5-at-10: Celebrate America on July 4th
Gang, do you know that we have done a 5-at-10 every Monday-through-Friday since the first weekend of October 2010. Comes vacations, holidays, birthdays, National Potato Week (yes, that's a shoot-out to Andy Griffith, God rest his soul) and all others, we have been there — good and bad, and yes Spy, that determination is in the eye of the beholder — and have been happy to do so.
So, when we were kicking around possible holiday topics for the select few of you that are going to check in on the interwebs today, we wrestled with the decision. There was the chance of doing something Patriotic. Or maybe doing something abstract since it's likely Spy won't be around to keep us in check.
We could have done the best TV shows ever in honor of Andy Taylor. (And we can make a strong argument that Andy Griffith is the most last TV show ever. It's been on TV — somewhere — since originally airing in the early 1960s. How many TV shows can claim three lasting American pop references? "The Andy Griffith Show" gave us the universal reference to a goofy cop (Barney Fife), the renown name for smalltown USA (Mayberry) and the instant nickname for redhead kids everywhere (Opie). Plus, it's theme song has to be one of the most whistled tunes ever. Feel free to discuss.)
Well, we have decided to take a controversial top-five list. Here are the five current single athletes that are the best ever at their job. (Some are specific and some are general, either way you're welcome to enjoy and discuss.)
— Best golfer ever — Tiger Woods
— Best third baseman ever — Chipper Jones
— Best swimmer ever — Michael Phelps
— Best closer ever — Mariano Rivera (yes, he is injured)
— Best tennis player ever — Roger Federer
It was tough leaving Derek Jeter off the list, and you all know we think LeBron will be on that list eventually. Feel free to discuss our choices or present your own. We have to work today so we'll be checking in with your answers. Plus, remember that we have Friday's mailbag on the horizon.
Happy 4th and be careful out there.
Jay was named the Sports Editor of the Times Free Press in 2003 and started with the newspaper in May 2002 as the Deputy Sports Editor. He was born and raised in Smyrna, Ga., and graduated from Auburn University before starting his newspaper career in 1997 with the Newnan (Ga.) Times Herald. Stops in Clayton and Henry counties in Georgia and two years as the Sports Editor of the Marietta (Ga.) Daily Journal preceded Jay’s ...
Congrats to Chipper and Brooke.
UK's baseball coach has signed a five-year $2.1 million contract. At most SEC schools that's football money.
Good list. I like Roger at #1 in tennis but Nadal could eventually supplant him if he can get by the Djoker in these slams. Fed has 16 grand slams and Nadal has 11 right now. I think Rafa has at least 3 more French titles to come, and if he just wins two additional slams as well, he'll be tied with Fed. If there's a tie in slams between those two, Rafa may get the benefit of the doubt since he's had the overall upper hand between them over the years.
As of now though, it's hard to beat Fed's consistency and dominance over the years. In addition to his record number of slams, he also has the record for most semifinal appearances in slams and the most quarterfinal appearances (including the most consecutive QF appearances). Next up for Fed is a date with the Djoker in the Wimbledon semis on Friday. Hoping for a good one.
1.Nicklaus. Still has 18 majors. And how many runner-up finishes does he have? About 10 times what Woods has? 2. Chipper. No doubt. 3. Also right. 4. .... .... (begrudingly) .... also right. And you know how much it pains me to give any Yankee any credit at all. 5. Nadal's better right now (though his stay at the All-England this year was abbreviated quite early).
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