NFL

5 Comments Posted on August 24, 2015August 26, 2015 Fantasy Football, sports

Fantasy Cheat Sheet 2015: Running Backs

Typically, the first handful of spots in your draft go to the running back position. This year is no exception…

As you prepare to make your picks, here are my Top 40 running backs and where I recommend you take them in your upcoming draft.

1. Marshawn Lynch, SEA

2014: 1,306 rush yards, 367 receiving, 37 receptions, 17 TDs

Marshawn is why the Seahawks offense works. He also just got paid some more, so he’s motivated to ball out.

Pick 1st Overall

2. Jamaal Charles, KC

2014: 1,033 rush yards, 291 receiving, 40 catches, 14 TDs

Probably the best when healthy, but that hasn’t been a consistent quality of his as of late. Worth the gamble if he’s available. Always finds the end zone.

Pick Early 1^st round

3. Le’Veon Bell, PIT

2014: 1,361 rush yards, 854 receiving, 83 catches, 11 TDs

Best running back in the league but out for the first 2 games due to suspension. Worth picking if you can because he’ll be huge for down the stretch, both rushing and receiving.

Pick Early 1st Round

4. Matt Forte, CHI

2014: 1,038 rush yards, 808 receiving, 102 catches, 10 TDs

Won’t catch nearly as many passes, but the Bears are going to run the ball a lot this season and he is still one of the best. Cutler will use him in play-action and he’ll set up wide at times too.

Pick: Has Early 1st Round value but seems to be falling to late 1st, early 2nd

5. Adrian Peterson, MIN

2014: Spent most of it suspended

Another year older, AP’s still one of the best in the game and will be the focal point to the Vikings offense. Also fresh after not playing, but you don’t know if another legal issue will come up. Not likely, but the red flag is there now.

Pick Middle 1st Round

6. Eddie Lacy, GB

2014: 1,139 rush yards, 427 receiving, 42 catches, 13 TDs

Lacy is solid, but started slow with the Packers offense last season. Packers also depend way more on passing which keeps the ball out of his hands more than you’d like. Might be relied upon more with Nelson.

Pick Middle-Late 1st Round

7. DeMarco Murray, PHI

2014: 1,845 rush yards, 416 receiving, 57 catches, 13 TDs

Murray was the league’s leading rusher last year and should get a lot of touches with the Eagles because their quarterbacks are so bad.

Pick: Late 1^st, early 2^nd

8. Jeremy Hill, CIN

2014: 1,124 rush yards, 215 receiving, 27 catches, 9 TDs

Hill will have a big increase in workload this season and has Giovani Bernard to complement him. Expecting more handoffs to him as the Bengals try to get Andy Dalton right again.

Pick: 2^nd Round

9. LeSean McCoy, BUF

2014: 1,319 rush yards, 155 receiving, 28 catches, 5 TDs

McCoy is expected to be ready for Week 1. He’ll get a lot of carries but is in a crowded backfield with Fred Jackson and Boobie Dixon. Health is also going to be an issue for him with so many carries in his career already.

Pick: 2^nd round

10. Arian Foster, HOU

2014: 1,246 rush yards, 327 receiving, 38 catches, 13 touchdowns

As of now, there is no timetable for Foster’s return from groin injury. He is someone who should be available on waivers, but will definitely help you late in the season…best case scenario.

Pick up on waivers and stash him on IR if need be.

11. CJ Anderson, DEN

2014: 849 rush yards, 324 receiving, 34 catches, 10 TD (all second half of season)

Anderson is the lead candidate for Denver’s #1 running back spot and Manning loves him. New head coach Gary Kubiak’s zone-run scheme is why Foster and Forsett produced so well the last few seasons.

Pick Late 2^nd Round

12. Justin Forsett, BAL

2014: 1,266 rush yards, 263 receiving, 44 catches, 8 TDs

Forsett is the #1 guy in Baltimore and should benefit from a lack in WR depth for Flacco. His receiving numbers will get a boost too with Marc Trestman running the offense

Pick: 3^rd Round

13. Frank Gore, IND

2014: 1,105 rush yards, 111 receiving, 11 catches, 5 TDs

Gore could be huge in the Colts high power offense. With defenses worrying more about Luck throwing deep on them, less attention will be paid to Gore and that means serious gashing.

Pick: 3^rd Round

14. Alfred Morris, WAS

2014: 1,074 rush yards, 155 receiving, 17 catches, 8 TD

Morris hardly ever catches the ball but he is important to the Washington offense as nobody has any faith in RG3. Solid health-wise as well.

Pick 3rd or 4th Round

15. Mark Ingram, NO

2014: 964 rush yards, 145 receiving, 29 catches, 9 TD

Ingram is very good but he is usually getting injured. Should get a lot of red zone opportunities but also will split passing situations with CJ Spiller.

Pick: 4^th Round

16. Melvin Gordon, SD

2014: Hesiman Trophy Candidate

I don’t normally like drafting rookies high in Fantasy, but Gordon is the clear starter for the Chargers ahead of Branden Oliver and Danny Woodhead. Starting RBs tend to do well in Mike McCoy’s offense.

Pick: 4^th – 5^th Round

17. Latavius Murray, OAK

2014: 424 rush yards, 143 receiving, 2 TD, 429 returning

Latavius showed he is fast and can score from anywhere on the field, but also hasn’t proven he can stay healthy yet.

Pick: 4^th, 5^th round

18. Andre Ellington, AZ

2014: 660 rush yards, 395 receiving, 46 catches, 5 TDs

Ellington can score a lot of points but he can’t stay on the field. He has already had some hamstring troubles in camp.

Pick 5^th Round

19. Lamar Miller, MIA

2014: 1,099 rush yards, 275 receiving, 38 catches, 9 TDs

Lamar goes into the season as the #1 guy in Miami and proved how solid he can be with Tannehill running a read option offense. Stays healthy too.

Pick: 5^th round

20. Jonathan Stewart, CAR

2014: 809 rush yards, 181 receiving, 25 catches, 4 TDs

Stewart is a strong option when healthy. This the first time he won’t be splitting carries with DeAngelo Williams and doesn’t have anyone else to challenge him on the depth chart. Expect the workload to be heavier too with Benjamin out.

Pick: 5^th round

21. LeGarrette Blount, NE

2014: 547 rush yards, 54 receiving, 10 catches, 5 TDs

It’s really tough to trust New England RBs because Belichick will just go with whoever he likes most that day. Blount turned out to be the hot hand after Patriots picked him up late last season but will miss Week 1 due to suspension. Could be solid 3^rd RB.

Pick: 6^th Round

22. Todd Gurley, STL

Rookie

Gurley can be the best athlete in all of football but he was injured last season for Georgia and he’s likely going to miss all of the preseason because of an ACL injury. Hard to feel confident about drafting him, but the potential is too high to pass up.

Pick: 6^th Round

23. TJ Yeldon, JAX

Rookie

Doesn’t have as high an upside as Gurley, but Yeldon has the best shot at being the feature back in Jacksonville. If converted QB/WR Denard Robinson could break out like he did last season, Yeldon should do well as a full-time back.

Pick 7th Round

24. Joseph Randle, DAL

2014: 343 rush yards, 23 receiving, 4 catches, 3 TDs

Randle is first in line for feature back duties behind the best OL in football. He leads Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar who are also fighting for carries. Randle also has a shoplifting problem, but can be helpful as a backup on your roster with high upside.

