Tag Archives: decade of dominance

H2H 133: Chris Chelios vs. Larry Robinson – Who was Better?

To play for two decades or more in the NHL is an incredible accomplishment; to do so at an extremely high level is the stuff of legends.  Throughout the league’s history, two legendary defensemen who exemplify this rare combination of longevity and excellence are Chris Chelios and Larry Robinson – the former was a hard-nosed defender who set both regular season and playoff records for games played, while the latter was blessed with prototypical size and has the highest career +/- rating ever as part of the defensive anchor of the legendary Montreal Canadiens dynasty of the 1970s.  Both eventually skated their way into the Hockey Hall of Fame and are among the greatest blueliners in league history, thus evoking the comparison:

Who was better – Chris Chelios or Larry Robinson?

Continue reading

H2H 132: Roberto Clemente vs. Frank Robinson – Who was Better?

The beginning of MLB’s modern era circa the 1960s saw a plethora of legends gracing baseball’s outfields, from Al Kaline, Carl Yastrzemski, and Mickey Mantle in the AL to Hank Aaron and Willie Mays in the NL, just to name a few.  Also shining brightly among this constellation of superstars were right fielders Roberto Clemente and Frank Robinson – one was an electrifying all-around talent, the other a powerful slugger, but each can stake a claim to being among the greatest ever at the position.  Nearly fifty years after each player last suited up for a major league game, their respective legacies are still intact, with Clemente having an annual award named him for community contributions and Robinson still being the only player to win MVP in both the AL and NL.  Between these two baseball titans of yesteryear, it is an interesting question to ponder:

Who was better – Roberto Clemente or Frank Robinson?

Continue reading

H2H 131: Carlos Boozer vs. David West – Who was Better?

While some NBA stars are known for their flashiness, others are characterized by their consistency; such was the case with Carlos Boozer and David West in the 2000s – both steady producers night in and night out, they were among the best power forwards of their generation.  One was a nightly double-double threat in his prime, the other more of a hard-nosed rebounder and defender, yet still outstanding offensively, each was an integral part of winning franchises throughout his career.  For two stars who perhaps never quite received the recognition or acclaim they deserved, the comparison between their overlapping careers is in many ways a natural head-to-head matchup:

Who was better – Carlos Boozer or David West?

Continue reading

H2H 130: Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Brian Westbrook – Who was Better?

In the NFL, bigger is usually better, but running back is one position where players of all shapes and sizes can succeed.  In fact, a number of small and shifty running backs with versatile skills and low centers of gravity have had great success throughout the years – standing at 5’10” or below and weighing in around 200+ pounds apiece, Maurice Jones-Drew and Brian Westbrook were each among the best dual-threat backs (and first-round fantasy draft picks) for a number of years during the mid-to-late 2000s before injuries and age took their toll.  Looking back on the stellar careers of these two mighty mites, the question is:

Who was better – Maurice Jones-Drew or Brian Westbrook?

Continue reading

H2H 129: Greg Maddux vs. Warren Spahn – Who was Better?

Take a look at MLB’s career pitching wins list and when you scroll past the workhorses of the late 19th and early 20th century (Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, etc.), i.e. post the dead-ball era, you come across Warren Spahn at #6 and Greg Maddux at #8 with 363 and 355 career victories, respectively.  Known for their pitching guile and control rather than overpowering heat, both the southpaw Spahn and the righty Maddux spent their primes with the Braves franchise and helped lead the team to World Series titles nearly 40 years apart – thus, it seems only natural to compare these all-time MLB and legendary Braves pitchers and ask:

Who was better – Greg Maddux or Warren Spahn?

Continue reading

H2H 128: Patrik Elias vs. Markus Naslund – Who was Better?

Though the late 1990s and early 2000s were known for being a defensive-minded era in the NHL (in contrast to the wide-open, high-scoring 1980s), it nevertheless still produced its share of elite offensive players.  On opposite ends of North America, two European-born stars in Patrik Elias and Markus Naslund were franchise players for the New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks, respectively, and each retired as the all-time franchise leader in career points (though Naslund has since been surpassed by the Sedin twins).  Looking back on these two underrated and unassuming stars of the early 21st century, let us compare their careers and ask:

Who was better – Patrik Elias or Markus Naslund?

Continue reading

H2H 127: Richard Hamilton vs. Jerry Stackhouse – Who was Better?

After Michael Jordan came out of his second retirement to join the Washington Wizards as a player-owner, the team made a blockbuster trade by sending a young Richard Hamilton to the Detroit Pistons along with Bobby Simmons and Hubert Davis for Jerry Stackhouse, Ratko Varda, and Brian Cardinal.  It would be a career-defining trade for the centerpiece players in the deal, as an ascendant Hamilton would go on to become an All-Star and a key cog on a championship team for the Pistons, while marking the beginning of Stackhouse’s slow decline from top scoring option to reserve player.  With their careers being inexorably intertwined, it is only natural to compare the two shooting guards and ask:

Who was better – Richard Hamilton or Jerry Stackhouse?

Continue reading

H2H 126: Jamal Lewis vs. Clinton Portis – Who was Better?

During the 2000s, the D.C. area’s NFL teams, the Baltimore Ravens and the former Washington Redskins, were characterized by hard-nosed ground games on offense; spearheading these rushing attacks were two powerful, between-the-tackles runners in Jamal Lewis and Clinton Portis.  Both were true workhorse backs who possessed the toughness and skill to rack up 1,000+ rushing yards year in and year out and give an unquestionable identity to their teams.  However, this type of punishing running style ultimately took its toll and limited each player to less than a decade in the NFL – looking back on their similarly productive careers, the question is:

Who was better – Jamal Lewis or Clinton Portis?

Continue reading

H2H 125: Gary Carter vs. Carlton Fisk – Who was Better?

Catcher is by far the most physically demanding position in baseball (imagine crouching behind the plate for nine innings for well over 100 games annually), which makes it rare for teams to have backstops who can produce at a high level both offensively and defensively over an extended period of time.  This fact set makes players like Gary Carter and Carlton Fisk somewhat of “unicorns” – each Hall of Fame catcher played well into his late 30s (and in Fisk’s case, well into his 40s), catching over 2,000 games apiece and hitting over 300 career home runs.  As only a handful of catchers in MLB history can match this unparalleled combination of greatness and longevity, it is therefore apt to draw a comparison between these two legends of the 1970s and 1980s and ask:

Who was better – Gary Carter or Carlton Fisk?

Continue reading

H2H 124: Steve Francis vs. Stephon Marbury – Who was Better?

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury were two of the top point guards in the NBA, though both were also regarded as mercurial personalities with often selfish tendencies.  In fact, their playing styles were similar enough that many basketball pundits and fans alike were puzzled when the New York Knicks paired the duo together in an ill-fated backcourt; moreover, both players wore out their welcomes with numerous teams and eventually fizzled out of the Association completely, though Marbury later rose like a phoenix and resurrected his career in China.  In looking back at two of the most talented, but perhaps also misunderstood players of their generation, the question is:

Who was better – Steve Francis or Stephon Marbury?

Continue reading