12.14.07

Quick Prediction

After the Patriots slice the Jets in half on Sunday, Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini will have a longing stare at the middle of the field, as Belichick screams, "WE WERE BROTHERS! AND YOU BETRAYED ME! I LOVED YOU ANNIKAN!!!!!"

The Greatest of All-Time
In my warped mind...

The term "man-crush" is thrown around all of the time now when men portray the fan-player relationship in a manner that makes people think that it might go a touch beyond the playing-field.

But unless suspected homosexuals like Mike Greenberg and Curtis Patching are doing it, I really don't think it is man-crushing most of the time. In truth, there is a relationship between a fan and a player that really doesn't have a parallel in any other place in the world. (And if you don't believe that, you clearly haven't read Roger Maris and Me.) (Sorry--an odd link, but the more reader-friendly version is no longer on the web...)

Like every sports fan, I have had my share of favorite players. Different sports, different levels and for different reasons--but I have my favorites, and I've finally decided to put it together into a list of my favorite 50.



A couple of things to note before we begin:

-The list is not based on talent, presence or the amount of time that I was a fan of theirs...it is a completely arbitrary list that seemed to make sense to me when I did it. (And I probably forgot a player or two--hell--I forgot Tombstone when I did my top 100 movies...)

-You'll notice an inordinate number of Seattle athletes (17 of the top 50) but hey--I grew up there and when you're a kid, the fandom rings deep.

-The list is actually of "Sports Figures" not necessarily of athletes...there are four coaches on the list---none higher than #41.

-I realize that some of these players played for teams other than the one listed---I'm including the team that I remember them most-fondly with.

-It is a list built by me--therefore there are some ridiculous selections...I don't think any of them are in the top 20 though...

So let's proceed...

McFly's Fifty Favorite Sports Figures of All-Time
(All-time meaning "since 1980")

Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order by first name for some reason):
Barry Bonds, Christian Okoye, Dave Henderson, Dave Stewart, Derrick McKey, Don James, Ed McCaffrey, Herman Moore, Ickey Woods, Ink Aleaga, John Rocker, Kevin Garnett, Lenny Dykstra, Lou Whitaker, Matt Scarlett, Nate Robinson, Norm Charlton, Richard Thomas, Ricky Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaumbe Wright-Fair, Terrell Davis, Vlade Divac.

50. Brad Daugherty, Cleveland Cavaliers: The late-80s Cavs with him, Ehlo and Price, were like the modern Cincinnati Bengals without the crime. Just a ton of talent and virtually no success...however...I think it is fair to say that Brad Daugherty will go down in history as the only 7', black, senior in college who is picked first in the NBA Draft that (he may be the last of those--but also) becomes the head NASCAR analyst for ESPN. That's far less-likely than Ricky Rudd covering a Clippers-Warriors game...

49. Lorenzo Romar, Washington Basketball: How could I not love the guy who brought Husky Basketball to prominence. Right on the tails of Billy Donavon as the best recruiter in the country---follow-through hasn't been fantastic as of late, but unlike his football cohort, I have no doubt that it will be again soon.

48. Brian Bosworth, Seattle Seahawks: Okay--I was nine, living in Seattle and had a flat-top. You're telling me I'm not going to be enamored with this roid junkee??

47. Rick Neuheisel, Washington Football: I just don't blame him the way that everyone else does for the collapse of Washington Football. Barbara Hedges was the reason that Washington went on probation in the mid-90s, and the reason that the program lost institutional control in the early 2000s...not Neuheisal. I think in another environment, he could have been...

46. Pete Carroll, USC Football: Lately I've been hearing of a lot of people who hate Carroll. How?? Answer me this: You're a college player about to play the most important game of your life--who would you rather have pepping you up before a game?

45. Chris Webber, Michigan Basketball: The whole Fab Five really belongs here (Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, Juwan Howard and Ray Jackson) but what Webber did in two years at Michigan was mind-blowing. Two final games of the NCAA tournament, and absolutely staggering dominance. Sure--he was making $100k a year--but he was phenomenal.

