Tag Archives: decade of dominance

H2H 53: Marcel Dionne vs. Guy Lafleur – Who was Better?

Posted on January 17, 2020 | 2 comments
Jeangagnon, Guy Lafleur 01, CC BY-SA 3.0

When two players are drafted first and second overall in a given year, their careers are inexorably linked and will be forever compared and contrasted to each other (think Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin in the 2004 NHL Draft, or in a different sport, Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf in the 1998 NFL Draft).  Such was the case in 1971, when two Quebec junior hockey superstars, Guy Lafleur and Marcel Dionne, were selected with the first two picks in that year’s NHL draft – both picks worked out, as each player went on to have a legendary Hall of Fame career, thus inevitably bringing up the question:

Who was better – Marcel Dionne or Guy Lafleur?

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H2H 52: Rod Carew vs. Tony Gwynn – Who was Better?

Posted on January 10, 2020 | 1 comment
 Galaksiafervojo, Tony Gwynn, CC BY-SA 3.0

At the 2016 All-Star Game, MLB renamed the AL and NL batting title trophies after Rod Carew and Tony Gwynn, respectively, an apt tribute given each player’s hitting prowess – after all, only six players in baseball history have won seven or more batting titles: Ty Cobb (12x), Honus Wagner (8x), Gwynn (8x), Carew (7x), Stan Musial (7x), and Rogers Hornsby (7x).  As baseball has evolved more and more into a game of the “three true outcomes” (home run, walk, or strikeout), Carew and Gwynn were unique in that neither was a power hitter, but instead, consistent .300+ contact hitters who each amassed 3,000+ career hits over nearly two decades. Given their similar games and the fact that they will be forever immortalized together as batting champion namesakes, it is only natural to ask:

Who was better – Rod Carew or Tony Gwynn?

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H2H 51: Joe Montana vs. Johnny Unitas – Who was Better?

Posted on January 3, 2020 | Leave a comment

As members of the NFL 100 team, Joe Montana and Johnny Unitas are rightfully recognized as two of the best to ever play the quarterback position; in fact, until Tom Brady came along, the mantle of greatest quarterback ever usually centered around these two names.  From Unitas being the first great modern quarterback with the Baltimore Colts in the 1960s to Montana’s Super Bowl brilliance with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s, each player won MVPs and championships while leaving an indelible mark on the game of football. With a century of professional football behind us, now is an opportune time to consider the question:

Who was better – Joe Montana or Johnny Unitas?

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H2H 50: Sandy Koufax vs. Pedro Martinez – Who was Better?

Posted on December 27, 2019 | Leave a comment
Andrew Malone, Pedro’s return, CC BY 2.0

When it comes to the most dominant pitchers in MLB history, two names that often come to mind are Sandy Koufax and Pedro Martinez.  With a lethal combination of movement and overpowering stuff, each pitcher was nearly unhittable in his prime, racking up the strikeouts, wins, and Cy Youngs – in fact, their respective five-year peaks are some of the most dominant pitching performances the game of baseball has ever seen.  Despite their careers being separated by 40 years, the striking similarities between these legendary Hall of Fame hurlers leads us to ask:

Who was better – Sandy Koufax or Pedro Martinez?

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H2H 49: John Stockton vs. Isiah Thomas – Who was Better?

Posted on December 20, 2019 | Leave a comment
Intel(R) JPEG Library, version [1.51.12.44]

Though they may often be the smallest players on the court, great point guards can control the flow and have an outsized impact on the outcome of a basketball game.  Along these lines, during the 1980s and 1990s, the diminutive floor generals John Stockton and Isiah Thomas each stood only a shade above six feet tall and weighed barely 170 to 180 pounds, yet were among the biggest and brightest stars in the Association; while the former was more of a pass-first point guard and the latter was a more dynamic scorer, each led their respective teams to unprecedented success.  As we look back on this rugged era of NBA play and compare and contrast the careers of both players, we ask the question:

Who was better – John Stockton or Isiah Thomas?

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H2H 48: Ray Lewis vs. Brian Urlacher – Who was Better?

