Must See TV Thread

[bluestreak]

I’m watching Last Kingdom on Netflix. If you liked early Game of Thrones, I think you’ll like it. It’s really quite good. 

[Natsinpwc]

The Mt. Rushmore of the 4 major sports according to VaRK:  Gretzky / Jordan / Ruth / Whoever you like in Football...that one may never have a consensus...and I don't really care...

I only saw Jordan play in person once...against the Shaq Magic in the playoffs.  Nick Anderson picked his pocket to seal the victory for Orlando.  That was Jordan's 1/2 season after coming back from playing baseball.

Jordan is still the best player I've ever seen play the game...

Bonds. Steroids and all. Some of those seasons he had were just crazy.

[varoadking]

Gretzky/Ruth*/Rice

*Credible argument can be made that only post integration players can be considered the greatest, but I think Ruth was sufficiently great to get the nod over Mays.

For basketball it’s tougher, in my opinion.  I personally go Magic, but the argument can be made for Russell and Jordan. And I do think LeBron will be in that conversation as well. I think LeBron would wipe the floor with Laimbeer.
I’m sure Jordan would have been a better 3 point shooter had he come up today. But the way he played would not have translated to today. But he didn’t play today, he played back then. He was great.

Russel is no doubt WAY up there.  Maybe because Magic and Bird were always linked, I never put either one of them nearer to the top...

It's all subjective, which is why it's so hard...except for maybe Gretzky.  Had Wayne Gretzky never scored even one goal, he would still be the all time points leader...by a wide margin.  It reminds me of what George Halas said about Gayle Sayers:   "His like will never be seen again."

[HalfSmokes]

Kareem deserves a mention too. I think it’s Jordan, but that may be because I grew up watching him

[Natsinpwc]

Russel is no doubt WAY up there.  Maybe because Magic and Bird were always linked, I never put either one of them nearer to the top...

It's all subjective, which is why it's so hard...except for maybe Gretzky.  Had Wayne Gretzky never scored even one goal, he would still be the all time points leader...by a wide margin.  It reminds me of what George Halas said about Gayle Sayers:   "His like will never be seen again."

Russell was great defensively and rebounding. However he played on a team of all stars and was not required to do much of anything offensively other than put up shots after misses. Great player but don’t think he compares to some of the others.

[bluestreak]

IMHO Messier was an all-around better player than Gretzky. He won two more cups without him and carried two teams on his back to two titles. Gretzky was the greatest scorer ever though.

I’ve heard some people (who are actually hockey people) say Orr is better than them both. I think Gretzky is probably the best athlete in all of North American Sports.

[HalfSmokes]

Once you get into best athlete, it has to be Jim Brown, football great, dominated in college lacrosse, good in college track and played college basketball at a high level too

[bluestreak]

Once you get into best athlete, it has to be Jim Brown, football great, dominated in college lacrosse, good in college track and played college basketball at a high level too

Sorry. Should not have used athlete. Of course you’re right. I should have said “Player”

[Natsinpwc]

I’ve heard some people (who are actually hockey people) say Orr is better than them both. I think Gretzky is probably the best athlete in all of North American Sports.

Orr changed the game.  Defensemen never went on offense like that until he played.  He skated better than all the forwards.  Would have been better without the bad knees. 

Messier had a style built for the playoff with all the clutching and grabbing.  Gretzky was more suited for the regular season.

NHL Network is showing the 1987 Finals game 2.  I had forgotten then Flyers had a lead after two periods and it was still tied late in the game.  Damn.  Just one of they many could have been Cup Finals games.   

[Natsinpwc]

Once you get into best athlete, it has to be Jim Brown, football great, dominated in college lacrosse, good in college track and played college basketball at a high level too

Jim Thorpe. 

[HalfSmokes]

Jim Thorpe. 

Probably the correct answer

[Natsinpwc]

They are showing the Leonard-Hagler fight on ESPN2. 

[Natsinpwc]

They are showing the Leonard-Hagler fight on ESPN2.

Hagler robbed again.  No wonder Sugar Ray avoided the rematch.

