Gomez does Who's Now in 20 minutes

I will now do in 20 minutes what it is taking ESPN and over 100,000 viewers a month to do. I will ignore the current 'official results' of the voting, which may be different from my picks, as 100,000 ignorant viewers and 4 ignorant panelists probably don't know what the hell they're talking about :P

First round

MICHAEL JORDAN REGION
July 1: (1) Tiger Woods vs. (8) Matt Leinart

Best golfer on the planet, possibly ever, vs a 2nd year QB for a last place football team. Right.

PICK: Tiger Woods.

July 2: (4) Dwyane Wade vs. (5) Shaun White

Dwayne Wade is a basketball star and gets on TV a lot. I don't even know who Shaun White is.

PICK: Dwayne Wade

July 3: (2) LaDainian Tomlinson vs. (7) David Beckham

A super popular soccer player whose skills are overrated, and a super-talented runningback for the Chargers. As much as I hate to put it this way, talented RBs are a dime a dozen. So are midfielders, but Beckham's popularity stretches across continents.

PICK: David Beckham

July 4: (3) Steve Nash vs. (6) Serena Williams

A good point guard who can score... and a popular, successful tennis star with athletic ability beyond any of her competitors.

PICK: Serena Williams

Tiger Woods vs. Dwayne Wade

Tiger is the best in his sport and Dwayne gets lost in the talented star shuffle of his.

PICK: Tiger Woods

David Beckham vs. Serena Williams

Both are internationally famous. The key: Serena is a standout star in her sport. Beckham needs help to be, at best, and really, isn't as good as his reputation belies.

PICK: Serena Williams

Tiger Woods vs Serena Williams

Tiger is the best in his sport and a huge star. Serena is pretty good but does share the top stage with a few others.

PICK: Tiger Woods

MUHAMMAD ALI REGION
July 5: (1) Peyton Manning vs. (8) Amanda Beard

What is an Amanda Beard and why should I care?

PICK: Peyton Manning

July 6: (4) Dale Earnhardt Jr. vs. (5) Chuck Liddell

LOL car drivers. Neither name here belongs in this debate but I'll go with the guy who can kill people with his bare hands. Sorry, rednecks.

PICK: Chuck Liddell

July 7: (2) Alex Rodriguez vs. (7) Terrell Owens

When their respective careers are over, A-Rod will be loved, hated and remembered as one of the best ever in his sport. TO will be remembered for publicity stunts and bitching a lot while being one of the biggest underachievers in the history of pro football.

PICK: Alex Rodriguez

July 8: (3) Kobe Bryant vs. (6) Ronaldinho

There are a lot of scoring stars in world soccer like Ronaldinho. There aren't very many ball hogging, egotistical alleged rapists in all of sports, let alone basketball.

PICK: Kobe Rapist

Peyton Manning vs Chuck Liddell

Peyton has become our era's Joe Montana, a national star QB. Chuck Liddell is one of those ultimate fighters.

PICK: Peyton Manning

Alex Rodriguez vs Kobe Rapist

When their respective careers are over, A-Rod will be loved, hated and remembered as one of the best ever in his sport. Kobe will be remembered as a guy who scored a lot of points, allegedly raped some girl, had a giant ego and chased Shaq out of LA.

PICK: Alex Rodriguez

Peyton Manning vs Alex Rodriguez

Peyton, as good and famous as he is, is doing something that just about any talented, skilled and experienced QB can do. Very few guys can dominate baseball the way A-Rod has. And paparazzi isn't covering Peyton's every move.

PICK: Alex Rodriguez

BILLIE JEAN KING REGION
July 9: (1) LeBron James vs. (8) Kelly Slater

How empty was the pool for ESPN to have picked Kelly Slater?

PICK: LeBron James

July 10: (4) Jeff Gordon vs. (5) Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds may be a cheater but is on pace to set a record that no one thought he'd ever reach and, whether or not it's a product of calculated media coverage, the world is a captive audience for his every move. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon won a bunch of car races.

PICK: Barry Bonds

July 11: (2) Derek Jeter vs. (7) Sidney Crosby

In a few years, Sidney Crosby may be a hockey icon the likes of Lemieux and Gretzky, but right now, he's a flashy rookie. Derek Jeter is a blowjob recipient for every major media source on the east coast, and the face of baseball's richest team to boot.

