Category: Top 10 BUSTED

T10B Busted: Simone Biles is not the GOAT (at least, not yet)

Like many Simone Biles fans, I looked forward to seeing her do superhuman acrobatics during the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics. Despite tremendous physical skills, she unfortunately suffered a mental collapse at the most inopportune time. Like most, I supported her decision to pull out of multiple events to take care of her mental state and avoid serious injury. Unlike most, however, I believe her limited participation prevented her from being considered her sport’s unqualified GOAT. Fortunately, the last chapter of her career has not been written.

T10B Busted: NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team

Prior to the 2021-22 season, the NBA announced it 75th Anniversary Team to honor the greatest 75 players in league history. In anticipation of that moment, my son and I developed an algorithm to create our own list of all-time greats. The NBA relied on a panel of “expert” voters who likely utilized the “eye test” while this site relied purely on objective measures such as stats, awards, and titles. There was significant overlap in the names on both lists, but this post provides a ranking to make the debate that much more interesting. Who’s the GOAT? Who got snubbed? Who didn’t quite deserve the honor? It’s all in here. Read and enjoy.

T10B Busted: Mike Clevinger

After an away game in July 2020, Cleveland pitchers Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger went out to dinner with a small group of friends. Their outing ordinarily would seem quite tame for professional athletes. However, in the Year of COVID, their actions violated team rules and MLB protocol. The Indians sent Plesac home by car after he fessed up to the violation. On the other hand, Clevinger boarded the team plane without letting anyone know that he may have been exposed to the deadly virus. Several weeks later, the club traded Clevinger to the San Diego Padres. Were the two events related? I think so, but at least one person disagrees.

NOT TOP10 BUST: HANK HANEY

Political correctness regarding the LPGA officially has jumped the shark. Earlier this week, Hank Haney mockingly predicted that a Korean with the last name of Lee would win the U.S. Women’s Open. To be honest, the only reason we know of Haney is because he served as the swing coach for six out of Tiger Woods’ fifteen majors. Largely based on this historical relationship, Haney has a show on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio. Due to the negative reaction to his arguably racist and sexist remarks, the station suspended him and preempted his show. I argue that Haney’s comments were neither racist nor sexist, but rather stereotypically accurate.

Top 10 Busted: The Match (Tiger vs. Phil)

Synopsis: In full disclosure, I didn’t watch “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson over Thanksgiving Weekend 2018. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to though. After having difficulty ordering the made-for-TV event, I decided that getting a Christmas tree with my family would be a much better use of time. I certainly made the right call based on its scathing reviews. Still, I bet there will be a rematch based on the close competition that ended after Lefty sunk a 4′ birdie putt on the 22nd hole. The following post focuses more on my failed experiences with pay-per-view TV, but ends with the conclusion that “The Match” deserves Top 10 Bust status for various reasons.

T10B Busted Nominee: Dianne Feinstein

Like millions of others, I watched the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing during which Christine Blasey Ford detailed her sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court hopeful Brett Kavanaugh. In case you missed the made-for-TV special, the words of Groucho Marx provide the best summary. Specifically, it was “a travesty of a mockery of a sham.” Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) earns a “T10B Busted” Nomination for promoting the un-American notion of presumed guilt. Fellow Senators Dick Blumenthal (D-CT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) deserve honorable mentions for their hypocritical roles in the spectacle. Overall, Feinstein edges out the other two because she led the effort to use an alleged victim as a political pawn.

T10B Busted Nominee: Serena Williams

Based on the overwhelming fan support Serena Williams received during the 2018 U.S. Open, this post will not be well liked. I certainly cannot deny Serena’s dominance of women’s tennis over the last 20 years. Of note, she impressively has won almost 30% of all Grand Slams contested since her first title at the 1999 U.S. Open. At the same time, an objective observer cannot deny that the younger Williams sister has a bad temper. She has proven to be an accomplished athlete who serves as an inspiration to many. Still, I have nominated her as a T10B Busted nominee because of the excuses she has given to defend her lack of decorum on the court. 

T10B Not Busted: Urban Meyer

After a two-week investigation into Urban Meyer’s handling of domestic violence allegations against former Assistant Coach Zach Smith, THE Ohio State University announced a 3-game suspension for its head football coach. Meyer’s actions (or inactions) apparently didn’t elevate to a fireable offense. At the same time, OSU President Michael Drake believed the head coach deserved to be punished. Following an 11-hour closed-door meeting during which the Board of Trustees decided his fate, Meyer spoke to the press. He certainly missed the mark by failing to show remorse or offer a sincere apology. In response, numerous ESPN “reporters” argued that Meyer deserved to be fired. When will the network learn that its role is reporting and not creating news. 

T10B Busted: WAR (Wins Above Replacement)

Sabermetics has taken over how baseball teams are constructed, how games are managed, and how players are evaluated. Whereas stats like HRs, RBIs and BA used to delineate players, MLB general managers now seem to be obsessed with stats like OBP, OPS, and WAR. I fully appreciate the importance of statistics when evaluating players, but I question the current over-reliance on them. In this post, I hope to discount the importance of wins above replacement (WAR) when evaluating greatness.  

Top 10 Busted: Jackie Robinson West

Many of us were inspired by the success of Chicago’s Jackie Robinson West at the 2014 Little League World Series. Unfortunately, our inspiration turned to disappointment upon hearing that the team cheated. I had originally written and posted this article back in 2015, but pulled it down upon hearing that Stephen A. Smith had been sued for speaking on the topic. Now that ESPN’s most loquacious blowhard has been dropped from the case, I’ll take advantage of the same Constitutional protection to free speech. America, what a country!