While competing in a debate at Sports2Debate.com one of the the topics was who were the most "clutch" athletes off all time. I thought you would be interested in my list.
1- Michael Jordan
You can sum up MJ's clutch skills in two possessions. 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz everyone remembers the shot over Byron Russell that was a serial killer putting a dagger in the heart, but what I remember more was the steal of Karl Malone to get Jordan in position to make that shot. It is the little things that are the difference between a great player (see: Karl Malone) and a legendary players (see: Michael Jordan).
Being clutch is always about hitting the game winning shot. It is about making all the plays to get you in position to make that shot. No one was better than that than Michael Jordan. There has never been a better "serial killer" in the history of sports.
2- Joe Montana
Being clutch is also about being calm. So it is no wonder Montana got the name "Joe Cool". The famous story of him kidding about John Candy being in the stands as he prepared to take the 49ers down the field for the winning score in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals is legendary.
The best players never get caught up in the moment they embrace it while others run from it. Montana was a classic case of the QB you want to be under center. You want your best players to play their best in the biggest games and that is the Super Bowl and there was no one better that Montana in those pressure moments.
3- Tiger Woods
You won't hear the words fear and golf often together, but mention Tiger Woods to anyone on the PGA Tour and you can see the fear in their eyes. How clutch is Tigger (yes I call him Tigger on purpose)? He won the freakin US Open on one leg. Just willed his way to a victory. How disheartening is that to his competitors that they can't even beat him while he is crippled?
I repeat how clutch is Tigger? He has never lost a final round lead ever!!!!!! Now that is clutch.
4- Kirk Gibson
Sometime Clutch is defined as a singular event and no clutch moment was bigger than Kirk Gibson pinch hit homer in the 1988. It wasn't that Gibson was just hurt. A lot of athletes have performed well while being hurt, but Gibson was crippled barely able to walk to the plate. Add on to the fact that he was facing the best closer in the game in Dennis Eckersley the chances of success where slim and none. It definitely a case of mind over matter Gibson hit the homer that by all accounts won the Series for the Dodgers. When one swing can win and entire series that's clutch.
5- Robert Horry
Sometimes you are just born clutch. Robert Horry was an ok NBA player. Just like a million other ok players in the league, but anytime someone says the name Robert Horry what do you think?
Clutch!
Didn't matter if it was with the Rockets, Lakers or Spurs when you needed a clutch bucket Big Shot Bob was there. Here is what was so cool about it. Almost all of his clutch shots where by accident. My favorite one is against the Sacramento Kings when Kobe missed a layup and the ball gets back tapped to a waiting Horry who just drains the 3.
Being Clutch was in his DNA from birth.
co-sign.
i think its funny that 4 of the 5 on this list either went to school or played in california so is California the perfect enviorment for a player to become clutch?
It is like that Littal?
to me the Kirk Gibson home run has always been the most overrated moment in sports to me, I guess you actually had to be in the moment to feel the clutchness of it. And another thing is when ppl say competitors are competing on one leg. The only guy I've ever seen compete on one leg was Byron Leftwich wen he was at Marshall when they literally carried him 2 da line. Tiger and Gibson looked to be walkin just fine, I'm not gonna say they weren't in point obviously they were, but they were still walking and running on the leg they supposedly couldn't use.
It's obvious a young man wrote this list.
1)Michael Jordan - agreed
2)Jerry Rice
3)John Elway
4)Wayne Gretzky
5)Bob Gibson
Robert Horry was garbage 97% of the time
I agree with my boy on most thigns. Females, cars, ambition. But dude... seriously... you forgot to mention Adam Vinatieri. How many super bowls did he win? Why is it when you think of him you think one thing, and when you think of Scotty Norwood you think a different?
so horry is more clutch than magic, bird, kareem, jeter, reggie jackson,
You have a love affair with Horry? :)
where can i get the picture of the last shot of michael jordan that is on this page size 1 meter by 1 meter?
M4vPFx
M4vPFx