Another Top 100 List

[treble 0]

82: Larry Walker wins NL MVP

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

9/24/2004

 

Larry Walker began his major league career with the Montreal Expos in 1989, five years after signed as a non-drafted free agent. In six seasons, the native of Maple Ridge, B.C. won a pair of Gold Glove Awards for his play in the outfield as well as a Silver Slugger award.

 

In 1995, Walker left Montreal as a free agent to sign with the Colorado Rockies. In two years, he was considered one of the finest hitters in the game of baseball. On April 5, 1997, Walker returned to Montreal and put on a display of power against his former club. He went 4 for 5 with three home runs and five RBI's in leading Colorado to a 15-3 win over the Expos.

 

His 1997 season is regarded as one of the best all-round seasons in Major League history. Walker hit .366 with 49 home runs, 130 RBIs, 33 SBs and 409 total bases - at the time, the most total bases in a single season since 1948.

 

Walker was selected to play in his second All-Star Game that year, picked up another Gold Glove and silver slugger award. He capped the year off by being named the National League MVP.

[treble 0]

81: Maurice Richard, 1921-2000

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

9/26/2004

 

Hockey legend Maurice "Rocket" Richard passed away on May 27, 2000 in a Montreal hospital following a valiant two year battle with abdominal cancer. He was 78.

 

Richard was the cornerstone of the Canadiens' dynasty that won five straight Stanley Cups and eight in his 18 seasons in the NHL. Nicknamed the Rocket for his explosive speed and shot, Richard finished his career with a then-record 544 goals. He was the first player to score 500 goals and the first to score 50 goals in a season when he did it in 50 games in 1944-45. His six overtime goals remains a playoff record.

 

When Richard was first promoted to the Canadiens in 1942, he broke his ankle for the second time and at the time, general manager Tommy Gorman considered releasing Richard. But as he matured, Richard shook off that brittle image and became one of the most compelling figures in the six-team league through the 1940s and '50s.

 

Richard led the league in goals five times and was part of the most devastating power play in hockey history, one which forced a change in the rules. Before the Richard-led Canadiens mastered the manpower advantage, penalized teams were forced to play shorthanded for the full term of the penalty. But the Canadiens became so proficient with the extra skater that they often scored two and three times, causing the rule to be changed and limiting power plays to a single goal.

 

Richard's fiery Gaelic temper got him into trouble in March 1955. After getting into a fight with Boston's Hal Laycoe, Richard swung his stick at the defenseman three times and then punched linesman Cliff Thompson who tried to get between them. NHL president Clarence Campbell suspended Richard for the final three games of the regular season and the entire playoffs. Four days after handing down his ruling, Campbell appeared at the Montreal Forum for a crucial game between Montreal and Detroit. He was greeted by boos and a shower of peanuts and programs. Then a fan approached Campbell as if to shake his hand and slugged him instead. A tear gas bomb exploded on the ice and the game was forfeited to the Red Wings. When the fans spilled out of the Forum on to Ste. Catherine Street, in the middle of downtown Montreal, stores were looted and the ugly crowd started a full scale riot.

 

Nine months after he retired in 1960, Richard was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, which waived its usual five-year waiting period to honor him.

[Red Baron 0]

Habs fan or not, he is the greatest player ever to play the game.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

If by "greatest player to ever play the game" you mean, greatest Hab to ever play the game, then you are correct.

 

Otherwise, he has trouble cracking the top three, depending on one's criteria. But if you think he is the greatest to ever play the game you need to take off your rose (or in this case bleu, blanc et rouge) coloured glasses.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I know some dudes named Bobby and Wayne that might have a thing or two to say about that claim.

[Red Baron 0]

I'm sorry, but Wayne is way over-rated. If he was playing on the Eastern Conference, he would never scored half his points. I mean Edmonton had Calgary as their only challenge, the rest of the Western side was garbage. A half decent Canucks and Blackhawks team, and that was about it.

