Golf.com Poll

Caught this poll on golf.com. Naturally, you can guess what I voted for (sorry Mr. Nelson).

We want to know...

Byron Nelson won 11 tournaments in a row in 1945, a record that may never be matched. Which of the following records do you think is the most impressive?

    * 30.5% Nelson's 11-straight victories
    * 4.8% Hank Aaron's 755 career home runs
    * 9.2% Jim Brown's record of eight NFL season rushing titles
    * 37.7% UCLA's run of 10 NCAA basketball titles in 12 years
    * 15.3% Wayne Gretzky's 2,856 career points

I think the only thing more amazing than the inclusion of Wayne Gretzky's 2,856 career points was that 15.3% actually voted for him!  

Comments

[Dick Mahoon]

Even more surprising than Wayne being included on the list (his record is fairly impressive) is the fact that a college basketball record was both included and had the most votes. If you are going to talk about basketball records what about the Celtics winning 11 times in 13 years?

[DAW]

At least with a pro team you can have many of the same players on those teams -- didn't Russell play on most of those Celtics winners? With a college basketball team, especially in those days when freshman didn't play on the main squad, you only have a dominant player for three (or at most four) years. So to win 10 titles in 12 years, you have to consistently put together brand new teams that beat everyone else. Admittedly, having a winning team helps to recruit new talent.

[kerry]

It may be that 4 of those records stand forever. Of course Dimaggio's streak could also be included. Obviously Aaron's home run record is in jeopardy and was a product of consistancy and longevity.
But unlikey that anyone ever wins 11 or more. UCLA record is safe. Gretzky's record is a tribute to his greatness and the unique time when he entered the league. Doubtful that could be re-created.
As big a Brown fan as I am, I think that record is the most attainable. A great back with a super front line, it could happen. Imagine if Barry Sanders played for the Dallas Cowboys during his career. He would have 10.
What else should be included in the list?

[pc]

Tiger Woods record of 142 consecutive cuts made is pretty darn impressive.

[NRH]

Johnny Vander Meer's two consecutive no-hitters will probably never be matched, let alone surpassed.

[Lynn S.]

I too vote for UCLA's string of national titles. The last one, 1975 was one with just one returning starter from the previous year.

[pc]

Lynn S, are you Lynn Shakelford? If so, your vote doesn't count.
Just kidding. I marvel at UCLA's record 10 championships in 12 years. I can't believe that would ever be duplicated.

[Chuck]

Yeah, somebody beat me to it in questioning Lynn Shackelford's conflict of interest. ;-)
But frankly, the UCLA/Wooden record is the one that I too would have singled out as being unsurpassable.

[Smolmania]

Unsurpassable only because no school can stockpile talent as Mr. Wooden was able to do when he had those consecutive titles. UCLA's second team would have been ranked in the top 40 nationally. Plus, once Haywood won his lawsuit, the days of getting Alcindor and Walton to pay for free in college were short-lived. It's hard to tell someone like Greg Oden that he's better off in Columbus and risking a potential career ending injury when NBA riches await (esp. when you consider that he played most of his freshman year left handed after surgery on his right wrist).

What I want to know is who voted for Hank Aaron? Don't these people read the paper? Barry and his steroid/HGH infested body will have that record by the all-star break.

[JohnV]

There were years when the freshman team at UCLA would have beaten the varsity (for those of you too young to remember, freshmen couldn't play for the varsity in those days.) But, even with that the varsity still won the national championship.

That is an amazing record of success.

There are plenty of baseball records much more unbeatable than Aaron's. Cy Young's 511 wins, DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak and Ripken's consecutive games streaks will probably never be beaten. The closest to Ripken going into this season, Miguel Tejada, sat out this week ending his consecutive game streak only about 9 years short of Ripken's.

[Tuna]

I remember the '66 UCLA Alcindor freshmen class beating the '66 varsity class, but that '66 varsity class didn't win the NCAAs that year.

I don't believe there was ever another year where the UCLA freshmen team beat the varsity team, but I could be wrong.

[Lynn S.]

Tuna, you are correct. UCLA, with injuries, finished 2nd in the Pac 10 in 66, no tournament for them (Wooden has told me that even at full strength they couldn't beat UTEP that year). After that season Wooden cancelled the annual Frosh/Varsity game. Too bad it would have been a good one when Walton, Wilkes, and G. Lee were freshmen and would have played Wicks, Rowe, Bibby and Patterson.