04/26/24
January 26, 2011
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
The most dominant team sport athlete in history.
Note: every single piece of equipment you see in the photo is out of date, and has probably been replaced by a higher-tech version. The only thing that might still be used is the tape around the stick or the legs.
posted by grum@work at 10:03 AM on January 26, 2011
Great to see the pics of him with all the hardware. Hockey truly has the nicest trophies. God knows what some of the other sports were thinking when they came up with theirs. Other than thrift store or pawnshop.
posted by beaverboard at 10:11 AM on January 26, 2011
I would call him "one of a kind," but that presumes that there is someone else that is or was even close.
posted by graymatters at 10:57 AM on January 26, 2011
Is there really no love for Bobby Orr around here? 99 was special but Orr's 70-71 season was out of this world; 129 points and +124 from a d-man just shouldn't be possible, that was true dominance in hockey. If only they had arthroscopes back then.
We really should have celebrated Gretzky's 50th when he turned 39 or something.
posted by deflated at 11:42 AM on January 26, 2011
Wait, Gretzky is 50? That means he was born in, let me see, 1961. I was born in 1941. That makes me 70. No, that can't be right, I can't be that old, No, no, noooooooo....
Anyway, happy birthday, 99, greatness never ages.
posted by Howard_T at 01:06 PM on January 26, 2011
"Dear Hacks of the World: leave Blake Griffin alone. I implore you. Leave him alone."
posted by Ufez Jones at 01:21 PM on January 26, 2011
I would call him "one of a kind," but that presumes that there is someone else that is or was even close.
Can't not say it. Super Mario! If Mario had not spent half his career turning Rob Brown into an all-star and had been with Edmonton, He would own a large chunk of the records Gretzky has.
posted by Debo270 at 01:43 PM on January 26, 2011
From Ufez's link:
Obviously, barring injury, Griffin is on track to draw a maximum-value extension. Obviously, barring injury, the Clippers will match. Not even Donald T. Sterling, who is a great idiot, is that big an idiot.
Obviously, this writer has not been following Donald T. Sterling.
posted by cjets at 02:24 PM on January 26, 2011
Yeah, that did seem to be the one flaw in the argument.
posted by yerfatma at 02:32 PM on January 26, 2011
Shaq comes to arena in a Boston Bruins goalie mask.
posted by BornIcon at 02:44 PM on January 26, 2011
Is there really no love for Bobby Orr around here?
Oh, there is much love for Numb-ah Fo-ah, Bobby Oh-ah. It's just that Gretzky had twice the career that Orr did, in both games played and dominating seasons. You just have to account for that in some way, and that's why Gretzky stands alone.
posted by grum@work at 03:24 PM on January 26, 2011
Hurricanes rookie Jeff Skinner to play in the All-Star game. Cool.
posted by NoMich at 03:33 PM on January 26, 2011
The Yankees just signed Bartolo Colon.
With Colon, Sabathia, and Andruw Jones, on the team, the food bill is going to be in a neck-and-neck race with the payroll.
posted by grum@work at 03:35 PM on January 26, 2011
Chad Ochocinco is changing his name... again.
posted by BornIcon at 04:17 PM on January 26, 2011
Can't not say it. Super Mario!
Agreed. Had the (mis)opportunity to see both Mario and Gretzky play the hometown Jets (often sro tickets) and although Gretzky was awesome, it was usually the Messier line that drew the line matching and did the most damage.
Mario was often a 1 man show, controlling the puck for 30 seconds bouncing off defenders until he found the ideal shot or pass opportunity. Fans would groan louder with each shift he dominated .. back to back shifts with his line scoring Pens goals were the norm.
All dominant players, but both Orr and Mario were subject to injury which cut their careers short.
posted by cixelsyd at 05:38 PM on January 26, 2011
Orr and Mario were subject to injury which cut their careers short.
Of course, that's one of the reasons that Gretzky is in a league of his own.
posted by tahoemoj at 05:43 PM on January 26, 2011
Cycling champ Alberto Contador suspended
posted by tommybiden at 06:35 PM on January 26, 2011
Orr and Mario were subject to injury which cut their careers short.
It's not just how you play the game, but that you play the game. Through no fault of their own, they just can't match up with Gretzky.
posted by graymatters at 07:31 PM on January 26, 2011
Somebody sent me this link in an email. You might have already seen it, but I found it interesting.
posted by graymatters at 07:33 PM on January 26, 2011
Happy 50th, 99