Questions to be answered by the next person to post in the thread

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I wouldn't count Bush in my top five either, making Simmons' assertion that drafting Williams first was a bigger draft blunder than Bowie over Jordan (before the 2006 season started mind you) really asinine. But we know Simmons is an idiot already.

 

The Vince Carter trade is the worst in the history of the NBA. I would have done ANYTHING else. Toronto has let a lot of good draft picks go, but that is hardly our choice. Many of these guys just didn't want to play here. I was thinking maybe Roy over Bargnani, but I haven't given up on him yet.

 

Something I've always wondered; what percentage of athletes in any of the four major sports use recreational drugs, say coke, pills, anything other than marijuana? Also, how can they play at a high level in a professional setting while destroying their bodies like that?

[Red Baron 0]

I'd say about 3% of all the players take some type of drug use, but at game time, I can't see that happening except for a small bunch of players and they would do so privatly. These bunch of players who would make ESPN/TSN for their drug usage. I figured more people would be drunk or buzzed playing the game instead of getting high.

 

 

To answer Massito: The Patrick Roy deal. Roy and Mike Keane vs Jocelyn Thiabult, Andrei Kovalenko and Martin Rucinsky, not a solid trade. I don't know what team would give up a good goalie to get Roy, but they certainly could have gotten a lot better players if Thiabult was the best player they could get.

 

 

What is your opinion on the X-Games?

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

I think the X Games are a fun visual, and a nice lark for a couple of days, but the "Whoaaaaa, dude!" juvenile attitude blended with some kind of earnest attempt at sporting legitimacy just doesn't sit with me. I'll catch hilights of someone doing something impressive on a dirtbike or a skateboard or whatever, but I can't see how someone can follow it intently without participating in snowboarding or whatever themselves.

 

In terms of who I'd draft, regardless of need?

 

1. Joseph Addai

2. Devin Hester

3. Mario Williams

4. Jay Cutler

5. Antonio Cromartie

 

I'm sure I'm forgetting someone good.

Did you forget Reggie Bush?

 

Nope. Not at his position, anyway. I said before he was drafted that while being a physically talented playmaker, he's NOT a centerpiece NFL RB. That position requires an uncanny ability to take horrendous amounts of punishment. Bush never had to do that at USC. I think he'd be an outstanding slot receiver and return man, terrific as a change of pace man in the backfield. He can line up there and take it for miles, sure, but not 25 times per game. Look at Lendale White's more successful season.

 

Offensive line is an issue here, too, I'm sure (I didn't see enough of the Saints this season to know for sure), but it can't be THAT extreme, when Cedric Benson had, statsitically, a better season. Benson fucking sucks. The Bears got hosed with that clown.

 

Bush was 38th in the league in rushing yards, 33rd in attempts, and scored 4 TDs. He fumbled 8 times in 10 starts. Knowing what I know now, I'm not sure if I draft Bush in my top ten.

 

Question: Which Superbowl MVP had the best game?

 

 

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Eli Manning, XLII

[CanadianChris 0]

Jerry Rice in XXIII (11 rec, 215 yds, 1 TD).

 

What sporting record seemed the most unbelievable to you when you first heard of it?

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Unknown by most, but Karelin's undefeated streak in International competition for thirteen years. The last six years he went undefeated without even giving up a point. I've never seen that kind of dominance out of any other athlete ever. If we're going by the major team sports, then Johnny U's streak of a TD in forty-seven straight games.

 

EDIT: Forgot to ask a question. Do you think Dwayne Wade will ever return to the form he had when he won the NBA championship, or will injuries cause him to fade too soon? He's still very young, but the guy takes a helluva lot of punishment, and already has more miles than most guys his age.

[Maztinho 0]

I think that D-Wade will be known for that great run that one year, but his play style will not allow him to get back to that level any time soon (with the cast around him). To say never, I wouldn't say that, but highly doubtful.

 

 

 

What's the coolest thing you've ever seen at a high school level athletic competition? Or to broaden it, lets say high school or small uni.

