Finley vs. Cushingberry: Round-By-Round Recap Of Lively Sparring

Exchanges between The Detroit News' opinion editor and the city council's No. 1 newsmaker are as frosty as the polar vortex.

Feisty sparring by Nolan Finley and Detroit Councilman George Cushingberry began Tuesday and continued daily through Thursday. A side-by-side look at the combatants is in a grid display below. 

After three public rounds, you're invited to score the match in terms of verbal dexterity, counter-punches, originality and any other factors that come to mind. Here's a recap of action so far:

• Round 1: "The council could only have made a worse choice [for president] in George Cushingberry Jr. — an old-school political operative and former Wayne County commissioner and state representative. And while council didn’t choose him as president, it offered Cushingberry the No. 2 position." -- Finley in editorial Tuesday
  ► Counter-punch: “Dear Detroit News, Go to hell. Go straight to hell. Do not pass go and don't even think about collecting $200. Jones and Cush will lead the Push for an even Greater Detroit. #WeLoveDetroit” -- Cushingberry in online comment under editorial that morning
• Round 2: "Go to hell Nolan Finley and we will prove you all very wrong!" -- Cushingberry on Facebook Wednesday
• Round 3: "We can take it. What we can’t take is the real likelihood that Cushingberry and crew will continue the Detroit City Council tradition of taking the city to hell. . . . George Cushingberry [is] a slick political operator who has had his snout in the public trough for nearly 40 years." -- Finley in column Thursday
  ►Counter-punch: "Dear Mr. Finley, you can sing your song, because Brenda and the Council will prove all of you wrong! Mike and Brenda will set a new agenda for the City of Detroit. #WeLoveDetroit more than you!" -- Cushingberry in comment under column

Whose jab is strongest? Who shows speed and agility?

Post a comment with your ringside rating, and tell whether the rivals should keep at it or move on.