 

Sorry, Richard changed the game was played, and acheived all these goals playing less games than most players. Givin he played 80 games plus playoffs, he would put up better numbers, and such.

 

Orr is the next closest, than Sawchuck.

[CanadianChris 0]

I'm sorry, but Wayne is way over-rated. If he was playing on the Eastern Conference, he would never scored half his points. I mean Edmonton had Calgary as their only challenge, the rest of the Western side was garbage. A half decent Canucks and Blackhawks team, and that was about it.

 

Sorry, Richard changed the game was played, and acheived all these goals playing less games than most players. Givin he played 80 games plus playoffs, he would put up better numbers, and such.

 

Orr is the next closest, than Sawchuck.

Gonna have to call you on this one. Gretzky is the greatest player hockey has ever seen. He completely changed the way hockey was played. It wouldn't have mattered where he played -- his talent in his prime (which I got to see all of firsthand) was simply unsurpassed. He had vision that no one else has ever, and quite possibly will ever, possess.

 

And Richard could not possibly have touched any of Gretzky's scoring records...he never even scored 100 points in a 70-game season! How could he possibly get up over 200 in an 82-game season?

[Red Baron 0]

The fact is that Greztky was in a conference where the talent was pathetic. Basically it was Edmonton vs (insert shit team). If Greztky played games against Phili, Montreal, Boston, New York Islanders more than Minnesota, Detroit, LA, Vancouver, Winnipeg, etc, Gretzky would not have as many points as he would have, because he is playing against teams that would have more talent on the team.

 

The only thing Greztky ever changed was that if you touch Wayne, your going get your ass handed by McSorley or Semenko. When did Wayne ever get into a fight, or fight hard in a corner?

[Brush with Greatness 0]

The fact is that Greztky was in a conference where the talent was pathetic. Basically it was Edmonton vs (insert shit team). If Greztky played games against Phili, Montreal, Boston, New York Islanders more than Minnesota, Detroit, LA, Vancouver, Winnipeg, etc, Gretzky would not have as many points as he would have, because he is playing against teams that would have more talent on the team.

 

The only thing Greztky ever changed was that if you touch Wayne, your going get your ass handed by McSorley or Semenko. When did Wayne ever get into a fight, or fight hard in a corner?

Wow, just wow. Let's take off the Montreal fanboy glasses and take a serious look at things.

 

a) Richard never won an Art Ross trophy. Don't know what else to add. I know it's not the be all end all, but for consideration as the best player ever, I would think at least one would help warrant cause. On top of this he only won the Hart trophy once. This is supposedly the greatest player ever and he was only league MVP one time. It's not like his playoff numbers are astounding either. He never led the playoffs in scoring and only once led them in goals. Granted he scored a lot of clutch goals but so have guys like Glenn Anderson and Brad Richards.

 

b) I'll give credit to Richard for establishing the goal scoring mark of 50 goals in 50 games. My only real problem with that feat was that it was done in a war year when the player quality and goaltending quality was a lot shittier than the years after. It's no coincidence that he couldn't match that feat at any time after 44-45.

 

c) Also, I'll give credit for establishing the 500 career goal mark, which he was the first to do. However, 7 players since have done it in a shorter time span. This also goes against your logic that Richard would have better numbers if he had played more games.

 

Games to score 500 goals

 

Richard - 863

Bobby Hull - 861

Kurri - 833

Esposito - 803

Brett Hull - 693

Bossy - 647

Lemieux - 605

Gretzky - 575

 

d) Richard, in all likelihood and by general consensus, isn't even the best player of his generation, with that distinction falling upon Gordie Howe's massive shoulders. Howe was the recepient of 6 Harts and 6 Art Ross trophies. On top of this he was considered every bit of a complete player as Richard was.

 

All in all, Richard was a great goal scorer and achieved some prolific feats. However, he was never really all that much more than a goal scorer. Richard probably falls around number 5 all time in the greatest player lists. He is likeable to guys like Bobby Hull and the vastly underrated Mike Bossy, but apart from being the player to set the bar for players to follow, he never achieved much more than the names I just mentioned.

