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blackkudos · 5 years ago

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Tony Dorsett

Anthony Drew Dorsett (born April 7, 1954) is a former American football running back who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.

From Western Pennsylvania, Dorsett attended the nearby University of Pittsburgh, where he led the Panthers to the national title as a senior in 1976 and won the Heisman Trophy. He was the first-round draft choice of the Cowboys in 1977, the second overall selection (from Seattle). Dorsett was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and played for the team for 11 seasons, through 1987. He played for Denver the following year, then retired because of injuries. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1994) and the College Football Hall of Fame (1994).

Early years

The son of Wes and Myrtle, Dorsett grew up in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, northwest of Pittsburgh. He attended Hopewell High School, where he played football and basketball.

As a high school sophomore in 1970, Dorsett started at cornerback, as his coaches did not believe the 147-pound Dorsett was big enough to play running back, the position he played in junior high school. In 1971, a competition between Dorsett and sophomore Michael Kimbrough for the starting running back position ended after Dorsett took a screen pass 75 yards for a touchdown against Ambridge during the season opener.

Dorsett ended the year as an All-State selection after rushing for 1,034 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns, while leading the Vikings to a 9–1 season. He also remained a starting cornerback on the defensive side. In basketball Dorsett helped his team reach the WPIAL quarterfinals.

In 1972, Dorsett was again an All-state Selection, after setting a single game rushing record with 247 yards against Sharon, a single season rushing record with 1,238 yards and the career rushing record with 2,272 yards, while leading the Vikings to a 9–1 season. Dorsett was also a key player on the defensive side as one of the starting linebackers.

For all the ability he had, Dorsett could never lead his team to the WPIAL Class AA playoffs, because in those days the teams had to have an undefeated record. The team's only loss in 1971 came against Sharon after Dorsett suffered a concussion and played less than a quarter, and the only loss in 1972 came against Butler while playing on a muddy field.

At the end of his senior season, he played at the Big 33 Football Classic. This was the first time that his future coach Johnny Majors saw him play live.

As a tribute to him, the school retired his 33 jersey and in 2001, Hopewell's Stadium was renamed Tony Dorsett Stadium.

College career

At the University of Pittsburgh, Dorsett became the first freshman in 29 years to be named All-American (Doc Blanchard of Army was the previous one in 1944). He finished second in the nation in rushing with 1,586 yards in 11 games and led the Pittsburgh Panthers to its first winning season in 10 years. He was Pittsburgh's first All-American selection since the 1963 season, when both Paul Martha and Ernie Borghetti were named to the first team. His 1,586 rushing yards at the time was the most ever recorded by a freshman, breaking the record set by New Mexico State's Ron "Po" James record in 1968. By coincidence, James, like Dorsett, hailed from Beaver County, Pennsylvania, specifically New Brighton. Although he was known as Anthony, the school's athletic department convinced him to go by Tony, to use the marketable initials TD as in touchdown.

At the beginning of Dorsett's freshman year at Pitt, his son Anthony Dorsett was born on September 14, 1973. Later in the 1973 season, Dorsett faced some criticism when it became known that his son was born out of wedlock, with some observers contending that he should drop out of school and marry his son's mother and financially support his family. Dorsett believed that the best way to care for his son was to continue to pursue his football career, a tactic that succeeded due to his successful professional career.

Three games into his sophomore season, he became Pitt's all-time leader in career rushing yards, surpassing the old record of 1,957 yards set by Marshall Goldberg, who helped Pitt to a national championship in 1937.

Against Notre Dame in his junior year, Dorsett had 303 yards rushing to break his own school single game rushing record. As a senior in 1976, he had a total of 290 yards against Notre Dame. He darted 61 yards on his first run of the season and tacked on 120 more by the end of the 31–10 Pitt win.

As a senior in 1976, he helped lead his school to a national title, picking up the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award for player of the year, and the United Press International (UPI) Player of the Year award along the way as he led the nation in rushing with 2,150 yards. He was a three-time first-team All-American (1973, 1975, 1976) and a second-team All-American in 1974 by UPI and Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA). Dorsett finished his college career with 6,082 total rushing yards, then an NCAA record. This would stand as the record until it was surpassed by Ricky Williams in 1998.

Dorsett was the first Pitt player to have his jersey retired, after being a four-time 1,000-yard rusher and four-time All-American. He is considered one of the greatest running backs in college football history. In 2007, he was ranked #7 on ESPN's Top 25 Players in College Football History list. In 1994, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Entering the 1977 NFL Draft, Dorsett wasn't seen as a sure thing, with many scouts considering that his small size would be a liability in the long term and affect his durability. He had also informed the expansion Seattle Seahawks that he didn't want to play for them.

The Dallas Cowboys selected him with the second overall choice, after trading their first pick (#14-Steve August) and three second-round choices (#30-Tom Lynch, #41-Terry Beeson, #54-Glenn Carano) to the Seahawks, in order to move up in the first round. Dorsett signed a five-year contract for a reported $1.1 million, becoming the first player in franchise history to reach this amount, although it was the second largest contract signed for a rookie, with Ricky Bell beating Dorsett with a $1.2 million contract.

From the beginning, Dorsett and head coach Tom Landry had differing opinions on how he should run the ball. Landry initially designed precise running plays, but was eventually convinced that Dorsett was a different type of running back and instructed the offensive line to block and hold their man, while Dorsett chose the running lane with his gifted vision and instincts.

In 1977, Dorsett's rookie year, he provided an instant impact, rushing for 1,007 yards (including a 206-yard rushing effort against the Philadelphia Eagles), scoring 12 touchdowns and earning rookie of the year honors. He set a new Cowboys rookie record and was also the only Cowboy to rush for more than 1,000 yards in his rookie season. He held the record for 39 years, until 2016, when Ezekiel Elliott surpassed 1,000 yards in his 9th game and broke Dorsett's record in game 10 with 1,102 yards.

He was named the starter in the tenth game of the season, and became the first player to win the college football championship, then win the Super Bowl the next year, when the Cowboys beat the Denver Broncos 27–10 in Super Bowl XII. In his second season, Dorsett recorded 1,325 yards and 9 touchdowns, with the Cowboys once again reaching the Super Bowl, although they lost 35–31 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIII.

In 1980 he had one of his best runs. With the ball on the four-yard line against the St. Louis Cardinals, the right defensive end and linebacker had penetration, while the two cornerbacks were blitzing. Dorsett suddenly pivoted on his right foot, turned 360 degrees and ran wide around the left side, beating the safety and eluding a total of five defenders for a touchdown without being touched.

His most productive season was in 1981, when he recorded 1,646 yards, breaking the Cowboys franchise record.

In 1982, his streak of 5 straight years with at least 1,000 rushing yards was interrupted by the strike-shortened season. Dallas only played 9 games, with Dorsett registering 745 yards and 5 touchdowns. In the final regular season game against the Minnesota Vikings, he set a record that can only be tied, with a 99-yard touchdown run. Derrick Henry tied his record with a 99-yard touchdown run in 2018.

Prior to the 1985 season, he held out, demanding that his contract be renegotiated. Defensive tackle Randy White had been given a larger contract by the Cowboys.

In 1986, running back Herschel Walker was signed by the Cowboys and moved to fullback, so he could share backfield duties with Dorsett, becoming the second Heisman backfield tandem in NFL history, after George Rogers and Earl Campbell were teammates on the 1984 New Orleans Saints. This move created tension, as it would limit Dorsett's playing time, and because Walker's $5 million five-year contract exceeded his $4.5 million five-year contract. Although Dorsett was slowed by ankle and knee injuries that caused him to miss 3 games, he still led the Cowboys in rushing for the 10th consecutive season with 748 yards.

In 1987, Walker complained with Cowboys management that he was being moved around between three different positions (running back, fullback, wide receiver) and that Dorsett had more carries. He took over as the team's main running back, with Dorsett playing in 12 games (6 starts) and rushing for 456 yards on 130 carries. Dorsett was not played in two games despite being healthy, which made him demand a trade.

On June 2, 1988, Dorsett was traded to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a conditional fifth-round draft choice. He left as the franchise's rushing leader (12,036 yards) and second in league history in postseason rushing yards (1,383).

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos acquired Dorsett because they were desperate to improve their running game. He reunited with former Cowboys offensive coordinator Dan Reeves and it was reported that at the age of 34, he could still run 40 yards in 4.3 seconds. With the retirement of Walter Payton the previous year, he was the career leader in rushing yards among active players. He also had a positive impact on the offense until being limited with injuries late in the season, appearing in 16 games (13 starts), while leading the team with 703 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns.

On September 26, 1988, Dorsett moved into second place of the all-time rushing list with 12,306 yards, and would finish his career with 12,739 yards, trailing only Walter Payton. He retired after suffering torn left knee ligaments during training camp the following season.

Legacy

Dorsett rushed for 12,739 yards and 77 touchdowns in his 12-year career. Dorsett also had 13 receiving scores and even a fumble recovery for a touchdown. On January 3, 1983, during a Monday Night Football game in Minnesota, Dorsett broke a 99-yard touchdown run against the Vikings, which is the longest run from scrimmage in NFL history (Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans would tie this record in 2018). Dorsett broke the previous record of 97 yards, set by Andy Uram in 1939 and Bob Gage in 1949. The Cowboys only had 10 men on the field at the time, as fullback Ron Springs was unaware of the play being called. Despite the feat, the Cowboys lost the game 27–31.

Dorsett made the Pro Bowl 4 times during his career (1978, 1981–1983) and rushed for over 1,000 yards in 8 of his first 9 seasons. Of his 12 NFL seasons, he surpassed 1,000 yards eight times. During the strike-shortened, 9-game season of 1982, he led the NFC in rushing with 745 yards. He was a First-team All-Pro in 1981 and a Second-team All-Pro in 1982 and 1983.

Dorsett was elected to both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994 and was enshrined in the Texas Stadium Ring of Honor the same year. In 1999, he was ranked number 53 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He is the first of only two players in history (along with former running back Marcus Allen) who has won the Heisman Trophy, won the Super Bowl, won the College National Championship, been enshrined in the College Hall of Fame, and been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

The football stadium at Hopewell High School in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, is named after Dorsett and a street near Heinz Field, the home stadium of the University of Pittsburgh, is named after him.

Personal life

Dorsett has four children: Anthony, Jazmyn, Madison, and Mia (with current wife Janet). His son, Anthony, also played football at the University of Pittsburgh and played defensive back in the NFL from 1996 to 2003, making Super Bowl appearances with the Tennessee Titans (Super Bowl XXXIV) and Oakland Raiders (Super Bowl XXXVII).

Dorsett hosts the Tony Dorsett Celebrity Golf Classic for McGuire Memorial. This event has raised nearly $5 million in support of McGuire Memorial's mission.

Dorsett has helped improve the health of current and former professional athletes through promoting awareness of sleep apnea across the United States. He has teamed up with prize-winning orthodontic technician David Gergen and the Pro Player Health Alliance to hold free public awareness events in local communities all over the nation. Dorsett has helped get over 150 former players successfully treated for sleep apnea.

Health issues

In November 2013, Dorsett announced he had signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease found in many former football players, boxers, and hockey players. Specifically, Dorsett referred to memory loss as the major symptom affecting him in retirement.

#04/07

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pbwsports · 5 years ago

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Is Tua Tagovailoa ready to become Miami's biggest star since Dan Marino?

Leaps into swimming pools. Emotional moments of jubilation. Tears of joy. Fifteen words delivered by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell -- "With the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins select Tua Tagovailoa" -- elicited all that plus a belief the moment will change the Dolphins' franchise forever.

Over the past month, there has been an innate buzz burgeoning nationally, but especially in South Florida, that can be summed up as a Tua frenzy. An 11-minute fan-generated YouTube video provides a visual.

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"Tua is far by himself -- never seen anything like this buzz from a draft pick here. There's no close second," said Dolphins color commentator and radio host Joe Rose, who played for the franchise alongside Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino from 1983 to 1985. "We have a rock star here in Tua. This team has been in mediocrity for so long. It's lacked the Dan Marino star power, the Ricky Williams star power. Tua's the next guy in that group."

Despite the love, it's too early to crown Tagovailoa. He hasn't even played an NFL game. Tagovailoa's arrival is defined by hope and hype.

Even in his first month as a Dolphins quarterback, it is clear that if Tagovailoa lives up to expectations, he will be the face of South Florida sports for a while.

How will Tagovailoa manage the pressure, the buzz, overwhelming positivity, eventual negativity and everything that comes with being hailed as the next big thing in a city starving for its latest sports superstar?

"The great thing for Tua is Dan Marino retired 20 years ago," Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon said. "So it's not like he's following right behind a legend like Aaron Rodgers following Brett Favre or whoever follows Tom Brady. He just has to be himself. He can't be Dan Marino. Just be yourself and rely on the people around you."

'It's going to be Dolphins town'

A Mount Rushmore of athletes who have led South Florida pro teams probably starts with Marino and the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, but the initial expectations weren't as high with either legend.

Wade remembers it wasn't until after he led the Heat to their first championship in 2006 that he became the face of South Florida sports. He returned to Miami and hopped in his convertible with a buddy. Fans sighted him and rushed the car. He couldn't drive another block.

"I looked at my friend and said, 'Yo, this is different,'" Wade said. "I enjoyed it. But I knew it would never be normal in this city from that point on. I had to get used to being a celebrity. The perks were great, but the non-privacy was not so great."

"Wade County" was born and didn't slow down. His presence remains large in Miami, but since he retired following the 2018-19 season, there has been an active-superstar void.

Enter Tagovailoa.

"He's a hell of a player. Miami, especially at the QB position, really needs that. They need a leader. They need a player," Wade said. "To come in as a young player and win a game in the second half of a national championship game -- that shows some grit, that shows some balls. People have to really believe in you. Miami needs that. The Dolphins need that. Even though I'm a [Chicago] Bears fan, I was rooting for them to get him because Miami needs to get back to where the basketball program is."

Wade's advice to Tagovailoa centers on how to handle fame; the future Hall of Fame guard says he would often deal with anxiety when he left the house. He felt the need to always be on as D-Wade even when he wanted to just be Dwyane. Wade said even though he wasn't expected to "save the franchise," once he became a fan favorite, he had to "figure out how to enjoy what you worked hard for, but keep a level of sanity at the same time."

The last 5th overall pick to Miami did some cool things. Congrts @Tuaamann can’t wait to watch your journey.

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Wade is optimistic Tagovailoa will lift the Dolphins to a place they never reached while he was with the Heat.

"If the Dolphins get it going, it's going to be Dolphins town. We did as much to make it a basketball town as possible, and Miami Heat is there to stay. But let's not get it twisted: Florida is football. Once they get their s--- together, they are going to be big and bigger," Wade said. "But those Heat guys -- Bam [Adebayo], Tyler Herro -- are going to battle him for it. He's got to earn it.

"How you put yourself in that conversation is doing something great, something that people have never seen before, and obviously winning."

Marino was a 'rock star'

Tagovailoa passed his first test by eschewing his college No. 13 -- Marino's number in Miami. Instead, Tagovailoa is paving his own path by becoming the first Dolphins QB to wear No. 1.

"I understand No. 13 is retired, and it should be. Dan Marino, he's the GOAT. He's like the mayor out there, and I have much respect for him," Tagovailoa said. "I just want to have the opportunity to go out there and compete."

2020 NFL offseason

Every quarterback who has arrived in Miami has been met with some mention of Marino, and Miami has started 21 quarterbacks since the Hall of Famer retired in 2000. The Dolphins haven't had a Pro Bowl QB since then, which marks the NFL's longest streak.

So while the expectations might seem unwieldy for a 22-year-old quarterback coming off a serious hip injury, this isn't just any NFL city. He's coming to a franchise that is thirsty for a star QB, and fans have been waiting on Tagovailoa for more than a year.

"When I got down there, the Miami Dolphins were Dan Marino's town and team. It's still that way," former Dolphins great Ricky Williams said. "I was a running back, but no one has even come close to eclipsing the success that Dan had in Miami as a quarterback. Even more so than what I experienced, Tua has the potential to be a big part of what it means to be a Miami Dolphin for a long time."

Williams had a great run as the face of the Dolphins. Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas and Ryan Tannehill did, too. But none of them have the national pull Tagovailoa has now.

Tua Tagovailoa is a star in Miami already.

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Rose says he remembers the buzz around Marino being relatively subdued when he arrived. The Dolphins, coming off a Super Bowl XVII loss, were led by their "Killer B's" defense, and they selected Marino with the No. 27 overall pick when he fell to them in the 1983 draft.

By the end of his record-setting 1984 MVP season, Marino was a superstar.

"When we went to New York, I saw the phone calls we got in our hotel room. I saw what movie stars and celebrities came around. People wanted to be around this guy," Rose said. "We didn't have the media and social media that they do now, so it could be a lot more hidden. He was big stuff. He was a rock star."

Marino is the standard, but Tagovailoa doesn't have to reach that level to be remembered in Dolphins history. As Moon and Wade have stressed, he just has to focus on being himself.

Why D-Wade is looking to Tua to be the leader the Dolphins need

Dwyane Wade expresses his thoughts on the Dolphins drafting Tua Tagovailoa and gives some advice for playing in the city of Miami.

Work, gain respect, then build the brand

Moon knows all about highly anticipated arrivals. After five Grey Cup titles in the Canadian Football League, Moon signed with the Houston Oilers and became the NFL's highest-paid player in 1984.

With stars such as running back Earl Campbell and linebacker Robert Brazile already in Houston, Moon was conscious of veterans believing he was too full of himself. Moon's response was to work hard, including lifting weights with the offensive line.

