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2011 Sports Year Review: Part Four

For the fourth and final installment of my 2011 Sports Year Review, I'll take a look back at a few events that helped shape the year. They may not have been the biggest stories of the year; however, they are events that certainly left their mark on the sporting landscape. Three stories; one from the NBA, one from the NFL and one from MLB. After all is said and done I will have touched on six stories from this past year, the six stories I feel defined the 2011 sporting year.

Kevin Durant's lockout-

We all know the NFL and NBA locked out their players this summer. While the NFL lockout was relatively short and ultimately resulted in no regular season games lost, the NBA lockout extended into the season. The NBA's lockout put an entire season in jeopardy and cost us 16 games after everything was said and done. With an extended off season, NBA players had to find other ways to bide their time. Deron Williams was quick to find another way to get paid for playing basketball as he to his talents overseas. Other players found more practical ways to supplement their income (see Delonte West). As the lockout progressed other players followed Williams' lead and made a play for overseas teams. Most of these players were mid-level guys who couldn't afford to stay unemployed for too long; the J.R Smiths and Aaron Brooks of the world. Although Kobe Bryant did flirt heavily with an Italian team and most likely some Italian women, amongst others, no real superstars other than Williams made the jump. What most NBA players did was hit the street ball and charity event circuit. Players like Lebron and Carmelo flocked to high school gyms and dazzled fans. One player stood above the rest though; Kevin Durant.

Before last season, Durant helped lead a young U.S team to a gold medal. He took the momentum from that experience and turned it into a season where he lead the league in scoring, again, and almost lead his young Thunder team to the Finals. As the season ended and talks of a missed season increased, Durant was determined to not let all his momentum go to waste. He hit the street ball circuit with a vengeance. Putting on masterful performances at historical venues like Rucker Park, Durant almost single handedly kept basketball relevant during a boring lockout.

Unlike the NFL lockout, the specifics of the NBA lockout were confusing. It wasn't easy for the common fan to follow. Durant's other worldly performances provided highlights for ESPN that reminded fans why we were bummed we might lose an NBA season. Durant's silky smooth handles and endless range translated beautifully to the exhibition circuit transforming him into somewhat of a legend. It's hard to believe in just his early 20s we can mention Durant and legend in the same sentence but that’s how good his lockout off season was. Even when he didn't feel like playing basketball he kept active by paying flag football with frat guys and Lebron James.

It is still to be determined as to how detrimental this lockout will be for the NBA. This shortened season could be a jam packed season of greatness or it could be a flop. One thing is for sure, when I'm gold old and gray and my grandkids ask about the 2011 lockout, the first thing I'll tell them about is Kevin Durant.

The Cardinals literally save St. Louis-

With only 31 games to play, the St. Louis Cardinals found themselves 10 and a half games out of the playoffs. From there they went on an improbable run. They clinched their playoff spot on the final game of the season (take that pundits who say with a 162 game season does losing one game really matter). They upset the Phillies and their pitching staff of super heroes and found themselves playing for the World Series Title. They would go on to beat the Texas Rangers in The Series and send Tony La Russa out on top.

But the real story is how the Cardinals literally saved the city of St. Louis. Suffering through a down economy, the mayor of St. Louis ordered city employees to take up to three weeks of work furloughs. The cut backs were expected to save the city 2.8 million dollars. Baseball is a huge deal in St. Louis so one can only image how devastated fans were to see their beloved Cardinals 10 games out of the playoffs and have to worry about taking 3 weeks of work furlough.

Then the Cardinals' historic run happened. They made the playoffs and by the time they reached the World Series they had already helped the city raise 2 million dollars in extra funds. With projections of another 900,000 coming if the series went seven games (which it did) the mayor canceled the work furloughs.

Feel good stories occur in sports quite often, however, this one seems to follow a Hollywood screenplay. Tell me you couldn't see a Disney movie that follows the lives of four hard working families in St. Louis whose lives are changed when the local baseball team makes an improbable run to the World Series. Did anyone check if Christopher Lloyd was in the outfield at Cardinals games because I'm pretty sure a young Joseph Gordon Levitt once wished for his life to be changedif his local baseball team won the pennant? The Cardinals aren't the villains like the Yankees; they are a bright spot for many hard work people in St. Louis. So to see their improbable run literally save their city is just as heartwarming as it gets.

The Tim Tebow Era-

You knew it was coming. A piece on Tebow was inevitable. There is no way around it. Even after the Broncos' loss to the Patriots, there is no doubt that Timothy Richard Tebow has put his heavily religious, almost too good to be true nice guy, come from behind stamp on 2011.

