Sports Quotes of the Year: 2015

Quote of the Year: "Just give me two hours, and you're going to have 50, 60, 70 years of memories. Two hours, can you sacrifice, and reach down and give me two hours, so that you can have a lifetime of memories for you, your family, your kids and your kids' kids? That's the memories I'm talking about!"
-Tom Izzo

Quote of the Year (runner up): "A Cespedis for the rest of us"?
-Jerry Seinfeld

And the rest...
“Because Michael, face it -- the guy was basically average in terms of size, strength, speed, jumping ability, all the things that you seem to think make a great player.”
-Bill Walton on Michael Jordan

 “Don’t cry.”
-Rhonda Rousey to Bethe Correia after knocking her out

"Our goal was to come in here and make the 'Red Rifle' look like a Red Ryder BB gun, and I think we did that.”
-JJ Watt on Andy Dalton

"My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it's time to say goodbye."
-Kobe Bryant

"In short, Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life either by an honest acceptance by him of his wrongdoing, so clearly established by the Dowd Report, or by a rigorous, self-aware and sustained program of avoidance by him of all the circumstances that led to his permanent ineligibility in 1989. Absent such credible evidence, allowing him to work in the game presents an unacceptable risk of a future violation by him of Rule 21, and thus to the integrity of our sport. I, therefore, must reject Mr. Rose's application for reinstatement."
 -Rob Manfred

Top 10 Sports movies

1. Hoosiers (1986)
2. Rocky (1976)
3. Field of Dreams (1989)
4. Cinderella Man (2005)
5. The Natural (1984)
6. Slap Shot (1977)
7. Bull Durham (1988)
8. Caddyshack (1980)
9. Eight Men Out (1988)
10. Brian's Song (1971)

Quotes of the Month: March 2014

Pretentious quote of the month: "We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and co-parent, we will be able to continue in the same manner."


-Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

Stupid Quote of the Month: "Maybe I should offer a good thanks to the distinguished members of the majority, the Republicans, my chairman and others, for giving us an opportunity to have a deliberative constitutional discussion that reinforces the sanctity of this nation and how well it is that we have lasted some 400 years, operating under a Constitution that clearly defines what is constitutional and what is not."

-Sheila Jackson Lee
 And the rest...

"Putin's playing chess, we're playing marbles."

-Congressman Mike Rogers
"When Aretha first told us what R-S-P-E-C-T meant to her, she had no idea it would become a rallying cry for African Americans, and women, and then everyone who felt marginalized because of what they looked like or who they loved."
-Barack Obama


"Anytime you play your profession and you end up hung — not by the neck, but by the rafters — it’s a great honor."

-Ted Lindsay


"I don’t want to be lectured by a traitor who speaks from a land that doesn’t have a constitution, or had one and it was entirely eviscerated by a thug who has just invaded another land."

– Charles Krauthammer



"All right, good night."


-Last words from the missing Malaysian airliner


"Our Western partners headed by the United States prefer not to be guided by international law in their practical policies, but by the rule of the gun. They have come to believe in their exceptionalism and their sense of being the chosen ones. That they can decide the destinies of the world, that it is only them who can be right."


-Vladimir Putin
"It's as though they've raped college basketball in my opinion."
-Bob Knight on one and dones

Greatest Detroit Sports Moment #11: 007 (1990)

Detroit and Portland were tied at 90 with 20.1 seconds to go in Game 5 of the 1990 NBA Finals. Vinnie Johnson sank the GW hoop with 0.07 seconds to go to propel Detroit to their second straight championship. I was at Palacevision for the game and witnessed the shot with 19,000 of my closest friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTs3ZoGYXXY


Greatest Moments #11-15:

11. 007 (1990)
12. The Dez: 4th and a ft vs. ND (1991)
13. 3-1 comeback vs. Toronto (Bro-phy!) (1987)
14. Probert- Coxe (1987)
15. Barry Sanders

Every Champ Every Sport: 1971-2010 Part IV

Post 4 of 5:

Three Time Champions:

Cincinnati Reds-3 (1975-76, 1990)

Detroit Pistons-3 (1989-90, 2004)

Florida Gator Football-3 (1996, 2006, 2008)

Indiana Hoosier Basketball-3 (1976, 1981, 1987)

Kentucky Basketball-3 (1978, 1996, 1998)

New England Patriots-3 (2001, 2003-04)

New Jersey Devils-3 (1995, 2000, 2003)

New York Giants- 3 (1986, 1990, 2007)

Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders-3 (1976, 1980, 1983)

Pittsburgh Penguins-3 (1991-2, 2009)

Washington Redskins-3 (1982, 1987, 1991)

Four Time Champions:

Detroit Red Wings- 4 (1997-8, 2002, 2008)

Duke Basketball-4 (1991-2, 2001, 2010)

Nebraska Cornhuskers Football-4 (1971, 1994-5, 1997)

New York Islanders-4 (1980-3)

North Carolina Basketball-4 (1982, 1993, 2005, 2009)

Notre Dame Football-3 (1973, 1977, 1988)

Oakland A’s-4 (1972-74, 1989)

Oklahoma Sooner Football-4 (1974-5, 1985, 2000)

San Antonio Spurs-4 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007)

UCLA Bruins Basketball-4 (1972-3, 1975, 1995)

Every Champion Every Sport: 1971-2010 Part III

Post 3 of 5

Teams with 2 Titles:

Boston Red Sox- 2 (2004, 2007)

Colorado Avalanche-2 (1996, 2001)

U Conn Basketball-2 (1999, 2004)

Denver Broncos-2 (1997-98)

Florida Basketball-2 (2006-07)

Florida Marlins- 2 (1997, 2003)

Florida State Seminoles Football-2 (1993, 1999)

Houston Rockets-2 (1994-5)

Kansas Basketball-2 (1988, 2008)

Los Angeles Dodgers-2 (1981, 1988)

Louisville Basketball-2 (1980, 1986)

LSU Tigers Football-2 (2003, 2007)

Miami Dolphins-2 (1972-3)

Michigan State Basketball-2 (1979, 2000)

Minnesota Twins- 2 (1987, 1991)

NC State Basketball-2 (1974, 1983)

Penn State Nitny Lions Football-2 (1982, 1986)

Philadelphia Flyers-2 (1974-5)

Philadelphia Phillies- 2 (1980, 2008)

Pittsburgh Pirates-2 (1971, 1979)

St Louis Cardinals- 2 (1982, 2006)

Toronto Blue Jays- 2 (1992-93)

Every Championship Team-Every Sport 1971-2010

I thought this might be fun to put together. This is the first of five posts. It is every team to have won a title in the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, NCAA Football, and NCAA Basketball from October, 1971-2010 (or since I was born)...There are some interesting entries.

Here is the first group of Champions: Those with One title by city (letter M-Z).  I plan to post the remainder of the one time champs tomorrow.

Marquette Basketball-1 (1977)

Maryland Basketball-1 (2002)

Miami Heat-1 (2006)

Michigan Basketball-1 (1989)

Michigan Football-1 (1997)

New Orleans Saints-1 (2009)

New York Knicks- 1 (1973)

New York Mets- 1 (1986)

New York Rangers-1 (1994)

Ohio State Buckeye Football-1 (2002)

Philadelphia 76ers-1 (1983)

Pitt Panther Football-1 (1976)

Portland Trail Blazers-1 (1977)

St. Louis Rams- 1 (1999)

Seattle Supersonics-1 (1978)

Syracuse Basketball-1 (2003)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers-1 (2002)

Tampa Bay Lightning-1 (2004)

Tennessee Volunteers Football (1998)

Texas Longhorn Football-1 (2005)

UNLV Basketball-1 (1990)

Villanova Basketball-1 (1985)

Washington Bullets (1978)

Washington Huskies Football-1 (1991)

