Tag Archives: decade of dominance

H2H 83: Marcus Allen vs. Eric Dickerson – Who was Better?

In the early to mid-1980s, Los Angeles was home to two NFL franchises in the Raiders and the Rams, each of whom boasted star running backs in Marcus Allen and Eric Dickerson, respectively.  During this golden era of football in Los Angeles, Allen and Dickerson were two of the most productive players in the game, setting single-season records for rushing yards (Dickerson in 1984; record still stands) and yards from scrimmage (Allen in 1985, breaking Dickerson’s mark from the prior year; since broken) in consecutive seasons.  Though their career paths would eventually diverge and both teams would later relocate to different cities (the Raiders back to Oakland and now to Las Vegas, the Rams to St. Louis and now back to Los Angeles), the careers of Allen and Dickerson are nevertheless connected by their shared time in Hollywood and their status as two of the best running backs in NFL history, thus bringing about the question:

Who was better – Marcus Allen or Eric Dickerson?

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H2H 82: Harmon Killebrew vs. Willie McCovey – Who was Better?

When you think of the archetype first baseman, probably the first image that comes to mind is that of a big and powerful middle-of-the-order slugger who smashes home runs and drives in runs with the best of them.  Among the greatest first basemen in MLB history, two sluggers who perfectly fit this description are Harmon Killebrew of the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins and Willie McCovey of the San Francisco Giants.  Their careers overlapped for over 15 season, one on the junior circuit and the other on the senior circuit, with each player hitting over 500 career home runs – in fact, in comparing their playing days, the statistics and achievements for Killebrew and McCovey are remarkably similar, leading to the inevitable question:

Who was better – Harmon Killebrew or Willie McCovey?

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

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

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

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

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

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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H2H 76: Vince Carter vs. Grant Hill – Who was Better?

Ahead of the 2019-2020 season, Vince Carter announced that it would be his record-setting 22nd and final NBA season; over the past two decades, it has been remarkable to watch Carter’s transformation from high-flying superstar with the Toronto Raptors to grizzled old veteran with the Atlanta Hawks.  In many ways, his career evolution parallels that of Grant Hill, who likewise was a superstar in the late 1990s with the Detroit Pistons before injuries took their toll; Hill nevertheless persevered to carve out a valuable new role to match his physical reality and was eventually inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.  In looking back at the long and remarkable careers of both players, let us ponder the question:

Who was better – Vince Carter or Grant Hill?

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H2H 75: Pavel Datsyuk vs. Henrik Zetterberg – Who was Better?

As one of the Original Six NHL franchises, the Detroit Red Wings have been blessed with a plethora of superstars throughout the years, from Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Terry Sawchuk in the mid-20th century to the likes of Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, and Nicklas Lidstrom in more recent times.  Detroit has always embraced foreign stars (see the “Russian Five” from the 1990s) and thus, it should come as no surprise that in the late 2000s and early 2010s, the latest generation of Red Wings was led by Pavel Datsyuk from Russia and Henrik Zetterberg of Sweden. Though each dealt with his fair share of injuries, the duo were among the most electrifying players in the league when fully healthy, and helped Detroit add to its Stanley Cup trophy case.  With their stellar careers essentially overlapping, let us look back and ask:

Who was better – Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg?

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H2H 74: Andre Dawson vs. Dave Winfield – Who was Better?

From speedsters like Rickey Henderson and Tim Raines to sluggers like Jim Rice and Dale Murphy, the 1980s saw a variety of multifaceted talents patrolling MLB outfields.  Among this talented group of outfielders, two Hall of Famers who stood out with their combination of consistency and five-tool versatility were Andre Dawson and Dave Winfield.  Both outfielders starred in the big leagues for more than 20 years across three different decades (1970s, 1980s, and 1990s) with multiple teams and were among the best players of the 1980s, earning MVP awards, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, All-Star selections, etc. en route to Cooperstown.  Given the similarities in comparing this pair of star outfielders, the natural question to ask is:

Who was better – Andre Dawson or Dave Winfield?

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