Michael Jordan vs. Wayne Gretzky

[MrElijah]

Just because both Lord Stanley's Cup and O'Brien's Trophy are being contested. Two of the greatest in their respected sports, if not THE greatest.

Who was more dominat? Who was the better athlete? Who was more fun to watch? Who did more for their sport?

[sfvega]

-Gretzky was more dominant. Only Lemieux ever approached his single-season totals, and honestly didn't come all that close. For example, in 1985/1986 season, there were 7 players with 60-69 assists. There were two players with 70-90 assists. Paul Coffey and Mario Lemieux, all time greats, had 90 and 93 assists respectively. Gretzky had 163. If you divided his year in assists in half, those halves would have finished 3rd and 4th in the LEAGUE in assists. And that's just one year.

-Jordan was easily the better athlete, as Gretzky probably wasn't even the best athlete in hockey at the time. What made Gretzky great was his shot and his mind for the game. He was like a chess master with the puck. Even if you played him perfectly, he would still make an amazing pass and beat you. He could put the puck in the net as well as anyone, and he knew where the puck needed to go better than anyone.

-Jordan was more fun to watch. Gretzky was great, but the NBA was more competitive during Jordan's prime, and his rivals were amazing. Gretzky pretty much ran roughshod until the LA trade, and his last title with NY doesn't even really seem that memorable.

-Jordan grew the NBA huge. He became a transcendent athlete. He's a legend among legends. Not only is he a standalone bigger star than Gretzky, in his prime he was way more famous than the next most famous basketball player, moreso than Gretzky.

[Lupin the Third]

It was better when they were superheroes.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Jun 1, 2017 20:14:03 GMT -5 sfvega said:

-Gretzky was more dominant. Only Lemieux ever approached his single-season totals, and honestly didn't come all that close. For example, in 1985/1986 season, there were 7 players with 60-69 assists. There were two players with 70-90 assists. Paul Coffey and Mario Lemieux, all time greats, had 90 and 93 assists respectively. Gretzky had 163. If you divided his year in assists in half, those halves would have finished 4th and 5th in the LEAGUE in assists. And that's just one year.

-Jordan was easily the better athlete, as Gretzky probably wasn't even the best athlete in hockey at the time. What made Gretzky great was his shot and his mind for the game. He was like a chess master with the puck. Even if you played him perfectly, he would still make an amazing pass and beat you. He could put the puck in the net as well as anyone, and he knew where the puck needed to go better than anyone.

-Jordan was more fun to watch. Gretzky was great, but the NBA was more competitive during Jordan's prime, and his rivals were amazing. Gretzky pretty much ran roughshod until the LA trade, and his last title with NY doesn't even really seem that memorable.

-Jordan grew the NBA huge. He became a transcendent athlete. He's a legend among legends. Not only is he a standalone bigger star than Gretzky, in his prime he was way more famous than the next most famous basketball player, moreso than Gretzky.

This sums it up. Jordan cross over stands out more when it comes to main stream. I mean none Sports or NBA fans still knew who Jordan was because he had more deals with getting endorsement deals. The Space Jam move really put Jordan over the top in that regard.

Gretzky did a lot for Hockey but NHL still hasn't gotten to the levels the NBA as overall. This is coming from a Hockey fan and someone who hardly follows the NBA. The only things is nobody as gotten close to Gretzky stats in a single season. Jordan has been there. Lebron James is close to having the same overall stats.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Jun 1, 2017 22:12:21 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

Jun 1, 2017 20:14:03 GMT -5 sfvega said:

-Gretzky was more dominant. Only Lemieux ever approached his single-season totals, and honestly didn't come all that close. For example, in 1985/1986 season, there were 7 players with 60-69 assists. There were two players with 70-90 assists. Paul Coffey and Mario Lemieux, all time greats, had 90 and 93 assists respectively. Gretzky had 163. If you divided his year in assists in half, those halves would have finished 4th and 5th in the LEAGUE in assists. And that's just one year.

-Jordan was easily the better athlete, as Gretzky probably wasn't even the best athlete in hockey at the time. What made Gretzky great was his shot and his mind for the game. He was like a chess master with the puck. Even if you played him perfectly, he would still make an amazing pass and beat you. He could put the puck in the net as well as anyone, and he knew where the puck needed to go better than anyone.

-Jordan was more fun to watch. Gretzky was great, but the NBA was more competitive during Jordan's prime, and his rivals were amazing. Gretzky pretty much ran roughshod until the LA trade, and his last title with NY doesn't even really seem that memorable.

-Jordan grew the NBA huge. He became a transcendent athlete. He's a legend among legends. Not only is he a standalone bigger star than Gretzky, in his prime he was way more famous than the next most famous basketball player, moreso than Gretzky.