"When people came in the building, I was already there. When people left, I was still there," Moon said. "Yeah, I had a lot of attention, but they saw my work ethic. When I got on the field, they started to see I could really play. What you're trying to do is gain respect, and I think Tua will get that, too, because of his work ethic."

Showing that work ethic and building camaraderie with teammates could prove to be more challenging for Tagovailoa this offseason with virtual meetings instead of in-person practices. But Tagovailoa has reached out to many of his Dolphins teammates via text messages and phone calls.

The other balance Tagovailoa will have to maintain is his unique marketability with Moon's advice "to go in there with your head down and work."

Tagovailoa, who signed a four-year, $30.3 million contract, has endorsement deals with Adidas, Hulu, Muscle Milk, Verizon, Wingstop, Gillette, Lowe's, Bose and Call of Duty. He recently signed a multiyear, exclusive memorabilia-and-collection deal with Fanatics. He also has a documentary in the works detailing his journey to the Dolphins.

Tua Tagovailoa taking photo with young Dolphins fan — Riley — who hopes he lands in Miami. Many other Dolphins fans do too.

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Agent Ryan Williams and Athletes First have handled Tagovailoa's marketing demands, and he has immediately become one of the NFL's most well-known young players. The people love the former Alabama quarterback, and that has shown up in the numbers. Tagovailoa is the top-selling NFL player in terms of overall merchandise sales since May 1 across the Fanatics network, which includes NFLshop.com and online team stores -- above Tampa Bay's Brady and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, the No. 1 overall draft pick.

Moon remembered advice he was given by his agent, Leigh Steinberg, who also represents Tagovailoa: to take things slow on building your brand and try to avoid reading the headlines or social media.

"I just want to make sure that he doesn't try to get too far ahead of himself. Football is what butters his bread," Moon said. "If he doesn't do well on the football field, everything else will go away. Knowing a bit about Tua, he'll be fine."

Tagovailoa showed humility throughout his college career. He has a connection to family and a desire to give back.

"I'm honored that the fans think so highly of me. But I haven't done anything, yet," Tagovailoa said. "What I did in college can't translate to the NFL. It's a clean slate. I've got to go out there and earn my respect and earn the trust from my teammates."

Thank you to @MiamiDolphins for making this dream come true for me and my family. It's in my heart to give back to the communities that have raised me. Plans are underway to start charitable outreach efforts in Hawaii, Alabama and Miami. Stay tuned, stay safe. Go fins! Blessed! https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1260223696674881539 …

We have signed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, defensive tackle Raekwon Davis, defensive end Curtis Weaver and long snapper Blake Ferguson.

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'The guys in that locker room'

The idea of becoming a star before even taking an NFL snap might be enough to make Dolphins coach Brian Flores' head spin. A champion of competition and team-first mentality, Flores probably doesn't care how many jerseys Tagovailoa sells as long as he produces on the field.

"The world will make you think that you're this superstar. And maybe you are, but it doesn't really matter," Flores said last November regarding any particular player's growing success. "The only thing that matters is the guys in that locker room."

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But there is an element of stardom Wade alluded to with which Flores probably will agree, and that's winning. The New England Patriotsbecame an NFL dynasty with a star quarterback because of their winning records and Super Bowl titles. The allure of Tagovailoa's star power will be embraced should the Dolphins become title contenders year in and year out.

Before worrying about the celebrity, the more timely concern revolves around when Tagovailoa will get on the field. Some argue he should be an immediate starter, while others suggest a redshirt 2020 season. The most likely result appears to be somewhere in the middle.

The Dolphins are in Year 2 of a dramatic rebuild, but Flores always wants to win. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, the veteran incumbent, has the upper hand in securing the starting role for several reasons, thanks to his comfort in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's scheme, his success guiding the Dolphins in 2019 (to five wins), his leadership in the locker room and a lack of a true offseason.

But Tagovailoa is also eager to learn under Fitzpatrick, saying on draft day in April that he wants "to understand the kind of person he is ... nitpick him, ask him how he goes about preparing for a defense ... and just being able to question him."

Fitzpatrick vows to be Tagovailoa's "biggest cheerleader," but he won't hand him the starting job in 2020. Tagovailoa probably wouldn't want it any other way, because when football returns, he will get the opportunity to prove his worth.

Once Tagovailoa hits the field, the hope is he gets to become the greatest version of himself instead of being constantly compared to Marino. That weight is too heavy.

But becoming the long-term face of the Dolphins and South Florida sports? That's well within Tagovailoa's grasp. Source - ESPN

#nfl

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suzilight · 6 years ago

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Oath Inc. Advisory Board

Oath (parent Co. Verizon) gets more interesting the deeper I go. Check out the names on Oath’s Advisory Board. Source: Bloomberg

Serena Williams, pro tennis player Russell Wilson, pro football player Ciara, singer / married to Russell Wilson Rickie Fowler, pro golfer Karlie Kloss, model / married to Josh Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner Tamika Catchings, pro basketball player D. Chuck, rapper/producer, group: Public Enemy Carla Harris, Wall St banker / author of Expect to Win Joey Logano, NASCAR driver Zac Posen, fashion designer Abby Wambach, American soccer player Regina Wilson, NY firefighter Marni Walden, Board of Directors, Executive / Strategic Advisor at Verizon

#Tumblr Verizon #Oath Inc #board of directors #advisory board members #influencers #internet advertising

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junker-town · 4 years ago

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DeVonta Smith can be one of the best receivers we’ve ever seen entering the NFL

We can’t wait to see the Heisman winner in the NFL.

DeVonta Smith won the Hesiman Trophy on Tuesday night, making him the first wide receiver to win the award since Desmond Howard in 1991. The Alabama receiver emerged as the favorite to win the award, but there were still doubts whether or not he’d actually take it home, especially considering Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was also a finalist. Now we project Smith to the next level, and dig deeper into why he’s so good.

NFL success and Heisman status don’t often go hand-in-hand. For every Lamar Jackson or Derrick Henry there are slews of players like Johnny Manziel, Troy Smith and Jason White who never made an impact on the league. However, tradition tells us that non-quarterback Heisman winners fair far better when they get to the next level than passers. System can’t hide dramatic deficiencies in a receivers or running backs the way they can a quarterback, which is why out of the last five non-quarterback Heisman, most have played well at the next level, to some degree.

Derrick Henry, RB (2019)

Mark Ingram Jr, RB (2009)

Ron Dayne, RB (1999)

Ricky Williams, RB (1998)

Charles Woodson, CB (1997)

Of this list only Ron Dayne stands out as being an NFL bust. The rest went on to have successful careers in the NFL. “Successful” isn’t good enough when it comes to a Top 5 pick though, you want someone who can change the game — and Smith can. The prime reason is that he excels in all the ways most receivers fail in the league.

Route running

If a receiver doesn’t make it in the NFL this ends up being the primary reason. There used to be this idea that speed can’t be taught, but route running can — but modern thinking in the NFL is a little different. As the league has become more refined we see that speed only gets you so far, and now all 32 teams have elite athletes on defense that can mitigate quickness.

To make up for this the true test is whether receivers have suddenness. DeVonta Smith is one of the most polished route runners entering the league in a long time. He not only shows quick-twitch quickness to throw off defensive backs, but complete control over his body to fool defenders, while maintaining his composure. Look no further than the first route in the following to see this nuance.

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By balancing his speed, Smith fools the defenders into thinking he’s not going deep on this play. Then, with a gentle move inwards it puts both defensive backs into confusion. The cornerback thinks he’s running an in-route, passing off coverage to the safety. The safety thinks he’s breaking back out, believing it’ll go back the corner. The result is him splitting the middle and taking the ball to the house.

Smith also has a great ability to change direction.

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Toughness and hunger for the ball

One of the other qualities you see receivers lacking that causes them to fail at the next level is an unwillingness to take big hits, or fight for the ball when it’s in the air. Not only does Smith have the route running to get supreme separation from defensive backs, but when that fails he still fights for the ball, and he’s not afraid to take a big hit.

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In this clip we see Smith making a quick cut over the middle. It’s 1st-and-10, a place where a lot of receivers could be forgiven for making a business decision and not play for the ball, only to get blown up by a safety with a head of steam. However, Smith willingly makes the catch, gets hit big time, and still holds onto the ball to pick up valuable yards.

It’s this kind of willingness to fight for the ball that has allowed him to rack up simply ludicrous numbers over last season. Keep in mind he only played 12 games this season:

105 receptions, 1,641 yds, 20 touchdowns.

Oh, he also averaged 24.3 yards per punt return, just for good measure.

Roll Bama Roll explained his greatness succinctly.

“Throw it deep? He’ll out run you. Throw him a screen? He breaks your tackle and then outruns you. Throw it high? He’ll out jump you. Throw it low? He makes a shoe string catch. When he’s open, he’s calling for the ball. And when he’s single covered? He’s still calling for the ball.”

So, what are the knocks on him?

There isn’t much to dislike about Smith’s game, and at best you’re nitpicking to find them. For the speed obsessed he’s probably a touch slower than you would expert from a 175 pound receiver, which also brings concerns whether he has the frame to build on without losing his fluidity.

DeVonta Smith won’t ever be a receiver in the mold of Julio Jones where he’ll easily out-muscle smaller DBs for the ball, but he more than makes up for smarts and skill.

Who does he compare to at the next level?

Personally, I never buy into the idea that elite route runners fail in the NFL. Time and time again we’ve seen speed or size selected over skill, and that always burns the teams dumb enough to make the mistake.

At the highest of his top end we’re looking at a player who could become like Marvin Harrison or Michael Thomas. He won’t always be the fastest player on the field, but his ability and feel for the game will give him something a lot of receivers lack: Longevity. We’re looking at a guy who could play for years and years, and become a staple of the Pro Bowl, provided he gets drafted into a team with the structure to use him.

Even at his floor, I see DeVonta Smith projecting into a Keenan Allen-like player. Considering Allen has posted four 1,000 yards seasons during his seven years (so far) in the NFL, that’s a hell of a floor.

A lot of the talent at receiver in the 2021 class comes down to the idea of “get the ball in their hands, and they’re gone.” Smith is something entirely different. He is a receiver so gifted that he makes bad passes look better than they are, and by extension makes quarterbacks look more talented than they are. Those kind of talents only come along once in a great while at WR, and it’s why I think he’s going to make a huge impact at the next level.

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rickhorrow · 5 years ago

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15+5+5 To WATCH 11320

15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 13

with Jacob Aere

Bets are piling up on LSU, leaving sports books around the nation with lopsided action on a college football championship game that is setting up to be big for bookmakers. Bookmakers are reporting significant betting interest on the championship game, with 80% to 90% of the bets on LSU. According to ESPN, heading into the weekend, LSU was a consensus six-point favorite over Clemson in Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship in New Orleans. From the East Coast to the Gulf Coast to Las Vegas, the betting public is all over LSU, including some big wagers. Last Tuesday, Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology reported taking two bets totaling $200,000 on LSU. William Hill U.S. said Clemson-LSU was on pace to be the "biggest-bet college football game of all time." Jeff Davis of Caesars Sportsbook said the last championship game he could recall that had this one-sided of action was Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. Take note: the underdog Seahawks beat the Broncos 43-8, and Nevada sportsbooks won a net $19.6 million, the most ever on a Super Bowl.

ATP Player Council President Novak Djokovic has called for Australian Open organizers to "consider delaying the year's opening grand slam event if smoke haze from the bushfire emergency threatens players' health." According to ABC.net.au, Djokovic said that the Player Council "would meet ahead of the tournament to discuss options, including a possible delayed start to the tournament." Djokovic added that his reps had been in contact with Tennis Australia CEO and Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley and had been "monitoring air quality in both Melbourne and Sydney," where the final rounds of the inaugural ATP Cup just wrapped. Tiley in a statement said the officials have "committed substantial extra resources" to monitor air quality.” And he quickly shut down suggestions that the start of the tournament could be delayed, reminding the media that Melbourne Park features three courts with fully retractable roofs, and that the tennis complex also includes eight indoor courts with “some form of cover.” The Australian Open begins January 20.

Tennis Australia has hedged its bushfire bets. Tennis Australia, according to The Australian, stands to "pocket a huge cash payout potentially worth tens of millions of dollars" should a significant amount of play be lost at the Australian Open because of adverse conditions. The payout would be a "result of a canny and groundbreaking insurance deal" the governing body struck for the first time a year ago with insurers Lloyds of London and Hiscox. While Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley "would not disclose the exact terms," TA would reportedly receive well north of $100 million in the "worst-case scenario of the cancellation of the Open.” Smoke from the fires has created hazardous conditions in Melbourne, and it remains "unclear where ground pass holders are expected to take cover if matches are suddenly abandoned due to hazardous conditions." So far, however, the Sydney Morning Herald notes that the haze "hasn't stopped fans from lapping up tickets" for the Open. Pre-sales are "already up for the crown jewel" of Australian tennis.

Heading into its conference championship weekend, NFL viewership is up, which should affect media rights negotiations. The NFL averaged 16.5 million viewers per game during the 2019 regular season, up from 15.8 million in 2018 — the league's second consecutive annual increase of 5%. The rebound in viewership from the previous two years, according to Axios Sports, will give the NFL higher leverage when negotiating new distribution deals with media partners. Currently, the NFL gets around $1 billion annually from each the three broadcast networks that air Sunday games (CBS, FOX, and NBC), over $1 billion from ESPN to air Monday night games, and around $1.5 billion from AT&T's DirecTV to distribute its Sunday Ticket package. Among predictions about where NFL rights will land in the future, SportsBusiness Journal posits that global streaming service DAZN come close to picking up rights to NFL Sunday Ticket. And Lightshed Partners predicts that CBS will lose Sunday afternoon NFL rights to either NBC or ABC, given price increases, and that FOX will retain its rights. Most of the NFL's current media deals expire in 2022 or sooner, and experts predict that prices will go up significantly in the next round of deals.

Two-thirds of Americans support college players being allowed to earn money through endorsements according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. As the NCAA mulls new rules about athlete endorsement and Name, Image, and Likeness compensation, the study found that support for the NCAA allowing college athletes to cash in on their names, images, and likenesses is particularly high among young adults, as well as black Americans and Hispanics. “The opinions of the public in general are very important because they are reflected in the attitudes of universities, who are the ones that actually make the rules,” NCAA President Mark Emmert told the Associated Press. Another interpretation of Emmert’s comments and a peek into the crystal ball on the issue: if two-thirds of Americans support the proposed rules, that likely means two-thirds of college and university boosters, the influential lifeblood of athletic departments, do as well.

Oh no – Overtime, Ohio State battle over “O” trademark. New York-based sports network Overtime filed suit in federal court last Monday in a trademark dispute with Ohio State University over the letter “O.” The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that digital programming provider Overtime Sports wants a legal declaration allowing the continued use of its “O” mark, following a cease and desist letter issued by the university this year. According to the federal suit, “The differences between the parties’ trademarks and manners of use prevent any likelihood of confusion. ... There are numerous O marks, O-formative marks, and O designs in use by third parties in connection with the relevant goods and services, such that consumers will not presume that all goods and services offered under O or O-formative marks emanate from a common source.” One party not yet trying to trademark an “O” – LSU’s colorful Coach O, Ed Orgeron. That might change if he wins a national championship come Monday.

Quicken Loans has signed a multiyear NFL sponsorship for its Rocket Mortgage brand in an effort to seek greater brand awareness and preference. The move comes just in time for marketing activation during the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl. To support its new designation as the NFL’s first official mortgage sponsor, Rocket Mortgage is immediately launching a national Super Bowl “squares” game, in which consumers “owning” a box with a particular score are eligible to win $50,000 each time the score changes. Two “lucky square” holders will win $500,000 each toward the mortgage on their dream home. Marketing support will include digital, social and TV ads. Pro Football HOFer Barry Sanders will serve as spokesperson for the program; golfer Rickie Fowler has been a Rocket Mortgage spokesperson since 2015. A Super Bowl LIV spot featuring the two seems likely, as Rocket Mortgage advertised during the game in 2016 and 2018.

The USGA teamed up with actor Don Cheadle to boost the value of public golf to golfers, courses, and communities throughout the country. Cheadle will also serve as a U.S. Open brand ambassador, lending his voice and stature to the championship. FOX Sports viewers got a glimpse of the USGA’s relationship with the Oscar-nominated Cheadle with a 15-second U.S. Open tune-in advertisement that ran nationally during last Sunday’s broadcast of the NFC Playoff game between the Saints and Vikings on FOX. It will continue with projects throughout the year, including advertising during the NFC Championship game between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers on FOX next Sunday and the launch of the new U.S. Open brand campaign at the USGA’s Annual Meeting at the Pinehurst Resort in February. While Cheadle is not Tiger Woods, the respected actor should bring some gravitas and diversity clout to the USGA’s efforts to continue to widen its net with the golfing public, particularly among minorities and younger demographics.

Topgolf’s IPO could value the company at over $4 billion. Topgolf International Inc., an operator of driving ranges with a party atmosphere, has selected banks for an initial public offering that could value the company at about $4 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The Dallas-based company is reportedly working with banks including Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Bank of America. Its IPO could come as soon as this year. The company’s driving ranges, which “bring the spirit of a bowling alley to the golf course,” have bays that can accommodate up to six players who can track their balls electronically while ordering food and drinks. Some venues feature rooftop bars, restaurants, shops, pools, and concert halls. The company has locations in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, with others opening soon in Canada, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates, according to its website. The company’s backers also have included Callaway Golf Co., which acquired a minority stake with other investors in a deal completed in 2017.