Pick 7^th Round

25. Carlos Hyde, SF

2014: 333 rush yards, 68 receiving, 12 catches, 268 return yards, 4 TDs

San Francisco is an absolute mess and is probably the worst team in the NFL. They also don’t have a set depth chart yet and Hyde is splitting carries with Reggie Bush. He didn’t really do much last season to get anyone excited about this year but he’s one of the last possible #1 RBs left, while expected to get most of the workload.

Pick 7^th Round or later

26. CJ Spiller, NO

2014: 300 rush yards, 125 receiving, 19 catches, 306, 2 TDs

Spiller is in a better place than Buffalo. He will be used on 3^rd down and will be a better version of Pierre Thomas if Ingram gets hurt. Also gets return points but has his own health issues. He’s currently coming back from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Pick 8^th Round

27. Rashad Jennings, NYG

2014: 639 rush yards, 226 receiving, 30 catches, 4 TDs

Jennings and Shane Vereen are both playing with the first team. If healthy, Jennings is a solid RB2 or Flex player.

Pick 8^th Round

28. Isaiah Cowell, CLE

2014: 607 rush yards, 87 receiving, 9 catches, 8 TDs

Cowell is Cleveland’s best option at RB with Terrence West not far behind and Duke Johnson coming off a hamstring injury. With a choice between Johnny Manziel and Josh McCown at quarterback, Cleveland will want to run the ball a lot.

Pick 8^th round

29. Ameer Abdullah, DET

Rookie

Abdullah is getting a lot of praise in camp, but is also in the mix with Joique Bell and Theo Riddick. He’s probably the most talented of the 3, but Stafford just called the Lions backfield a “running back by committee” situation. We’ll see who the hot hand is come Week 1.

Pick: 8^th round

30. Chris Ivory, NYJ

2014: 821 rush yards, 123 receiving, 18 catches, 7 TDs

Ivory is a poor man’s Marshawn Lynch with his downhill running style and will be depended on for the bulk of the workload with Steven Ridley still rehabbing an ACL injury.

Pick 8^th Round

31. Tevin Coleman, ATL

Rookie

Coleman has been neck-and-neck with Devonta Freeman for feature back touches for the Falcons. Coleman is the more complete back though with pass catching and return capabilities. With the two sidelined and set to return from injury this week, I like Coleman’s chances better with them on even ground.

Pick 9th Round

32. DeVonta Freeman, ATL

2014: 248 rush yards, 225 receiving, 30 catches, 2 TDs

Freeman had the best shot at starting for the Falcons until he joined Tevin Coleman on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Has a year of experience under his belt, but Coleman is expected to be a full-package back when he catches up.

Pick 9th or 10th

33. Joique Bell, DET

2014: 860 rush yards, 322 receiving, 34 catches, 8 TDs

Bell is coming off an injury in camp but is still the most accomplished in the Lions backfield.

Pick 9th Round

34. Giovani Bernard, CIN

2014: 680 rush yards, 349 receiving, 7 TDs

Gio is expected to be part of a 1-2 punch with Hill. He’ll get 3^rd down and passing play reps for sure. Depending on Hill’s durability as a full-time starter, Gio can get some of his workload back.

Pick 10^th Round

35. Tre Mason, STL

2014: 765 rush yards, 148 receiving, 16 catches, 5 TDs

Depending on Gurley’s health, Mason could be a boom or bust with a late pick. He’s as talented as anyone when given a shot and good insurance if Gurley misses time.

Pick 10^th round

36. Doug Martin, TB

2014: 494 rush yards, 64 receiving, 13 catches, 2 TD

I don’t trust Tampa RBs. They don’t stay healthy, they turn the ball over, and they always seem like regular waiver wire pickups (and drops). Martin is only ranked here because he’s slated as their lead back, but he’s only disappointed people since his rookie year.

Pick 11th Round

37. Shane Vereen, NYG

2014: 391 rush yards, 447 receiving, 52 catches, 5 TD

The Giants still aren’t very good on defense which forces their offense to pass more. Vereen is one of the better pass catching RBs and that’s exactly why they brought him in.

Pick 11^th Round or higher

38. Darren McFadden, DAL

2014: 534 rush yards, 212 receiving, 36 catches, 2 TD

If he can get on the field and fully healthy, he could be a late sleeper behind the Dallas OL. McFadden’s getting toward the end of his career so you shouldn’t bank on that.

Pick 12th or higher

39. Fred Jackson, BUF

2014: 524 rush yards, 501 receiving, 65 catches, 3 TD

F-Jax has been the Bills version of Dirty Harry for the last few seasons. At this current time, he is the only healthy back out of McCoy, Dixon, Bryce Brown, and Karlos Williams. Although McCoy is expected to be ready Week 1, Jackson would make a strong start in a run-heavy system.

Pick 12th Round or later

40. Reggie Bush, SF

2014: 297 rush yards, 253 receiving, 40 catches, 2 TD

As I mentioned before, SF is an absolute mess. On top of that, Reggie is now playing in one of the best defensive divisions in football. If they’re forced to play catch-up with that horrible defense, Reggie should get the ball more than Hyde.

Pick 12^th Round or higher

Do your rankings look different? Let me know on Facebook and Twitter! Stay Tuned for Wide Receiver rankings tomorrow.

Also…

Quarterbacks Cheat Sheet

Wide Receivers Cheat Sheet

Tight Ends Cheat Sheet

Defenses & Kickers Cheat Sheet

5 Comments Posted on August 24, 2015August 26, 2015 Fantasy Football, sports

Fantasy Cheat Sheet 2015: Quarterbacks

If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to start preparing for your upcoming Fantasy Football Draft.

Whether you’re playing in Yahoo!, ESPN, CBS, or some other website, you don’t necessarily want to base your picks off of their pre-draft rankings. That’s why I write up a CHEAT SHEET with players I prefer, based on their production last season, their team’s recent acquisitions, schemes/sytems, and injuries.

Here are my Top-20 quarterbacks and where I would prioritize drafting them round-by-round.

1. Andrew Luck, IND

2014: 40 TD/ 16 INT, 4,761 yards

Throws the ball A LOT. Just added Andre Johnson and a legit running back in Frank Gore to keep defensive backs honest. 5 Good WRs, 2 decent TEs…Yeah. The Beard’s ceiling has been raised.

Pick: Late 1^st, Early 2^nd round

2. Aaron Rodgers, GB

2014: 38 TD / 5 INT, 4,381 yards

Doesn’t turn it over often and plays better down the stretch. Rodgers is missing his #1 receiver, but could make someone else into a star very quickly. Also scary in the red zone on the ground.

Pick: Late 1^st, Early 2^nd

3. Drew Brees, NO

2014: 33 TD / 17 INT, 4,952 yards

Brees can be great or he can kill you. If Brandin Cooks stays healthy, he’ll bounce back and tear it up. May not throw as many TDs but he’ll pick up plenty of yardage and completions. Led the league in both last year.

Pick: 3^{rd or}4^th round

4. Tony Romo, DAL

2014: 34 TD / 9 INT, 3,705 yards

Expect Romo to throw it more with DeMarco Murray gone. Cowboys have the best offensive line in the league and give him plenty of time to find an open man, and has sure hands in Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.

Pick 4^th Round

5. Peyton Manning, DEN

2014: 39 TD / 15, 4,761 yards

I don’t believe Manning would have come back if he wasn’t healthy. He will still throw a ton. Plus Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are great after the catch.

Pick: 4^th Round

6. Russell Wilson, SEA

2014: 20 TD/7 INT, 3,475 yards

Doesn’t get a ton of passing points but makes up for it with rushing yards and TDs on the ground. Also just added Jimmy Graham, so passing points should go up.

