Tiger deserved to be Athlete of the Decade

Tiger Woods got something he deserved this week.

He was named Athlete of the Decade by the Associated Press, being chosen over Lance Armstrong and Roger Federer, among others.

It was the right call and the obvious call.

Despite all that has happened over the past three weeks, Woods dominated the decade like no other athlete. The fact that more than half the votes were cast since the scandal surrounding him has unfolded speaks to the magnitude of his achievements over the past 10 years.

Woods' numbers are impressive enough: 64 worldwide wins, including 12 major championships. In this decade, Woods' 54 PGA Tour wins are more than all but four players have won in their careers.

But Woods' deserved the honor because he did more than win tournaments. He changed golf and the way it's viewed around the world. He became, arguably, the most recognizable athlete in the world.

Obviously, what we've learned these past three weeks has changed the way Woods is viewed as a person but that doesn't dim what he's accomplished on the golf course. He became the only golfer to own all four major championships at the same time and he made golf must-see viewing when he was in the chase.

Armstong, Federer, Michael Phelps and others did spectacular things over the past decade but none of them did as much as Tiger Woods. While the attention directed at Tiger has turned to his personal life and his sudden fall from grace, he remains the most transcendant and accomplished athlete of the past 10 years.