Monthly Archives: July 2020

H2H 81: Rick Barry vs. Julius Erving – Who was Better?

Posted on July 31, 2020 | Leave a comment

Though the American Basketball Association (ABA) only lasted for about a decade (1967-1976) before its remaining teams were merged into the NBA, the upstart league had its fair share of great players during its brief existence, such as George Gervin, Artis Gilmore, and Dan Issel, just to name a few.  However, perhaps the two greatest players in ABA history were Rick Barry and Julius Erving AKA Dr. J – both not only dominated the ABA during their respective tenures, but were also superstars in the NBA and Hall of Famers who are among the greatest small forwards in basketball history.  From Barry’s unique free throw shooting technique to Erving’s air-defying dunks, each player left an indelible mark on basketball history, thus leading to the question:

Who was better – Rick Barry or Julius Erving?

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Countdown 50: Top 10 NHL Players of the 2000s

Posted on July 28, 2020 | Leave a comment

Who are the top NHL players of the 2000s?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 80: Barry Larkin vs. Ozzie Smith – Who was Better?

Posted on July 24, 2020 | Leave a comment

As perhaps the most valuable defensive position in baseball (outside of catcher), shortstops are required to be slick fielders with rocket arms, even at the expense of their offensive production.  Among the long list of great shortstops in MLB history, two of the best ever defensively were Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds and Ozzie Smith, most famously of the St. Louis Cardinals.  Smith is arguably the greatest defensive player in baseball history (either him or Brooks Robinson, take your pick), while Larkin was excellent for many years with both the bat and the glove, thus leading to an interesting comparison/debate between the two Hall of Fame shortstops:

Who was better – Barry Larkin or Ozzie Smith?

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Countdown 49: Top 10 NBA Players of the 2010s

Posted on July 21, 2020 | Leave a comment
Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, James Harden (30735342912), CC BY-SA 2.0

Who are the top NBA players of the 2010s?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 79: Jean Beliveau vs. Stan Mikita – Who was Better?

Posted on July 17, 2020 | Leave a comment

During the Original Six era and well before the advent of free agency, NHL stars played their entire careers with one team and were thus able to carve out indelible legacies.  Two legendary players who fit this bill were Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens and Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks – each played for two decades plus and racked up well over 1,000 career points with numerous individual and team accolades.  As relative contemporaries who faced off on countless occasions during the 1960s and are among their respective teams’ all-time greatest players, thus the question:

Who was better – Jean Beliveau or Stan Mikita?

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Countdown 48: Top 10 MLB Players of the 2010s

Posted on July 14, 2020 | Leave a comment

Who are the top MLB players of the 2010s?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 78: Cris Carter vs. Marvin Harrison – Who was Better?

Posted on July 10, 2020 | Leave a comment
MN National Guard, Cris Carter HOF, CC BY 3.0
The original uploader was Djmunden at English Wikipedia., Marvin Harrison in 2007 Training Camp 2, CC BY-SA 3.0

While Jerry Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history and holds most of the major career receiving records (receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, etc.), the title of second-best wide receiver generates significantly more debate.  From a statistical perspective, two wide receivers who have previously held the single-season receptions record and later ranked #2 all-time in career receptions upon retirement were Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Marvin Harrison.  Each player was at one point or another overshadowed by other great receivers (Carter by Rice, Harrison by Randy Moss and Terrell Owens), but was nevertheless an incredibly talented and consistent pass-catcher who retired with 1,000+ career catches, 10,000+ yards, and 100+ touchdowns.  In comparing these two legendary pass-catchers, the question is:

Who was better – Cris Carter or Marvin Harrison?

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Countdown 47: Top 10 NFL Players of the 2010s

Posted on July 7, 2020 | Leave a comment
Denverjeffrey, J.J. Watt 2018—2, CC BY 4.0

Who are the top NFL players of the 2010s?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 77: Al Kaline vs. Carl Yastrzemski – Who was Better?

Posted on July 3, 2020 | 1 comment

The 1970s saw a record seven MLB players reach the magical 3,000-hit mark, starting with Hank Aaron in May 1970 and concluding with Carl Yastrzemski in September 1979 (the others being Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline, Pete Rose, and Lou Brock).  Among this sterling seven, only Kaline and Yastrzemski hailed from the AL, serving as the respective franchise faces for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox over their lengthy careers.  There are deep similarities between the two players – each was an outfielder, each was both an excellent hitter and fielder, each played 20+ years, and each was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.  With their careers overlapping for more than a dozen years, it is natural to ask the question:

Who was better – Al Kaline or Carl Yastrzemski?

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