This sums it up. Jordan cross over stands out more when it comes to main stream. I mean none Sports or NBA fans still knew who Jordan was because he had more deals with getting endorsement deals. The Space Jam move really put Jordan over the top in that regard.

Gretzky did a lot for Hockey but NHL still hasn't gotten to the levels the NBA as overall. This is coming from a Hockey fan and someone who hardly follows the NBA. The only things is nobody as gotten close to Gretzky stats in a single season. Jordan has been there. Lebron James is close to having the same overall stats.

So if we are talking main stream do you think Crosby surpasses Gretzky as the most well known hockey player of all time to the "casual" fan.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Jun 1, 2017 22:50:48 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Jun 1, 2017 22:12:21 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

This sums it up. Jordan cross over stands out more when it comes to main stream. I mean none Sports or NBA fans still knew who Jordan was because he had more deals with getting endorsement deals. The Space Jam move really put Jordan over the top in that regard.

Gretzky did a lot for Hockey but NHL still hasn't gotten to the levels the NBA as overall. This is coming from a Hockey fan and someone who hardly follows the NBA. The only things is nobody as gotten close to Gretzky stats in a single season. Jordan has been there. Lebron James is close to having the same overall stats.

So if we are talking main stream do you think Crosby surpasses Gretzky as the most well known hockey player of all time to the "casual" fan.

I don't think so, Gretzky was just as much mainstream as Crosby is if not a little more in the 90s. Keep in mind that Gretzky has made movie cameos like in the Might Ducks and was the face of the NHL in the 90s. I say there about the same to the casual fan. Gretzky I think still as the edge.

[Deleted]

You can play be a pro mode at the beginner level of any NHL game and you would barely put out Gretzky numbers. This record may finally be broken because Jagr plans on playing till he's 50 but if Gretzky never scored one goal, he would still have more points than anyone else in history with his assists alone.

Like it's not just 80's hockey inflation, he was just that dominant where his single season assists was still more points than the 2nd place guy. Nobody will ever dominate a sport like him again. Stephen Curry may had a Gretzky like season last season but try doing that 15 more times.

Yeah I know I use the argument all the time if Crosby time travelled in the 80s he might of done better and with 31 teams now in a salary cap parity era and how goalies and defensemen transcended to 6'4 240lb juggernauts that skate as fast as a 5'9 175lb forward and the NHL turned into a multi billion dollar league there will never be a guy as dominant as Gretzky in any other sport. Period. Keep in mind Gretzky was only making high five figures in some of his early seasons and only elite players didn't have to work day jobs during the off-season because of high six figures or few low 7 figure salary in the 80s.

If Gretzky never left Edmonton for LA, the Oilers would of won at least 4-6 more cups considering they still won one without him two years later and the 94 Rangers had 7 Oilers alumni that didn't include Gretzky. Keep in mind LA was practically The Cleveland Browns of hockey before the trade and Gretzky made them contenders right away with Barry f***ing Melrose coaching them to the Cup Finals. If Gretzky stayed in Edmonton in which he couldn't have because they couldn't afford him when the league was blowing up huge in a billion dollar league local big market city billionaires buying the teams with huge local TV Contracts, we wouldn't be having this conversation with his 10 cup rings.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Jun 2, 2017 21:41:42 GMT -5 @supersweetbotch said:

You can play be a pro mode at the beginner level of any NHL game and you would barely put out Gretzky numbers. This record may finally be broken because Jagr plans on playing till he's 50 but if Gretzky never scored one goal, he would still have more points than anyone else in history with his assists alone.

Like it's not just 80's hockey inflation, he was just that dominant where his single season assists was still more points than the 2nd place guy. Nobody will ever dominate a sport like him again. Stephen Curry may had a Gretzky like season last season but try doing that 15 more times.

Yeah I know I use the argument all the time if Crosby time travelled in the 80s he might of done better and with 31 teams now in a salary cap parity era and how goalies and defensemen transcended to 6'4 240lb juggernauts that skate as fast as a 5'9 175lb forward and the NHL turned into a multi billion dollar league there will never be a guy as dominant as Gretzky in any other sport. Period. Keep in mind Gretzky was only making high five figures in some of his early seasons and only elite players didn't have to work day jobs during the off-season because of high six figures or few low 7 figure salary in the 80s.

If Gretzky never left Edmonton for LA, the Oilers would of won at least 4-6 more cups considering they still won one without him two years later and the 94 Rangers had 7 Oilers alumni that didn't include Gretzky. Keep in mind LA was practically The Cleveland Browns of hockey before the trade and Gretzky made them contenders right away with Barry f***ing Melrose coaching them to the Cup Finals. If Gretzky stayed in Edmonton in which he couldn't have because they couldn't afford him when the league was blowing up huge in a billion dollar league local big market city billionaires buying the teams with huge local TV Contracts, we wouldn't be having this conversation with his 10 cup rings.

