Royal Rumble 2013: The Punk/Rock Show

Finally, The Rock has returned to the WWE mountaintop, becoming an 8-time WWE Champion. After an incredible 434 days as WWE Champion, CM Punk's reign came crashing to an end, at the hands of The Great One himself. The match was not exactly the best by The Rock's standards, but it was certainly one of the best for Punk's standards. CM Punk has not looked this great in months, because he has constantly looked like the chicken heel against the likes of Ryback. Interference from The Shield during his matches did not make things better for him either. Still, The Rock put on a good quality match for a 40 year old who has not been in action, since WrestleMania 28. Even though there was a botch when The Rock was giving Punk The Rock Bottom through the table, but everything else was solid. In spite of the restart, I was definitely satisfied with this match, because The Rock finally got someone who could carry his own weight (CM Punk), both in the ring, and on the mic. The Rock made Punk look great for at least 75% of the match. John Cena clearly was not the answer, because The Rock had to hold his hand like a child, and carry him like a Father to a child. However, The Rock really did look like a Father, and Punk looked like a teenage son. As a fan of the Attitude Era, this was a great moment for me, because this gives both the WWE, and the wrestling world the spike that it desperately needs. Once again, The Rock affirms the Supremacy of the Attitude Era, which gives fans such as myself more ammunition as to why stars such as him, Stone Cold, etc overshadow today's garbage product. Today's Internet wrestling crowd wants to complain about The Rock winning the title. I find it disgusting, because their complaints are a reflection of today's generation in general. Today's fans have an inferiority complex, because their favorite stars do not measure up to the large standard that their predecessors set.  This is the same in the NBA, Boxing, etc. Today's NBA fans get upset when people mention how great Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, etc were, so they take shots at their era to boost Kobe, LeBron, etc. They belittle what players like Jordan did for the game. Today's Boxing fans want to diminish what fighters like Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, etc have done, just to boost Mayweather, Pacquaio, or the Klitchskos. These fans always want to belittle the competition that these athletes faced, which was the best of the best. In the wrestling community, fans elevate Punk and Cena the same way as those other fans, to match them with Austin, Rock, etc. Like Jordan, Ali, etc The Rock's competition was the best of the best during the Attitude Era. At that time, you had Stone Cold Steve Austin, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho to name a few. CM Punk says that he is swimming with sharks, but The Rock was the one who REALLY swam with the sharks. In fact, The Rock conquered the sharks thrown his way. In today's era, Punk is swimming with Dolphins from Sea World, because there are no transcendent stars in the company. The locker room is diluted, and watered down, like today's NBA and Boxing. The main event spot is a COMPLETE disgrace, just like in those sports. This proves how vital The Rock truly is.

Let me tell you clowns, and trolls something right now. The Rock's name value is saving your precious, dying WWE brand of wrestling. The Rock brings relevance to this company, that is a shell of its former self. The Rock gives wrestling mainstream respect, something that the business is sadly missing. Whenever he makes an appearance, ratings rise. Buy rates, and merchandise sales rise as well. It looks to me, that WWE needs The Rock much more than he needs them. The Rock's break from the business helped his worldwide image, so that he could gain greater credibility within Hollywood. As a result, he has come to help repair as much damage as possible to a severely wounded product. What makes this even more fitting, is that The Rock declared that he would be the new WWE Champion the night after he defeated John Cena at WrestleMania XXVIII. It was only a matter of time before that would finally come top pass. The Rock has brought back credibility to a title that has lost its value. I am just looking forward to seeing WWE changing the goofy design, which alone has tarnished the prestige of a great title. Along with Stone Cold Steve Austin & co., The Rock built the stage that today's superstars are on. He has established his own brand, which has created an enormous shadow for today's era. When The Rock stands in the ring, he has the crowd directly in the palm of his hands. When he holds the mic, everyone stops what they are doing, because he says everything before even saying a word. The Rock has a commanding persona. In fact, today's Internet fans are the ones that are the most delusional.  When he says that he is "ELECTRIFYING", he means it. Stars such as CM Punk and Cena do not match that standard. The Rock is a guy that we will be talking about for yearsI will say it before, and I will continue to say it. If it were not for The Rock, those guys would have NO career. If ya Smell-la-la-la-la-la, what The Rock is cookin'!