[GataNats]

Brady in football.   Zero question

[bluestreak]

Brady in football.   Zero question

LOL

[imref]

LOL

Riggo

[skippy1999]

LOL

Right? What a chump he is

[imref]

Back on topic, if any of you are feeling really happy and positive right now, and need something to bring you down into the doldrums, check out "Dark Side of the Ring" on Vice TV.  There may be no more depressing television show in history.  The season finale, covering the death of Owen Hart at a WWE PPV in Kansas City, was very difficult to watch.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Russel is no doubt WAY up there.  Maybe because Magic and Bird were always linked, I never put either one of them nearer to the top...

It's all subjective, which is why it's so hard...except for maybe Gretzky.  Had Wayne Gretzky never scored even one goal, he would still be the all time points leader...by a wide margin.  It reminds me of what George Halas said about Gayle Sayers:   "His like will never be seen again."

You won't say Orr because you are still pissed about how he played with the Blackhawks.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I’ve heard some people (who are actually hockey people) say Orr is better than them both. I think Gretzky is probably the best athlete in all of North American Sports.

the thing about an Orr v Gretzky debate is I think Orr may have redefined what you could do from his position more than Gretzky.  That said, as great an offensive player as Orr was, he was a terrific defensively.  He could single-handedly kill a penalty by getting the puck and skate up and down the ice, not passing, and not being broken up. Used to call it ragging the puck, and it was routine for him.

[varoadking]

You won't say Orr because you are still pissed about how he played with the Blackhawks.

Orr had some great years in the early and mid-70's, but he only played in 657 games in his 12 season career...about 8 seasons worth.  You don't get on Mt. Rushmore after playing the equivalent of 8 years...

...he was toast after his 9th season...and yeah...a total of 26 games with the Blackhawks in 2 seasons was pretty lame...

Great player though...when he was on the ice and in his prime...one of the best...though I'll still take 18 time All-Star Scott Stevens as my #1 defenseman of all time...that cat was a beast...

Not sure how anybody could seriously think about debating whether Gretzky was the greatest to ever play the game...it's not even close.  He's got more hardware that Ace and Lowes combined...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Orr had some great years in the early and mid-70's, but he only played in 657 games in his 12 season career...about 8 seasons worth.  You don't get on Mt. Rushmore after playing the equivalent of 8 years...

...he was toast after his 9th season...and yeah...a total of 26 games with the Blackhawks in 2 seasons was pretty lame...

Great player though...when he was on the ice and in his prime...one of the best...though I'll still take 18 time All-Star Scott Stevens as my #1 defenseman of all time...that cat was a beast...

Not sure how anybody could seriously think about debating whether Gretzky was the greatest to ever play the game...it's not even close.  He's got more hardware that Ace and Lowes combined...

longevity is the only weakness for Orr.  I think MLB requires 10 seasons to be HOF eligible.  Orr would not have been eligible.  And I'll give Gretzky a revolutionary impact too. Before him, no one used behind the net as really a position from which to QB the offense or attack the net himself. 

[Natsinpwc]

After watching the Sunderland series on Netflix I was curious as to how Ellis Short just kept losing money and wondered about how much of it he got back when he sold. Couldn’t really find that.  This article makes it sound like he “wrote off all the club debts” when he sold. Don’t know what that means but in the next season the new owners were still complaining about how much they were losing.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/43950121


Then reading some more I see the new owner is selling after problems with the team Board. The club is really a mess of shyte as they say up there. 

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/platform/2020/5/13/21252940/stewart-donalds-big-sunderland-gamble-and-the-issues-that-have-followed

They really need to do a season three when the league comes back.

[Natsinpwc]

longevity is the only weakness for Orr.  I think MLB requires 10 seasons to be HOF eligible.  Orr would not have been eligible.  And I'll give Gretzky a revolutionary impact too. Before him, no one used behind the net as really a position from which to QB the offense or attack the net himself.

I didn’t remember Orr playing for Chicago at all. Well I guess he hardly played.

[Natsinpwc]

Casablanca is on TCM tonight at 8.