 

 

 

 

As for Gretzky and the supposed shittiness of the Campbell...

 

In 82-83 the worst three teams in the league were in the Wales (Hartford, New Jersey, Pittsburgh), In 83-84, the worst two were (New Jersey, Pittsburgh), two of the worst three were in 84-85 (again NJ and PIT). On top of that, in 84-85, the Smythe housed three of the top five teams in the league (Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, with Philly and Washington being the other two). As it was, those three years were three of Gretzky's top 5 scoring years. Your claims of conference weakness are far off, and if anyone really had the best opportunity to rewrite the record books, it was the players playing in the Patrick those years.

[Red Baron 0]

a) Richard never won an Art Ross trophy. Don't know what else to add. I know it's not the be all end all, but for consideration as the best player ever, I would think at least one would help warrant cause. On top of this he only won the Hart trophy once. This is supposedly the greatest player ever and he was only league MVP one time. It's not like his playoff numbers are astounding either. He never led the playoffs in scoring and only once led them in goals. Granted he scored a lot of clutch goals but so have guys like Glenn Anderson and Brad Richards

 

A lot of great players never won these trophies, but doesn't mean that he's not worthy of them. So validation of trophies mean the player is great? Richard has eight stanley cups? That's pretty valid. If not, then I guess Yzerman, Sakic, Roenick, Gartner, Mikita, Hull aren't great players then.

 

b) I'll give credit to Richard for establishing the goal scoring mark of 50 goals in 50 games. My only real problem with that feat was that it was done in a war year when the player quality and goaltending quality was a lot shittier than the years after. It's no coincidence that he couldn't match that feat at any time after 44-45

 

I don't think Turk Broda, Terry Sawchuck, Glenn Hall, Johnny Bauer aren't some poor goalies.

 

c) Also, I'll give credit for establishing the 500 career goal mark, which he was the first to do. However, 7 players since have done it in a shorter time span. This also goes against your logic that Richard would have better numbers if he had played more games.

 

Games to score 500 goals

 

Richard - 863

Bobby Hull - 861

Kurri - 833

Esposito - 803

Brett Hull - 693

Bossy - 647

Lemieux - 605

Gretzky - 575

 

Other than Bobby Hull, Phil Esposito and possibility of Mike Bossy (actually the whole Islanders dynasty, underrated). Some of the players would have taken longer to score 500 if it wasn't for the poor quality of play during that time. Lemieux I'll agree is better than, and basically the best player that I have ever seen.

 

d) Richard, in all likelihood and by general consensus, isn't even the best player of his generation, with that distinction falling upon Gordie Howe's massive shoulders. Howe was the recepient of 6 Harts and 6 Art Ross trophies. On top of this he was considered every bit of a complete player as Richard was.

 

The only reason why I don't take Howe seriously, is that he continued to play hockey when he should have hanged up the skates.

 

In 82-83 the worst three teams in the league were in the Wales (Hartford, New Jersey, Pittsburgh), In 83-84, the worst two were (New Jersey, Pittsburgh), two of the worst three were in 84-85 (again NJ and PIT). On top of that, in 84-85, the Smythe housed three of the top five teams in the league (Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, with Philly and Washington being the other two). As it was, those three years were three of Gretzky's top 5 scoring years. Your claims of conference weakness are far off, and if anyone really had the best opportunity to rewrite the record books, it was the players playing in the Patrick those years.

 

And how often does he play these teams a season, when you have teams in the Smythe that fair no better against them. Like I said, there was Calgary, that was it. Winnipeg wasn't a strong team, just seemed strong by their stats. It was either Edmonton or Calgary vs Montreal, New York, Boston, Phili. There was no competition out there, no real strength to hold off Greztky and Co. unless you played for Calgary, and even so, Edmonton won most of the battles. If Wayne was in Lemeiux skates, he'd barely brake Howe's record.

 

Richard was up against players that most of them are in the Hall of Fame.

[treble 0]

This is surprisingly low (high?)

