In the last edition of Ladder Challenge it was Jim Rice defeating Reggie Lewis with 88% of the vote to move Jim Ed up to #32 on the Ladder, and drop Reggie down to #37. In this week's Challenge it is Bruins sniper Cam Neely (#29) attempting to defeat Red Sox ace Roger Clemens (#27) and move up 2 spots. Although Clemens was an MVP and 3-time Cy Young Award winner in Boston, the likability factor alone gives the Hockey Hall of Famer our vote this week. So who has your support in this week's Ladder Challenge? (and remember, most votes in the comments section is the tie-breaker, so be sure to voice your opinion!)
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5 comments:
ROGER CLEMENS
Currently Ranked: 27
Challenge Record: 0-1-0
Beat: Nobody
Lost: Paul Pierce
Tied: Nobody
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*Played 13 seasons (1984-96) with Red Sox.
*Member of 1986 American League Champions.
*1986 A.L. MVP (24-4, 2.48 ERA, 10 CG, 238 K in 254 IP).
*Won 3 Cy Young Awards (1986, 1987, 1991).
*5-time A.L. All Star.
*1986 All Star MVP.
*Red Sox regular season totals: 192-111 (.634 win %), 3.06 ERA, 2,590 K, 2,776 IP, 100 CG and 38 SHO.
*Red Sox playoff totals: 9 starts, 1-2 (6 no-decisions), 3.88 ERA, 45 K, 55.2 IP.
*Among Sox all-time leaders in: Wins (1), Strikeouts (1), Innings (1), Games Started (1), Shutouts (1), Games (5), K/BB (5), Win % (9), Complete Games (9).
*Led league in: Shutouts (5x), ERA (4x), K/BB (4x), Strikeouts (3x), Wins (2x), Complete Games (2), Win % (1), Innings (1), Starts (1).
*First pitcher in MLB history to strikeout 20 batters in 9-inning game; only one to do it twice.
CAM NEELY
Currently Ranked: 29
Challenge Record: 1-0-0
Beat: Andre Tippett
Lost: Nobody
Tied: Nobody
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*Played 10 seasons with the Bruins (1986-96).
*Helped win 2 Wales Conference Championships (1988, 1990).
*Selected to 5 All Star teams.
*Named 2nd Team All-NHL 4 times.
*Bruins totals: 344 goals and 246 assists for 590 points in 525 games.
*Led NHL in goals per game in 1994 (1.02).
*Scored 50+ goals 3 times.
*In 1994 he scored 50 goals in his first 44 games, faster than anyone in NHL history except Wayne Gretzky.
*Ranks Top 10 in Bruins franchise history in: Goals per Game (2), Game Winning Goals (4), Power Play Goals (4), Goals (5), Shots on Goal (5), Points per Game (6), Shooting % (6) and Points (9). Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005.
*His #8 is retired by the Bruins.
*Currently Vice President of the Boston Bruins.
I wonder how I'd vote if Clemens had never used steroids, or never pitched for the Yankes...but unfortunately for him he did both.
Voting against him becomes easier every time.
As a non-avid watcher/follower of hockey, Cam Neely was always the most prominent name, or most "Bruin"-like of a player in my lifetime. Even a little moreso than Ray Bourque.
Hopefully in the next set of years there are more to enter that all-time Bruins debate.
Neely is a better actor.
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