain his body. If it’s possible to master the sport of Tennis, RF is as close as they come.
Whether you’re a Federer fan or not, there’s no denying he’s in a class of his own, alone at the top, as the GOAT of the tennis world.
-TB12-
Tom Brady dominates you tactically, with a special sense, knowing your weaknesses even better than you do. Understanding where the holes in your defense are and when a certain play should be run.
In sports, you can tell when an athlete is a gamer. A gamer meaning, a fiery competitor that embraces the spotlight, relishes the pressure, and never seems to be off his game. Tom Brady is the ultimate GAMER. The ultimate competitor.
We’ve all seen the way he celebrates scoring 7. Screaming (at the top of his lungs) with his teammates about the 12 play, 85-yard masterpiece of a drive they just put together. Making the defense feel helpless, like they might not be able to stop him. But that is just the cherry on top of his dominance.
The ultimate gamer in Tom Brady takes over in ‘the biggest moment,’ when the game is on the line. Always performing his best in the clutch. TB12’s track record speaks for itself and he has the confidence and mental toughness for it. He WANTS the ball with everything at stake.
Consistency
Although he has the arm strength, Tom doesn’t look to constantly beat you over the top in deep ball fashion. His passing excellence is being on time and on target with consistency.
That accuracy and ability to spread the ball around to his weapons obviously makes his offense extremely productive, and tough to get off the field. And he’s put in the years of work and years of reps to get to that point. The gamer inside of Tom has been there since he became a pro. That mentality, that fierceness, is how he went from a 6th round pick, backup QB, to a 5-time Superbowl champion and perennial MVP candidate.
Preparation
What helps set TB up for success, and to have that gamer mentality each and every Sunday, is the work he puts in off the field. His constant desire to consume more information. The way he uses film study to know every little thing going on throughout a play. This exceptional preparation gives Tom that edge…
The edge that allows him to pounce on the slightest mistake you make, attack the one moment you let up, or convert the game winning play.
Whether you’re a Brady fan or not, the man’s a winner… and no amount of hate, envy, or (evidently) age can ever negate that.
-LIONEL MESSI-
Lionel Messi dominates you skillfully, with a masterful ability to manipulate the ball in ways soccer fans could’ve never imagined.
Creativity
He’s often referred to as a genius. A footballing genius. And that goes for the cleverness between his ears and the jaw dropping wizardry we see with the ball between his feet.
Watch Messi play and you’ll be in awe… you’ll be absolutely mesmerized every time he touches the ball.
Legendary commentator Ray Hudson said it best,
“I tell you what, if Isaac Newton was watching this man, he would be saying, boy was I wrong…”
Lionel Messi defies physics, defies logic, and defies us fans from declaring anything off the table when it comes to producing magic on a soccer pitch.
Amazingly enough, Messi has a little bit of the other 3 superstars in him.
Even though he’s a small guy, Lionel physically bests you with his quickness, leaving defenders in the dust because he’s faster with the ball than they are without it. Many times, his incredible agility has opponents doing pirouettes in attempt to stick with him. Also like LeBron, Messi’s mind and awareness are unmatched in the sport, which is an advantage that makes him impossible to contain.
He resembles Federer with his tremendous knack to turn any play into a work of art. Messi has every bit of skill and any type of shot in his repertoire, and does it all while maintaining unreal beauty in his game. Power or finesse, it doesn’t matter, Lionel somehow finds a way through and somehow comes up with the perfect finish.
And relating to Brady, Messi has an understanding that allows him to exploit the other team’s weaknesses and punish any mistake they make.
Aside from his dazzling play-making, breathtaking runs through defenders, and ridiculous goal scoring abilities, the best part of Messi’s game is the simplicity of it.
Simplicity
Keeping it simple. It’s something that needs to be recognized and needs to be praised. If the best player on the planet can play simply, shouldn’t all aspiring soccer players try to do the same? No unnecessary step overs or useless added flare. He goes with one decisive move or one simple pass. Messi has always been a team guy, passing and then moving off the ball, which is the base of playing soccer the right way. He wants to combine with his teammates to get into the teeth of the defense and find dangerous areas. Quick passes and running off of players is how Messi’s made his living.
A living that, in most cases, ends with the ball in the back of the net and a trophy being lifted.
Whether you’re a Messi fan or not, appreciate his brilliance now, before he hangs it up and you realize, we’ll never see a footballer like him again.
Longevity
4 spectacular athletes. 4 incredible careers. 4 “Greatest Of All Time” individuals of the sports world.
They embrace the hype every single season and exceed expectations. That longevity, to still perform at the highest level a decade and a half later, is something we have rarely seen from any group of superstars in the history of sports.
These 4 individuals have normalized greatness.
This era in sports has been blessed with a boom of athletic talents. But even the ‘stars’ take a back seat to those on top of the pyramid, where lies future legends:
LeBron James
Roger Federer
Tom Brady
Lionel Messi
Official Founders of the Golden Age of GOATS.