Which versus debate is silliest or most obvious?

[Eja117]

Personally I gotta go Wilt vs Russell but I'm open minded here.

[Eja117]

I've been reading Bill Simmon's book of basketball and I gotta go along with him. Russell vs Wilt is an obvious answer.

Germans vs French...I mean you could argue the Germans overreached and the French played rope a dope in a manner of speaking. I mean who had a country at the end of the 40s and who was cut in half? Granted they had a lot of help, but still.

Manning vs Brady...well it's not done yet so Manning has a chance in heck of catching him, but still.

Babe didn't play against players of color and it was a different era.

Wooden...vs field? The whole field? I take Wooden, but maybe you can make an argument seeing as how you have the whole field to work with. I mean Coach K alone probably gives him a bit of a run.

[Nerf DPOY]

I would argue Ruth vs the field is the silliest, because I can't really see how anyone could make a convincing argument either way. The differences in all of the eras are just too numerous and overwhelming to really be able to come to many conclusions.

[Eja117]

I would argue Ruth vs the field is the silliest, because I can't really see how anyone could make a convincing argument either way. The differences in all of the eras are just too numerous and overwhelming to really be able to come to many conclusions.

I think the Ruth argument is that the guy was well on his way to being a Hall of Fame pitcher...then switches mid career and becomes the best hitter ever. I think the year he hit 60 (in a season shorter than today) the next closest was Lou Gehrig with like 47 and the next closest was 18. The difference between him and the next best players was one of the biggest difference for any athlete ever. And he did it on a diet of hot dogs and beer (at least that's the legend).

[Eja117]

Of the course the biggest difference between the best athlete and the next best was Secretariat.

[MBunge]

Ruth is the most obvious.  Even with the issue of segregation, his abilities and accomplishments as a pitcher seal the deal.  Imagine if Payton Manning spent the first few years of his career as a shutdown corner or thousand yard running back before becoming a QB.

Mike

[Celtics4ever]

A lot of these debates were so one sided that there should be no debate.

The Germans won in 1 month and 15 days.  The Maginot line was completely bypassed and useless.

Wilt is very much the superior player to Bill but a worse, team mate if that makes sense and it made all the difference in titles.

Brady will win more Superbowls, I don't think he can be caught, and it looks ever better after today.   But Manning should make more money off endorsements but Brady has the rocket hot wife.

I think religious debates are the silliest but they are not mentioned.

[Eja117]

Ruth is the most obvious.  Even with the issue of segregation, his abilities and accomplishments as a pitcher seal the deal.  Imagine if Payton Manning spent the first few years of his career as a shutdown corner or thousand yard running back before becoming a QB.

Mike

Hmmm....you make a very persuasive argument. So you're saying Ruth dominates the field more than Brady dominates Manning and more than Russell dominated Wilt? Hmmmm. I'll have to think about it

[Eja117]

A lot of these debates were so one sided that there should be no debate.

Well yes. That's my point. It's tough to choose.

[Eja117]

I'm not so sure the Germans were so much mightier or stronger. They were just smarter going around the Maginot Line and still fudged up the Dunkirk thing and the Russia thing and the Battle of Britain.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Of the course the biggest difference between the best athlete and the next best was Secretariat.

Uh, oh—now you're getting into the question of whether a horse can be considered an athlete. Careful! 

[Beat LA]

Even though I'm not a football guy, I think that the Manning-Brady one is just silly.  Watching Manning lose year after year to the Patriots was like Jordan versus Isiah, until New England downgraded their defense, iirc.  I also think that Peyton Manning is the Lebron James of the NFL - he gets all the attention and awards, but when you really look at it, he routinely comes up empty in the biggest games and moments, but again, I don't like football, lol.   Of course, I think that Brady vs Eli Manning is completely one-sided in the favor of the Giants' quarterback, but what do I know?

[Eja117]

Of the course the biggest difference between the best athlete and the next best was Secretariat.

Uh, oh—now you're getting into the question of whether a horse can be considered an athlete. Careful! 

The horse is an athlete!

[Nerf DPOY]

I would argue Ruth vs the field is the silliest, because I can't really see how anyone could make a convincing argument either way. The differences in all of the eras are just too numerous and overwhelming to really be able to come to many conclusions.

I think the Ruth argument is that the guy was well on his way to being a Hall of Fame pitcher...then switches mid career and becomes the best hitter ever. I think the year he hit 60 (in a season shorter than today) the next closest was Lou Gehrig with like 47 and the next closest was 18. The difference between him and the next best players was one of the biggest difference for any athlete ever. And he did it on a diet of hot dogs and beer (at least that's the legend).

And he even played partially in the dead ball era and shorter seasons, so that skews the numbers against him. But as you said, no black players, no Latin/South American/Japanese players in the pool of competition. Also, it wasn't uncommon for him to be facing guys in the later innings on an absurd pitch count, on three days rest with 240 innings under their belt by mid August. It's even difficult to gauge players' years in the mid eighties vs the mid nineties for obvious reasons, and the best stat off the top of my head is OPS+, but that's not perfect.

[Eja117]

Even though I'm not a football guy, I think that the Manning-Brady one is just silly.  Watching Manning lose year after year to the Patriots was like Jordan versus Isiah, until New England downgraded their defense, iirc.  I also think that Peyton Manning is the Lebron James of the NFL - he gets all the attention and awards, but when you really look at it, he routinely comes up empty in the biggest games and moments, but again, I don't like football, lol.   Of course, I think that Brady vs Eli Manning is completely one-sided in the favor of the Giants' quarterback, but what do I know?

Plus they changed the rules for P manning twice. Plus he kept losing in almost Brett Farvian fashion with game losing INTs.

I mean he made better commercials than Brady.