44. Greg Maddux, Atlanta Braves: After yesterday's Mitchell Report, is he now considered the best pitcher of his time? I've personally thought it all along. In the mid-90s, Damon Berryhill (catcher for the Braves) did an interview with ESPN where he said that Maddux missed on one pitch a game. ONE.

43. Ryan Leaf, SuperCharger: No, I don't like Ryan Leaf. But have I ever mentioned how my father and I quarrel about all-things-sports? We could be looking at a picture with a guy with a helmet, a Yankees uniform and a bat in his hands, and one of us would argue that he is a football player---we just absolutely don't agree about sports. Well--our biggest argument ever came in the spring of 1998 when the football world on the whole was arguing who should be the first pick in the NFL Draft, Peyton Manning or Leaf. My dad was so adamant that Leaf would become a better quarterback than Manning that I'm pretty sure he bet my college education on it. Regardless...I'm pretty sure I won that one...

42. Ray Knight, New York Mets: How could I love the guy who scored to win game six of the 1986 World Series? He was (is) married to Nancy Lopez and more than once came into our house to use the telephone, as Nancy's caddie had become a friend of ours. If ANY professional athlete, particularly one of note, comes into your house when you're a kid, you pretty much start liking them.
Of course I'm pretty sure Steve Pelleur came into our house when I was a kid and for some reason that never caught on...

41. Lou Piniella, Seattle Mariners: Not only did he lead the Mariners during a phenomenal run that happened to coincide with my testicles dropping, he also once got in a fight with his own player (who happened to be Rob Dibble) while he was coaching for the Reds.

40. Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers: Complete bandwagon move here. But who cares--I'll fight anyone to the death if they say John Elway is better than him...

39. Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets: Do you remember Hakeem? (Or Akeem for that matter?) He might be the second-best player of my lifetime (to Michael Jordan) and yet there are probably twenty players that get more hype than him. Completely ridiculous. He won the 1994 and 1995 NBA Championships BY HIMSELF.

38. Kyle Maloy, UPS Football: Some people will argue that Lawrence Taylor would have had better numbers than Kyle had he played in the NWC---but to my knowledge Lawrence Taylor never fought Mitch (F-ing) Williams...

37. Bret Boone, Seattle Mariners: My only commentary on the Mitchell Report: HOW IN THE NAME OF HOLY GOD DID BRET BOONE MANAGE TO AVOID THE LIST???

36. Lance Armstrong, Cycling: How could I leave off the person that has brought me more victories in arguments over the past five years than any other person? He is absolutely my least-favorite sports figure of all-time, and for good reason: He's a cheating, heartless, family-bastardizing, Dr. Pepper drinking sissy.

35. Billy Joe Hobart, Washington Football: I don't have time for research tonight---but I'm about 99% certain that he's the only quarterback in NCAA history with an undefeated record and a National Championship under his belt.

34. Billy Ripken, Baltimore Orioles: Want to make this list next time I publish it? Get a baseball card published with "F*CK FACE" on the end of your bat. (Except without editing.)

33. Laphonso Ellis, Denver Nuggets: NBA Live 95 forever changed the way that video games were played. It was the fastest, smoothest-running game that had ever been created for the Sega Genesis. I could beat anyone at this game at any time, and not because I was inherently more skilled at video games than anyone else--but instead because I had the knowledge that Laphonso Ellis was BY FAR the best player on that game. He was as fast as anyone, could shoot outside, and had a two-hand dunk inside of ten feet that couldn't be stopped---and not only that---he could play a full game. Once my friend Tobin and I played to see who would get shotgun for our ride home from a vacation. We had a full draft, assembling two teams of 12...but he got the first pick and took Laphonso because I'd dominated him with him so many times. Despite that, I was up by 30 points in the first quarter (off of ten or so threes by Reggie Miller and Rodney Rogers). Tobin somehow convinced me to switch teams and see if I could come back.

I was ahead by the end of the third quarter.
(I commend anyone who read that whole thing.)