Pick 4^th Round

7. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT

2014: 32 TD / 9 INT, 4,952 yards

Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell definitely help Ben get his points. He’ll throw 5 TDs one day, but none another.

Pick 5^th Round

8. Matt Ryan, ATL

2014: 28 TD / 14 INT, 4,694 yards

New coach and OC, super young RBs, and healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White…Matty Ice is going to let it fly.

Pick: 5^th Round

9. Eli Manning, NYG

2014: 30 TD / 14 INT, 4,410 yards

Eli doesn’t have an excuse not to produce big time in year two of Odell Beckham Jr and having a healthy Victror Cruz back. Rashad Jennings provides solid relief in the run game when he isn’t sidelined, and Tom Brady could tell Manning how good Shane Vereen is on passing downs.

Pick 6^th Round

10. Tom Brady, NE

2014: 33 TD / 9 INT, 4,109 yards

This obviously can change if his suspension goes away, but Brady can be your first pick after most of the Top 10 go. Next couple QBs can bridge you to after he returns and he’ll be a boss when he does.

Pick 6^th Round or a few after you pick your first QB

11. Phillip Rivers, SD

2014: 31 TD / 18 INT, 4,286 yards

First half of last year, was Top 3 among QBS. Rivers just got paid too, which should motivate him to earn his keep. He also gets Danny Woodhead back to throw to and Keenan Allen should be better as well.

Pick 7^th Round and beyond

12. Matthew Stafford, DET

2014: 22 TD / 12 INT, 4,247 yards

This really depends on how healthy Calvin Johnson is. Megatron at his best is devastating and would make Stafford an awesome backup or even starter. Golden Tate proved to help him out too in Johnson’s absence. Theo Riddick and Joique Bell are proven to be solid pass catchers out of the backfield too.

Pick 7^th Round

13. Jay Cutler, CHI

2014: 28 TD / 18 INT, 3,812 yards

Jay is poised for a bounce back year and not just because #CuttyDoesIt. Former Peyton Manning OC Adam Gase has emphasized utilizing Cutler’s strengths throwing on the run and play-action. He’ll be missing Kevin White for at least the first half of the season, but finally has a true slot receiver in Eddie Royal. Also expect Martellus Bennett to be big when spread out, like Julius Thomas in past years.

Pick 8^th Round and beyond

14. Ryan Tannehill, MIA

2014: 27 TD / 12 INT, 4,045 yards

Gets better every year. Added proven veteran receivers, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings, who can also play in uptempo offenses. Jarvis Landry will be Tannehill’s best weapon to stretch the field though.

Pick 8^th Round and beyond

15. Cam Newton, CAR

2014: 18 TD / 12 INT, 3,127 yards

Newton is sliding in most drafts after losing Kelvin Benjamin for the season to injury. Rookie Devin Funchess isn’t as depended on as advertised with veterans like Jericho Cotchery and Ted Gin Jr. in the mix, but can put up Benjamin-like production. Ability to run for TDs makes up for lack of passing points too.

Pick 8^th Round

16. Joe Flacco, BAL

2014: 27 TD / 12 INT, 3,986 yards

Lost Torrey Smith and his replacement, Breshad Perriman, is questionable. Flacco will be throwing a lot though with Marc Trestman as OC. Could be either really good or really meh.

Pick 9^th round and beyond

17. Teddy Bridgewater, MIN

2014: 14 TD / 12 INT 2,919 yards

The Vikings are a run heavy team, without question. Teddy has looked excellent in preseason though, and he has Mike Wallace and Charles Johnson to throw to. The training wheels are off in year two and you can expect Kyle Rudolph to provide a nice security blanket in the Norv Turner system

Pick 10^th Round and beyond

18. Andy Dalton, CIN

2014: 19 TD / 17 INT, 3,398 yards

Dalton’s last season was thrown off with AJ Green getting injured. The Bengals added Denarius Moore to go with Marvin Jones and Sanu. Don’t bank on him but he’s a nice backup with nice options.

Pick 11th Round and beyond

Colin Kaepernick, SF

2014: 19 TD / 10 INT, 2,369 yards

The 49ers could potentially be the worst team in the NFL, but Kaepernick can still take over a game in desperate times. He still has Anquan Boldin, plus Torrey Smith and Reggie Bush who are both helpful in the passing. Kaepernick does run better than anyone on the team too. The defense will be awful so he’ll have to score plenty to stay in games.

Pick 11^th Round and beyond

20. Derek Carr, OAK

2014: 21 TD / 12 INT, 3,270 yards

Carr showed flashes of the quarterback the Raiders need him to be last season. Drafting Amari Cooper helps along with a receiving group that also includes Michael Crabtree, Kenbrell Thompkins and Andre Holmes

Pick 12^th Round and beyond

Do your rankings look different? Let me know on Facebook and Twitter!

Also…

Running Backs Cheat Sheet

Wide Receivers Cheat Sheet

Tight Ends Cheat Sheet

Defenses & Kickers Cheat Sheet

3 Comments Posted on August 20, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 1990

In the year Jennifer Lawrence was born…

The Ultimate Warrior defeated Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania for the WWF Title.
Microsoft released Windows 3.0.
The Berlin Wall was destroyed, East and West Germany reunify into single Germany.
The first ever Web Page was written.
Muppets creator Jim Henson passed away at the age of 53.

And here’s what happened in Movies, Music and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

Home Alone, Pretty Woman, Back to the Future Part III, My Blue Heaven, Air America, Gremlins 2, Another 48 Hours, Cry-Baby, The Freshman, Green Card, Cadillac Man, Bird on a Wire, Look Who’s Talking Too, Alice, Coupe de Ville, The Nasty Girl, Kindergarten Cop, Mermaids, Men at Work, Three Men and a Little Lady, AND…

House Party

Action/Thriller

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Total Recall, Die Hard 2, Darkman, Dick Tracy, Hard To Kill, Captain America, Predator 2, RoboCop 2, Marked For Death, Days of Thunder, Death Warrant, Rocky V, Quigley Down Under, Revenge, Peacemaker, Young Guns II, The Ambulance, The Rookie, It AND…

Tremors

Drama

Dances With Wolves, Edward Scissorhands, The Godfather Part III, Ghost, Miller’s Crossing, Awakenings, Misery, The Hunt For Red October, Presumed Innocent, The Krays, State of Grace, Lord of the Flies, Memphis Belle, King of New York, Avalon, Reversal of Fortunes, Welcome Home Roxy Carmichael, Life Is Sweet, Henry & June, Havana, AND…

Goodfellas

The 63rd Academy Awards

Best Actor

Kevin Costner, Dances with Wolves
Robert De Niro, Awakenings
Gerard DePardieu, Cyrano de Bergerac
Richard Harris, The Field
Jeremy Irons, Reversal of Fortune – Winner

(Reversal of Fortune was the only time Jeremy Irons was nominated for an Oscar)

Best Supporting Actor

Andy Garcia, The Godfather Part III
Graham Greene, Dances with Wolves
Al Pacino, Dick Tracy
Bruce Davison, Longtime Companion
Joe Pesci, Goodfellas – Winner

(Joe Pesci was nominated once more in 1980 for Raging Bull)

Best Actress

Anjelica Huston, The Grifters
Julia Roberts, Working Girl
Meryl Streep, Postcards From the Edge
Joanne Woodward, Mr. & Mrs. Bridge
Kathy Bates, Misery – Winner

(Kathy Bates was nominated twice more for Primary Colors and About Schmidt )

