We are living through the golden generations of sports and we don’t even know it

[Crow]

No aaron rodgers? Cannot take list serious

Oh yeah so amazing with his one Super Bowl. Guy is a choker.

 

[Idiot Stick]

PLD
Bryce Young
Ben Simmons
The cowboys

Were drowning in talent

 

[Ruggs225]

Ohtani is doing things never done before. He's gonna be the GOAT.

To me it will always be Ruth. He literally changed the way the game was played. He hit more HRs than entire teams in a single season.

From 1915-1935 Ruth himself hit more HR’s than the entire Red Sox team combined! Just think about that. He was on a completely different level during his time period.

But Ohtani is certainly something with pitching and hitting. Ruth was actually a good pitcher too, but stopped.

For pitching, i think Koufax was the best all time. Especially since he pitched injured alot. He was just incredible.


Also: i disagree with this entire premise. I think we are actually watching some of the worst period of sports outside of hockey.

Hockey- the game is probably played at the best level ever. Tenacious, quick, a good amount of goals.

MLB- the golden age was probably in the 50’s-60’s, but to MLB credit they are trying to quicken up the pace of play. But still too many strikeouts and lack of action. Batting avgs and balls in play were much higher than now.

Basketball- probably the 90’s were the golden age. Defense was still important, there was an inside game with great centers, more contact was allowed and the game was not just 3ball or dunk. The pro game is definitely worse to watch now. I used to love the pro game but i can only watch college bbal now.

Football- NFL football was probably at its peak in the late 90’s/early 2000’s, but the 70’s through the 90’s all had memorable runs. The game revolves around passing now, QB play has been kind of atrocious for the most part outside of a few, penalties galore, tackling technique is garbage and the game itself got wussified. Also with colleges going through NIL and constant transfers players are less and less ready to make the jump, especially QBs.

 

[Stealth JD]

Today’s baseball is unwatchable trash.
The NBA golden era was mid-80’s thru late 90’s.
The golden age of tennis ended recently; it’s for sure not happening now.
The hockey is great, but I preferred a 26-team league and enjoyed the early 90’s with Mario, Hull, Yzerman, etc.
Soccer/NFL - don’t watch either to have an opinion.

 

[Kerberos]

First, driving a car isnt a sport.

Tell me you don't know the fist thing about Formula One without telling me you don't know anything about F1.

Please, educate yourself about other sports before making a fool out of yourself.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

To me it will always be Ruth. He literally changed the way the game was played. He hit more HRs than entire teams in a single season.

From 1915-1935 Ruth himself hit more HR’s than the entire Red Sox team combined! Just think about that. He was on a completely different level during his time period.

But Ohtani is certainly something with pitching and hitting. Ruth was actually a good pitcher too, but stopped.

For pitching, i think Koufax was the best all time. Especially since he pitched injured alot. He was just incredible.

The biggest reason why Ruth stopped pitching is that the DH rule didn't exist until 1973, so he couldn't just hit on days he wasn't pitching. With his hitting being on a completely different level, and his pitching "only" being among the top 10-15 in the league, having him play OF every game instead of pitching every 4th or 5th game in the rotation was a much bigger advantage for his team.

Ruth also played in an era when starters were expected to pitch the whole game, and had 107 complete games in 147 career starts while pitching over 300 innings in two different seasons. I know people were allegedly tougher back then, but that workload had to take a toll on his arm, which would make it difficult to be an effective OF on his off-days.

Ohtani, on the other hand, is the first of the modern era to do it, but he's pitching ~150 innings in a season and doesn't have to play defense on his off-days to get at-bats.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

We are also living through the golden generation of porn too but nobody ever brings it up

Actually I think it's like most entertainment nowadays. More quantity, less quality.

 

[HolyHagelin]

Born too late to explore the world.

Born too early to explore the stars.

Born just in time to explore legalized sports betting and spend $149 a month on streaming apps.