The thing is the Blues would have had there cup already as well, if it wasn't for Mike Kennan who poed so many players they forced them to leave. That Trade for him he was going to resigned. There would been no stopping that team if you had a full season of Gretzky and Hull on the same line. You got Macinis and Stevens on top of that on the Defense. That was a dangerous team and would have been.

[Deleted]

The Great Gretzky was more dominant.
MJ was more well-known. Dude was everywhere on TV.

More fun, I say Gretzky. Hockey is a quicker game.

[sfvega]

Jun 3, 2017 3:39:47 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

Jun 2, 2017 21:41:42 GMT -5 @supersweetbotch said:

You can play be a pro mode at the beginner level of any NHL game and you would barely put out Gretzky numbers. This record may finally be broken because Jagr plans on playing till he's 50 but if Gretzky never scored one goal, he would still have more points than anyone else in history with his assists alone.

Like it's not just 80's hockey inflation, he was just that dominant where his single season assists was still more points than the 2nd place guy. Nobody will ever dominate a sport like him again. Stephen Curry may had a Gretzky like season last season but try doing that 15 more times.

Yeah I know I use the argument all the time if Crosby time travelled in the 80s he might of done better and with 31 teams now in a salary cap parity era and how goalies and defensemen transcended to 6'4 240lb juggernauts that skate as fast as a 5'9 175lb forward and the NHL turned into a multi billion dollar league there will never be a guy as dominant as Gretzky in any other sport. Period. Keep in mind Gretzky was only making high five figures in some of his early seasons and only elite players didn't have to work day jobs during the off-season because of high six figures or few low 7 figure salary in the 80s.

If Gretzky never left Edmonton for LA, the Oilers would of won at least 4-6 more cups considering they still won one without him two years later and the 94 Rangers had 7 Oilers alumni that didn't include Gretzky. Keep in mind LA was practically The Cleveland Browns of hockey before the trade and Gretzky made them contenders right away with Barry f***ing Melrose coaching them to the Cup Finals. If Gretzky stayed in Edmonton in which he couldn't have because they couldn't afford him when the league was blowing up huge in a billion dollar league local big market city billionaires buying the teams with huge local TV Contracts, we wouldn't be having this conversation with his 10 cup rings.

The thing is the Blues would have had there cup already as well, if it wasn't for Mike Kennan who poed so many players they forced them to leave. That Trade for him he was going to resigned. There would been no stopping that team if you had a full season of Gretzky and Hull on the same line. You got Macinis and Stevens on top of that on the Defense. That was a dangerous team and would have been.

I'm like 90% sure Stevens was long gone by then.

[Toilet Paper Roll]

Gretzky. His numbers are unsurpassable.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Jun 3, 2017 7:06:11 GMT -5 sfvega said:

Jun 3, 2017 3:39:47 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

The thing is the Blues would have had there cup already as well, if it wasn't for Mike Kennan who poed so many players they forced them to leave. That Trade for him he was going to resigned. There would been no stopping that team if you had a full season of Gretzky and Hull on the same line. You got Macinis and Stevens on top of that on the Defense. That was a dangerous team and would have been.

I'm like 90% sure Stevens was long gone by then.

Your right, I don't know why I said Stevens. Pronger just came in and would been his sophomore season.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Jun 2, 2017 15:12:16 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

Jun 1, 2017 22:50:48 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

So if we are talking main stream do you think Crosby surpasses Gretzky as the most well known hockey player of all time to the "casual" fan.

I don't think so, Gretzky was just as much mainstream as Crosby is if not a little more in the 90s. Keep in mind that Gretzky has made movie cameos like in the Might Ducks and was the face of the NHL in the 90s. I say there about the same to the casual fan. Gretzky I think still as the edge.

In Britain, NHL has never been a thing, the only thing 99% of people will know here is the name Wayne Gretsky.

[Cyno]

I think it's an apples and oranges comparison between the two in terms of how they played.

The basketball player I think is a more apt comparison for Gretzky is Wilt Chamberlain.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Jun 4, 2017 13:20:49 GMT -5 Futureraven: Beelzebruv said:

Jun 2, 2017 15:12:16 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

I don't think so, Gretzky was just as much mainstream as Crosby is if not a little more in the 90s. Keep in mind that Gretzky has made movie cameos like in the Might Ducks and was the face of the NHL in the 90s. I say there about the same to the casual fan. Gretzky I think still as the edge.

In Britain, NHL has never been a thing, the only thing 99% of people will know here is the name Wayne Gretsky.

Yeah I see Wayne as the first name to think of when it comes to Hockey. He was the face of the sport in his playing days.