Hakeem The Dream at 50

Today, I would like to take the time to wish a happy 50th birthday to NBA legend Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon. After playing soccer & handball in Nigeria, Hakeem caught on to the game of basketball at 16. The world class balance, and footwork from those sports helped him even more when he made the transition to basketball. Olajuwon was certainly a world class athlete. After taking the game by storm in his home country, University of Houston coach Guy Lewis flew to Nigeria to watch Hakeem play, and to recruit him. When coming to America (no relation to the movie), Hakeem was able to quickly adapt to the style of the United States. During his freshman year, he would lead the Houston Cougars to the Final Four, only to fall to the eventual champion North Carolina Tar Heels. During the summer, Olajuwon would improve his offensive post game at the Houston Recreational Center. The perfect mentor/opponent to push him to the next level, was reigning NBA MVP Moses Malone. Malone's relentless, physical style strengthened Olajuwon and fueled his drive to become the best that he could be. During the final session of the summer, Hakeem took his lessons, and applied them against his mentor. Soon afterwards, Hakeem would take his brand new skills and put the NCAA on notice. His offensive game progressed to match his defensive game, which made him a one-man machine. As the anchor of the team on both ends, Hakeem led the Cougars to 22 straight wins. With their stylish, in your face, above the rim style, the Cougars were named "Phi Slama Jama". One of Olajuwon's teammates would be fellow Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler. Hakeem's blocks would lead to tremendous fastbreaks. Houston would later reach the Finals of the NCAA Tournament, only to fall to the North Carolina State Wolfpack. After the bitter upset, Drexler would turn pro. The Cougars would regroup for the next season, as Hakeem carried them to another NCAA Finals Appearance. This time, they would fall to the Georgetown Hoyas, led by Patrick Ewing. After the loss, Olajuwon would announce his decision to enter the NBA Draft. After tanking the 1983 season to draft Ralph Sampson 1st overall, the Houston Rockets would bomb the 1984 season as well. After those disappointing seasons, the Rockets would draft hometown hero Hakeem Olajuwon as the 1st overall pick of the 1984 NBA Draft. The rest as they say, is history. In his rookie season, Olajuwon's impact was felt immediately. In his rookie season, he made his 1st All-Star appearance. That season, he averaged 20.6 ppg, 11.9 rpg, and 2.7 bpg, which earned him 1st Team All-Rookie Honors. During this season, he shot a career high field goal percentage of 54%. He finished 2nd for NBA Rookie of the Year, behind Michael Jordan. The following season, Hakeem would average (23.5 ppg/11.5 rpg/3.4 bpg) leading the Rockets to the NBA Finals. After a monumental upset of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets would face the legendary 1986 Celtics, led by MVP Larry Bird, along with McHale, Parrish, etc. Boston would eventually capture their 16th title in that series, but it was a great lesson for Olajuwon. In 1986-87, Hakeem would make his 1st appearance on the All-NBA 1st Team (23.4/11.4/3.4). That would be his second season averaging 3 blocks per game. In 1987-88, Olajuwon averaged 22.8/12.1/2.7. In the 1988-89 season, Olajuwon averaged at that time a career high 24.8/13.5/3.4. That was the first of two straight seasons leading the league in rebounds. He also recorded a career-high 213 steals, along with 282 blocks, which made him the first player in NBA history to record 200 blocks and steals each. In 1989-90, Hakeem surpassed his career-high in rebounds, averaging 14 rpg, to match his 24.3 ppg/4.6 rpg. (career-high) '91-'92 would be two of the most down years for Olajuwon in his prime. However, he still managed to lead in blocks (3.9 in '91). If he had become a U.S. Citizen sooner, he would have made the 1992 Dream Team, without question. Going into the '92-'93 season, Hakeem would enter the best 3-year run of his career. In '93, he averaged 26.1/13.0/4.2, earning him his first of two straight Defensive Player of the Year Awards. Olajuwon also finished 2nd in MVP Voting to Phoenix Suns Star Charles Barkley. In the playoffs, he would lead the Rockets to the Western Conference Semis, to fall short to the Sonics in Seven Games. In 1993-94, Hakeem would finally put the icing on his cake of his 10-year career. Olajuwon averaged 27.3/11.9/3.7, which earned him both NBA MVP & DPOY. After leading the Rockets to their first of two straight championships, Olajuwon was named Finals MVP. The following season, Hakeem led the 6th seeded Rockets back to the title, becoming one of the lowest seeded teams in history to achieve that goal. Mid-way through the season, Houston traded Otis Thorpe to Portland for Hakeem's college teammate, Clyde Drexler. As Hakeem added to his legacy, he helped to reshape Drexler's along the way. Dream's dominance against the premier Centers of his time (Robinson, Shaq, Ewing) further cemented his place among the all-time greats. In '96, Hakeem would stay relevant, averaging 26.9/10.9/3.4, while finally winning an Olympic Gold Medal in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Unfortunately, Hakeem does not receive the proper credit & recognition that he deserves for being the first International star in NBA history, because of his later citizenship. If it were not for players like him and Patrick Ewing (Jamaica), there would be no Arvydas Sabonis, Drazen Petrovic, Dirk Nowitzki, etc. Now, Olajuwon is mentoring others on their post game, the same way that Moses Malone mentored him.(minus the brutal physicality) Just ask Kobe, LeBron, Dwight and now Amare. Kobe's low post game improved to help lead the Lakers to back-to-back titles. LeBron's training with Hakeem was incredible. His field goal percentage increased (53%), as he became much more of a low post presence. LeBron's new arsenal would help him lead the Heat to an NBA title, while winning his first ring and Finals MVP. Hakeem is now 10th in Career Total Points (26,946), 12th in Total Rebounds (13,748), 1st in Blocks (3,830), and 9th in Steals (2,162). During the time of his retirement, he was among the Top 10 in all four categories. He is also the only big man ranked in the top 10 in steals. His amazing hand speed, coordination and guard like footwork helped him reach these feats. If it were not for Michael Air Jordan's monstrous dominance devouring the NBA, Olajuwon would have been the defining player of his era. He was already the best Center of that time. During the playoffs, he raised his level of play to greater heights, averaging 25.9/11.2/3.2, FG% (52%). The Dream is one of only three players to reach this feat, along with Pettit, and Nowitzki. Hakeem Olajuwon's legacy is often overlooked, but can never be duplicated, especially by today's players. He was a nightmare to his opponents, but when looking at what he did was beautiful to watch. As Biggie would say "It was all a Dream". Long live the Dr34m.

