6 Controversial Sports Award Votes

 

In honor of the 2020 Presidential Election, I take a look at some votes in sports that did not go well.

Ryan Tannehill comes back from nothing to win 2019 Comeback Player of the Year

Tannehill’s story is great. After 6 years in Miami, Tannehill was traded to the Titans with the intent of backing up Marcus Mariota. But after Mariota was benched in 2019, Titans went 7-3 after Tannehill as the starting QB and reached the AFC Championship Game.

But by literal definition, he was not the comeback player of the year. He didn’t come back from anything!

Four players received more than 2 votes – Tannehill, Jimmy Garoppolo, Darren Waller, and Travis Frederick.

• Garoppolo came back from a torn ACL, suffered week 3 of 2018. He returned in 2019 and helped lead 49ers to a 13-3 record, #1 seed in NFC and a Super Bowl appearance
• Waller came back from substance abuse issues and caught 90 passes, for 1,145 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Raiders.
• Frederick came back from Guillain–Barré syndrome and started all 16 games for the Cowboys

Torn ACL, drugs, and an attacked immune system. Meanwhile, Ryan Tannehill came back from….. ummm…..from….from what? From being bad? From Adam Gase? What exactly did Ryan Tannehill come back from between 2018 and 2019?

For more context on the award, here are the last 10 winners and what they came back from in parenthesis.

• 2018 – Andrew Luck (missed 2017 season with injuries
• 2017 – Keenan Allen (tore ACL week 1 during 2016 season)
• 2016 – Jordy Nelson (came back from a torn ACL suffered during 2015 season)
• 2015 – Eric Berry (RECOVERED FROM CANCER!!!!)
• 2014 – Rob Gronkowski (came back from torn ACL during 2013 season)
• 2013 – Philip Rivers (underwhelming 2012 – similar to Tannehill)
• 2012 – Peyton Manning (came back from a BROKEN NECK)
• 2011 – Matthew Stafford (came back from broken collarbone)
• 2010 – Mike Vick (returned to the NFL after two years in JAIL)
• 2009 – Tom Brady (came back from a torn ACL)

Tanehill’s award win is disrespectful to Eric Berry, among others. I don’t get it. Never have, never will.

Rogue Vote in 2013 costs Lebron James first unanimous MVP

Why do voters hate unanimous award winner?

In 2015-16, Steph Curry became the first player in NBA history to win the regular season MVP award, unanimously. It came close to happening twice – Shaq in 2000 and Lebron in 2013 both received 120 out of a possible 121 first-place votes.

I want to focus on the 2013 vote, because it is hilarious and awesome.

Carmelo Anthony got the rogue vote and it came from a Boston Globe writer. You can read more about why the vote went to Carmelo and not Lebron in his own words.

The 2012-13 Knicks were actually awesome. They finished second in the East, just 8 games behind Lebron and the Heat.

Take a look at the stats from that season.

	Lebron	Carmelo
Games	76	67
Minutes	37.9	37.0
FG %	56.5%	44.9%
3P FG %	40.6%	37.9%
PPG	26.8	28.7
RPG	8.0	6.9
APG	7.3	2.6
BPG	0.9	0.5
SPG	1.7	0.8

This is simply a case of voter fatigue and wanting to be different. This isn’t the first time or last time Lebron wasn’t voted for.

More fun with this vote – writers vote for their top 5 in MVP and two names really pop out that appeared on two separate ballots – Ty Lawson (Nuggets) and David Lee (Warriors).

Ken Griffey Jr inducted into Hall of Fame with less than 100% of vote

Ken Griffey Jr was inducted into the Hall of Fame with 99.32% of the vote.

Come on!!!!

If there’s one thing I hate, it’s this idea that “unanimous” is reserved for whatever reason. Baseball writers oddly value this idea that no player is deserving of a unanimous induction into the Hall of Fame.

