Tiger Woods...If we didn't know he was good before

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3348702

This killed me for some reason. So Tiger Woods, playing with a bum knee that needs arthroscopic surgery, not hardly making a putt all week, and playing somewhat inconsistent with his driver, still finishes second at the Masters, against the best field in the world. Unbelievable. I would almost say this is like Jordan's flu game against the Jazz, but we all know that Jordan was just hung over, not suffering from the flu : ).

Seriously though, I watched most of the Masters on Saturday and Sunday, and never once thought Tiger was playing exceptionally well--he never could get a run going. Now we find out that he went under the knife the day after the tournament. And despite all this, he finishes second? That, my friends is domination.

Here is my question, which athlete has dominated their sport to the greatest degree over the last 20 years?

• Tiger Woods from 1997 to the present?
• Lance Armstrong from 1998 to 2005?
• Roger Federer from 2004 to 2007?
• Annika Sorenstam?
• Michael Jordan from 1991 to 1998 (barring his two year gambling expulsion...uh, I mean "retirement")

Any others I am missing?

I would say Armstrong, because he dominated the Tour De France to an unprecedented degree, and became public emeny number 1 in France. Anyone that is public enemy number 1 in France automatically receives my adulation...Well, except for Hitler (but enough French welcomed the German army that I am not sure he was public enemy number 1) but I digress. HOWEVAH (in my best Stephen A. Simth), I don't follow cycling that closely, but from my understanding, Armstrong skipped almost every other event on the tour and concentrated solely on the Tour De France. That would be like Tiger only playing the Masters each year (and winning it, mind you). Plus, I am having a tough time coming to grips with a sport where the majority of the participants are not trying to win, but to protect their racer. This is like Hockey with 6 goons on the ice and one guy trying to score, I don't get it. Plus, there is that little doping thing....I know it has never been proven, but does anyone really believe there was none of that going on? Of course, all the other spandex-wearing Euros were certainly doing it too, so that is probably a wash.

Federer had perhaps the most dominant 3 year stretch ever in mens tennis. However, I am not sure the field has been that strong over the last couple of years, with the exception of Nadal, who is unbeatable on clay. I don't think he has had to go up against the kind of competition that McEnroe, Connors, Borg, and even Sampras and Agassi had to go up against. Still, it is hard to argue with his brilliance. The dude is a machine.

I haven't watched enough womens golf to put Sorenstam in persepctive (or any LPGA events for that matter, and even if I had watched, I wouldn't admit it). I had to look her up. She has won 10 majors since 1994. Since Tiger has won more than that since 1997 in a more competitive sport, he automatically gets the leg up. I won't discuss this anymore.

Jordan was personally responsible for a handful of the "greatest 50 players of all time" retiring ringless, including Malone, Stockton, Barkley and Ewing. That would have included Olajuwon and Drexler as well, but Jordan had to be banished by David Stern to the Birmingham Barons for two years. From 1991 to 1998, he won the championship in each year he played with the exception of his March comeback in 1995. He was named MVP three times, and probably should have been the MVP each season (sorry Karl and Charles). Not only that, he led teams prominently featuring figures like Bill Wennington, Bill Cartwright, Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Luc Longley, and the like to championships. Yeah, I know he had Pippen, but still...The only thing against Jordan here is that he is the only person discussed that is involved in a team sport. Still, did anyone else on the Bulls keep you up at night? He is the most transcedent player ever to play a team sport, and that has to count for something.

Tiger has been running laps around the field since 1997, with the exception of two "swing changes" from 1998-1999 and 2004-2005 (when he let Phil Mickelson and his Bro take a couple) where he looked mortal for a short time, before methodically destroying the field again. He has won 13 majors, only 5 from the all-time lead. He has won 64 tournaments. The % of tournaments he wins (in which he has entered) is staggering, and completely unprecedented. He causes other golfers to melt down playing next to him (I am going to have to look up the scoring average of his playing partners, this has to be documented somewhere...I'll bet it's not good). He has revolutionized the sport of golf. No other athlete has a bigger hold on the ratings and revenues of their sport. He has made gazillionaires out of a ton of other golfers, who should all be thanking Tiger for the increased purses. He has forced other golfers to hire personal trainers and become fitness fanatics (except Phil and Daly and a few others like that). The stamp he put on the sport may be the greatest single stamp anyone has put on their game.

I think I will have to go with Tiger on this one. Thoughts?