PICK: Derek Jeter

July 12: (3) Reggie Bush vs. (6) Danica Patrick

Somebody let me know when Danica Patrick actually wins a race.

PICK: Reggie Bush

LeBron James vs Barry Bonds

LeBron is already a star and may be a legend someday. Barry is already a legend, albeit probably for many of the wrong reasons. Both get ridiculous amounts of coverage from ESPN. Neither has ever won a world title, though both have gotten to their respective championship finals. The clincher: LeBron James isn't a complete asshole.

PICK: LeBron James

Derek Jeter vs Reggie Bush

The only reason the rookie tailback for the Saints is being matched up here is because Danica Patrick is a car driver who hasn't won a race yet.

PICK: Derek Jeter

LeBron James vs Derek Jeter

One has won titles, but the other is a media icon, who hasn't won titles yet but has already parlayed his stardom into national, maybe even worldwide recognition.

PICK: LeBron James

BABE RUTH REGION
July 13: (1) Tom Brady vs. (8) David Ortiz

Both of these guys, for all their successes, don't get as much elite face time as their successes would warrant. Oh, they get a TON of face time, but they aren't the icons a Michael Jordan or Joe Montana would be. Gotta go with the white boy, as I think he has more recognition among casual fans outside of his sport than the Latino Ortiz does outside of his. Call it social commentary. I call it reality.

PICK: Tom Brady

July 14: (4) Maria Sharapova vs. (5) Vince Young

Sharapova is one of those hot Slavic tennis players. Vince Young is that otherworldly freak QB that won the title with Texas in that legendary Rose Bowl. I don't think the lowly fact that he won 6 games as a rookie erases the fact that he is a freak that forces his way into the national spotlight every time he leads the Titans to victory. Meanwhile, if Sharapova won a tournament, I sure as hell didn't hear about it. Yes, my standards warp with each matchup. That's the only way you can debate something as ridiculous as Who's Now.

PICK: Vince Young

July 15: (7) Tony Parker vs. (2) Roger Federer

Tony Parker is a good point guard. Roger Federer is probably the best tennis player on the planet. It seems every time there's a major tournament, Roger Federer's winning it or in the finals. I remember back when the best players in tennis were a group: Becker, Sampras, Agassi, Courier, Lendl, etc. These days it's Federer, and then everyone else.

PICK: Roger Federer

July 16: (3) Shaquille O'Neal vs (6) Michael Phelps

Shaq is an otherworldly freak basketball talent, a media and advertising star, and generally a fun guy on camera. Michael Phelps is some swimmer.

PICK: Shaquille O'Neal

Tom Brady vs Vince Young

Tom Brady is a champion and a great team leader. Vince Young carries lesser teams on his back to glory. You don't see Tom Brady highlights on Best Of reels.

PICK: Vince Young

Roger Federer vs Shaquille O'Neal

Shaq, media icon, basketball superstar, etc. Roger, top tennis player. In terms of public consciousness, Shaq probably comes first.

PICK: Shaquille O'Neal

Vince Young vs Shaquille O'Neal

Again. Shaq, world famous basketball star, freakish physical specimen and public icon. Vince, flashy, athletic QB who has had great all-time sports moments but really, that's it.

PICK: Shaquille O'Neal

FINAL FOUR

Tiger Woods vs Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod is baseball's top hitter and probably will go down as one of the greats of this era, but he will never be his sport's icon.

PICK: Tiger Woods

LeBron James vs Shaquille O'Neal

LeBron will be all the way there someday. Shaq is and has been already there. But LeBron is a more complete player and already has an iconic status that Shaq never had and never will have.

PICK: LeBron James

FINAL

Tiger Woods vs LeBron James

Both of these guys could be the best their respective sports have ever seen once it's all said and done. Here and now, I'm gonna have to go with the track record, though I could honestly go with either of these guys.

PICK: Tiger Woods

In the end, it's not about citing mere statistics. If we're asking 'Who's Now?' it's a matter of who most permeates the public consciousness, who comes to mind when you put two athletes together and say, 'Which one is the biggest star?' That often transcends simple numbers and contracts.