Competition vs. Dominance

If you were to ask me to name my favorite athletes, the list would be something like: Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning. I know, you could call me a frontrunner because all these athletes have been highly successful and accomplished some of the greatest achievements in their respective sports. And you would be partially right, it certainly is easier to root for someone when they win.

But the main reason I root for all those athletes is not just because they win, it is because they are dominant perfectionists. These athletes aren’t one time wonders, they have repeatedly succeeded and are arguably some of the best athletes in history. This argument is possible because they have performed at the highest level consistently. Sure these guys are talented, and that does account for some of their success, but many athletes are talented. What truly separates these athletes, and why I tirelessly root for them, is the fact that they are perfectionists. These athletes are some of the hardest workers around, they truly love their sports and never stop working to be the best possible. I admire this quality because it’s something I want to live by, and that’s why it is so natural and easy for me to root for guys like Tiger and Federer. So I can understand why I could be accused of jumping on the bandwagon, but that’s not why I root for them. I support my athletes not just because of their success - rather I give my support because I admire their constant pursuit for perfection.

All that being said, what I’m really wondering right now is if I would rather see competition or dominance. I think the easy answer for me is dominance. When Federer was on his ridiculous 3 year stretch, where her won 9 grand slams and pretty much never lost - well I loved every moment of it. I loved turning on the TV and knowing that Federer would win no matter what tournament it was (except Rolland Garros). I enjoyed watching his hard work pay off, as he gracefully beat one player after another. But those days are gone, today the US open is less than two weeks away, and I think any one of four men (at least) could win the title. And in other sports, Tiger gave up a final round lead for the first time in history today as he lost the PGA Championship. Tom Brady went out last year because of a season ending knee injury. As dominant as these men have been in the past, there is an opening right now, other atheletes have a chance - there is competition. And I don’t really like it, I don’t like seeing Federer losing in the quarter finals, or Tiger going one calender year without a major - because for me that represents what I value most still not paying off.

But I can’t say I hate competition. I don’t like watching it necessarily. I don’t like watching Nadal time and time again beat Federer, and I don’t like watching Tiger let a major slip through his fingers. But there are certainly good effects that come from this. Of course it’s refreshing to see a new face win for once, and show the rest of the world that these Sport Goliaths are human. And it’s nice to see some parity - dominance can get boring. For me, however, the most important consequence of competition is that it inspires future dominance. Because of the emergence of Nadal, Federer has had to work harder than ever before to keep up, and honestly he has become a better player because of it. The same could be said of any dominating figure who faces competition. A threat to one’s dominance will only inspire that person to practice harder - in hopes of preserving that dominance.

So I will grudgingly say that I like competition. I don’t really like watching it as it happens, and I still feel bad when Federer or Tiger lose, but I take the time to realize that those losses only inspire them to try harder for future wins. So competition in the present often gives birth to future dominance. Competition are Dominance are not mutually exclusive, rather they are the opposite. Without competition we would not have periods of dominance, and that’s why I like competition.