The only Greatest of all time I’m willing to say isn’t debatable by any metric is Nick Saban. There is no equal and it’s unbiasedly so. The guy survives every seismic change in college football.
Saban, yes.
And Wayne Gretzky for now anyway.
The problem with GOAT debates is that we are arguing around generations. I mean people regularly say Jerry Rice is the GOAT and so is Deion.
Deion couldn't tackle worth a damn, and Rod Woodson was a better cover guy with more TDs.
Why not Belichick… He is definitely the Greatest of his time, but all time requires alot of analysis. Keep in mind a lot of people still say Lombardi is a top 10 coach with only 99 wins.
Because:
a) they only played 12 and then 14 games per season then
b) he's third on the list in winning pct (.738)
c) he won 5 championships in only 7 years
d) plus he was the Giants OC for 5 years
e) he had a .900 winning pct, losing only one of 10 playoff games
f) he died when he was only 57 years old and still coaching
g) he NEVER had a losing season as either a coordinator or a coach
h) the team he was coaching when he died was in the Super Bowl 3 years later with a lot of his guys
The two guys ahead of Lombardi in win pct are Bill Cowher and John Madden, two excellent coaches.
I think the big issue facing Bill’s legacy at this point is how long it takes for him to get Shula’s record. Brady retiring on a phenomenal season really awakens those debates of who is more responsible for the 6 SBs( even though the answer is all 3). I think if he has another slug to the playoffs affair like he did this year then it’s probably best he retires short of the record. Because people absolutely despise record chasers that do it by longevity over skill. But ultimately he makes a very good case based on record, rings, and consistency as being the GOAT. But it’s nowhere near as iron clad as Nick Saban’s dominance on college football. But for argument sake… why not. Best I have seen in my lifetime.
There's a solid argument for Belichick as the greatest of all-time. I don't know the degree to which I'd assent to that. I thought Bill Walsh was actually a better coach, but he didn't do it as long. And do we say free agency is an ASSET to Belichick or a DETRIMENT? That could be argued either way.
Brady kinda falls into the same category as Belichick. There are some metrics that allow you to argue someone else is better in certain aspects. I mean Brady is nowhere as talented as many of the guys today, or as good at the position as a whole as guys like Manning (the good one) and Marino. But when you look at him as a whole, what he accomplished, and what he means to the organizations that he played for then it’s hard to argue against him.
Really if we are talking about a magical retirement scenario… Brady un retires for one day is traded to the Patriots and takes one snap in the final game of the regular season and calls it quits at the end of the 2022 season. Then Bill retires as well. It would officially put the Patriots Way to bed in a good send off and allow Belichick and Brady to go in the same HOF class.
Maybe there is a clear GOAT in other sports. I would think Jordan, Mayweather (for his division), Gretzky, and Serena could be considered.
Oh, now I see Gretzky.
Yes, a solid argument can be made for Serena as well.
I think it's more clear-cut in the case of Brady of him being the GOAT than Belichick being th GOAT. By the same token, my old man has watched football since the 50s and swore up and down for years nobody was better than Lombardi - but he changed his opinion watching Belichick, too. Just fwiw.