All Time NBA Team

G- Magic Johnson
G- Michael Jordan
C- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
F- Larry Bird
F- Julius Erving

C- Bill Russell, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain

G- Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Bob Cousy, Isiah Thomas, Dave Bing, Kobe Bryant

F- Tim Duncan, John Havelcek, Bob Petite, Willis Reed, George Mikan, James Worthy

Coach: Red Auerbach

NBA's Greatest Games by Decade

1940s: Philadelphia Warriors: 83 Chicago Stags: 80 (April 22, 1947) BAA Championship: The first pro basketball championship series. Warriors won Game 5 by a score of 83-80 to win the series.


1950s: Fort Wayne Pistons:19 Minneapolis Lakers: 18 (November 22, 1950): This was the lowest scoring game in NBA history. The Pistons held the ball as long as possible to prevent the Lakers from blowing them out. Shot clock anyone?

1960s: Philadelphia Warriors: 169 New York Knicks: 147 (March 2, 1962): Chamberlain drops 100.

1970s: Boston Celtics: 128 Phoenix Suns: 126 (3OT) Game 5 NBA Finals (June 4, 1976): The series was tied 2-2. The Celtics took a huge lead, but lost it. The game featured three overtimes, controversial calls, and strangeness with the game clock. Boston won the game and then the title in Game 6.

1980s: Detroit Pistons: 186 Denver Nuggets: 184 (December 13, 1983): During the NBA’s glory years, the Pistons outscored the Nuggets in the highest scoring affair in history. Twelve players scored in double digits, six scored over 20, and four hit for more than 40. Nearly 30 years later, it remains the highest scoring game in NBA history.

1990s: Chicago Bulls: 90 Utah Jazz: 88 (Game 5 NBA Finals) The Flu Game (June 11, 1997): Michael Jordan had the flu and finished with 38 while playing 44 minutes. Karl Malone disappeared. Bulls win.

2000s: Los Angeles Lakers: 100 Sacramento Kings: 99 (Western Conference Finals Game 4): May 26, 2002: The Lakers trailed by 24 and came back to win on a Robert Horry three-point shot. This series is now marred by revelations that some NBA officials may have been in the tank.

2010s: Boston Celtics: 95 Cleveland Cavaliers: 85 (Eastern Conference Semifinals): May 13, 2010: LeBron Gone! With his crown came nothin’! At this point, LeBron James has no substance and no heart.

All-Time Detroit Pistons Squad

First Team

C- Bob Lanier (1970-1980)

F- Dave DeBusschere (1962-1969)

F- Grant Hill (1994-2000)

G- Dave Bing (1966-1975)

G- Isiah Thomas (1981-1994)

Second Team

C- Bill Laimbeer (1981-1994)

F- Kelly Tripucka (1981-1986)

F- Rick Mahorn (1985-1989)

G- Chauncey Billups (2002-2009)

G- Joe Dumars (1985-1999)

Third Team

C- Ben Wallace (2000-2006; 2009-Present)

F- Jerry Stackhouse (1997-2002)
F- Rasheed Wallace (2003-2009)

G- Richard Hamilton (2002-Present)

G- Vinnie Johnson (1981-1991)

Fourth Team

C- James Edwards (1987-1991)

F- Dennis Rodman (1986-1993)

F- John Salley (1986-1992)

G- Lindsey Hunter (1993-2000; 2003-2008)

G/F- George Yardley (1953-1959)

Coach- Chuck Daly (1983-1992)

The Greatest NCAA Basketball Games by Decade

I only went back to the sixties for this.

1960s: Texas Western: 72 Kentucky: 65 (1966): Texas Western fielded an all black starting five and knocked off #1 Kentucky led by a guy named Adolph. It was the first time a major college program started five black players in a NCAA Championship Game. Texas Western was also the first team to start five blacks in any game earlier that year.

