The case for sports’ greatest No. 8: Kobe Bryant? Lamar Jackson? Alex Ovechkin?

The Athletic has stay protection of Alex Ovechkin’s journey to interrupt Wayne Gretzky’s profession objective document. 

It’s a combat over the quantity eight.

On Wednesday, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson challenged NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. over Earnhardt’s pending trademark of a stylized No. 8 used for his JR Motorsports race crew. On Friday, Earnhardt stated on social media that he had secured the rights to the traditional No. 8 model he raced within the early 2000s and deliberate to retire the opposite No. 8 font (the one below protest from Jackson).

In July of 2024, Jackson challenged retired quarterback Troy Aikman over Aikman’s try and trademark “EIGHT” for his model. Jackson has a model that includes the quantity referred to as “Period 8.”

We’re not certified to weigh in on the nuances of copyright regulation. However we’re certified to debate who’s the best No. 8 of all time. We requested seven Athletic writers throughout sports activities to make their case: Who’s the GNEOAT to prime all GNEOATs?

MLB: Yogi Berra

It’s powerful to make cross-sport comparisons, however hear me out, as a result of baseball would really like a phrase. Maybe you’ve heard of Carl Yastrzemski, who wore No. 8 for 23 years in Boston. In eighteen of these 23 years, he was an All-Star. And from 1967 till 2012, he was the one hitter to win the Triple Crown (main house runs, batting common and RBIs).

Then there’s Cal Ripken Jr., who broke Lou Gehrig’s unbreakable streak of two,130 consecutive video games with no day without work — after which prolonged his lead by three full seasons, ending at 2,632, all with the Orioles. And we will’t pass over Joe Morgan, who received two MVPs and helped the Reds to 2 championships. His 100.6 bWAR leads all different No. 8s within the sport.

However possibly the most important cultural icon of the bunch was Yankees catcher Yogi Berra, whose “Yogi-isms” outlined the game in distinctive and infrequently surreal methods as he helped the Yankees to 10 World Collection championships. As a supervisor, he took each the Yankees (1964) and Mets (1973) to the World Collection. Given his contributions to the game on and off the sphere, I believe he’s my decide (however should you wanna discuss me into Yaz, I’m listening). — Levi Weaver, employees author

NBA: Kobe Bryant

Solely a handful of gamers have retired jerseys. What number of are you aware with two retired jerseys?

Kobe Bryant wore No. 8 from 1996-2006, then switched to No. 24 till he retired in 2016, however his time sporting No. 8 has extra iconic moments than most athletes have of their complete careers.

That was again when Kobe threw the long-lasting lob to Shaquille O’Neal to assist full a fourth-quarter comeback in Recreation 7 of the 2000 Western Convention finals, which led to the primary of Bryant’s 5 championships. No. 8 Bryant received three titles. That Bryant additionally scored 81 factors in a 2006 recreation towards Toronto — second solely to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 in 1962 — and in addition received a slam dunk contest, changing into the youngest participant to take action at 18, all whereas sporting No. 8, solely helps strengthen his case.

Bryant received two extra championships, a regular-season MVP and two NBA Finals MVPs sporting No. 24, however his influence was so nice sporting No. 8 that the Lakers retired each, making him the one Laker with two numbers retired.

He went from youthful enthusiasm to superstardom. Few impacted sports activities and tradition like Bryant did for the Lakers. — Jason Jones, employees editor

NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s autobiography about his rookie season in NASCAR is known as “Driver #8.” Since its publication in 2001, the passage of time has solely made that anonymous affiliation stronger.

Sure, Earnhardt stopped driving the No. 8 automobile after 2007 and switched to the No. 88. No, he by no means received a NASCAR Cup Collection championship.

However there has by no means been a extra well-liked driver in NASCAR historical past, nobody who had the flexibility to be the “house crew” for hundreds of thousands of followers like Earnhardt did whereas transcending the racing world. He was featured on “MTV Cribs,” offered on the VMAs through the award present’s prime and was profiled in “Rolling Stone” and “Playboy” within the golden age of magazines.

Even when he’s not the very best profile No. 8 for mainstream sports activities followers, he might need probably the most passionate group of followers. There’s possible no fan base that has inked extra No. 8 tattoos in an athlete’s honor than the denizens of “Junior Nation.” — Jeff Gluck, senior author

Soccer: Andrés Iniesta

In soccer, Spanish midfielder Andrés Iniesta wasn’t only a nice participant — he essentially redefined what it meant to be a midfielder.