[Mike wanna be 0]

J-Mac and his 20 points. I'm still not thrilled that he became a global sports icon for the mentally handicapped when he's only just barely below competence, but if you take away that you have a guy that everyone says is too short and too untalented to play on the team, they throw him in at the last second of a meaningless game out of pity and he puts up 20.

 

Question: NBA draft lottery, good idea to keep people from diving to get high picks when they know they're out of the playoffs, or bad because the worst teams can fall well out of the pick they would've "earned" if not for the lottery, and a team that barely missed the playoffs can pick up a miracle top 3 selection?

[RepoMan 0]

I think that D-Wade will be known for that great run that one year, but his play style will not allow him to get back to that level any time soon (with the cast around him). To say never, I wouldn't say that, but highly doubtful.

 

 

 

What's the coolest thing you've ever seen at a high school level athletic competition? Or to broaden it, lets say high school or small uni.

 

I know this was already answered, but I just want to chime in and say I saw a five OT basketball game where the Western region defeated the New York City team featuring Ron Artest.

[RepoMan 0]

Question: NBA draft lottery, good idea to keep people from diving to get high picks when they know they're out of the playoffs, or bad because the worst teams can fall well out of the pick they would've "earned" if not for the lottery, and a team that barely missed the playoffs can pick up a miracle top 3 selection?

I think so.

 

Should the NFL move the Pro-Bowl to the Super Bowl bye week to get more viewers who are football starved?

[Bored 0]

I seriously doubt it would get more viewers as it will get just get swallowed up in the pre-Super Bowl hype. Also logistically it wouldn't work as for one obviously none of the players who are in the Super Bowl would play and you'd likely have to change the way the coaching staffs are picked as I seriously doubt any coaches from the conference title game losers would want to turn around and coach another game a week later.

 

In light of the hell freezing over return of Chris Webber to Golden State, is there one active, former player from your favorite team who you would never welcome back?

[Gert T 0]

Kimo von Oelhoffen. I despise him.

 

Whats the Celtics record right now if they make the trade with Seattle and not Minnesota?

 

 

[Red Baron 0]

Like I said earlier, the same record or just a bit better than the Raptors.

 

What was the best year in sports in the past 25 years?

 

[Cartman 0]

For Boston...or for everyone else?

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

Like I said earlier, the same record or just a bit better than the Raptors.

 

What was the best year in sports in the past 25 years?

Off the top of my head:

 

1993 (Great NBA finals, a great World Series, great playoffs in the NHL and two all-time great NFL teams (Cowboys, 49ers) to watch).

 

or

 

1998 (MJ's last hurrah, the HR chase, Red Wing and Yankee dynasty's, opening the year with one of the best Super Bowls of all-time, Tyson/Holyfield 2).

 

What if Len Bias didn't die, would the Celtics have had a long dynasty or still fizzled out after 1986?

[cabbageboy 0]

I think that if Bias had lived the Celtics would have ended up being the biggest rivals to the Bulls in the 1990s. Maybe they could have made the finals in 1994 when Jordan was playing baseball.

 

Best year in sports is a tough one, but I will go with 1998 as well. The last true Jordan year of the NBA, the Yankees were one of the best teams in history, the home run chase, UK winning the NCAA tourney, etc. The thing about 1993 is that the NBA Finals wasn't a GREAT series (the Bulls were always pretty much in command) even if that series is one that made me an NBA fan. The World Series was a 6 game series but I would have preferred Braves/Blue Jays. And in the NFL, the Niners weren't really as good as they were in 1992, since they were only 10-6 in 1993.

 

Now, the question. What is the worst year in sports over the past 25 years? I'd go with 1994. The baseball strike cancelled the WS, the NFL season produced one of the lamest Super Bowls ever (Niners/Chargers....total squash), Jordan was playing baseball and thus the NBA had a dreary and boring Finals mostly known for OJ Simpson's white bronco chase, etc.