 

80: Women win Olympic hockey gold

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

9/27/2004

 

Heading into the 2002 Winter Olympics, the Canadian women's hockey team had cause for concern. The team had waited four years to avenge a gold medal loss to the United States but came into the Games having lost eight straight pre-Olympic meetings with their rivals.

 

Spurred on by reports that the Americans had danced over the Canadian flag in their dressing room, Canada came out flying, showing more energy, more team speed and more willingness to win the battles in the trenches.

 

Danielle Ouellette opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game but the American's came back to even the score early in the second on a power play. Hayley Wickenheiser made it 2-1 just a couple of minutes after the American equalizer, then they were forced to endure power-play after American power-play - including eight straight calls against Canada by American referee Stacey Livingston.

 

Canada seized the moment with just a second left in the second period when Jayna Hefford took a long pass from Becky Kellar at the American blue line and broke in on American goaltender Sara DeCosta. She went to her backhand and her shot trickled over DeCosta and into the net to give Canada a 3-1 lead.

 

American Karyn Bye's third period goal on the 12th power play of the game made for a spectacular finish but goaltender Kim St-Pierre turned aside all remaining chances as Canada secured the gold medal before the partizan American crowd with a 3-2 win.

[treble 0]

79: Raghib Ismail, Argonauts win Grey Cup

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

9/28/2004

 

In 1991, Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall, hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and acto John Candy bought the struggling Toronto Argonauts football team from Harry Ornest. The Hollywood trio shocked everyone by convincing former Notre Dame standout and Heisman Trophy runner-up Raghib "Rocket" Ismail to forgo the National Football League, where he was certain to be the number one pick of the New England Patriots that year.

 

Fueled by the 'Rocket', quarterback Matt Dunigan and Mike 'Pinball' Clemons, the high-powered Argo offence under Adam Rita destroyed every defence in their path. Capacity crowds filled the SkyDome to watch the most exciting offensive show in pro football as the Argos finished the year 13-5. They would go on to defeat Winnipeg 42-3 in the Eastern Final and moved on to face the Calgary Stampeders in the Grey Cup Game.

 

On the frozen turf at Winnipeg Stadium, the Stampeders also proved to be no match for the Argonauts. Spurred on by an 87-yard touchdown off a kick-off return by Ismail, the Argonauts rolled over Calgary 36-21 for their first Grey Cup title since 1983.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

QUOTE

b) I'll give credit to Richard for establishing the goal scoring mark of 50 goals in 50 games. My only real problem with that feat was that it was done in a war year when the player quality and goaltending quality was a lot shittier than the years after. It's no coincidence that he couldn't match that feat at any time after 44-45

 

 

I don't think Turk Broda, Terry Sawchuck, Glenn Hall, Johnny Bauer aren't some poor goalies.

 

Now, it's time for a history lesson (because someone sorely needs one)

 

Each teams goalies in 44-45

 

Detroit: Harry Lumley -who turned out to be not bad (not the quality of the guys you mentioned though). However, he was an 18 year old rookie at the time.

 

Toronto: Frank McCool - played a total of 2 NHL seasons. Another rookie goalie.

 

Boston: Harvey Bennett/Paul Bibault - Bennett was (surpise) a 19 year old rookie whose (you guessed it) only NHL season was 44-45. Bibault, an eventual journeyman, was a goalie in the Canadian's system loaned to Boston for the 44-45 season to replace Frank Brimsek. Career record 81-107-25.

 

Chicago: Mike Karakas - possibly the best of the bunch? Had a few good years in Chicago in the late 30's before being demoted to the minors. Floated around the minors for 5 years before being recalled in '44. Career record 114-169-53.

 

Rangers: Ken McAuley - McAuley was in his second year of his two year career. His career 17-64-15 record in two seasons probably had something to do with him never playing a third.

 

There you have it. Two journeyman and a bunch of rookies (with only one ever establishing a career after veterans returned). Montreal had by far the best (and only decent) goaltender in Bill Durnan.