In 2016, Griffey Jr received 99.32% of first place votes. That means he was named on 437 out of 440 ballots. Phrased another way – 3 PEOPLE DID NOT VOTE KEN GRIFFEY JR INTO THE HALL OF FAME!!!

Look, you are either a Hall of Fame player or you are not. The voting percentage means someone did NOT vote Griffey into the Hall of Fame.

13x All Star, 10x Gold Glove, 7x Silver Slugger. He is 7th on the all-time homerun list (630), 16th on career RBI list (1,836), 53rd on career hits list (2,781).

There was never a hint of steroid abuse during an era where steroids were abused.

Three years after Griffey’s snub, Mariano Rivera became the first player to ever receive a unanimous induction. In 2020, Derek Jeter fell one vote short of unanimity.

O-Lineman Gets 2019 Second Place Heisman Vote

On the topic of unanimous, LSU QB Joe Burrow probably should have received 100% of the first place votes in the 2019 Heisman Trophy voting. Burrow won by the largest margin in the history of the award, and the highest share of possible points available.

So what can I possibly complain about?

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic gave his first place vote to Burrow and his second place vote to Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell.

Look, I am of the belief that the Heisman is the MVP of college football and it does not have to go to the best QB every year. But you can never convince me that an offensive lineman alone, has the impact of a QB like Burrow or Jalen Hurts (who finished second) or a RB like JK Dobbins or Jonathan Taylor or a LB like Chase Young.

Sewell is dominant and a guaranteed top 5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. But it takes 5 people to collectively protect a QB and create holes for the RB and it takes talented guys at those positions to make the OL look good. This was a waste of a vote.

2008 Heisman – Who is Nate Davis?

In 2008, Ball State football had an incredible season, led by former coach Brady Hoke. Ball State went 12-0 in the regular season out of the MAC, before losing the conference championship game and their bowl game to finish 12-2.

QB Nate Davis threw for 3,500 yards, 32 touchdowns total (26 pass, 6 rush) and 8 interceptions. Those are pretty good numbers, albeit against lesser competition than some other QBs.

For example, here are the 4 QBs who finished at the top of the Heisman Trophy voting.

• Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford won the Heisman after throwing 50 TD passes.
• Florida QB Tim Tebow threw 30 TD, only 4 INTs and ran for 673 yards and 12 TDs.
• Texas QB Colt McCoy threw for 38 TD and 8 INTs.
• Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell, who helped lead the Red Raiders to an 11-2 record and an epic upset over Texas, threw for 5,111 yards, 45 TD, 9 INT

These 4 were truly incredible, during a very fun season. Nate Davis earned 1 second place vote and 8 third place votes. That means 9 people, felt Davis had a better season than the 4 QBs above. That means 9 people, should have their votes revoked.

I’m all for fun and supporting and respecting “the little guys” in college football. But sometimes, you also have to support and respect the best guys.

2018 “Rookie” of the year

This is a matter of opinion, but my opinion is that your rookie season is your first year in the NBA. Whether you play that season or not, is irrelevant.

Ben Simmons was the #1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, but missed the whole 2016-17 season due to an injury. When he debuted, he was named Rookie of the Year at the end of the 2017-18 season. Simmons won the award over a handful of worthy players drafted in 2017, most notably Donovan Mitchell.

Even though Simmons didn’t play, he still got to experience life in the NBA. He traveled with Philly, enjoyed the locker room, hung around practices, watched film, and learned from some true professionals. While he was doing that, Mitchell was still in college.

Your rookie season is more than just your first playing season – it’s your first experience in the NBA, and Simmons experienced plenty despite not actually playing.

Statistically, Simmons deserved the award. But logistically, he did not.

History of the NBA During Presidential Election Years

 

 A look back at some fun history of the NBA during Presidential election years.