Posted on December 14, 2019 | Leave a comment
Mr.schultz, Ray Lewis 2007, CC BY-SA 3.0
Mike Morbeck, Brian Urlacher 2009, CC BY-SA 2.0

Much like quarterbacks are the field generals and beating hearts of a football team’s offense, middle linebackers are very much the quarterbacks and heart and soul of a defense.  From their position in the center of the defensive formation, they are often at the center of the action, whether it be swooping in for a tackle, rushing after the quarterback, or dropping back in coverage.  In the 21st century, two of the outstanding linebackers of this generation have been Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens and Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears, who were both centerpieces of dominating defensive teams.  Given their overlapping careers and subsequent elections into the Hall of Fame, it is natural to compare the two players and ask:

Who was better – Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher?

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H2H 47: Peter Forsberg vs. Eric Lindros – Who was Better?

Posted on December 6, 2019 | Leave a comment
Håkan Dahlström, Peter Forsberg 1997, CC BY 3.0
Andynok, Eric Lindros At Smashfest 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0

Throughout the history of sports, there have been many cases of “what could have been”, i.e. immensely talented players who, for one reason or another, did not fully reach their potential.  In recent NHL memory, two players who come to mind are Peter Forsberg and Eric Lindros, whose careers were closely linked from the very beginning – though both ended up having excellent careers and were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, had it not been for injuries, each was blessed with the talent to become one of the greatest hockey players in history.  Alas, we can only judge players by what they actually did and so there will always be questions of what each player could have accomplished – nevertheless, based on their existing bodies of work, the question is:

Who was better – Peter Forsberg or Eric Lindros?

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H2H 46: Jimmie Foxx vs. Lou Gehrig – Who was Better?

Posted on November 29, 2019 | Leave a comment

When it comes to a discussion about the greatest first basemen in MLB history, the shortlist usually includes names like Albert Pujols, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Hank Greenberg, etc.  In particular, with Babe Ruth helping to usher in a new age of baseball post the dead-ball era, offense exploded in the 1920s and 1930s. At the vanguard of this renaissance were Jimmie Foxx and Lou Gehrig, two first basemen who are closely linked to Ruth: Foxx was arguably the second-greatest power hitter of the era (after Ruth), while Gehrig protected Ruth as the cleanup hitter in the New York Yankees’ lineup for a decade.  Between these two legendary sluggers, as fans continue to debate their careers and places in history, we ask the question:

Who was better – Jimmie Foxx or Lou Gehrig?

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H2H 45: Edgerrin James vs. Ricky Williams – Who was Better?

Posted on November 22, 2019 | 1 comment
Bigmoe797, Edgerrinjames2004, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chris J. Nelson, Ricky Williams3, CC BY 3.0

Note: Updated for Edgerrin James’ 2020 Hall of Fame selection.

In the 1999 NFL Draft, the first three picks overall were quarterbacks – Tim Couch to the Cleveland Browns (bust), Donovan McNabb to the Philadelphia Eagles (very good career), and Akili Smith to the Cincinnati Bengals (bust).  Then, with the fourth overall pick and having traded away star running back Marshall Faulk, the Indianapolis Colts were in a position to draft a running back; though Ricky Williams had just won the Heisman Trophy, the Colts surprised many by drafting Edgerrin James instead.  This led to a domino effect where Mike Ditka and the New Orleans Saints essentially traded away their entire draft to take Williams at fifth overall, thus forever intertwining the careers of James and Williams. Both running backs had productive careers and in comparing the two in hindsight, the question is:

Who was better – Edgerrin James or Ricky Williams?

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H2H 44: Manu Ginobili vs. Tony Parker – Who was Better?

Posted on November 15, 2019 | Leave a comment

While the retirement of David Robinson at the end of the 2002-2003 season marked the end of the “Twin Towers” era in San Antonio, it would also usher in the beginning of a new one – together with stalwart power forward Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker would form a “Big Three” that would lead the Spurs to four NBA titles, including three in five years.  Without a doubt, Duncan was the lynchpin of the dynasty and arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history, but the wily Argentine and the speedy Frenchman were likewise invaluable members of these championship teams. In playing and winning together for 15+ years, despite their different backgrounds and playing styles, it is only natural to ask:

Who was better – Manu Ginobili or Tony Parker?

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