Yes! Ben Sisko by all means was my favorite Starfleet Captain. However, with some reservations about your fielding record for the others, and my own bias against Kirk. I still think Chris Pike beats them all hollow.
To begin with, Ben Sisko was a somewhat flawed character. He survived the loss of his wife at the Battle of Wolf 359, but then went off to a self-imposed exile building space habitats for three years. Then, when offered command of DS9, he was at best reluctant, at worst still unsure of himself. It was not until he shaved his head grew his mustache and goatee, and came back with the DEFIANT that I let out a rousing cheer of "Hawk's Back!" And just in case the name is unfamiliar, I am of course referencing Mr. Brooks pivotal role as the mysterious "Hawk" in both "Spenser for Hire", and in Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels. It was at that point that, Ben Sisko came roaring back as the hard-nosed, steely eyed Captain you and I respect. He had regained the killer instinct that is a requirement of any Commander in war. As Gen. Robert E. Lee put it: "...you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love..." . It is my contention that it was this one remaining quality was still lacking in Benjamin Siskos mackup as a Commander. I submit that afterwards he never looked back.
Even so. I spoke of a bias against Kirk. I just love Canada, and the Canadians. The only sore spot in that love is that they siced that loud-mouthed schnook, William Shatner on us, and he became Captain Kirk. And don't even get me started on Jeffrey Hunter's wife talking him out of playing in a telivision series, as he was a "movie star". Not to be sullied by low television.
As to Janeway and Archer, let me see, crossed seventy-thousand light years, destroyed the Borg's trans-warp conduit network, and left a stellar reputation of the UFP/Starfleet in the Delta quadrant, led Humanities first foray deep into intersteller space, defeated a temporal cold war, united a multirace species against another temporal subspace group from phase-shifting the entire galaxy,(the sphere builders) and rescued a faltering interspeies alliance, and help to win a war that resulted in the United Federation of Planets respectively. And in Archer's case he was working with no rulebook, no Prime Directive, and only his own sense of decency to backstop his decisions. Yes! l think that preaty much sums it up. In all fairness they would be in the running, as Captains par-excelence. To sum up my position, Picard was better than Kirk. And I am old enough to have seen STTOS on its first network run. I welcomed Picard's more refined and principled approach to command, and his enlightened dedication to the prime directive. Janeway ditto. Though she could at times go Kirkish when cornered. Pike was the best, followed by Sisko, Picard, Archer, Janeway, and Kirk. Sorry if I blathered on so much.
templerman aka William York
eocsor01@consolidated.net
Drop me a line if you've a mind. The Doctor is always in.
Elizabeth - 10 years ago
Let's add to this list that Sisko completely pwned Q by punching him in the face, shocking the crap out of Q, and Q never retuned to DS9.
Elizabeth - 10 years ago
I am a huge, die-hard Trekkie and have been since I was 8. I still pull put an old series and watch because it's just great TV. In fact, Anyway, just wanting to say that you are spot on with Sisko being the #1 Star Trek captain. He's tough and no-nonsense, but he's also such a likable guy. He has a great personality. Seriously, who'd want to eat lunch with Picard? If you can't get along with Sisko, it is *you* who has the problem.
charleslennon - 12 years ago
the real test is who would win in a fist fight? everybody would kick picards's butt. Kirk would have janeway for lunch until she kicked him in the enterprise's jewels. archer would then ask her out on a date and strand her (no offense capt.) and then it would only be sisko and archer.
archer would lead with a right hook and sisko would duck and counter with a stiff jab. game over! after the dust had cleaned janeway would show up and give sicko a big hug and a kiss and proclaim your my hero! but mrs sisko would say he's taken where as janeway would say that's okay I'm an admiral now there are a lot of capts out there.
Kash - 13 years ago
What about when Picard held the brief title, "The Picard?" omnipotent in the eyes of the pre-warp vulcan/Romulan society Enterprises encounters........
Yes! Ben Sisko by all means was my favorite Starfleet Captain. However, with some reservations about your fielding record for the others, and my own bias against Kirk. I still think Chris Pike beats them all hollow.
To begin with, Ben Sisko was a somewhat flawed character. He survived the loss of his wife at the Battle of Wolf 359, but then went off to a self-imposed exile building space habitats for three years. Then, when offered command of DS9, he was at best reluctant, at worst still unsure of himself. It was not until he shaved his head grew his mustache and goatee, and came back with the DEFIANT that I let out a rousing cheer of "Hawk's Back!" And just in case the name is unfamiliar, I am of course referencing Mr. Brooks pivotal role as the mysterious "Hawk" in both "Spenser for Hire", and in Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels. It was at that point that, Ben Sisko came roaring back as the hard-nosed, steely eyed Captain you and I respect. He had regained the killer instinct that is a requirement of any Commander in war. As Gen. Robert E. Lee put it: "...you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love..." . It is my contention that it was this one remaining quality was still lacking in Benjamin Siskos mackup as a Commander. I submit that afterwards he never looked back.
Even so. I spoke of a bias against Kirk. I just love Canada, and the Canadians. The only sore spot in that love is that they siced that loud-mouthed schnook, William Shatner on us, and he became Captain Kirk. And don't even get me started on Jeffrey Hunter's wife talking him out of playing in a telivision series, as he was a "movie star". Not to be sullied by low television.
As to Janeway and Archer, let me see, crossed seventy-thousand light years, destroyed the Borg's trans-warp conduit network, and left a stellar reputation of the UFP/Starfleet in the Delta quadrant, led Humanities first foray deep into intersteller space, defeated a temporal cold war, united a multirace species against another temporal subspace group from phase-shifting the entire galaxy,(the sphere builders) and rescued a faltering interspeies alliance, and help to win a war that resulted in the United Federation of Planets respectively. And in Archer's case he was working with no rulebook, no Prime Directive, and only his own sense of decency to backstop his decisions. Yes! l think that preaty much sums it up. In all fairness they would be in the running, as Captains par-excelence. To sum up my position, Picard was better than Kirk. And I am old enough to have seen STTOS on its first network run. I welcomed Picard's more refined and principled approach to command, and his enlightened dedication to the prime directive. Janeway ditto. Though she could at times go Kirkish when cornered. Pike was the best, followed by Sisko, Picard, Archer, Janeway, and Kirk. Sorry if I blathered on so much.
templerman aka William York
eocsor01@consolidated.net
Drop me a line if you've a mind. The Doctor is always in.
Let's add to this list that Sisko completely pwned Q by punching him in the face, shocking the crap out of Q, and Q never retuned to DS9.
I am a huge, die-hard Trekkie and have been since I was 8. I still pull put an old series and watch because it's just great TV. In fact, Anyway, just wanting to say that you are spot on with Sisko being the #1 Star Trek captain. He's tough and no-nonsense, but he's also such a likable guy. He has a great personality. Seriously, who'd want to eat lunch with Picard? If you can't get along with Sisko, it is *you* who has the problem.
the real test is who would win in a fist fight? everybody would kick picards's butt. Kirk would have janeway for lunch until she kicked him in the enterprise's jewels. archer would then ask her out on a date and strand her (no offense capt.) and then it would only be sisko and archer.
archer would lead with a right hook and sisko would duck and counter with a stiff jab. game over! after the dust had cleaned janeway would show up and give sicko a big hug and a kiss and proclaim your my hero! but mrs sisko would say he's taken where as janeway would say that's okay I'm an admiral now there are a lot of capts out there.
What about when Picard held the brief title, "The Picard?" omnipotent in the eyes of the pre-warp vulcan/Romulan society Enterprises encounters........