Just hours after news broke that Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg was spending $10 million on a Super Bowl ad, word came that President Trump would do the same. “President Trump made the unprecedented decision to keep the campaign open following his first election, which allows us to do things like buying a Super Bowl ad,” Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, was quoted in the New York Times. Super Bowl ads are rarely deployed in presidential politics due to the high cost and inefficiencies of paying to reach a national audience rather than focusing on key states. The buy highlights Bloomberg's massive spending power. And it’s just the start of what's likely to be a huge spending year for Trump. Bloomberg has already spent $170 million on ads this election cycle, while the Republican National Committee just announced that it raised $463 million in 2019 and has nearly $200 million cash on hand. It's worth noting that the Super Bowl lands just one day before the Iowa caucuses.

In an era in which legislation such as California’s newly minted Assembly Bill 5 aims to correct inequalities in the workplace, Sports Illustrated staffers announced their intention to unionize, seeking better workplace protections amid turmoil at the legacy brand. The union, according to CNN, represents about 80 staffers in print, digital, and video. Sports Illustrated's magazine staffers were already a part of the NewsGuild of New York, but digital staffers were not. Now, both print and digital will be included in the new union that is also with the NewsGuild. In October, Seattle-based startup Maven took ownership of Sports Illustrated from magazine conglomerate Meredith Corporation and immediately laid off about 40 staffers. Of the roughly 80 staffers eligible for the bargaining unit, more than 90% "signed a petition supporting the union drive." Their effort to join the NewsGuild "comes at a time of turmoil for the magazine." In a letter to management, staffers requested a "pay-equity study; an increased focus on minority hiring; clarity for workers on extended temporary contracts; and clear protocols for handling harassment.”

RIP Pete Dye. Pete Dye, who designed many of America's most famous golf courses and became known as the "Picasso" of golf architecture for his distinctive layouts, passed away last week at age 94. “I think of Pete like Picasso, somebody that has created a nontraditional design, whether it's a painting, a sculpture or a golf course. He was so innovative in a profession that is very traditional,” summed up golf course designer Arthur Hills. Dye designed more than 100 public and private golf courses worldwide, including PGA Tour and Major courses that include Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, home of the 2020 Ryder Cup; PGA West Stadium course in La Quinta, California, this week’s stop on the PGA Tour’s 2020 West Coast Swing; The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, South Carolina; and Harbour Town Golf Links in neighboring Hilton Head. And then there’s the island Par-3 17th hole at Ponte Vedra Beach’s TPC Sawgrass, perhaps the most photographed hole in golf history outside of Augusta National’s Amen Corner. Rick enjoyed his sit-down interviews with Dye, most memorably at the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Tensions surrounding the Middle East continue to loom over the European Tour’s “Desert Swing.” Concerns are "growing" over the European Tour's "Desert Swing" over the next three weeks after Iran "threatened to 'unleash Hezbollah' across the Gulf as military tensions build." The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is set to take place this week, followed by the Dubai Desert Classic and Saudi Arabia International. The European Tour, according to the London Telegraph, was "confident at the start of the week that its schedule would not be affected by the conflict." Several U.S. golfers are "due to play in Abu Dhabi," and the region is "vital for the Tour’s ongoing prosperity and officials will be loath to cancel or even postpone.” In the U.S., Phil Mickelson and others will be skipping next month’s Waste Management Open to play in the lucrative Saudi Arabia tourney. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth is now a factor for sport and sports events, whatever the controversy. In the near future, it seems likely that a very big golf name is going to align itself with the kingdom – or take a stand by turning its money down.

The NHL 2020 Winter Classic between the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars was the least-watched edition of the annual ice hockey game since it was first played in 2008. According to Nielsen, the Stars’ 4-2 win over the Predators on New Year’s Day roped in only 1.97 million viewers for NBC. The figure represents a drop of almost one million on last year’s edition of the game, which saw an audience of 2.94 million tune in for the Boston Bruins’ win over the Chicago Blackhawks. In related news, the NHL has selected the head coaches for its January 25 All-Star Game at St. Louis, with Todd Reirden of the Washington Capitals, Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins, Craig Berube of the Blues, and Gerard Gallant of the Vegas Golden Knights getting selected due to their points percentage in their respective divisions. Since the upcoming NHL All-Star Game is in the home of the Stanley Cup Champion Blues, the league has high hopes for good ratings and attendance for its annual midseason celebration.

In conjunction with the Protect the Pitch program, which continues to lead the industry in stadium sustainability and clean energy efforts, LA’s Dignity Health Sports Park has installed 12 new Volta electric vehicle charging stations that will be available to guests free of charge at all events. Volta designs electric vehicle charging networks for forward-thinking businesses seeking to provide seamless, simple and free charging. Volta designed Dignity Health Sports Park’s charging network as a foundation for further expansion to match the park’s rising electric vehicle demands. Projecting out based on the average Volta station impact in Los Angeles, Dignity Health Sport Park’s 12 stations will offset an estimated 250,000 pounds of CO2annually. The MLS LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park have launched numerous sustainability efforts to reduce carbon footprint and become more sustainable through the Protect the Pitch initiative. As increasing numbers of Galaxy fans drive electric cars, Dignity Health Sports Park’s partnership with Volta is a perfect complement to the club’s Protect the Pitch sustainability initiative.

Top Five Tech

Vince McMahon’s XFL has signed a multiyear deal with Genius Sports that’s designed to protect the fledgling football league from improper sports betting. As reported by Bloomberg and relayed by Hashtag Sports, London-based Genius Sports, which has similar partnerships with golf’s PGA Tour and soccer’s English Premier League, will help the XFL build a so-called integrity program to guard against fixed games. As part of that, Genius, owned by private equity firm Apax Partners, will offer around-the-clock monitoring of pregame and live betting markets to detect unusual activity. During the XFL’s centralized training camp this month, Genius will conduct betting-focused educational workshops with players, coaches and game officials. The XFL will play during a relatively slow time in U.S. pro sports, with only the NBA and NHL regular seasons in action. Football has long been the most bet-on U.S. sport – especially during Playoff periods like this past weekend’s slate of thrilling NFL games. According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, football accounts for about 34% of all sports betting within the state – a number that will likely only increase.

WWE made $13 million off of YouTube advertising revenue in 2019. According to Tubefilter, WWE’s YouTube channel is larger than those of the NBA, the NFL, MLB, and the NHL —combined with a whopping 52.8 million subscribers. And WWE uploaded a staggering average of 510 videos per month with content ranging from full matches to behind-the-scenes clips. This had them outpacing their sports league counterparts by hundreds of videos a month. Furthermore, there is no off season with the WWE so there is always lots of content. In 2019, WWE’s channel brought a monthly average of 756.4 million views, putting in up in the ranks of the most-watched YouTube channels. But WWE is making around $1.40 per 1,000 views, a number far below YouTube’s reported average CPM of $7.60 due to the fact that the wrestling content is not ad friendly for many sponsors. Even if the WWE only pulled in $13 million, the amount of eyeballs on their content in an era where traditional TV viewership continues to dwindle for all sports may be worth more than AdSense’s earnings for the company.

The Raider’s future Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is the pinnacle of technological connectivity. According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, the $2 billion, 65,000 seat stadium will feature the fastest optical internet service available with Allegiant Stadium covered by 1,700 managed Wi-Fi access points and 40-gigabit optical internet connections to deliver high-speed bandwidth for every mobile device in the venue. Cox Business, the commercial division of Cox Communications, will also power nearly 2,200 Cisco Vision dynamic screens and signs throughout the stadium – promising a memorable, interactive fan experience. Furthermore, Cox will offer engaging activations like the Cox Virtual Meet and Greet at the stadium to create memorable moments for fans by changing the way they interact with the game and their favorite athletes. The stadium aesthetically looks like the future from the outside with its “Black Hole” inspired design and the high-tech feel of the building delivers on its future-forward sports business.

Spotify is looking to reach into daily sports podcasts in its upcoming expansion. According to Bloomberg, Spotify Technology SA is developing several daily sports shows, which is a big part of the music-streaming giant’s push into original podcasts. The Swedish company will likely start with a single show and then increase its workload. Spotify is considering a number of options, including audio programs tailored to fans of specific teams, but so far it is known that one program will be a recap of the day in sports and run about 10 minutes. The company hired Amy Hudson earlier this year to oversee sports, and she has talked with Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, about making shows. Spotify is eager to reduce its reliance on music, and has pinned much of its future on the growth of podcasting. With sports being one of the most popular genres in traditional radio and podcasting, it will be a strategic move for the company to build out its slate of original and exclusive shows and become a platform more similar to Apple’s podcast, music, and video network.

The NBA boosts its online presence with more Twitter live games. According to SportsPro, the NBA, Twitter, and Turner Sports have announced a multi-year extension to their partnership that increases Twitter’s amount of live games and on-demand content on the social media platform. The deal was first signed in January 2019 and will now offer a live streaming option for the second half of at least 20 regular season NBA games, the NBA All-Star Game, and 16 playoff games, including the Western Conference Finals. The U.S. geo-locked Twitter feed features an isolated-camera on a player voted on by users, with NBA influencers and veteran basketball star Channing Frye on commentary. Additional engagement features includes voting on users’ favorite plays, moments, and teams to watch during pre-game warm-ups for select games. Since joining Twitter in 2009, the NBA has built one of the largest Twitter communities in the world, with more than 437 million followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. The additional live streamed games should further establish it as one of the online sports league titans.

Power of Sports Five

Top tennis stars band together to aid Australian bushfire relief. According to CNN, a number of the world's top tennis stars, including Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki, Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas have agreed to play in an exhibition match to raise funds for Australia's bushfire relief. Scheduled to take place on January 15 at Melbourne Park's Rod Laver Arena, the Australian Open Rally for Relief will donate proceeds from ticket sales -- priced at $54 AUSD for adults and $35 AUSD for concessions -- to the bushfire relief efforts. So far, at least 24 people have been killed by the fires in Australia. Nearly 18 million acres of land have been burned as the country faces its worst blazes in decades. Kyrgios kick-started tennis' fundraising efforts last week when he pledged $200 AUSD for every ace he hits at upcoming tournaments with a number of other players since joining him. Furthermore, Tennis Australia will also donate $100 AUSD for every ace hit across six tournaments, including the Australian Open, as well as granting $1 million AUSD to help rebuild tennis facilities damaged in the bushfires. The tennis world has been one of the first major sports leagues to go all in to support the Australian bushfires and other leagues will likely follow suit, such as the England Premier League.

Soccer stars from around the globe will play a bushfire charity match. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the head of Melbourne-based agency Tribal Sports Group, Lou Sticca, took to Twitter last Sunday to flag plans for a star-studded charity soccer match, which could raise huge sums to help alleviate the suffering of people and communities whose lives have been devastated by blazes scorching Australia. The game is likely to be played at Sydney's ANZ Stadium in May. Many top European and South American players will be in action at the European Championships and Copa America, but big names who are no longer internationals could be lured to Australia to help raise funds. The charity match is one of a number of fundraising efforts being made on behalf of football in Australia to assist those affected by the bushfires. Currently, the next two rounds of the A-League and W-League will be dedicated to raising funds and showing gratitude to emergency services. And the Australian players' union, Professional Footballers Australia, also used its “Footballers Trust” to donate $1000 for every goal scored in the A-League and W-League over the weekend of January 11-12.

The Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph game-winning gloves finally find their way to charity. According to ESPN, Rudolph thought he was donating the gloves he wore while catching the winning touchdown in overtime against the New Orleans Saints to a charitable cause. It turns out the tight end was scammed by someone who went directly to eBay to sell his game-worn memorabilia for profit. But Jason King, a lifelong Vikings fan from New Jersey, purchased Rudolph's gloves after he saw them on eBay. Shortly after making his purchase, King began to see news of the scam circulating on Twitter. Upon seeing Rudolph's post, King tweeted the tight end that he was the buyer of the gloves and would gladly donate them to charity. Rudolph responded, directing King to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, where he and his wife, Jordan, have done extensive charitable work throughout his nine-year career with the Vikings. Rudolph then said he would send King the gloves he was planning to wear during the Vikings' NFC divisional playoff matchup against San Francisco. King said he will donate the money he spent on the gloves toward Kyle Rudolph's End Zone, a space designed to help children and teenagers find a place to play, relax, engage in healing therapies, and socialize at Masonic Children's Hospital.

Megan Rapinoe is working with Budweiser to change the perspective on branding the NWSL. According to Yahoo Sports, the NWSL looks to shift from surviving to thriving with a target fan base that needs to change from children to young adults. And there may be a shift on the horizon, thanks in part to Budweiser. With help from U.S. Soccer and Soccer United Marketing, who helped broker the deal, Budweiser signed a multi-year sponsorship with the NWSL as the league's biggest sponsor to date. Budweiser's campaign is less of the soft and fuzzy approach the NWSL has seen in the past. Budweiser's current campaign is a call-out of other brands who claim they care about female empowerment to actually put their money where their corporate mouths are. The ironic campaign features Rapinoe enjoying products from future official sponsors of the NWSL – eating a generic hamburger that could be a fast food chain sponsor or sporting a generic watch that could become the official timepiece of the NWSL. Budweiser is simultaneously supporting women’s sports leagues and proving themselves to be a consistent sports sponsor and beverage – regardless of league or gender.

The Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young cancels $1 million in medical debt for locals. According to ABC 7 and other news outlets, the 21-year-old star donated $10,000 to a medical debt erasure agency that relieved over $1 million in debt for local residents. Through the Trae Young Foundation, Young donated the money to RIP Medical Debt, an organization that buys and forgives medical debt in the United States, according to a news release. The nonprofit was started in 2014 by two former debt collectors. They use donated funds to buy debt portfolios for those in need. Media reports said the average amount of dissolved debt is $1,858 for about 570 people. Although he didn’t contribute the $1 million himself, Young expanded what his money could do and positively financially impacted hundreds of Atlanta residents.

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damajority · 5 years ago

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DaMajority Fresh Article https://www.damajority.com/saint-lucia-names-goodwill-brand-ambassadors/

Saint Lucia names Goodwill, Brand Ambassadors

AMBASSADORS TO CREATE AWARENESS OF SAINT LUCIAN CULTURE, ART.

The Government of Saint Lucia has announced the names of twelve Saint Lucians appointed as Goodwill Ambassadors and nine as Brand Ambassadors. Speaking on behalf of the Government during a press briefing Monday, Minister for Culture and Creative Industries, Senator Hon. Fortuna Belrose said that Cabinet had ratified the proposal which came out of the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) last year. A committee was appointed to establish the terms and references for the programme which is now finalized.

“The Saint Lucia Goodwill Ambassadors programme is proposed as a tool to actualize the national cultural policy in a number of key areas,” Minister Fortuna Belrose stated. “They are citizens of Saint Lucia who have achieved international acclaim and the overall objective of the programme is to serve as a catalyst for socio-economic transformation and the development of human capital in all sectors related to the creative arts and the industries, sports, visual arts, gastronomy and music,” the Minister went on to say.

The Ambassadors are expected to represent Saint Lucia locally, regionally and internationally by leveraging their profile and celebrity status to tap into access for growth and to forge strategic partnership between the Cultural Development Foundation and other related agencies. The Goodwill Ambassadors named include acclaimed Saint Lucian singer, musician, songwriter, producer – Ronald “Boo” Hinkson, Gordon “Commissioner” Williams – internationally renowned music producer, Taj Weekes – Reggae Music and philanthropy, English Pro Footballer – Jermain Colin Defoe, Lavern Donaline Spencer – Olympic High jumper, Daren Julius Garvey Sammy – International Cricketer, Leslie Ferdinand – Pro Football player, Jallim Eudovic – International Sculptor, Chef Nina Compton – Internationally renowned Chef, Joseph Marcell – Actor, Dr. David Williams – Academia, Ken Chitolie – Philanthropy.

The title of “Your Excellency” will be conferred on the Goodwill Ambassadors, as well as the Saint Lucia Medal of Merit Gold. They will also be issued with an official or diplomatic passport as awarded by Cabinet and a decorated red “laissez-passer” signed by the Governor General.

In announcing the Brand Ambassadors Minister Belrose noted that it was important to ensure that there is a clear pathway for our young upcoming artisteS to leverage their talent and for us as a country to be able to recognize them.

“It is imperative that such citizens be recognized and allowed to leverage their profile/celebrity status to locate ad access opportunities for the growth and development of Saint Lucia in their respective sectors. Given that culture helps to shape the uniqueness of a destination the brand ambassadors program will provide the platform to identify individuals who are best placed to create local and international awareness of our culture, arts and creative industries,” the Minister further stated.

The named Brand Ambassadors are Soca artistes Teddyson John, Ricky T Joseph and Arthur Allain, Reggae musician – Taj Weekes, Lashley “Motto” Winter – music producer/performer, Johnick “Freezy” Leo – music performer and Johanan Dujon – Entrepreneur.

Besides the granting of the award of Brand Ambassador, these individuals will be eligible to apply for property tax exemption on the purchase of property, income tax exemption on income received from foreign sources, visa facilitation, issuance of an official passport, access to grant funding and eligibility to apply for duty free concessions.

Following the official acceptance by the nineteen individuals, the Ministry of Culture and Creative Industries will be hosting an official ceremony at which time all of the official instruments will be conferred on the Goodwill and Brand Ambassadors.