[CanadianChris 0]

God, yes. 1994 was horrid. The only redeeming factor was the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup, but the NHL screwed THAT up with the lockout. And the Winter Olympics weren't bad.

 

What was the most lopsided trade in any of the major North American sports?

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

That would have to be Babe Ruth for cash.

 

What is the best sports movie of all time?

[King Kamala 0]

Rocky is my favorite but Raging Bull is probably the best.

 

 

What was the worst professional sporting event you've ever attended?

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

Rocky is my favorite but Raging Bull is probably the best.

 

 

What was the worst professional sporting event you've ever attended?

A boring Orlando Magic/Milwuakee Bucks game in 2004. It was my first live NBA game ever so I'm happy I went but it was a terrible game.

 

What is the biggest "what if" scenario in sports history?

[CanadianChris 0]

What was the worst professional sporting event you've ever attended?

I have to answer this one, just to say mine was a second-round playoff game between the Devils and Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The Devils scored about five minutes in, then sucked the life out of the game, the crowd, everything. 1-0 was the final score.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

What is the biggest "what if" scenario in sports history?

The first one off the top of my head was "What if MJ doesn't retire in 1993?" How many Finals could they have won in a row? My history might be off as I'm not incredibly avid in basketball, but they could really have made it, what, eight? (91-93, 96-98 if my memory serves.) Two honourable mentions are "What if Eric Lindros signs with Quebec", and "What if Bobby Jones doesn't retire in his prime?". But there's a variable to each of those: There's no guarantee Lindros doesn't get hurt anyway, as he did with Philly and New York, and the major set-up in golf was much different in 1930, compared to 1973 or 2002, when Jack and Tiger each got halfway there.

 

1994 wasn't that bad, was it? Obviously the lockouts and OJ will be pretty strongly remembered, and that's an unquestionable black eye, but The Olympics weren't bad, the World Cup was pretty interesting, and The Canucks-Rangers final was fantastic. Know what? When I said the World Cup, the first thing I thought of was the US beating Colombia in the qualifiers. This led to a thought of Escobar being killed at home 10 days later. So yeah, I rescind on my 1994 defence.

 

I'm gonna be a homer and say 1993 was the best year in sport, for two championship reasons.

 

If you could see any one athlete, any sport, any era, play live and in person (not a specific performance), who would it be? My buddy is still kicking himself for not seeing Cal Ripken, who played in Toronto for a final time about a month after he got his licence. Right now, I'm going to say Wayne Gretzky, but in two or three years, Roger Federer might be my answer.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

I'd see Michael Jordan in his prime over anyone else. The Bulls/Celtics playoff game in 1986 or one of his games against the Suns in 1993 would have been phenomenal to see live.

[KingPK 0]

I saw Pedro in his prime at Fenway against the A's in 1999. I was sitting in the centerfield bleachers (right next to the area they block off for day games) and with a pair of binoculars witnessed sheer artistry.

[Guest]

I saw Magic and the Lakers play against the Warriors at the Forum when I was a really little guy

 

I saw Sidney Crosby in his first game at Staples

 

A Lakers/Spurs playoff game

 

A Chargers/Steelers game, featuring LT

 

All in all, I'm a pretty lucky guy, even though I declined an offer to go to Kobe's 81 point performance against the Raptors. If I had it my way, I would've been older/alive during the Showtime era and went to see Lakers/Celtics in the regular season, to answer the question.

[cabbageboy 0]

Yeah, I can tell you the exact game that I would have loved to have seen live that doesn't involve any of my local teams. It would be Game 3 of the 1993 NBA Finals, which is still the greatest pro basketball game I've ever seen (the Suns beat the Bulls in 3OTs). That game and Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals in 93 made me a Dan Majerle and Phoenix fan. But that Game 3 of the Finals was just unreal in its awesomeness.

 

Speaking of the NBA, here is a question. What is the best era of the league? To be honest there are really just two answers to this in my view, depending on which era you prefer. Was it the 1980s Bird/Magic era or the 1990s Jordan era?