Whether or not the Broncos win a playoff game. Whether not the Broncos even make the playoffs, there is no doubt that the Tebow era in Denver has captivated fans of the NFL this year. Think about this for a second... Drew Brees is going to break Dan Marino's all-time passing yards record. Tom Brady, Eli Manning and Aaron Rogers all have a shot to break it as well. Cam Newton is going to break the single season rookie record for passing yards and has already set the all-time record for QB rushing touchdowns. Somehow Alex Smith has gone from huge bust to Super Bowl contender. Peyton Manning has missed an entire season and could potentially be traded in the off season. Yet, despite all of this, Tim Tebow has been the most talked about quarterback of the 2011 season. Just a quick recap... Marino, who has been number 1 in passing yards for a single season for the last 27 years, could be number 5 all-time by the end of the season. A rookie is putting together one of the greatest all-time rookie seasons. Once a candidate to become Ryan Leaf 2, Alex Smith could lead a team to the Super Bowl. The face of the league may be traded because he may never play the same again and the most talked about quarterback is the guy who hasn't even started all his team's games!

I'm done with my rant so now I'll show some respect for the Tebow. If his FRS commercial hasn't made you a believer (A quick thought, did Tebow miss the ring for the first 3 and a half hours of the shoot then nail 9 takes in a row in the last 5 minutes of shooting?), than his 7-2 record as a starter has to have done something. Sure he has played abysmal at times, benefitted from good defense, unexplainable fumbles from opposing players and Matt Prater's golden leg but he is winning and captivating America at the same time. Has a nicer guy ever been so polarizing? Has a quarterback ever made his team feel like having him run gave them the best chance to win? Has any other athlete outside of Babe Ruth ever had his name used as anything other than a noun?

Whether you think he's a good quarterback or not (He's not, yet, but he has the work ethic that could get him there) you have to respect what he is doing. It's an overused term in sports but Tebow has the intangibles. He is a great leader, an amazing athlete and has a tireless work ethic. He may not be the greatest passer (I know, kind of vital as a quarterback) but you have to believe he'll get better. Even if he can become an average passer, Tebow possesses the qualities that could make him great. While whether or not he turns out to be an all-time great is still a long ways away, there is no denying that 2011 wouldn't be the same without Tim Tebow.

2011 Sports Year Review: Part Three

Jeter Joins the 3,000 Hit Club-

In part three of the 2011 Sports Year Review we'll tackle a story that didn't exactly go unnoticed, however, still deserves to be looked back on as a memorable moment in 2011. The NBA season had ended, the NFL was smack in the middle of a lockout and this story happened in New York (with the New York media) so when Derek Jeter got his 3,000th career hit, it was well covered by the media. HBO even produced a great documentary of Jeter's 3,000th hit shortly after it happened. The media had so much time to dedicate to covering the story it even came up with the clever DJ3K catch phrase. I never took the time to put my stamp on covering the story so my 2011 review is my chance to pay tribute top Jeter's great feat.

This is how long baseball has been around. Look at these
guys.

Baseball has literally been around for over 100 years. Not sure that many people can grasp the severity of that reality. Baseball is called America's past time for a reason. People born in the 19th century played baseball! That’s why the 3,000 hit club is so prestigious. In over 100 years of baseball just 28 players have accumulated 3,000 or more hits. All of the members of the club who are eligible for the Hall-Of-Fame are in. Meaning as long as you aren't banned from baseball for life, haven't tested positive forPEDs or simply not eligible because you retired recently, acquiring 3,000 hits will land you a spot in Cooperstown. To join this club is a big deal.

As if hitting 3,000 his wasn't a great enough feat in itself, Jeter also did it for one of the most storied and prestigious professional teams in all of sports. By my calculations (which consist of a series of very complicated algorithms, years of accumulated historical data, complex theorems and my opinion... Mostly my opinion) there are three professional sports teams that are America's teams. These teams are completely polarizing; they divide America, you either love them or love to hate them. Market doesn't matter for these teams; they are equally popular in Lincoln, Nebraska as they are in New York. America's three teams are, the Dallas Cowboys, The Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Yankees. Being America's teams brings great praise but great scrutiny as well. Playing for these teams will either bring out the competitive fire in athletes or crush them. Guys like Kobe Bryant and Michael Irvin thrive on these teams while players like A.J Burnett and Tony Romo crumble. Setting team records for these teams is just a little more meaningful than others (I'm sure some day someone will be proud to be the Texans all-time leading passer). Breaking all-time records while on these teams; a really big deal.

Some rise up while other crumble under the pressure of America's teams

On July 9th, 2011, Derek Jeter joined the exclusive 3,000 hit club. He did it as a Yankee and as he's done for most of his career, he did it in dramatic fashion. We've already established the exclusivity of the 3,000 hit club, however, even more exclusive is getting into the club with a home run. Jeter became just the second player in the 100+ year history of baseball to acquire his 3,000th hit with a home run. This wasn't exactly a home run off some shlub either. It came off one of the hottest young pitchers in the league, David Price. Hitting 3,000 wasn't enough for the Captain on this day. He would go on to knock in the eventual game winning run and cap the day with 5-5 performance at the plate. Jeter did all this, in front of the home New York crowd. Sure it isn't the old Yankee Stadium, but it’s still Yankee Stadium.