 

 

As you can clearly see, the goaltending in '44-45 was amongst the worst the NHL has ever seen. The greats that preceeded this season such as Broda, Brimsek, Sugar Jim Henry and Chuck Rayner were off at the war and would not return until the following seasons.

 

So, to correct you, NO Sawchuck, NO Hall, NO Broda, or NO Bower during Richard's record breaking 1944-45 season.

 

To reitirate my point, it's no coincidence that Richard's 50 goal season occured this year. The goaltending was horrendous and alot of the skaters weren't much better. It's also no coincidence that he never matched that mark.

 

 

I'll address the other stuff later but this was really bugging me.

[Red Baron 0]

Wow, I'm surprised at the Woman's Gold, I knew it wouldn't be top 20 material, but never thought as this low

[treble 0]

78: Ray Bourque finally wins Stanley Cup

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

9/29/2004

 

Ray Bourque played 20 seasons for the Boston Bruins, an anomoly in this age of big money athletes and free agency. He was the ultimate teammate, consummate employee and team leader. Yet there was one component missing in Bourque's career - a Stanley Cup.

 

The Bruins made it to two Stanley Cup Finals and five conference championships, and made the playoffs in every single one of Bourque's seasons but one (1999-2000) but each time he failed to experience the elation of winning professional hockey's most coveted prize.

 

In March of 2000, the Bruins did the unthinkable. Knowing they did not have a legitimate chance of winning the Stanley Cup, they traded the future Hall of Famer to the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs went 12-2-1 after the trade, won the Northwest Division and advanced to the conference finals before losing to Dallas in seven games.

 

Bourque was in position to become an unrestricted free agent, but he wanted to stay with the Avs, knowing they gave up so much for him in order to fulfill his quest to win a Cup. He signed a one-year deal. Colorado cruised through the regular season and this time, they managed to make it to the Stanley Cup finals against the New Jersey Devils.

 

The Avalanche fell behind in the series, 3 games to 2, and faced elimination in New Jersey, but they battled to win and send the series back to Denver for Game 7. When the Avs built a 3-1 lead in the third period, it became quite clear that the moment had arrived for Bourque. With 30 seconds left in the final and deciding game, Bourque found himself on the ice, lining up for what would be the final faceoff.

 

"I couldn't breathe," said Bourque. "It was just too much to take. I was trying to hold off the tears and contain my emotions."

 

As NHL commissioner Gary Bettman presented the Stanley Cup to Avalanche captain Joe Sakic at center ice, Sakic illustrated the enormous respect everyone had for Bourque by immediately handing the Cup right to him without even taking the traditional captain's skate around the rink.

 

"There were many times when I felt it just wasn't going to happen for me, that I was never going to experience the greatest feeling a hockey player can achieve," said Bourque.

[Red Baron 0]

77: Whitfield wins gold in triathlon

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

10/4/2004

 

Simon Whitfield entered the inaugural Olympic triathlon for men ranked 13th in the world. He certainly wasn't on anybody's watch list, overshadowed by teammate Carol Montgomery, who was expected to medal in the women's event. However, those hopes turned to bitter disappointment after she crashed out of the final.

 

Whitfield's participation in the race seemed to be in doubt as his new bathing suit did not arrive from Canada until the night before the scheduled men's event and even then, it proved to be too tight to put on.

 

Australian favourite Craig Walton led Englishman Simon Lessing by one second after the swimming portion of the race. He led for most of the bike race until reigning world champion Olivier Marceau of France and South Africa's Conrad Stoltz chased him down. The two would build a 56 second lead as the running portion of the event got underway. 

 

Whitfield, the top ranked North American in the field, was 28th out of the water and improved to 25th after the bike race, surviving a near crash on the last lap before beginning his run.

 

Marceau was quickly caught by Stephan Vuckovic of Germany, who assumed the lead with 3.2 kilometres to go. But as he glanced over his shoulder, he saw his friend and fellow competitor Simon Whitfield, who was putting on an amazing closing kick.