#Lashley “Motto” Winter #Ministry of Culture and Creative Industries #ricky t #taj weekes #teddyson john

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viraljournalist · 5 years ago

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Biggest Week 10 injury questions for all 32 NFL teams

New Post has been published on https://viraljournalist.com/biggest-week-10-injury-questions-for-all-32-nfl-teams/

Biggest Week 10 injury questions for all 32 NFL teams

7:48 PM ET

NFL NationESPN

After missing recent action, Patrick Mahomes and David Johnson could be back in their respective teams’ active lineups this weekend, and A.J. Green could finally make his 2019 debut.

Our NFL Nation reporters update the top injury question for every team heading into Week 10, with intel gathered directly from the source:

Jump to: ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE NO | NYG | NYJ | OAK | PHI | PIT | SF SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

AFC EAST

The Bills are in a better position than most in terms of overall team health. Cornerback Kevin Johnson was limited in Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury but did not don a red “non-contact” jersey; this bodes well for his availability Sunday. He’s one of three outside corners on Buffalo’s 53-man roster and his depth is needed as the team prepares for Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Two key veteran starters — center Daniel Kilgore (knee) and safety Reshad Jones — (chest) have missed the past three games, but each could be nearing a return this Sunday; both are practicing for the second consecutive week, and coach Brian Flores deemed them close to a return. It could signal the return of the Dolphins’ best active defensive back in Jones and offensive captain in Kilgore. — Cameron Wolfe

The Patriots held their lone practice of the bye week, and starting safety Patrick Chung (heel/chest) was one of just two players not spotted at the beginning of the full-pads workout (tight end Benjamin Watson was the other). So the bye comes at a good time for Chung, whose ability to match up with opposing tight ends and help in run support makes him a key cog to the defense. — Mike Reiss

Running back Le’Veon Bell (knee) didn’t practice Wednesday (his first miss of the season), but the team is cautiously optimistic that he will be able to play against the Giants. Even if he plays, it could mean more carries for Bilal Powell and Ty Montgomery. Tight end Chris Herndon (hamstring) is probably 50-50. He’s practicing on a limited basis, but he hasn’t been able to cut loose yet. — Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

There really isn’t much of an injury question for the Ravens this week. Ronnie Stanley, the Ravens’ starting left tackle, missed Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury but is expected to play Sunday against the Bengals. If Stanley surprisingly can’t suit up, James Hurst would fill in for him. The only other Baltimore player who missed practice because of an injury is guard Marshal Yanda, who is dealing with a cold he picked up from his children. — Jamison Hensley

Before Wednesday, A.J. Green (ankle) appeared on track to make his season debut this weekend. But after he missed practice Wednesday, that appears up in the air. If he doesn’t have a full practice Thursday, Green could be in jeopardy of missing another game. This is already the longest injury absence of his NFL career. — Ben Baby

Defensive end Olivier Vernon did not practice while nursing a knee injury suffered Sunday. Coach Freddie Kitchens has called him day-to-day. The good news is that safety Damarious Randall has returned from a hamstring injury, while left tackle Greg Robinson was practicing despite an ankle injury. Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones (knee) was limited to the side, which means for the moment Cleveland has only two healthy TEs, Demetrius Harris and former practice-squad member Stephen Carlson. — Jake Trotter

Will running back James Conner play Sunday? Still recovering from an AC injury to his shoulder suffered in the final minutes of the victory against the Dolphins, Conner didn’t play against the Colts. Conner is expected to be limited in practice this week, but “perk up” in later practices, per coach Mike Tomlin. If Conner can’t go, the Steelers will again lean heavily on Jaylen Samuels and Trey Edmunds — who were ineffective in the red zone in the Week 9 win. — Brooke Pryor

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0:57

Field Yates and Stephania Bell give an update on James Conner’s shoulder injury and how fantasy managers should handle him.

AFC SOUTH

The Texans hope their secondary will benefit from the bye week. On Tuesday, coach Bill O’Brien said cornerbacks Bradley Roby (hamstring) and Lonnie Johnson (concussion) as well as safety Tashaun Gipson (back/wrist) are trending in the right direction to be ready to play against Baltimore in Week 11. — Sarah Barshop

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A possible positive sign for the Colts: Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (knee) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday just days after suffering a sprained MCL in his left knee in the first half against Pittsburgh. However, coach Frank Reich said it’s not a “slam dunk” that Brissett plays Sunday against the Dolphins. “This guy is as tough as they come, but we’ve got to do the right thing for him and for our team,” Reich said. “We will just see how it plays out. He is our quarterback. We want him to play and if he’s ready to play, then he will be the starter.” Brian Hoyer will start if Brissett doesn’t play. — Mike Wells

The bye week is coming at the perfect time for wide receiver Dede Westbrook and cornerback D.J. Hayden, both of whom missed Sunday’s game with shoulder/neck injuries. Coach Doug Marrone said both should return to practice Monday, and would be on track to play the following Sunday. In fact, Marrone said he anticipates linebackers Leon Jacobs (hamstring) and Quincy Williams (hamstring) will return to practice Monday as well. That’s three starters and a key reserve the Jaguars will have back for the Colts. — Mike DiRocco

Center Ben Jones missed last weekend’s game against the Panthers due to a concussion, and reserve swing lineman Jamil Douglas started in Jones’ place. Jones was on the field for the individual period Wednesday, and coach Mike Vrabel said Jones is progressing but still not cleared from concussion protocol. — Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

To celebrate 100 years of pro football, Peyton Manning travels the country to see the people and places that made the NFL the NFL. Watch on ESPN+ » More »

With the Broncos on their bye week, the health of right tackle Ja’Wuan James continues to be a question that affects the team’s offense. Essentially, the Broncos would like, at minimum, to rotate Elijah Wilkinson and Garett Bolles at left tackle because Bolles continues to struggle to avoid, and then rebound from, penalties in games. But they can’t use Wilkinson to do that when James is not in the lineup, because Wilkinson is starting at right tackle. James played 10 snaps in the season opener when he suffered a knee injury. He injured the same knee 22 plays into the next game he played — Week 8 against the Colts. So with James having been in the lineup just 32 plays all season, Denver continues to try to make do on the offensive line. As Broncos players adjourned for their bye-week break, coach Vic Fangio said, “I don’t know that yet” when asked if James would be able to play Week 11 against Minnesota. — Jeff Legwold

The starting quarterback spot for Sunday’s game against the Titans looks to be Patrick Mahomes’ to lose. The Chiefs increased his workload in practice Wednesday as they began preparations for the Titans. If his knee holds up, there’s a good chance he will play. But Chiefs haven’t committed to that yet, so this could again come down to the end of the week. — Adam Teicher

Linebacker Denzel Perryman is dealing with a knee injury he suffered during last weekend’s victory over the Packers. Perryman did not practice this week, and is questionable for Thursday’s road game against the Raiders. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said Perryman will be a game-time decision. Perryman has recorded 20 combined tackles over the past three games, so the Chargers could use the Miami product in the lineup. — Eric D. Williams

Center Rodney Hudson missed the win against the Lions after suffering an ankle injury 10 plays into the Raiders’ loss in Houston on Oct. 27. And right tackle Trent Brown went down three plays into the Lions game with a knee injury, though he tried, unsuccessfully, to return while wearing a knee brace. On such a short week, it’s hard to see either O-lineman returning to face the Chargers on Thursday. Which would mean more snaps for center Andre James and tackle David Sharpe, who have both acquitted themselves well in replacing Hudson and Brown thus far. — Paul Gutierrez

NFC EAST

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With a quick turnaround following Monday’s road game, the Cowboys did not have a padded practice Wednesday, and Amari Cooper was a spectator. Cooper hurt his knee in practice last week and banged it into the turf against the Giants, but continued to play. The hope is that rest will help him play Sunday. Leighton Vander Esch (stinger) was on the field for the workout and the belief is he will be able to return after sitting out Monday. If he can’t, then Sean Lee will continue to see action. Safety Jeff Heath has 12 stitches on his knee that could affect his status this weekend, but the expectation is he will be able to play against Minnesota. — Todd Archer

Tight end Evan Engram ruled himself out this weekend against the Jets with what the Giants are calling a “mid-foot sprain.” He wore a boot Wednesday on his left foot. The MRIs were sent to foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, but Engram said the belief is that it’s not the dreaded Lisfranc injury. He “dodged a bullet,” as the TE put it. Engram’s hope is that he can return after the Week 11 bye for the game against Chicago. — Jordan Raanan

Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery suffered an ankle injury late in Sunday’s victory against the Bears, but he didn’t seem overly concerned about it after the game. However, couple this latest ailment with the calf strain that hindered Jeffery for much of the first half of the season, and this becomes a much-needed bye week for the veteran, who will have to carry the load now that DeSean Jackson is sidelined for the remainder of the season. “I’m going to take care of my body, that’s about it,” Jeffery said of his plans this week. “I’m not doing too much. Just treatment.” — Tim McManus

Quarterback Case Keenum is still in the concussion protocol, but it might be a moot point because there’s a good chance Dwayne Haskins will continue to start. The bye week will be good for running back Derrius Guice, who is expected to come off the injured reserve list after spraining his left knee. The Redskins hope having an extra week — he would have been eligible to return this week — will help Guice. The week off should also benefit right tackle Morgan Moses (pectoral injury), who should be fine, and defensive lineman Tim Settle, who underwent platelet-rich plasma treatment for a hamstring injury. His status remains uncertain. — John Keim

NFC NORTH

The Bears made it out of Philadelphia with only one noteworthy injury: Nose tackle Eddie Goldman is dealing with a thigh issue. Goldman has just 16 total tackles on the season, but he’s a large body who clogs running lanes up the middle. The Eagles rushed for 146 yards against the Bears in Week 9. Ex-Bear Jordan Howard ran for 82 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. Goldman played only 11 of 89 defensive snaps in that loss. — Jeff Dickerson

Matthew Stafford (hip/back) was limited in practice, and at this point it doesn’t seem that concerning. But considering the quarterback has had issues with the hip and back over the past season-plus, it’s going to be worth monitoring as the week progresses. Starting guard Joe Dahl (ankle) missed practice as well, which likely means Kenny Wiggins and Graham Glasgow will start for the second consecutive game. Tracy Walker (knee) missed practice again Wednesday, too. But the main one to watch, for now, is Stafford. — Michael Rothstein

Yes, Davante Adams returned last weekend from a four-game absence due to turf toe. And yes, he caught seven passes Sunday against the Chargers, but he still didn’t look like the Adams of old. And here’s why: “I’m obviously healed at this point but as far as being a thousand percent back to myself, I wouldn’t quite say I’m quite there yet,” Adams said. “But I’m able to do a lot of things right now and do what I can to contribute.” — Rob Demovsky

The Vikings are considerably more banged up entering Week 10 than they’ve been at any point this season. Adam Thielen (hamstring), C.J. Ham (ankle) and Ifeadi Odenigbo (shoulder) were held out of practice Wednesday, while Trae Waynes (ankle) and Stephen Weatherly (groin) were limited participants. Thielen aggravating the hamstring injury he initially sustained in Week 7 could put him at risk of missing more time while he heals. When Dalvin Cook dealt with a similar injury last season, Minnesota eventually shut the running back down for several weeks to let him recover instead of allowing him to practice on a limited basis and testing out his hamstring ahead of several games to determine whether he could go. It feels like this could be the course of action Minnesota takes with Thielen to get him back fully healthy as the Vikings look to make a push for the playoffs down the stretch. — Courtney Cronin

NFC SOUTH

Quarterback Matt Ryan, who missed the Falcons’ Week 8 game against Seattle with a sprained right ankle, was limited in practice Wednesday. Coach Dan Quinn stopped short of declaring Ryan ready to play against the Saints on Sunday, but Quinn said during last week’s bye he was optimistic about Ryan’s return. “Feel good,” Ryan said after practice. “Feeling a little bit better every day. That’s what you do when you have something like this. You just try and focus on daily improvement, try to get back to yourself as fast as possible.” Ryan said he always prepares to start, so his mindset hasn’t changed going into this week. He hadn’t missed a game since December 2009 before he was inactive for the loss to the Seahawks. — Vaughn McClure

Defensive end Vernon Butler was having back issues and went for an evaluation Wednesday, so the Panthers signed Wes Horton, who had been with the team previously. Horton knows the system, so it should be an easy adjustment if Butler can’t play Sunday at Green Bay. Butler had stepped up since the loss of Pro Bowl defensive end/tackle Kawann Short. — David Newton

The bye week served the Saints well. They had every player on the practice field Wednesday, including running back Alvin Kamara (ankle/knee), tight end Jared Cook (ankle) and wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith (ankle). Kamara was listed as limited, so it’s possible the Saints might lighten his workload a bit to keep him fresh. But he should still be a big part of the offense. — Mike Triplett

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Stephania Bell expects RB Alvin Kamara will be active Sunday coming off the Saints’ bye week.

Coach Bruce Arians said tight end O.J. Howard (hamstring) would be good to go this weekend after missing the past two games with a hamstring injury, and Cameron Brate continues to play through sore ribs. On the defensive side of the ball, Arians said “there’s a chance” outside linebacker Carl Nassib (groin) will play, but it’s unlikely backup Anthony Nelson (hamstring) will. Cornerback Carlton Davis, who suffered a hip injury during warmups against the Seahawks, is also a question mark at this point. — Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Right tackle Justin Murray (knee) did not practice again Wednesday, putting his status for Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay in doubt. If he can’t play, Justin Pugh will likely line up at right tackle again and Mason Cole, whom coach Kliff Kingsbury called Arizona’s most valuable lineman because of his versatility, will play left tackle for a second consecutive game. Meanwhile, running back David Johnson (ankle), who missed the past two games and most of the Week 7 game against the Giants, declared that he’s “definitely playing” this weekend, though Kingsbury wasn’t dealing in absolutes. “Hopefully we see what we want this week and we can get him back out there,” the coach said. — Josh Weinfuss

Wide receiver Brandin Cooks has been ruled out against the Steelers as he continues to recover and seek opinions from specialists for the two concussions he suffered last month. In Cooks’ absence, Josh Reynolds is expected to start. Sean McVay also said outside linebacker Clay Matthews, who was sidelined after Week 5 after breaking his jaw, and running back Malcolm Brown, who was inactive the past two games because of an ankle injury, were on track to play. — Lindsey Thiry

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Stephania Bell contemplates how fantasy managers should handle Brandin Cooks due to the uncertainty of his return from his latest concussion.

Reinforcements are on the way for the 49ers’ offense in the form of left tackle Joe Staley (fibula) and fullback Kyle Juszczyk (sprained MCL), both of whom are expecting to play Monday night against Seattle. The question is whether right tackle Mike McGlinchey will also be back from his knee injury. McGlinchey is hopeful that he will return, and said it’s not so much about healing as getting his wind back. “I think I’m just about through the rehab process and it’s about becoming a football player again,” McGlinchey said. — Nick Wagoner

Wide receiver Josh Gordon passed his physical and will practice Thursday when the Seahawks get back to work ahead of their Monday night game against the 49ers. Gordon still has a new offense to learn, and the Seahawks have to figure out where he might fit within it. But coach Pete Carroll said Gordon is “ready to go” physically after dealing with a minor knee injury that landed him on injured reserve with the Patriots. — Brady Henderson

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sportsduniya-blog · 5 years ago

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Goldberg Biography: Height, Weight & Net Worth

Bill Goldberg Height, Weight, Age, Biography, Measurements, Net Worth, Family, Affairs, Marriage, Wiki & much more! Bill Goldberg was born on December 27, 1966 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. His current age 52 years. His Father’s Name is Jed Goldberg (Gynecologist) and mother’s name is Ethel Goldberg (Classical Violinist). Bill Goldberg height 5 feet 4 inches (194 cm/ 1.9 m) and Weight 120 kg (266 lbs). His Horoscope/Sun Sign is Capricorn, Nationality American and Ethnicity is Not Known.

William Scott Goldberg is a professional wrestler, actor, former football player, and former mixed martial artist color commentator, currently signed to WWE. He is undoubtedly known as one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time with his glory spread all around in different wrestling formats such as WCW and WWE. As an actor, Goldberg worked in various films and television shows, including Universal Soldier: The Return (1999) and Family Guy.

Goldberg holds a golden career in professional wrestling followed by his dominance in WCW with a lengthy undefeated streak in singles competition from 1997 to 1998. Goldberg became a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, and one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion with Bret Hart. Along with Hart, he is the fifth WCW Triple Crown winner. He also spent his wrestling career with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) between 2002 and 2003 and for WWE between 2003 and 2004, and became one-time World Heavyweight Champion.

Early Life

Goldberg was born on December 27, 1966, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a sports lover, Golberg is fond of playing football hence he bagged a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He also played for Los Angeles Rams in 1990 for NFL season, and later associated with the CFL Sacramento Gold Miners and Atlanta Falcons from 1992 to 1994. Goldberg also worked as a bouncer at the age of 16. Goldberg began powerlifting and mixed martial arts training during his initial days. Along with a career in football.

Personal Life

Bill Goldberg resides in Bonsall, California with his wife Wanda Ferraton, a stunt performer and a son named Gage. He married on April 10, 2005. Having a strong wrestling background behind, Goldberg has opened the Extreme Power Gym Muay Thai and amateur boxing training facility in Oceanside, California. Goldberg’s mother, Ethel, is a classical violinist, while his father, Jed, who was an obstetrician and gynecologist at Harvard University.

Goldberg loves collecting cars and is particularly fascinated with vintage cars. He owns 25 vintage cars, including a Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible, Shelby Cobra 427, and a Mustang Boss 429 “Lawman”. Goldberg was out of action from WCW in the past after having a scar on his forearm, forced him to undergo a surgery.

