Why Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods will always be a cut above the rest

Michael Jordan. Tiger Woods. Athletes of different specialties, but linked by the incomparable reverence each inspire in their fields.

And also, by separate friendships with Ahmad Rashad, currently a sportscaster for NBC Sports.

Rashad recently joined NBC Sports' Mike Tirico on Lunch Talk Live to break down what separates those two from the rest of the pack in each of their respective sports. The common threads include legendary competitiveness, unparalleled drive and an unsatiable will to win.

"What I see in these two guys is their quest for excellence. And nobody determines what that excellence is except them. They’re competing with themselves, they’re trying to be the best they can possibly be, and they have never set any sort of limits. You know, when people say the sky is the limit, well, their (Jordan and Woods') limit is past that and they work extremely hard to get to where they want to be.

And one of the things about both of them is — I’m talking about workouts — they are just fanatical. When Michael was playing he never missed a workout, he worked harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. Me being an athlete myself and having seen some of the things people to do get themselves ready, prepared to play, these two guys, I’ve never seen anyone be more dedicated than them. Tiger, the other day I’m talking to him it’s 5:30 in the morning, he just came from working out. Or, 'Hey dude, what’re you doing?' 'I’m sweating my ass off, just came out of the gym.'

It’s not just physical, it’s also mental. Very few people that I’ve ever met or ever been around have the natural born talent, but (also) the wherewithal to find whatever it is inside of them that makes them want to excel, that can not take being second ever. It’s just not a part of who they are. And to try to keep up with them is almost impossible, but they sort of lead by doing... These are guys that, you talk about workaholics. You see some people that work so hard and they go, 'You know, he made the team because he worked so hard. Well here’s two guys that were the best that have ever done it that worked twice as hard as they did."

That just about sums it up. Rashad knew both Jordan and Woods well — Jordan from back in his first days in the league through the dynasty years, and Woods from Rashad's time covering golf.

To this day, Rashad, who's enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and has spent countless hours around athletes of every creed, says he's never seen anything like the two of them.