 

I gotta go with the 1990s. Some say the league was "watered down" in the 90s but I think that is crap. In the 1980s there really weren't many good teams in my opinion, just the Lakers and a bunch of nothing in the West (well okay the Rockets made a couple of lame duck Finals runs). The East was a bit more competitive but there were usually only 2 good teams at once (Boston/Philly, Boston/Milwaukee, Boston/Detroit) with maybe a 3rd decent team on occasion.

 

The West in the 90s was certainly terrific even if no one but the Rockets ever broke through (well and the Spurs in the shortened 1999 season) and won it all. But in that decade you had the Trailblazers with Drexler at the beginning, the Lakers made a Finals and stayed mostly competitive even without Magic, the Suns were really good with Barkley and Co., Houston with Olajuwon, Utah with Stockton and Malone, San Antonio with Robinson and Co., Seattle with Payton and Kemp.

 

In the East you had obviously the Bulls, but at various points the Knicks were at their thug peak, the Pacers were at their tweener peak with Reggie, the Magic had Shaq and Penny, the Pistons were still competitive and in the playoffs for the most part, even the Hawks had some good years. Oh, and the Cavs had their best teams in the early 90s (yes, better than the JTTS bunch the got swept by the Spurs) with Price and Dougherty. The Heat also were really good by the end of the 90s.

[King Kamala 0]

What was the worst professional sporting event you've ever attended?

 

 

To answer my own question, I witnessed the worst loss in Boston Celtics history. I even remember the date, January 31st, 2003 (It was my dad's 48th birthday- the tickets were his present heh). Antoine Walker returned from an injury and absolutely stunk out the joint (1 for 15 according to basketball reference). The only mildly redeeming part of the evening was when the few remaining fans started a chant for Bruno Sundov when he came in during the 4th quarter.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

Speaking of the NBA, here is a question. What is the best era of the league? To be honest there are really just two answers to this in my view, depending on which era you prefer. Was it the 1980s Bird/Magic era or the 1990s Jordan era?

The 1980's. The amount of star power in the league in the 1980's will never be topped. You had 2 of the 3 or 4 greatest teams of all-time (Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics), you had the most dominant playoff run of all-time (Moses & Dr. J's Sixers), you had the development of the greatest player of all-time (Jordan), you had the team that defied all the other top teams and were the "villain" of the league for it (Pistons), you had some of the highest scoring teams ever (the Nuggets in the mid-80's, Trailblazers in the late 80's), you had pretty much everything you could want. Not to mention guys like Dominique, Hakeem, Malone & Stockton, Drexler, Ewing, English, Aguirre, King and many more all playing at high levels. And, unlike the 1990's, the playoffs were hard-fought and featured classic series every season. In the 1990's, it was almost always about one thing: beating Jordan. In the 1980's, there was no one alpha-dog team that everyone knew was going to win. There were always many teams that had a shot.

 

Sticking with the NBA, who is the best point guard of the last 25 years (excluding Magic)?

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

No doubt John Stockton.

 

Another NBA question: Can an argument be made that Kareem Abdul Jabar is the great player of all time?

 

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

No doubt John Stockton.

 

Another NBA question: Can an argument be made that Kareem Abdul Jabar is the great player of all time?

No. He's not the most dominant big man (Wilt, Shaq and Hakeem have him beat), not the best scorer (he's 14th in PPG and MJ and Wilt each played over 500 less games than he did), not the best rebounder (not even top 20 in RPG) and has never carried a dynasty like MJ, Magic and Russell have. So yah no case can be made.

 

On a similar note, what are the all-time NBA first and second teams (players can't play out of position)?

 

I'd go:

 

1st:

PG - Magic Johnson

SG - Michael Jordan

SF - Larry Bird

PF - Tim Duncan

C - Bill Russell

 

2nd:

PG - John Stockton

SG - Jerry West

SF - Julius Erving

PF - Karl Malone

C - Shaquille O'Neal