While the United States has always been a bit of a little brother to Canada when it comes to hockey talent, the Stars and Stripes have nevertheless produced a number of outstanding NHL players over the years. Though Patrick Kane has likely assumed the unofficial mantle of best American-born player ever, two of the long-time contenders for the distinction were Pat LaFontaine and Mike Modano, both of whom came of age during one of Team USA’s golden eras in the 1980s alongside the likes of Brett Hull (born in Canada with dual citizenship), Brian Leetch, Jeremy Roenick, Keith Tkachuk, etc. Between these two Hall of Famers, one holds the American record for highest per-game scoring average and the other is the all-time career leader in goals and points, thus raising the question:
The designated hitter (DH) was first introduced to the AL in 1973, with Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees becoming the first official DH in MLB history. In the nearly half-century since then, the DH has been a source of much debate for baseball fans and has often served as a position for sluggers to transition to once they become fielding liabilities. Nevertheless, some of the most feared offensive players in recent baseball history have been primarily DHs, namely Edgar Martinez of the Seattle Mariners in the 1990s and David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox in the 2000s. With Martinez being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 and Ortiz soon becoming eligible, the comparisons between these two star DHs naturally leads to the question:
Centers are usually the tallest players on the basketball court, seven-foot-tall behemoths who battle for the opening tipoff and spend most of their time scoring, rebounding, and defending close to the basket. Yet in the 1970s, two undersized centers dominated in the NBA’s Eastern Conference – 6’9” Dave Cowens of the Boston Celtics and 6’7” Wes Unseld of the Baltimore/Washington Bullets. Despite their relatively diminutive sizes, both players towered over the competition on the court as perennial All-Star and MVP candidates who each led their respective teams to titles. Looking back on this rugged era in the NBA’s history, let us compare the careers of these two contemporary rivals and ask:
When it comes to NFL franchise faces, quarterbacks are often the first players that come to mind, e.g. Tom Brady with the New England Patriots or Brett Favre with the Green Bay Packers. However, for the San Diego Chargers in the 1990s and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000s, these teams were best epitomized by linebackers Junior Seau and Derrick Brooks, respectively. Each a native son, Seau and Brooks were both the heart and soul of their team for well over a decade; moreover, they were perennial Pro Bowl and All-Pro linebackers who can each stake a claim to being a top-five player in franchise history. Looking back on the long and storied careers of these two Hall of Fame linebackers naturally brings about the question:
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