The Greatest Ever?

Life is not supposed to be easy. I learned that a long time ago. Of course, I also learned that it's not fair, either, but that's a story for my kids and my students. Suffice it to say that words like "dynasty" and "the greatest" (except for Muhammed Ali who WAS the greatest)get thrown around a lot. I've even been told a couple of times during the last two yeas that I was "the greatest." Not so...not even close. And yet, talk is spreading faster than video of a Carl Edwards shoving match that Jimmie Johnson may be the world's greatest driver EVER following this year's 3-peat on the NASCAR (NotAlotSoCoolAboutRacing) circuit. Fortunately, there's been no claim to his being the greatest athlete ever. He and his multi-million dollar Hendricks Motorsport Chevy (isn't GM almost bankrupt?) corporation have won the coveted gold-plated gasoline can for three years running...well, actually, three years driving-really-fast. He has been hailed as greater than Cale Yarborough (if you don't know, it doesn't matter), the only other driver to win three consecutive years. Writers who know about such things say this might be the greatest accomplishment in SPORTS HISTORY! Yes, Dan, NASCAR IS a sport because there is defense involved, particularly in the pits and in the garages where the drivers go at it or when Danica Patrick goes off on another driver when she's not modeling in a not-made-for-driving outfit. Swappin' paint with the good ol' boys has turned into swapping shoves and punches...more exciting to some than racing (after all, isn't that why we watch hockey?)
Anyway, the ultimate honor/insult was bestowed by a writer the other day who said that Johnson's feat eclipsed all three-peats in sports...ever...the Lakers' wins in 2000-2002, the Yankees wins in 1998-2000 and, gasp...even Lombardi's Packers wins from 1965-1967. Yep, he actually said that! (no mention, really, of Lambeau's three-peat from 1929-1931 or of the Chicago Bulls dynastic run) If statistics are to be believed, he may be right...supposedly.
The quoted statistics indicate that winning three consecutive years on the NASCAR circuit has only a prbability of happening 1.8% of the time. Winning three NFL championships is second at 2.2% of the time, and winning the World Series in baseball is a far distant third, occurring at a rate of 6.8%. Of course, as Disraeli, Marshall, Twain, and a host of others (including myself) have said, there are lies, damn lies and statistics.
So, we're left to ponder the question of whether or not Jimmie Johmson's conquest (not CarQuest) of the NASCAR circuit is of Rushmore-like proportion. Personally, I've already devoted more time to the activity of auto racing in this blog than I have ever done in any fashion over my lifetime. For my money, it's akin to watching golf or rhythmic gymnastics. Even bowling is more exciting, and the tie between the Eagles and the Bengals today had more drama than pounding the asphalt. But that's just me. I'm no expert. or even an athlete: my shoulder still hurts from Wii bowling.