Best blues guitarist, Clapton or Green

You know I'm always astonished and even a little angered when talk of "best" blues guitarist begins with some British knock off. Now I know that I'm selling Clapton a little short, but he himself will be the first to acknowldge that he is more of a student of the music as opposed to an inovator of it. Also, what is a blues guitarist? Are we succombing to coporate lables? Wes Montgomery played plenty of blues--12 bar and otherwise. I think that idea of the "best" guitarist is pointless. Sorry if I offend, but music, IMHO, transcends any simple ranking such as this. Okay. I've ranted long enough. I'll shut up now.

Neither is close to the "best." I know I have posted here before, but this thread won't seem to go away.

When you start listening to a lot of really good blues players--ones who can elicit emotion from six strings--you will start to realize that Clapton and Green are just imitators. There's little doubt that Clapton is sincere in his various homages to the greats, but a few strums by Lightnin' Hopkins will do more for your soul than anything that Green and/or Clapton can. If you don't believe me, just put on "Goin' Away," turn out the lights, sit back with some whiskey, and you'll hear the truth of the matter.