We're all dancing around the same maypole here...

Federer is hoisted as the better athlete because he plays a more physical sport. Hmmm. Have you seen Tiger lately...in a world of pudgy putters - and they're not all that bad (think Scott, Baddely, Villegas, etc.) - Tiger is a freakish specimen.

Now, the idea of training and having a made-for-tv event in each other's sport would be cool. Of course it's been done. Beckham and Bush did it recently. Beckham couldn't be a running back but he was pounding the pigskin - that guy could be an awesome kicker with his power and accuracy.

I like the idea but I wouldn't sell Tiger short - especially if it was skill drills. I play golf and tennis and the skills translate well - body rotation, developing racquet head speed, etc. The problem is, both of these guys are fine-tuned killing machines in their respective sports. Although the skills translate, I'd hate to see Roger throw his back out trying to grip it and rip it like Tiger does...Have you seen that guy crush a drive? The body rotation alone would cripple most weekend golfers.

Tiger DEFINITELY has the greater competition week-in and week-out. And let's not forget how the golf courses - already tough to play - have been Tiger-proofed. At least they have tried. The tennis court is always the same. The balls are always the same. How would R-Fed do if the USTA decided to raise the net, make the service box smaller and shorten the court? Something to think about.

Someone mentioned how Federer wins because he has to play seven matches over two weeks. Whatever. He usually doesn't face anyone even remotely capable of beating him until the quarters. He gets a bye in the first round of most tournaments. That's the equivalent of Tiger playing club pros in the first few rounds of a Match Play tourney and taking a gimme against the first one. Translated to stroke play, that's spotting Tiger a 65 in the first round.

At the end of the day, it's not really a fair comparison. It would be like comparing Barry Bonds and Peyton Manning (Manning wins, of course) or some other cross-sport rivalry. What makes this so interesting are the parallels between them.

My take though, is Tiger. I think they both have natural gifts and prepare well but Tiger has changed his playing style at least twice, suffered through, er, "slumps" and come back better every time. I know Roger has an all-court game but can you imagine him changing his swing style, the plane of his serve and ground strokes? I don't think so.

Finally, name me ten guys who have a realistic chance of beating Roger this week, next week or next year. You can't. But I can name ten to twenty that could win the Players Championship this weekend. And that's with only thirty playing.