Professiona Life

Goldberg started his career into football during the early phase of his profession. Goldberg bagged a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He also played for Los Angeles Rams in 1990 for NFL season, and later associated with the CFL Sacramento Gold Miners and Atlanta Falcons from 1992 to 1994.

In the year 1995, he was selected with a team named Carolina Panthers, however, never got a chance to play a single game. Later, he was forced to end his football career after he tore his lower abdomen off his pelvis. Goldberg turned his head towards wrestling and started his training into powerlifting and mixed martial arts. He started his training at WCW Power Plant. Goldberg made his in-ring debut with Nitro by defeating Hugh Morrus. With his first-ever victory in pro-wrestling, Golberg never turned back and defeated his fellow WCW wrestlers in the range of 1–2 minutes.

Billy Goldberg rose to the fame in very less time and WCW started counting Goldberg’s back to back victories on television as he continued to climb up the ranks. Goldberg made his pay-per-view debut at Starrcade defeating Steve McMichael. At one point in his career, he had adopted the catchphrase “Who’s next?” due to his rapidly expanding winning streak.

After conquering the United States Heavyweight Championship, he defended the title successfully. Goldberg began his feud with New World Order leader Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. He later defeated Hogan to become the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Goldberg and Page began a feud with each other over the championship. At Halloween Havoc, Goldberg defeated Page to retain the title. According to Goldberg, his match against Page was the favorite match of his career. Goldberg’s win record at WCW events from 1997 to 1998 hasn’t been confirmed, however, it is believed that 173–0 is an inflated number.

In the long span of a wrestling career, Goldberg had several feuds with top wrestlers like Bret Hart, Kevin Nash, New World Order group that includes Hogan, Nash, and Hall and Lex Luger for the WCW championships.

Honors

WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2018)

Comeback of the Year in 2016

Inspirational Wrestler of the Year in 1998

Rookie of the Year in 1998

Ranked No. 2 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1998

Ranked No. 75 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003

Achievements

Goldberg is a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion

Goldberg is a two-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion

Golberg is a one-time WCW World Tag Team Championship with Bret Hart

Goldberg is the Fifth WCW Triple Crown Champion

Goldberg is a one-time World Heavyweight Champion

Physical Measurements Height: 193 cm Weight: 129 kg = 285 lbs Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Bald

Personal Information Full Name: William Scott Goldberg Age: 52 years Date of Birth: December 27, 1966 Hometown: Bonsall, California, U.S Zodiac: Capricorn Religion: American

Education Highest qualification: Graduate School: Tulsa Edison High School

Favorite Celebrities & Other Favourites Favorite wrestler: Hulk Hogan Favorite artist: Ricky Martin Favorite actress: Angelina Jolie

Hobbies Playing football & video game Favorite Food: protein shake, oatmeal, strawberries, etc. Dream Holiday Destination: Australia Favorite Color: Black

Net Worth The veteran Wrestler has an estimated Net Worth of $14 million

Controversy Not a Controversial career

#GoldbergNetWorth #Goldberg #GoldbergBiography #GoldbergHobbies #WWE

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junker-town · 4 years ago

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The Bubble Suns gave Phoenix fans a glimpse of a bright future

The Suns missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season, but their play in the bubble shows better days are ahead.

The Phoenix Suns have a case as the most dysfunctional franchise in the NBA over the last 10 years this side of the Knicks. This was the team that saw live goats defecate all over the GM’s office, cycled through different head coaches every year, couldn’t even pull off a grocery store autograph signing without controversy, and — just when it looked like they had turned the corner — lost their franchise center to a 25-game suspension for diuretics.

For the last decade, if something could go wrong for the Suns, it probably did. That’s part of the reason why their flawless run in the NBA’s restart bubble felt so inspiring.

The Suns were the only team to finish a perfect 8-0 in the bubble. Phoenix still missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season, but for the first time since the heyday of Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire, it feels like the fanbase has something to get excited about.

Anyone who watched Phoenix play in the bubble can see how bright their future will be. This is why it’s a good time to be a Suns fan for the first time in a decade.

Devin Booker finally played like a legitimate star

If Damian Lillard is the Bubble MVP, Booker certainly finished as a close second. Booker was electric in the season restart, averaging 30.5 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the field while dishing out six assists per game during the Suns’ perfect 8-0 stretch. After years of being viewed as an empty calories scorer, Booker looks like a legitimate star.

Booker’s run started to feel like something special by his third game in the bubble against the mighty Los Angeles Clippers. Booker went off for 35 points and eight assists, and hit a game-winning buzzer-beater over the outstretched arms of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

DEVIN BOOKER! GAME-WINNER! pic.twitter.com/vUvwABgyE5

— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 4, 2020

It’s wild to think Booker is still only 23 years old. Every losing season in Phoenix has felt like a referendum on his career to this point, but he’s finally showing how unfair that is. With a better supporting cast around him, Booker has increased his scoring efficiency, developed into a better playmaker, cut down on his turnovers, and stopped feeling like he had to take on NBA defenses 1-on-5.

Read the great Mike Prada for a thorough breakdown on how Booker finally ascended to superstar status. Booker was named an All-Star for the first time in his career this season, and it feels like an honor he should be achieving with regularity from here on out.

Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges are emerging pieces next to him

While Booker’s play drew most of the headlines, it wouldn’t have been possible without an improved roster around him. The two most promising pieces are center Deandre Ayton and wing Mikal Bridges.

Ayton may never live down being taken in front of Luka Doncic in the NBA draft, but he still projects as one of the best young big men in the league. Ayton has always had elite physical tools and been an efficient scorer dating back to his college days at Arizona, but this season he made tangible strides in the weaker areas of his game, especially defensively. For all of the points and rebounds Ayton put up this season, it’s plays like this one that should really get Phoenix fans excited.

THIS SEQUENCE BY DEANDRE AYTON pic.twitter.com/BYb5MQfykR

— Mike Vigil (@protectedpick) August 6, 2020

Speaking of defense, let’s talk about Mikal Bridges. The Suns tabbed Bridges with the No. 10 pick in the 2018 draft out of Villanova hoping he could develop into the type of 3-and-D wing every team covets. Phoenix fully saw that vision of Bridges in the bubble.

Bridges smothers opposing offensive players with his quick feet and 7’1 wingspan. He was pretty much the only defender to lock down T.J. Warren in the bubble. He’s also made strides with his three-point shot, eliminating a hitch he showed early in his pro career to make better than 36 percent of his attempts from deep in the bubble.

I’ve been a fan of Bridges’ game dating back to his college days, and it was a joy to see him put it all together in the bubble. Phoenix doesn’t need Bridges to be a creator to be impactful — he just has be a star in his role. Just ask the Bucks how valuable really good 3-and-D guys are.

With a superstar guard in Booker in place, the Suns now also have an emerging defensive force on the wing and a stud center. That’s a good start, but the Suns deserve credit for the rest of the roster, too.

The Suns have a complete roster around their core pieces

It’s no coincidence that the needle finally started trending up for the Suns after they signed Ricky Rubio. Phoenix’s point guard play had been dreadful the last few seasons, but Rubio immediately provided a steady hand in his first season with the Suns after signing as a free agent. The Suns were simply a better team with Rubio on the floor running the offense, which was proven by his team-best net rating.

The Suns made another move in the offseason that drew less attention than the Rubio signing but had a similarly big impact. That would be the trade for veteran center Aron Baynes. Baynes was unbelievably good for the Suns in the first half of the year, providing newfound three-point shooting on offense and enough rim protection on defense to keep Phoenix afloat. There aren’t many better backup centers in the league. Baynes just seemed to professionalize Phoenix in all the ways they fell short before, which is the goal of any team when they acquire a new veteran.

It doesn’t stop there. The Suns were panned for picking Cameron Johnson at No. 13 overall in the NBA draft, but he looks like a valuable role player as a 6’8 shooter. I would like to apologize for not having him on my list of the best rookies this season — he deserved to be there. Kelly Oubre was having a career-year before he suffered a season-ending meniscus tear. Dario Saric was a solid veteran addition to the front court. Phoenix even pulled Cameron Payne out of China and made him a productive backup point guard in the bubble.

Phoenix’s typically maligned front office deserves real credit for what they did with this roster. Their best decision might have been who they decided to hire as head coach.

Monty Williams is the perfect coach for the young Suns

I wrote my glowing review of the Suns’ decision to hire Monty Williams back in December. If there was any doubt about how much respect he commanded from his team, just watch the speech he delivered after the Suns won their final game in the bubble:

Monty Williams is a real one. You always want a coach like this. (via @suns) pic.twitter.com/NxbyhCj2Cf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) August 13, 2020

The Suns have a star in Booker. They have two impressive starters next to him in Bridges and Ayton. The overall talent level on the rest of the roster is significantly improved. And they have a great coach.

The Suns didn’t make the playoffs, but they still showed how bright their future is at the bubble. After 10 straight years of missing the postseason, it finally feels like Phoenix is ready for a new chapter of sustained respectability.

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deskcoin64-blog · 5 years ago

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Ask Sam Mailbag: 11.23.18

Basketball is the toughest sport to referee. In college intramurals, I was a ref for many sports and basketball was easily the toughest, can't even imagine how tough it is in the NBA. With that said, it seems to be getting a little crazy some of these fouls called on Wendell Carter Jr. This rookie doesn't get the call thing seems to go too far with this seemingly mild-mannered kid. Besides just him, can they fix something with this "jump into the defender" when he's in the air, Dwayne Wade mastered, type of play. It is getting ridiculous! A defender jumps, and the offense literally jumps five feet toward the defender in a terrible shooting attempt and is barely touched by him and it is a foul? Is there some way to limit this absurd play that can end up ruining a game?

Jon Kueper

Sam: I know; it’s awful, but I have noticed they have stopped giving every foul call to James Harden when he throws himself at defenders, which more than Carmelo is the reason the Rockets got off to a slow start. I generally have the backs of the officials, though I recognize fewer and fewer of them every game. They get it as close as you can get it right as you understand having tried. They always say a foul is a foul, but we all know it isn’t certain times in the game, especially at the end of quarters, and for certain people versus other people. It’s not right, but life isn’t all a level playing field, either. Often Carter has been victimized by the officials who not only don’t know him, like Natalie Sago in the Suns game. I’ve noticed that some of the new ones when they haven’t made a foul call for awhile find a young player. Some would say the player has to defend himself more and complain. I commend Carter for not falling into that ugly trap, remaining professional and respectful, and I believe things will even out for him as they generally do in these situations. But it is another positive sign of his maturity and class the way he handles inequity and injustice. I’m also supporting him for Congress.

I think the Bulls are a little behind schedule in wins because of injuries. But, the talk about Jabari Parker being a failure seems pre-mature. One thing I noticed though that bothers me is his attitude with the media. He seems to be at war with the media with his short answers and blank stares. I have been a Chicago Bulls fan for 30 years. And he could be a valuable piece; however, he needs a real attitude adjustment. I wish Gar and Paxson could sit him down and tell him to relax and grow some thicker skin. What’s your prognosis for Parker and utilizing his talents? He could breakout with Dunn, Markkenen and Portis comeback.

Ryan Carpel

Sam: Thanks for the support. I know in this era it’s fashion to widely and angrily condemn media, but it’s a sensitive subject for those of us who hope to connect fans with their favorites (and others). Really, that’s what we do. You think everyone loves standing around while Robin Lopez gets dressed? The misconception is we are in this to become friends with the subjects or gain fame trough their reflected glow. Some are; the great majority are not. They’re basically working people who are serious about their jobs, which are generally more fun than yours but often don’t pay as much, who seek the same respect at work as anyone. It’s where it’s sometimes been awful with Parker. I’ve been at just about all his media sessions, however short many are. Players don’t have to speak with media, in my view, even if it is a requirement in their NBA contracts. The issue with Parker is the way he’s shown a lack of respect for the reporters with his sharp, often one word answers and, as you note, disconcerting stares. No one asking fair, straight forward and basically inoffensive questions, which is their job and which the NBA encourages, deserves to be treated that way. Frankly, I’ve been surprised because I had no idea given he always said he was a community minded type person. Actually, I think the Bulls must have spoken with him because lately he has loosened up some, though he still holds the title of Bulls player you’d least like to spend a minute with. But you are right in that it’s a premature talent evaluation. He basically told us he’s not likely to contribute much on defense, so I’ll credit him, at least, for honesty as many NBA players say they will and don’t. Parker has some tremendous scoring abilities and talents, and he’s still less than a year removed from his second ACL return. So even as much as he doesn’t want to hear about having had surgeries, I think he has space to grow and get better. He showed a lot of that against the Suns earlier this week with nearly a triple double and some really impressive play that left us as speechless as he often is. OK, that’s laying it on too much, I admit. But I would love to see him smile some day. You need talent to do that. Parker has it. Though when Markkanen and Portis return, who knows. Parker doesn’t seem malicious, but I just wish he reciprocated to the polite treatment he’s universally received from the Chicago media. Maybe he’s been asking Tyrus Thomas for advice.

The Bulls should go after Otto Porter. After all, he's a small forward (and the Bulls desperately need them in order to win). Parker's listed as a small forward, but we know he’s a power forward for now.

Kieron Smith

Sam: Porter was my most sought to-trade-for last week until later in the week rumors were that the 76ers’ Markelle Fultz wanted to be traded. His agent denied it, which I assume means it’s true. And it certainly should be with the situation he’s in now with Jimmy Butler added to the team and probably pretty soon to begin calling him Karl-Anthony. We know the story of Fultz leaving again for treatment and the 76ers being surprised. It’s clear to most everyone now that he needs a chance elsewhere. Also, remember being a No. 1 overall pick is an arbitrary number. Would it be much different if he were a No. 7 overall like Emmanuel Mudiay or Randy Foye? Or No. 5 overall like Ricky Rubio or Devin Harris? Or No. 6 overall like Johnny Flynn or Dajuan Wagner? Or No. 3 like O.J. Mayo or No. 2 like Jay Williams? When you are drafting kids who have to play complicated guard positions, you never truly know. If Fultz were selected No. 4 would he be as big a mistake? He clearly needs a chance elsewhere because he does seem talented. But given that the 76ers used a No. 1 pick for him and blew plenty of other top picks on the likes of Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, they’re not likely to settle for spare parts. At least for now. Though the hysteria last week was the Wizards had to do something! And right now! I think it may be the opposite. GM Ernie Grunfeld is cautious and veteran oriented. Rebuilds, as we mostly have seen, take years to bloom if they ever do again. Instead of trading off Porter—who makes about $27 million a year and is essentially a spot up three-point shooter whose salary would remove the Bulls from free agency possibilities—Wall or Beal, my guess is they add to them and take one more run. If they miss the playoffs, then I could see some changes next summer. Though with Wall’s $42 million annual salary for four years starting next season, it difficult to see who would take that on, especially for a player who cannot lead his team to the playoffs in the East, if that occurs. But you gotta love a dysfunctional team with Dwight Howard that doesn’t even mention his name.

How long before LeBron forces Magic to trade for John Wall. Well, as long as they make the playoffs. I would hate to see them win the lottery and get Zion Williamson.

Tom Plonowski

Sam: Now that’s an interesting conspiracy; the latter part, anyway. Say the situation is to get the Lakers a college star and….OK, OK, I know it’s not true. Which never stops the discussion. Another frequent name I hear is among the Duke freshmen. They’re at least for now expected to be among the top five draft picks, and though they’re still playing mostly basically exhibition games and they are teenagers, I think this draft doesn’t look as good as last year’s. No one ever has a good idea how these kids will be in the NBA, but I don’t see generational talent for now. Sure, some pretty good pros. But it makes me wonder why the Duke coach rarely seems to put the ball in the hands of the big dunker to make plays. College ball does matter even when they don’t stay long. It did tell you something about Andrew Wiggins when you’d see him score six or eight points in big games. Big time players perform in big time games at all levels. When they don’t, you can question who and what they’ll become. I know it’s tough to watch NBA coverage on ESPN or listen on NBA radio without three quarters of the discussion being about LeBron and the Lakers. Bor-ing! LeBron can be annoying in making demands and getting what he wants, but I’m voting with Magic’s patience for now and his summer free agency plan. After all, he got Lonzo Ball’s father to drop from sight. That has to be the undercard to being able to hold off LeBron and his advisors. I think this season is about LeBron going for one more MVP and just trying to get into the top four and then taking their personnel shot next summer. But we’ll know more after Dec. 15 when most contracts are available to be traded. Heck, with all the former LeBron teammates with nothing to do and about to be released or bought out, he may be able to assemble one of his former teams before the end of this season. Is James Jones coming back?

My attitude towards tanking is I think the same as yours...but man, have you seen this Zion kid play? With Valentine's injury it’s gotta be tempting to shut Lauri down till February and go for broke.

Guy Danilowitz

Sam: No more tanking. I know it seems like it sometimes is what’s going on with the Bulls now with all the injuries and the hole they’ll inevitably dig. But with the first step smoothing out of the odds, the three teams with the poorest records have exactly the same odds of the top pick, and just 14 percent. Then it’s 12.5 and 10, 8.3 and 8.2. So you essentially have almost seven teams with similar odds of the top picks. And is 14 percent—one in seven—worth blowing off your whole season? Especially because this season was to begin to find out if the Bulls had a team with LaVine, Markkanen, Carter Jr. and Dunn. They still haven’t seen that. So you are going to postpone that for another year to take a one in seven shot at a top pick? Which means more than an 85 percent chance you won’t get it. What sort of a bettor would that make them? I know fans love the draft, the next thing, as it were, but really, enough with the draft picks. The Bulls are going to get another unless they make a trade, but they already have too many young players who have proven little given their lack of playoff experience and still are apprenticing on the roster. The Bulls seem set with Carter, LaVine and Markkanen. They’re still trying to find out about Dunn. Even if Dunn doesn’t prove out, they don’t need to continue teenage tryouts. The Bulls certainly hope he does. But it’s about time to begin surrounding them with veteran NBA talent. Assuming we ever do see them playing together.

