Greatest living American elimination game (game thread)

Well, ultimately, Kareem didn’t do any better than a blow-up doll.

That blow-up doll flew 30 combat missions in WWII!

Neither did Kareem; that was Roger Murdock. The co-pilot. He even had a nametag to prove it!

Kareem

If the choice boils down to Kareem vs. Magic, I regretfully vote to eliminate Magic.

I guess the NBA’s should go sooner rather than later and in which sequence I care not.

But looking ahead:
Joe Biden:

An extraordinary life of public service, though probably more for persistance than results
But if you want to drop the ball to bookend a career, he’s a doozie

And another for Jose Andres.

Magic Johnson

As @Maserschmidt said, I too feel that sports figures should not be mentioned in the same sentence with the phrase “Greatest Living American”.
It’s time for Magic to be benched.

-“BB”-

Our votes this round:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Athlete, writer, activist - 2 votes
José Andrés: Humanitarian, chef - 2 votes
Joe Biden: President, uniter, overcomer - 1 vote
Magic Johnson: Superstar, survivor, inspiration - 7 votes
Amory Lovins: Physicist, energy activist - 2 votes

The great (but not great enough) Magic Johnson hits the showers.

Our remaining nominees:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Athlete, writer, activist
José Andrés: Humanitarian, chef
Joe Biden: President, uniter, overcomer
Warren Buffett: Level-headed billionaire
Bob Dylan: Poet of generation
Anthony Fauci: Physician, immunologist, scientist
Bill Gates: Futurist, philanthropist, billionaire
Jesse Jackson: Civil rights leader
Mark Kelly: Senator, astronaut, aviator
Stephen King: Great American writer
Amory Lovins: Physicist, energy activist
Barack Obama: President, statesman, lawyer
Dolly Parton: Artist, humanitarian
Bernie Sanders: Democratic Socialist leader
MacKenzie Scott: Philanthropist, prize-winning novelist
Steven Spielberg: Director, writer, entertainer
Bruce Springsteen: Singer, songwriter, activist
Elizabeth Warren: Fighting political foes

Eliminated

  1. Jim Gaffigan: Comedian, author, commentator
  2. Craig Ferguson: Polymath, director-writer, comedian
  3. Mitt Romney: Senator, impeachment juror
  4. Buzz Aldrin: Second on Moon
  5. Taylor Swift: Musician, songwriter, icon
  6. Tim Walz: Honorable political messenger
  7. Simon Biles: GOAT gymnast
  8. Judy Blume: Children’s literature icon
  9. Amanda Gorman: Poet, activist, prodigy
  10. Jim Lovell: Apollo 13 astronaut
  11. Spike Lee: Filmmaker, Knicks fan
  12. Janet Yellen: Economist, Treasury secretary
  13. Magic Johnson: Superstar, survivor, inspiration

Voting for our next round will end at noon EST on Mon. July 14.

José Andrés again.

Lovins

Steven Spielberg

Stephen King

Lovins

Kareem

Kareem. I mean I like the guy, but honestly.

Kareem

We’ve got two recording artists still in the mix — one described as a ‘Poet of (a) generation’, and the other as a ‘Singer, songwriter, activist’.
Personally, I think Bob from Minnesota is/was more influential than Bruce from New Jersey.

Sorry, Boss. Here’s bus fare back to Asbury Park.

-“BB”-

Nitpick: we have three recording artists in the mix.

But my vote goes to Lovins this round.

I picked a bad week to stop voting for former Lakers.

Kareem it is.