Tom Brady reaching rare air, like Michael Jordan

[1960Pats]

I love Bill Russell, but i take Bird over him

The thing that has always separated Russell from everyone else is his remarkable record of winning at every level he played. If Jordan is going to get credit for winning his titles then you have to credit Russell also, and it isn't even close.

I don't think either Bird or Jordan would have had success against Russell, but Bird might have had more because of his size. I doubt that Jordan gets away with those run and dunk moves if Russell is under the hoop waiting for him though.

The thing that most impressed me about Russell was revealed when he answered a question of why he didn't seem to get faked out when he went to block shots. He simply stated that he never jumped until the ball left the shooters hand. There just aren't many (if any) players who could pull that off.

It's a great discussion though, no matter how many times it comes up here.

 

[Mack Herron]

The same writer that tweeted this...hmmm

Yes he has interpreted all evidence as confirming his "Patriots are cheaters" bias and clings uncritically to this view with no interest in considering conflicting data or argument. As we know, this group is a very large one comprising almost everyone outside New England, especially those in in locations with NFL clubs--in particular rival clubs--and especially the media for those clubs.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Anybody else listening to EEI? Curren is on. Says TB is on an "emotional island". Just going about his thing. Coming close to implying he is not having fun.

Damn.

 

[Froob]

There is no player that ever played the game of basketball who is in the same discussion as Russell. Not Wilt, not MJ and not Kareem. They could hold his jock though.

I'd like to agree but if I could only pick one I MIGHT have to lean towards Kareem. But any of them are great and Russell is the greatest winner in sports history. I'd also say Wilt was the most impressive athlete in human history if legend about his ability was true.

 

[1960Pats]

I'd like to agree but if I could only pick one I MIGHT have to lean towards Kareem. But any of them are great and Russell is the greatest winner in sports history. I'd also say Wilt was the most impressive athlete in human history if legend about his ability was true.

Of course it's difficult to compare players from different eras, but Wilt, as big and as mighty as he was, wasn't really that successful vs Russell. Nobody was. What worked for Russell but against Wilt was that the games were called far more cleanly then than they are now. Russell's quickness worked for him but Wilts strength and size wasn't as helpful. The small and quick guys could draw fouls on the big guys.

Russell led teams won at every level and with different players. He capped it all off with 11 titles in 13 years with the Celts, including 8 straight. His last was one of my favorite sports moments of them all, and there have been quite a few of those lately. Russell on his last leg as a player coach, coming from a poor regular season and knocking off the star studded favorites in game 7 at their house. I can still feel the rush of glee that I had listening to the game that night.

 

[OhExaulted1]

The 4 most dominant players in their sport are Jordan-NBA, Gretzky-NHL, Brady-NFL and Ruth-MLB. Here is my ranking for the most dominant.

1. Gretzky (4 Cups, 5 finals) - NHL. The stats are mind-blowing and no one comes close.
2. Brady (4 SBs, - 6 finals) - NFL. The consistency of the Pats year after year with basically 3 generations of NFL players
3. Jordan (6 SBs - 6 finals) -NBA. the most clutch player out of the group
4. Ruth (7 WS, - 10 finals). MLB. Did it all, but in baseball, one player makes the smalles impact out of the other sports.

My top four are:

1. Hockey-Ulf Samuelson
2.Basketball-Bill Laimbeer
3.Football-Jack Tatum
4.Baseball-Alex Rodriguez

 

[BradyFTW!]

In fairness to PM, hes played 3 full seasons more than TB and has had multiple neck surgeries. With that said, age is age.

I'm waiting for the HGH accusations to start flying. I'm dead serious.

They already kinda are, and I agree that it'll only get louder. If Brady hasn't declined significantly in the next 2 years, it'll be a 'known fact' as far as the haters are concerned.

 

[Nikolai]

Anybody else listening to EEI? Curren is on. Says TB is on an "emotional island". Just going about his thing. Coming close to implying he is not having fun.

Damn.

Yeah, just have to hope Curran is wrong on this one.

 

[Froob]

Of course it's difficult to compare players from different eras, but Wilt, as big and as mighty as he was, wasn't really that successful vs Russell. Nobody was. What worked for Russell but against Wilt was that the games were called far more cleanly then than they are now. Russell's quickness worked for him but Wilts strength and size wasn't as helpful. The small and quick guys could draw fouls on the big guys.

Russell led teams won at every level and with different players. He capped it all off with 11 titles in 13 years with the Celts, including 8 straight. His last was one of my favorite sports moments of them all, and there have been quite a few of those lately. Russell on his last leg as a player coach, coming from a poor regular season and knocking off the star studded favorites in game 7 at their house. I can still feel the rush of glee that I had listening to the game that night.

