Monthly Archives: April 2021

H2H 120: Elton Brand vs. Zach Randolph – Who was Better?

Due to the focus on multi-positional players, small-ball lineups, and three-point shooting in the modern NBA game, the traditional back-to-the-basket power forward has become a bit of an anachronism.  However, if you turn back the clock by a decade or two, traditional power forwards who could average a double-double were still considered a valuable commodity – at the position, Elton Brand and Zach Randolph were two of the most consistently productive players in the game, nightly 20-and-10 players who were cornerstone pieces for their respective teams.  For those who look back upon this more rugged era of basketball with nostalgia, let us reminisce on bygone days and ask:

Who was better – Elton Brand or Zach Randolph?

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Countdown 89: Top 10 Chicago Bulls of All Time

Who are the top Chicago Bulls of all time?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 119: Andy Pettitte vs. CC Sabathia – Who was Better?

Disclaimer: I am well aware that Andy Pettitte was alleged to have used steroids in the Mitchell Report and later admitted to it in his testimony to Congress.  With all of this background in mind, this head-to-head between Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia is meant to compare them based solely on their career numbers and achievements without judgment on Pettitte’s steroid use during his career.

Historically, lefties are over-represented in baseball for strategic reasons: left-handed hitters generally have the advantage in matchups vs. right-handed pitchers and thus, left-handed pitchers are a prized commodity because they can neutralize that perceived advantage.  From Warren Spahn to Sandy Koufax to Randy Johnson to Clayton Kershaw, great left-handed pitchers are nevertheless far harder to come by than their right-handed counterparts due to their relative dearth overall in society (lefties are ~10% of the total population).  As such, Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia were two of the most valuable pitchers of their era in the 2000s and 2010s – not only were they coveted for being southpaws, but both players also accumulated 250+ career victories apiece; between these two great left-handed starting pitchers, the question is:

Who was better – Andy Pettitte or CC Sabathia?

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Countdown 88: Top 10 San Francisco 49ers of All Time

Who are the top San Francisco 49ers of all time?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 118: Vincent Lecavalier vs. Brad Richards – Who was Better?

In 2004, the Tampa Bay Lightning won their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history; in doing so, this represented the culmination of a lifelong dream for childhood friends and teammates Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards.  From their days as teenagers playing junior hockey to being part of the same draft class with Tampa Bay and experiencing early struggles with the franchise before achieving individual and team success, the two players’ careers were always intricately interlinked; in fact, they would even retire in the same season (2016) with similar career statistics, leading to the inevitable natural comparison:

Who was better – Vincent Lecavalier or Brad Richards?

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Countdown 87: Top 10 Chicago Blackhawks of All Time

Who are the top Chicago Blackhawks of all time?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 117: Jamaal Charles vs. Chris Johnson – Who was Better?

In football, there is the saying that “speed kills” – as a result, at the NFL Combine each year, one of the most closely tracked metrics is the 40-yard dash, even though its ability to predict greatness at the next level is at best murky.  Nevertheless, at the running back position, the 2008 NFL Draft saw the arrival of two of the fastest running backs ever in Jamaal Charles and Chris Johnson, with Johnson at one point running the fastest 40-yard time ever.  With their blazing speed, both backs were multi-purpose weapons and among the game’s most productive offensive players at their respective peaks (and consensus first-round fantasy draft picks) – their similar styles of play and levels of production thus raises the question:

Who was better – Jamaal Charles or Chris Johnson?

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Countdown 86: Top 10 NBA Players of the 1950s

Who are the top NBA players of the 1950s?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 116: Vladimir Guerrero vs. Manny Ramirez – Who was Better?

Disclaimer: I am well aware that Manny Ramirez tested positive numerous times for steroids during his MLB career and this is the primary reason why he is currently not in the Baseball Hall of Fame.  With all of this background in mind, this head-to-head between Vladimir Guerrero and Manny Ramirez is meant to compare them based solely on their career numbers and achievements without judgment on Ramirez’s steroid use during his career.

The end of the 2011 MLB season marked the last time that baseball fans would see two of the greatest Dominican-born players ever suit up for a major league game – for nearly two decades apiece, Vladimir Guerrero and Manny Ramirez were two of the game’s best sluggers.  Moreover, they were among the unique characters in the game, from Guerrero’s penchant for swinging at anything to Ramirez’s personality of “Manny being Manny”.  Even though Ramirez’s legacy has been tarnished by a number of positive steroid tests, he and Guerrero still sit at or near the top of most career hitting categories among their countrymen, thus making this an apt comparison:

Who was better – Vladimir Guerrero or Manny Ramirez?

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