Mutt

The only fair way of judging greatness in athletes across generations is how they compared to the best in their time. Bobby Orr is the greatest ever by that standard, revolutionized the position he played, won scoring championships as a defencemen, never before and never after had it been nor will it be done - and while most offensive defencemen aren't great defenders, don't hit much and don't fight, Orr was a beast and if you got him mad he could fight with the best of them.

Too bad players wear helmets today, you connected so much more with players when you could see their faces and hair. The shaggy haired 70s was my childhood, crazy hairstyles and facial hair abounded in the NHL. I once saw Kings goaltender Rogie Vachon walking through the airport - long black hair, big thick fu manchu stash, huge fur coat, bell bottom pants dragging on the ground, a cigarette or cigar dangling from his mouth - and all of maybe 5'5" or so, he was quite the spectacle, looked like a drummer from some bad Canadian rock band.

When players didn't wear helmets they respected each other, nobody died because of a head injury. And here we are in 2013, helmets are mandatory and concussions are more common than knee injuries. Same thing in the NFL, the equipment meant to protect players turn into weapons of destruction and players health has suffered.

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