32. Dennis Rodman, Chicago Bulls: When he wasn't shrooming, he was the best defensive player of my lifetime. He always claimed that if he got 40 rebounds in a game, he would leave the court naked and retire. I'm shocked he never pulled it off.

31. John Rocker, Atlanta Braves: Not only was he my pledge name, he also secured his place in Baseball Asshole Hell when the Mitchell Report came out yesterday...

30. Jim McMahon, Chicago Bears: When I was living in Denver, a friend of mine invited me to join him for a Kenny Rogers concert, and the party for the dedication to John Elway's Hall of Fame induction that preceded it. Walking around were Johnny Bench, Terrell Davis, Chris Berman, Elway and many others...my friend was absolutely STAR-STRUCK. I was relatively calm. Then Jim McMahon walked by. I lost it. I grabbed my buddy's camera, jammed it into his chest and said, "GET A PICTURE OF US!" So I walk over to McMahon, and trembling, say, "Mr. McMahon--I hate to interrupt, but you were my favorite player when I was a kid--could I trouble you to pose for a picture with me?" As he reached out his hand to shake mine, I spilled an iced tea all over his shirt.
Yeah.
Really.

Needless to say, I didn't get a picture.

29. Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns: He's not only the most-likable color-man in the history of sports, he was also the best undersized forward in NBA history.

28. John Kruk, Philadelphia Phillies: Proof that out-of-shape white guys can be demigods.

27. Mark Duper, Miami Dolphins: During Monday Night Football, there were two traditions in the McFly Residence. One, "You Make the Call" was a forum for debate...and Two, my dad would play quarterback and my brother and I would take turns being Mark "Super" Duper while the other one covered them. My parents recently put hardwood in the family room, and my dad's first comment to my brother and I was, "Super Duper is going to hurt a lot more than it used to..."

26. Napoleon Kaufman, Washington Football: Best college running back I'd ever seen until #17. He ran a 4.19 40-yard-dash and could bench-press well over 500 lbs. Rumor has it, that his freshman year, when Washington won the National Championship in a tie with Miami, he tried to start a fight with the entire Miami team...WHILE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

25-22. Enter the "I like these guys despite everyone else hating them because they're absolutely the best at what they do and despite being over-played, don't get enough credit..."

Peyton Manning

Derek Jeter

Randy Moss

Kobe Bryant

21. Randy Johnson, Seattle Mariners: I still tear-up when I see film of him coming out of the bullpen to win game 5 of the 1995 ALCS. The most dominant season by a pitcher in my lifetime...an absolute STUD.

20. Mark Brunell, Washington Football: Somehow he's one of only two UW quarterbacks who made the list--but he's the best leader I've ever seen at UW. People are setting ridiculous standards for Jake Locker right now...if he had a college (and pro) career as good as Mark Brunell, it would be fantastic.

19. Bill Buckner, Boston Red Sox: Pretty well coincides with #9, but when I was young, I used to copy my older brother--like every other younger brother in the world. Difference being that I wouldn't DIRECTLY copy him. With the Red Sox, he liked Jim Rice--so I liked Buckner. Check out his stats--it is an absolute sham that he isn't in the Hall of Fame. You're telling me that one slip-up by a player who had practically carried his team to the World Series that year is enough to keep him out of the Hall of Fame? Ridiculous.

18. Ron Gant, Atlanta Braves: I think everyone picked a player off of the 1991 Braves team...Gant was mine. A five-tool guy who turned into the 90s biggest disappearing act (save Britney's virginity...)

17. Reggie Bush, USC: The best college football player I've ever seen. (The Fresno State game his Junior year alone sealed that forever.) And now he is a substandard NFL running back...go figure?

16. Mario Bailey, Washington Football: Remember Desmond Howard? He is certainly the most-memorable Heisman winner of my lifetime...but an interesting fact: There was another wide receiver that year who had better statistics in every receiving statistic--and when their two teams played in the Rose Bowl, that player was so dominant that they tried to put Howard on him to cover him---and when he caught a touchdown pass over Howard's head, he did the Heisman pose in his face.

