Bleacher Report - History

Doug Harvey: One of the Best Ever to Play the Game

Warren Shaw — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:30:14 -0500

It is often said that time is the ultimate cleanser. What is fact today will become a blur tomorrow. In the hockey world that statement can be all too true, especially when it concerns comparing past players with current ones.

In the 1950’s prior to the arrival of Bobby Orr , the best defenseman in hockey was undisputedly Doug Harvey of the Montreal Canadiens .

Prior to any league television contracts and when teams travelled by train rather than plane, Harvey was controlling and dominating the game from his position on the blueline.

Fans in Toronto relied on the radio and Foster Hewitt to describe what was happening on the ice.

Soon after cracking the Montreal lineup Harvey was mentioned frequently. “Harvey to Richard, Harvey has the puck, Harvey across ice to Beliveau, Harvey still has the puck” were a few phrases commonly heard when listening to a Canadiens broadcast.

Doug Harvey changed the way the position was played.

Today when you read about Bobby Orr many make that same statement about him, but it was in fact the play of Doug Harvey that made defense a more pivotal and potent position later ushering in the talented of the more offensive minded Orr who even wore Harvey’s No. 2 while playing junior hockey for The Oshawa Generals .

Few remember that the NHL changed the guidelines for powerplays because of the potency of the Montreal Canadiens attack. With Beliveau, Richard, Dickie Moore, Boom Boom Geoffrion on the ice, and Harvey quarterbacking, one two minute powerplay opportunity could result in 3 goals for the Canadiens.

Today you often hear some “experts” say Harvey cannot be compared to Orr offensively citing his modest offensive production. If you drill down further you will uncover that Harvey’s offensive skills were formidable.

Ever the consummate team guy Doug concentrated on setting up the players on the team who were actually paid bonuses to score goals. Make no mistake though that if a goal was needed Harvey could deliver it with a high tempo rush or a shot from the point.

His skating ability and puck control skills combined with his shot blocking prowess and toughness were unequaled during his tenure with the Canadiens.

Rare film footage of Doug Harvey offers a small glimpse of his talent even capturing his execution of the Spin-A-Rama maneuver long thought to have been copyrighted by Orr and Serge Savard.

Most hockey fans know little about Doug Harvey despite all the Stanley Cups, Norris Trophies, and All-Star selections. Younger fans will point to the current dominant player, Niklas Lindstrom , as the best not having seen Harvey, or Orr perform.

Bobby Orr has the advantage of videos like The Best of Bobby Orr and The Canada Cup series as well as Legends of Hockey DVD tributes. There is very little footage of Harvey and he is noticeably missing from the Legends segments while all of his contemporaries are honored including Red Kelly and Marcel Pronovost .

Niklas Lindstrom and the Detroit Red Wings were provided a prestigious honor being recently named the Player of the Decade and the Team of the Decade respectively by the Sporting News .

There is little question that both awards were given to truly deserving recipients. The Red Wings emerged from obscurity to again take their place as one of the NHL’s premier franchises with a decade full of league titles and a crate full of Stanley Cups.

Lindstrom their current captain is considered the top NHL defenseman of his era, having won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman three consecutive seasons from 2000–01 to 2002–03 and again from 2005–06 to 2007–08 . He has been nominated for the award a total of nine times in the past ten seasons, the first three times finishing as the runner-up, and has won it in six of the last seven (2004–05 had no winner due to the NHL lockout ).

Gleeful of the honor Detroit GM Ken Holland in a television interview said “Lindstrom is the best defenseman next to Orr ever to play the game.” No slight to Lindstrom, who will make the top five of all time, but he is not in the number two position. That place alone still belongs to Doug Harvey.

In the book Doug a biography by author William Brown , Harvey’s life is well chronicled including his bouts with alcoholism, bi-polar disorder and his eventual death from cirrhosis of the liver.

At his best Harvey was a gifted, charismatic, fun loving athlete, more skilled at baseball and football than hockey. He was a devoted team player who, along with Ted Lindsey stood up for his brethren by helping to form a players’ union. In retaliation the Canadiens traded Harvey, the team captain, to the New York Rangers where he won yet another Norris Trophy as the best defender in the NHL. He won seven in his entire career.

Ironically, it was the efforts of Harvey and Lindsay that allows today’s athletes the opportunity to sign lucrative contracts earning millions and enjoy solid pensions as well as sign free agent contracts unheard of in the “good ole days.”

Unlike Lindstrom and Orr, Harvey could dominate the game physically as well as with finesse serving up crunching body checks and open ice hits to the opposition when the situation dictated it. “ No slight to Bobby Orr but Doug Harvey was the best defenseman ever to play the game," said Detroit Red Wing Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay. Lindsay, it should be noted played on same team with Red Kelly and Marcel Pronovost both Hall of Fame defenseman.

Doug Harvey wore the No. 2 throughout his remarkable career. He is the No. 2 defenseman ever to play the game but some like Ted Lindsay feel he was, in fact, No. one.

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History: Huff, Ellis, Seymour Compared To Green, White, Holmes

Damali Binta YAEL — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:02:25 -0500

A historical look at the Pittsburgh Steelers is good preparation for the Oakland Raiders in 2009. It will alert the Oakland Raiders to rise to the occasion and tackle an opponent who historically is credited with having a very good defensive squad.

The Historical Context

There was a crisis because of a lack of presence of role models. Organizations like the National Urban League got involved in education, mainly to help reduce the dropout rate in urban communities.

Defenses needed to be built in American education. Young men needed to be herded off the streets and back into the classrooms. The legislation that would fund the dropout prevention programs, which was America's defense for an emerging problem, was called the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA). While all of this was happening on a national level, the Pittsburgh Steelers were building up a powerful defense, called "The Steel Curtain."

The Connections

As the project director of a Houston Area Urban League ESAA project, I was told to hire four strong men who could help find the dropouts and encourage them to return to high school, and to identify those who were potential dropouts.

I found four good men to implement the project. One of them, I distinctly remember, was a relative of Dwight White, a defensive player with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The name of Dwight White's relative was Bob White, and he had been a probation officer. He was perfectly suited for the job.

The other man I hired was an ex-U. S. Marine who wanted to help young people.

The Motivating Stories

Mr. White constantly talked about his relative Dwight. I was curious and Mr. White would share with us, the experiences of Dwight White, "Mean" Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes and L. C. Greenwood. He would brag about how tough, smart and determined those NFL players were. Somehow that motivated the ESAA counselors to go out there in those rough, urban communities and tackle those dropouts, and herd them back into the schools such as Jack Yates High School, in Third Ward.

Each NFL player stands out in my mind in 2009 for a different reason.

Dwight White stood out because he was the relative to a man who worked as a counselor in the program I directed.

"Mean" Joe Greene stood out because of his performance on the football field and his name.

Ernie Holmes stood out because he attended Texas Southern University, and he was known for his intensity on the playing field. His name stands out in my mind even more now because he fathered one of the promising young mathematicians in the United States, Dr. Rod Holmes.

There were really four outstanding defense players with the Pittsburgh Steelers at that time. I made no connection with the fourth player.

Here is what an interesting chapter in history looks like in 2009.

Ernie Holmes who passed away, at 59-years-old, in a car accident somewhere between Houston, Texas and Beaumont, Texas is the father of a young mathematician who has made history.

I work with Ernie Holmes' son. Dr. Rod Holmes, the second African-American man to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston, must have put up a powerful defense to negotiate his way to the end of a historical accomplishment.

He was mentored by Dr. Willie Taylor, the first African-American man to receive his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston. Is it possible that the wisdom of his father, the great defensive player with "The Steel Curtain" rubbed off on the son, Dr. Rob Holmes?

The Common Traits for Success

The determination, persistence, and passion you need for football is also needed in intellectual endeavors. Perhaps the powerful attributes of the father were passed on to the son, giving him the coping skills to wedge forth and get a Ph.D. in one of the most challenging areas in mathematics, functional analysis? I think so.

Does the tradition of building and having a powerful defensive team continue in the current Pittsburgh Steelers team? Probably so.

Traces of genius stood out in the career of Ernie Holmes.

In one quote we see:

"Holmes, drafted out of Texas Southern, was part of a defense that held Minnesota to 17 yards rushing and 119 total yards in the 1975 Super Bowl. The Steelers won their first title, 16-10. They were back a year later, beating Dallas 21-17 for the championship.

"The 1976 Steelers defense was one of the best in NFL history, shutting out five opponents—three in a row—during a nine-game, season-ending winning streak. The Steelers allowed only 28 points during those nine games, an average of slightly more than a field goal per game.

"He was devastating and would just destroy the opponent across from him," Russell said. "Sometimes I had to remind him to tackle the guy with the pigskin. He was a brilliant player. He played all with his heart."

"He used his head, too. Besides "Fats," he was also known as "Arrowhead" because in 1974 he shaved his head, leaving only an arrow-shaped pattern of hair on his skull. "I asked him, 'What the hell did you do that for?'" longtime Steelers director of communications Joe Gordon said.

"We were getting ready to play the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. He said, 'That's to point me to the quarterback.'" What stands out is the comment "He used his head" and "he was a brilliant player."

The Role Models were evident

So, the four men who often bragged about the brilliance of L. C. Greenwood, Joe Green, Dwight White and Ernie Holmes were good role models. Perhaps they saw the merit and power of a good defense.

And, the four men who took part in "The Steel Curtain" set a model in place for those times by being one of the best NFL defense squads in NFL history. Out of that pool of talent was birthed one of America's promising mathematicians.

It looks like Dr. Rod Holmes inherited the brilliance and heart of his father. It is no small feat to be one of the few African-American men to get a Ph.D. in functional analysis.

Brilliance can be in the genes, however, it may manifest itself in different ways. Ernie Holmes showed his on the playing field while his son shows his in intellectual pursuits.

The Historical Encounter

Now there is a story telling about what Ernie Holmes did, and how he approached Gene Upshaw of the Oakland Raiders. Holmes forewarned Upshaw that the Steelers defense was, let's say, stronger and more fierce than the Raiders.

Well, a game is coming up on Dec. 6. Is there a "Ernie Holmes" making his way to a "Gene Upshaw"? Is the Oakland Raiders team being forewarned about the tactics and strength of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

A historical encounter is captured in this quote: "To motivate his teammates, Holmes purposefully strayed into the Raiders' warm ups to tell star lineman Gene Upshaw before the January 1976 AFC Championship Game what the Steelers would do to him and Oakland.

"The Steelers went on to win 24-13. But at a team Christmas party, Holmes surprised everyone by dressing up like Santa Claus and handing out toys."

It's 33 years later. In 2009 is there a Steelers defensive player who will "stray into the Raiders' warm ups" and tell the Raiders' star lineman what the Steelers will do to him and Oakland on Dec. 6?

The Heritage

I conclude by saying that out of the personal heritage of Ernie Holmes has come an outstanding young mathematician, Rod Holmes.

More broadly, then, we can say that out of the franchise heritage of both the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Oakland Raiders should come forth with a "Ernie Holmes" and a "Gene Upshaw."

An Oct. 2009 article, written by Saint , cites a progress report on the Oakland Raiders defensive players:

"1) Michael Huff —Huff is second in the NFL with three interceptions, and he has also gotten his hands on plenty more as he, playing a part time role, is tied for the NFL lead in passes defensed. He is definitely the surprise of the 2009 season, for the Raiders, to this point.

"2) Greg Ellis —Ellis is 7th in the NFL with four sacks, although he was not given credit for a half sack in the first game that was given to Seymour. He has been an outstanding pick-up from Dallas and I am sure that he has something special planned for Thanksgiving Day in the Big D!

"3) The Law Offices of Morrison, Howard and BRANCH?—Howard and Morrison are tied for 17th in tackles with 31 and Tyvon is fifth among all safeties with 29 of his own. Morrison and Howard have really stepped up their games and are each tracking 124 tackles while Tyvon is proving to be one heckuva Fourth Rounder and is tracking 116 in his first full season starting in the NFL.

"4) Richard Seymour —Seymour does have two sacks this season, but his leadership has been invaluable in galvanizing the front four.

"5) Nnamdi—The man with ZERO stats. As they once said, a long time ago, if your name is being called a lot and you are on the offensive line or the defensive backfield, it is NOT usually a good thing. So, Nnamdi is doing his "Nnamdiest" to stay out of the stat column but has made nearly every play that has come his way.

"This defense is young and getting better, what do you think Raider Nation?"

Who will win the game on Dec. 6, 2009? I will leave it up to you, the readers, to give predictions.

The Vision

One thing we can conjecture is that the Oakland Raiders has an emerging leader, Richard Seymour. Will the current Oakland Raiders defensive players reverse the results of the 2009 pattern, and overcome the Pittsburgh Steelers who have historically had players like Holmes who "bullied" and out-thought his opponents because not only was he tough, but he was smart, too.

So in 2009, the Oakland Raiders need to build up their "Brick Wall" or some wall made out of a viscoelastic material (polymer) so as to combat the forces they will likely encounter on Dec. 6, 2009.

Go Raiders! Build up a history of a powerful defense!

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15 Minutes with Syracuse Coach Dick MacPherson

Joshua Valley — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:00:40 -0500

Local Legend Honored in Today's Syracuse vs. Northwestern Football Game

I recently had the privilege of speaking with Coach Richard "Dick" MacPherson of UMass, Syracuse, and New England Patriots' fame. Coach MacPherson is being honored at halftime of the Syracuse vs. Northwestern football game on Sept. 9, 2009, at Syracuse University.

The university will be joined by the National Football Foundation and salute "Coach Mac" for his upcoming College Football Hall of Fame induction during Legends Day on Saturday.

Coach MacPherson was born in Old Town, Maine in 1930. After attending Marine Maritime Academy, he served in the U.S. Air Force between 1950-1954.

He then went on to Springfield College (1954-1958) and earned his bachelor's degree. During his time there, he played varsity football for three years. In 1956, the team went undefeated, and, in his senior year, he served as captain.

In the years between 1971-1977, he was head coach at UMass, where he posted a 45-27 overall record, won four Yankee Conference Championships, and took the team to the Boardwalk Bowl.

MacPherson's 45 victories rank third all-time in UMass history, and his .778 winning percentage ranks fifth-best in league history. He was chosen New England Coach of the Year while at UMass twice.

In his 10-year stay at Syracuse University (1980-1990), he posted a record of 66-46-4. He took Syracuse to the Cherry, Sugar, Hall of Fame, Peach, and Aloha bowls. In 1987, Syracuse went undefeated for the second time in the school's history and tied Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. That season won him the Lambert Trophy.

He left Syracuse for a two-year head coaching job with the New England Patriots. He also had coaching jobs with the Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns. He was selected by the National Football Foundation to be inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame for the 2009 class.

Our Interview

Q: What are some of your memories from the undefeated season at Syracuse University?

A: Well, I think that we were going undefeated into the final game. They went for a tie on the last play of the game instead of trying to beat us, so that took some of the fall off of that thing. Just any of those accomplishments was a tremendous amount of fun for me and the players. I think it is a team that will never be forgotten by Syracuse University and the fans here.

Q: What was your favorite Syracuse game?

A: I think that the real job-saver was 1984 when we beat No. 1 Nebraska. That would be something that would have to stand with me because it gave us credibility as that was our fourth year, and we hadn't had any great years, and we just started to get to moving. That was the job that kept us alive and well, and it was a shocking thing because it was the No. 1 team in the country.

Q: What was your least favorite Syracuse game?

A: I think the most disappointing one was the Sugar Bowl when Auburn went for the tie.

Q: Was it a difficult transition from the college game to the pro level?

A: My family thoroughly enjoyed the experience we had under Lou Saban at with the Denver Broncos. That was the highlight of our professional career. I don't think there was much to enjoy with the New England thing, and we were with the Cleveland Browns. I prefer college over pros except for Lou Saban; that was probably the best time in my family's life.

Q: Can you describe your experience of playing against Louisville in Japan at Tokyo Stadium where you won 24-13?

A: Well, I think the most memorable thing about playing in Japan was the Japan Bowl. The Japanese, at the time, were really riding high and fell in love with American football, so we played a regular-season game over there with the University of Louisville, and prior to the sold-out game, everybody was saying hello, and, of course, the Japanese didn't understand a word of it. Then our chancellor got up and gave them a message in fluent Japanese, which is very, very unusual. Then the place just fell in love with us.

Q: Was there ever a time when you doubted whether or not you could bring Syracuse back to the glory days of the '50s and '60s?

A: Not at all.

Q: Describe going undefeated as a player at Springfield College in 1956.

A: I think the thing that sticks most in your craw is one of the teams we should have beaten easily we had a tie. Yes, we were undefeated, but we had a tie. So as players, when we talk about those games in the '56 season, it's kind of a sad thing because we remember the tie rather than all the great wins. But, of course, it is a really significant thing for Springfield College.

Q: With the Patriots' loss to the NY Jets, and all of the trades and retirements, do you think the Patriots domination of the AFC is in trouble, or are they still an offensive juggernaut?

A: I think it's still a little early in the season to tell. Their hoping to start over, but I think they had to reload. I think the fans should remember that great, great run that they had, and, three years from now, you'll be able to tell. They've had five changes on defense alone, and Tom Brady is coming back from a knee injury. I think patience, and there's a lot of respect for the Jets by winning, but what they gotta remember is that it wasn't a bowl game. I believe when the Jets come to Foxboro, it's gonna be war.

Q: I'd like to congratulate you for your achievements on and off the field, as player and coach. I'd like to thank you for your time, and it's been an honor speaking with one of my personal heroes as a Syracuse fan.

A: Well, I normally don't take time from my schedule to do this sort of thing, and I do want to be compensated for my time.

Q: OK, what do I owe you?

A: You just make damn sure when we go up against Northwestern on Saturday that you're cheering for Syracuse.

Q: Yes, sir. I cheer for them win or lose, sink or swim, every time they play.

So, in promise to Coach Richard "Dick" MacPherson, I will be cheering for my favorite college team wearing my Ernie "The Elmira Express" Davis throwback jersey.

Thank you, coach. Thank you for the glory at SU and taking time to be a real person and not just an icon. Thank you for your time, and it was an honor that I won't soon forget.

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Golf Master's: The Greatest Sporting Event

Mike Casella — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:45:28 -0500

The most compelling sporting event I've ever seen.

1986 Masters. Final Round. No doubt.

The golfers amongst you must remember this: Jack's birdie on 10 put him at four under for the tournament. He would go on to post a final score of nine under. That's six under par on the back nine at Augusta in the final round of The Masters. That's insanity.

Think about it.

Invest ten minutes below and see for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBNAMfXjsaI

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49ers Return To Roots

Glenn Franco Simmons — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:20:52 -0500

How many 49ers fans remember the "one-day wonder"?

It occurred in 1991, when the team announced that its helmet logo would change from "SF" to "49ers."

Hell fire and brimstone hailed down upon the storied franchise as fans and media blasted the doomed proposal, which was dropped as a serious proposal after a single day.

Some faithful saw it as a sell-out in anticipation of what they thought would be the team's eventual move to another locale because San Francisco was—and remains—too dysfunctional to properly carry off permitting a new stadium.

The tidal wave of public furor only subsided when the 49ers franchise withdrew its ill-fated proposal.

Another ill-advised move occurred in 1996—the team's 50th anniversary.

Perhaps a foreshadowing of the 49ers gradual move away from being a Super Bowl-caliber team, the franchise debuted the ill-advised cardinal red jersey.

This was blasphemous to many fans. In fact, many refused to buy the jersey, choosing instead to order the throwback color.

As the seasons wore on, an infamous new era emerged—one marked by losing, horrific quarterbacks,wasted draft choices, terrible management, and a shrinking fan base.

Thankfully, the old colors—worn from 1964 to 1996—returned as the Jed York era began this season. It was a move welcomed by many fans.

In fact, at each home game this season, I've seen more traditional 49ers red than the cardinal being worn on caps, coats and jerseys.

By that single action—choosing to bring back the old color, York demonstrated his savvy because it shows he is in tune with the fan base and the team's Lombardi legacy.

Let's hope a return to tradition can evolve into a return to playoff-bound teams.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers Dominated the Yankees in the 1963 World Series

Harold Friend — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:26:04 -0500

Few teams have dominated a World Series the way the Los Angeles Dodgers dominated in 1963.

The Dodgers won 99 games during the season, and faced the defending World Champion Yankees in the Series for the first time since they abandoned Brooklyn.

Outstanding Los Angeles Pitching

Sandy Koufax had the first of his four outstanding years, going 25-5 with a minuscule 1.88 ERA, a 159 ERA+, and an 0.875 WHIP.

Don Drysdale won 19 games, lost 17, but had a 2.63 ERA to go along with his 114 ERA+ and 1.091 ERA+.

Relief pitcher Ron Perranoski finished second to the Cardinals' Lindy McDaniel in saves with 22. Perranoski, made 69 relief appearances, worked 129 innings, and was 16-3 with a 1.67 ERA.

The Dodgers also had Johnny Podres, who had been the pitching hero when Brooklyn won its only World Championship.

The Yankees Also Had Great Pitching

The Yankees won their fourth consecutive pennant in 1963 with a record of 104-57. Pitching was the Yankees' strength.

Whitey Ford (24-7) and Jim Bouton (21-7) led a staff that allowed only 3.40 runs per game.

Ralph Terry, who had shut out the Giants, 1-0 in the seventh game of the 1962 World Series, won 17 games, and erratic fire baller Al Downing was 13-5, with a 2.56 ERA, a 137 ERA+, and a 1.104 WHIP.

New York Never Led in Any Game

Los Angeles swept New York. The Yankees never had the lead in any game.

The best they could manage was to tie the fourth game 1-1 when Mickey Mantle hit a home run off Sandy Koufax—who beat Whitey Ford twice.

After Koufax beat Ford in the series opener, 5-2, old nemesis Johnny Podres won the second game at Yankee Stadium 4-1 beating Al Downing.

In Los Angeles, Don Drysdale shut out the Yankees 1-0 besting Jim Bouton, and the next day Koufax beat Ford again 2-1 to wrap up the World Championship.

The Yankees' Offense Was Shut Down

The Yankees scored four runs, had only 22 hits, batted an anemic .171, and managed five walks compared to 37 strikeouts. It was complete domination.

Although the scores were close, the feeling persisted that all Los Angeles needed was a run or two to win, which proved to be true. Yankees' pitching was solid, but Los Angeles pitching almost completely shut down the Yankees' offense.

The Yankees Had Been Favored

Going into the series, the Yankees were considered unbeatable by some, but those who knew the importance of great—not good but great—pitching gave Los Angeles a decent chance of winning.

After Los Angeles' sweep, the Yankees' performance was compared to that of the 1914 Philadelphia Athletics, who were also considered almost invincible but were ignominiously swept by the Miracle Boston Braves.

An Interesting Reaction to the Sweep

The Yankees' reaction to being swept was interesting to say the least, but it was true. To a man, they considered the loss to the Pirates in 1960 worse.

"I don't care if the Dodgers beat us 10 straight games," Mickey Mantle said. "I still feel we have a better team. We couldn't hit, and their pitching was terrific. But this one didn't hurt like 1960."

Moose Skowron, who was with Los Angeles, sat in the winner's locker room and validated Mickey's feelings. "I sat next to Mickey that year, and he cried, and cried all the way home."

It is never good to lose, but the pain is much greater when the loss is almost a win.

In 2001, Arizona at least matched the agony the 1960 Pirates put on the Yankees.

In 1966, the Orioles dominated Los Angeles even more than Los Angeles had dominated the Yankees in 1963.

References:

1963 Los Angeles Dodgers

1963 New York Yankees

By JOHN DREBINGER Special to The New York Times . (1963, October 7). DODGERS WIN, 2-1, SWEEPING SERIES AGAINST YANKEES: Koufax Triumphs Again as New York Loses Four in Row for First Time. New York Times (1857-Current file), 1. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 80712561).

By LEONARD KOPPETT Special to The New York Times . (1963, October 7). 1960 LOSS WORSE, THE PLAYERS SAY: Team Felt More Humiliated After Defeat by Pirates in 7 Games 3 Years Ago Skowron Recalls 1960 Howard Lauds Pitching. New York Times (1857-Current file), 39. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 80713110).

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Florida Gators: Been A Long Road

Mike Casella — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:57:23 -0500

Wayne Peace was the quarterback for the University of Florida back in the early 1980's.

So what?

Contrary to popular belief, the Gators have not always been that dominant team. In fact, there was a time that they were referred to as, "The Choking Gators."

I know. I've spent most of my life as a fan and alumnus.

But, they came into their own beginning in the 1980's.

As a student, I'd go to every home game for five years. I'd go to many away games too.

I can clearly remember Wayne Peace quarterbacking Florida. I can also clearly remember the moaning and groaning of fans who thought our offense was too conservative.

Peace used to have this patented pass play where he'd sort of sprint out to his right or left and throw to a receiver just off the line and wide on either side. Kind of a "sideways" pass.

The offensive coordinator called it "stretching the defense horizontally." It was sort of a unique offensive concept. We weren't too familiar with it, but we'd adjust to the move, much to the chagrin of many of the Gator faithful.

That offensive coordinator used to get "killed" by the press and fans as being too predictable.

Oh, little did we know.

Now, that same man is called "the best offensive mind in the N.F.L."

And he was recently fired after a long run as the head coach of an N.F.L. team. He's the same man now on most team's "short lists" of potential head coaches.

The team was the Denver Broncos. And the man is Mike Shanahan.

Funny how things work out.

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The Almost All-Time Seattle Seahawks Offense

JW Nix — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:54:31 -0500

When the Seattle Seahawks were born into the NFL in 1976, they won just two games and their first draft pick ever was out of the league in a few years. But what they did do was get lucky on a few free agents, most notably Hall Of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent and quarterback Jim Zorn. Seattle was finishing seasons with a winning record by their third year, and have stayed consistently competitive throughout most of their history. The pinnacle for the franchise, so far, was appearing in Super Bowl XL, and their fans want more. It is easy to see why, as the franchise heads towards the 15th losing season in their 34th year of existence. Here is a list of some of the greats to don the teams jersey. REMEMBER : This is a continuing series paying tribute to NFL legends who are not, and perhaps never will be, members of the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

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Rwanda's Youth Play for Hope in the Face of Daunting Challenges

Michael Jee — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:29:26 -0500

In Rwanda, dreams—even for its youth—are a fleeting rarity that seemingly disappear with the coming dawn.

Three-quarters of the population live under the international poverty line of $1.25 a day, and, to this day, the country is still recovering from the inexplicably haunting and gruesome 1994 genocide that took up to a million lives.

Countless others died in the regional First and Second Congo Wars, as well.

In the aftermath of Thanksgiving, it is meaningful to consider most Americans enjoyed a hearty meal with family or friends.

Then, after the physical consumption came the material consumption of Black Friday, where people jostled, indulged, and splurged to their hearts’ delight.

And don’t forget the hours spent in front of the TV, consuming—once again—visual stimulation in the form of endless football games and various Turkey Day specials.

Americans often complain over the pettiest issues and circumstances. With the national and global economy teetering on the brink of major collapse, many families carry legitimate reasons for frustration and worry. However, conditions here as a whole are a parallel universe compared to the world in Rwanda.

Many Rwandans are just thankful they still have living family or friends.

Consumerism is a foreign, irrelevant concept. Black Friday is an event that occurs weekly with the return of uncertainty and darkness. As for football—let alone, sports, in general—most Rwandans would be lucky for an available ball of any kind.

Even the Detroit Lions’ ongoing woes look decent from their vantage point.

External effort to alleviate conditions in Rwanda have often been delayed by bureaucratic red tape or simply been ignored. And virtually none have used sports as the medium to address societal problems . . . until Play for Hope, that is.

Play for Hope—recently incorporated and based in Raleigh, N.C.—is primarily the brainchild of Brian Beckman, a 2007 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Almost two years of full-time, “real world” work left Beckman largely dissatisfied and longing for more meaning. When a few people incidentally contacted him about visiting Rwanda, he promptly quit his job and left for the heart of Africa—with no initial intent of immersion in full-time humanitarian work.

That quickly changed.

“As I began to explore Rwanda a little more and study it a little more, I began to fall in love with it,” said Beckman.

“And while I was out there, I saw just a large need for children. There’s not a lot of adult involvement in a lot of children.”

Beckman encountered much, including meeting community workers and organizing sports activities for street kids in Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda.

These moving observations slowly lit a deliberate desire to help such children, and Beckman met with other people who shared a similar vision of ministering to Rwanda’s youth through sports, perhaps by offering free sports clinics or holding a tournament in the national stadium.

He ended up not working with any of his brainstorming collaborators, but Play for Hope was basically born from these few initial meetings that occurred in the summer of 2008.

Upon his return to the States, Beckman managed to secure a partnership with the Luis Palau Association, based in Portland, which provided Play for Hope with its startup costs. Beckman also secured partnerships in Rwanda with Hope Rwanda and Africa New Life Ministries.

Currently, Play for Hope’s partnerships are all with Christian organizations, having originally capitalized on connections from interested faith-based networks. Play for Hope has its own statement of faith, but Beckman firmly assures proselytization of a certain religious message is neither an objective nor actual practice of the organization.

“We’re not there to convert people,” Beckman said. “What you do or don’t believe in doesn’t affect you from being in our program."

Instead, Play for Hope’s expressed beliefs exist to explain the group’s motivation, which is based on loving others with acceptance of the characteristics that define them.

Beckman doesn’t shy away from these values because they not only express rationale, but ensure honesty and transparency.

“I’m going to tell you what we do, and you’re either going to buy into it or you’re not,” he said. “I’m not going to pretend to be something that we’re not.”

According to Beckman, though, Rwandans either understand or could care less about Play for Hope’s background and have received the organization enthusiastically. They continue to appreciate the group’s effort as relationships grow closer—especially with the children.

“The kids run to us,” said Beckman. “After we did clinics there, kids would stop us on the street and know us by name, which is fairly uncommon, for them to know [a foreigner] by name.”

Barely a year into its formal existence, Play for Hope has already conducted a series of sports clinics in Rwanda this past summer, mostly near the capital city, Kigali.

The group runs its program like a basic sports camp. Kids are divided into groups that are led by a coach. The coach teaches the children the basic fundamentals of a specific sport, focused on basketball and soccer, so far. Children practice drills then move to scrimmages.

Occasionally, Play for Hope will go work with a specific team, resembling a formal practice.

The organization has recruited numerous children—many of whom are orphans or street kids, often both—from the jaws of neglect and detrimental activity including drug use.

By getting kids off the streets and integrated into a community centered around sports, Beckman hopes to rehabilitate them, get them into school, and house them with a caring family.

Some of these forgotten children now appear to be completely different individuals, especially a group of boys from the Busanzi neighborhood in Kigali. These boys all walked 45 minutes one-way just to participate in Play for Hope’s program.

“They’re like family now,” Beckman said. “They’re free from [drugs]. They have love and compassion.”

Most participants have been boys thus far, but only because Rwandan girls have traditionally not played or been exposed to sports, more so than the country’s boys.

“We’ve been unable to find any female coaches,” said Beckman. “As we move forward, we’re trying to become more and more involved with girls.”

The vast majority of Play for Hope’s operations is accomplished through a small but dedicated group of volunteers. All Rwandan coaches were screened and selected by local churches. American workers generally have a background in athletics or a sports-related field.

“A lot of people within the sports world have never really had an opportunity to use their skills to serve,” Beckman said. "[Play for Hope] allows them a field to use what they’re truly good at to impact people’s lives.”

Beckman’s future vision is to expand Play for Hope’s outreach to other countries in the region and incorporate other activities, such as music and drama, for the children. He earnestly hopes to form more partnerships that will increase the scope of children’s activities and benefits, from food and housing to education and recreation.

The US Soccer Federation and Peace Passers have sponsored Play for Hope to some capacity by donating soccer balls and equipment.

Beckman also wishes to structure Play for Hope so that it can serve as a bridge between American inner-city children and Rwandan children because “[inner-city kids] are a group in the US that don’t really get to experience humanitarian work.”

Of course, anyone is welcome to participate and contribute to Play for Hope’s cause. Play for Hope’s main source of funding still comes from individual donors and benefactors.

Nevertheless, money is neither the sole or most desirable method of involvement Beckman seeks.

“I love receiving a check,” said Beckman. “But another way to contribute is to donate to local ball or equipment drives.”

Play for Hope has conducted donation runs all over the US—Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oregon to name a few.

Spreading the word about Play for Hope is another key way of support.

The most meaningful and personable way for involvement is training and working as a volunteer for actual fieldwork in Africa, especially if one is a sports enthusiast.

Despite Play for Hope’s successful integration and impact in Rwanda, it has encountered barriers and difficulties along the way.

“Whenever you’re working cross-culturally, you’re going to run into difficulties just based on the fact that what works in the US doesn’t necessarily work somewhere else,” said Beckman.

Every setback has produced a valuable lesson, and Beckman has learned to keep things very flexible to change.

“We’re not afraid too much of failure as long as we can improve and make it work,” he said.

Another issue Beckman has had to deal with was being lied to by some people he was trying to help—a reality in any job, but something extra hurtful in the nonprofit, humanitarian field.

“It’s hard when a few people in a community we’re trying to serve are stealing from you.”

Despite personal and organizational hurdles, Play for Hope remains steadfastly committed to the impact they have already made and the hard work that awaits. When the going gets tough, Beckman reminds himself of why everything is worth doing—for the children.

“I want people to know that we’re raising future leaders of Rwanda by improving the lives of children who have been ignored by society—changing hopelessness to a hope for peace, a hope for a better life, a hope in God” he said.

Yes, dreams come by hard and are rare in Rwanda—even for its youth. Yet, it appears Play for Hope’s tenacious, holistic approach have given dreams just enough of a fighting chance—one dribble, kick, and child at a time.

To find out more about Play for Hope or to discover ways for involvement, please visit its Web site at www.playforhope.org .

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The Legend of Grave Digger: Monster Truck's Black and Green Wrecking Machine

Dustin Parks — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:24:03 -0500

Every motorsport has that one iconic vehicle the fans instantly recognize.

In NASCAR, there's the black No. 3 of Dale Earnhardt. Drag racing has the Castrol funny car of John Force. Formula 1 has the bright red Ferrari of Michael Schumacher.

In the world of monster trucks, everyone unquestionably recognizes one vehicle: a black 1950 Chevrolet Panel Truck that bears green flames across the hood, red headlights that look like eyes.

The sides have a graveyard, tombstones signifying the trucks that have been defeated. A haunted house in the distance stands alone in front of a full moon. A ghost in purple sits behind the window, as if it's peering over the tombstones.

To the fans, it's known as the "Black and Green Wrecking Machine." Once George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" hits the airwaves, everyone in the arena knows what's coming.

That truck is the Grave Digger.

Back in 1982, Dennis Anderson started his eventual phenomenon.

He had an old pickup that he build from scrap yard parts. The truck was old with faded red paint but still had a lot of power. He would take the truck to a local mud bog and the other competitors simply laughed, calling it a piece of old junk.

Not one to back down, Anderson came back, telling them, "I'll take this old junk and dig you a grave." He then simply stenciled in Grave Digger on the doors, and thus the craze was born.

Soon, that old truck gave way to a new vehicle, an old Ford Panel Wagon that was painted silver and powder blue. To be unique, Anderson decided to put his big block Chevrolet engine in the back for weight.

But there was just something that didn't sit right with the truck. A truck that had been named "Grave Digger" didn't fit with the silver and blue panels.

So, while Anderson was in Virginia, the original home of his shop, he went to a local auto body shop and asked the crew to paint the truck to fit the name.

What he got was simply unbelievable. Flames shot up the truck, graveyards and ghosts haunting the sides. In that moment, the Grave Digger was born.

Soon after, Anderson put a set of red headlights on the front, which he took off the bus he used to haul the truck to events.

The truck was immediately a hit as was Anderson for his punishing driving style. Each show he would go all out, sometimes sacrificing the truck to get the win.

Following the 1988 racing season, Anderson decided that his truck would not get the job done and built a new one. It was lower to the ground, wider and more powerful. Plus, he decided to go with the Chevy Panel Van instead of the Ford.

When the truck came out, it was a struggle to get it to a point where Anderson was happy with it. Parts kept breaking, as he would push the truck beyond its limits, and often go out early in competition. It earned him the nickname "One Run Anderson."

But, his attitude of going all out won over the fans, and his following swelled.

In the early 90s, the advancement to the tube-frame monster truck was in full swing, and not wanting to fall behind, Anderson built his third Grave Digger truck. The tube frame chassis was painted a bright green, and an ominous skull and crossbones flag was added to the back.

The new truck would work out great, and as the 90s progressed, Anderson would build three more trucks to keep up with the advances. Unfortunately, so did the demand to see Grave Digger.

Knowing he couldn't be everywhere at once, Anderson decided to officially make the Grave Digger team a multi-truck operation. He first hired on Paul Huffaker, followed by Lyle Hancock and Rod Schmidt.

Knowing they were driving a truck bearing the Grave Digger name, they too had to go all out.

Huffaker himself built his own Grave Digger truck along with a new one for Anderson in 1997.

During this time, Anderson had brought in another concept into monster trucks. Because of all the breakage, the Grave Digger would be out of competition. But, Anderson would fix the truck and then ask the promoters and officials to let him return and just show off for the fans.

They soon obliged, and Anderson would come out, do jumps, crush the cars and spin donuts, sometimes flipping over.

The idea would soon be called "freestyle" and he would be deemed it's "Godfather."

By the early part of this decade, Anderson's team had expanded to include three more drivers. Hancock would move to another truck, but both Huffaker and Schmidt stayed with the team.

Anderson hired on Charlie Paukens, Todd Frolik and Gary Porter to race his trucks.

In 2000, team Grave Digger got its first championship.

In front of a packed house at Sam Boyd Stadium, Anderson took his truck and won the first USHRA World Freestyle Championship. Anderson would finish his run with a leap up a dirt hill with his steering not working, which sent him over on his side.

The following year Anderson would move to a new Digger truck. Despite the championship, the truck he was driving had a lot of issues, both in handling and breakage.

His new truck was built by Patrick Enterprises, which at the time had the best equipment for the industry. Anderson would race that truck for three years, but would not get any championships.

When 2004 came, Anderson decided it was time to make a change. He hired on Chad Tingler to take over his old truck, while also bringing on Randy Brown as another new driver.

Then, he and the crew got together to build a brand new Grave Digger from the ground up.

The truck was the 19th to have the Grave Digger name, and it would set off a season that would be one of the greatest for Anderson. The truck was longer, wider, and had a lower center of gravity allowing drivers more control.

That March, once again in Las Vegas, Anderson completed something he had never done in his career. Despite the one championship, Anderson had never officially won a racing title.

Finally, after 22 years, Anderson had put the Grave Digger in victory lane for the first time as a racing champion. In the post-win interview, he actually was laughing just so he wouldn't cry.

Anderson would lose the title the following season, but came back in 2006 with another new truck. Set up similar to No. 19, the truck had thicker tubing and a tougher roll cage, but everything else was exactly like his previous truck.

That truck would bring him another racing championship as he defeated the Bounty Hunter in the final round.

The 2007 season would be the 25th anniversary of the Grave Digger, but in fact was one that Anderson would be a part of from the sidelines. In the first event of the year, he injured his shoulder during qualifying. The result sent him to the hospital, and thus out of the truck.

Not wanting to disappoint his fans, his son Adam, having only one year of driving under his belt, stepped up to drive his father's truck.

The season would be a successful one for the Anderson team, as Adam would win the following three freestyle competitions, finishing out the season with five.

Dennis himself would get well enough to get back in the truck in time for the World Finals that season, but just missed out on another racing title. He would finish second in the freestyle competition, but the real treat was to follow.

That weekend, every Grave Digger driver was in attendance with the exception of Porter. At the conclusion of the freestyle competition, the remaining five Digger drivers came out and did a tandem freestyle in honor of the team.

Anderson would return for a full season of racing in 2008, and in 2009 he saw his most successful year to date. His Grave Digger would win seven racing events along with six freestyles, including four where he swept both competitions.

Still looking for another championship, Anderson has stated he is not done driving. His family is now fully involved in monster truck racing. Adam himself won the 2008 freestyle championship, and this year his other son, Ryan, will begin his driving career.

The 2010 season will be Anderson's 28th behind the wheel of Grave Digger, and his fan base is just as strong as ever.

For a man that started off with a truck built from a salvage yard, Anderson has created quite an empire. Each time he drives the truck, each time he freestyles, and every time he wins a trophy, he has one simple message.

Pointing to his truck, he looks up to the crowd and says "I tear up that truck every weekend. I don't tear them up for promoters, I don't tear them up for my crew. I tear them up for you guys (the fans).

"I want to thank you for every nut and bolt on that truck, for every shingle on my roof."

No one pushes the equipment harder than Dennis Anderson, and there is no monster truck with the following of the Grave Digger.

There is no question, this duo will be bad to the bone for years to come.

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Steelers Historical Strong Defense: White, Green, Holmes, Greenwood

Damali Binta YAEL — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:22:50 -0500

During the same years the Pittsburgh Steelers were building "The Steel Curtain," America was building a defense for dropouts and push-outs in urban schools.

Those years saw the high school dropout rate for African-American males climb to an alarming high. There was a crisis because of a lack of presence of role models. Organizations like the National Urban League got involved in education, mainly to help reduce the dropout rate in urban communities.

Defenses needed to be built in American education. Young men needed to be herded off the streets and back into the classrooms. The legislation that would fund the dropout prevention programs, which was America's defense for an emerging problem, was called the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA).

As the project director of a Houston Area Urban League ESAA project, I was told to hire four strong men who could help find the dropouts and encourage them to return to high school, and to identify those who were potential dropouts.

I found four good men to implement the project. One of them, I distinctly remember, was a relative of Dwight White, a defensive player with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The name of Dwight White's relative was Bob White, and he had been a probation officer. He was perfectly suited for the job.

The other man I hired was an ex-U. S. Marine who wanted to help young people.

Mr. White constantly talked about his relative Dwight. I was curious and Mr. White would share with us, the experiences of Dwight White, "Mean" Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes and L. C. Greenwood.

Each NFL player stands out in my mind for a different reason.

Dwight White stood out because he was the relative to a man who worked as a counselor in the program I directed.

"Mean" Joe Greene stood out because of his performance on the football field and his name.

Ernie Holmes stood out because he attended Texas Southern University, and he was known for his intensity on the playing field. His name stands out in my mind even more now because he fathered one of the promising young mathematicians in the United States, Dr. Rod Holmes.

There were really four outstanding defense players with the Pittsburgh Steelers at that time. I made no connection with the fourth player.

Here is what an interesting chapter in history looks like in 2009. Ernie Holmes who passed away, at 59 years old, in a car accident somewhere between Houston, Texas and Beaumont, Texas is the father of a young mathematician who has made history.

I work with Ernie Holmes' son.

Dr. Rod Holmes, the second African-American man to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston, must have put up a powerful defense to negotiate his way to the end of a historical accomplishment.

He was mentored by Dr. Willie Taylor, the first African-American man to receive his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston.

Is it possible that the wisdom of his father, the great defensive player with "The Steel Curtain" rubbed off on the son, Dr. Rob Holmes?

The determination, persistence, and passion you need for football is also needed in intellectual endeavors. Perhaps the powerful attributes of the father were passed on to the son, giving him the coping skills to wedge forth and get a Ph.D. in one of the most challenging areas in mathematics, functional analysis? I think so.

Does the tradition of building and having a powerful defensive team continue in the current Pittsburgh Steelers team? Probably so.

Traces of genius stood out in the career of Ernie Holmes. In one quote we see:

"Holmes, drafted out of Texas Southern, was part of a defense that held Minnesota to 17 yards rushing and 119 total yards in the 1975 Super Bowl. The Steelers won their first title, 16-10. They were back a year later, beating Dallas 21-17 for the championship.

"The 1976 Steelers defense was one of the best in NFL history, shutting out five opponents -- three in a row -- during a nine-game, season-ending winning streak. The Steelers allowed only 28 points during those nine games, an average of slightly more than a field goal per game.

"He was devastating and would just destroy the opponent across from him," Russell said. "Sometimes I had to remind him to tackle the guy with the pigskin. He was a brilliant player. He played all with his heart."

"He used his head, too. Besides "Fats," he was also known as "Arrowhead" because in 1974 he shaved his head, leaving only an arrow-shaped pattern of hair on his skull.

"I asked him, 'What the hell did you do that for?'" longtime Steelers director of communications Joe Gordon said. "We were getting ready to play the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. He said, 'That's to point me to the quarterback.'"

What stands out is the comment "He used his head" and "he was a brilliant player."

So, the four men who often bragged about the brilliance of L. C. Greenwood, Joe Green, Dwight White and Ernie Holmes were good role models. Perhaps they saw the merit and power of a good defense.

And, the four men who took part in "The Steel Curtain" set a model in place for those times by being one of the best NFL defense squads in NFL history.

Out of that pool of talent was birthed one of America's promising mathematicians. It looks like Dr. Rod Holmes inherited the brilliance and heart of his father. It is no small feat to be one of the few African-American men to get a Ph.D. in functional analysis.

Brilliance can be in the genes, however, it may manifest itself in different ways. Ernie Holmes showed his on the playing field while his son shows his in intellectual pursuits.

Now there is a story telling about what Ernie Holmes did, and how he approached Gene Upshaw of the Oakland Raiders. Holmes forewarned Upshaw that the Steelers defense was, let's say, stronger and more fierce than the Raiders.

Well, a game is coming up on Dec. 6. Is there a "Ernie Holmes" making his way to a "Gene Upshaw"? Is the Oakland Raiders team being forewarned about the tactics and strength of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

A historical encounter is captured in this quote:

"To motivate his teammates, Holmes purposefully strayed into the Raiders' warm ups to tell star lineman Gene Upshaw before the January 1976 AFC Championship Game what the Steelers would do to him and Oakland.

"The Steelers went on to win 24-13. But at a team Christmas party, Holmes surprised everyone by dressing up like Santa Claus and handing out toys."

It's 33 years later. In 2009 is there a Steelers defensive player who will "stray into the Raiders' warm ups" and tell the Raiders' star lineman what the Steelers will do to him and Oakland on December 6?

I conclude by saying that out of the personal heritage of Ernie Holmes has come an outstanding young mathematician, Rod Holmes.

More broadly, then, we can say that out of the franchise heritage of both the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Oakland Raiders should come forth with a "Ernie Holmes" and a "Gene Upshaw."

Who will win the game on Dec. 6, 2009? I will leave it up to you, the readers, to give predictions.

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Queens of the Court: Maria Bueno, A Latin Sliver of Fire and Ice

J.A. Allen — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:28:41 -0500

"You are ice and fire with a touch that burns my hands like snow."

—Amy Lowell

Maria Esther Andion Bueno rose to the top of women’s tennis in the '50s and '60s, employing her natural ability to carve a unique mark on the women’s game.

Bueno grew up during an era prior to the movement known as women’s liberation. Back then she was a novelty—a woman born with natural athletic gifts who lived to find and fulfill her destiny. Such a feat was rare in those days because even superlative women often remained wedged in their seats at the back of the bus.

Remarkably, Bueno won seven Grand Slam singles championships, three Wimbledons, and four U.S. Open titles, 11 doubles championships with six different partners, and one mixed doubles title with partner Bob Howe at the French Championships in 1960—all for a total of 19 Grand Slam crowns.

She was ranked in the top 10 in the world from 1958 through 1960 and then again from 1962 through 1968. She held the No. 1 ranking in 1959, 1960, and in 1964.

Bueno, born on Oct. 11, 1939, resided in Sau Paulo, Brazil. Her father and mother both loved and played tennis socially. The family lived modestly in comfortable middle class society in a home directly across the street from a tennis club facility.

Bueno naturally found the game very early in life and began playing without any formal coaching. Along with her older brother, the Brazilian adopted tennis as her calling. She and her sibling played constantly.

As a natural athlete, Bueno found success early and triumphed often because of her formidable talent and her staunch determination to succeed in the sport.

She became the first woman from South America to win at Wimbledon. Called a “Latin sliver of fire and ice,” in her second Wimbledon win over Sandra Reynolds by the Associated Press on July 3, 1960, Bueno imposed her presence on the tennis world and in the process engaged the media with her flair as well as her game.

Her style, grace, and easy movement won her accolades around the world as she stormed the European courts with her early serve and volley style of play. She rushed the net and hit with power and depth employing sharp angled volleys.

At the time, at 5’7”, Bueno was considered tall and thin, weighing in at 110 pounds. Her nickname was "The Brazilian Swallow" because she appeared to swoop in quickly to dominate at the net.

Enhancing her reputation as a player, Bueno was always stylishly dressed in the best and often frilliest tennis attire of the day. Once wearing a traditional white tennis dress with pink lining at Wimbledon, she had the crowd in consternation with the occasional flounce of pink as she mowed down her competition.

While other women’s matches were relegated to back courts, Bueno, always a crowd favorite, found her matches scheduled on the main courts with the stands packed. Even the male pros gave up enthralling card games to watch the young Brazilian play.

Bueno won her first tournament at age 12, and at the age of 14 she became Brazil’s women’s singles champion. Finally, in order to advance her game, she moved on to play and win at the Orange Bowl in 1957, staying on to play the Caribbean Circuit.

At the time Bueno was playing it was considered important to win in all categories—singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. The ability to play well and win in varied formats meant that you would always get an invitation to play at another tournament next week.

That meant food and lodging. Life on the road was not easy for the young Brazilian. Bueno suffered not only from lack of financial wherewithal but also from the separation from her family. She missed her brother the most.

In order to complete her rise to the top, in 1958 Bueno left for Europe to join the international circuit, where she won her first single’s title at the Italian Championships.

Bueno’s first Grand Slam title came at Wimbledon, where she teamed with the great Althea Gibson to win the women’s doubles championship in 1958. The press and the professionals were beginning to pay attention to this little Brazilian wonder.

Bueno won her first singles Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 1959, defeating Darlene Hard. At the end of the summer Bueno also won the U.S. Championships and in the process earned the No. 1 ranking. The Associated Press accorded her the award for the 1959 Female Athlete of the Year.

Grass quickly became her favorite surface, suiting her attacking style of play. Bueno became the darling of Wimbledon. In all she won eight Wimbledon titles, three in singles in 1959, 1960, and 1964. She won five doubles titles in 1958, 1960, 1963, 1965, and 1966 with partners Althea Gibson, Darlene Hard (two), Billie Jean King, and Nancy Richey.

Bueno also won the U.S. Championships eight times during years when the tournament was played on grass. She captured the title four times in singles in 1959, 1963, 1964, and 1966 and four times in doubles in 1960, 1962, 1966, and 1968 with Darlene Hard (two), Nancy Richey and Margaret Court.

Bueno played in the finals of the French Open in 1964, losing to Margaret Court 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. The Brazilian also played in the finals of the Australian Open in 1965, losing again to Margaret Court, 5-7, 6-4, 5-2 (retired).

Her flamboyance, her commitment to training and her rigorous style of play led to many agonizing injuries for the young woman who bore them without complaint. Even though Bueno embraced her life and was outgoing and easy to approach, she remained private and reserved in her personal life.

She played her best tennis as an amateur, enduring poverty and injuries in pursuit of playing time and world prominence. By the time prize money began to be awarded, Bueno suffered with arm and leg injuries severe enough to keep her from competition after 1968.

She did come back in the seventies to play a few matches, even winning the Japan Open in 1974—to serve as her one professional title as contrasted to her 62 titles as an amateur.

Bueno was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1978.

This is another in a series of articles detailing the lives of women tennis pioneers who advanced the game and set standards for excellence in the sport. If you have not previously read others in the series—here is a list of the professional women tennis players we have explored:

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Top Five Underdogs of 2009: Has-Beens, Never-Beens, Cursed Fall, and Dead Rise

John Howell — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:36:07 -0500

It has been a year of mixed emotions for incurable fans of the underdog. On the downside are ultimate victories by ultimate bullies such as the Steelers and the Yankees. Atypically, March Madness produced no Cinderella stories. Perennial underdogs, the Cleveland Cavaliers choked on their best opportunity yet to win an NBA Championship, faltering in the Conference finals, with Orlando.

On the upside are the overlapping individual and team stories of Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals, the parallel stories of two soccer Cinderellas, and a Warner-like comeback in the golf world.

And now, for the countdown.

No. 5: Tom Watson, PGA/British Open
Like the Arizona Cardinals, Tom Watson gains a place on our short list by virtue of a near miss. One could call Watson the Kurt Warner of the PGA.

This year Watson, who has recently had difficulty qualifying for major tournaments took eventual champion Stewart Cink to a playoff before finally running out of fairy dust. Watson had won his share of titles in his prime, but the 60-year-old had to come back from the cryogenics lab to barely lose this one, making it perhaps his most memorable and most impressive effort.

The only thing that would have made it a better story would have been a duel with Tiger Woods, who was off his game in this event. Still, Watson accomplished something no golfer, including Tiger, has ever achieved in my lifetime: causing me to not only pay attention to a golf tournament, but to get excited about someone playing in it.

No. 4: Kurt Warner and No. 3: The Arizona Cardinals
Despite the ring on his finger, Kurt Warner is the quintessential individual underdog, having gone from the Arena League to sacking groceries to a MVP role in leading the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 2000.

This year, as he led the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance in their long and tortured history, coming within seconds of winning a second ring. To further endear him to underdog aficionados, Warner did so by resurrecting his own career yet again, appearing yet again from obscurity to command yet another band of usurpers.

It is somewhere between irony and synchronicity that Warner’s two greatest hours have come with teams from St. Louis. Before Arizona, when the formerly Cleveland Rams spent a generation in LA, the Cardinals played in St. Louis. St. Louis did not make our short list of underdog towns but they come close. Where Warner’s twice unlikely success is concerned, that has to mean something.

Perhaps the two best underdog stories of ’09 come from the game America loves to misunderstand, and in an outcome that does Title Nine proud, there is gender balance. First the men.

No. 2: Real Salt Lake, Major League Soccer
Some would say with team names like Real Salt Lake or Sky Blue FC, no wonder Americans haven’t warmed up to soccer. A comment such as that puts the sport of soccer on my permanent underdog short list in the United States. But in its own ironic way, that status makes pro soccer in the United States the quintessential American game.

It may be royalty in Europe and the rest of the world but in the U.S. soccer is the little guy, the one fighting City Hall, the ghetto kid trying to hold his own in the Ivy League, the political outsider, the Jimmy Stewart character in a Hitchcock film.

In other words, when seen in that light, soccer in America should be seen as the ultimate American sport, but only, of course, until it supplants “America’s pastime,” and once it becomes dominant, were it to become dominant, it would cease to be America’s game. Do you follow?

At any rate, those who ignore soccer in the U.S. do so at their own deprivation. While the MLS is far from being on par with the world’s premier leagues, it has continued to improve the quality of play on the field while building a larger and more passionate fan base.

Look no further than the site of this year’s MLS Cup Championship match. Seattle joined MLS this year with an upgrade to their minor league club, the Sounders, and quickly established themselves as a power on the field and without question, the league’s biggest power in the stands.

Averaging more than 30,000 per match, the Sounders outdrew the nearest competitor by almost 10,000, but it is not only the number of fans in the stands, but the fact that all 30,000 stand throughout each match, never stop moving, and never shut up.

If anyone were to stumble upon a match in Seattle while channel surfing, one would be convinced it was being played somewhere in Europe. The noise, the intensity, the constant synchronized movement of the faithful looks and sounds anything but American.

That doesn’t mean Seattle is the exception. It just means it is the best example. Most MLS teams come close to matching the NBA or NHL in attendance, and surpass that of a weeknight game in many Major League Baseball parks. And the enthusiasm is certainly there.

The Eastern Conference Championship match in Chicago was a study in how to build a successful franchise in a new league in a “minor” sport. Every one of the 21,730 seats at Toyota Park were filled, mostly with rabid, red-clad partisans, keeping the noise level in the ear-plug range. And that was the coming out party of our number two underdog.

The favored Chicago Fire dominated Real Salt Lake at both ends of the field for 90 minutes of regulation time and 30 minutes of extra time. That brought the game down to an exchange of kicks from the penalty mark. The drama built with each shot.

The two clubs exchanged goals until Salt Lake’s Javier Morales was the first from either club to miss, shooting high. What would prove to be a false sense of imminent triumph gripped the house.

And just as quickly, this sense of destiny deflated when John Thorington was the first for Chicago to have his shot saved. Another Salt Lake miss and Chicago had the advantage again.

But then it was all Salt Lake. After succeeding by going high on Salt Lake keeper Nick Rimando, Fire shooters kept going low and to the keeper’s right, while Salt Lake blew two successive shots past Chicago’s Jon Busch, and the match was over.

Before the players or the crowd could adjust, MLS Commissioner Don Garber was out on the midfield line presenting the Conference trophy to the visiting team.

In winning the MLS Cup, Real Salt Lake was a classic underdog story.

Not only had they upended the favorite on the road, they brought the first major league sports championship of any kind to Salt Lake City, itself a small market, late to the professional sports circuit, and as the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), despite its climate and natural mountain beauty, a rather misunderstood and under-appreciated place.

And until now, Real has carried the moniker of expansion team. It was their first trip to the MLS Cup and only their second time seriously contending in the playoffs.

Chicago, on the other hand, had won not only the MLS Cup in their debut year as the league’s first expansion team, they had also won the U.S. Open Cup, competed in the MLS Cup finals one other time, and won the Open Cup twice more. Chicago is the perennial contender, the perennial early season favorite to take it all. Once again they would fall short, but this time it wasn’t to a traditional MLS power, it was the new kids.

And… the No. 1 Underdog of 2009 is…

Sky Blue FC (New Jersey/New York) Women’s Professional Soccer
In Women’s Professional Soccer, New Jersey’s Sky Blue FC went from dead last after nine weeks, to winning the league’s inaugural championship over the barely blemished LA Sol.

The Sol had clinched a playoff berth before Sky Blue figured out how to win two in a row. They clinched the regular season championship before with weeks to spare. They had dominated the league in goals scored and goals allowed. They had barely allowed a goal in their home venue at Home Depot Center.

Yet on the pitch at Home Depot Center, Sky Blue shut out Goliath, scored twice, coming through as the unofficial women’s club world champions. That would be enough, but that’s only half the story.

Player-Coach Christie Rampone took over Sky Blue with two regular season games remaining and the playoffs on the line after the club’s second coach of the season, Kelly Lindsey, walked off with no notice during a dispute with management. She had taken the reigns after the team’s original coach, Ian Sawyers had been sacked early in the season.

So, a team that had seen three coaches in its first year of existence, that had seen coach No. 2 abandon them in the heat of a playoff run after a dramatic turn-around, that had to adjust to coach No. 3 as a peer and player, managed to defeat the league’s hottest streaking club, St. Louis in order to play the league’s essentially invincible behemoth for the championship, and not only won, but did so without appearing to be fully challenged.

And so, after further review, despite the disappointing success of Yankees and Steelers, the failure of Cinderellas to dance their way to coronation this past March, thanks to a 60-year-old golfer, a 30-something quarterback, a football team rising phoenix-like in Phoenix, and two unlikely soccer champions, it wasn’t such a bad year for underdogs in America after all.

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Arkansas-LSU: 2009 Installment Proves This Is a Great Rivalry

Blake Stansbery — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:58:11 -0500

Across the SEC and the nation there continues to be talk that the Arkansas vs. LSU game is some sort of forced rivalry by the SEC. I heard it last year and I heard it again this week prior to the game, and funny enough I even heard it since the thrilling 33-30 overtime game that just concluded.

Obviously, few of those people have watched this matchup very closely over the years, but I am here to tell them that this game is a rivalry. You need not go any further than to watch highlights or the SEC replay of the game that ended in overtime Saturday night.

There is a long list of reasons why this game is a rivalry game.

First, this is a divisional conference game between two good teams. The SEC West has great teams that are "rivals" in every sense of the word when they play each other every year. If a divisional game is not a rivalry then I do not know what is anymore.

Second, this is a game involving border states that have football rivalries in high school and rivalries that transcend beyond football. There are social and political rivalries that have existed between these states over the years. There are constant recruiting battles because of the proximity of these states for players in football, and also jobs and tax dollars for the everyday citizens.

Third, this game is played for a trophy: the Golden Boot. This is not a trophy that was fabricated by the SEC. In fact, the Golden Boot rivalry game was spearheaded by an ex-Hog named David Bazzel.

Bazzel understood the importance of a rivalry game for the Razorbacks in the SEC, and pitched his idea to then AD Frank Broyles and in 1996 the tradition began. The Razorbacks had all these border state coincidences with Louisiana and already had a long history with LSU, first playing them in 1901.

The rivalry has been a great success, and with any competitive natured person the a gigantic trophy, or even a tiny trophy, makes winning even more important.

In the case of the Golden Boot we're are talking a monster trophy. It stands four feet tall and weighs in at 175 pounds. The trophy is the combined shape of Arkansas and LSU which forms the boot.

It takes a few teammates to lug this trophy around, and after two years in Northwest Arkansas it is headed back to Baton Rouge after the thrilling 33-30 overtime victory the Tigers just pulled out over the Hogs.

These are just a few of the truly endless reasons why this game is a great rivalry. The 2009 matchup proved even further that this is a great rivalry game that deserves continued exposure either by CBS like in the years past or by ESPN on prime time like it was featured this year.

Early in the contest, everything seemed to be going in the Tigers favor. They jumped out to a 17-3 lead and with the home crowd behind them it appeared they may run away from the Hogs.

However, the young Arkansas team proved there is some fight in these Hogs. They cut the halftime lead to 11 behind a late Alex Tejada field goal. In the second half things started to appear to go in Arkansas' favor.

The LSU home crowd grew silent on many occasions as the Hogs executed scoring drives and even took a three point lead with just over a minute remaining in regulation.

LSU eventually tied the game and forced overtime, where they had to settle for a field goal and were able to hold Arkansas to a 36-yard field goal attempt that was missed wide right by no more than a few feet.

Beyond all of the bordering circumstances and actual evidence over the recent years' great battles between these teams supporting this game as a rivalry game, there also are the emotions of the players and coaches.

Anyone that watched this Arkansas-LSU game saw an LSU crowd and team fired up to take on the Hogs, and likewise for Arkansas and how they wanted to take on the Bayou Bengals.

This was even more evident following the game. Les Miles seemed more thrilled in this win than he has in quite some time. Maybe that is because is job could have been on the line, but regardless this game made him giddy to say the least.

On the opposite end of this was Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas players. In the post game interviews there was a true disgust on all of their faces and a bitter disappointment that only comes when you lose to a rival.

This emotion was there following the four other Arkansas losses on the season, but not in the same magnitude. Just face it, Arkansas and LSU do not like each other and this game means far more than the normal game to everyone involved. That is a rivalry.

The 2009 game was another in a long line of great matchups between Arkansas-LSU that will go down as an instant classic. The game has had an imprint on the national title picture numerous times in its recent history, and likely will again in 2010 when these teams face each other.

All of these things support the extra significance of this game between these two teams. You can put your money in the bank that in 2010 this game will have as much or more emotion involved and so on and so on for the following years.

This is a matchup that builds from year to year in the anticipation by the fan bases, the players, and eventually it will garner further notice from the same media types that claim it to be a made up or forced rivalry.

If four overtimes in three years and six combined total points in separation between winning and losing is not a rivalry then I do not know what is.

This game simply is not only a rivalry, but has quickly become one of the best rivalries in all of college football.

That is just the plain truth, and anyone that says otherwise or cannot accept that either is missing what a rivalry is or needs to actual watch these games.

This is what a rivalry is all about, and I cannot wait until next season when these two great teams face off once again on the gridiron.

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Thugs "R" Us: Looking Back at the Infamous Portland Jail Blazers Era

Mike B. — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:27:19 -0500

Things are really looking good for the Portland Trail Blazers. Led by youngsters Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden, the Blazers are truly one of the most talented teams in the NBA.

Most people would agree that this up-and-coming ball club could win a championship or two in the near future.

But things in Portland haven't always been so peachy.

A few years ago, the darkest period in franchise history existed known as the "Jail Blazers" era. Those were the days when the roster was filled with players who constantly made headlines for the wrong reasons.

The turmoil began in April 2001 when Shawn Kemp ended his first season with the team by checking into a drug rehabilitation center for cocaine abuse.

In May 2002, Zach Randolph was cited for underage drinking in his hometown of Marion, Indiana.

November 2002 was a month in which three controversial Blazers' players were in the news.

Rasheed Wallace and Damon Stoudamire were cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession after their car was stopped on the way home from a game in Seattle. Both players agreed to attend drug counseling and stay out of legal trouble for a certain amount of time to have charges dropped against them.

In addition, Ruben Patterson was arrested on felony domestic abuse charges on his wife. The charges were later dropped.

Four months later, rookie forward Qyntel Woods was cited for speeding, driving without insurance or a driver's license, and of course, marijuana possession.

In April 2003, Randolph punched Patterson in the face during practice breaking his eye socket. Ouch, that must have been a pretty hard punch. Maybe Patterson's wife had paid Randolph to do it. Just kidding.

In July 2003, Stoudamire was back in trouble with the law. The former Rookie of the Year was arrested at an Arizona airport after he was caught with an ounce of marijuana wrapped in aluminum foil.

Man, that's the third use of the word, "marijuana" in this article.

Anyway, during the 2004-05 season, Woods pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal abuse. I guess Michael Vick wasn't the first athlete linked to dog fighting.

And head coach Maurice Cheeks was later fired after being cussed out by both Bonzi Wells (in 2003) and Darius Miles (in 2005).

I heard that Miles actually called Cheeks the "N" word. That's pretty interesting since Miles is African American as well. I just don't get it.

In closing, I left out several events that occurred during that forgettable era simply because I didn't want this article to be 30 pages long.

My advice to all NBA general managers: Don't build a team with a bunch of dysfunctional players.

It will never work.

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Red Wing Ted Lindsay's Legend Endures

Warren Shaw — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:37:40 -0500

Recently the Detroit Red Wings played the Calgary Flames at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit and spotted sitting in the audience was a neatly dressed elderly man with a rough appearance and a crooked smile on his face. That man was NHL Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay now 84 years old .

Detroit is no longer a Stanley Cup contender and the city has had more than its share of economic problems, but unlike some Lindsay is still a strong supporter of the team and the city. Ted Lindsay has always been first and foremost a loyal Detroit Red Wing.

There is also no doubt that Theodore (Ted) Lindsay had a lasting impact while playing for the Wings. Although Lindsay played with Gordie Howe and Sid Abel on the legendary Production Line , he was never overshadowed.

Lindsay’s famed linemate Gordie Howe was one of the most talented and productive players ever to skate in the NHL. Despite Howe’s immense popularity Terrible Ted literally carved out a name for himself as the fierce and passionate captain and leader of the champion Detroit Red Wings.

In Ted’s era a hockey game was serious business and losing a game could not be easily reconciled by excuses such as an off night or the long season or even a nagging injury. Today it is not uncommon for opposing players to pal around together in the off season. Lindsay hated the players on other teams with a passion and for the most part they also hated him with good reason. “Lindsay would not give an inch, regardless of what size anyone was,” teammate Marcel Pronovost said.

At 5’8" and 160 pounds Lindsay was pound for pound one of the fiercest competitors ever to play the game. The NHL rules committee was forced to deal with infractions like elbowing and kneeing as result of Lindsay’s spirited play. Lindsay also had his share of brutal stick fights.

From 1947 till he ended his career in 1965 Ted averaged over 100 penalty minutes and finished his career with 1808 minutes in the box.

What made Lindsay special was not just his pugilistic ability. Lindsay could skate, make plays and score goals just as well as he could dish out a body check. He won the Art Ross trophy as the league’s top scorer and finished his career with 379 goals and 472 assists for 851 points. Eight times, he was picked to the NHL’s First All-Star Team. He captained Detroit to consecutive Stanley Cups in 1953-54 and 1954-55 and began a playoff tradition following that 1955 triumph, lifting the Cup over his head and leading a victory lap around the ice. “Everyone’s emotions were on high and I guess mine were a little higher,” Lindsay said. “It was an impulsive sort of thing.” Lindsay’s impulse started a tradition still celebrated today.

Maurice”The Rocket” Richard one of Ted’s most hated foes during their playing days gave Lindsay the ultimate compliment. “It was Ted Lindsay not Gordie Howe that caused us the most problem.”

Ted Lindsay arrived to the NHL wars in 1944 with a single-minded goal. “I had the idea that I should beat up every player I tangled with, and nothing ever convinced me it wasn't a good idea,” said Terrible Ted.

Today it would be difficult to explain the tensions between English Canadiens and French Canadiens but those tensions sold tickets. In the 1950’s Detroit and Montreal had a warlike rivalry that many times could have easily escalated into off the ice violence. The rivalry resulted in epic matchups and an electric atmosphere pitting the Wings Howe, Lindsay, Abel, Sawchuck and Kelly against Richard, Beliveau, Geoffrion, Harvey and Plante.

“I hated everyone on the Montreal Canadians” said Lindsay.

After leading his team to league dominance Lindsay was taken off guard by what he discovered as a player representative. He found that on many occasions the team owners would renege on their promises and leave retired players who gave their all to the franchise to fend for themselves. Players were not even allowed knowledge of how much money was in their own pension fund.

Lindsay and Montreal rival Doug Harvey joined forces to secretly form a players’ union to address issues benefiting the leagues players. When team owners found out about Lindsay and Harvey’s roles both players were traded. Lindsay was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks and Harvey to the New York Rangers, “I liked playing in Chicago, and I gave them everything I had, but I knew in my heart I was a Red Wing. My penalty for rocking the boat was being traded” said Lindsay.

Despite pressures by the owners Lindsay and Harvey were successful in forming the first NHLPA.” We filed a $3-million lawsuit against the league and its member clubs in an attempt to win increased pension benefits and a larger share of television revenues.

In the 1970’s when Detroit had gone from Stanley Cup playoff participants to cellar dwellers Lindsay was again called upon b y the Red Wings organization. Lindsay was appointed the General Manager of the Red Wings and successfully retooled the team. His motto was” Aggressive Hockey is Back in Town . Lindsay was awarded NHL Executive of the Year for his efforts in bringing the team out of obscurity.

He retired again and formed The Ted Lindsay Foundation . He established the foundation in 2001 with John Czarnecki, the father of a nine-year-old boy with autism. Funds are raised through golf outings and other events, as well as through sales of autographed sports memorabilia. Since its inception in 2001, the Ted Lindsay Foundation has raised over $1,500,000 for research into the cause and cure of autism.

Throughout his career Ted Lindsay has played hockey with his heart and has proven to be a Hall of Famer both on and off the ice.

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All-Time Carolina Hurricanes Roster: The Best of the Canes

Mark Jones — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:37:50 -0500

After 12 years of existance in North Carolina after the transfer from Hartford, Connecticut, the Hurricanes have seen it all. Superstars to draft pick surprises, trade jewels to trade busts, the Carolina Hurricanes have been filled with talented players and memorable moments. They've won Stanley Cups, Eastern Conference finals, and many division titles. They've sparked fantastic comebacks, but given up big leads, too. They've scored last-second goals, but also fallen in the closing minute. They've had winning runs and losing streaks. But that's happen to a lot of NHL teams. So what makes the 'Canes special? The players, of course. In this slideshow, I will go back through the years (1997 until today) and find the players that gave the most to the franchise; the scoring leaders, tough hitters, and goaltenders. It's time to declare the All-Time Roster (12 forwards, 6 defense, 2 goaltender) for the Carolina Hurricanes.

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Why Didn't Alabama and Auburn Play Football Against Each Other for 40 Years?

BabyTate — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:05:12 -0500

It does seem difficult to believe but, it is true. Alabama and Auburn went 40 years without playing their annual rivalry game. The most obvious question should be "Why" but, the more interesting details may surround "Who" as in who was responsible for ending and then recreating the series that seems so much a part of each football season? For whatever reason, the rivalry was suspended from 1907 to 1948. The following information suggests possible reasons for the 40 year void in the record books of one of America's most intensely fought yearly competitions..

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All-Time Colorado Avalanche: Top Five Goals in Franchise History

James Crider — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 03:18:01 -0500

Even though the Colorado Avalanche franchise is only 14 years old, choosing the top five goals ever scored is a challenge. There have been so many great moments since the team moved to Denver, so let's hope I do a good job with my selections.

5. Joe Sakic against Dwayne Roloson (Mar. 28, '08)

Game 79 of the season, with the team's playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Avalanche were down 4-3 to Edmonton with six seconds left on the clock.

But old habits die hard.

Peter Forsberg fed Joe Sakic the puck from behind the net, and Mr. Clutch buried it. Colorado went on to win the game in a shootout and clinch a playoff spot.

Many people probably don't remember this goal, but I'll never forget it. It was the last time Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic were able to combine their talents to get the Avalanche into the playoffs, even though Sakic was coming off hernia surgery and Forsberg was playing with a machine on his leg that pumped blood to his foot.

This play was the closing chapter of two brilliant NHL careers.

4. Peter Forsberg against Chris Osgood (May 18, '99)

What kind of list would this be if there wasn't a goal against the Red Wings on it?

It wasn't the most important goal ever scored, but Peter Forsberg's undressing of the Red Wings defense sums up his career and the Avalanche's dominance all in one play.

Late in the third period at Joe Louis Arena, the Avalanche held a 4-0 lead and looked to be advancing to the Western Conference finals against Dallas.

But Detroit started to turn the game around, and quick goals by Nick Lidstrom and Todd Gill put the Wings back in the game.

That is, until Peter Forsberg got the puck again.

Forsberg intercepted an Igor Larionov dump in from the blue line, and with the hall of fame forward hooking him (for a delayed penalty), Forsberg deked out Osgood and ended the defending Stanley Cup champions' season as he and the puck went crashing into Detroit's net.

3. Joe Sakic against Ed Belfour (May 8, '96)

There may not have been any 1996 Colorado Avalanche Cup if it weren't for Joe Sakic's triple overtime goal against Chicago in the second round.

The Avalanche were down 2-1 in the series, playing in Chicago, and would have to win three straight if they were to lose.

But the Avalanche managed to get a power play in the third overtime, and Sakic redirected a nifty Alexei Gusarov pass from the blue line past Ed Belfour, who to that point was playing lights-out with 54 saves.

After that goal, the Avalanche didn't look back and went 12-2 the rest of the playoffs en route to their first Stanley Cup.

2. Joe Sakic against Roman Turek (May 12, '01)

Things were going great for Colorado until Peter Forsberg's spleen unexpectedly ruptured, making him unavailable for the remainder of the 2001 playoffs.

Forsberg was the Avalanche's leading playoff scorer at the time, and his loss had many people believing that the St. Louis Blues (fresh off sweeping the Dallas Stars, who had been the Stanley Cup finals in both of the previous years) would end Colorado's season.

That's when Joe Sakic became Super Joe, and showed the Avalanche weren't just going to roll over and die. Sakic had two goals and two assists, including scoring an iconic penalty shot goal against Roman Turek, and the Avalanche won game one 4-1.

The eventually won the series four games to one, and went on to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history.

1. Uwe Krupp against John Vanbiesbrouck (June 10, '96)

After three games of domination by Colorado, Florida made one last stand.

In one of the longest games in NHL history, Patrick Roy and John Vanbiesbrouck both had the performances of their careers; Roy turned away 63 shots while Vanbiesbrouck stopped 55.

Eventually, as it had been for the rest of the series, Colorado prevailed over Florida. Four minutes and 31 seconds in to the third overtime, Uwe Krupp (who had zero goals in the regular season) blasted a shot by Vanbiesbrouck, and the Avalanche were showered by plastic rats from the angry Florida crowd.

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30th Anniversary of Billy Smith's Goal

Eric Hornick — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:44:04 -0500

November 28, 1979.

Saturday is the 30th anniversary of Billy Smith becoming the first goalie in NHL history to be credited with a goal.

On November 28, 1979, the Isles trailed Colorado 4-3 in the third period when the Isles were called for a delayed penalty. Colorado defensemen Rob Ramage put the puck into his own goal and the goal was credited to the last Islander to touch the puck, originally believed to be Dave Lewis. After the game, television replays showed that Smith was the last Islander to touch the puck.

A few things you might not know:

1. Smith didn't start the game; he replaced Chico Resch late in the 2nd period after the Rockies scored twice in a minutes' time.

2. The goal tied the game and thus got Chico "off the hook". Ron Delorme scored on the ensuing power play and the Rockies added two empty-netters for a 7-4 victory, thus making Smith the losing goaltender.

3. It was the first of two wins for the Colorado Rockies over the Islanders (also done on December 4, 1980; 2-19-3 overall).

4. The goalie who vacated the Colorado net was Bill McKenzie.

5. It was the final game of Billy Harris' 576 consecutive-game streak. Harris had played in every game in club history to that point, but was scratched for the team's next game, in Edmonton, two night later. Duane Sutter was brought in from Lethridge to replace Harris.

6.The loss dropped the Isles' record to 6-10-4 --the first time since Arbour's rookie season as coach (1973-74) that the Isles were 4 games under .500 The team wouldn't reach .500 until January 8th , but would sip from the Stanley Cup 4 1/2 months later.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts
since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick

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The Ten Best (And Worst) Moments In The History of Florida—Florida State

Jeff Kessock — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:59:04 -0500

TAMPA—The history, the prestige, the implications, and the dynamism of two polar opposites, who happen to be less than 200 miles apart. On one end—the Florida Gators, the other—the Florida State Seminoles. This is college football. The journey to this apex, while perhaps a bit hazy in the minds of those who aren't the most intimate of die-hard fans, may tell the tale of how Florida State and Florida will forever be a rivalry worth tuning in for. Luster or not—these two teams have always been an instant sensation, and in the minds of most, perhaps one of the most storied programs of the last quarter century. The next few pages will attempt to recap some of the more monumental and memorable times of the rivalry that is: Florida/Florida State.

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Tampa Bay Rays Offseason Report: Nov. 27, 2009

Thaddeus Walk — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:34:58 -0500

Welcome to another edition of Thaddeus' Tampa Bay Rays Offseason Report. Each and every Friday, we're going to recap the moves, trades, signings, and other nonsense of the previous week in the wonderful world of Tampa Bay baseball; keeping you, Dear Reader, up to date with the team until Opening Day in April 2010 against the Baltimore Orioles.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Dear Reader. Yet another November holiday night of eating and football and eating and sleeping and eating has come and gone, and yet the world continues to turn as it always seems to...bringing us to BLACK FRIDAY .

Yes, today is the day where thousands of soccer moms will wake up at 2:30 am in order to be the first one in line at 3:00 am when the store opens to get that one special sale item for her friend/husband/son/dog that will undoubtedly end up forgotten about come Easter. Nevertheless, the day is what it is, and with sales at just about every outlet store in the country, most of life stands still while waiting for the credit card-bearing masses to catch up.

Not so in the game of baseball, where there is always something happening. The week that Albert Pujols won his unanimous National League MVP award, teams were still deep in the midst of talking contracts and trades. The Tampa Bay Rays had a quiet week, but this writer will never fail to have something for you, Dear Reader.

Without further ado, the past week in Tampa Bay baseball.

Nov. 23, 2009: OF/IF Ben Zobrist Finishes Eighth in AL MVP Voting

Zobrist, the undeniably biggest surprise of the 2009 campaign and deserved Rays' MVP award recipient, finished with 34 points, with none of the BBWAA voters giving him anything higher than a sixth place choice. Zobrist had hit .297 with 27 home runs and a .948 OPS to go along with solid defense at second base over the course of 2009.

3B Evan Longoria also finished 19th with nine points.

Nov. 24, 2009: AL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award Winner 3B Evan Longoria Is Picked to Be On the Cover of MLB 2K10

"When it comes to selecting cover athletes for our games, we look for players who are more than just a fancy resume," says Greg Thomas, senior vice president of sports development for 2K Sports, the manufacturer of the game. "With Evan, he is one of the most fun and exciting players in the game, which helps complement the vibe we are striving for with Major League Baseball 2K10."

While this writer is a bigger fan of Sony's "The Show" series when it comes to baseball video games, it's great to see someone other than a Red Sox, Yankee, or World Series winner on the cover of a national game, especially one as highly regarded as the 2K franchise.

Longoria had a breakout year that went completely under-the-radar after a red-hot April, and two awards and a video game cover under his belt in 2009 has truly lifted him up into elite status.

That just about does it for this week, Dear Reader; slow but enticing, as trade rumors and free agent names start swirling over the airwaves and teams fill those much needed gaps for 2010. Stay tuned every Friday for more Rays news and announcements, and keep your eyes peeled on slower weeks for a "Where Are They Now?" article about favorite or infamous (Devil) Rays players and where they are today.

Eighty-four days until pitchers and catchers report. Chin up, cupcake.

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The Washington Redskins Remember Sean Taylor

Anthony Brown — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:06:12 -0500

It's something you want to forget, but take a moment to remember Sean Taylor. The former Reskins safety was a promising young man and a rising star who was painfully snatched from his friends and family two years ago today.

Taylor emerged as the hard hitting face of the Washington Redskins defense, supplanting LaVar Arrington in that role. No one has replaced Taylor

Taylor was allegedly shot and killed in his home by a few degenerates who had taken advantage of his generosity to enter his home to rob him, according to charges brought by the Miami-Dade states attorney's office.

The accused face trial in January 2010.

Taylor was Joe Gibbs' first and best draft choice since returning to coach the Redskins in 2004. Gibbs passed up the chance to take Taylor's Miami Hurricane teammate Kellen Winslow II with the fifth overall pick that year.

No one argued the choice but Winslow himself, who promised to make the Redskins pay for the snub. Joe Gibbs was the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers when Winslow's father, the Kellen Winslow, gave lift to the Air Coryell Downfield Offense.

Young Winslow never made good on the threat on the field. Off the field, however, his rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns fed into Taylor's heartburn about his deal with the Redskins.

Taylor would fire his agents and rehire Drew "Mr. Renegotiate" Rosenhaus, who he earlier dismissed.

Taylor had a rough start to pro football. He worked his way through missed rookie symposiums, late hit fines, trumped up traffic charges, a violent confrontation to recover stolen property and a famous incident where saliva escaped his lips onto Michael Pittman's face.

Balancing the scales were Taylor's big hits which induced fear, uncertainty, and doubt in receivers running anywhere near him.

In what has been called the Hand Of God game , Taylor snatched victory from certain defeat by those unwashed heathens from Dallas.

Taylor snagged a blocked field goal attempt and returned it to the Cowboys 44 yard line to set up Nick Novak's winning field goal. The Skins were helped by a face mask penalty against the Cowboys for grabbing Taylor's face mask.

In 2007, with fans clamoring for the Redskins to boost the defensive line by drafting DE Jamaal Anderson or DT Amobi Okoye, Washington selected LSU safety LaRon Landry to pair him with Taylor.

Only Joe Gibbs had the juice to make such a pick with little more than grumbling by the fanbase. But man, when the season began, we could see what Gibbs envisioned with Taylor and Landry. We could only dream of what was to come.

What did come was something worse. Just as Taylor and pro football were adjusting to each other, he was taken. Tragedy pushed Joe Gibbs and Daniel Snyder to their finest moments.

Gibbs held the team together and guided the players to channel love for Taylor to a playoff appearance in his honor. Snyder's generosity was a text book case of how an owner should respond in the face of death.

The crises took a toll on Gibbs, who thought of what coaching was costing him in family time and eventually left the game. Snyder failed to show the leadership in 2009 that he did in 2007.

Family, team, coaches, owner and fans have all been hurt by Taylor's absence.

We don't know what might have been had Taylor lived, but I am certain of this. There's no damned way Tony Romo completes that pass last Sunday if Sean Taylor were back there.

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Ken Caminiti: National League's 1996 MVP

Harold Friend — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:00:18 -0500

In 1996, Ken Caminiti had a career year, batting .326, hitting 40 home runs, and batting in 130 runs. Ken had a .408 on base average, slugged .621. and won his second consecutive gold glove.

As a result of his great season, Ken Caminiti was selected the National League's Most Valuable Player by a unanimous vote. It was only the fourth time a National Leaguer won the award unanimously (Orlando Cepeda, 1967, Mike Schmidt, 1980, Jeff Bagwell, 1994).

Ken Caminiti Showed Courage, Determination, and Loyalty

During the 1996 season, and for most his career, Ken Caminiti showed great courage, determination, and team loyalty by overcoming many aliments.

He played most of 1996 with a torn rotator cuff, which was finally repaired at the end of the season.

A game against the New York Mets during August in Monterrey, Mexico exemplified Ken Caminiti's character and courage.

Ken was dehydrated from illness. Before the game, he was given two liters of intravenous fluids, and despite his compromised physical condition, Ken told Padres' manager Bruce Bochy that he was going to play.

The game started, but Ken didn't feel right. Hoping to increase his sugar level, he ate a candy bar. It worked.

In the second inning, Caminiti hit a bases empty home run to put the Padres ahead, 1-0, and with two runners on and two outs in the third, he blasted a three run home run.

Behind the pitching of Joey Hamilton, Dario Veras, and the great Trevor Hoffman, the Padres coasted to an 8-0 victory over New York's other team.

Ken Caminiti Did His Job

After the season, the modest Caminiti, reacted typically when told he had won the MVP award. "I got picked for MVP for doing my job, basically."

Problems

It was not all wine and roses for Ken Caminiti.

In helping the Padres win the 1996 National League Western Division title in 1996, and the National League pennant in 1998, Ken battled alcoholism, became addicted to pain killers, and was troubled by a smokeless tobacco habit.

Ken Caminiti had problems. He also had guts.

A Great Trade for the Padres

The Padres acquired Caminiti's services from the Houston Astros in an 11-player trade in 1994.

With the Astros, Ken never hit more than 18 home runs in a season. In his first full year as a regular, he hit 10 home runs, but he tailed off the following season, hitting only four.

With the Padres, Ken Caminiti became a feared slugger.

Some Great Achievements

No one claims that Ken Caminiti was one of the third base greats, but the only Hall of Fame third basemen who hit as many as 40 home runs in a season are Mike Schmidt and Eddie Mathews, and only Pie Traynor, Freddie Lindstrom, Jimmy Collins, Frank "Home Run" Baker, George Brett and Wade Boggs batted more than .326.

One cannot help but wonder what Ken Caminiti would have achieved if he had been healthier and had played his entire career without needing medical help.

He might have become the Barry Bonds of third basemen.

References:

Ken Caminiti at Baseball-Reference

Ken Caminiti at Baseball Library

By MURRAY CHASS. (1996, November 14). Caminiti Gets M.V.P.; Matt Williams Gets Traded :On a hot day at the hot corner, San Francisco's slugger goes to Cleveland for three players. Caminiti Is M.V.P. and Williams Is Traded. New York Times (1857-Current file),p. B17. Retrieved November 25, 2009, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 115927548).

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LSU Tigers: A Battle Cry for Coach Les Miles From Death Valley

Henry Ball — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:10:31 -0500

In the recently released movie "The Blind Side" about former Ole Miss left tackle Michael Oher, his guardian explains to him that “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” Lord Alfred Tennyson's classic poem is in reality about the Rebels' rivalry game against LSU, now known as the Magnolia Bowl.

The guardian explains that the cavalry, in a display of courage and unity, charges into a heavily fortified valley at the behest of their flawed but courageous and patriotic leader.

Oher then writes an essay relating this story to his own life and wins over a skeptical teacher who was the final obstacle in his path to NCAA eligibility and being able to accept a scholarship offer to play at Ole Miss—or virtually any other university of his choosing.

I must admit, I have followed LSU athletics my entire life and I have always been slightly embarrassed by not having an answer to the question, “Why is Tiger Stadium called Death Valley?”

Of course there is the Wikipedia version—allegedly posted by a Clemson University grad—which is popular with Clemson fans, who claim that their stadium was the first to be dubbed in honor of the Valley of Death.

I’ve also heard explanations related to Mike the Tiger our ‘man eating’ mascot.

Sean Tuohy’s (Oher's guardian) version—however far from being historically accurate—works for me.

More importantly, a cursory look at the story of the Light Brigade draws some fascinating comparisons—in a creative and literary sense—to the current plight of LSU’s Tiger Nation.

The Light Brigade, led by it’s (insert d word) strong and patriotic (loyal) Major General, the Earl of Cardigan found themselves charging into the valley based on misdirected order’s from an underling. Unprotected at their flanks, they faced an insurmountable enemy.

The valley would become known as "the Valley of Death."

Cardigan and his 600 charged into the onslaught of Russian artillery expecting to have back up from the Heavy Brigade, led by the Earl of Lucan, who coincidentally was Cardigan’s predecessor as commander of the Light Brigade and his estranged Brother in Law.

Perhaps it was enmity or distrust, but the Heavy Brigade watched from on high as Cardigan's men were slaughtered.

A national controversy ensued and Cardigan was questioned; surely he was the villain. Why oh why would he charge so outmanned—surely his troops deserved better leadership, perhaps a better man.

Yet, the men of the brigade, those who survived the charge, would rally around their leader: courageous, loyal, flawed and strong.

Lord Tennyson would memorialize their charge and pen the battle psalm:

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wonder’d.

Honour the charge they Made!

Honour the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred!

Last Saturday, LSU had been out-played physically statistically and on the scoreboard against Ole Miss, but made a wild and valiant charge in the last two minutes and had victory in their sight.

Inexplicably, the Tiger’s through a series of misses (calls, communication, game/clock management, etc…) or a tragedy of errors , if you will, retreated from victory’s view.

Yet, as if fate had deemed it necessary the admittedly flawed yet courageous and loyal leader—head coach Les Miles—still had one last ditched attempt to gain victory yet watched it slip from his grasp.

Like the Earl of Cardigan, the Hat of LSU leads from the front. And like Cardigan, all of the disdain, vitriol and chagrin of the nation (Tiger Nation) has been aimed squarely at him. "If only he’d been more like the former great commander, Lucan our old friend."

In the aftermath, with calls for his head, one thing has been missed and his case must be pled. Those men that charged with him, all aware of each other’s flaws have come to his side and here is what they have said.

“It makes you earn so much more respect for a man who comes out and says something like that,” senior tight end Richard Dickson said.

“Coach Miles has done great things here, been a great coach. The way he comes out and says that means a lot to you as a player and as a man. I earned a lot of respect for our coach for the way he talked to us.”

RB Stevan Ridley added, “I respect him. Any head coach that does that in front of the team and in front of the assistants, that comes up there and says, ‘This was my fault,’ it takes a lot for somebody to swallow their pride and say, ‘I messed something up.’

“He did what he needed to do. There’s nothing else that needs to be said. It says a lot about the person he is, and not just the coach. The team, that was something we needed to hear.”

“He tried to take the blame for the whole game, but I don’t think that’s fair,” LSU guard Lyle Hitt said. “There’s more to the game than just the last 30 seconds. That loss is on everybody’s shoulders.”

Added linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, “People are trying to say the end of the game is the big reason we lost, but the game could’ve been won at any time during the game. He’s taking all the pressure, and it’s really not his fault.”

The men, or soldiers if you will, have taken this leader’s left flank (the ‘blind side’) and the nation (Tiger Fans) needs to take up arms on the right.

This brigade, the mighty Bengal Tigers and its phenomenal senior class, have one more chance for victory in the valley and it comes this Saturday night against the Arkansas Razorbacks!

When the Sun sets and night falls on Death Valley may ALL you Tigers roar.

Do not let their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

The entire world did wonder.

But honor the charge they made!

Honor the Senior Class and the leader whom they choose!

Honor them for courage, loyalty and the Victory we shall come to know!

Geaux Tigers!

Sources: Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, LSUsports.net, Lord Tennyson, Microsoft Images

By Henry Ball (aka Southern Man, CFB Czar) Featured Columnist, Syndicated Writer

Contributor @ Bleacher Report , College Gameday Network , and other Sports Media outlets.

Another Must Read: Is Les Miles on the Hot Seat ?

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Come to Think of It: A Chicago Sports Thanksgiving Poem

Bob Warja — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:24:05 -0500

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Thanks to Tom Ricketts, who purchased the team,

Here’s to someday achieving our World Series dream.

Thanks go to the Blackhawks, wearing the Indian so proud,

With their ambassadors in tow and the roar of the crowd

Here’s to the hope of a change for the Bears,

The fans are not lovie-ing his passionless stares

Thanks to the Bulls for at least making a run,

This season may not impress, but the Celts series sure was fun

The Fightin’ Illini were a wreck and a mess,

At least the Wildcats gave us some upsets to witness

Thanks to Marian Hossa, who made a triumphant debut,

Eight in a row lookin’ ‘Buf as they do

Kenny is thanking his San Diego treat,

Hoping that Jake brings ‘em back from defeat

Thanks to the youngsters who make up our teams

Names like Toews, Kane, Rose, and Beckham filling our dreams

Here’s to the final curtain for all-too-sweet Lou

Retiring to Tampa after the season is through

Thanks to the honesty spewing from the Blizzard of Oz,

A refreshing alternative to the Lovie façade

Thanks to the Fire and Wolves, you thought I forgot

In a crowded landscape there's always a spot

And here’s one final "Thanks" to you "Creatures" out there,

With Thanksgiving wishes filling the air.

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Thanksgiving: The Perfect Time For Jason Garrett Heroics

Gene Strother — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:29:52 -0500

Dateline Thanksgiving Day, 1994 - The Dallas Cowboys staggered into the holiday match-up with the Green Bay Packers—a team they had owned throughout the '90s—battered and beaten.

A worried Cowboys nation nervously gnawed Turkey legs and anxiously awaited the afternoon kickoff, sure this would not go well. After all, Cowboys hall of fame-bound quarterback Troy Aikman was injured and would not play. To make matters worse, the more-than-capable backup QB Rodney Peete was hurt, as well.

The Cowboys were down to their third string quarterback, a redhead named Jason Garrett. Everyone knew Garrett had the grey matter to play the position. We also knew he lacked the natural physical gifts of a frontline quarterback. With Favre leading his Packers into Texas stadium, it figured to be a long day for the silver and blue.

What it figured to be and what it was turned out to be were two very different things.

The game started just as one would expect. The Cowboys stumbled out of the gate with Garrett at the helm. By halftime, the Packers had established a pretty comfortable 17-6 lead over a team that didn't look like they were up for putting up much of a second half fight. Just get it over with and get to the turkey and dressing.

But Jason Garrett had other ideas.

Garrett connected on a 45-yard touchdown to Alvin Harper. Then, he threw a 36-yard TD to Michael Irvin. Later, he hit Emmitt Smith, who turned the pass into a 63 yard gain that led to another touchdown.

The Cowboys scored on their first five second half drives. Garrett out-dueled the great Brett Favre, passing for 311 yards and two TDs. And the Cowboys won what would become a classic Thanksgiving Day game, 42-31.

That game changed the perception of the ruddy redhead with the big brain and the somewhat slight frame. He became a folk hero, a fan favorite. Then, years later, as the Cowboys offensive coordinator, in the 2007 season, he became the hottest commodity in the NFL, after helping to guide the Cowboys to a 13-3 record with his high-powered offense.

My, how times have changed. The genius tag has been pulled and replaced by the "What the @#$%! is he thinking" tag.

Jason Garrett changed the perception of a team and their fan base once upon a Thanksgiving. Can he do it again? The table is set. The turkey has come all the way from the west coast, freshly plucked, gutted, ready to baste and bake.

Come on, Jason. Light that oven. Cook this turkey's goose. Be our Thanksgiving hero again.

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The Six Biggest Upsets in the Florida-FSU Series

Tom Kessler — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:03:59 -0500

Fans of College Football can be forgiven if their interest in Saturday’s Florida vs. Florida State game at the Swamp in Gainesville is tepid Casual college football fans may not even tune into Saturday’s Florida vs. Florida State football game at the Swamp in Gainesville. A Florida win would be their sixth in a row in this storied rivalry. But will FSU roll over, or could the Noles craft one of the biggest all-time upsets in NCAA history...or will Tim Tebow exit his stellar collegiate career having never lost to FSU?

Begin Slideshow

Northwestern Football All-Decade Team: The Offense

Jonathan Hodges — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:40:33 -0500

This decade (2000-2009) was quite an interesting time for the Northwestern offense. It began in 2000, with spread offense being implemented by head coach Randy Walker and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. Mike Dunbar would come in as offensive coordinator after Wilson left for Oklahoma, and lead NU to even more gaudy stats, particularly in the 2005 season.

There are a slew of big offensive playmakers to sort through to make the list that will be discussed below. Needless to say, this has been the most fruitful period in Northwestern history on the offensive side of the football, with numerous players from this decade littering the Wildcat record books.

Credit Walker for taking the plunge by implementing the spread at Northwestern, which was a huge reason behind the Big Ten co-Championship in 2000 and the 61 wins this decade (with one more game to go).

It will likely be difficult to replicate the offensive output of this decade, but we'll see how NU fares, now that the 'Cats have established a reliable defense to go along with an explosive offense.

Northwestern's defense didn't fare all that well for most of the decade (the all-decade defense will be revealed in a following article), which led to some rough years (2001-2002, and 2004, in particular), especially when the offense couldn't make up for all of the opponents' scoring (unlike 2005 when NU resorted to its offense to bail out a defense that ranked close to the bottom in many statistical categories).

Nevertheless, it's great to look back and relive the great offensive performances we saw from the Wildcats this decade.

Now on to the all-decade team.

Notes: Only statistics from this decade (2000-2009) are included, so any statistics earned prior to 2000 are not included. Since this is being published prior to the 2009 bowl game, it does not include bowl game numbers. Bowl game numbers from other years are included in the statistics. Quarterback rushing statistics include sack numbers per NCAA statistics policy.

Offense

Quarterback

Brett Basanez 2002-05 (47 games, Passing: 913-for-1584, 57.6% completion rate, 10,580 yards, 44 TD, 36 INT; Rushing: 391 attempts, 883 yards, 18 TD)

Basanez was at the helm for one of the most consistently successful periods in Northwestern football, 2003-05, when NU went to two bowl games and just missed a third, going 6-6 in 2004. He is on top of the NU record books for most passing categories (yards, completions, attempts, and touchdowns, which he shares with Len Williams) and led a prolific spread offensive attack that was particularly powerful in 2005, the year NU set school records in total offense and passing yards.

He had some competition from Kustok and Bacher, but Basanez's longevity (essentially four years as the NU starter) and the team's success over most of that span give him the edge. One can definitely argue for Kustok, who was essentially a one-man show in 2001, but his win total doesn't match up to Basanez's.

The one constant across this decade is that NU has had quarterbacks who have done an excellent job running the spread offense—Kustok, Basanez, Bacher, and Mike Kafka in 2009. Those four combined for 26,713 passing yards, 141 passing touchdowns, and 115 rushing touchdowns this decade, which are some rather prolific numbers and easily the highest offensive output in school history over such a time span.

Also considered:

Zak Kustok 2000-01 (23 games, Passing: 437-for-767, 57.0% completion rate, 5,081 yards, 39 TD, 17 INT; Rushing: 341 attempts, 402 yards, 20 TD)

CJ Bacher 2005-08 (34 games, Passing: 664-for-1105, 66.0% completion rate , 7,319 yards, 43 TD, 43 INT; Rushing: 198 attempts, 266 yards, 8 TD)

Running Back

Damien Anderson 2000-01 (20 games, Rushing: 433 attempts, 2,820 yards, 31 TD, 6.5 yards per carry; Receiving: 32 receptions, 239 yards, 0 TD)

Having played less than two full seasons this decade, it may seem tough to put him on the all-decade squad over a guy like Tyrell Sutton, who started for four years, but Anderson showed everyone how effective the ground game could be out of the spread. He had a huge six and a half yards per carry and holds the following NU records—career rushing TDs, career rushing yards, single season rushing yards, and single season rushing TDs. His speed and toughness were a huge reason behind NU's success in the 2000 season.

It's amazing to look back at the string of runners NU had this decade that thrived in the spread—Anderson, Wright, Herron, and Sutton. The combination of Wright and Herron was rather formidable, with the pinnacle coming in 2003 against Illinois where they combined for 414 yards on the ground. And despite being hampered with injuries in his later years and a relatively ineffective offense in 2003, Sutton ranks second on the all-time rushing list.

Also considered:

Jason Wright 2000-03(46 games, Rushing: 489 attempts, 2,625 yards, 32 TD, 5.4 yards per carry; Receiving: 54 receptions, 577 yards, 2 TD)

Noah Herron 2001-04 (45 games, Rushing: 462 attempts, 2,524 yards, 26 TD, 5.5 yards per carry; Receiving: 72 receptions, 781 yards, 2 TD)

Tyrell Sutton 2005-08 (40 games, Rushing: 731 attempts, 3.886 yards, 31 TD, 5.3 yards per carry; Receiving: 149 receptions, 1,244 yards, 6 TD)

Wide Receivers (4)

Kunle Patrick, 2000-03 (48 games, Receiving: 171 receptions, 1,873 yards, 11.0 yards per reception, 8 TD)

Mark Philmore, 2002-05 (40 games, Receiving: 163 receptions, 1,768 yards, 10.8 yards per reception, 8 TD)

Ross Lane 2005-08 (49 games, Receiving: 163 receptions, 2,068 yards, 12.7 yards per reception, 13 TD)

Eric Peterman 2005-08 (49 games, Receiving: 160 receptions, 2,011 yards, 12.6 yards per reception, 12 TD)

Again, another tough position to pick with a plethora of receivers with gaudy stats thanks to the NU spread attack. I picked those who stand out as multi-year starters who were "go-to," reliable, wide receivers. Unfortunately, that came at the expense of some guys who were great receivers in their own right but who started playing prior to the turn of the decade (and, therefore, prior to the implementation of the spread at Northwestern).

Patrick was a go-to guy for both Kustok and Basanez. Philmore racked up a ton of stats, particularly in 2005 when NU put up huge offensive numbers. Lane broke out as a freshman in 2005, catching the game winning ball against Iowa, and continued that pace and ended up ranked third in all-time receiving yards. Finally, Peterman proved to be a solid QB-turned-WR, ranks seventh on NU's all-time receptions list, and proved to be a versatile threat all over the field.

Also considered:

Shaun Herbert 2003-06 (44 games, Receiving: 168 receptions, 1,926 yards, 11.5 yards per reception, 9 TD)

Jon Schweighardt 2000-02 (35 games, Receiving: 136 receptions, 1,536 yards, 11.3 yards per reception, 8 TD)

Sam Simmons 2000-01 (22 games, Receiving: 88 receptions, 1,305 yards, 14.8 yards per reception, 12 TD)

Offensive Line (5)

Zach Strief (RT) 2002-05 (40 career starts, 2005 All-American, 2004 & 2005 second team all-conference, 2003 honorable mention all-conference)

Matt Ulrich (RG) 2001-04 (37 career starts, 2004 NU co-captain)

Lance Clelland (LG) 2000-01 (29 career starts, preseason all-conference in 2001)

Leon Brockmeier (LT) 2000-01 (35 career starts, second team all-conference in 2000, preseason all-conference in 2001)

Probably the toughest position to evaluate is the offensive line, due to the complete lack of statistics for a basis of comparison. The Wildcats have featured some pretty good offensive line play and those linemen have been rewarded with at least a look or even significant playing time at the next level.

I went a little heavy on linemen from the beginning of the decade because those 2000 and 2001 teams put up huge offensive numbers and were extremely balanced, both throwing and running the ball very effectively. It's not an accident that Anderson had such a high yards per carry average, and the middle and right side of that line (King, Clelland, and Brockmeier) are featured here.

NU continued to run the ball well through the 2005 season and Basanez had time to throw or room to run it himself thanks to a couple of big guys—Ulrich and Strief. Also, Strief earned All-American honors, so it was tough to deny him a spot on the all-decade team.

It was hard to keep a few guys out—Rees, Thiry, and Essex. Rees played well enough to anchor center during his entire time at NU. Thiry and Essex played well at the important left tackle spot, with Essex moving on to play guard at the next level.

Overall, the offensive line is a big reason that NU's offense has fared so well this decade and shouldn't be overlooked when reminiscing on the 2000s.

Also considered:

Trevor Rees (C) 2003-04 & 2006-07 (44 career starts, 2007 honorable mention all-conference, 2003 freshman All-American)

Dylan Thiry (LT) 2004-07 (34 career starts, 2007 preseason all-conference)

Trai Essex (LT) 2001-04 (37 career starts, 2003 all-bowl team)

Go 'Cats!!!

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MLB's Five Great Pitching Trios

Jonathan Stilwell — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:24:38 -0500

The Five Great Pitching Trios

It hasn’t occurred very often that three pitchers rise to the challenge and cause a team to ascend to great heights because of their efforts. The stars aligned for this to occur about once an era.

The formula would be something like this—you take a staff ace, a great pitcher, bring up a good rookie, and trade for a promising pitcher someone else might not value so much. Every once in a while everything clicked.

The trios I found sustained their excellence and success over at least three years. Each pitcher in the trio needed to make a significant contribution in order to be selected.

I rank the trios featured here for the greatness of their contribution and the success it brought the team.

5) The Philadelphia Athletics of Connie Mack’s Lefty Grove, George Earnshaw, and Rube Walberg—1929-’32; 260W-101L; 31 shutouts

At this point, Mack was no stranger to developing a dominating pitching staff. His staff of ’02-’15 is one of the greatest in pitching history, featuring Eddie Plank and Rube Waddell among others.

He bought Lefty Grove in ’25 for $100,000, and when Lefty hit his peak, nothing much stopped the Athletics.

Grove established one of the greatest peaks in baseball history. He was winning the ERA and strikeout title every year. Earnshaw chipped in with three consecutive 20-win seasons and a H/9 title in ’29. Walberg won 20 games once and led the league in IP in ’32.

The trio lifted the team to two World Series titles, an American League pennant in ’31, and a second place finish in ’32.

4) The Atlanta Braves' Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Greg Maddux—’95-’98; 204W-86L; 24 shutouts

This is our most recent and famous trio. All three are either retired or about to. Most expect all three to have a place reserved at Cooperstown.

The lowest ERA+ any of these three posted during this stretch was John Smoltz’ +134 in ’95. The best was Greg Maddux's historic +262 the same year.

Each of these three won a Cy Young award during these four years: Maddux ’95, Smoltz ’96, and Glavine ’98. In the only interruption in ’97, Braves pitchers were second and third in the voting.

Atlanta won the World Series in ’95, the NL pennant in ’96, and the divisional playoffs in ’97 and ’98. The three pitchers were seldom at their best during the same year. This could be one reason they only won one World Series title.

The Braves' great pitching really stretched from ’91-2000 for an entire decade. Other pitchers contributed. Steve Avery had two or three good years early on. Maddux arrived in ’93. In ’97 and ’98 Denny Neagle won 20 and 16 games respectively. Kevin Millwood added 17 and 18 wins in ’98 and ’99.

3) The Baltimore Orioles' Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, and Mike Cuellar—’69-’71; 188W-72L; 33 shutouts

This was certainly one of the great pitching staffs in the history of the game. In ’71 Pat Dobson joined the trio to make a fourth 20-game winner. This had not been done since the Black Sox of ’19!

Dave McNally was the first to establish himself with 22 wins in ’68. Then the Orioles traded for Mike Cuellar and brought up youngster Jim Palmer for the ’69 season. The rest is history.

Although the Orioles only won one World Series in ’70 against the first Big Red Machine, they competed in the Fall Classic all three years.

Cuellar was born in Cuba and was arguably the third great Latin pitcher of the era after Juan Marichal and Luis Tiant. He continued to pitch well through ’75.

McNally’s four 20-win seasons ended after ’71. He continued to pitch respectably for three more years.

Palmer went on to post one of the great and most consistent peaks in baseball history.

2) The Cleveland Indians' Early Wynn, Bob Lemon, and Mike Garcia—’51-’54; 245W-136L; 39 shutouts

The Indians also featured an aging Bob Feller, who added nifty seasons of 22-8 in ’51 and 13-3 in ’54. If you looked carefully in ’51, you could also find a fading Hal Newhouser, who added seven wins that year.

During the run, Garcia led the league in shutouts in ‘52 and ’54. His ’54 campaign included a WHIP title as well. Early Wynn led the league in wins (23) in ’54 and innings pitched twice. Bob Lemon also led the league in innings pitched, complete games twice, and wins and H/9 once each.

The Indians were up against a Yankee dynasty at its height of greatness these years. They finished second each year from ’51-’53 with 93, 93, and 92 wins. Then in ’54 they ran away with the pennant with a record 111 wins.

Although defeated in the World Series in ’54, this was an amazing collection of pitching talent. The cast included three Hall of Fame pitchers and a very fine Mike Garcia at his peak.

1) The Chicago Cubs' Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, “Big Ed” Reulbach, and Orval Overall—1906-’09; 254W-86L; 78 shutouts

This is perhaps the most dominant trio in baseball history, with 78 shutouts over four years—an incredible total. The shutouts are supported by remarkable H/9 ratios of 5.3 by Reulbach in ’06, 6.2 by Brown in ’08, and not one of them topping 7.0 in all four years!

This was true domination. The Cubs set an all-time record for wins in ’06 with 116.

Their ERAs ranged from 1.03 (+253) by Brown in ’06 to a lavish 2.03 by Reulbach in ’08, when he won 27 games.

This trio featured three pitchers all at their considerable peaks.

During these years Reulbach had winning streaks of 14 and 17 games and a scoreless inning streak of 44.

At his best, Brown was as good as anybody in baseball. He often faced off against Christy Mathewson. He ranks among the top 15 pitchers of all time.

Orval Overall (has to be one of the neatest names in baseball history) threw in two 20-win seasons and 23 shutouts.

This trio lifted the Cubs to the World Series four of five years, with two titles in ’07 and ’08. The one year they missed the World Series, in ’09, they went 104-49!

The Future

Recent developments like free agency have made it more difficult for teams to develop and keep their best pitchers over a four- to five-year stretch. But the phenomenon is bound to happen again, once a generation.

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