1970s: MSU: 75 Indiana State: 64 (1979): Before Magic and Bird, NBA games were shown on tape delay at midnight and there was no March Madness or Bracketology. Then came the 1979 Championship Game and the Laker-Celtic matchups of the 80s…

1980s: NC State: 54 Houston: 52 (1983): NC State had to run the table in the ACC Tournament to make the dance. In the Championship Game, they played the high flying Phi Slama Jama Houston Cougars. The game ended with Lorenzo Charles’ dunk off an air ball thrown up by Dereck Whittenburg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH1Jt2XATgE

1990s: Duke: 104 Kentucky: 103 (1992) Elite 8: In the greatest basketball game of all time, Duke trailed Kentucky 103-102 when Christian Laettner threw up a prayer in overtime. With 2.1 seconds remaining, Grant Hill threw the ball the length of the court, Laettner caught it, pivoted, dribbled, and tossed up his shot. Duke wins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY-iq58_oz4

2000s: George Mason: 86 Uconn: 84 (2006) Elite 8: In an improbable upset, the Patriots stun the Huskies in overtime to make the Final Four. George Mason was an 11 seed. This was not only one of the great upsets, but also a portend of the trend of mid-majors beating the big boys in major collegiate sports.

Pistons Head Coaches Since 1992

Here are the Piston coaches since Chuck Daly left...

Ron Rothstein (1992-1993): The team got old and collapsed.

Don Chaney (1993-1995): The team stunk.

Doug Collins (1995-1998): No one liked Collins.

Alvin Gentry (1998-2000): Mediocre coach and mediocre team.

George Irvine (2000-2001): Who?

Rick Carlisle (2001-2003): Coach of the Year; fired for being a jerk.

Larry Brown (2003-2005): Won NBA Title and almost one a second; fired for being a diva.

Flip Saunders (2005-2008): Fired for not winning a title.

Michael Curry (2008-2009): Fired because the team stunk and Rip Hamilton did not like him.

Chuck Daly (1930-2009)

Chuck Daly was the greatest coach in Pistons' History and one of the greatest coaches in the history of Detroit sports. He got the best out of his players and even kept Dennis Rodman under control. As a result of his coaching style, Detroit won 2 Titles (1989 and 1990) and really beat those Lakers in 1988 if it weren't for a phantom call in Game 7. Daly's stylish suits earned him the nickname "Daddy Rich" from John Sally. Daly may have moved to Florida in his retirement, but he remained in Detroit in spirit. The best tribute came from Charles Barkley: "I never understood how a great man, a nice guy coached the Bad Boys."

What Does Obama Do??

He's been in office for 60 days or so and all he has accomplished is tripling the debt and play celebrity. Is he President or is he Lindsey Lohan?

So far, Obama is not like any Crisis President in history. However, he is a bit like the Roman Emperor Nero. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Historians will say Obama twittered while Rome burned.

Here's the recap:

-He attacked Rush Limbaugh

-He appeared on Jay Leno

-He approved the AIG bonuses and then decided it was a bad idea

-He spent a day with Sportscenter explaining his NCAA Brackets

-He piped in on Jessica Simpson's weight

-He finalized a book deal

-He laughed at us all on 60 Minutes


What's left for Obama to do?

-Appear on Dancing With The Stars

-Serve as a lifeline on Millionaire

-Become a contestant on American Idol

-Learn how to speak without a teleprompter (Obama without a teleprompter makes Bush look like Einstein).

The Worst Ever

The Lions wonderfully historic season got me to thinking...who are the worst teams of all time...

Well, about 10 minutes of internet surfing and I have a list.

Worst Ever Teams:
Baseball: 1899 Cleveland Spiders: 20-134
Basketball: 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers: 9-73
Football: 2008 Detroit Lions: 0-16 (1-23 from mid-season 2007)
Hockey: 1980-81 Winnipeg Jets 9-57-14


Detroit's Worst ever:
Baseball: 2003 Tigers 43-119 (1996 53-109)
Basketball: 1993-94 Detroit Pistons 20-62
Hockey: 1985-86 Red Wings 17-57-6