I used to love doing it. At least for me, I’d try to know enough about the past to make my comparisons valid. When LeBron first starting getting notoriety when I was in high school, I saw Magic Johnson’s passing with the body of an NFL tight end. I saw a remarkable athlete who had the impact to make people better.
The more I watch sports, the more I think the rush to compare somebody to someone has ruined the coolness of watching things unfold. Nobody can do anything without us looking for rank or judge it.
But why do we do it? Is it solely to remind us how great the past greats were? Is it to put the present in its proper context to combat prisoners of the moment? Is it to denigrate the present as not worthy?
I just think it’s a waste of time especially when the comparisons are so lazy. This goes back to what I addressed back in February but I'm going to take it a step further now.