I had to add this. Sorry Admiral, lol:

LeBron's "20,000"

I would like to take the time out and say congratulations to LeBron James for reaching the 20,000 point club, after 726 games. This is an incredible feat, for a player like LeBron who is already in his 10th season. I feel that it is a shame that he has not gotten the proper credit that he deserves as a prolific scorer, until he came close to this milestone. His scoring ability is overshadowed by his all around numbers, and playmaking ability. Far too often, he is compared to Magic, but he is not a true point guard. LBJ was superior to Magic  scoring-wise. LeBron James even has a scoring title to his legacy. (2008-30 ppg) LeBron has the 3rd highest scoring average in history, behind Wilt Chamberlain (2nd), and Michael Jordan (1st). If you ask me, I would rather put the ball in his hands than Kobe. However, I have to do one thing before I go any further: I have to put this accomplishment in perspective. Yes, LeBron is the "youngest" to reach 20k points, just like Kobe was the "youngest" to reach 30k points, but age means nothing when it pertains to the NBA. As the song says "Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number". It is about how many games it took someone to reach that milestone. From a career standpoint, it has taken LeBron and Kobe "longer" to reach 20,000 points compared to those ahead of them. Even though both men came out of high school, they have played more games, and have had more flaws along the way, compared to their predecessors. As I was watching the Heat-Warriors game, I saw how Disn-ESPN blew smoke up Kobe again, saying that he was the "fastest to reach 20,000 points" before LeBron, because of his age. The players ahead of LeBron have turned pro after at least 3-4 years of college. Now, time to put things into perspective:

-Wilt Chamberlain (20,000 points, 499 games)
-Michael Jordan (20,000 points, 620 games)
-Oscar Robertson (20,000 points, 671 games)
-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20,000 points, 684 games)
-Elgin Baylor (20,000 points, 711 games)
-Allen Iverson (20,000 points, 713 games)
-Jerry West (20,000 points, 720 games)
-LeBron James (20,000 points, 726 games)

As it is very clear to see, Wilt Chamberlain reached this plateau faster than anyone, because of his incredible scoring averages (7 Scoring Titles in 7 seasons). Michael Jordan was the next to reach 20,000, but it took him 2 extra seasons than Wilt, while winning his seventh scoring title at the end of the 1992-93 season. It is also clear to see that LeBron has made, or at least taken less shots than the men above him, which results in him having to play more games to reach this point. Oscar Robertson was his prototype as a scoring playmaker. Like LeBron, Oscar himself was your standard 27-7-7 type of player. However, he was also the third fastest player to reach 20,000 points, because he has had more seasons of 30+ ppg (6) while LeBron has only had two. Others such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Allen Iverson, and Jerry West have also had more seasons with 30 ppg or higher than LeBron. As I close out this point, I would like to make some other things very clear. LeBron has played 227 more games than Wilt, 116 more games than Michael, 55 more games than Oscar, 42 more games than Kareem, 15 more games than Elgin, 13 more games than Iverson, and 6 more games than West. However, I will go to LeBron's defense for this one case: Elgin Baylor and Allen Iverson were the biggest "volume scorers" out of this list. Even though it took them less games, LeBron has a higher field goal percentage than both of them. He was a more efficient scorer than both Baylor, and Iverson ever were. Iverson and Elgin have never had seasons shooting 50% from the field, while everyone else on this list has, including LeBron himself. With that being said, let us take a look at his contemporary, Mr. Kobe Bryant:

-Kobe Bryant (20,000 points, 811 games)

*Side note: If you include ABA, it also took Julius Erving just as long as LeBron to reach this feat.

Obviously, Kobe has had more blemishes than LeBron and any other player leading to this point in his career. LeBron has already annihilated his "youngest to 20,000" milestone. If he stays healthy, he can destroy his "youngest to 30,000" milestone as well. Kobe played 85 more games than LeBron did to reach this point. Unfortunately, Disn-ESPN, or as Dan Patrick would call them "The Mothership", is trying to protect their long-time Jordan-like investment (Kobe), by covering up the nasty zits on his legacy. As I have said before, LeBron should receive as much credit for his scoring as Kobe, if not more. LeBron is excellent at creating his own shots. That is the best way for me to describe it.

Here are the accomplishments of the players before him, when they achieved 20,000 points:

-When Wilt Chamberlain scored 20,000 points, he won 2 MVP's, and 7 Scoring Titles.
-When Michael Jordan scored 20,000 points, he won 3 MVP's 6 Scoring Titles, and 2 Finals MVP's.
-When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 20,000 points, he won 5 MVP's, 2 Scoring Titles, and 1 Finals MVP.
-When Oscar Robertson scored 20,000 points, he won 1 MVP, and 1 Scoring Title.
-When LeBron James scored 20,000 points, he won 3 MVP's, 1 Scoring Title, and 1 Finals MVP.
-When Jerry West scored 20,000 points, he won 1 Scoring Title, and 1 Finals MVP.
-When Allen Iverson scored 20,000 points, he won 1 MVP, and 4 Scoring Titles.

Out of the players who reached 20k before LeBron, Elgin Baylor had the least body of work. LeBron is in great company, when you look at his accomplishments, combined with his scoring. (This is specifically directed to the players who reached 20k within the span of time as LeBron).

Honorable Mention:
-Shaquille O'Neal- 20,000 points, 1 MVP, 2 Scoring Titles, and 3 Finals MVP's
-Hakeem Olajuwon- 20,000 points, 1 MVP, 2 Finals MVP's
-Larry Bird- 20,000 points, 3 MVP's, 2 Finals MVP's
-Moses Malone- 20,000 points, 3 MVP's, 1 Finals MVP
-Bob Pettit- 20,000 points, 2 Scoring Titles, 2 MVP's
-David Robinson- 20,000 points, 1 MVP, 1 Scoring Title

These players had great resumes when they reached this point, they reached 20,000 after playing more games than LeBron.