Oh wow you saw them play sick. Man if your ever in Maine I'd have to get you a beer sometime and hear some stories. Wilt himself said in one of the books about him that Russell was exactly what the Celtics needed in response to people saying Wilt would have won as many or more titles in Boston in Russell's spot.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Yeah, just have to hope Curran is wrong on this one.

I hope so too. After all this BS you have to wonder.

 

[RobertWeathers]

They already kinda are, and I agree that it'll only get louder. If Brady hasn't declined significantly in the next 2 years, it'll be a 'known fact' as far as the haters are concerned.

...and the David Ortiz comparisons will become louder and louder.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

I'm waiting for the HGH accusations to start flying. I'm dead serious.

Not that this should come as a surprise, but those accusations have already surfaced on a few rival team boards.. I've also seen them on the comments section of some NFL.com articles about the Pats/Brady.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

My top four are:

1. Hockey-Ulf Samuelson

Hanson Brothers > Ulf Samuelsson

then again, there were 3 of them .

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Not that this should come as a surprise, but those accusations have already surfaced on a few rival team boards.. I've also seen them on the comments section of some NFL.com articles about the Pats/Brady.

If you didn't understand his diet and training regimen, you might come to the same conclusions. What Brady does is absolutely extreme.

Have you ever seen Hershel Walker in his late 40's early 50's?

I believe this to be a recent photo of him (and I think he's vegan or maybe just vegetarian)

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

The Pro leagues in their infancy were marked by periods of dominance never repeated once the league matured. All of them at the beginning were little more than intramurals giving low pay, unable to attract premier athletes since many could often make a better living elsewhere. During these periods a handful of athletes were able to dominate the 8-14 league teams of semi-full time players in the same way a premier athlete can dominate in lesser leagues today.

Maybe in the infancy of these leagues they happened to grab the greatest players of all time. I doubt it though.

 

[OhExaulted1]

If you didn't understand his diet and training regimen, you might come to the same conclusions. What Brady does is absolutely extreme.

Have you ever seen Hershel Walker in his late 40's early 50's?

I believe this to be a recent photo of him (and I think he's vegan or maybe just vegetarian)

Vinatieri could still beat him in a foot race.

 

[Bruins29]

Salempats. Not sure what is more ridiculous.

Bird over Russell - who many consider the greatest team athlete off all time.

Or some of the names you put over Babe Ruth. Ruth is right behind Russell. Babe Ruth hit more home runs in a season than the rest of each team. Meaning that in order for someone to do that now they would have to hit 141 HR in a season.

Then he would go to the mound and win 20 games.

Please....

 

[bostonia3333]

Brady reminds me more of Magic Johnson than Jordan. Brady makes his teammates better and doesn't throw people under the bus. Teammates were afraid of making a mistake when playing with Jordan.

 

[1960Pats]

Oh wow you saw them play sick. Man if your ever in Maine I'd have to get you a beer sometime and hear some stories. Wilt himself said in one of the books about him that Russell was exactly what the Celtics needed in response to people saying Wilt would have won as many or more titles in Boston in Russell's spot.

Russell commented that if Wilt was allowed to drop his shoulder into defenders, like they are allowed to do now, nobody would have been able to stop him.

Now for the really sick part. You could go to Celtics games during that time, get a general admission ticket for $1 and sit almost anywhere you wanted. It was more of a hockey town back them.

 

[goheels22002]

Except Brady wasn't a dbag and a terrible teammate. Also tired of hearing how MJ is far and away the GOAT because Nike said so. Disrespectful to Wilt, Russell, and Kareem who also have great arguments for GOAT status.

Not so fast, my friend. MJ and Brady are similar in the way they won titles with very different teams over a long span, how they took over late in the biggest games, and how each made their supporting casts better.

It's unfair to MJ to compare him to three centers, who by dint of their height had a natural advantage on many stats. Russell-Jordan is an interesting debate as both were top-five defenders throughout their careers and both made their teammates better. Wilt didn't do that, and Kareem isn't really in the GOAT debate despite his prodigious stats. Kareem won titles in years with HOF teammates, not in years when he was the centerpiece.

Neither Wilt nor Kareem completely took over in the biggest moments of their careers the way Brady or Jordan have. If you had to give the ball to one guy all-time to win you the game, neither Wilt nor Kareem come to mind.

My starting five NBA all-time in order with position:

Michael Jordan #2
Bill Russell #5
Larry Bird #3
Magic Johnson #1
Tim Duncan #4

LeBron James doesn't make my list because I don't see him as an elite passer like the five above.

Second five:

LeBron James #2
Kareem Abdul Jabbar #5
Julius Irving #3
Kevin Garnett #4
John Stockton #1

That would make an interesting pickup game.