Needs a “hopelessly sobbing into my beer” react

To me it will always be Ruth. He literally changed the way the game was played. He hit more HRs than entire teams in a single season.

From 1915-1935 Ruth himself hit more HR’s than the entire Red Sox team combined! Just think about that. He was on a completely different level during his time period.

But Ohtani is certainly something with pitching and hitting. Ruth was actually a good pitcher too, but stopped.

For pitching, i think Koufax was the best all time. Especially since he pitched injured alot. He was just incredible.


Also: i disagree with this entire premise. I think we are actually watching some of the worst period of sports outside of hockey.

Hockey- the game is probably played at the best level ever. Tenacious, quick, a good amount of goals.

MLB- the golden age was probably in the 50’s-60’s, but to MLB credit they are trying to quicken up the pace of play. But still too many strikeouts and lack of action. Batting avgs and balls in play were much higher than now.

Basketball- probably the 90’s were the golden age. Defense was still important, there was an inside game with great centers, more contact was allowed and the fame was just 3ball or dunk. The pro game is definitely worse to watch now. I used to love the pro game but i can only watch college bbal now.

Football- NFL football was probably at its peak in the late 90’s/early 2000’s, but the 70’s through the 90’s all had memorable runs. The game revolves around passing now, QB play has been kind of atrocious for the most part outside of a few, penalties galore, tackling technique is garbage and the game itself got wussified. Also with colleges going through NIL and constant transfers players are less and less ready to make the jump, especially QBs.

+1

 

[Oilslick941611]

I’m pretty sure everyone thinks they’ve witnessed the golden age in their lifetime when it comes to sports.

Sports is a full-time job now, these players are brought from children studying the game on every level, going to offseason camps, never really stopping training and learning the fundamental strategies earlier than ever. It's no wonder players are better than ever and the line between bottom six and top liner is smaller than ever.

 

[RickyLafleur]

Move another 50 years forward and we'll have all sorts of star athletes that make today's great athletes look like bozos

If anyone can afford to play let alone buy a hockey stick by then.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

And not just limited to hockey.

In the last 25 years we’ve had

Schumaker
Hamilton
Verstappen

Agassi
Sampras
Federer
Nadal
Djokovic

Jordan
LeBron

Brady
Manning
Mahomes

Woods

Phelps
Bolt

Messi
Ronaldo

Bonds
Trout
Ohtani

Gretzky
Lemieux
Crosby
McDavid

Basically we’ve seen the GOAT in every sport (sometimes one upped by the next guy) or Top 5 players of all time all in the last 25 years.

We’re living through the golden generation of sports and we don’t even know it.

People here are so pessimistic, it sucks. We have that “rise in scoring” thread and the very first response is “goalies are worse now.” I’m sorry? These guys grew up watching and emulating Hasek, Roy, and Brodeur, teams know more and spend more training absolutely every position, but.. goalies just suck now for no explained reason, got it. Couldn’t possibly be faster players shooting faster, making more precise passes, scoring more ridiculous goals. Also because of expansion, even though the global population and pool of players would seemingly have grown as well- they’re watching much better hockey and are thinking it’s worse due to the golden halo effect the past has.

 

[PaulD]

And not just limited to hockey.

In the last 25 years we’ve had

Schumaker
Hamilton
Verstappen

Agassi
Sampras
Federer
Nadal
Djokovic

Jordan
LeBron

Brady
Manning
Mahomes

Woods

Phelps
Bolt

Messi
Ronaldo

Bonds
Trout
Ohtani

Gretzky
Lemieuxif we don't know
Crosby
McDavid

Basically we’ve seen the GOAT in every sport (sometimes one upped by the next guy) or Top 5 players of all time all in the last 25 years.

We’re living through the golden generation of sports and we don’t even know it.

but you know it ?