Most championships

• LA Lakers – 6 (2020, 2000, 1988, 1980, 1972, 1952*)
• Boston Celtics – 6 (2008, 1984, 1976, 1968, 1964, 1960)
• Chicago Bulls – 2 (1996, 1992)
• Cleveland Cavaliers – 1 (2016)
• Miami Heat -1 (2012)
• Detroit Pistons – 1 (2004)
• Philadelphia Warrior – 1 (1956)
• Baltimore Bullets – 1 (1948)

*1952 Lakers championship came when the team played in Minneapolis

Lebron James

• Lebron has won the last 3 Election year NBA titles (2012, 2016, 2020), and done so on 3 different teams (Heat, Cavs, Lakers)
• Regular season MVP in 2012
• He won Rookie of the Year in 2004.
• NBA scoring champion in 2008
• Won 2 Olympic Gold medals (2008, 2012)

Most NBA MVP awards

• Michael Jordan – 3 (1996, 1992, 1988
• Kareem Abdul-Jabar – 3 (1980, 1976, 1972)
• Wilt Chamberlein – 2 (1968, 1960)

#1 Draft Picks

• Starting five – Allen Iverson (1996), Oscar Robertson (1960), Shaquille O’Neal (1992), Hakeem Olajuwon (1984), Elvin Hayes (1968)
• Bench– Ben Simmons (2016), Anthony Davis (2012), Derrick Rose (2008), Dwight Howard (2004), Kenyon Martin (2000)

Notable Events (since 1988)

• 2020 – Worldwide pandemic, bubble basketball
• 2016 – Warriors won 73 games, overcame 3-1 deficit vs Thunder in West Final, then blew 3-1 lead in NBA Finals to Lebron and Cavs (Cleveland’s first NBA title) and then signed Kevin Durant. All of this happened in Kobe Bryant’s final season.
• 2012 – Lebron James won his first career NBA title, during a season which was shortened by a lockout and only 66 games were played during the regular season.
• 2008 – Celtics, led by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen beat the Lakers in NBA Finals. Seattle Sonics move to Oklahoma City and are rebranded as the Thunder.
• 2004 – Michael Jordan is forever connected to this Finals, which saw the Pistons beat the Lakers during the first official post-MJ era season and Lebron James’ rookie year.
• 2000 – The first career championships for Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal and the first of 3 straight for the duo plus Phil Jackson.
• 1996 – The 4th of 6 NBA titles for the Bulls and the first of 3 straight for MJ, Scottie Pippen, and Phil.
• 1992 – NBA lost two legends – Larry Bird played his final NBA games and Pistons coach Chuck Daly, who won two titles, resigned.
• 1988 – MJ wins his first MVP award; Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat debut as expansion teams.

One-Sided Sports Debate

 

Tonight was supposed to be the second Presidential Debate of 2020. Instead, you will have to settle for the Great Sports Debate of 2020 via MikeDropSports.

Here are my thoughts on 5 relevant topics. To share your thoughts and dispute mine, feel free to comment on my latest Instagram Post which expresses my quick thoughts.

NFL: Can the Cowboys still win the NFC East?

Despite losing Dak Prescott on Sunday (and about a dozen other players, previously), I still think the Cowboys are the team to beat in the NFC East.

Right off the bat, you can remove the Giants (0-5) and Football Team (1-4) from the equation. Giants stink and Washington has QB issues (again). So, the question of who will win the NFC East comes down to a debate between the Cowboys (2-3) and Eagles (1-3-1).

Cowboys visit the Eagles during week 8 on November 1. Coming out of that game, we will have a pretty good idea of where these teams stand. Cowboys host the Cardinals and visit Washington the next two weeks, while the Eagles host the Ravens and then Giants. Eagles seem likely to go 1-1, while Cowboys have a shot at 2-0, but assuming they go 1-1, the game on 11/1 looms extra large.

Obviously, the big knock on the Cowboys right now is the injury to Prescott. Can Andy Dalton overcome a bad offensive line (he did in Cincinnati) and can the offense continue to score enough to compensate for their awful defense? They may need to change it up philosophically on offense. Through 4.5 games, the plan was to play fast on offense and score points. Now, they may have to revert to a slower style offense with an emphasis on the run game and clock management, to keep the defense off the field.

