Mediocrity Reigns Supreme | One Flew Over...

I've been told, read, or heard more than a dozen times that 2008 was The Best Year in Sports.

Is it true? There is no doubt that some of the world's greatest rivalries, races, and matches took place during the last calender year; Rafa and Roger, Michael Phelps and the US Swim Team and Tiger Woods to name a few.

I'm not convinced, however, that Two Double-Oh Eight was the greatest we've seen.

For a moment lets flash back to 1980; The Phillies won their first championship, Bjorn Borg defeated John McEnroe in one of the greatest Wimbledon matches ever and "The Miracle on Ice" occurred as well.

Each year had its own respective accomplishments and each year was great for sports. What bothers me about calling 2008 The Best is the way that games are changing.

For starters the term Superstar is all but dead. Oh, sure there are amazing players in the wide world of sports, but how many truly deserve to be called a Superstar?

The times of ultimate dominance are coming to an end as well.

2008 saw more than ten teams finish within ten games of a wildcard spot in the MLB playoffs. Nine teams finished within ten games in 2007 and 11 teams in 2006.

And in the NFL nine teams that finished at .500 or better didn't make the playoffs (compared to six, eight and six in the three prior years, respectively).

In the NBA this year (mostly during '08) 15 of the 30 teams are at .500 or worse. Last year 19 teams finished with winning percentages less than .600. Of those 19 teams six made the playoffs

The appearance of greatness is obviously in the eyes of the beholder, but as mediocrity becomes more and more apparent in sports, in our jobs and in our lives maybe we start to pay less attention to the detail and the world becomes a little more grey.

Comments, questions, amendments and your thoughts are all welcome...