-Kobe Bryant- 20,000 points, 2 Scoring Titles

When Kobe reached 20,000, he had not won a Regular Season MVP, nor did he win a Finals MVP at this point. He had 2 more scoring titles than Elgin Baylor, but 2 less scoring titles than George Gervin.

Finally, it is time to look at the best 20k scorers of all-time. Here is a look at their field goal percentages:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar- 38,387 points, 56% FG shooting- 1,560 games
Karl Malone- 36,928 points, 51% FG shooting- 1,476 games
Michael Jordan- 32,292 points, 50% FG shooting (51% as a Bull)- 1,072 games
Wilt Chamberlain- 31,419 points, 54% FG shooting- 1,045 games
Kobe Bryant- 30,619 points, 45% FG shooting- 1,199 games
Julius Erving- 30,026 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,243 games
Moses Malone- 29,580 points, 49% FG shooting- 1,455 games
Shaquille O'Neal- 28,596 points, 58% FG shooting- 1,207 games
Elvin Hayes- 27,313 points, 45% FG shooting- 1,303 games
Hakeem Olajuwon- 26,946 points, 51% FG shooting- 1,238 games
Oscar Robertson- 26,710 points, 48% FG shooting- 1,040 games
Dominique Wilkins- 26,668 points, 46% FG shooting- 1,074 games
George Gervin- 26,595 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,060 games
John Havlicek- 26,395 points, 43% FG shooting- 1,270 games
Alex English- 25,613 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,193 games
Rick Barry- 25,279 points, 45% FG shooting- 1,020 games
Reggie Miiler-25,279 points, 47% FG shooting- 1,389 games
Jerry West- 25,192 points, 47% FG shooting- 932 games
Kevin Garnett- 24,824 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,293 games
Patrick Ewing- 24,815 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,183 games
Allen Iverson- 24,368 points, 42% FG shooting- 914 games
Dirk Nowitzki- 24,312 points, 47% FG shooting- 1,068 games
Charles Barkley-23,757 points, 54% FG shooting- 1,073 games
Elgin Baylor- 23,149 points, 43% FG shooting- 846 games
Clyde Drexler-22,195 points, 47% FG shooting- 1,086 games
Larry Bird- 21,791 points, 50% FG shooting- 897 games
David Robinson- 20,790 points, 52% FG shooting- 987 games
LeBron James- 20,007 points, 49% FG shooting- 726 games



There were others in between, but I wanted to cut it short. LeBron is in great company, especially with his field goal percentage. I added others such as Havlicek, Elgin, Iverson, etc, so that there have been other volume scorers besides Kobe. Outside of those players, the rest were very efficient, and took smarter shots. Now, LeBron is in the midst of his fourth straight season of 50% or higher from the field. Once again, I am very impressed, but he is not the fastest.

Peyton Under Fire

After losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, I said that the Peyton Manning haters & detractors would come out full force from their holes. As it turns out, I was right because he was blasted by Disn-ESPN the Monday after the loss. On SportsCenter, OTL (Outside The Lines), and fanboys over the Internet aimed their guns, zeroed in and fired the blame at Peyton without looking at the entire picture. However, other more objective analysts, such as Dan Patrick, etc put everything in the proper perspective, instead of using foolish hyperbole, calling him a "Choker". Yes, Peyton does have a 9-11 Career Playoff Record, with 8 losses starting a playoff run. However, we have to look at the game itself against the Ravens in perspective. During the game, the officiating was downright horrible, with pass interference & holding penalties that were not called against Baltimore. The Broncos secondary did a horrendous job during the game, with Champ Bailey getting burned numerous times by receivers, such as Torrey Smith. Rahim Moore blew a key interception, and did not fully keep up with his assignment. Von Miller, their best pass rusher, was assigned to the run, which made no sense either. Yes, Peyton threw a crucial interception, but that does not even tell a fraction of the story. I am NOT a Peyton Manning homer, but I give the man his due. He is without question, the best player of this current generation. The man is an Icon in our sport. True, his 1 Super Bowl win, and record do not give him the best case as the greatest QB of all time, whether fair or unfair. Dan Patrick addressed that issue as well with his legacy. However, he is still a Top 3 QB in NFL History.