Rookie of the year is one of two people right now. Doncic as you said or jaren jackson jr who you didn’t even mention. Jackson is probably the third best player on a team with an 11-5 record in the west. He has been really really good but memphis so no one remebers anyone there. Conley and gasol both playing like allstars again and neither is likely to make it. Doncic the best player on a 5-8 or 6-8 team.

Jake Henry

Sam: I agree with Doncic. It looks like he’s running away with Rookie of the Year. It was fun to see Carter Jr. go against No 1 pick Ayton Wednesday. Ayton is bigger with more athletic talent, but you could see Carter keep up with better defense and more hustle even as he had some bad luck with foul calls. He’ll be a good one for the Bulls, though not rookie of the year. I mentioned five guys when I wrote about rookies a week or so ago and had Jackson on the edge of that. Not because he’s not talented, and I’m pretty sure the Bulls had him as high or higher on their board than Carter Jr., though the Bulls seem fine with their selection. Jackson has a big edge over the others given who he plays with. Gasol and Conley get so much attention, he’s often not defended as much and often plays off the ball on the weak side. The other rookies have to be too involved and get more defensive attention because their teams aren’t nearly as good or with as many veterans. Which is also another thing about that tanking. A lot of those teams that were aren’t anymore and the race to the bottom isn’t going to be as repulsive. It will be more organic, like for a team trying but with a lot of injuries. Trae Young is inconsistent because of the pressure he sees and Marvin Bagley hasn’t gotten the playing time, but has been impressive in spots. Jackson, though, should rebound better for his size. It’s a terrific class, but for now Doncic stands above.

This Bulls team reminds me of the 2008 Bulls team a little bit. Neither team is a world beater, but they have their similarities: a core of promising young players, underperforming roster, and a coach on the fritz. What if we land the #1 pick again? From which angle will you crush my dreams?

Yuriy Fomin

Sam: The No. 1 pick, as I explained. It is an interesting comparison, though, as the first team John Paxson was building with his kinds of players. You can see why he’d be interested in Kris Dunn as a Kirk Hinrich defensive type with more athletic ability, Zach LaVine the scorer like Ben Gordon but bigger and more athletic and Lauri Markkanen the forward but a better shooter than Luol Deng. Ryan Arcidiacono isn’t quite Andres Nocioni. But you can see some similarities. Now just how do you find the Derrick Rose?

I noticed yahoo had a piece on teams with the most cap primed to be players in free agency. The list includes Lakers, Mavs, Brooklyn and a few others. My understanding was the Bulls had huge cap space post likely waving Jabari and getting rid of a few contracts.

Michael Burling

Sam: The Bulls should have a lot, if not the huge amount you expected. Part of the issue is this summer several could have more money, like the Mavericks, Clippers and Nets. The Lakers and Knicks have a lot, but the Bulls can be up there with them. Obviously, like you mentioned, if they keep Jabari Parker they probably don’t have all that much given they have to pay Bobby Portis to keep him. It will depend on whether he gets an offer and how quickly they have to move. With Omer Asik’s buyout and Portis’ cap hold, the Bulls could have around $40 million to $50 million, which would pay one full contract and part of another if they were to pass on Parker. The salary cap is expected to be around $110 million next summer. The presumption is they move on from free agents Holiday and Lopez, but nothing has been stated for now. There are other free agents they’ll have to make decisions on like Ryan Arcidiacono, and they are close to having to make a financial decision on Dunn. So this summer will be crucial and the Bulls can be a major player. Which is another reason why it’s so important to play the season out seriously and see what they have and where they fit.

Too bad about Valentine, I’m not a big fan but I am a human being and that’s got to be tough.

Tom Offa

Sam: Oh yeah, Valentine also. Another guy closing in on restricted free agency and we know we won’t see him again this season. Certainly his market has changed with all the injuries, but he says he’s been told this time it will be right. Grant Hill had serious ankle issues for years and came back and became an All-Star. Decisions, decisions. It’s a side factor of when you fill your roster with high draft picks. You also have to start making some decisions about who to keep, who to pay and who to move. You can’t pay them all.

I’ve got a friend who passionately argues that Lebron James is the greatest of all time. I don’t actually have a strong opinion about who’s the greatest. But I’m a contrarian and I grew up watching Jordan so he’ll always be my favorite horse in this particular race. Well my friend, the Lebron apologist, is always locked and loaded for the MJ vs LbJ debate. So I decided to throw him a curveball last time we had the discussion. I argued that it’s neither Lebron nor Mike, but Wilt, who was in fact the greatest. His otherworldly stats speak for themselves but neither of us ever saw him play so it’s kind of hard for us to fully compare Wilt and Lebron. As an observer who’s seen both play, could you craft a convincing argument for why Wilt is greater than Lebron?

Daniel Slesnick

Sam: Here goes, though I still go with Jordan, also. Wilt is unquestionably the greatest scorer the game ever has seen; averaging 50 in a season, 100 points in a game, the most games above 60, 70, 80. And this notion that he was playing against basketball midgets is erroneous. He played against most of the greatest centers in NBA history, Russell, Thurmond, Unseld, Reed, Kareem, Bellamy, all Hall of Famers. He is criticized for winning titles just twice, but he played against the greatest dynasty ever in the 60s Celtics and beat them face up when they were in their prime when he was with the 76ers. And with a team with half as many future Hall of Famers as the Celtics. When he finally got away from the dominant Celtics dynasty and went to the Lakers, he was in the Finals four of five seasons consecutively. Wilt played in an era when virtual assault was legal and he was the target in every game. They changed the rules of the game multiple times to limit his dominance, from widening the lane to changing goal tending rules. Wilt was so good they talked about eliminating dunking at one time, and the game was so easy at times that Wilt became bored and often shot a fadeaway bank shot to amuse himself. And still won the scoring title. Plus as he wrote in his infamous autobiography, he certainly didn’t get a lot of sleep. At one time or another, he led the league in every major statistical category, including scoring, rebounding and assists and was often all-NBA and all-defense first team. His Lakers team was among those who have held the record in their time for most wins in history. Wilt led two of the top five all-time teams with the best records ever. Wilt won championships just with those teams, showing what he had to do to win given the competition in his era. No team LeBron played on ever ranked in the top 10 of those teams with the greatest records. I guess my question might be in what way would LeBron be better than Wilt at almost anything but free throw shooting? And Wilt may have made more in the last minute of games.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/ask-sam-mailbag-112318

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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virgogear0-blog · 5 years ago

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Pickups of the Week: Rashaad Penny demands fantasy attention

Rashaad Penny finally breaks out

Penny certainly had the look of a first-round running back on Sunday, piling up 108 yards and one score on a dozen carries against the Rams. Check his highlight reel and you’ll see quick feet, excellent decision-making and powerful finishes. Veteran Mike Davis got the start for Seattle in relief of the injured Chris Carson (quad, hip). He out-snapped Penny, 39 to 27, but the rookie was a revelation.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was clearly pleased:

“Today [Penny] busted out,’’ Carroll said. “We’ve been challenging him to get right and to work at the right tempo and find what it’s like to be a pro, just teaching a young guy trying to figure it out. … I thought today he needed it so badly. He knows he’s a great player. He just hasn’t been able to demonstrate it.’’

You shouldn’t need an expert to tell you that a talented rusher coming off a 100-yard performance is a priority fantasy add. Penny is available at the moment in over 85 percent of Yahoo leagues, and he should have a meaningful role in Thursday night’s home matchup with Green Bay. Go get him. Carson is expected to return this week, if Carroll can be believed, but Penny has earned a share of the backfield touches.

Schedule, next three weeks: GB, at Car, SF

FAAB bid ($100 budget): $16

Seattle Seahawks rookie Rashaad Penny delivered his first NFL touchdown and first 100-yard rushing performance in Week 10. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Theo Riddick keeps PPRing, hauls in another six passes

Riddick has caught 13 balls for 96 yards over Detroit’s last two games, emerging as perhaps the biggest statistical winner following the Golden Tate trade. He has almost no role as a rusher — in fact, he hasn’t received a carry since Week 5 — but the PPR managers among you don’t really care. Riddick has a well-understood role in the Lions’ offense; he’s likely to see 6-10 targets per week moving forward. If you play in a full-point per reception fantasy format, he’s clearly on the radar.

Schedule, next three weeks: Car, Chi, LAR

FAAB bid: $4

Anthony Miller makes another house call

Miller has feasted over the past five weeks, reaching the end-zone three times while catching 16 passes on 30 targets. He’s coming off a season-best 122-yard effort versus the Lions, a performance that included this long score against remarkably poor defense:

With six teams on bye in the week ahead, Miller should be considered a viable WR3 for fantasy purposes. Add as needed.

Schedule, next three weeks: Min, at Det, at NYG

FAAB bid: $10

Josh Adams can expect an uptick in touches

To be clear, we aren’t simply speculating about an increase in usage for Adams. Philadelphia’s head coach says it’s happening:

Adams has rushed for 108 yards on just 16 carries over Philly’s last two games and he’s averaging 5.7 YPC for the season. He’s not the flashiest runner, but he’s a large human (6-foot-2, 225) who makes good decisions and generally gains every inch that’s blocked. He was plenty effective at the collegiate level for Notre Dame, rushing for 1430 yards (6.9 YPC) and nine scores last year. Next week’s matchup with New Orleans isn’t at all appealing, as the Saints have the league’s stingiest run defense (3.7 YPC, 80.1 rush YPG). But the schedule takes a friendly turn in Week 12 when the Eagles host the Giants.

Schedule, next three weeks: at NO, NYG, Was

FAAB bid: $9

Suddenly, Marcus Mariota can’t be stopped

Mariota opened his season by throwing just two touchdown passes in his first five games, a rare level of ineffectiveness in the modern NFL. But he’s directed wins over Dallas and New England over the past two weeks, delivering a pair of TD tosses in each game and rushing for another score. Over the last four weeks, he’s averaged 8.2 yards per attempt. We’re beginning to see the sort of efficiency for which OC Matt LaFleur is known.

Story Continues

Tennessee has been a Jekyll/Hyde team so far this season, knocking off the Patriots and Eagles yet losing games to the Bills and Dolphins. The offense is rolling in recent weeks and next Sunday’s matchup with the Colts isn’t too intimidating. Indy ranks in the bottom-third of the league in both yards and points allowed. If you’re looking for a bye-week placeholder at QB, Mariota can help.

Schedule, next three weeks: at Ind, at Hou, NYJ

FAAB bid: $8

Marcus Mariota is coming off his second straight multi-touchdown game, and he has an appealing matchup ahead in Week 11. (AP Photo/James Kenney)

Lamar Jackson, high-upside fantasy stash

Joe Flacco is dealing with a hip injury of as-yet-unknown severity, raising the possibility that Jackson could soon make his first pro start. He’s a thrilling runner who was simply unfair at Louisville. Jackson isn’t a particularly accurate passer by NFL standards, but his rare rushing ability is enough to vault him into the starting conversation in fantasy. Think of him as something like a combination of a QB2 and RB2. Baltimore’s rest-of-season schedule is loaded with stellar matchups, including four of the league’s five worst pass defenses. Get Jackson wherever you can, even if it’s just to keep him away from a future opponent.

Schedule, next three weeks: Cin, Oak, at Atl

FAAB bid: $12

Arizona Cardinals to host the tanking Raiders

OK, so Jon Gruden might still be insisting that Oakland is not, in fact, aggressively tanking in 2018. But c’mon. The Raiders have been a mostly brutal watch. The team ranks No. 30 in scoring (16.3 PPG) and is tied for tenth in giveaways (13). Derek Carr has been sacked 28 times, the sixth highest total in the NFL. Arizona’s defense has been something less than dominant this season, but Oakland is an unusually inept opponent. Expect 8-12 fantasy points from the Cards in Week 11.

Schedule, next three weeks: Oak, at LAC, at GB

FAAB bid: $2

Also recommended: QB Dak Prescott, RB Derrick Henry, RB Frank Gore, RB Elijah McGuire, WR Chris Godwin, WR Josh Doctson, WR Keke Coutee, WR Josh Reynolds, TE Ricky Seals-Jones, TE Jeff Heuerman, TE Jonnu Smith, TE Nick Vannett, TE Gerald Everett

Follow the Yahoo fantasy football crew on Twitter: Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Brad Evans, Matt Harmon, Liz Loza, Scott Pianowski and Tank Williams

Listen to the Yahoo Sports Fantasy Podcast

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/pickups-week-rashaad-penny-demands-fantasy-attention-202924895.html?src=rss

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dillhome69-blog · 5 years ago

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Jack M Silverstein’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019

Later this month, the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee will take its list of 102 modern-era nominees — players and coaches — and cull from that 25 semifinalist candidates for the Class of 2019. In January, they will trim down to 15 finalists. On February 2, 2019, the day before the Super Bowl, the 48 voters will convene in Atlanta — site of the game — and bring the list from 15 to 10 and then 10 to 5.

They will then vote “yes” or “no” on each of the remaining five players. Any player receiving 80% “yes” votes makes the Hall of Fame.

For players and coaches on the list of modern-era nominees, making the semifinalist list of 25 is the first true step toward the Hall of Fame.

That’s because any person can nominate any player, provided that the player has been retired for five or more years and was voted to at least one Pro Bowl or one All-Pro team. Brad Biggs and I were among those who put Olin Kreutz on this year’s ballot, for instance, though Kreutz had been on before and is a true Hall of Fame candidate himself, as we’ll see below.

A much stranger nomination came last year when Steve Smith was on the list — not the heralded Smith of the Panthers, but the one from the Giants. He made the 2009 Pro Bowl and had some clutch catches in Super Bowl XLII, but few people consider him a Hall of Famer.

Therefore the cut to 25 is a significantly greater honor than just landing on the modern-era list.

In a way, this is the most difficult cutdown. While there might only be 10 guys in a given year who are legitimate Hall of Famers, there are 40-50 who can legitimately be considered worthy of that semifinal round.

I learned that the hard way. In this story, I will unveil my entire Hall of Fame ballot at each stage, starting with my top 25, which includes three Bears. In making the list, I had to ultimately make a top 40 list too, because there were 15 guys who I thought were soooooo close to being worthy of the 25 that I had to find a way to include them as well.

My methodology was to rank all of the players within their position groups, put the top-flight guys into the 25 first (including Gonzalez, Sterling Sharpe, Ed Reed and a few others), and then drop in the guys who I think we want to continue discussing based on positions.

For example, Kevin Mawae is my top center, but there are three other centers who I think are truly Hall-worthy: Kent Hull, Olin Kreutz and Tom Nalen. I had to then rank those three guys, and then decide how many of the three should be in my top 25.

My voting methodology will grow more clear as you read. Here are the nominees I would vote for this year, which I will then explain by position:

Hardest cuts from my top 40: Randall Cunningham, Steve McNair, Shaun Alexander, Kent Hull, Tom Nalen, Ty Law, Don Coryell

Semifinalists (25, announced this month): Donovan McNabb, Edgerrin James, Daryl Johnston, Torry Holt, Sterling Sharpe, Tony Gonzalez, Tony Boselli, Mike Kenn, Richmond Webb, Alan Faneca, Steve Hutchinson, Olin Kreutz, Kevin Mawae, Simeon Rice, Richard Seymour, Karl Mecklenburg, Wilber Marshall, Champ Bailey, Steve Atwater, LeRoy Butler, Ed Reed, Darren Woodson, Brian Mitchell, Steve Tasker, Clark Shaughnessy

Finalists (15, announced in January): James, Sharpe, Gonzalez, Boselli, Kenn, Webb, Faneca, Hutchinson, Mawae, Bailey, Atwater, Reed, Mitchell, Tasker, Shaughnessy

Round of 10 (chosen the day before Super Bowl LIII): Sharpe, Gonzalez, Boselli, Faneca, Mawae, Bailey, Reed, Mitchell, Tasker, Shaughnessy

Hall of Fame Class of 2019 (chosen the day before Super Bowl LIII): Sharpe, Gonzalez, Reed, Mitchell, Shaughnessy

Here are my explanations by position. Let the debate begin!

(Side note #1 — Here is my ongoing spreadsheet that I keep for my research. If there are small inconsistencies between the spreadsheet and the article in terms of rankings, that’s because I tinker a lot and changed the story but didn’t go back to update the sheet. Anyhow, feel free to take a look if you’re interested.)

(Side note #2 — There are three other candidates for the Class of 2019: safety Johnny Robinson from the seniors committee, and longtime Cowboys personnel guru Gil Brandt and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen from the contributors committee. All three candidates will be voted with the same “yes” or “no” process as the final five modern-era candidates, and will also require the same 80% “yes” vote for induction. All three can be elected. For more on Robinson, here is an interview with his long-time foe — and Hall of Famer — Lance Alworth.)

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Top 25: Donovan McNabb

Top 40: Randall Cunningham, Steve McNair

Jack sez: This was one of the categories where I went around and around, since each guy has an edge over the other two.

Randall has the highest personal peak. McNabb has the best career and was the one of the three who I would have said most consistently throughout his career that he was a HOFer. McNair got the closest to a ring (one yard from OT in a Super Bowl), played the best in his biggest games and won an MVP (a co-MVP with Peyton Manning, which almost makes it bigger).

