Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Still there after all these years

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Still there after all these years

    As long as Lee Westwood and Henrik Stensson don't both finish among the top 5 in the Tour championship this weekend, Ernie Els will finish 2008 ranked among the world's top ten. Not too remarkable, you may say, but he's been ranked among the top 10 - without a break - since June 1994.

    That's pretty remarkable longevity, even among golfers, who can still compete at the highest level in their 40s (Els is 39). The only other players in modern golf history I can think of who would have been among the top ten for 14 years or more would be the "big 3" of Palmer, Player and Nicklaus, and then possibly Norman and Ballesteros.

    About the only other current sportsmen I can think of off the top of my head who've stayed around, at the very top of their sports, since before 1994 are Ryan Giggs and Phil Taylor.

    #2
    Still there after all these years

    Stephen Hendry?

    Comment


      #3
      Still there after all these years

      Yes, Hendry of course. 1988 he broke through, didn't he? So that would be twenty years amnog the top players, and counting. I think Steve Davis' years among the top ten went from about 1981 to about 1996, so not as long as Hendry.

      Comment


        #4
        Still there after all these years

        Robert Mugabe.

        Comment


          #5
          Still there after all these years

          American Greg Hancock started riding for the Creadley Heathens in the British league in 1989. He was World Individual champion in 1995. This year, he finished joint 3rd in the Speedway Grand Prix Series. He is still a force in the sport, 13 years after his first world title and close to his 20th anniversary as a pro.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Hancock

          Greg in red helmet colour below.

          Comment


            #6
            Still there after all these years

            Chris Chelios has been playing in the NHL since 1984. He'll be 47 by the time this season ends, and that amazes me because hockey's sport with a lot of contact. On the other hand, I guess players nowadays have the benefit of a lot more knowledge about conditioning and nutrition.

            Comment


              #7
              Still there after all these years

              I knew this was going to be golfers. I knew it. It's because they only have to walk, and that's if they don't use those buggy things. Heliotrope's example is more impressive.

              Shay Given almost counts, but in fact his international debut misses by two years.

              Mark Ramprakash had that mid-career selector-alienating prolonged loss of form, so he's out.

              David James' debut was in 1992, but, well...

              Comment


                #8
                Still there after all these years

                Brett Favre?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Still there after all these years

                  Wyatt Earp wrote:
                  Shay Given almost counts, but in fact his international debut misses by two years
                  Not to mention his international team missing six of the last seven tournaments...

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Still there after all these years

                    Tendulkar.

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X