Peyton Manning's Case:
12-Time Pro Bowler
6-Time 1st Team All-Pro
Over 50,000 Career Passing Yards
Over 400 Career Touchdown Passes
Super Bowl MVP Trophy
4-time NFL MVP
49 Career Game Winning Drives
38 Career 4th Quarter Comebacks
Led the NFL in Passing Yards Twice
Two Seasons over 3,000 Yards
Twelve Seasons over 4,000 Yards
Led the NFL in Touchdown Passes 3 Times
Led the League in Passer Rating 3 Times
Career QB Rating: 95.7
Career QB Record of 154-70-0


It irritates me every time people bring up rings when talking about Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Outside of rings, Peyton has been the more consistent and prolific passer.

vs. Tom Brady:
8-Time Pro Bowler
2-Time 1st Team All-Pro
Over 40,000 career passing yards
Over 300 career touchdown passes
3-time Super Bowl MVP
2-time NFL MVP
37 Career Game Winning Drives
26 Career 4th Quarter Comebacks
Led the NFL in Passing Yards twice
One Season over 5,000 Yards
Four Seasons over 4,000 Yards
Five Seasons over 3,000 Yards
Led the NFL in Touchdown Passes 3 Times
Career QB Rating: 96.6
Career QB Record: 136-39-0

With the exception of his rookie season, the 2005 season, and his inactive 2011 season, Peyton Manning has been a perennial 4,000 yard passer for his career. He has had one streak of 6 consecutive 4,000+ yard seasons, and another streak of 5 straight 4,000+ yard seasons. (1999-2004, 2006-2010, 2012) Manning's overall body of work is greater than that of his rival.

The media refuses to point to the times where Tom Brady has played poorly in the playoffs, but his team bails him out. No one mentions how poorly he played in the "Tuck Rule Game" vs Oakland (32-52, 312 yards, 0 TD's, 1 INT), or how minimal he was in the AFC Championship game vs Pittsburgh (12-18, 115 yards, 0 TD's, 0 INT's), leading to the Patriots' first Super Bowl victory (SB XXXVI). He was sub par in that game as well (16-27, 145 yards, 1 TD). Also, no one brings up how Peyton outplayed Tom in the 2004 AFC Divisional Playoffs, in spite of how Manning's team let him down. (Manning- 27/42, 238 yards, 1 INT, Brady- 18/27, 144 yards, 1 TD)The year before, in the same round, they played evenly. (Manning- 23/47, 237 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT's, Brady- 22/37, 237 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) The media, fan boys, and ring counters also refuse to mention how Peyton Manning led his Colts to defeat Brady's Patriots in the 2006 AFC Championship game, to advance to win the Super Bowl. (Manning- 27/47, 349 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, Brady- 21/34, 232 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT)

It makes me cringe even more when people compare him to his brother Eli, because his brother has two rings to his one. When the media props up Eli, they always use the narrative "Little Brother has one more ring than Big Brother". People confuse Eli as a more "clutch QB" with having a better supporting cast. Eli's Defensive line carried him to those "two Super Bowl wins". Ironically, in the same season that Peyton became the all-time leader in 4th Quarter Comebacks, Eli has had numerous games where he blew the lead for his team. Another funny thing about this, is the fact that Peyton led his team to the playoffs in his return, while The Giants missed the postseason, right after winning the Super Bowl. So, who is the REAL choker? Comparing Eli to his megastar brother is an insult to Peyton Manning's brilliant legacy. This is like comparing Lil' Wayne (Eli) to Tupac Shakur (Peyton), or Dwyane Wade to Michael Jordan. Since they are brothers, with all due respect, Eli is like Owen and Peyton is like Bret. The older brother is not only the predecessor, but an extremely high standard that is out of reach for his younger sibling, or successor.