Best Supporting Actress

Annette Bening, The Grifters
Lorraine Bracco, Goodfellas
Diane Ladd, Wild at Heart
Mary McDonnell, Dances with Wolves
Whoopi Goldberg, Ghost – Winner

(Whoopi Goldberg was nominated once before in 1985 for The Color Purple)

Best Picture

Awakenings
Ghost
The Godfather Part III
Goodfellas
Dances with Wolves – Winner

(Dances with Wolves won 7 of the 12 Oscars it was nominated for)

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25 Songs

01. “Hold On” – Wilson Phillips

02. “It Must Have Been Love” – Roxette

03. “Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinead O’Connor

04. “Poison” – Bell Biv DeVoe

05. “Vogue” – Madonna

06. “Vision of Love” – Mariah Carey

07. “Another Day in Paradise” – Phil Collins

08. “Hold On” – En Vogue

09. “Cradle of Love” – Billy Idol

10. “Blaze of Glory” – Jon Bon Jovi

11. “Do Me!” – Bell Biv DeVoe

12. “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” – Michael Bolton

13. “Pump Up the Jam” – Technotronic

14. “Opposites Attract” – Paula Abdul and The Wild Pair

15. “Escapade” – Janet Jackson

16. “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You” – Heart

17. “Close to You” – Maxi Priest

18. “Black Velvet” – Alannah Myles

19. “Release Me” – Wilson Phillips

20. “Don’t Know Much” – Linda Ronstadt

21. “All Around the World” – Lisa Stansfield

22. “I Wanna Be Rich” – Calloway

23. “Rub You the Right Way” – Johnny Gill

24. “She Ain’t Worth It” – Glenn Medeiros and Bobby Brown

25. “If Wishes Came True” – Sweet Sensation

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders

Offensive

Average: Eddie Murray (LAD) – .330

Hits: Willie McGee (STL & OAK) – 199

Home Runs: Cecil Fielder (DET) – 51

RBI: Cecil Fielder (DET) – 132

OPS: Rickey Henderson (OAK) – 1.016

Stolen Bases: Vince Coleman (STL) – 77

Pitching

Wins: Bob Welch (OAK) – 27

ERA: Roger Clemens (BOS) – 1.93

Strikeouts: David Cone (NYM) – 233

Complete Games: Ramon Martinez (LAD) – 12

Shutouts: Mike Morgan (LAD), Bruce Hurst (SD), Dave Stewart (OAK) & Roger Clemens (BOS) – 4

Saves: Bobby Thigpen (CHW) – 57

MVP

AL – Rickey Henderson (OAK)

NL – Barry Bonds (PIT)

CY Young

AL – Bob Welch (OAK)

NL – Doug Drabek (PIT)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Sandy Alomar (CLE)

NL – David Justice (ATL)

World Series

Cincinnati Reds sweep Oakland Athletics (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four

(1) UNLV, (4) Arkansas, (3) Duke and (4) Georgia Tech

National Championship

(1) UNLV over (3) Duke 103-73

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Michael Jordan (CHI) – 33.6

Rebounds Per Game: Hakeem Olajuwon (HOU) – 14.0

Assists Per Game: John Stockton (UTAH) – 14.5

All-NBA Team

Charles Barkley (PHI)

Patrick Ewing (NY)

Magic Johnson (LAL)

Michael Jordan (CHI)

Karl Malone (UTAH)

MVP – Magic Johnson (LAL)

Rookie of the Year – David Robinson (SA)

NBA Finals

Detroit Pistons over Portland Trailblazers (4-1)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy – Ty Detmer, BYU

National Championship

(2) Georgia Tech was awarded the National Championship after defeating Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl 45-21

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Warren Moon (HOU) – 4,689

Passing Touchdowns: Warren Moon (HOU) – 33

Passer Rating: Jim Kelly (BUF) – 101.2

Rushing Yards: Barry Sanders (DET) – 1,304

Rushing Touchdowns: Derrick Fenner (SEA) & Cleveland Gary (LA) – 14

Receiving Yards: Jerry Rice (SF) – 1,502

Receiving Touchdowns: Jerry Rice (SF) – 13

Receptions: Jerry Rice (SF) – 100

AP MVP – Joe Montana (SF)

Super Bowl XXV

New York Giants over Buffalo Bills 20-19

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Brett Hull (STL) – 72

Assists: Wayne Gretzky (LA) – 102

Points: Wayne Gretzky (LA) – 142

Hart Memorial Trophy – Mark Messier (EDM)

Stanley Cup

Edmonton Oilers over Boston Bruins 4-1

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03 or on Facebook.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2010

2007

2006

2005

1999

1998

1992

1989

1988

1987

1 Comment Posted on August 4, 2015August 4, 2015 history, sports

President Obama’s Birthday and All His Sportiness

The 44th President of the United States LOVES his sports. He is an unapologetic Chicago White Sox fan. He fills out March Madness brackets for both Men and Women’s tournaments on SportsCenter each year. He also has no problem mixing it up on the White House basketball court.

So on his 54th birthday, lets put the partisan blah blah blah on the back-burner and appreciate something we all enjoy…Sports.

March Madness

I look forward to the President’s annual segment on ESPN where he joins the rest of the nation in the Madness. Since he was elected, President Obama is interviewed by college basketball reporter Andy Katz from the White House to talk out each of his picks. Last year he took regular season undefeated favorite Kentucky to win it all (like many of you did) over Nova, and was obviously incorrect as Duke beat Wisconsin in the National Championship.

President Obama finished in ESPN’s 72.9 percentile in 2014 and was most successful in 2011 with a bracket in the 87.4%. Both years, UConn won the National Championship and he didn’t pick them. The President did choose a National Champion for his first year in office, North Carolina in 2009.

ESPN isn’t the only network who gets to share air-time with the Commander in Chief as one of CBS’s best color analysts, Clark Kellogg, took him on in a game of HORSE…err POTUS.

I don’t even want to know what would’ve happen if the President got skunked.

He Loves His Chicago Teams

Despite referring to his White Sox’s home stadium as “Kaminskey Field” early in his first term, the President has never wavered as a Chicago die hard. When the Bulls re-signed All-Star Jimmy Butler to a longterm deal, he was on it…

butler's a great player on o and d; let's sign him up long term. go bulls! https://t.co/IqbyUmcbmJ

— President Obama (@POTUS) July 1, 2015

(Props to my old teammate Matt Rodewald for getting that tweet picked up)

Before the Blackhawks hit the ice for Game 6, President Obama was leading the chants from Twitter…

Let's. Go. Hawks. pic.twitter.com/igbbXwVMjx

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 15, 2015

And wore his lucky hockey sweater while doing so.

Hey, @NHLBlackhawks! @POTUS and @RepMikeQuigley are fired up for Game 3 tonight. pic.twitter.com/ngbfVoDQ6k

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 8, 2015

While touring Cooperstown a year ago, the President asked to try on the White Sox World Series ring.

…and then donated the Sox jacket he wore to throw out the first pitch at the 2009 All-Star Game to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The President even hosted a White House visit for the Super Bowl winning 1985 Bears team, because they never got the chance to do so before.

(Ironic that it was Mike Ditka handing the President his jersey since he also wanted to run against him for a Senate seat in 2004)

The ’85 Bears and the Blackhawks may be the only Chicago teams that the President has hosted at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but he always seems to get a quick shoutout in for his favorite squads when he hosts other teams.

White House Host with the Most

What an honor! Thanks for the #selfie, @BarackObama http://t.co/y5Ww74sEID—
David Ortiz (@davidortiz) April 01, 2014

We all remember the drama surrounding Red Sox DH David Ortiz’s selfie with the President and the handful of athletes who make a thing out of not going to visit the White House, despite it being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (looking at you, Tim Thomas)…

But damn, do those photo ops turn out great.