While Dallas is 2-3, two of those losses came on the road to the Rams and Seahawks, who are a combined 9-1 in 2020 and at home to the 4-1 Browns. The two wins both came on a last second field goal against the Falcons and Giants, who are a combined 0-10.

For the Eagles, their one win came against the 49ers on the road. Good win, but SF is depleted by injuries and are 2-3, with the two wins coming against Jets and Giants. They lost to Washington week 1 and in week 3 they tied the Bengals at home.

Carson Wentz leads the NFL with 9 interceptions, their #1 WR is a former college QB (Greg Ward) and this team has just looked out of sorts since week 1. If they can get healthy, the Eagles certainly have enough talent and an experienced coaching staff that makes you think they can turn it around, but the clock is ticking and the time to turn it around is slowly running out.

Dalton is no Prescott, but he doesn’t have to be. In 9 seasons with the Bengals, they made the playoffs 5 times. He is probably the best backup in the NFL and the Cowboys are as prepared for this situation as they could be. Given that this division is a disaster, going 8-8 or 9-7 is not unlikely and the truth is, this team wasn’t winning a Super Bowl with Prescott because of how bad the defense is. If the Cowboys could just get to the playoffs, it would be a major victory and show that the franchise is on stable grounds and can overcome adversity.

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NFL: Better shot at #1 pick – Jets or Giants

I think the Jets are worse than the Giants and have a better shot at the #1 pick.

For the Giants, they have talent. I believe Joe Judge has them buying in and while the process hasn’t produced results, the Giants are in every game. They lost to Dallas on a last second field goal. They lost by 8 to the Rams and 4 to the Bears, both on the road and both when the Giants had the ball, in opponent territory in the final minute. There is still enough talent on this roster to give fans hope for the future.

Contrarily, the Jets have no such hope. Adam Gase is a loser, a bad person, and an awful head coach. In addition to the misery of Gase, the Jets have a significant talent deficiency. Since the end of last season, the Jets have let Robby Anderson, Jamal Adams, and Le’Veon Bell all leave (only Adams was traded and returned assets).

Unlike the Giants, Jets are getting blown out every week. On Sunday, they lost by 20 at home to the Cardinals, lost last Thursday by 9 at home to Broncos who started Brett Rypien at QB, they were blown out by 49ers even though SF lost Jimmy Garoppolo (and a ton of others) to injuries, and they lost by 29 to the Colts.

Jets will be underdogs in all 11 remaining games. There is no game I feel good about. Maybe the Dolphins at home on 11/29? But that’s assuming they regress from the way they are playing now.

Giants have two games with Washington, including this Sunday (they are -3.5 point favorites). They also have a game against Cincinnati, which is a possible win.

Follow up – should either team consider a QB in 2021 Draft?

At this point, either team should consider Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence if they pick #1.

For the Jets, I personally still like Sam Darnold. I know he’s been awful in 2020 (and at times, prior) and has made zero progress, but I blame this on the coaches. I have hope that a new staff can fix him, but at this point I assume that staff will be with another franchise. I think whoever coaches the Jets in 2021, will want his guy, whether that’s Lawrence or Ohio State QB Justin Fields. 

For the Giants, Jones has shown promise. But he’s also shown cracks. He has a turnover in 17 or 18 games. That’s insane, especially when you’re team isn’t that good. When you’re far from perfect, you jut can’t make mistakes and give the other team even more opportunities. I never liked Jones during the pre-draft process and i think GM David Gettleman will be fired after this disaster if a season, so there’s a decent chance that a new GM may very well come in and clean house. 

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NBA: Should the Knicks trade for Chris Paul?

