Backyard Sports Real Life Comps Pt. 1

One of the Top 3 mornings of my life was Christmas 2004. My sister and I had finished unwrapping all of our presents and then my dad noticed there was oneeee more gift. It wasn't a Red Ryder BB Gun, it was way better. We rip away the gift wrapping and there it was, PlayStation 2 and Madden 05 with Ray Lewis staring me down through the cover.

It's occurred to me since that this was a seminole moment in my childhood. Not only would my daily sunlight intake decrease by ~33%, but it also put an end to the first chapter in my sports video game story.

Before PS2, my gaming world revolved around Backyard Sports. Several of my friends had to get glasses in 2nd and 3rd grade and my parents told me it was because they were sitting too close to the computer screen playing Backyard Baseball. Feels like a lie looking back but I played for hours on end. I've put up numbers with Pablo Sanchez that would've warranted a direct line with Rob Manfred to drug test the lad after every game. 

Every Backyard Sports game was awesome from baseball to skateboarding which allowed most characters to carve out a niche so I'm going to work my way through the cast and compare them to real world athletes.

Pablo Sanchez - Mookie Betts

LAAAAAAAADIIIIEEEESSS AND GENTLEMEN, I PRESENT TO YOU, THE SECRET WEAPON, THE MEXICAN MOOKIE BETTS, THE GREATEST VIDEO GAME ATHLETE OF ALL TIME...PAAAAAABLLOOOOOOOOO SAAANCHEZZZZZZ. 

Pablo's nickname in the games is "Secret Weapon" but even Victoria keeps it more confidential than Sanchez's talents. Baseball, basketball, football, soccer, maybe not hockey, he was the #1 overall pick every time in a player pool that included real life hall of famers. Who would I rather have play shortstop, a combo of Ozzie Smith & Barry Bonds who dominates every game despite playing in a shirt two sizes too small or a 0-time MVP in Derek Jeter? Clear choice.

Mookie Betts has the most tape out there showing his athletic versatility. He has videos dunking, running crisp football routes, and bowling a 300, plus he's a 2x World Champion with 6 Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers. This is the easiest comp in the Backyard universe, both Pablo and Mookie are simply athletes. Put them in any arena and they're gonna be the best of the bunch.

Pete Wheeler - Tyreek Hill

Pete Wheeler is a burner. Robert Downey Jr. was the only white guy with more speed than Wheeler in the early 2000s and while some of his other skills were a bit lacking, he could outrun anyone else on the field. Petey's best sport was definitely football, you could line him out wide, keep Pablo in the slot and force the defense to try and take just one of them away. Short pass, short pass, short pass, double move from Wheeler for a 60-yard touchdown.

Tyreek Hill possess all the same qualities on and off the field as Pete Wheeler. If you're in a pinch, just get them the ball in space and let em cook. There were also some allegations about a fiery and potentially handsy relationship between Wheeler and Angela Delvecchio in early 2002 but her brother Tony handled that situation. Give Tua Pete Wheeler this year and you'd notice no difference in production.

Jocinda Smith/Billy Jean Blackwood - Angel Reese/Caitlin Clark

If ESPN ranked the top rivalries at the turn of the millennium, they'd have Yankees/Red Sox, Duke/UNC, Bush/Steel Beams, but they'd probably forget all about Smith/Blackwood. Both these ladies were contributors across the board, but take them to the basketball court and it's no holds barred.

Jocinda Smith was born in the Baltimore suburbs learning how to play basketball from her mother and grew up playing against her brother Julian in the driveway. Billy Jean Blackwood grew up in West Des Moines and started her playing career in boys' rec leagues because her father couldn't find a girls' league for her age group. Clearly they come from different backgrounds and sometimes that'll show itself in the heat of battle. Voice your position on the Smith/Blackwood rivalry and you'll get attacked on Twitter either way.

Kenny Kawaguchi - Jason Street