I had to pick McNabb for the top 25. He was the one guy I always thought was a HOFer during his career, measuring him against Manning and Brady.

I came very close to including both or either Cunningham and McNair and ended up removing them for others.

After that, I ended up dropping McNabb. I hate to say it, but the bar for quarterback is fantastically high, probably the highest of any position. I think we probably elect too many QBs to the Hall, and as I look ahead, there are two guys who I think have a great chance of getting in but who I would definitely not vote for: Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.

I think Philip Rivers has a decent shot — he’s another guy I don’t think should be in. Coming up in the next decade will be four guys who are all going in, including at least two first ballot: Peyton, Brady, Brees and Rodgers.

In that context, I can’t give it to McNabb, Eli, Roethlisberger, Rivers, the spectacular Mike Vick, or two of my favorite QBs ever: Cunningham and McNair.

We’ll see what plays out for Cam Newton and Matt Ryan. My next QB going in is Peyton in the Class of 2021.

Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary

Top 15: Edgerrin James

Top 40: Shaun Alexander

Jack sez: The Hall merges halfbacks/running backs with fullbacks into a single category as “Running Backs,” but I’m going to split them because that’s how we think about them.

I love Shaun Alexander, and he just nudged my other top 40 candidates at running back: my guy Eddie George, the great Ricky Watters and the very talented Corey Dillon.

I think Edge is the best of the bunch, and I’ve got him going to the round of 15, which will be his third finalist selection in five years. He was a semifinalist the other two years.

Why Edge? He was just flat out better than the other guys, with a greater combination of skills. He’s got the most rushing titles of any of the nominees (two — Alexander has one), he’s got the most career rushing yards, the most yards per game, he’s one of the top two receivers (Watters) and he probably would have won a ring if he didn’t leave Indy. In fact, he might have even been Super Bowl MVP considering that Addai and Rhodes should have shared it.

Top 25: Daryl Johnston

Top 40: Larry Centers

Jack sez: A common theme for me with the Hall of Fame is the inequity in positional honors. Namely fullbacks, centers, and everyone on special teams. So it was disappointing but not surprising when I checked the Hall of Fame’s positional page and found that there is no true, modern fullback in the Hall.

We have to start somewhere, and Moose Johnston is a great starting point. He was arguably the best fullback of his time, paved the way for the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and started — and won — three Super Bowls. He deserves a top 25 recognition, no question.

Larry Centers was also arguably the best fullback of his time, albeit with different responsibilities. I’ll take Moose because his skill adhere to the position, whereas Centers’ standout statistic is valuable but more of a curiosity at the position (receptions for a fullback). Same idea as Mike Alstott — great player, but got a lot of recognition for the novelty (short-yardage touchdowns) rather than the blocking.

But here is my question: WHERE IS LORENZO NEAL? Not only is he not a nominee, but he’s only been nominated once since he’s been eligible, which was the Class of 2014. That happened last year.

Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary

Here are his credentials:

Arguably the best pure blocking back ever (my choice, for sure)

Passed the eye test as a monster fullback

16 seasons at a brutal position

239 games, with 14 seasons of 16+ games, including his last at age 38

4x Pro Bowl, 1x All Pro

Played in 6 postseasons including one Super Bowl

Starter at fullback in front of x 1,000-yard rushers: Eddie George (‘99, ‘00 Titans), Corey Dillons (‘01, ‘02 Bengals), LaDainian Tomlinson (‘03-’07, Chargers)

Lead blocker for MVP and first-ballot Hall of Famer Tomlinson

Lorenzo Neal belongs in the Hall. So do Moose and Larry Centers. And by the way, if fullbacks were given the HOF consideration of wide receivers, the following guys would be in play along with Neal, Moose, Centers and Rathman:

And that leaves off a ton of guys who had great careers, paved the way for 1,000-yard rushers and helped their teams reach or win Super Bowls, including my guy Jason McKie plus Howard Griffith, William Henderson and Brad Hoover, to name a few.

Hall of Fame Class of 2019: Sterling Sharpe

Top 25: Torry Holt

Jack sez: As I explained here, Sterling Sharpe needs to be in the HOF yesterday. This is his final year of eligibility before heading to the senior committee, and I 100% want to see him in now. He earned it and then some, and is one of the five guys in my Class of 2019. (We’ll get to the other four as we go along.)

In 19 years of eligibility, Sharpe has never even been a semifinalist. Torry Holt has been one in each of his four seasons of eligibility. And with good reason. He was electric. In an era with Moss, Harrison and T.O., and on an offense with Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce, Holt managed to distinguish himself as one of the very best at his position.

I’m not sure at what point I would vote him in — not this year, and not ahead of Calvin Johnson, who will be eligible in the Class of 2021, should Holt remain on the ballot that long. But I do know that I would have put him in ahead of recent HOFers Andre Reed and Tim Brown. And I know that the gap between Holt and the other nominated WRs is too great to move anyone else into the top 40.

Having said that, where are Herman Moore and Jimmy Smith? Those two guys need to be on the ballot too.

Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary

Hall of Fame Class of 2019: Tony Gonzalez

Jack sez: Tony Gonzalez is the number one guy on my list for the Class of 2019, the only one about whom I had not one millisecond of debate. He is arguably the greatest tight end ever in four respects: skillset, statistics, accolade, legacy.

Quite simply, he changed the position forever, not just in terms of the level of production a team could seek from the position but also the build a player could have at the position.

He changed the prototype, bringing the super-athletic basketball body to tight end. He is the predecessor of future HOFers Antonio Gates and Rob Gronkowski, and he’s better than both. The other three tight ends who are nominated had marvelous careers and were all talented players in their own right: Mark Bavaro, Brent Jones, Jay Novacek.

But none is good enough to warrant a top 40 in a year when Tony Gonzalez is going in first ballot. It’s not worth including them when there are other guys I want to debate, and when Gonzalez is so far ahead of the rest.

Two other guys are though, and they’re not on the list.

Ben Coates and Keith Jackson.

WHERE ARE BEN COATES AND KEITH JACKSON?

Of the five guys, Coates and Jackson rank 1st and 2nd, respectively, in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Coates had 50 TDs, Jackson 49, and then Bavaro was 3rd at 39.

Coates, Jackson and Novacek are on top of the pack with 5 Pro Bowls, and Jackson leads the All Pro 1st team selections with three, followed by Coates with two.

Next year.

Top 15: Tony Boselli

Top 25: Mike Kenn, Richmond Webb

Jack sez: The group of nominated offensive tackles is imposing. There are seven nominees; joining Boselli, Kenn and Webb are Willie Anderson, Lomas Brown, Chris Hinton and Chris Samuels. Anderson has the fewest Pro Bowls, and he has four. Samuels is the only one without a first-team All-Pro selection and he was a Pro Bowler in six of his 10 seasons. This is a fantastic group.

At the top is the trio of Boselli, Kenn and Webb. I struggled with where these guys should go. Boselli had the best peak but the shortest career due to injuries. He’s on the Terrell Davis / Sterling Sharpe track. Webb was probably the best tackle of his time year in and year out. Between 1990 and 1999, if I had to pick one active tackle and I was assigned one of their seasons in that time frame at random and I had to start that player from that season in the Super Bowl, Webb would be the guy I would feel best about picking.

And then there’s Mike Kenn, a steady-as-she-comes tackle, 17 years, all with the Falcons, with peaks that included his being regarded as the best in the league. His most famous season was 1991, at age 35, when he was first-team All Pro for the first time since 1980.

Here’s what Kenn did against some of the league’s best pass-rushers:

Pat Swilling, Saints: ‘91 DPOY, ‘91 AP1, ‘91 PB, 17.0 sacks in ‘91, 0 vs. Kenn

Derrick Thomas, Chiefs: HOF, ‘91 AP1, ‘91 PB, 13.0 sacks in ‘91, 0 vs. Kenn

Leslie O’Neal, Chargers: 6x PB, 9 sacks in ‘91, 0 vs. Kenn

Chris Doleman, Vikings: HOF, 7 sacks in ‘91, 0 vs. Kenn

Charles Haley, 49ers: HOF, ‘91 PB, 7 sacks in ‘91, 0 vs. Kenn

Look again at that Swilling line. He was Defensive Player of the Year with a league-leading 17 sacks, and the key here is that Kenn played Swilling three times: twice in the regular season and once in the playoffs, a Wild Card game that the Falcons won.

Now read this list of accolades from his peers.

This is Kenn’s final year of eligibility before he moves into the senior category. From what I’ve read and watched, he seems like someone who was considered a Hall of Fame-talent in his time but fell through the cracks. I would like to see one final discussion on Kenn before he moves on.

Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Top 10: Alan Faneca

Top 15: Steve Hutchinson

Top 40: Steve Wisniewski

Jack sez: Only three guards are nominated this year, and they are a stronger trio than the three top tackles. Faneca was in the top 15 his first two years of eligibility and moved into the top 10 last year. If not for needing to do some makeup work with my HOF votes with Sharpe and two others, I would be voting Faneca in this year.

Hutchinson was also top 10 last year in his first year of eligibility. He needs to be the next guard in. And Wisniewski’s eight Pro Bowl selections is the most of the 15 nominated offensive linemen.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Top 10: Kevin Mawae

Top 25: Olin Kreutz

Top 40: Kent Hull, Tom Nalen

Jack sez: Kevin Mawae was the best center of his time, and will be the next center in the Hall. Because I see a large enough gap between him and the rest of the pack, I’m putting him into the top 10 and leaving the next man, our guy Olin, at the top 25.

After that, the choice between Hull, Kreutz and Nalen is super tough. (Ray Donaldson is just on the outside of that group, another guy with a wonderful career.) None of these three guys has ever advanced to the semifinals, a sign of the disrespect toward pure centers.

The last one voted in as a modern-era nominee was Dermontti Dawson in 2012. Bruce Matthews went in 2007, though he spent more of his career at guard than center. Dwight Stephenson entered in 1998, Mike Webster in 1997, and that’s the entire list of HOF centers inducted since Jim Langer in 1987, which is the last time a center went in on the first ballot.

I am obviously biased here in my choice of Kreutz over Hull and Nalen, not just because I am a Bears fan and have come to know Olin personally, but from just a pragmatic level I watched nearly every game of his career and know his candidacy better than the other two guys. I think the Hull-Kreutz-Nalen debate is a great one, and though I will stick with Olin, whoever you choose of that three should be in the top 25.

Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Top 25: Simeon Rice

Jack sez: Ooooooh Simeon Rice. Man. On a personal level, he might have been my toughest cut after the top 25. He’s in a tough spot because with the exception of transcendent players — of his era, really just Reggie White and Bruce Smith — the defensive end position tends to get boiled down to just sacks.

Rice had a lot — 122.0 — but that’s still only good for 20th all-time. He was also only selected to three Pro Bowls and was only first-team All Pro once, in 2002, with three 2nd team selections.

But let’s talk about that one year.

In 2002, Simeon Rice had one of the most dominant seasons I’ve ever watched for a defensive end. His Buccaneers won the Super Bowl that year behind its defense, and Rice was one of three Bucs named to the All Pro 1st team. The other two are in the HOF: Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks.

Rice finished 2nd in sacks that year to DPOY Jason Taylor, with 15.5 to Taylor’s 18.5, and then ripped off a spectacular postseason: four sacks in three games, one forced fumble in each game and two fumbles recovered. His two sacks in Super Bowl XXXVII led the Bucs, and his pass rush helped force Raiders QB Rich Gannon into his first interception to eventual MVP Dexter Jackson. Jackson’s second interception came when Rice dropped into coverage, and Gannon’s first read was to the left, toward Rice, causing him to look back to the right where he threw the pick.

Rice later forced Gannon into Warren Sapp’s one sack. And when the game was nearly over, announcer John Madden said that he voted for Rice for MVP.

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Top 25: Richard Seymour

Jack sez: Again, like with “Running Backs” and “Offensive Linemen,” “Defensive Linemen” is one category, but I’m splitting it up to reflect how we actually think of players. The Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years led by their defense, and Seymour — who the team drafted #6 in 2001 — was the their best defensive player.

He was versatile, beginning his career as a 4-3 d-tackle and then moving to a 3-4 d-end. He was great from the jump, earning a starting job during his rookie year and starting in New England’s stunning Super Bowl victory over the Rams. He made 7 Pro Bowls and was 1st team All Pro three times. He was strong and fast, got to the quarterback, could stuff the run and was a great leader.

Top 25: Karl Mecklenburg

Top 40: London Fletcher, Sam Mills, Zach Thomas

Jack sez: Fourteen linebackers are nominated this year, all in one category, and once again I’m separating inside from outside backers. It’s a valuable distinction for nearly everyone on the list, with one notable exception: Karl Mecklenburg.

As Rick Gosselin broke down two years ago, Mecklenburg was predominantly a 3-4 inside linebacker, but played outside as well, along with positions along the line. As a result, he is not remembered for a single position, nor did he accumulate a ton of any one stat.

“My position is strange because I played all seven front positions,” Mecklenburg told Gosselin. “One of the challenges I face in having an opportunity of going to the Hall of Fame is that, statistically, people don’t know what to do with me.”

A newspaper feature on Mecklenburg prior to Super Bowl XXI, with the headline “Denver’s Mecklenburg fools computer,” opened thusly:

“At one time, Karl Mecklenburg was a football player without a position. Now ... he has a bunch of them.”

The author went on to say that Mecklenburg “lines up everywhere but in the defensive backfield.”

Like Kenn, Mecklenburg is in his 20th and final year of eligibility. He was a defensive standout on three Super Bowl teams, made six Pro Bowls and was All Pro 1st team three times. I’m curious to hear more discussion on him.

The guy getting the biggest shaft here is Zach Thomas, with London Fletcher and Sam Mills just a bit behind. I think fans of these three players probably feel about them the way I feel about Kreutz, Peanut Tillman and Lance Briggs. Strong cases exist for them, but just-as-strong cases exist for others too. I know in particular that Dolphins fans think Thomas was just as good as Urlacher, and many see Lak’s first ballot selection as an affront to Thomas’s candidacy.

Fletcher, Mills and Thomas put up stats that in many ways rival Urlacher’s. To me, Brian just had that extra umph, in large part because of his speed. Look at these rankings of the four players:

Recovered fumbles: Mills, 23 (Urlacher 2nd, 15)

Fumble return yards: Urlacher, 177 (Mills 2nd, 154)

Interceptions: Fletcher, 23 (Urlacher 2nd, 22)

Interception return yards: Urlacher 324 (Thomas 2nd, 170)

Yards per takeaway: Urlacher, 13.5 (Mills 2nd, 8.0)

Sacks: Urlacher, 41.0 (Fletcher, 39.0, in 74 more games)

Touchdowns: Mills, Urlacher and Thomas all with four

In other words, despite not being first in the group in either takeaway category, Urlacher was dominant in takeaway yards, gaining five more per play than the next best man, Sam Mills. Statistically, that is a great indicator for where you see Urlacher’s difference — in other words, that is his eye test translated into a stat.

Add that to Urlacher’s DPOY and while I understand why fans of Fletcher, Mills and Thomas feel like their guy is getting shorted, to me this was a no-brainer.

But okay, let’s put Mecklenburg into the group.

Recovered fumbles: 3rd, with 14

Fumble return yards: 3rd, with 47

Interceptions: last, with 5

Interception return yards: 4th, with 128

Yards per takeaway: 2nd, with 9.2

Sacks: 1st, with 79.0

Touchdowns: last, with two

Suddenly, Mecklenburg’s candidacy looks pretty good. I was just a tad too young to really know his game. He strikes me as a true eye test guy. I want to hear from the voters who watched him before he’s eliminated.

Top 25: Wilber Marshall

Top 40: Leslie O’Neal

Jack sez: I wrote a ton about the inside backers, so I’m going to keep this one quick.

Wilber’s another guy like Simeon Rice. He only made three Pro Bowls and was 1st team All Pro only twice, but he made significant contributions to two Super Bowl champions known for their defense. He was a starter on the Super Bowl Shufflin’ ‘85 Bears, making him a standout on arguably the greatest defense the league has ever seen.

And then he went to Washington and was a starter for another champ, becoming a guy who Washington defensive coordinator (and fellow Class of 2019 HOF nominee) Richie Petitbon called “our best football player” the week leading up to Super Bowl XXVI.

Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Top 10: Champ Bailey

Top 40: Ty Law

Jack sez: Champ Bailey is probably going to be voted into the HOF this year, and he totally deserves the first ballot treatment. The only reason I’m leaving him off is that my ballot is sending in some guys who I think should have been in a while ago, and as a result I only have two first ballot spots.

One is for Gonzalez.

The other came down to Bailey and fellow DB Ed Reed, who I think did more at safety than Bailey did at corner. So I’m taking Reed, and next year I’m voting for Bailey.

But that’s just me. Bailey is almost definitely going to be voted in this year, and I’ll be applauding for sure when it happens.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Hall of Fame Class of 2019: Ed Reed

Top 15: Steve Atwater

Top 25: LeRoy Butler, Darren Woodson

Jack sez: If we separate the “Defensive Backs” category into corners and safeties, then safety is probably the strongest position group of the entire ballot. I’ve got Ed Reed going in on the first ballot, joining Brian Dawkins, Ken Houston and Larry Wilson as the only pure safeties selected in their first year of eligibility. (Rod Woodson and Ronnie Lott were too, but also played extensively at corner.)

I think Steve Atwater needs to go in, while LeRoy Butler and Darren Woodson would be the tops of almost any other class.