Jeter didn't need 3,000 hits to validate him as a potential Hall-Of-Famer. He didn't need to hit a home run on this day. He didn't need to go 5-5 on this day. However, as Jeter has done his whole career he exceeded our expectations. Whether he is diving into the stands or just being in the right place when no one else would be, Jeter has always given us moments. I wasn't around for Ruth or Gehrig. I wasn't around for Mantle or DiMaggio. I wasn't even around for Berra or Mattingly. I came into baseball when Wade Boggs was ending his career as a Yankee, Tino Martinez was in the twilight of his career and a young Jeter was breaking into the league. I may not be able to put the other all-time greats into perspective but for me Jeter is the greatest Yankee of all time.

For all he's accomplished in the steroid era, he’s never been linked to PEDs in any way. He's played in the most ruthless media market his entire career and avoided any type of controversy. He has embodied what it is to be a captain and a winner his entire career. When the day comes for Jeter to finally hang it up, a gaping hole will be left where the Yankee's short stop used to be. A hole too large for even Jeter to make one of his signature back hand grabs.

2011 Sports Review: Part Two

Brett Favre Retired... And Stayed Retired

In part two on my 2011 Sports Year Review I'll discuss something that impacted football. An NFL legend waved goodbye in 2011 and it practically went unnoticed. In between the Packers beating the Steelers in the Super Bowl and following that up with their current run at perfection, an all-time great Packer called it quits, Brett Favre. Sure we could have done without all of the teary retirement press conferences, or the year in New York, or the final year in Minnesota. We definitely could have done without the texting scandal. Maybe his retirement went unnoticed because when it happened for real it was just a text to the AP. Maybe after years in Favre's shadow, Aaron Rodgers' ascent to quarterback super stardom caused the retirement to take a back seat. Maybe seeing the NFL's iron man unable to finish what would be his final season made us forget all he gave us.

Maybe Favre did hang on longer than we would have liked. Maybe the three years with the Jets and rival Vikings showed a side of Favre we didn't want to see. Maybe all of the retired, not retired, retired again, not retired stories got tiresome. Yet, none of this should take away from the legacy Favre created as an NFL quarterback. Michael Jordan hung around too long with the Wizards, went on to become a horrible GM (See drafting Kwame Brown and Adam Morison) and even sports a full on Hitler stache in Hanes' commercials, yet we never let any of this tarnish the legacy of his greatness with the Bulls. It helps Jordan that he had the shot over Russell that should have ended his career on top. We are able to look past the stint with the Wizards because we have that memory. No one remembers Jordan's career ending with the Wizards, they remember a hunched over Russell and Jordan holding his follow through as he put away the Jazz for the title. Favre didn't have a moment like this. In his final season with the Packers, a young team overachieved and had Favre one game from his third Super Bowl appearance. Only had Favre retired after that season, his career would have ended with a pick that cost the Packers a trip to Glendale. He started strong with the Jets then limped to the end of that season. Again not a glamorous way to end a career. With the Vikings he had another shot at the Super Bowl. Again just one game away his season and career would have ended with a pick that cost them the game. Maybe Favre hung around too long because he wanted to end his career with a signature moment. Maybe he just wanted to go out on top like Elway. Regardless of the reasoning behind Favre's final years, we cannot let those years undermine all that Favre did in his illustrious career.

Just four years after Favre's departure, Aaron Rodgers is doing his best to get everyone in Green Bay to forget number 4. While Rodgers has been on a tear and will go down as an all-time great in the NFL, not just Green Bay, if he can sustain this level of play, we cannot forget all that Favre was to the Packers. Favre's retirement should have been a bigger deal, especially in Green Bay.

Forget all of his records and comebacks and memorable moments, Favre's longevity alone is legendary. There is an entire generation that grew up watching football, became young adults and never knew what a Sunday without Favre was like. Favre was selected to 11 Pro-bowls; most impressive about this statistic is the first time was in '92 and the last in '09. He is the only NFL player to ever win three consecutive MVPs. He is the only player to beat all 32 NFL teams. The list of his accomplishments goes on forever. Don't believe me, check out this Wikipedia page dedicated solely to Favre's records and accomplishments. Some of them are absolutely ridiculous (Like the fact that he went 19-0 at home against the Lions. That's 18 years where you could pencil in a Favre lead team for at least one win.).

Almost completely dismissed in 2011 was the fact that Brett Lorenzo Favre, "The Gunslinger", the NFLs iron man, retired and stayed retired. While there are still games left and playoff teams in need of a quarterback, it is most likely we have seen the last of Mr. Wranglers himself. It’s unfortunate that Favre will be remembered for things like Jenn Sterger and flip flopping on retirement. Brett Favre played in the NFL for 20 years with the exuberance of a kid in the back yard. His accomplishments are vast and his impact will be everlasting. Hopefully a day will come where we ignore Favre's Jets and Vikings days like we do Jordan's time with the Wizards. Hopefully there will be a day when Favre and the Packers reconcile. Hopefully the day will come where we look back on 2011 and remember an all-time great hung up his cleats.

2011 In Review

2011 hasn't been the greatest year for sports. Don't get me wrong; on the field, court, ice or whatever playing surface athletes have played on, sports have been pretty entertaining. However, off the playing surface of their choice, sports in 2011 have been a little gloomy. I don't watch a great deal of local news because it seems to usually be filled with such negativity. I live in Arizona so a typical evening news cast is usually as follows; something caught fire, someone debating the illegal immigrant situation, someone was shot, tomorrow's forecast is hot and sunny, someone drowned, car accident, seven day forecast is hot and sunny. The sports section of your local news or ESPN's 24 hour stream of sporting news usually provided a break from the negativity. However, in 2011 even sporting news started to trot out the bad news on a regular basis... Two professional sports leagues locked their players out, college coaches replaced Catholic priests as the poster children for pedophilia, college football scandals, MVPs on PEDs, the NBA showing that their lockout might have be for nothing by vetoing a trade for "the best of the league." These are just a handful of unfortunate stories that have dominated sports media in 2011.

I started this blog roughly a year ago with a top ten of 2010. I counted down and analyzed what I felt were the ten greatest plays of the year. However,  top ten count downs are about as unique as a new cartoon comedy on FOX. This year I'd rather distract you from the negativity and recap some of the great 2011 stories that may have gone unnoticed amidst all of the scandals, accusations and potential seasons lost.

Dirk removes the choke artist label

Before the NBA lockout, before the Chris Paul trade happened then didn't happen, before Dwight Howard talked with allegedly talked with Nets brass, the 2010 NBA season concluded with a pretty entertaining Finals match-up. The Finals pitted the team everyone expected to get there, the Miami Heat, against the team no one expected to get there, the Dallas Mavericks.

Dirk Nowitzki came out of nowhere when the Mavs drafted him out of Germany. After pairing with Steve Nash, becoming a legitimate scorer, leading the Mavs to an NBA Finals appearance and becoming the first international MVP, two things became clear about Nowitzki - he will go down as a top 50 great of all time and he chokes in the playoffs. Before Dirk's Mavs blew a 2-0 lead in the '06 finals, he had come close and missed with Nash. After blowing the Finals, he lead the Mavs to first round exits by the hands of 8 and 7 seeds. It had become fairly evident that the unorthodox seven footer might go down as the greatest to never win a title. The media was quick to label him this way. Even I was guilty of it; not believing in Dirk all the way up to game four of the Finals.

Then the 2010 season happened. Dirk and the Mavs quietly grabbed the third seed in the West while everyone was concerned with the Big Three in Miami and the two time defending Lakers meeting in the Finals. Dirk was flying under the radar, maybe even an underdog and apparently that’s all he needed. The Mavs got past the Blazers, swept the Lakers and battled the upstart Thunder to get Dirk back to the Finals where he would have a chance to redeem himself against the very team that turned him into the choke artist he'd become, the Heat.

What gets lost in all of the scandalous sporting news of 2011 is the fact that the Mavs didn't just win the NBA finals. So much more happened with their victory. Dirk broke free of the choke label, good guys like Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion finally got a title, Miami's big three might not win seven, eight, nine titles and the world will finally get to see championship rings designed by Mark Cuban.

Practically just kids back then, Kidd and Marion are

grizzled veterans now

In winning the NBA Championship Dirk did more than get a title. He was the lesser, the diving force, the clutchest player on a championship team. The Mavs didn't just win the title; Dirk Nowitzki carried them on his back to it (After ducking under or going around Chris Bosh numerous times). By beating Lebron and the Heat, Dirk passed the choke torch to Lebron and he more than willingly accepted it. It still remains to be seen as to how long he'll hold it. During the lockout Lebron apparently developed a post-game at the hands of The Dream.

Guys like Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion have played for so long and have got so close to the NBAs highest summit that it was nice to see them get a title before the young guns of Lebron, Wade and Bosh.

Finally seeing Cuban filled with excitement as his wildest dream and ultimate goal came true was a great sight. Sure he may be outlandish, sure he might have botched the Nash resigning and maybe he'll never get to taste the championship champagne again but seeing an owner like Cuban get a title is a rare sight. Give me 100 more Mark Cubans before you give me one more Dan Gilbert.

Dirk and the Mavs winning the NBA Finals and validating Dirk's career is just one of the great stories of 2011. Be sure to check back later as I'll review some of the other great accomplishments of 2011.

Were the Lockouts really a bad thing?

All three could find themselves on different teams by the time the shortened season begins.

News broke late Tuesday night that the Boston Celtics would be willing to offer up All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo for Chris Paul. A few hours later news of the New Jersey Nets being prepared to send Brook Lopez and two first rounders to Orlando for Dwight Howard. The NBA hasn't even been back for a full week and there is already writing on the wall that suggests this shortened NBA off season will be as exciting as the off season we saw in the NFL after their lockout scare. While the lockouts in both leagues were hard to handle for fans, I think sports should threaten fans with lockouts more often. The NBA and NFL have proven the old saying of, "You really don't know what you've got till is gone."

During the lockouts fans were quick to make villains out of NBA and NFL players and owners and rightfully so. However, once word came that football was back, these villains quickly became beloved heroes again. ESPN and the NFL peppered us with heart warning commercials proclaiming that "Football is back!" People became excited to watch pre-season football. Real NFL teams treated free agency like they were running a team in Madden '12. Bret Favre could have made another come back and fans wouldn't have minded because football was back. After a shortened off season the NFL came back with a bang. Offenses exploded taking advantage of defense without a full off season to prepare. Veterans and rookies were throwing for 500+ yards. After the first five weeks of football multiple quarterbacks were on pace for 5,000 yard seasons. The Lions were here, the Raiders were back, even the way teams underachieved was exciting (I'm talking to you "Dream Team" fans). The potential of losing football for even just a year made fans appreciate it more. I'm 4-7 in my fantasy football league but have probably had more fun this season than ever. As wildly popular as the NFL has become in American, it took almost losing it for fans to really appreciate it. The '11-'12 season has been an enjoyable rollercoaster despite being without the player who has arguably been the face of the league for the past decade, Peyton Manning. The league as a whole is simply more appreciated.

While the effects of the NBA lockout remain uncertain, a new light has already been shun on the game. Despite the NBA's growing global appeal, their domestic popularity has them ranked at 2a, far behind football but seemingly even with baseball. The NBA didn't have the leverage the NFL did. Fans don't watch basketball games if it’s snowing in the arena. Fans don't tailgate for hours leading up to tip off. Americans want their football no matter what; we can get by if we miss an NBA season or so. However, while it remains unclear how NBA fans will embraced this shortened season, one thing is certain a greater appreciation for the game has occurred. When is the last time basketball was relevant in August or September? When have NBA players not named Skip to my Lou flocked to street courts and high school gyms for exhibition games? Outside of this season would anyone care that a past his prime Kenyon Martin signed with a Chinese team? The NBA has remained relevant for an entire summer without a single sanctioned game played. Just like with football, the news of the NBA coming back has swept the national news and Tuesday night's rumors have shown that the NBA free agency with be equally entertaining as the NFL's.

This year's shortened season could be a final stand for some of the league's aging stars

Just as the NFL season started with a huge bang and has been wildly entertaining since, the shortened NBA season shouldn't disappoint either. A 66 game season means veterans on their way out will see this as their final shot. Players like Tim Duncan, Kobe, Kevin Garnett and Steve Nash don't have to keep as much stored up in their playoff reserve tank. They can go all out for 66 games. This shortened off season will see super teams thrown together alla the Philadelphia Eagles. Lesser talented teams with chemistry will be able to hang around for a longer portion of the season. Let’s not forget anything can happen in a shortened NBA season; the last time this happened the Knicks made the finals as an 8th seed.

Last season was one of the more entertaining NBA seasons in a while. The league was riding a wave of momentum after it ended. The lockout has certainly killed some of that momentum. But I'm still excited basketball is back. I'm excited Sports Center won't consist of endless hockey highlights. I'm bummed that I might have missed my chance to buy a couch from Delonte West. But mostly I'm excited to have what I almost wasn't going to get.

Roger Goodell and David Stern went full on Jigsaw on us and tortured us with lockouts and pictures of Drew Brees and Derrick Fisher in large office buildings. But ultimately we survived their game and came out with a better appreciation for life... I mean the NFL and NBA

Is Devin Hester really that good?

Watching Devin Hester run seemingly untouched to the end zone after fielding a punt against the Lions this past Sunday to extend his all-time career record, I started to wonder if Hester was truly the greatest punt returner ever or if he was just really good at following blocks. Thanks to YouTube I was able to watch every Hester return for a touchdown; all 19, including the field goal return against the Giants and his Super Bowl return. In all but four returns, Hester simply follows his blocks and runs untouched into the end zone. Only 4 of his 19 returns required him to make an impressive juke or break a tackle or two.

At 19 returns, the sample size is large enough to assume that maybe Hester doesn’t possess some rare skill that has elevated him to the top of the NFL’s record books. I started to wonder if maybe Hester was simply the beneficiary of an excellent special teams coach. Was Dave Toub, the Bears’ special teams coordinator since ’04, the real reason for Hester’s success? Even in the four challenging returns we don’t see any mind boggling moves that help spring Hester free. Most of Hester’s returns won’t show up on any all-time top ten lists. What does it mean that the guy with more touchdown returns than any other player in history doesn’t have one truly memorable return?

I started to feel as though I was discrediting Hester’s achievements simply because they weren’t aesthetically pleasing. Normally when you think of punt returns, ones like DeSean Jackson’s game winner against the Giants last season pop into your head. When you think of great punt returners, guys with nicknames like the “Human Joystick” enter your thoughts.  Downplaying Hester’s returns because they weren’t flashy enough is like saying Reggie Miller’s jump shot was just decent because it didn’t look like your stereotypical jumper.

I felt like I needed to find some hard evidence to prove my theory. With the help of the wonderful website, Pro-Football-Reference.com, I was able to dig a little deeper into the world of touchdown returns. I was able to bring up every return for touchdown since the 2000 season; all 201 of them. Breaking down the number of punt returns for each team revealed to no surprise that the Bears are the leaders in this category. Slightly surprising was looking at the number for the past 12 Super Bowl winners. Eight of the past twelve winners ranked in the bottom half of the league.

Touchdown Returns Since 2000
Team	TDs	Team	TDs	Team	TDs	Team	TDs
CHI	25	ARI	12	BAL	10	GB	8
NYJ	18	DET	12	DEN	10	SF	8
OAK	18	HOU	12	MIN	10	IND	7
CLE	15	ATL	11	PIT	10	NYG	7
BUF	14	NO	11	TB	10	CIN	6
NE	14	PHI	11	TEN	10	JAX	6
DAL	13	SEA	11	CAR	9	MIA	5
KC	13	WAS	11	SD	9	STL	5
						Avg	11

Using the information that I gathered here I started to drill it down to reveal the truth behind Hester. I thought my first bit of evidence would be to give Bears’ special teams coordinator, Dave Toub, the credit. Toub was the Eagle’s special teams coordinator from ’01-04. Looking at the league’s returns from ’01-04 revealed that the Kansas City Chiefs, who benefited from the services of Dante Hall, were tops with 9 returns for touchdowns.  Philly was sixth best with 4 returns, however, 3-5 touchdowns seemed to be the norm for teams around that period of time. In the one year where the Bears had Toub without Hester, the Bears only produced one touchdown return, so it would appear that Dave Toub did not have as big an impact as I originally thought.

The real jump for the Bears came in ’06 when they drafted Hester. Since 2000 the Bears have returned 26 touchdowns. Removing Hester’s 19 returns drops them down to 8 which ranks in the bottom quarter of the list for that time and 3 below the league average.

After analyzing some hard facts it appears that while he may not the flashiest returner ever, Hester is certainly the best. Just because Hester seems to have figured out what no one else has been able to (run fast and follow the big guys in front of you) doesn’t downgrade the fact that he has been able to find the end zone more times than “Primetime”, Josh Cribbs, Dante Hall or any other memorable punt returner in history. With plenty of years left in his career, more returns are certain and Hester will solidify his spot as the greatest returner ever.

Is Peyton Manning the Most Valuable Player Ever?

The Indianapolis Colts fell to 0-7 Sunday after a 62-7 shellacking from the New Orleans Saints. As the Colts continue to struggle this season without Peyton Manning, the question of, “is Peyton Manning the most valuable player to his team ever” is starting to really pick up steam.

Professional sports have been played for decades and inevitably, star players leave their teams; either through retirement, injuries, free agency or trades. While regular season MVP awards help judge a players value to their team when the players are playing, it isn’t until they leave their respective teams that the true value of the player is revealed. Tom Brady is a multiple time MVP, however, when he went down with a knee injury in the first game of the ’08 season, the Patriots inserted Matt Cassel. The same Matt Cassel who hadn’t started a football game since high school and was more known for his appearance in the Little League World Series and still they finished with 11 wins (I’ve referenced this before in making the point that Manning may be the most valuable player to his team almost 9 months ago here).

Below is a look at five of their sports most revered players and the impact they had coming to or leaving their respective teams.  I chose to examine players who are Hall-of-Famers and either were drafted by a horrible team or left after their team won a championship. Read on and decide who is the most valuable player ever.

You see a lot more of this
from Peyton nowadays

Peyton Manning-

            We’ll start with the man of the hour. Before drafting Peyton in 1998 the Colts posted a season that the 2011 Colts are certainly trying to outdo. The ’97 Colts went a not so respectable 3-13, suffering through 10 straight losses before their first (Hang on Colts fans, the Saints game may not be the worst part of the season).  Three different quarterbacks combined for 3500 yards, 16 tds and 17 ints. That ’97 team even had two future Hall-of-famers in Marshall Faulk and Marvin Harrison but managed to rank 20^th out of 30 teams in points scored. What did Peyton do once he was drafted? Only make the Colts the winningest NFL franchise of the 2000’s (141-67), lead them to two Super Bowls, winning one and average a yearly output of 4200 yards, 30tds and 15 ints. So if you’re following along that’s 3-13 before Peyton and 0-7 after Peyton. I think it is safe to say, Manning is pretty valuable to his team.

John Elway-

Tebow is praying he'll be the answer

            We’ll stay in the NFL and take a look at one of the best quarterbacks ever and his impact. Rather than look at what the Broncos were before they drafted Elway, we’ll examine life after Elway since he left after they won back to back Super Bowls. The ’99 Broncos (Two time defending champion Broncos) finished 6-10. They had two quarterbacks combine to through for 3600 yards, 16 tds and 18 ints. They were still relatively stacked on offense with pro-bowlers Rod Smith, Ed Mcaffrey, Terrell Davis and Shannon Sharpe. Losing Elway dropped the Broncos to a slightly less than average 18^th in points scored. Elway’s average yearly output was a somewhat pedestrian 3200 yards, 18tds and 14 ints. Seems that statistically the Broncos didn’t suffer too much, however, going from back to back Super Bowls to just 6 wins really helps Elway’s case for most valuable ever. Another big factor in Elway’s value; it’s been over a decade since he left the team and Denver is still looking for a full time heir to Elway’s throne. Tim Tebow is the current candidate; however, his chances appear slim after needing a fifteen point four quarter comeback to beat the winless Dolphins this past week.

Lebron James-

            Lebron may be Peyton’s biggest competition for most valuable player ever.  Not so much now since he has teamed up with future Hall-of-Famer Dwayne Wade and future “oh that guy was pretty good too” Chris Bosh. However, Lebron James was certainly very valuable to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Prior to drafting home grown Lebron in 2003, the ’02 Cavs finished an abysmal 17-65. The two small forwards on the team, Tyrone Hill and Darius Miles combined to score 15.5 ppg and the Cavs as a team were 25^th and 28^th respectively in points scored and points allowed. The team did have future All Stars, Carlos Boozer and Zydrunas Ilgauskas so they weren’t all bad talent wise. Lebron arrived and along came a stretch of 349-225 (50 wins per year) 27 ppg night in and night out, a surprise trip to the finals and two league MVPs. When Lebron took his talents to South Beach, the Cavs went back to their old ways and rattled off 25 straight losses at one point.

Was I really that valuable?

Michael Jordan-

                We’ll stay in basketball and analyze arguably the greatest basketball player of all time’s impact. Jordan left twice after the Bulls won titles so we have twice the data to digest. Jordan’s first retirement doesn’t help his case for most valuable ever. After leaving for baseball in ’93, the 1994 Bulls went 55-27. Losing Jordan hurt a little on the offensive end as they fell to 22^nd in points scored but the defense held strong ranking them 3^rd in points against. When Jordan left again after The Russell push off Shot that beat the Jazz for the title, it hit the Bulls a little harder. The ’99 Bulls finished just 13-37 and dropped to 29^th and 14^th respectively in points scored and against. Jordan won six titles, averaged 30.1 ppg for his career and won several league MVPs. However, his total effect on the Bulls is hard to quantify. When he left the first time the Bulls didn’t suffer much; largely in part to MVP candidate that year, Scottie Pippen. When Jordan left the second time so did a major components of the team, Pippen, Rodman and coach Phil Jackson. While there is no doubt that Jordan is an all-time great, his impact doesn’t appear to be as valuable as Peyton’s or even Lebron’s.

Babe Ruth-

            Like Jordan, Ruth is also considered an all-time great if not the greatest player of his sport. But how valuable was he to one team.  The 1920 Boston Red Sox finished 72-81, which was actually better than the year prior with Ruth. Ruth’s real impact is seen in home runs. In 1919 Ruth hit 29 home runs. In 1920 the Boston Red Sox as a team hit just 22 home runs. Ruth would go on to hit 714 career home runs and be remembered as a Yankee. The biggest argument for Ruth as the most valuable player ever is the fact that he apparently cursed a team. The Curse of the Bambino last for decades and tortured a fan base. No other player on this list can hold claim to cursing a team like the Babe can.

It may not be clear as to which player is the most valuable of all time but the 2011 Colts are surely making a strong case for it to be Peyton Manning. Unless the Colts, excuse me for the upcoming pun, Luck into another solid quarterback to lead their team, the day Peyton hangs up his cleats may be a very sad day in Indianapolis. Peyton’s first absence since being drafted has the made the Colts into one of the worst teams in the league. The only light at the end of the tunnel is that Manning will be back. How gloomy will the day be when fans realize Peyton is gone forever?

My Cancer Story

I’d first like to apologize to anyone, few of them as there may be, who come to this website to actually read about sports.  This is the first and probably the last time that this blog will delve into a deeper subject matter and have nothing pertaining to sports.

I’m not one hundred percent sure on my reasoning for writing this.  Maybe writing helps me get out some stuff that I’ve kept inside, maybe this could be inspirational to someone or even informative; not sure. Up to this point I have been relatively silent regarding this issue; electing to only tell a handful of individuals. Maybe I was ashamed, embarrassed, afraid, in denial; once again I’m not fully sure of my reasoning behind my actions. 

However, with so much cancer awareness going on in the month of October, I guess now would be as good a time as any to tell “my story.”

On August 12, 2010, just a few short weeks after my 23^rd birthday, I was diagnosed with cancer.

No one in my family had ever had cancer, no friend of mine had ever had cancer, I’d never come in contact with an individual who was battling cancer. A family friend from when I was young was affected and even died, but I guess I was just too young and blissfully ignorant to understand the severity of the situation and therefore really cannot recall many details. To me cancer was a cause that people walked for, mostly only happened to people on T.V and definitely didn’t happen to young people.

You can probably imagine the rush of emotions, beginning immediately with shock, which my wife and I felt when my doctor looked at us and said, “You have cancer.” It’s unbelievable how three words can hold so much weight. Barely a sentence, just three words and yet those three words will forever affect my life.

Over the last year my family and I have fought what at times felt like an endless battle with cancer. I say my family and I fought because cancer’s affect goes far beyond just the one diagnosed with the disease. My wife, already my rock, selflessly put any and all of her own personal needs aside to ensure that we would survive this as a family. She not only held together a small family of three, but an extended family devastated by the news. Despite watching everything I was going through, she never once broke down and was consistently a calming, caring, loving wife.  My daughter showed maturity far beyond her years. I’ve never been prouder of her in the way that she has handled this entire situation. I know I would have simply crumbled at her age if face with similar circumstances, yet she stepped up without hesitation or a request. Extended family and close friends, all affected, were pivotal parts in my fight as well.

Months of chemotherapy, multiple surgeries and countless doctors’ visits created a landscape of futility for this war I was fighting. There were certainly times where I didn’t feel I could keep the fight going. But once again, whether they were physically there to pick me up or just a reminder in my mind of who I was fighting to have more time with, my family got me through every tough time.

As I stated earlier, I’ve been relatively quiet about this last year of my life. Only divulging info of my illness to a few, confiding to only my wife of any struggles that I was going through and meaningless as it may seem, avoiding all mention of this on Facebook. Maybe I’m putting too much into Facebook, maybe I spend too much time there. However, keeping up appearances with my attempts at humorous status updates helped provide an escape from the realities of what my family and I were going through. Oddly enough it was one of the few places where I wasn’t a cancer patient, no one was asking how I was feeling, no one treated me any different; it definitely helped.

As I come to a close in this blog post, I’m starting to realize why I felt the need to write this; it is to say thank you. The past year of my life is one I would rather forget all together, however, the scars I have will always be a constant reminder. However, rather than recall the hospital stays and endless amounts of tests, when I look at the scars on my body that cancer has left, I’ll remember the best parts of this last year. The time spent with my family. The holidays, the birthdays, the four months of remission in between treatments; these are the memories that I will recall. My family is the sole reason I was able to get through any of this.

I’ve been told that I was strong, that people are proud of me, that I’m a survivor. However, I can’t take credit for getting through this battle. I cannot express the gratitude I have for everyone who has got me through this horrendous journey. My wife and daughter, my extended family, close friends (or friend, you know who you are), every doctor and nurse that helped me along the way, they are the strong ones, they are who people should be proud of, they helped me survive. I am forever, in debt to all of you.

Never once was the word terminal mentioned during this entire ordeal, however, something like this truly puts your life into perspective. You go through life taking for granted that you will live a long life. You expect to be a grandparent, you expect to retire, you expect to grow old; nothing is guaranteed.  I love my family and I’m sure if you ask them they will say that they know. But, after something like this, a day will never go by where I don’t let my family know how much I love them.

I’ve rambled on long enough about this. I’m happy to say that this battle seems to be coming to a positive end. I just wanted to find a way to thank everyone who helped me through this and this is the best way I know how. I’ll leave with one final thought… For anyone going through a similar battle or to anyone who loves someone going through it, keep laughing. It sounds cliché but laughter truly is the best medicine. My family and I continued to look at the lighter side of this situation and it made the fight all that much more easier.

To my family (I won’t say and friends because you’re just as much family as anyone else)… I love you all more than you’ll ever know and I couldn’t have done anything without you.