Last week's edition of "Wednesday's Challenge" was cut very short due to the polls not working properly for the majority of the week. But Jim Rice did grab more of the votes that were cast prior to the polls going down and thus stays at #39 on The RBSF Ladder while Bobby Doerr is unable to move up from #46.
This week we have a battle of Celtics scoring whizzes past and present as #27 Reggie Lewis tries to hold off a Challenge from #32 Paul Pierce. A look at the two candidates...
LEWIS: Reggie starred at Northeastern (1983-87) before joining the Celtics. Led Huskies to 4 America East Conference titles and 4 trips to the NCAA Tourney (26.6 ppg in NCAAs). Won AEC Rookie of the Year followed by 3-straight Player of the Year Awards. NU career leader in points (2,709) and PPG (22.2). Celtics #1 pick (22nd overall) in 1987 NBA Draft. Played entire 6 year career (1987-93) in Boston before his death following the '93 season on July 27, 1993 at the age of 27. Career averages: 17.6 points (19.2 after his rookie year), 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, .488 FG%, .824 FT%. Was a 1992 NBA All Star. Made playoffs all 6 seasons and had 17. 5 career playoff scoring average, including 22.4 and 28.0 ppg in '91 and '92 playoff runs. Averaged 20.8 ppg each of his final two seasons. #35 is retired by both Northeastern and the Celtics.
PIERCE: The Truth has played his entire 10 year career (1998-2008) with the Celtics. Boston's #1 pick (10th overall) in 1998 NBA Draft. Career averages of 23.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists. 6-time NBA All Star. 3-time 3rd Team All-NBA. 1999 All Rookie 1st Team. Helped lead Celtics to 2008 NBA Championship and was named Finals MVP. Career playoff averages of 22.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. Led the NBA in points scored (2,144) in 2002. Scored over 2,000 points 4 times. Franchise leader in 3-pointers attempted and made; 2nd in steals; 4th in blocks; 6th in points. Trails only Larry Bird in career points per game average with Celtics. Holds 17 franchise records.
VERDICT: Both played in Boston 10 years (to date) but 4 of Lewis' were with the Huskies at Northeastern. His death sadly cut short a career that seemed to be on the rise with each passing season, so he was never able to reach the truly elite status Pierce has achieved with his personal stats now being joined by an NBA title and a Finals MVP Award. Prior to the playoffs this would have been a tougher vote for me, but after what we just witnessed it is impossible for me to go against Pierce here.
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16 comments:
...WJ, before you go making another Dana Barros comparison I do want to point out that:
1. I did vote for Pierce
2. Barros was never a star on the C's.
3. I understand he was a great high school athlete but I (for better or worse) am not considering high school sports here.
Paul Pierce's development as a leader makes him take this challenge with ease for me.
Is this first challenge where non pro sports comes into play?
Reggie was supposed get the Celts back to winning the title. In his shortened career he didnt get that done. And we will never know if he could have done it. Mortality is gonna play a role in this one.
Pierce gets my vote and wins by a landslide.
when Reggie does drop that will also move Boggs and Neely ahead of Lewis which i would also agree with
let me rephrase my question. I relized that Mike Eruzione was based on the olympics which is non pro.
Is this the first challege where colege sports comes into play?
Technically Eruzione was college too since he played for BU, but that was just a poll to get in the final spot, not a real challenge.
If Doug Flutie is challenged it will be interesting to see how people feel about him...
I think if Lewis had done at BC what he did at NU people may think more highly of it. America East clearly isn't Big East basketball. Not taking away from how good he is, but just how it's perceived.
I do think my personal love for Reggie and how sad I felt when he died (I remember exactly where I was still) probably led to me ranking him a bit too high originally. I agree with GMAC that him going below Boggs and Neely feels rights.
I don't know. Despite the championship this year my memories of Reggie Lewis are more positive than those of Pierce. I think back to Lewis driving to the lane and hitting hitting a soft, floating shot from the top of the key. Whereas, I will always think of Pierce as the guy who drives the lane, gets stripped, throws up his hands and looks for a foul. I'm going with Reggie!
Anonymous, I'm asking you yet again to please find an identity. Don't make me make "anonymous" entries illegal. And "Anonymous" will never make the RBSF Hall of Fame. Step up!
As for the Reggie/Pierce debate, I agreed with you right up until the point that PP won a title and earned Finals MVP. At that point my first thought of Pierce is being a champion, whereas my first thought of Reggie is him collapsing at 27.
An aside from this week's challenge...I had a recent grudge on retired numbers. Guys like Lewis are the one are I have the most problem deciding on....the early death. I am not against it personally. I have much more issue with Cedric Maxwell or Don Nelson having their numbers retired than Reggie.
A point I thought of in Reggie's favor...I'm pretty sure he led all NBA guards in blocked shots two years in a row, but since I couldn't confirm this I couldn't include it.
For those who are voting for Reggie.
Do you feel like you have to say noce things since he died young? Are you sure you remember this truly great player? Or do you remember a good player that an untimely death clouds your vision into thinking he was better than he was.
The most points scored in a season by Reggie was 1703. Pierce scored more than that 6 times (as many years a RL played). And you say but Pierce has played longer. And you would be right but.. But 4 of the 6 years PP scored over 1703 were in his first 6 seasons.
totally off topic. Luke takes the lead in RBSF HOF voting and i havent seen a post since, WJ is making a move and havent seen a post in awhile.
I voted for Pierce.
Hey Luke congrats on taking the lead in the voting. Are you just trying to coast? Trying to not upset any voters by being limited in your commentary?
Why did you vote for Pierce? You're usually more insightful than an "i voted for" statement.
Sorry dude, have a life and wasn't laptop side for the entire weekend.
Pierce was a simple selection for me, I mean, flip the script, and tell me if Pierce died at 27, on the court. Your vote would've gone to him?!
I mean, Reggie was great, great to watch in an era when the Celts weren't good. Pierce is on a different level and deserves to be looked at as such.
He is now one of the all-time Celtic greats. This is not a knock on Reggie, at all. Pierce has elevated his game, and it was not shabby even his first season, Unless you are coming at me with classic names, Pierce is taking the cake.
more disconcerting than the lead change, and the Walpole Joe run, was the fact that you lost a vote??
I mean who does that, didn't you have 13 at a time?
Looks like a runaway for Pierce.
I like the inter-sport challenges, hope the next one/ or one soon is one of those...
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