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and HIS CHALLENGERS
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Talk about slam dunks!
This was a royal blowout!
By BUCKY FOX
of TheColumnists.com
So, who wore the crown of top athlete in 2004?
Lance Armstrong, the prince of pedal?
Michael Phelps, the swami of swim?
Roger Federer, the royal of racket?
Barry Bonds, the rajah of roids?
Peyton Manning, the pasha of passing?
Bode Miller, the sultan of ski?
Mia Hamm, the kaiser of kick?
Tom Brady, the baron of Bowl?
Maria Sharapova, the queen of court?
No. All too predictable.
The athlete of the year must dominate the conversation along with the play. Must make you jeer as well as cheer. Must make news, not just sports.
That means one man: Kobe Bryant.
Kobe, king of sports, 2004.
Why? He counted big time:
* Led the Los Angeles Lakers
into the NBA Finals.
* Hit the most outrageous shot of those Finals, a million-footer
that forced overtime in Game 2.
* Sparked the breakup of the Lakers, with Shaq O’Neal and
Phil Jackson saying good riddance.
* Survived a rape rap.
* Scored from every angle allowed by gravity to start the new
season.
* Had the gall to finger Shaq and Karl Malone for messing around
on their wives.
* Put on a media campaign to hype the Christmas Kobe-Shaq showdown.
Kobe was a man for all seasons. He won in winter, soared in spring, prevailed in court in summer, and surged on the court in autumn.
Kobe Bryant simply rose above the crowd. From L.A., where he’s in the face of every fan, this choice is a slam dunk.
Speaking of 2004 awards:
Closest To Glory: Tom Clements. If he had landed the Notre Dame football job, he could’ve been the answer to this trivia question: What national championship quarterback became a head coach?
Greatest Game: The L.A. Dodgers’ 7-3 division-clincher over the San Francisco Giants. Steve Finley won it with a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth.
Biggest Surprise: The San Diego Chargers. No one--not the radio shills, not the groundskeeper--figured this team would surpass 4-12. Now they’re going to win the AFC West.
Top Coach: Marty Schottenheimer. He’s the brain behind that San Diego charge. The Washington Redskins never should’ve traded him in for Steve Spurrier after all.
Radio Ace: Colin Cowherd. After Fox radio stupidly ousted Tony Bruno, morning radio had a void for top sports talker. ESPN’s Cowherd filled it. His “Spanning The Globe” call-around to reporters is where it’s happening.
©2004 by Bucky Fox.
The cartoon illustration is an artist's impression of the subject.
You
can comment on this column online. Please address your message
to either "The Editors" or Bucky Fox. To send an email,
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