Should I really have to do this comparison? Should I really have to embarrass little Eli, to show how much he pales in comparison to his brother, when you take away the rings? (Rings are a TEAM ACHIEVEMENT) Fine, I will.

vs. Eli Manning:
2-Time Pro Bowler
Over 30,000 Career Passing Yards
Over 200 Career Touchdown Passes
2-Time Super Bowl MVP
28 Career Game Winning Drives
24 Career 4th Quarter Comebacks
5 Seasons over 3,000 Yards
3 Seasons over 4,000 Yards
Career QB Rating: 82.7
QB Record: 78-57-0

After 9 seasons, Eli Manning already has 57 losses? So much for being "clutch". Meanwhile, his awesome older brother has 70 losses to go along with his 154 wins, after 15 seasons. Eli also has 211 Touchdowns, but 144 Interceptions. (He has 70 more TD's than INT's) However, Peyton has 436 Touchdowns, along with 209 Interceptions. (He has 227 more TD's than INT's) Along with that, little brother Eli has only made TWO Pro Bowls for his career, without a SINGLE All-Pro Selection. So much for being "Elite". Eli Manning's numbers are pedestrian at best. For the record, I am not "hating" on Eli Manning. I am simply responding to the massive media hype, by putting things in perspective. Even though his career is not over yet, those are enormous shoes to fill. Eli cannot even shine Peyton's shoes or his helmet, let alone be mentioned in the same sentence as him.

Even during his return this season to a new team (Denver Broncos), Peyton Manning was still highly effective, and showed everyone why he is still to be considered the best QB in the game. Manning still put up MVP level numbers, after four neck surgeries which could have ended his career. Technically, he is out of his prime from a physical standpoint, but he put the entire NFL on notice, as every other QB took a step back this season. Tom Brady is a Hall of Fame Quarterback as well, but Peyton Manning is the cream of the crop for Quarterbacks of this era. His game speaks for itself. The facts speak for themselves as well. We are witnessing a Living Legend & Icon of our time, Mr. Peyton Manning.

Clash of The Titans I (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Wilt Chamberlain)

This comparison is a battle between the Top 2 Centers of All-Time. Both of these men are the first dominant 7-footers. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Wilt Chamberlain are two of the most dominant forces among big men that the NBA has ever seen. Both men's careers overlapped, which makes them natural rivals. They have had classic head to head battles in the early '70s. Kareem was in the early part of his prime, while Wilt was in the twilight of his career. Prime vs. Prime would have been an even more fantastic match up. Here, I will go into a very deep, detailed comparison about each men's career, side by side. If I were to create an NBA Mt. Rushmore, these two titans would be there, next to Michael and Magic. This is the battle of an insane peak run vs. incredible consistency and longevity. I was not alive when these men dominated the league. However, I am a very passionate student/historian of the game of basketball, and I enjoy the game's great history. Kareem & Wilt were two very large Centerpieces (no pun intended) to the game. Now, it is time for the main event. Let's get ready to rumble!!!




                                                          Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:

                                                                       vs.



                                                                Wilt Chamberlain:

Rookie of the Year:
Kareem: Yes
Wilt: Yes

All-Rookie 1st Team:
Kareem: Yes
Wilt: Yes

MVP Awards:
Kareem: 6
Wilt:4

All-NBA 1st Team Selections:
Kareem: 10
Wilt: 7

All-Defensive 1st Team Selections:
Kareem: 5
Wilt: 4

Finals MVP's:
Kareem: 2
Wilt: 1

All-Star Selections:
Kareem: 19
Wilt: 13

Scoring Titles:
Kareem: 2
Wilt: 7

Rebounding Titles:
Kareem: 1
Wilt: 11

Seasons with 50+ ppg:
Kareem: 0
Wilt: 1

Seasons with 40+ ppg:
Kareem: 0
Wilt: 2

Seasons with 30+ ppg:
Kareem: 4
Wilt: 7

Career PPG: (Regular Season)
Kareem: 24.6
Wilt: 30.1

Career FG %: (Regular Season)
Kareem: 56%
Wilt: 54%

Career Points: (Regular Season)
Kareem: 38,387
Wilt: 31,419

Career Rebounds: (Regular Season)
Kareem: 17,440
Wilt: 23,924


Career RPG: (Regular Season)
Kareem: 11.2
Wilt: 22.9

Career Win Shares: (Regular Season)
Kareem: 273.4
Wilt: 247.3

Offensive Win Shares: (Regular Season)
Kareem: 178.9
Wilt: 153.3

Defensive Win Shares: (Regular Season)
Kareem: 94.5
Wilt: 93.9

Win Shares Per 48 Minutes: (Regular Season)
Kareem: .228
Wilt: .248

Most Consecutive 60 Point Games: Wilt- 4
Most Consecutive 50 Point Games: Wilt- 7
Most Consecutive 45 Point Games: Wilt- 7
Most Consecutive 40 Point Games: Wilt- 14
Most Consecutive 30 Point Games: Wilt- 65
Most Consecutive 20 Point Games: Wilt- 126

