In the last edition of the Ladder Challenge it was Joe Cronin squeezing out a victory over Harry Hooper with 55% of the vote in a battle of Red Sox legends. The victory moved Cronin up 2 rungs to #57 on the RBSF Ladder. This week a pair of athletes who made their mark on Boston sports in very different ways due battle as Tedy Bruschi (#39) attempts to hold off the challenge of Bill Rodgers (#43). Although Bruschi was a great player and a fan favorite (of mine as well, I'm going with "Boston Billy" this week, with the 4-time Boston Marathon champion barely edging out the 3-time Super Bowl champion. So who has your support in this week's battle? (and remember, the most votes in the comments section is the tie-breaker, so be sure to share your thoughts!)
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4 comments:
TEDY BRUSCHI
Ranked: 39
Started:59
Challenge Record: 2-0-0
Beat: Joe Cronin, Ty Law
Lost: Nobody
Tied: Nobody
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*Played entire 13-year career (1996-2008) with Patriots.
*Helped Pats win 3 Super Bowls (2001, 2003-04).
*Helped Pats win 5 AFC Championships (1996, 2001, 2003-04, 2007).
*Named to 2004 AFC Pro Bowl team.
*Voted the 2005 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
*Had a stroke in February, 2005 and was back playing by the end of October.
*Started every game for first 16-0 team in NFL history (2007).
*Career stats: 189 Games, 680 Tackles, 387 Assists, 30.5 Sacks, 12 Interceptions, 17 Forced Fumbles, 7 Fumble Recoveries and 4 Interception TD.
*Only player in NFL history to return 4 consecutive interceptions for touchdowns.
*His 22 playoff games are the most in franchise history.
*Defensive captain of Patriots 50th Anniversary Team.
BILL RODGERS
Ranked: 43
Started: 43
Challenge Record: 0-0-0
Beat: Nobody
Lost: Nobody
Tied: Nobody
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*Won 4 Boston Marathons (1976, 1978-80).
*Finished in the Top 10 in 4 other Boston Marathons.
*In his '75 victory he set the American Record at 2:09:55.
*His Boston victory in '75 helped his place 2nd for the Sullivan Award behind swimmer Tim Shaw.
*In his '79 victory he set the American Record again, this time at 2:09:27.
*His dominance on Patriots Day earned him the nickname "Boston Billy".
*Won 3 Falmouth Road Races (1974, 1977-78).
*All of his victories at the Falmouth Road Race set the course record.
*Won the 1973 Baystate Marathaon, setting the course record (2:28:12).
Rogers also has a ton of other impressive accomplishments (4-time NY Marathon winner, various Hall of Fames) but since he's not a Boston native we can only credit him on the letter for things tied to Boston. Even with a more limited resume, he's still very impressive.
I will say if he was a Mass native and we could use all of his accomplishments I think he'd win this challenge and possible be Top 25.....but with only 1/2 of his resume in play this turns into a bit of a coin flip for me.
I'm sure everyone under 35 will vote for Bruschi without giving it a 2nd thought...which is fine since there truly are no rules to govern your vote here.
He is a native New Englander, so he gets 1/2 credit (and it would be even greater if the NE state he was a native of was not CT).
Does anyone really care about a marathon runner. As impressive as his records were they no longer exist.
Bruschi's 4 consecutive INT returned for a TD will probably be around alot longer than any of Bill's records were.
TEDY, TEDY, TEDY
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