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Leave a comment Posted on July 28, 2015July 28, 2015 NFL, sports

The Arizona Cardinals Hired a Badass in Jen Welter

“Coaching is nothing more than teaching.”

That’s what head coach Bruce Arians said Monday, according to the Arizona Cardinals website, after the team announced that they added the first woman to coach in the NFL, Jen Welter. Welter joins the Cardinals as a training camp/preseason intern and will coach inside linebackers. She’ll be working alongside former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and 12-year veteran linebacker Larry Foote.

Breaking new ground is nothing new for Welter. After playing collegiate rugby and then 11 years in the Women’s Football Alliance, Welter played running back for the indoor football league Texas Revolution. She was the first woman to play a non-kicking position in a pro football game.

Back in March, Arians was asked a question about the possibility of women coaching in the NFL. Arians answered saying, “The minute they can prove they can make a player better, they’ll be hired.” A Revolution staff member reached out to Arians shortly after, recommending that he should speak with Welter if he was serious.

Arians invited Welter to the Cardinals’ OTAs and found her to be very passionate about football. That passion convinced Arians that Welter was for real and should get an opportunity to coach with his staff. She brings with her a masters degree in sports psychology and a PhD in psychology.

Lastly, Arians addressed the questions of weather or not Welter would be a distraction for the team and how the players will react. “I don’t think the players care, as long as they are being coached to get better. With her background as a player, a coach and a psychologist, I think our players will realize she can help them. She has a ton of energy and intelligence.”

Cardinals Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson has already welcomed Welter to the team on Twitter.

One team, one goal! Let's go to work coach @jwelter47 ! #Birdgang #OperationBringLombardiTrophyToAZ

— Patrick Peterson (@RealPeterson21) July 28, 2015

The bottom line, from what both Peterson and Arians are saying, is that this is about doing work and improving the club. The easy comparison to make is in another major sport as San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich hired Becky Hammon to join his staff as an assistant coach last season. Hammon led the Spurs, recently, to a Summer League title and her prospects of being a head coach in the NBA are not a pipe dream by any degree. Expectations are no different for Welter’s coaching trajectory in the NFL, as Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman writes.

Ignorance from some fans, select players, and people who like the sound of their own voice on TV is inevitable. We see it all the time and my solution is always to just change the channel. Fortunately, the reaction has been mostly positive across social media and sports news outlets so far. The Cardinals organization is no stranger to being progressive either. Arians praised his employer last night for their consistent effort in promoting diversity, having hired the first African-American head coach and general manager tandem of Dennis Green and Rod Graves back in 2004. Vice President of the United States Joe Biden recognizes that as well.

Breaking barriers and reaching new heights. Congratulations to Jen Welter. This is what progress looks like. https://t.co/A6pT0RFXFL

— Vice President Biden (@VP) July 28, 2015

It’s a groundbreaking move for sure…one that will open the door for women who won’t be hired just for the sake of diversity, but because they are the best for the job.

More in sports, movies, television, music and food on Facebook and Twitter.

1 Comment Posted on July 16, 2015 sports

#TBT Poll: Best Sports Moment of 1988

If you haven’t yet, check out this week’s Throwback Thursday Year in Review.

Not a bad year for sports, right?

#1.

Michael Jordan vs. Dominique Wilkins Dunk Contest

#2.

Kirk Gibson’s Walk-off Home Run, Game 1 of the World Series vs. A’s.

#3.

Joe Montana leads 49ers on 92 yard drive to win Super Bowl XXIII vs. Bengals

Anything else better than these 3 choices? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter.

7 Comments Posted on July 16, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 1988

In the year that Michael Jordan took flight…

The Winter Olympics were held in Alberta, Canada.
The Supreme Court sided with Larry Flynt in the Hustler vs. Falwell case.
George H.W. Bush was elected President of the United States.
The first “World AIDS Day” was held on December 1st.
The NBA’s youngest MVP, Derrick Rose, was born.

And here’s what else happened in Movies, Music, and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

Beetlejuice, Big, A Fish Called Wanda, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad, The Great Outdoors, Bull Durham, Hairspray, Heathers, Working Girl, Midnight Run, Punchline, Twins, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Earth Girls are Easy, My Stepmother is an Alien, Mystic Pizza, Scrooged, Crocodile Dundee II, Big Top Pee-Wee, She’s Having a Baby, Short Circuit 2, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, AND…

Coming to America

Action/Thriller

Young Guns, Rambo III, Child’s Play, They Live, Frantic, The Dead Pool, Red Heat, Dead Ringers, The Vanishing, Action Jackson, Off Limits, D.O.A., Tequila Sunrise, Spellbinder, Halloween 4, Shoot to Kill, Shakedown, The Bourne Identity, Friday the 13th VII, Maniac Cop, The Presidio, Bloodsport AND…

Die Hard

Drama

Cocktail, Willow, The Accused, Dangerous Liaisons, Beaches, The Last Temptation of Christ, Evil Angels, The Accidental Tourist, Mississippi Burning, Dead Solid Perfect, Eight Men Out, And God Created Woman, Another Woman, Patty Hearst, Betrayed, Bright Lights Big City, Torch Song Trilogy, Stealing Home, The Moderns, Sweethearts Dance, Cocoon: The Return, A Summer Story, Running on Empty, Bird, Stand and Deliver, Colors, Gorillas in the Mist, AND…

Rain Man

The 61st Academy Awards

Best Actor

Gene Hackman, Mississippi Burning
Tom Hanks, Big
Edward James Olmos, Stand and Deliver
Max von Sydow, Pelle the Conquerer
Dustin Hoffman, Rain Man – Winner

It was Dustin Hoffman’s second Oscars win after Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980 out of 7 nominations.

Best Supporting Actor

Alec Guinness, Little Dorrit
Martin Landau, Tucker The Man and His Dream
River Phoenix, Running on Empty
Dean Stockwell, Married to the Mob
Kevin Kline, A Fish Called Wanda – Winner

Kline is 1-for-1 at the Oscars

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Dangerous Liaisons
Melanie Griffith, Working Girl
Meryl Streep, A Cry in the Dark
Sigourney Weaver, Gorillas in the Mist
Jodie Foster, The Accused – Winner

Of 4 nominations, this was Jodie Fosters first of 2 Oscar wins.

Best Supporting Actress

Joan Cusack, Working Girl
Frances McDormand, Mississippi Burning
Michelle Pfeiffer, Dangerous Liaisons
Sigourney Weaver, Working Girl
Geena Davis, The Accidental Tourist – Winner

Geena Davis has won 1 out of 2 nominations, the second for Thelma and Louise.

Best Picture

The Accidental Tourist
Dangerous Liaisons
Mississippi Burning
Working Girl
Rain Man – Winner

Rain Man won 4 of the 8 Academy Awards it was nominated for, including Best Director and Best Writing.

