Rocket Surgeon
Guest
From the wall Street Journal
Ask New Yorkers to name the greatest local sportsman of the current generation and they'll inevitably put Derek Jeter's name at, or at least near, the top of the list.
But by numbers alone, the charismatic Yankee captain isn't the greatest New York-area athlete of his generation. That honor belongs to a guy who probably wouldn't even be recognized if he showed up at Le Cirque in full pads: New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur.
These two athletes' careers are nearly identical. Each was named rookie of the year in his first season, has played more than a decade for the same team and has made the playoffs in every year but one. Mr. Brodeur started his career in 1992 and has won three titles, an Olympic gold medal and four Vezina trophies -- the award given to the NHL's best goalie. Mr. Jeter joined the Yankees in 1995 and has won four titles, a World Series MVP and three Gold Gloves
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Where the goalie separates himself from the shortstop is in his assault on the NHL record book. Mr. Brodeur is on pace to break nearly every significant goalie mark, including Patrick Roy's 551 regular-season wins, which should fall within days. Mr. Jeter doesn't own any record that momentous -- it would take him about nine seasons to beat Pete Rose's record of 4,256 hits -- and his many postseason records can be explained away by baseball's expanded playoff format.
Ask New Yorkers to name the greatest local sportsman of the current generation and they'll inevitably put Derek Jeter's name at, or at least near, the top of the list.
But by numbers alone, the charismatic Yankee captain isn't the greatest New York-area athlete of his generation. That honor belongs to a guy who probably wouldn't even be recognized if he showed up at Le Cirque in full pads: New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur.
These two athletes' careers are nearly identical. Each was named rookie of the year in his first season, has played more than a decade for the same team and has made the playoffs in every year but one. Mr. Brodeur started his career in 1992 and has won three titles, an Olympic gold medal and four Vezina trophies -- the award given to the NHL's best goalie. Mr. Jeter joined the Yankees in 1995 and has won four titles, a World Series MVP and three Gold Gloves
.Where the goalie separates himself from the shortstop is in his assault on the NHL record book. Mr. Brodeur is on pace to break nearly every significant goalie mark, including Patrick Roy's 551 regular-season wins, which should fall within days. Mr. Jeter doesn't own any record that momentous -- it would take him about nine seasons to beat Pete Rose's record of 4,256 hits -- and his many postseason records can be explained away by baseball's expanded playoff format.
