The Great New York Sports Debate Two New York Sportswriters Go Head-to-Head on the 50 Most Heated Questions

by Rubin, Roger; Lennon, David

• ISBN13: 9780452287549
• ISBN10: 0452287545
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-10-31
• Publisher: Plume

Summary

Two top authorities slug it out over the fifty hottest debates in New York sports New Yorkers are notoriously opinionated, and nothing spurs their argumentative side quite like sports. David Lennon of Newsdayand Roger Rubin of The New York Daily News— two New York sportswriters, add gasoline to the fire with The Great New York Sports Debate, a raucous and spirited examination of the fifty most contentious issues in New York athletics. Longtime friends and rivals, Lennon and Rubin engage in heated debate on a wide range of topics, including: * Is George Steinbrenner good or evil? * Which athlete is the biggest villain in New York? * New York’s greatest quarterback: Namath or Simms? * Can a New Yorker like both teams”? Touching on every aspect of New York sports—including baseball, basketball, boxing, and the New York Marathon—The Great New York Sports Debateis guaranteed to spark lively discussion among sports fans everywhere.

Author Biography

ROGER RUBIN has been a sportswriter in New York since 1988. He has worked at the New York Daily News since 1995. He can frequently be heard espousing opinions about college basketball and baseball on New York talk radio.

DAVID LENNON has been a staff writer for Newsday since 1991. He is a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America and a Hall of Fame voter. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and on NY-1-'s sports shows.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Why There Is No Chapter About Babe Ruth in This Book	xiii
Who Is the Most Despised Villain?	1	(5)
Which Was the Best Trade?	6	(8)
The Top 10 Trades	10	(4)
Which Catcher Set the Standard?	14	(5)
Did the Giants Blow It with Eli Manning?	19	(5)
Is It Really More Difficult to Play in New York?	24	(7)
Settle the Score/Gary Sheffield	28	(3)
Did the Rangers Become Irrelevant Since Winning the Stanley Cup?	31	(5)
Who Is the Best Coach or Manager?	36	(7)
The Five Best and Five Worst Managers or Coaches	40	(3)
Is It a Sin Against Mankind to Be a Fan of ``Both Teams''?	43	(5)
A-Rod: Money Player or Just Plays for the Money?	48	(5)
What Was the Greatest Sporting Event Held at Madison Square Garden?	53	(8)
The Ten Greatest Garden Events of the Last Thirty-five Years	57	(4)
Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry: Tragic Heroes or Wasted Careers?	61	(5)
Who Is the Most ``Significant Other''?	66	(7)
Settle the Score/Will Leitch	70	(3)
Which Is the Greatest Single Performance?	73	(5)
George Steinbrenner: Good or Evil?	78	(4)
Best Quarterback: Phil Simms or Joe Namath?	82	(5)
Can the Nets Overthrow the Knicks for City Supremacy?	87	(7)
Settle the Score/John Calipari	91	(3)
Do the Red Sox Now Have the Upper Hand over the Yankees?	94	(6)
Settle the Score/Kevin Millar	98	(2)
Where's the Worst Place to Watch a Game?	100	(5)
Who Is the Most Underrated Athlete?	105	(5)
Has the NHL Lockout Irreparably Damaged the Sport?	110	(7)
Settle the Score/John Davidson	114	(3)
Keith Hernandez or Don Mattingly?	117	(5)
The New York City Marathon: Love It or Hate It?	122	(7)
Settle the Score/Mary Wittenberg	126	(3)
Do the Jets Need to Leave Giants Stadium?	129	(5)
Bobby Valentine's Firing: Wise Move or Huge Mistake?	134	(5)
What Was the Most Sensational Scandal?	139	(8)
The Ten Most Sensational Scandals	143	(4)
Which New York Athlete Would Be the Most Fun to Hang With?	147	(5)
Who Is the Most Talented City-born Basketball Player?	152	(8)
Settle the Score/Bob Oliva	157	(3)
Does Mr. Met Actually Serve a Purpose?	160	(5)
Who Is the Best Executive?	165	(5)
Which Is the Greatest New York Sports Movie of the Last Thirty-five Years?	170	(7)
The Top Five New York Sports Movies	175	(2)
Is Madison Square Garden Special Anymore?	177	(5)
Does Goose Gossage Deserve to Be in the Hall of Fame?	182	(6)
Settle the Score/Tom Glavine	186	(2)
Who Is the Top NHL Goaltender?	188	(5)
Does New York Care About College Football?	193	(5)
Which World Series Title Meant the Most to New York?	198	(7)
Settle the Score/Darryl Strawberry	202	(3)
Johnny Damon or Carlos Beltran?	205	(5)
Who Is the Best New York-born Point Guard?	210	(8)
Settle the Score/Jim Larranaga	214	(4)
Who Was the Biggest Bust?	218	(7)
The Ten Biggest Busts	222	(3)
Big Blue Wrecking Crew or New York Sack Exchange?	225	(5)
Which Was the Worst Trade?	230	(7)
New York's Ten Worst Trades	234	(3)
Who Is the Most Damaging ``Clubhouse Cancer''?	237	(5)
Who Is the Best Pitcher?	242	(5)
Greater Accomplishment: Three Straight World Series Crowns or Four Straight Stanley Cup Titles?	247	(5)
Who Is the Most Overrated Athlete?	252	(5)
Is There a More Dominant Defensive Force Than Lawrence Taylor?	257	(5)
Which Was the Greatest Championship?	262	(5)
Who Is the Darling of the U.S. Open?	267	(5)
Where Is the Most Hallowed Place for Hoops?	272	(5)
Was Reggie Jackson Truly a Great Yankee?	277	(5)
What Were the Best and Worst Endings We've Seen?	282