 

"With about 500 metres left, I saw he was four metres behind me and I said, 'It's finished. Goodbye,"' said Vuckovic.

 

Whitfield sprinted past the German and thrust his arms in the air as he crossed the finish line 13.5 seconds ahead of Vuckovic.

 

The unexpected champion was overcome with emotion as 'O Canada' played and the Maple Leaf was slowly raised against the stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour.

 

"I had said all week that I just wanted to hear our anthem," Whitfield explained. "I can't tell you how proud I am to be Canadian. I just always wanted our flag to be up at the top of the podium, on top of the pole."

[Slayer 0]

I got so damn tired of the Ray Borque overhype during the SC playoffs in '01 that I was actively rooting for him to lose

 

Yes I know that made me a bad person, but I didn't care

[Red Baron 0]

75: Passaglia's kick lifts B.C. to Grey Cup title

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

10/6/2004

 

The 1994 Grey Cup game featured the B.C. Lions against the Baltimore Stallions, the first American-based team to reach the final in the history of the CFL championship.

 

The Lions, who started 7-1-0, narrowly qualified for the playoffs, finishing four points ahead of Sacramento in the West. Their reward was to face the Edmonton Eskimos in the semifinal at Commonwealth Stadium, where they had won just once in the playoffs. With just over four minutes to play, kicker Lui Passaglia was called on to kick the game winning field goal, sending the Lions into the Western Final.

 

In what many consider one of the best football games every played, the Stampeders led B.C. 36-31 and prepared to put the game out of reach when Ray Alexander blocked the field goal attempt. Quarterback Danny McManus marched the Lions downfield and found Darren Flutie in the end zone from four yards out, giving B.C. their first playoff victory against Calgary in 30 years, sending them into the Grey Cup final against Baltimore.

 

With the final tied 23-23, McManus guided the Lions on another late drive to set up a 38 yard field goal attempt with one minute left in the game. This time, however, Passaglia missed the field goal, giving the Stallions the ball and a chance to try and win the game. B.C.'s defence, however, came up big, forcing the Baltimore to punt. A couple of plays later, Passaglia went out again and this time he did not miss, splitting the uprights with no time left on the clock, giving the Lions their third Grey Cup in team history

[treble 0]

I was way off on that one, too.

[Slayer 0]

Wait... there were American teams in the CFL?

[Red Baron 0]

Ya, they thought it was a good idea to bring teams to the states.

 

I think there were four, Baltimore, Shreeveport, Sacromento and Las Vegas I think.

 

It lasted three years

[CanadianChris 0]

Birmingham and Memphis were in for the third season as well, and Sacramento moved to San Antonio.

[treble 0]

Missed 76, which was Gagne winning the Cy Young last year.

 

74: Titans beat Bills on 75 yard trick play

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

10/7/2004

 

The Tennessee Titans practiced the play - known as Home Run Throwback - three times a week for more than 20 weeks, yet never once did they use it in a game. Until January 8, 2000.

 

With 16 seconds left in the AFC Wild Card playoff game, the Titans found themselves trailing the Buffalo Bills 16-15 after Steve Christie's 41 yard field goal.

 

"Home Run Throwback!... We're running Home Run Throwback," yelled special teams coach Alan Lowry, who expects the Bills to squib the kickoff.

 

The play, designed by Lowry, calls for the Titans to field the kick and get the ball to tight end Frank Wycheck, who is supposed to run upfield and pass back across the field to kick returner Derrick Mason.

 

But as luck would have it, Mason is out with a concussion. Back up Anthony Dorsett is also unavailable due to leg cramps. Kevin Dyson, who has never practiced the play, is called on to take their place.

 

"As we were running on to the field, they were trying to explain the gist of the play to me," Dyson explained afterwards.

 

The Bills kick off, but instead of the squib kick everyone expected, it's a high kick. Lorenzo Neal fields the ball at the Titans 25 yard line and hands it off to Wycheck, who runs forward a little, then spins and throws across the field to Dyson. Even though the ball comes in low, Dyson catches it just above the grass and takes off down the left sideline for a 75 yard touchdown, giving the Titans an apparent 22-16 win.