And because we have four safeties in our top 25, I left out 2018 finalist John Lynch and two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison. Reed, Atwater, Butler, Woodson, Lynch, Harrison. That is a murderer’s row, and though I suspect Lynch will again be voted higher than Butler and Woodson, I’m rolling with the list that makes sense to me based not just on stats but my experience watching all of these guys.

Hall of Fame Class of 2019: Brian Mitchell

Top 40: Eric Metcalf

Jack sez: In 2016, I argued that while Devin Hester needs to go into the HOF, electing him and only him on the basis of him being the GOAT at his position is NFL tokenism. I selected a group of five guys who I called the inaugural class of HOF returners, and along with Hester was 2019 nominee Brian Mitchell.

I’m sure there are plenty of people who will be surprised that I’m voting for Mitchell in a year with Bailey, Faneca and others. Mitchell deserves it though, for this stat alone:

All-purpose yards, career

Jerry Rice, 23,546

Brian Mitchell, 23,330

Walter Payton, 21,803

Emmitt Smith, 21,564

Tim Brown, 19,682

That’s right: Brian Mitchell, he of a mere one Pro Bowl selection (though he was also 1st team All Pro that year, 1995), is 2nd all-time in all-purpose yards, behind only Jerry Rice.

Here’s another list:

Combined kick and punt return yards, career

Brian Mitchell, 19,013

Allen Rossum, 15,003

Josh Cribbs, 13,488

Mel Gray, 13,003

Glyn Milburn, 12,772

I don’t know how far down those lists we should extend the HOF qualification — Darren Sproles is 6th in all-purpose yards, and Allen Rossum is 2nd in return yards, and I don’t think I would vote for either as a HOFer (though Sproles is closer). But I think when you’re #2 in yardage and #1 in return yardage, you deserve that honor.

Top 10: Steve Tasker

Jack sez: The special teams slot in the Pro Bowl typically bounces around. If you go in consecutive years, you’re a stud. Steve Tasker was elected six years in a row, and bagged another three years prior to the start of his streak. He is widely called the greatest special teams coverage man of all time.

Any time the word “greatest” is in your title, you need to be there.

Top 40: none

Jack sez: We have two nominees: Jason Elam and Nick Lowery. They were both wonderful players, and I give Elam the edge, but I don’t feel strongly enough about either to move them along, let alone into the Hall.

The guy who is not nominated who should be, and who would be in my top 25, is Gary Anderson. I’ve said it before (kind of) and I’ll say it again: WHERE IS GARY ANDERSON? He was the first man to break George Blanda’s all-time scoring record, a mark he held from 2000 until the end of 2006, when Class of 2017 HOFer Morten Andersen passed him.

Anderson is still third in points, third in field goals and second in games played. He belongs in this discussion.

Top 40: Sean Landeta

Jack sez: In a 21-year career, Landeta won two Super Bowls, reached two Pro Bowls and was first-team All Pro three — yep, three — times. That’s excellent for a punter. I was very close to nudging him into the top 25 but I couldn’t decide who I would remove.

Landeta was also named to the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 1990s as the 1st team punter, and was 2nd team for the 2000s. That’s an element we haven’t discussed yet in this story, and is a valuable barometer for HOF odds, because the HOF selection committee votes for it. (Its flaw as a barometer is that players whose prime straddles decades get left off.)

I would like to hear more arguments for Landeta from the people who watched him. I’ve got him ahead of Jeff Feagles, this year’s other nominee.

Two other guys I would like to see considered were known for their powerful legs and were both game-changers (in the game) and Game-changers (at the position): the late Reggie Roby, best known for his time with the Dolphins, and Darren Bennett, best known for his time with the Chargers. These were the punters who really put me in awe of punting and made me sit up and take notice whenever they were on the field. They had what Isiah Thomas once called “the oohs and the ahs.”

That’s important at any position, but especially at punter, which so often goes unnoticed unless a mistake is made or unless they rack up a ton of years.

Top 40: none, as there are no nominees

Should a long snapper be considered for the Hall? I posed that question last year to none other than our own Pat Mannelly, who certainly goes down in history as one of the greatest to ever do it. Here’s what he said:

I don’t think so. If you were going to go off positions, I would say yes, but to me, the long snapper didn’t become truly a football position until the year 2000. I wrote on my blog a thank you to all the guys who came before me, because they helped the long snapping position become what it is. All the guys before me, they played other positions. There are now 32 long snappers. There weren’t always 32 long snappers. ... All these guys were backups at their positions. They weren’t truly just long snappers. The game has changed in that regard.

Mannelly did note, however, that long snapper should be a position in the Pro Bowl. I agree completely. Here is his argument for that:

They vote for a fullback. How many teams have a fullback? There are 32 long snappers now. There are not 32 fullbacks. So why not make it a voted-on position? People say, “Well, we don’t know how to vote for it.” Well do people really know how to vote for a guard? Does your average fan know what the best guard is? It’s from what they read in the media. And then players and coaches vote as well, so I don’t understand why they don’t have that.

I agree with that too. And while I understand what Pat is saying about long snapper only being a separate position since the year 2000, that means we’ve nearly had two decades of long snappers as their own position. It’s probably time we undertake this discussion in earnest. I’m in favor of it. Certainly Mannelly is one who should be considered in that respect. I would be curious to hear more from him on who he thinks the greatest long snappers are since 2000.

Hall of Fame Class of 2019: Clark Shaughnessy

Top 40: Don Coryell

Jack sez: At last, we get to Shaughnessy.

The innovator extraordinaire and one of the fathers of the modern offense was a finalist three times in the 1970s, but has been largely forgotten since then. There was a time when he seemed like a sure-thing to make the Hall. In 1975, five years after his death at age 78, George Puscas of the Detroit Free Press called Shaughnessy “the most inventive genius of modern football,” adding that “For sure, one of these years, Clark Shaughnessy will make it.”

He still hasn’t.

The main problem with Shaughnessy’s candidacy is that to me, he’s in the wrong category. First of all, coaches don’t advance to the seniors committee, as far as I can tell, so we end up with a guy like Shaughnessy as a “modern-era nominee” 126 years after his birth, 56 years after his final NFL job and 48 years after his death.

Second, some coaches weren’t necessarily Hall of Fame coaches, but as the years go on we see that their contributions to the game have exceeded their coaching career. That’s true for Shaughnessy, and then some. His actual NFL career looks like this:

1944-1947: Washington, as an advisor

1948-1948: Los Angeles Rams, head coach

1951-1962: Chicago Bears, defensive coordinator

If that was his entire NFL career, I doubt we’re still talking about him lo these many years later. The reason we are is because what he did in the 1940s to revive, invigorate and spread the old T-formation, the game’s oldest formation.

While working as head football coach of University of Chicago he became friends with George Halas, and after a wildly successful season as head coach at Stanford, he spent time with Halas and Bears assistant Ralph Jones, all of whom were tinkering with updating the T.

Shaughnessy and Jones helped install the new T — known for its man in motion, spread formations, multiple play options and general trickery — with the Bears, leading to the team’s famous deconstruction of Washington 73-0 in the 1940 NFL championship game.

The degree to which Shaughnessy deserves credit for the T vs. Jones or Halas is a matter of debate. In 1941, when Jones became head coach at Lake Forest College, columnist Henry McLemore of the United Press called Jones the “real master” of the T-formation and credited him with the man in motion innovation.

What is not up for debate is the respect Shaughnessy’s peers had for him, and the influence he had on the game. Sid Luckman credits Shaughnessy with teaching him the T. After Shaughnessy’s death in 1970, Halas called Shaughnessy “one of the great inventive minds of the game” and “a master strategist.”

In his new book, “The Genius of Desparation,” Doug Farrar quotes Halas on Shaughnessy:

“Before we began collaborating, our T formation had two major weaknesses (...). One trouble was we only had two end runs ... thanks to Shaughnessy, we have 22 maneuvers around the ends — touchdown plays. Second, the majority of our plays went to the side of the line of the man in motion. Shaughnessy designed ground-gainers that run to the side opposite the man in motion. These counter plays were honeys.”

Added Farrar to me on Twitter: “Jones brought it forward some, but I think Shaughnessy was the more obvious innovator.”

I am still exploring the true wrinkles of history with regards to Shaughnessy and the T, but I’ll take Halas’s word on this one, and Farrar’s too.

Fellow nominee Don Coryell, whose Air Coryell offense helped usher in the modern passing attacks, is another man without a true categorical home, at least for now.

“You know, I’m sitting down there in front, and next to me is Joe Gibbs, and next to him is Dan Fouts, and the three of us are in the Hall of Fame because of Don Coryell,” said John Madden in 2010 at a memorial service for Coryell, whom he coached under at San Diego State in the 1960s. “There’s something missing.”

I’ve emailed the Pro Football Hall of Fame to ask whether there has been any discussion about separating coaches, about creating a seniors division for coaches, and about whether some coaches should be moved into the contributor category when warranted.

That’s where I would put Shaughnessy. It’s where I would put Don Coryell, too. But they’re in this category, and as long as they are, I’ll vote for them until they’re in.

Clark, you’re up first. Thanks for the T, good sir.

Jack M Silverstein is Windy City Gridiron’s Bears historian, and author of “How The GOAT Was Built: 6 Life Lessons From the 1996 Chicago Bulls.” He is the proprietor of Chicago sports history Instagram “A Shot on Ehlo.” Say hey at @readjack.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2018/11/15/18067462/historian-jack-m-silverstein-class-of-2019-pro-football-hall-of-fame-ballot-clark-shaughnessy

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watchingthesuperbowl · 7 years ago

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Grading Super Bowl XXIX

What was the final score?

San Francisco 49, San Diego 26

How much of the game was close? What was the “edge of your seat factor” like? (20 points)

This was one of the least dramatic games in Super Bowl history. San Francisco, an 18.5 point favorite heading into the game, scored a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage. The Chargers went three and out, punting the ball back to the 49ers. And then Steve Young led the Niners’ offense on a four play, 79 yard touchdown drive to extend the lead to two touchdowns.

Within less than five minutes, one of the greatest offensive teams in the history of the sport, favored by nearly 20 points, had scored two touchdowns. San Francisco was averaging two points per offensive play.

It was that kind of day. The Chargers fought hard for 60 minutes and did what they could, but nobody was going to beat the 49ers that day. When Steve Young and Jerry Rice and Ricky Watters and Deion Sanders and William Floyd and Brent Jones and Dana Stubblefield all played well, the other guys had no chance. (Score: 1 out of 20)

Was there any kind of comeback? Was there ever any indication that the team which was trailing had a chance to come from behind and win? (15 points)

Heh. No. Not a chance. The 49ers scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives and eventually extended that lead to 32 points in the third quarter. Nobody, except maybe the ‘92 Bills, is coming back from that kind of deficit. The best the Chargers could do was to keep grinding and doing the best they could. They did that admirably, but that’s not a comeback. That’s just keeping your dignity. (Score: 0 out of 15)

Did the great players come through with great performances? (15 points)

I’m just going to say it: Steve Young is the greatest quarterback I’ve ever seen. Steve Young might be the greatest football player I’ve ever seen. If I had to win one game and I could have any offensive player in the history of the sport on the field, fully healthy and in his prime, Steve Young would be my quarterback. You can have anybody else. I want Steve Young. One of the most accurate, smartest passers who ever lived, and a guy who could have been a 1,000 yard running back if he were asked to change positions.

So, that said, Steve Young had one of the best playoff games in history. Young went 24-of-36 for 325 yards, six (!) touchdowns, and zero interceptions. That’s pretty good, right? Oh, also, he led everybody, including all the running backs on both teams, in rushing yardage. It was an exquisite performance by an exquisite football player.

Speaking of nearly indescribable greatness, Jerry Rice caught ten passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns. In just about any other Super Bowl, he’d have been the obvious MVP. On this night, Steve Young took home the award.

Most of the stars had strong performances. Ricky Watters, who’s probably not going to be a Hall of Famer but was one of the better backs of the 1990s, had 108 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. William Floyd, the Niners’ fullback, chipped in with 58 yards from scrimmage and a score. Deion Sanders had an interception. Dana Stubblefield and Junior Seau each had a sack.

This was not a close football game, but it was an opportunity to see great players do great things, and that’s not nothing. (Score: 13 out of 15)

Were the teams historically great? (10 points)

The ‘94 Niners are in the inner circle of greatest-ever football teams. They had ten All-Pros, 11 Pro Bowlers, and five players who are (as of 2017) in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They were the first team in NFL history to score more than 500 points in a season. Three of their assistant coaches went on to become NFL head coaches. Two of those assistants won Super Bowls as NFL head coaches. If ever there were an NFL team with zero weaknesses, it’s this one.

And then there are the ‘94 Chargers. They went 5-5 in their final ten regular season games, they trailed in the second half of both of their AFC playoff games, and they wouldn’t win another playoff game for 13 years. They were obviously a good team, but this was far from a great team. (Score: 7 out of 10)

Were there memorable moments that will be talked about for decades? (10 points)

A few very low-level highlights. Andre Coleman became the third player in Super Bowl history to return a kickoff for a touchdown. That was interesting and entertaining, but people don’t tend to reminisce about the time a guy ran a kickoff back for a touchdown and cut his team’s deficit to 24 points.

Steve Young’s touchdown passes, particularly the two that gave the Niners an early 14-0 lead, are the plays I remember first when I think of this game. (Score: 2 out of 10)

How was the quality of play? Were there a lot of penalties, punts, and turnovers? (15 points)

The quality of play was excellent. The Niners were a nearly perfect team that played a nearly perfect game. San Francisco had zero turnovers, scored 49 points, and gave away only 18 penalty yards.

For their part, the Chargers had nothing to be embarrassed about. They had three turnovers, but two of those three came in the fourth quarter when they were in desperation mode and quarterbacks Stan Humphries and Gale Gilbert were forcing throws that they wouldn’t have made in a closer game. The Charger offense topped 350 yards, the team scored 26 points, and Humphries and Gilbert combined for more than 300 passing yards. It’s just that they couldn’t stop the 49er offense. Neither could anybody else that year. (Score: 12 out of 15)

Are there any other factors that add to the greatness the game? This covers things like weather, story line, rivalry matchup, legacy franchises, unexpected results, etc. (15 points)

This may well have been the least-heavily anticipated Super Bowl in history. San Francisco was favored by 18.5 points, to this day the largest Super Bowl point spread of all time. At the time, many people expected this game to be the least-viewed in history. That turned out to be false, but not by much. Conventional wisdom held that the real championship game had taken place two weeks earlier in the NFC title game between the 49ers and Cowboys.

The interesting story lines were only vaguely interesting: Steve Young’s chance to step out of Joe Montana’s shadow, San Francisco linebacker Ken Norton’s attempt to win his third consecutive Super Bowl ring, and the Niners having a chance to become the first franchise to win five Super Bowls.

I found the Gale Gilbert story fascinating - he was in his fifth consecutive Super Bowl, this time as San Diego’s backup quarterback after losing four consecutive Super Bowls as the Bills’ third-stringer - but there’s only so much interest to be had in stories about backup quarterbacks who lose all the time.

How does the game grade overall? (sum of all previous categories, 100 points)

39 out of 100. Dreadful. I’ve seen this game described as the worst Super Bowl of all time, but I think that’s a bit of a stretch. Not much of a stretch, of course. This one was terrible, but it wasn’t quite as devoid of entertainment as the Raiders-Vikings matchup in Super Bowl XI or the Cowboys-Broncos matchup in Super Bowl XII.

Ratings and rankings of Super Bowls I-XXIX:

1. Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31 - 87 points 2. Super Bowl XXIII - San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16 - 85 points 3. Super Bowl XXV - New York Giants 20, Buffalo 19 - 84 points 4. Super Bowl X - Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17 - 80 points 5. Super Bowl VII - Miami 14, Washington 7 - 74 points 6. Super Bowl IX - Pittsburgh 16, Minnesota 6 - 68 points T7. Super Bowl XVII - Washington 27, Miami 17 - 67 points T7. Super Bowl XXVIII - Dallas 30, Buffalo 13 - 67 points 9. Super Bowl XIV - Pittsburgh 31, Los Angeles 19 - 65 points 10. Super Bowl XVI - San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21 - 62 points 11. Super Bowl XIX - San Francisco 38, Miami 16 - 61 points T12. Super Bowl III - New York Jets 16, Baltimore 7 - 58 points T12. Super Bowl XXII - Washington 42, Denver 10 - 58 points 14. Super Bowl XXI - New York Giants 39, Denver 20 - 57 points 15. Super Bowl XXVII - Dallas 52, Buffalo 17 - 55 points 16. Super Bowl VI - Dallas 24, Miami 3 - 52 points 17. Super Bowl XX - Chicago 46, New England 10 - 51 points 18. Super Bowl I - Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10 - 50 points T19. Super Bowl XVIII - Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9 - 49 points T19. Super Bowl XXIV - San Francisco 55, Denver 10 - 49 points 21. Super Bowl XXVI - Washington 37, Buffalo 24 - 48 points 22. Super Bowl VIII - Miami 24, Minnesota 7 - 47 points 23. Super Bowl XV - Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10 - 44 points 24. Super Bowl IV - Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7 - 43 points T25. Super Bowl II - Green Bay 33, Oakland 14 - 40 points T25. Super Bowl V - Baltimore 16, Dallas 13 - 40 points 27. Super Bowl XXIX - San Francisco 49, San Diego 26 - 39 points 28. Super Bowl XII - Dallas 27, Denver 10 - 38 points 29. Super Bowl XI - Oakland 32, Minnesota 14 - 35 points

#nfl #football #super bowl #super bowl xxix #san francisco #san diego #49ers #chargers #san francisco 49ers #san diego chargers

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