Tag Archives: decade of dominance

H2H 13: Daniel Sedin vs. Henrik Sedin – Who was Better?

Much like father and son duos (see Bobby and Brett Hull), there have been many great sibling combos in sports history, from Peyton and Eli Manning in football to Pau and Marc Gasol in basketball to the Alou and DiMaggio brothers in baseball to Phil and Tony Esposito in hockey, etc. Go a step further and there have even been numerous accomplished sets of identical twins (Ronde and Tiki Barber, Brook and Robin Lopez, etc.) – however with the exception of doubles partners Bob and Mike Bryan in tennis, perhaps no brothers/identical twins have had their careers quite as intertwined as Daniel and Henrik Sedin.  As long-time stalwarts for the Vancouver Canucks, the brothers were drafted together, played their entire careers with the Canucks together, and retired together. Given how closely their careers were linked (you could almost say they were identical…), naturally one might ask:

Who was better – Daniel Sedin or Henrik Sedin?

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H2H 12: Hakeem Olajuwon vs. David Robinson – Who was Better?

While today’s NBA game values finesse and shooting (particularly from the three-point line), the 1980s and 1990s saw a different style of play that focused on power and physicality.  As such, the old-school NBA was dominated by towering seven-foot centers that controlled the paint both offensively and defensively, and often formed the foundation of successful teams during that time.  In an era that featured centers like Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Brad Daugherty, and Dikembe Mutombo, just to name a few, two of most dominant big men were Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets and David “The Admiral” Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs.  Each player was a number one overall pick, an MVP, a Defensive Player of the Year, and an NBA champion, leading to inevitable comparisons and the obvious question:

Who was better – Hakeem Olajuwon or David Robinson?

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H2H 10: Bobby Hull vs. Brett Hull – Who was Better?

Across the world of professional sports, there have been many great father-son athletes throughout history, from Bobby and Barry Bonds in baseball to Dell and Steph Curry in basketball to the Mannings in football (father Archie and sons Peyton and Eli), etc.  However, in terms of the greatest father-son duo ever, those honors might go to hockey players Bobby and Brett Hull. Known respectively as “The Golden Jet” and “The Golden Brett”, both father and son led the NHL in goal scoring, were named MVP, and reached the magical 500 career goal mark, among other honors, and are the first father and son combo to both be inducted as Hall of Famers in their sport.  Each player is an all-time hockey great in their own right, but in comparing father and son side-by-side, we ask the question:

Who was better – Bobby Hull or Brett Hull?

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H2H 8: Walter Johnson vs. Christy Mathewson – Who was Better?

Every year, the Hall of Fame voting process for enshrinement into Cooperstown ignites a storm of debate over who should make it, who should not, whether this player is more deserving than that one, etc.  This annual tradition began on February 2, 1936, when five men were elected to baseball’s inaugural Hall of Fame class. Taking into consideration only “modern” players (i.e. careers started after 1900), this illustrious quintet included the then (and for many years thereafter) home run king Babe Ruth, the all-time hits leader Ty Cobb, the legendary shortstop Honus Wagner, and two of the preeminent pitchers of the day, Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson.  As arguably two of the greatest pitchers of the early 20th century whose careers will forever be linked by their status as one of the first five baseball immortals, the question naturally arises:

Who was better – Walter Johnson or Christy Mathewson?

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H2H 7: Ray Allen vs. Reggie Miller – Who was Better?

In today’s modern NBA game, especially with the use of analytics, the three-pointer is becoming increasingly popular.  At the forefront of this new era of sharpshooters is point guard Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors; having already set a number of single-season three-point shooting records, Curry has moved quickly up the list of career three-point shooting and is likely to be regarded as the greatest shooter (not player, or even scorer – there is an important distinction there) in NBA history when all is said and done.  However, prior to Curry’s emergence, the two men most commonly associated with the unofficial title of best shooter in NBA history were Hall of Fame shooting guards Ray Allen and Reggie Miller. As the current record-holder and second place, respectively, for career three-pointers made and with the focus on the three-ball today, the question is:

Who was better – Ray Allen or Reggie Miller?

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H2H 2: Randy Moss vs. Terrell Owens – Who was Better?

The 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class featured arguably the two best wide receivers of the 2000s, and perhaps two of the most colorful characters as well, in Randy Moss and Terrell Owens.  On one hand, the duo terrorized opposing defensive backs with their unmatched combinations of size and speed and by the time their playing careers were over, Moss and Owens were near the top of most major receiving categories (behind only the great Jerry Rice).  Yet at the same time, due to their brash and mercurial personalities, they at times clashed with coaches and teammates alike, and were often in the headlines for reasons other than their receiving prowess. Thus, it only seems fitting that the two wide receivers would be inducted into Canton together, leading to the question:

Who was better – Randy Moss or Terrell Owens?

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