The history of sports inspires endless debates over who's the greatest, like the eternal Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James question.
December 8 is Time Travel Day, and in honor of the "holiday," let's take a look at some of sports' most iconic teams and create hypothetical matchups between great teams of the past playing against great teams of the current era. Once we finally get that time machine built, setting up these matchups would be our top priority.
Let's begin with Michael Jordan and LeBron James, since that argument always receives no shortage of attention.
Michael Jordan's Bulls vs. LeBron James' Heat
Could Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls defeat any of LeBron James' championship teams? Would the '90s Bulls be able to take down LeBron and the Miami Heat's Big 3?
There are different arguments to make here. Players in Jordan's generation were more physical, but players today are extremely athletic and strong. Chicago would need to lean on its tenacity while LeBron's Heat would need their talent to rise up on the big stage.
It should be noted that Jordan led the Bulls to multiple championships, while LeBron has won championships with three different teams. However, the 1995-96 Bulls versus the 2012-13 Heat would be very interesting.
Chicago won 72 games in 1996. Miami, meanwhile, won 66 games.
Most people may expect the Heat to lead the way in terms of overall statistics, but the Bulls held their own. Jordan led the league in total points, while Miami had two players within the top 20.
The Bulls also had the top rebounder in the game in Dennis Rodman. Chicago also had two players within the top 20 of three-point percentage leaders, while the Heat had Ray Allen, who checked in at No. 5 overall.
The Bulls led the league in both offensive and defensive rating. The Heat were second in offensive rating and ninth in defensive rating. Chicago's defense would unquestionably give Miami some trouble.
Containing LeBron James in his prime would be difficult for Chicago, though.
A series between Miami and Chicago could come down to turnovers, another area where the Bulls hold an advantage. The Heat ranked 13th in turnover percentage during the 2012-13 season, while the Bulls were first in turnover percentage in 1995-96.
It would be a competitive series. The Heat would have some advantages, but the Bulls probably have the edge based on the statistics. The only way to know for sure? Let's fire that time machine up.
1927 Yankees vs. 1998 Yankees
When it comes to MLB, the most historic franchise is unquestionably the New York Yankees. Love or hate the Bronx Bombers, the Yankees have produced no shortage of impressive statistics and records over the years.
The 1927 Yankees featured one of baseball's all-time greatest teams. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig led the ballclub to a 110-win season and an eventual championship.
The 1998 Yankees were also extremely talented. Their Derek Jeter-led core of young stars won 114 games and eventually took care of business in the World Series.
Both of these teams were part of dynasties. Many players on the '27 Yankees and '98 Yankees won multiple World Series.
But which team was better?
It must be noted that these were drastically different eras. Offense was at a high during the steroid era in the late 1990's. As a result, it's not surprising to see that the '27 Yankees had better all-around pitching stats. They posted a 3.20 team ERA and 1.00 WHIP. The '98 Yankees, meanwhile, finished with a 3.82 ERA and 1.25 WHIP.
Despite the different eras, the '27 Yankees, a team that featured one of baseball's best lineups ever, held their own offensively. They finished the season with a .307/.384/.488 slash line as a team. The '98 Yankees trailed their '27 counterparts in all three categories, recording a .288/.364/.460 slash line.
The '98 Yankees did lead in home runs with 207, while the '27 Yankees finished with 158 homers. Ruth (60 HR) and Gehrig (47 HR) provided most of the damage in terms of hitting the long ball. The '98 Yankees didn't have anyone hit more than 28 home runs, but they also had eight different players hit at least 17 home runs or more.
The time machine will help us find out for sure, but 1927 Yankees would probably be favored to win based on these statistics alone. They didn't hit as many home runs as a group, but their all-around statistics stand out.
1972 Miami Dolphins vs. 2007 New England Patriots
Finally, we end our trip back in time by comparing the 1972 Dolphins and 2007 Patriots.
There are people who believed the Patriots were actually the better team. However, the '07 Patriots will never be able to truly top Miami. The '72 Dolphins went undefeated all season long, while New England fell just short of an undefeated campaign after getting upset by the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
The Dolphins were extremely balanced. The offense led the league in points scored, while the defense led the league in points limited.
Miami dealt with uncertainty at quarterback yet still found ways to win consistently. They had two running backs record over 1,000 yards, however. Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris also combined for 38 total touchdowns. The Dolphins' top-ranked defense handled the rest.
New England had no uncertainty at the QB position. Tom Brady was terrific, throwing for 4,806 yards and 50 touchdowns. His connection with Randy Moss was undeniable, as the star receiver finished the year with 98 receptions, 1,493 yards, and 23 touchdowns.
New England's defense wasn't quite as dominant, but it was still good. While the offense led the league in points scored, the Patriots defense finished fourth in points against.
So the question is whether or not New England's incredibly talented offensive attack could break through against the Dolphins' superb defense. It would be quite the battle, but defense does win championships.
Miami would still be the team to beat but this would be a very competitive contest without question. Bring out the time machine, and let's settle things once and for all.