Music

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Music

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

01. “Faith” – George Michael

02. “Need You Tonight” – INXS

03. “Got My Mind Set On You” – George Harrison

04. “Never Gonna Give You Up” – Rick Astley

05. “Sweet Child o’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses

06. “So Emotional” – Whitney Houston

07. “Heaven is a Place on Earth” – Belinda Carlisle

08. “Could’ve Been” – Tiffany

09. “Hands to Heaven” – Breathe

10. “Roll with It” – Steve Winwood

11. “One More Try” – George Michael

12. “Wishing Well” – Terrence Trent D’Arby

13. “Anything For You” – Gloria Estefan

14. “The Flame” – Cheap Trick

15. “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car” – Billy Ocean

16. “Seasons Change” – Expose

17. “Is This Love” – Whitesnake

18. “Wild, Wild West” – The Escape Club

19. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Def Lepard

20. “I’ll Always Love You” – Taylor Dayne

21. “Man in the Mirror” – Michael Jackson

22. “Shake Your Love” – Debbie Gibson

23. “Simply Irresistible” – Robert Palmer

24. “Hold On To The Nights” – Richard Marx

25. “Hungry Eyes” – Eric Carmen

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders:

Offensive

Average: Wade Boggs (BOS) – .366

Hits: Kirby Pucket (MIN) – 234

Home Runs: Jose Canseco (OAK) – 42

RBI: Jose Canseco (OAK) – 124

OPS: Wade Boggs (BOS) – .965

Stolen Bases: Rickey Henderson (NYY) – 93

Pitching

Wins: Frank Viola (MIN) – 24

ERA: Joe Magrane (STL) – 2.18

Strikeouts: Roger Clemens (BOS) – 291

Complete Games: Danny Jackson (CIN) & Orel Hershiser (LAD) – 15

Shutouts: Orel Hershiser (LAD) & Roger Clemens (BOS) – 8

Saves: Dennis Eckersley (OAK) – 45

MVP

AL – Jose Canseco (OAK)

NL – Kirk Gibson (LAD)

CY Young

AL – Frank Viola (MIN)

NL – Orel Hershiser (LAD)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Walt Weiss (OAK)

NL – Chris Sabo (CIN)

World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics (4-1)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(1) Oklahoma, (1) Arizona, (2) Duke and (6) Kansas

National Championship

(6) Kansas over (1) Oklahoma 83-79

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Michael Jordan (CHI) – 35.0

Rebounds Per Game: Michael Cage (LAC) – 13.0

Assists Per Game: John Stockton (UTAH) – 13.8

All-NBA Team

Charles Barkley (PHI)

Larry Bird (BOS)

Magic Johnson (LAL)

Michael Jordan (CHI)

Hakeem Olajuwon (HOU)

MVP – Michael Jordan (CHI)

Rookie of the Year – Mark Jackson (NY)

NBA Finals

Los Angeles Lakers over Detroit Pistons (4-3)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy: Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State)

National Championship

Notre Dame over West Virginia 34-21 in the Fiesta Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Dan Marino (MIA) – 4,434

Passing Touchdowns: Jim Everett (LAR) – 31

Passer Rating: Boomer Esiason (CIN) – 97.4

Rush Yards: Eric Dickerson (IND) – 1,659

Rush Touchdowns: Greg Ball (LAR) – 16

Receiving Yards: Henry Ellard (LAR) – 1,414

Receiving Touchdowns: Mark Clayton (MIA) – 14

Receptions: Al Toon (NYJ) – 93

AP MVP: Boomer Esiason

Super Bowl XXIII

San Francisco 49ers over Cincinnati Bengals 20-16

Hockey

League Leaders

Goal: Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 70

Assists: Wayne Gretzky (EDM) – 109

Points: Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 168

Hart Memorial Trophy: Mario Lemieux (PIT)

Stanley Cup

Edmonton Oilers over Boston Bruins (4-0)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2006

2005

1999

1998

1992

1989

1987

7 Comments Posted on July 9, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 1999

As we waited to see what would happen when Y2K hit…

The Sopranos debuted on HBO.
President Bill Clinton was acquitted in impeachment proceedings.
Sega Dreamcast was released in North America,
George Harrison was attacked at his home in Friar Park.
Wilt Chamberlain passed away at the age of 63.

And here’s what happened in the worlds of Movies, Music, and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

American Pie, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 10 Things I Hate About You, Notting Hill, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Being John Malkovich, She’s All That, Big Daddy, Galaxy Quest, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, Never Been Kissed, Dogma, Stuart Little, Blue Streak, Analyze This, Jawbreaker, Bowfinger, Dick, Idle Hands, Mystery Men, Life, Drive Me Crazy, EDtv, Detroit Rock City, The Bachelor, Superstar, AND…

Office Space

Action/Thriller

The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, Three Kings, The Boondock Saints, End of Days, Deep Blue Sea, The Insider, Universal Soldier: The Return, A Murder of Crows, 8mm, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Double Jeopardy, Instinct, The Bone Collector, The World is Not Enough, The Ninth Gate, Arlington Road, Chill Factor, True Crime, Payback, Resurrection, Stigmata, The Mod Squad, Entrapment, The Astronaut’s Wife, The Rage: Carrie 2, AND…

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Drama

Fight Club, American Beauty, Eyes Wide Shut, Bicentennial Man, Boys Don’t Cry, Anna and the King, Girl Interrupted, Animal Farm, 200 Cigarettes, The Virgin Suicides, October Sky, Great Expectations, Onegin, Flawless, The Hurricane, Brokedown Palace, Magnolia, Cruel Intentions, Random Hearts, All About My Mother, The Winslow Boy, Varsity Blues, The Cider House Rules, The Deep End of the Ocean, Tuesdays with Morrie, Black and White, AND…

The Green Mile

The 72nd Academy Awards

Best Actor

Russell Crowe, The Insider
Richard Farnsworth, The Straight Story
Sean Penn, Sweet and Lowdown
Denzel Washington, The Hurricane
Kevin Spacey, American Beauty – Winner

(Spacey’s 2nd Oscar. First was Best Supporting Actor in 1996 for The Usual Suspects)

Best Supporting Actor

Michael Clarke Duncan, The Green Mile
Jude Law, The Talented Mr. Ripley
Haley Joel Osment, The Sixth Sense
Tom Cruise, Magnolia
Michael Caine, The Cider House Rules – Winner

(Caine’s 2nd win out of 6 nominations.)

Best Actress

Annette Benning, American Beauty
Janet McTeer, Tumbleweeds
Julianne Moore, The End of the Affair
Meryl Streep, Music of the Heart
Hilary Swank, Boys Don’t Cry – Winner

(This was Swank’s first of two Oscar nominations and awards.)

Best Supporting Actress

Toni Collette, The Sixth Sense
Catherine Keener, Being John Malkovich
Samantha Morton, Sweet and Lowdown
Chloe Sevigny, Boys Don’t Cry
Angelina Jolie, Girl Interrupted – Winner

(Jolie has also won the Humanitarian Academy Award in 2014)

Best Picture

The Cider House Rules
The Green Mile
The Insider
The Sixth Sense
American Beauty – Winner

(American Beauty won 5 of the 8 Oscars it was nominated for.)

