(5) Lance Armstrong vs. Greg LeMond
BEEF VOTE: Lance Armstrong vs. Greg LeMond OR Red Wings vs. Avalanche
Which beef is best?
Sweet Sixteen Analysis: By god, they’ve done it again. Our bicycle boys beat the Bronx Bombers baseball brethren. I knew they had a shot (get it, like a syringe?) to pull this off, but I would’ve expected it to be a little closer of a fight than an eight percent margin of victory. Lance Armstrong and Greg LeMond live to ride another day.
Beef Breakdown: Lance Armstrong and Greg Lemond are the only Americans to ever win (or “win”) the Tour De France multiple times. And while these cycling heroes could have enjoyed a passing-the-torch type relationship, they did not. Because like all things Lance Armstrong, performance-enhancing drugs dominated the narrative. And before you know it, you’ve got a big slab of steroid-infused, genetically modified Beef.
Best Known For: Cheating.
(2) Red Wings vs. Avalanche
Sweet Sixteen Analysis: You can tell this beef is used to throwing punches because they absolutely beat down their opponents. Our hockey boys earned the third most votes of any beef in the Sweet Sixteen and collected 73 percent of the votes in their second-round matchup. Serena and Sharapova have an iconic beef of their own, but can anyone stop this blood feud between Detroit and Colorado?
Beef Breakdown: In game six of the 95-96 Western Conference Finals, Claude Lemieux ran Kris Draper into the boards during an Avalanche win that knocked the Red Wings out of the playoffs. It also ignited a rivalry that would go on until 2003. In that span, the teams combined for five Stanley Cups, two major brawls, countless other fights, and so many penalties. Highlights include multiple goalie vs. goalie fights, coaches screaming at coaches, blood, hits, revenge, and really good hockey.
Best Known For: Brawls, beatdowns, bloodied faces, plenty of Stanley Cups. This went on for long enough that I can’t just pick one. Sue me.
Matchup Prediction: I love both of these episodes very much, but after their showing in the first two rounds I think the Red Wings and Avalanche have found their rhythm. Whichever team goes on to the Final Four will certainly have a tough test, drawing the winner of the NFL region, but if it is the NHL beef moving on then they might have just enough support to see them in the final.
Relive each episode and let us know below which beef is best. Voting is open through April 7, then the Final Four will begin on April 8.
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