As a Knicks fan, I am torn on this. Paul, 35 years old, was extremely productive this past season and helped guide a young OKC Thunder team into the playoffs. This Knicks team isn’t that different from the Thunder. RJ Barrett, in year 2, could turn into the star that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became in year 2. Mitchell Robinson and Steven Adams have similarities. The Knicks do lack a Danilo Gallinari-type, but you can certainly see similarities between the teams, if Paul were to join the Knicks.

But the truth is, Paul is past his prime and will cost a hefty price on two fronts. He has 2 years remaining where he is owed $41 million in 2020-21 and $44 million in 2021-22. While the Knicks don’t have many large contracts on the books, this does affect future flexibility, plus it’s likely that the salary cap decreases.

Is it worth it? I would he much more enthusiastic about the player on a friendlier contract, but the assets don’t bother me as much. The Knicks can’t keep adding rookies, at some point you need a veteran like Paul. Acquiring Paul will cost assets, such as at least one first round draft pick (they have 5 in the next 3 drafts), probably 2018 first rounder Kevin Knox and more.

Beyond the flexibility of cap space, there’s also PTSD on trading draft picks. What if Knox becomes a star in OKC? What if the future pick becomes a star (like Jamal Murray, whom Denver drafted with Knicks pick via Carmelo Anthony trade).

It’s a tough debate, but I say no. I think the Knicks can better utilize assets to build a playoff contender in 2021 and beyond.

For Paul’s sake, he is certainly better off going elsewhere. At this stage in his career, he can still be a key piece of a championship contender, which the Knicks obviously are not. As a CP3 fan, I’d love to see him on the Bucks or 76ers, as that’s where he could make his biggest impact. Paul would be a legit third star with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton in Milwaukee and, even past his prime, is an upgrade over Eric Bledsoe. On the Sixers, he would reunite with Doc Rivers, who coached him on the Clippers from 2013-2017. Acquiring Paul would allow even more flexibility for Ben Simmons position-wise and would also set up a potentially dominant pick and roll game with Joel Embiid.

We’ll see what the future holds for Chris Paul, but it seems unlikely to be as part of the Thunder as they embark on a rebuilding project.

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MLB: Are the Rays America’s Team?

YES! Emphatically, yes.

Forget the America’s Team moniker for the Dallas Cowboys. Last week, I wrote how if the Cowboys are America’s Team, that America is in trouble. Of course, the reason for the nickname is their global brand, fan-base, and overall value (worth over $5 billion).

So, why the Rays? They have none of the above. Rays are one of the least recognizable brands in America and are consistently ranked near the bottom of MLB in attendance.

Well, the answer is simple. The Rays beat the Yankees in the NLDS and are one win away from beating the Astros in the NLCS. Those are two of the most universally despised and polarizing teams, not just in baseball, but in all of sports.

Because of the Yankees’ historical success and annual spending and because of the Astros’ cheating scandal, you either love these teams, as a fan, or you hate them. There is no in-between.

America’s Team should be someone that people can rally around. I can’t name a single player on the Rays and their payroll is always among the lowest in the league. It’s a fun, scrappy group of guys who overcome the odds and beat the best. You love to see it.

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CFB: Will Kirby Smart be the first former Nick Saban assistant coach to beat him?

DISCLAIMER: Late Wednesday, Nick Saban revealed he tested positive for COVID-19, which means he is unlikely to coach on Saturday IF the game is played as expected. I still think the write-up is relevant.

21-0. That’s the record of Alabama head coach Nick Saban when their opponent is coached by a former assistant of his. On Saturday, #2 Alabama hosts #3 Georgia, coached by Kirby Smart.

Smart worked under Saban in 2004 as LSU’s defensive backs coach, 2006 as the Miami Dolphins safeties coach and then 2007-2015 as defensive coordinator at Alabama, before accepting the Georgia job in 2016.