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

01. “Believe” – Cher

02. “No Scrubs” – TLC

03. “Angel of Mine” – Monica

04. “Heartbreak Hotel” – Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price

05. “…Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears

06. “Kiss Me” – Sixpence None the Richer

07. “Genie in a Bottle” – Christina Aguilera

08. “Every Morning” – Sugar Ray

09. “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” – Deborah Cox

10. “Livin’ la Vida Loca” – Ricky Martin

11. “Where My Girls At?” – 702

12. “If You Had My Love” – Jennifer Lopez

13. “Slide” – Goo Goo Dolls

14. “Have You Ever?” – Brandy

15. “I Want It That Way” – Backstreet Boys

16. “I’m Your Angel” – Celine Dion and R. Kelly

17. “All Star” – Smash Mouth

18. “Angel” – Sarah McLachlan

19. “Smooth” – Santana featuring Rob Thomas

20. “Unpretty” – TLC

21. “Bills, Bills, Bills” – Destiny’s Child

22. “Save Tonight” – Eagle-Eye Cherry

23. “Last Kiss” – Pearl Jam

24. “Fortunate” – Maxwell

25. “All I Have to Give” – Backstreet Boys

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders:

Offensive

Average: Larry Walker (COL) – .379

Hits: Derek Jeter (NYY) – 219

Home Runs: Mark McGwire (STL) – 65

RBI: Manny Ramirez (CLE) – 165

OPS: Larry Walker (COL) – 1.168

Stolen Bases: Tony Womack (AZ)

Pitching

Wins: Pedro Martinez (BOS) – 23

ERA: Pedro Martinez (BOS) – 2.07

Strikeouts: Randy Johnson (AZ) – 364

Complete Games: Randy Johnson (AZ) – 12

Shutouts: Scott Erickson (BAL) & Andy Ashby (SD) – 3

Saves: Mariano Rivera (NYY) – 45

MVP

AL – Ivan Rodriguez (TEX)

NL – Chipper Jones (ATL)

CY Young

AL – Pedro Martinez (BOS)

NL – Randy Johnson (AZ)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Carlos Beltran (KC)

NL – Scott Williamson (CIN)

World Series

New York Yankees sweep Atlanta Braves (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(1) Duke, (1) Michigan State, (4) Ohio State and (1) UConn

National Championship:

(1) UConn over (1) Duke 77-74

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Allen Iverson (PHI) – 26.8

Rebounds Per Game: Chris Webber (SAC) – 13.0

Assists Per Game: Jason Kidd (PHX) – 10.8

All-NBA Team

Tim Duncan (SA)

Allen Iverson (PHI)

Jason Kidd (PHX)

Karl Malone (UTAH)

Alonzo Mourning (MIA)

MVP – Karl Malone (UTAH)

Rookie of the Year – Vince Carter (TOR)

NBA Finals

San Antonio Spurs over New York Knicks (4-1)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy:

Ron Dayne (Wisconsin)

National Championship

(1) Florida State over (2) Virginia Tech 46-29 in the Sugar Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Steve Beuerlein (CAR) – 4,436

Passing Touchdowns: Kurt Warner (STL) – 41

Passer Rating: Kurt Warner (STL) – 109.2

Rushing Yards: Edgerrin James (IND) – 1,553

Rushing Touchdowns: Stephen Davis (WAS) – 17

Receiving Yards: Marvin Harrison (IND) – 1,663

Receiving Touchdowns: Cris Carter (MIN) – 13

Receptions: Jimmy Smith (JAX) – 116

AP MVP: Kurt Warner (STL)

Super Bowl XXXIV

St. Louis Rams over Tennessee Titans 23-16

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Teemu Selanne (ANA) – 47

Assists: Jaromir Jagr (PIT) – 83

Points: Jaromir Jagr (PIT) – 127

Hart Memorial Trophy: Jaromir Jagr (PIT)

Stanley Cup

Dallas Stars over Buffalo Sabres (4-2)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2006

2005

1998

1992

1989

1987

8 Comments Posted on July 2, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 2005

Looking back a decade ago.

Watergate whistleblower “Deep Throat” was revealed to be former FBI Associate Director Mark Felt.
Pope John Paul II passed away, Pope Benedict XVI succeeded him.
YouTube is launched. First video is uploaded April 23rd at 8:27 PM ET.
“Live 8”, 10 simultaneous concerts around the world, took place featuring more than 1,000 artists broadcasted on 182 TV networks and 2,000 radio stations.
Actor John Spencer passed away at the age of 58.

And here’s what we saw from the world’s of Movies, Music, and Sports

Movies

Comedy

The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, Hitch, The Longest Yard, The Pacifier, Bewitched, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Fun with Dick and Jane, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, Fever Pitch, Waiting, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Just Like Heaven, Guess Who, The Duke’s of Hazzard, The Man, The Ringer, Kicking and Screaming, Rumor Has It, A Lot Like Love, Be Cool, and…

Thank You For Smoking

(starring Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg’s doppleganger)

Action/Thriller

Batman Begins, Lord of War, Harsh Times, Saw II, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Island, Hostage, V for Vendetta, Flightplan, The Interpreter, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chaos, Doom, Red Eye, The Descent, Into the Blue, Assault on Precinct 13, War of the Worlds, Hostel, The Cave, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Four Brothers, Transporter 2, Serenity, Elektra, Stay, Hide and Seek, Hard Candy, The Skeleton Key, The Devil’s Rejects, Domino, House of Wax, Revolver, and…

Sin City

(wish the sequel was better)

Drama

Brokeback Mountain, Walk the Line, North Country, Kingdom of Heaven, Pride and Prejudice, The New World, Capote, The Constant Gardner, A History of Violence, The Family Stone, Coach Carter, Proof, Derailed, Cinderella Man, Elvis, Munich, The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio, Green Street Hooligans, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Squid and the Whale, The Jacket, An Unfinished Life, The Proposition, Syriana, Archangel, Lords of Dogtown, Jarhead, and…

Good Night and Good Luck

And the Oscar goes to…

The 78th Academy Awards

Best Actor

Terrance Howard, Hustle and Flow
Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain
Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line
David Strathairn, Good Night and Good Luck
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote – Winner

Best Supporting Actor

Matt Dillon, Crash
Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man
Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain
William Hurt, A History of Violence
George Clooney, Syriana- Winner

(Clooney was also nominated twice more that night for Directing and Writing Good Night and Good Luck)

Best Actress

Judie Dench, Mrs. Henderson Presents
Felicity Huffman, Transamerica
Keira Knightly, Pride & Prejudice
Charlize Theron, North Country
Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line – Winner

Best Supporting Actress

Frances McDormand, North Country
Michelle Williams, Brokeback Mountain
Amy Adams, Junebug
Catherine Keener, Capote
Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener – Winner

Best Picture

Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Good Night and Good Luck
Munich
Crash – Winner

(Also won Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing)

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

01. “We Belong Together” – Mariah Carey

02. “Hollaback Girl” – Gwen Stefani

03. “Let Me Love You” – Mario

04. “Since U Been Gone” – Kelly Clarkson

05. “1, 2 Step” – Ciara and Missy Elliott

06. “Gold Digger” – Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx

07. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” – Green Day

08. “Candy Shop” – 50 Cent

09. “Don’t Cha” – The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes

10. “Behind These Hazel Eyes” – Kelly Clarkson

11. “Disco Inferno” – 50 Cent

12. “You and me” – Lifehouse

13. “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” – Black Eyed Peas

14. “Lose Control” – Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop

15. “Shake It Off” – Mariah Carey

16. “Mr. Brightside” – The Killers

17. “Just a Lil Bit” – 50 Cent

18. “Pon de Replay” – Rihanna

19. “How We Do” – The Game featuring 50 Cent

20. “Beverly Hills” – Weezer

21. “Oh” – Ciara featuring Ludacris

22. “Lonely No More” – Rob Thomas

23. “Drop It Like It’s Hot” – Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell

24. “Hate It or Love It” – The Game featuring 50 Cent

25. “Lovers & Friends” – Lil Jon featuring Usher and Ludacris

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders:

