Not sure which board to put this in (mods, move (or delete!) as appropriate). Thinking about Gronk and how great he is...it got me wondering how we would rank the current talent on the four major Boston sports teams. Here are, IMO, the candidates (feel free to add your own):
Red Sox: Sale, Price, Kimbrel, Betts, Bogaerts, Benintendi, Martinez, Bradley, Devers
Celtics: Horford, Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward
Patriots: Brady, Gronkowski, Flowers, Gilmore, DMac, Gordon, Edelman, Hightower
Bruins: Chara, Rask, Bergeron, Krug, Marchand, Pastrnak, McAvoy, Kreiji
So rank your top 25 Boston athletes from these teams. You can justify your rankings any way you want - your favorite players, the most talented players, the players with the greatest careers, etc. However you want - just let us know what your rationale is.
My Top 25:
1. Brady - Needs no explanation needed.
2. Betts - Best player in MLB this season, absolute elite talent.
3. Gronkowski - Best TE in the history of the sport, even if he's not at his peak now.
4. Sale - Best LHP in the game, and when healthy, at the peak of his powers.
5. Irving - Magician with the ball, elite NBA talent.
6. Chara - Old and slow but an all-time great NHL defenseman.
7. Gilmore - Elite NFL corner at his peak right now.
8. Pastrnak - Unbelievable player, great goal scorer.
9. Bergeron - Hard to put behind Pastrnak; great two-way player.
10. Martinez - Elite hitter in MLB, at the peak of his game.
11. Tatum - Not playing great but his ceiling is limitless.
12. Marchand - Tremendous offensive player.
13. Price - Great pitcher for many years; finally shed the "can't pitch in the postseason" label.
14. McAvoy - Tons of talent, just 20 years old.
15. Devers - Tons of talent, just 22 years old.
16. Bogaerts - Entering his prime as an elite SS in MLB.
17. Brown - I think he's going to be a superstar in the NBA soon.
18. Hayward - Still on his way back but all-star caliber NBA player.
19. Benintendi - Does everything well as a baseball player.
20. Kimbrel - Elite closer for his entire career.
21. Kreiji - I think his talent level has been higher than his actual production.
22. Flowers - Becoming a pro-bowl level pass rusher and defender.
23. D McCourty - High level safety for many years, still has speed to burn.
24. Horford - Past his peak, but a multiple time all-star.
25. Gordon - Tremendous, over the top talent; just a question of whether he can stay clean.
Would love to see how you guys rank them.
Red Sox: Sale, Price, Kimbrel, Betts, Bogaerts, Benintendi, Martinez, Bradley, Devers
Celtics: Horford, Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward
Patriots: Brady, Gronkowski, Flowers, Gilmore, DMac, Gordon, Edelman, Hightower
Bruins: Chara, Rask, Bergeron, Krug, Marchand, Pastrnak, McAvoy, Kreiji
So rank your top 25 Boston athletes from these teams. You can justify your rankings any way you want - your favorite players, the most talented players, the players with the greatest careers, etc. However you want - just let us know what your rationale is.
My Top 25:
1. Brady - Needs no explanation needed.
2. Betts - Best player in MLB this season, absolute elite talent.
3. Gronkowski - Best TE in the history of the sport, even if he's not at his peak now.
4. Sale - Best LHP in the game, and when healthy, at the peak of his powers.
5. Irving - Magician with the ball, elite NBA talent.
6. Chara - Old and slow but an all-time great NHL defenseman.
7. Gilmore - Elite NFL corner at his peak right now.
8. Pastrnak - Unbelievable player, great goal scorer.
9. Bergeron - Hard to put behind Pastrnak; great two-way player.
10. Martinez - Elite hitter in MLB, at the peak of his game.
11. Tatum - Not playing great but his ceiling is limitless.
12. Marchand - Tremendous offensive player.
13. Price - Great pitcher for many years; finally shed the "can't pitch in the postseason" label.
14. McAvoy - Tons of talent, just 20 years old.
15. Devers - Tons of talent, just 22 years old.
16. Bogaerts - Entering his prime as an elite SS in MLB.
17. Brown - I think he's going to be a superstar in the NBA soon.
18. Hayward - Still on his way back but all-star caliber NBA player.
19. Benintendi - Does everything well as a baseball player.
20. Kimbrel - Elite closer for his entire career.
21. Kreiji - I think his talent level has been higher than his actual production.
22. Flowers - Becoming a pro-bowl level pass rusher and defender.
23. D McCourty - High level safety for many years, still has speed to burn.
24. Horford - Past his peak, but a multiple time all-star.
25. Gordon - Tremendous, over the top talent; just a question of whether he can stay clean.
Would love to see how you guys rank them.