Well, basketball is stupid. Not to mention it's a team sport. Jordan doesn't have "individual titles"...his rings were part of a team championship. Now...will he have scoring records and stuff like that by the time Kobe and Lebron are done playing?? Maybe. But I don't know.
Comparing Micheal Jordan to Kobe Bryant is like comparing Walter Ray to Earl Anthony. It's two of the best ever with the rings/titles/averages to prove it. And maybe someone could throw a Pete Weber and a Dick Weber in that conversation as well. But Chris Barnes? Sean Rash? Wes Malott? Jason Belmonte? Rhino Page? When those guys start amassing 25+ major titles over long, successful careers...then okay. But it's a little soon to start crowing "generation next" just yet.
As good as Clayton Kershaw is....he's not Sandy Koufax, Warren Spahn, or Cy Young "just yet". I don't even know if he's "Nolan Ryan" just yet.
It took Pete Weber the better part of 3 decades to place himself among the top 4. I think there are 15 pro bowlers still alive ahead of him (Barnes) in titles. He's top 10 (or close) in career eearnings. But his only record of distinction is one of only 6 players to win the triple crown. Well, other than the distinction as being on the most TV broadcasts and losing....which is a record I'm sure he''d rather NOT have if he had the choice.
He's my 3rd favorite bowler, despite his wardrobe being my 2nd least favorite, so I'm not "haitng" on the guy by ANY means. It's just in bowling people have the tendency to take the hot hand and crown them a little too early. And I think that detracts a little bit from the accomplishments of guys like Parker Bohn III or even Pete Weber (who I am NOT a fan of per se). Making the arguement for the Webers or Anthony or Williams is easy...but even guys like Bohn or Duke or Aulby or Roth were great players for a very long time. It's hard for me to move people ahead of them so easily.
A more interesting comparison would be...who's better? Chris Barnes or Wes Malott? Chris Barnes or Mika? Thats comparing him to other guys that are "sniffing" top 5 (current bowlers)...probably top 10. I could see all kinds of interesting arguements on all sides of those 3 guys....with no clear wrong or right answers.
But you're right Master Yoda...we DONT need a coach to tell us who the "best bowler in the world" is....it's the guy with 47 titles and over 4 million in earnings...on TOP of both those lists and probably the 1st or 2nd greatest bowler EVER.
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