 

[x Tame Impala]

People here are so pessimistic, it sucks. We have that “rise in scoring” thread and the very first response is “goalies are worse now.” I’m sorry? These guys grew up watching and emulating Hasek, Roy, and Brodeur, teams know more and spend more training absolutely every position, but.. goalies just suck now for no explained reason, got it. Couldn’t possibly be faster players shooting faster, making more precise passes, scoring more ridiculous goals. Also because of expansion, even though the global population and pool of players would seemingly have grown as well- they’re watching much better hockey and are thinking it’s worse due to the golden halo effect the past has.

Wah wah wah.

Goalies are “less effective” now. Better? SV% is down drastically as goalie equipment shrunk and the league geared for more offense. Tomato-tomahto

 

[Jumptheshark]

As an old fart I will suggest that when it comes to era 40+ years is too much

10 to 15 years is an era. Putting players like McDavid and Matthews in the same era as Gretz and Mario? just no

 

[KevinRedkey]

Wayne Gretzky is closer in age to Ted Lindsay than he is to Connor McDavid.

Should we extend the generation to include Ted? lol

 

[Ducks in a row]

No we are not the 21st century of sports ain't that great (outside of my Ducks winning the Stanley Cup)

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

What if the stanley cup finals was just that. One championship game for all the bacon?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

We are also living through the golden generation of porn too but nobody ever brings it up

This might be nostalgia talking, but it was better when I was a kid tbh

Fair point. The only GOAT we haven't seen is baseball. The GOAT is either Babe Ruth or Willie Mays and you'd have to be damn old to have seen either of them. I say it's the Babe, but even if Mays, you'd certainly have to have been old to have seen his prime. Gretzky, Jordan, Brady, I'm 35 and got to see all of them play. Bolt is the GOAT of track. Tennis is close, but it's one of three who are either still active or recently retired.

Bonds in the GOAT I’m sorry to say

 

[JianYang]

I'm not sure if this is the golden generation of sports, but this thread itself is golden for the number of zingers on the first page alone.

 

[NVious]

Aka the JT Miller Era

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

This might be nostalgia talking, but it was better when I was a kid tbh


Bonds in the GOAT I’m sorry to say

Bonds? Na steriods....

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Sports are a different beast when player protection via rules and equipment are better. For example, F1 in the 60s and 70s took 100x the balls it takes today. Just look at the death rate of drivers back then. Easy to drive fast when the threat of injury/death is greatly diminished.

I'm glad people of this generation are enjoying sports, but to say it's some kind of golden age versus other ones is silly.

 

[sabremike]

Fact check: True

 

[Soundwave]

1980-2000 is probably specifically the "golden age", some of this is infamous but you can't deny it wasn't entertaining

- Arrival of Michael Jordan and subsequent 90s-era dominance, sports marketing is changed forever.
- Wayne Gretzky peak/prime, Oilers dynasty
- Magic/Bird Lakers-Celtics rivalry
- Arrival of Mario Lemieux and early 90s Cups
- Mike Tyson dominating boxing (1980s)
- Ken Griffey Jr. + Sr. playing on the same team
- Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds home run spectacle, yes in hindsight it is tainted by the steroid scandal, but at the time it felt like watching magic
- Summer of '94 Chaos, Rangers win Cup, Knicks lose in game 7, OJ Simpson chase interrupts the NBA Finals creating a live TV spectacle unlike anything before or since.
- Wild Olympics scandals; Nancy Carrigan beaten by a hitman, Ben Johnson stripped of Olympic gold,
etc. etc.
- Dual sport athletes like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders
- Arrival of Tiger Woods in the late 1990s
- Rise of the NFL Superbowl half-time show becoming a mass entertainment (+ Superbowl TV commercials in general becoming part of the entertainment).

But y'know someone born prior to this would just say "well I got to see Muhammad Ali, Pele, Wilt Chamberlain, Bobby Orr, Guy Lafleur, Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, etc. etc. etc.".

 

[Matty Sundin]

The golden age is usually when your a kid.