15. Brandon Roy, Washington Basketball: I think I've reached the point where I've run out of adjectives about my favorite players and have nothing for my absolute favorites. Oh well...I like Brandon Roy.

14. Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic: Remember how cool Shaq was when he came into the league? He rapped, he danced, he made jokes---it was like he had this sublime confidence that he was going to be one of the ten or fifteen best players of all-time. But for some reason, he didn't make the Dream Team in 1992 because of...

13. Christian Laettner, Duke Basketball: The best college basketball player ever. Argue all you like...you won't win.

12. John Daly, Golf: How do you not love John Daly? He's like the Kruk-effect to the thousandth degree. He's been divorced a thousand times...he's a reformed drunk who has beers in public...and above all, he's won more Major Championships than Fred Couples, Jim Furyk, David Duval, Corey Pavin, Davis Love III, Ian Woosnam, Tom Kite, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman and many more. An unworldly talent.

11. Reggie Lewis, Boston Celtics: When he died, he was pretty even with Scottie Pippen as the best small forward in the game. I absolutely loved the guy and was just sobbingly crushed when he died. At thirteen or fourteen, I was probably too old to be weeping about someone I'd never met---but again--you have a hero and you have an attachment...

10. Steve Emtman, Washington Football: The best defensive college player I've ever seen. Remember when the Colts had the top two picks and took Emtman and Quentin Coryatt?? Hard to believe that a franchise could recover from that. (Of course, Tom will insist that it was Cornelius Bennett and not Coryatt--but he also insists that Chester A. Arthur wasn't a president.)

9. Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers: Again--copied my brother a bit on this, as he was an Alan Trammell fan. Have to give credit to a guy who forgot his jersey for the All-Star game and mark-a-lotted in a number one on the jersey he bought from the in-stadium vendor...

8. Jon Brockman, Washington Basketball: My brother and I have started to send text messages about Brockman, ala Bill Braskey. Most of them are completely idiotic--but the one good one I've come up with is, "BROCKMAN once resuscitated an entire litter of puppies back to life. For his accomplishment, his father bestowed upon him the 'Brockman Medal of Honor' which is actually just a mountain lion's heart covered in thumbtacks."

7. Bo Jackson, Los Angeles Raiders/Kansas City Royals: The best athlete I've ever seen...and his autobiography, "Bo Knows Bo" (with Dick Schaap) was the first time I ever saw the F-word in print---which was really a life-changing moment...

6. Reggie Williams, Washington Football: My friend Jesse once asked me as I was screaming at the TV while Williams was scoring a touchdown whether I would go gay for Reggie Williams. Three poor years in the NFL later, I probably wouldn't...but at the time...

5. Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners: A DH in the top five? Dude--the guy not only hit .571 in the 1995 ALDS, he can also make lamps out of baseball bats.

4. Fred Couples, Golf: In the fall of 1991 into the spring of 1992, he won virtually every tournament he entered, save Corey Pavin landing a ball in the hole at the Honda Classic, but most notably the Masters. He was the number one player in the world and here's the kicker--at the time, he knew me by name.
Now--in in 2005 I ran into him at Caesar's and he has apparently forgotten my name...which may have cost him the top 3...

3. Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls: How could you be a kid in our era and not love Jordan? I mean--I guess I was 17 when he won his last title, which seems too old to be awe-struck...but he absolutely willed the Bulls to victories. The greatest competitor I've ever seen--how would you like to end up in a game of darts or pool with MJ?

2. Tiger Woods, Golf: People get ticked-off that I root for him because he is so dominant...but here is my question: HOW DO YOU NOT ROOT FOR HIM???

And to no surprise...

1. Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle Mariners: Were it not for a spat with his father that brought him to Cincinnati and a rash of injuries when he got there...the steroid era wouldn't have been nearly as painful because the best player of the generation wouldn't be under suspicion.
And you have to love the personality of a guy who is 37 but is still referred to as "The Kid."



Comments: mcflyblogs@gmail.com