 

With the Titans celebrating, the officials huddle to talk about what just transpired. With referee Phil Luckett reviewing the play on the sideline, television replays appear to show that while Wycheck was behind Dyson, the ball itself travelled parallel to the yard line. Finally, Luckett emerges with the following decision:

 

"The ruling on the field stands. After reviewing the play on the field, it was a lateral."

 

The official wording from the NFL rule book says, "A runner may pass the ball backward at any time. A pass parallel to the line is a backward pass."

 

Try telling that to Bills fans.

[Red Baron 0]

Forward Pass. No Goal. Wide Right. They Suck.

[treble 0]

73: Montana's 92 yard Super Bowl drive

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

10/8/2004

 

When the Cincinnati Bengals took a 16-13 lead over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII on Jim Breech's 40 yard field goal, it appeared as though the Bengals were on the way to their first Super Bowl title.

 

"Are you guys nuts?" Bengals receiver Cris Collingsworth told his celebrating teammates. "Don't you see who's out there?"

 

Joe Montana, one of the NFL's greatest comeback magicians, had 3:10 to guide the 49ers 92 yards down the field and to victory. As cool as ever, Montana slides into the huddle and explains that they will go with a no-huddle offense while dissecting the Bengals defence with short, precise, accurate passes.

 

And so it begins...

 

- 8 yard pass to Roger Craig

- 7 yard pass to John Frank

- 7 yard pass to Jerry Rice

- two running plays to Craig for a first down

- 17 yard pass to Rice

- 13 yard run by Craig

- 27 yard pass to Rice

- 8 yard pass to Craig

 

With the ball now on the Bengals 10 yard line, Montana calls time out with 39 seconds left in the game. Montana and head coach Bill Walsh decide on "20 Halfback Culr, X Up". Roger Craig is the primary receiver on this play. Jerry Rice lines up on one side with John Taylor on the other.

 

As the ball is snapped, Montana surveys the situation and finds John Taylor, who has yet to catch a pass all day, racing past the Bengals' linebackers, inside the weak safety and heading towards the back of the end zone. Montana snaps a bullet over the middle and finds Taylor for the game winning touchdown.

 

"There's only one thing to say about Joe Montana," said Walsh. "He's the best there is and the best there ever was. Period.

[Dogbert 0]

Of course Gretzky is the best player to ever play the game, but I think that if it hadn't been for injuries, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr would have been considered greater.

 

Had Lemieux played as many games as Gretzky did, at his current PPG and GPG, he'd have 2 845 points right now, and 1 142 goals; that's not even mentioning the seasons he played injured, when he could have had many more.

 

Orr's stats using the same criteria shoot up to 2 070 points and 611 goals; again, those stats are skewed by his various injuries over the course of his career.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

Of course Gretzky is the best player to ever play the game, but I think that if it hadn't been for injuries, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr would have been considered greater.

 

Had Lemieux played as many games as Gretzky did, at his current PPG and GPG, he'd have 2 845 points right now, and 1 142 goals; that's not even mentioning the seasons he played injured, when he could have had many more.

 

Orr's stats using the same criteria shoot up to 2 070 points and 611 goals; again, those stats are skewed by his various injuries over the course of his career.

You can't really measure it that way (especially with Orr) because it doesn't take into account the deterioration of stats as the players get older. As for the injuries argument, you could make the same thing with Gretzky and his back (originally fuelled by the '91 Canada Cup Suter cheap shot).

 

It's a tough call on who is the best. Orr was easily the most complete of all three and in my opinion should get the nod, but it's such a hard call.

[treble 0]

72: El Presidente, El Perfecto!

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

10/9/2004

 

Dennis Martinez won more games than any other Latin American pitcher, and became a legend in his native Nicaragua.

 

Despite having less than 100 wins by the time he was 30 years old, Martinez won 26 games after the age of 40 while pitching for 23 seasons. He retired with 245 victories, including more than 100 in each league.