Earlier than Iniesta burst into stardom at Barcelona, the center of the park was for bruisers, with solely a handful of gamers bothering to do the work with brains, not brawn. Iniesta was a distinct participant solely. He was the final word metronome, toying with the tempo of the sport at will. Together with fellow Barcelona legend Xavi, Iniesta relied on his guile, his imaginative and prescient and his inch-perfect distribution greater than any specific bodily attribute. His understanding of the sport rivaled that of a earlier Barcelona legend, Johan Cruyff, and Iniesta possessed some traits that surpassed him.

Iniesta received each trophy conceivable with Barcelona — 4 Champions League titles to associate with 9 La Liga titles. Greater than something, although, he’ll be remembered for what he did whereas representing Spain — significantly the additional time objective that gave La Furia Roja their first-ever World Cup championship in 2010. Iniesta was by no means a prolific goalscorer, however in some ways, the last-gasp strike was classic Iniesta: calm, composed, completely positioned. The objective made Iniesta a nationwide hero in Spain. Throughout all the footballing world, it solidified his place as the sport’s biggest ever No. 8. — Pablo Maurer, employees author

NFL: Lamar Jackson

The NFL is king. We’re reminded of that yearly when tv scores come out. And Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson isn’t simply one of many faces of the NFL. Along with his distinctive model, he’s redefined how we view quarterbacks, probably the most glamorous and integral place in skilled sports activities.

Jackson, in simply seven seasons, has already accomplished issues that we’ve by no means seen earlier than. The accolades and information — the 2 MVPs and what simply may have been a 3rd, the unprecedented 4,000-plus passing yards and 800-plus dashing yards in a single season — are spectacular. However it’s how he’s accomplished it that elevates him into one other stratosphere.

That is an athlete who has continually been advised what he isn’t or what he can’t be. Most groups didn’t imagine he had the products to be an NFL franchise quarterback forward of the 2018 Draft. When there was a chance to probably signal him two offseasons in the past, 31 different groups stayed away.

But Jackson has by no means wavered, by no means modified to attempt to be another person or acquiesced to criticism. He’s unapologetically who he’s, and that’s some of the fascinating and attention-grabbing personalities in skilled sports activities. — Jeff Zrebiec, senior author

Faculty soccer: Lamar Jackson

Faculty soccer has three gamers vying for the highest spot as Mr. 8, and Jackson is within the operating on this one, too. In three seasons at Louisville, Jackson handed for 9,043 yards and 69 touchdowns whereas dashing for 4,132 yards and 50 scores. Few gamers may match Jackson’s on-field theatrics, which is just about what lets say about his NFL influence almost a decade later. Jackson received the 2016 Heisman Trophy and completed third in 2017.

Former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is correct there with Jackson. Whereas his NFL profession by no means reached the heights many projected, Mariota was unreal in faculty. In 2014, Mariota threw for 42 touchdowns and solely 4 interceptions whereas finishing 68.3 % of his passes. He additionally rushed for 770 yards and 15 scores to win the Heisman. Mariota led the Geese to a runner-up end within the inaugural Faculty Soccer Playoff.

Observers can’t overlook TCU quarterback Davey O’Brien, who received the 1938 Heisman Trophy. O’Brien was maybe overshadowed traditionally by predecessor Sammy Baugh, however O’Brien guided the Horned Frogs to an unbeaten season and the nationwide title. He was the primary participant to win the Heisman, Walter Camp and Maxwell trophies in the identical season. Today, faculty soccer’s prime quarterback is yearly given the Davey O’Brien Award.

So, who’s faculty soccer’s prime No. 8? It’s Jackson. If somebody started a listing of faculty soccer’s most explosive gamers, it begins with him. — Scott Dochterman, employees author

I really feel like I have to defend myself preemptively. I’m not making an attempt to be a prisoner of the second, and I don’t suppose I’m a hockey provincialist. That being stated, Alex Ovechkin isn’t simply the perfect NHL participant to ever put on his quantity — he’s the perfect athlete to put on it, interval.

This isn’t a knock on NFL’s Jackson. By the point his profession is over, he may take the belt. Because it stands, although, Ovechkin has the identical variety of MVPs, and a Stanley Cup championship and, relying on if you learn this, extra objectives than anybody within the historical past of the NHL (as of publication, Ovechkin is three away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s document). That’s form of the entire level of the game. Now, if Jackson lands because the all-time chief in touchdowns or yards from scrimmage as a QB, we will discuss. Till then, although, Ovechkin has him beat.

The remainder of the competitors is flawed in a technique or one other, too. Berra is an American icon and, maybe, the perfect catcher of all time — however he’s not within the total GOAT dialog. Ovechkin is. Bryant would have a declare if he didn’t swap numbers after simply 10 seasons. Ovechkin did no such factor. The battle for silver is attention-grabbing. First place, although, is locked up. — Sean Gentille, senior author

(Picture: Patrick Smith / Getty Pictures)