Most PPG by a Rookie: Wilt (37.6 in 1959-60)
Most Points by a Rookie: Wilt (2,707 in 1959-60)
Most Points in a game by a Rookie: Wilt (58, 1/25/1960 & 2/21/1960)

Wilt Chamberlain was the first player in NBA history to win both Rookie of the Year, and MVP in the same season.

Fewest Games to Reach 20,000 Points: Wilt (499, 1966)
Fewest Games to Reach 25,000 Points: Wilt (691, 1968)
Fewest Games to Reach 30,000 Points: Wilt (941, 1972)

Career 60-point games:
Kareem: 0
Wilt: 32

Career 50-point games:
Kareem: 10
Wilt: 118

Career 40-point games:
Kareem: 70
Wilt: 271


Wilt's numbers were astronomical. Those behind him are not even within striking distance.

Seasons Leading the League in PER:
Kareem: 9
Wilt: 8


Career PER (Player Efficiency Rating):
Kareem: 24.58
Wilt: 26.13

Kareem was slightly a more efficient player, when you look at their first 10-15 years, as a result of his higher FG %. However, his decline hurt his Efficiency.


Now, lets compare their best individual seasons:


                                                                1962 Wilt:

                                                                         vs.

                                                                 1972 Kareem:

Career-High PPG: (Single Season)
Kareem: 34.8 (1972)
Wilt: 50.4 (1962)

Career-High Total Points: (Single Season)
Kareem: 2,822
Wilt: 4,029

Field-Goal Percentage:
Kareem: 57.4%
Wilt: 50.6%

Total Rebounds : (Single Season)
Kareem: 1,346
Wilt: 2,052

Rebounds Per Game: (Single Season)
Kareem: 16.6
Wilt: 25.7


Now, lets turn things up even more. Wilt had monstrous regular season numbers, but the tables turn once the playoffs come around. Kareem raised his game to a higher level than Wilt during the postseason. KAJ shot a higher FG % than Chamberlain. Even in their best individual seasons, Kareem shot a higher percentage than Wilt as well. Here are the stats to prove it:

Playoffs (Career):


Total Points:
Kareem: 5,762
Wilt: 3,607

PPG:
Kareem: 24.3
Wilt: 22.5

Field Goal Percentage:
Kareem: 53.3%
Wilt: 52.2%

Career-high PPG (Playoffs):
Kareem: 35.2
Wilt: 37.0

Total Rebounds:
Kareem: 2,481
Wilt: 3,913

RPG:
Kareem: 10.5
Wilt: 24.5

Career Win Shares: (Playoffs)
Kareem: 35.6
Wilt: 31.5

Offensive Win Shares: (Playoffs)
Kareem: 21.8
Wilt: 15.7

Defensive Win Shares: (Playoffs)
Kareem: 13.7
Wilt: 15.8

Win Shares Per 48 Minutes: (Playoffs)
Kareem: .193
Wilt: .200

Although Wilt had phenomenal peak numbers that are out of this world, Kareem wins the edge, as a result of postseason play, individual awards, team awards, and consistent longevity.

Winner: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

King's Artwork

                                                         


                                                                   Chris Jericho:

                                                 Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock:

                                                         Bret "The Hitman" Hart:

                                                                   



                                                 Bret "The Hitman" Hart (Sharpshooter):

                                                                 CM Punk:

Aaliyah:

                                                                      LL Cool J:

Eddie Guerrero:

Jeannie Jones (DC Radio Legend):

Anthony Brown:

Magic Johnson "Greatest Point Guard Ever":

Larry Bird "L3G3ND":

                                                                            Edge: 

                                                                  Michael Jordan: