phoenixrising

I know that this has been mentioned before, but it's not like Joe Montana put up overly-impressive numbers. He won 4 Super Bowls yes, but his regular season numbers were merely average. Montana's numbers look average when compared to today's. Teams really didn't throw as much as they do now. Montana was in the top ten in passing yardage nine times (never led), top 10 in passer rating 13 times (led twice and his 1989 was the highest rated season in history until Young's 1994), and top 10 in touchdowns eight times (led twice). Montana missed one full season and parts of two others with injuries, and lost almost half of 1982 and a few games in 1987 to strikes. Compared to Manning and Marino his numbers look average but they were above average in his era.

World Series winners Got all 104 with 8:55 remaining (out of 15 minutes). I was able to get all the NL MVP's, and missed one AL MVP...Charlie Gehringer...can't believe that I missed him.

I was impressed to see him take down the Big Texan so fast...72 oz steak, baked potato, shrimp cocktail and dinner salad in 29 minutes. Awesome show, and I want to try a couple of the places in Seattle when I go up there next...especially the place where they dump the food on the table. I'm looking forward to the LA episode to find some new places to eat.

I like Parker for the Hall. But if you check his stats, there's a significant dropoff in his age 29-31 seasons...right in his prime. It turned out that Parker had got hooked on cocaine. It affected his health to the point where he began to have injuries that cost him many games over those three seasons. Prior to that he had two batting titles and an MVP. After that time frame he had a couple of big seasons with the Reds. If he had hit close to his glory years in Pittsburgh and the two seasons with the Reds, he might be a better candidate. He'd probably be in already. http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Dave_Parker

I want Henderson, Dawson, Raines and Blyleven to make it in on the writer's ballot. I'm guessing it's going to be Henderson and Rice. I'm also curious to know who makes it off the Veteran's Committee ballots. Pre-1943...Stephens and Reynolds would be my picks. Post-1943...I really hope Santo makes it. I don't really think Hodges is worthy, but as a Dodger fan it would be nice to see him get in. Torre will be in sooner or later. What's the deal with Santo? I know a little bit...there was some drama in his final season with the White Sox but I don't know any specifics. IIRC, he was not one of the most talkative players in the world towards the media...but what did he do that dropped him off the ballot so quickly? How was he considered when he played? Most analyses I have seen have him better than Brooks Robinson. Santo definitely was better with the bat, but how was his fielding? I know he won 4 Gold Gloves but wasn't the defensive wizard Brooks was. Why is he not in? Is it the short career? Media issues? People unwilling to put a 4th HOFer (Banks, Williams, Jenkins) from a team that never won anything? Collapsing down the stretch in 1969 with the rest of the Cubs? Numbers don't look that great because he played in the 60's? He was one of the best players of the 60's, definitely the 2nd best if not the best third basemen in that time, probably top 10 of all time...all this while dealing with freaking diabetes...I just don't see how he's still out.

Week 13 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY Miami SATURDAY Indiana Virginia Mississippi State Penn State Wake Forest California Northwestern Utah Oregon State Minnesota Cincinnati Florida State Texas Tech Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Texas Tech/Oklahoma game? 66 Tiebreak #2: How many rushing yards will Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers have against Arizona? 125

Week 12 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY Virginia Tech FRIDAY Cincinnati SATURDAY Notre Dame Northwestern Florida Wisconsin North Carolina Oregon State BYU Baylor Oregon Florida State Kentucky Tulsa Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the South Carolina/Florida game? 52 Tiebreak #2: How many passing yards will Tulsa's David Johnson have against Houston? 300

NL MVP 1. Albert Pujols 2. David Wright 3. Chase Utley 4. Manny Ramirez 5. Hanley Ramirez 6. Lance Berkman 7. Carlos Delgado 8. Aramis Ramirez 9. Ryan Braun 10. Chipper Jones AL MVP 1. Dustin Pedroia 2. Joe Mauer 3. Grady Sizemore 4. Kevin Youkilis 5. Alex Rodriguez 6. Josh Hamilton 7. Carlos Quentin 8. Cliff Lee 9. Francisco Rodriguez 10. Evan Longoria NL Cy Young 1. Tim Lincecum 2. C.C. Sabathia 3. Johan Santana AL Cy Young 1. Cliff Lee 2. Roy Halladay 3. Mike Mussina NL Rookie of the Year 1. Geovany Soto 2. Joey Votto 3. Jair Jurrjens AL Rookie of the Year 1. Evan Longoria 2. Alexei Ramirez 3. Mike Aviles NL Manager of the Year 1. Charlie Manuel 2. Lou Piniella 3. Cecil Cooper AL Manager of the Year 1. Joe Maddon 2. Ron Gardenhire 3. Mike Scioscia

Week 11 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY Virginia Tech Utah SATURDAY Ohio State North Carolina Colorado Kansas Alabama Penn State Wake Forest Duke West Virginia Texas Tech USC Boston College Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Oklahoma State/Texas Tech game? 69 Tiebreak #2: How many rushing yards will Iowa's Shonn Greene have against Penn State? 115

Week 10 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY South Florida SATURDAY Michigan State Michigan Indiana Virginia West Virginia Mississippi Colorado Notre Dame Georgia Iowa Florida State Oregon Texas Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Texas/Texas Tech game? 75 Tiebreak #2: How many rushing yards will Connecticut's Donald Brown have against West Virginia? 100

Week 9 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY Auburn SATURDAY Texas Tech Illinois Miami North Carolina Cincinnati Georgia Michigan State Florida State Texas Texas A&M Ohio State Oregon USC Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Oklahoma State/Texas game? 65 Tiebreak #2: How many passing yards will Texas Tech's Graham Harrell have against Kansas? 350

Week 8 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY BYU SATURDAY Georgia Tech Northwestern Wisconsin Wake Forest Georgia Ohio State Oklahoma Pittsburgh UCLA Colorado Missouri LSU Virginia Tech Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Missouri/Texas game? 70 Tiebreak #2: How many rushing yards will Michigan State's Javon Ringer have against Ohio State? 150

Week 7 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY Wake Forest FRIDAY Memphis SATURDAY Oklahoma Indiana Kansas Kentucky Kansas State North Carolina Michigan State Stanford Iowa State LSU Penn State Missouri Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Texas/Oklahoma game? 52 Tiebreak #2: How many passing yards will Missouri's Chase Daniel have against Oklahoma State? 300

Week 6 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY Oregon State FRIDAY Cincinnati SATURDAY Minnesota Boston College Mississippi Illinois Miami Arizona State Navy Auburn North Carolina Wisconsin USC Missouri Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Ohio State/Wisconsin game? 49 Tiebreak #2: How many passing yards will USC's Mark Sanchez have against Oregon? 200

THURSDAY USC FRIDAY Louisville SATURDAY Virginia North Carolina Iowa Purdue Colorado UCLA Oklahoma South Florida Georgia Illinois Virginia Tech Washington Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Alabama/Georgia game? 45 Tiebreak #2: How many passing yards will Oklahoma's Sam Bradford have against TCU? 265

Week 4 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY West Virginia SATURDAY Pittsburgh UCLA Florida Michigan State Virginia Tech Miami Rutgers Utah Wake Forest Mississippi LSU Georgia UNLV Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the LSU/Auburn game? 38 Tiebreak #2: How many rushing yards will Georgia's Knowshon Moreno have against Arizona State? 150

THURSDAY North Carolina FRIDAY Kansas SATURDAY Navy Baylor Michigan Georgia Tech Oregon UCLA Houston Oregon State Southern Miss Connecticut USC Wisconsin Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Ohio State/USC game? 45 Tiebreak #2: How many passing yards will BYU's Max Hall have against UCLA? 250

THURSDAY South Carolina FRIDAY Ball State SATURDAY Georgia Tech BYU Oklahoma Wake Forest Wyoming West Virginia New Mexico California South Florida Northwestern Bowling Green Florida Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Cincinnati/Oklahoma game? 52 Tiebreak #2: How many total yards (passing + rushing) will Florida's Tim Tebow have against Miami? 295

Week 1 Games to Make Picks For THURSDAY Miami of Ohio South Carolina Oregon State SATURDAY Virginia Tech Northwestern Wyoming Michigan Oklahoma State New Mexico Northern Illinois Mississippi Clemson Michigan State Missouri Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Illinois/Missouri game? 73 Tiebreak #2: How many rushing yards will Clemson's James Davis have against Alabama? 110

Definitely back as UCLA. Will keep the bowl name, as I can't think of anything wittier.

USS Midway. An aircraft carrier that served in Vietnam and the First Persian Gulf War. It's not far from the San Diego Maritime Museum. If you like airplanes it's definitely a must see. Also cool just to walk in and around an aircraft carrier. Hotel Del Coronado, and the Coronado Bridge. Supposedly the hotel is haunted. Oh yeah and TJ.

Berman did mention that it was Parcells' personal best teams of all time. They picked the '89 Niners over the '84 team because the '89 team had Jerry Rice.

Who I'd like to see in: Gossage, Dawson, Raines, McGwire, Blyleven. Who will probably go in: Gossage, maybe Rice. Is there a delay from the time Concepcion is dropped off the writers ballot to when he is eligible for the Veterans Committee? I can see him getting in through the Vets in the next few years.

Week 13 Games to Make Picks For - Part 2 THURSDAY Rutgers FRIDAY MAC: Central Michigan CUSA: Tulsa ACC: Virginia Tech SEC: LSU Oregon State Arizona State XII: Missouri Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Big XII Championship Game? 59 Tiebreak #2: How many rushing yards will UCF's Kevin Smith have against Tulsa? 125

Another homer pick - 1988 World Series, Game 1.