Best SNL Cast Member Bracket

This coming season will be Saturday Night Live's 40th.  For all its ups and downs, to me, SNL still remains the pinnacle of sketch comedy, for writers and actors.

I began watching SNL religiously in the fall of 1989.  As a WWF fan, I was trying to tape Saturday Night's Main Event one November night, and I woke up the next morning to find my VHS tape did not contain that Red Rooster/Brooklyn Brawler match-up I was eagerly anticipating, but rather, well-crafted sketch comedy.  This was the era of Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Nora Dunn, Jon Lovitz, Victoria Jackson, Kevin Nealon, and Dennis Miller –- in my opinion, the strongest SNL cast, top to bottom.  The next show was John Goodman's first time hosting, and to this day, it's probably my favorite SNL episode ever.  From then on, I was hooked.  I think I taped just about every SNL until I went to college in 1996.

In honor of SNL's 40th anniversary, Grantland has been running a series of articles about SNL and has had the "Battle for the Best SNL Cast Member" bracket.  (Thanks to The Weez for sending me the link.)  It is a 64-person, NCAA tournament-style bracket with SNL cast members broken down into four "regions" for different time periods:  

(1) the 1975-1985 "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" region; 

(2) the 1986-1994 "Lorne's Return" region; 

(3) the 1995-2004 "More Cowbell" region; and 

(4) the 2005-2014 "Digital Kids" region.  

Within each region, cast members from that era are seeded 1-16, and the public has voted on each round on successive days starting last week.  Unfortunately, I didn't know about this until two days ago, so I have only voted on the quarterfinals forward.  Currently, voting is open for the finals, which pits Phil Hartman against Will Ferrell.

This was a really tough bracket, and I disagree with the way some of the voting came out, but I'm just one man, and I guess that's why they have voting.  But if it were up to me, here is how my voting would have gone from the Sweet 16 forward.  My voting is based solely on the person's contributions to SNL, and not any other endeavors they might have had before or after their tenure on SNL (i.e., movies, TV shows, overdoses, etc.).

1975-1985 Bracket

Sweet 16

I think I would have come out the exact same way in the Sweet 16 as the voting turned out.  The toughest matchup for me would have been 4-seed Dan Aykroyd vs. 5-seed Chevy Chase, but I'd have to go with Aykroyd if we're looking at SNL only, since Aykroyd was on the show three years longer than Chase.

(1) Eddie Murphy vs. (4) Dan Aykroyd.  This is another really tough matchup, but I'd take Murphy in a close one.

(2) John Belushi vs. (3) Bill Murray.  Another really close one, but I think Murray had more range than Belushi on the show, so I'd take Murray.

Elite 8

(1) Eddie Murphy vs. (3) Bill Murray.  I would take Murphy over Murray in a nail biter.  Murphy had such memorable characters (Mr. Robinson, Gumby, James Brown), and I think his tenure on SNL was slightly better than Murray's.

1986-1994

Sweet 16

This is probably the best overall region.  I would probably have had the same Sweet 16 in this region as the online voters did.

(1) Dana Carvey vs. (4) Chris Farley.  The online voters took Farley, but I would take Carvey by a wide margin.  He was hilarious and had as much range of characters as anyone in SNL's history.

(2) Phil Hartman vs. (3) Mike Myers.  This would be close, but I would take Myers.  Hartman was on the show longer, but Myers had more star power and better characters.

Elite 8

(1) Dana Carvey vs. (2) Mike Myers.  Both of these guys are in the top 5 SNL cast members ever, in my opinion.  I would give the slight edge to Carvey.

1995-2004

Sweet 16

I will start by saying that Darrell Hammond is grossly underseeded at a 9-seed.  He was the longest-tenured SNL cast member ever, and his Bill Clinton is so good that he has hung out with Bill Clinton.  I would have put him at a 4- or 5-seed, but I guess I'll play by their rules.  Like the previous two regions, I would have had the same Sweet 16 as the online voters.

(1) Will Farrell vs. (4) Jimmy Fallon.  Ferrell in a landslide.

(2) Amy Poehler vs. (3) Tina Fey.  At first, this seems like an obvious Fey victory, but on second thought, I'm not so sure.  Fey was head writer (which is awesome) and Weekend Update anchor, but if I'm judging based solely on acting, then I'd go with Poehler because she did Weekend Update and was a cast member.  It's a toss-up, but I guess I'd give Fey the slight advantage.

Elite 8

(1) Will Ferrell vs. (3) Tina Fey.  Ferrell in a landslide.

2005-2014

Sweet 16

They probably don't deserve their own quarter of the bracket, but again, this is how Grantland set it up, so that's how it's gonna be.  I would have a slightly different Sweet 16, taking Fred Armisen over Jason Sudeikis because I think Armisen is funnier.

(1) Kristen Wiig vs. (5) Fred Armisen.  I'd go with Wiig.

(2) Andy Samberg vs. (3) Bill Hader.  I'm going with Samberg because he brought SNL into the 21st Century with the digital shorts.

Elite 8

(1) Kristen Wiig vs. (2) Andy Samberg.  Again, I'm going with Samberg.  I like Wiig and think she's funny, but Samberg added a lot of value to the show with those digital shorts.

Final Four

(1) Eddie Murphy vs. (1) Dana Carvey.  I'd take Carvey all day.  Both of these guys were hysterical on SNL, but Carvey was there longer and was essentially the face of SNL for the late '80s and early '90s.

(1) Will Ferrell vs. (2) Andy Samberg.  Ferrell in a landslide.

Championship

(1) Dana Carvey vs. (1) Will Ferrell.  This one is a tough matchup, and I think both guys have solid arguments.  Both were hilarious on SNL and both were kind of the linchpins for their respective eras.  I've gone back and forth on this, but since there can't be a tie, I'd go with Carvey in a very close one.

What do you guys think?  Who is your favorite SNL cast member?