Offensive

Average: Derek Lee (CHC) – .335

Hits: Michael Young (TEX) – 221

Home Runs: Andruw Jones (ATL) – 51

RBI: David Ortiz (BOS) – 148

OPS: Derek Lee (CHC) – 1.080

Stolen Bases: Chone Figgins (LAA) – 62

Pitching

Wins: Dontrelle Willis (FLA) – 22

ERA: Roger Clemens (HOU) – 1.87

Strikeouts: Johan Santana (MIN) – 238

Complete Games: Dontrelle Willis (FLA) & Chris Carpenter (STL) – 7

Shutouts: Dontrelle Willis (FLA) – 5

Saves: Chad Cordero (WSH) – 47

MVP

AL – Alex Rodriguez (NYY)

NL – Albert Pujols (STL)

CY Young

AL – Bartolo Colon (LAA)

NL – Chris Carpenter (STL)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Huston Street (OAK)

NL – Ryan Howard (PHI)

World Series:

Chicago White Sox sweep Houston Astros (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(1) Illinois, (4) Louisville, (1) North Carolina and (5) Michigan State

National Championship:

(1) North Carolina over (1) Illinois 75-70

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Allen Iverson (PHI) – 30.7

Rebounds Per Game: Kevin Garnett (MIN) – 13.5

Assists Per Game: Steve Nash (PHX) – 11.5

All-NBA Team

Tim Duncan (SA)

Allen Iverson (PHI)

Steve Nash (PHX)

Dirk Nowitzki (DAL)

Shaquille O’Neal (MIA)

MVP: Steve Nash (PHX)

Rookie of the Year: Emeka Okafor (CHA)

NBA Finals

San Antonio Spurs over Detroit Pistons (4-3)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy:

Reggie Bush (USC)

National Championship

(2) Texas over (1) USC 41-38 in the Rose Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Tom Brady (NE) – 4,110

Passing Touchdowns: Carson Palmer (CIN) – 32

Passer Rating: Peyton Manning (IND) – 104.1

Rushing Yards: Shaun Alexander (SEA) – 1,880

Rushing TD: Shaun Alexander (SEA) – 27

Receiving Yards: Steve Smith (CAR) – 1,563

Receiving Touchdowns: Marvin Harrison (IND) & Steve Smith (CAR) – 12

Receptions: Larry Fitzgerald (AZ) & Steve Smith (CAR) – 103

AP MVP: Shaun Alexander (SEA)

Super Bowl XL

Pittsburgh Steelers over Seattle Seahawks 21-10

Hockey

Sorry Hockey fans…

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2006

1998

1992

1989

1987

1 Comment Posted on May 14, 2015May 25, 2015 Movies, sports

Sports Crazies: Who Belongs in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’?

It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?

The early reviews are in on ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ and it sounds like every synonym that applies to “epic”. The post-apocalyptic franchise returns after the last film hit theaters 30 years ago with a new leading man (the VERY MAD Tom Hardy) and a setting that gives zero F-words to the original timeline. However, it’s directed by George Miller, who created this mad world, so any worry of integrity and fears of Hollywood reboots can be set aside.

In the REAL WORLD, our professional sports universe is filled with all walks of life. Good guys, bad guys, heroes, cheaters…gentlemen & ladies, scumbags and…I don’t even know.

Here, we are going to focus on the CRAZIES in pro sports. Not necessarily the guys you would qualify as “bad guys”, but more of the unhinged, whacky, screw-loose variety…And Monty Williams.

One more time for Monty Williams and the GREATEST GIF OF ALL TIME pic.twitter.com/YB4LG3wSmM

— Mike Piff (@Mike_PiFF03) May 12, 2015

MLB

Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers

Just one home run away from the 400 club, a 4-time All-Star, an MVP runner-up in 2004, stats comparable to Dave Parker, Al Kaline, and Eddie Murray (according to Baseball Reference)…Adrian Beltre is all of these, but he’s also a ticking time bomb. It’s been thoroughly documented on that Beltre hates when people touch his head, yet his teammates and opponents continue to do it. If you ask me, he is one Elvis Andrus prank away form yelling “BELTRE SMASH!”

Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals

Bryce Harper is a hot item these days and likely will be for quite a while. He made it into our Mad Men of MLB list a month ago, but the home run “hair flip” keeps the momentum going. Not only is he hitting out of his mind (12 HRs, 31 RBIs, 1.119 OPS in 35 games), he’s challenging umpires to Thunderdome too…Okay not exactly, but bat flips and hair flips will get it done.

NBA

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Russell. Is. Crazy.…And he’s crazy good. Had his team made the playoffs, Westbrook could and probably should have been the NBA’s MVP this season. He earned the NBA’s scoring title by averaging 28.1 points per game, recorded 11 triple-doubles, yet none of it mattered to him…

Russell Westbrook's full quote on what the scoring title means to him: pic.twitter.com/aiHOragF2h

— Royce Young (@royceyoung) April 16, 2015

On top of the accolades and establishing himself as not the Robin to Kevin Durant’s “Batman” (he’s more Superman, or a second Batman), he has no regard for his own safety…and it’s entertaining as hell.

DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings

This description comes from Boogie’s scouting report from Jonathan Wasserman before he was drafted from Kentucky in 2010.

“Cousins’ lack of maturity and mental focus is evident in his negative body language and lack of composure … He tends to lose his head, looking disinterested or frustrated if things don’t go his way. Also does not appear receptive to coaching, tuning out his coaches when they attempt to give him advice on the bench …”

Since then, the 5th overall pick has averaged a double-double with 18.9 points and 12.4 rebounds per game, was named an NBA All-Star this past season, and was a member of last summer’s FIBA Champion Team USA squad….and he’ll also be the “Blaster” to any of his teammates’ “Master”.

…and you don’t want to get in Boogie Blaster’s way.

NFL

Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys

When you get a FOX Sports camera basically dedicated to your every movement on the sidelines, you probably deserve a mention in this post…As the Dallas Cowboys continue the all-time worst PR roster this year, Dez Bryant remains a figure of intrigue while he accepts the team’s franchise tag. Bryant was the center of rumors that seemed to gain steam in the winter regarding a video that was said to have made Ray Rice look like a choir boy. It remained just a rumor though…Bryant hasn’t signed his tender yet but once he does, the Cowboys sidelines will remain much anticipated theater.

Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears

Martellus Bennett is a different kind of cat, to say the least…He’s not demonstrative like Bryant, but he certainly is out there. It’s very cool how in-touch he is with his creative side. He’s into animation, writing children’s stories and challenges his Twitter following to open their imaginations…That odd side doesn’t necessarily translate to the field, but more so off the field in front of the local media. When he was first introduced to Chicago after signing his current contract, he asked to be referred to as “The Black Unicorn”, the “Orange Dinosaur”, and “Martysaurus Rex”…But don’t mistake his fun and soft side as weakness, Rookies…

NHL

Andrew Shaw, Chicago Blackhawks

Really you could apply this post to EVERYONE in the NHL. Guys pull their teeth out during games just to get comfortable. Fighting is legal. Reporters on the ice get hit with pucks, bleed, and shake it off to keep doing their jobs…

In anticipation of the Western Conference Finals coming up, we’ll go with the scrappiest (and craziest) guy you’ll see on the ice, Andrew Shaw. The 5’11, 23 year-old forward isn’t afraid to mix it up with anyone, anywhere…even from the bench. The fact that he sold his bloody stitches from the last Stanley Cup Finals he won for charity should be enough to qualify him as Fury Road material.

Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins

If the Mad Max franchise has provided anything, it’s a litany of freaks and things of the unimaginable. Fury Road sounds no different, so why not include the NHL’s most impressive circus attraction…Zdeno Chara. Chara is 6’9 without skates and carries a very heavy stick, but apparently the Slovak skater also grew up in a castle that housed history’s most infamous female serial killer. So there’s THAT the next time Chara comes barreling into you on skates.