Kansas City has had its share of sports stars. Chiefs QB Len Dawson, Royals all-star George Brett and golfer Tom Watson probably head the list. But when it comes to raw athletic ability, there's nothing more pure than the 100-meter dash, an Olympic event that lasts 10 seconds. It's the grown-up version of a simple childhood challenge: Race you to that tree, race you to the house, race you to that pole. And for a surprisingly long time, no one in the world could get to the tree faster than Kansas City's own Maurice Greene. These days, the 31-year-old Greene seems to be hobbling toward the end of his career -- he pulled up limping at the U.S. championship in June; he finished last at an August meet in Zurich, Switzerland. But that doesn't take away from the successes he used to justify his "G.O.A.T." tattoo -- meaning Greatest of All Time. Over a career highlighted by his world-record-setting performance in 1999, his tongue-wagging Olympic victory in 2000 and his so-close bronze-medal finish at the 2004 games, he's run his signature event in less than 10 seconds far more times than anyone else. He no longer holds the world record, but he can still boast three of the ten fastest times ever in the 100-meter dash. And he's done it with a welcome swagger unusual for a Midwesterner.