 

On July 28, 1991, Martinez and the Expos found themselves facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the finale of a three game series, having lost six of their last eight. Martinez entered the game having lost two of his last six starts with three no decisions.

 

Martinez preceded to mow down the Dodgers, one batter at a time, inning after inning. Then, facing Chris Gwynn with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Martinez got him to fly out to Marquis Grissom in center field.

 

"El Presidente, El Perfecto!," broadcaster Dave Van Horne screamed as teammates mobbed Martinez on the field.

 

At the time it was the sixth perfect game pitched in National League history, the 13th in major league history and the first thrown by a Latin American pitcher from either league. It was also the fourth no-hitter in Expos history.

 

Martinez' perfect game came two days after teammate Mark Gardner pitched a nine inning no-hitter against the Dodgers, only to lose in the 10th inning.

[treble 0]

71: Oilers win Game 7 of 1987 Stanley Cup

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

10/10/2004

 

In 1987, the Oilers finished atop the Smythe Division with the best regular season record as Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri and Mark Messier finished first, second and fourth respectively in league scoring.

 

The Oilers needed just 14 games to advance through the playoffs and into the Stanley Cup. Their opponents, the Philadelphia Flyers, needed six games to get past the New York Rangers, seven games to defeat the New York Islanders and six more games to eliminate the defending champion Montreal Canadiens.

 

Edmonton took the first two games at home, 4-2 and 3-2 in overtime before the series moved to Philadelphia. The Flyers won game three 5-3 but Edmonton set the stage for a Cup clinching win at home with a 4-1 win in Game 4.

 

Philadelphia coach Mike Keenan reached into his bag of tricks prior to Game 5, bringing the Stanley Cup into the Flyers dressing room and leaving it on display for his team to see. The ploy worked as the Flyers won 4-3 in Edmonton. Keenan pulled the same move prior to Game 6 and the Flyers responded with a 3-2 win at the Spectrum, forcing a seventh and deciding game in Edmonton.

 

But something happened on the way to the Coliseum. It seems the Stanley Cup was mysteriously delayed in shipping, denying Keenan a chance to continue the ritual. Jari Kurri's goal at 14:59 of the second period proved to be the game winner as the Oilers went on to win 3-1 and claim their third title in four years. Later it was revealed that Oilers assistant trainer Lyle Kulchisky was responsible for the Cup's disappearance prior to Game 7.

 

It was the first time since 1971 that the finals needed the maximum number of games to decide the winner. Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoff MVP, joining Roger Crozier, Glenn Hall and Reggie Leach as the only players on a losing club to win the award.

[treble 0]

70: Cool Hand Luc

 

TSN.ca Staff

 

10/11/2004

 

Canada ended a 33-year drought at the 1994 World Hockey Championship when Luc Robitaille and Bill Ranford teamed up to beat Finland in the tournament's first-ever gold-medal shootout.

 

Finland led the game 1-0 until Robitaille helped set up Rod Brind'Amour for the equalizer with less tha five minutes to play.

 

The game went into overtime, but remained undecided after the alotted 10 minutes of extra play. For the first time ever, the championship would be decided in a shootout.

 

The teams went through five shooters each and remained deadlocked. Robitaille and Joe Sakic scored on their shots, and Ranford made three saves to force another round.  This time, it would be one-and-one format until the tie was broken.

 

Canada again called on Robitaille, who almost lost the puck on the bumpy Italian ice, but recovered in time to put a back-handed deke on Finnish goalie Jarmo Myllys.  The move worked, and Robitaille's cool hands put Canada in the driver's seat.

 

The Finns had one chance to equalize, with Mika Nieminen getting the nod. He tried to deke the Canadian goalie, but Ranford made the save and secured Canada's first world title since 1961, when the Trail Smoke Eaters prevailed.

 

Canada finished the tournament with a perfect 8-0 record, with Robitaille's second shootout goal and Ranford's heart-stopping save giving Canada its first world hockey championship since 1961.