Since arriving at Georgia, he is 0-2 against Alabama and Saturday will be the first regular season matchup. Alabama won the National Championship Game in 2019 against and then 11 months later, beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

Through three games, Georgia’s defense is allowing 12 ppg, while Alabama’s offense is scoring 51 ppg. Of course, this isn’t all that straight forward. For example, Alabama’s defense gave up 48 last week to Ole Miss, which forced the Tide to keep scoring.

Georgia is scoring 36 ppg, but here is a catch to this number. In 2 of their 3 games, most of the points have come after halftime. In week 1 against Arkansas, they scored 32 of their 37 points in the second half and last week against Tennessee, they scored 27 of 44 after halftime. That is not a sustainable strategy, especially against Alabama.

Georgia must come out strong if they want to win. Alabama’s offense is once again loaded, and as talented as the Georgia defense is, they have shown some weaknesses. Tennessee played well last week but couldn’t capitalize. Alabama is more than capable of taking advantage of the type of opportunities that the Vols couldn’t.

I like Alabama to win because of a few factors – momentum of home-field advantage, Najee Harris, speed and talent at WR, Dylan Moses, and the experience of Mac Jones (in comparison to Stetson Bennett).

Kirby Smart may beat Saban one day. But one day, won’t be Saturday.

How the Buffalo Bills Won the Patrick Mahomes Trade

 n 2017, the Kansas City Chiefs famously drafted Patrick Mahomes 10th overall. In hindsight, it’s hilarious because that means 9 teams passed on the former MVP and Super Bowl winning QB. It’s actually 10 teams if you include the Bills, who initially held the 10th pick.

It’s hard to be a winner when you are a team who passed on Mahomes, but I think it’s fair to say that the Bills came out of this trade in really good shape. The team has maximized the return they got for the 2017 #10 pick and laid the foundation for last year’s Wild Card team and this year’s division contending team.

Here are the full details of the deal

• Bills acquired three picks – Chiefs’ first round picks in 2017 AND 2018 plus a 2017 third round pick
• Traded Chiefs’ 2018 first round pick (#22) to Ravens to move up (#16)
• Traded Chiefs’ 2017 third rounder (#91) to Rams for a second (#37) and third round pick (#149) in 2017
• Then, traded the newly acquired third round pick (along with a third and a fifth) for the Falcons’ second round pick (#63)

Here are the key players drafted with those picks

CB Tre’Davious White (2017 first round, via Chiefs) – White was drafted with the #27 pick that initially belonged to the Chiefs. He is considered an elite cornerback, and was named to his first All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams in 2019 as he co-led the NFL in interceptions (6). Including Tuesday night, White has missed just two starts in his career.

OT Dion Dawkins (2017 third round, via Falcons) – Dawkins has started 47 of a possible 52 games for the Bills and done so at left tackle, after playing a lot of guard in college. He started all 16 games in 2018-2019 and even caught a TD on both seasons. Dawkins has allowed just 1 sack in 2020 (per PFF).

LB Tremaine Edmunds (2018 first round, via Chiefs and Ravens) – Bills used the Chiefs’ 2018 first rounder, to move up and grab Edmunds. The linebacker has missed just 1 game in two seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2019. For his career, he has 3 interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 21 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, and 15 tackles for a loss.

In addition to Edmunds, the Bills acquired a fifth round pick from the Ravens in this trade and drafted CB Siran Neal (#154), who has mostly been a special teams player.

WR Zay Jones (2017 second round, via Rams) – Jones caught 9 touchdown passes in 2.5 years before being traded to the Raiders for a 2021 fifth round pick last October.

It’s hard to label the Bills as winners, when Mahomes and the Chiefs won the Super Bowl last season and these Bills haven’t won a playoff game yet. But the foundation is there. Buffalo at least came away with three starters and also used their own 2018 pick on QB Josh Allen, who up until week 5 was putting up MVP-caliber numbers and has been a huge reason for the Bills success the last two years.

Lasting Sports Legacy

 

“You are responsible for how people remember you — or don’t. So don’t take it lightly. If you do it right, your game will live on in others. You’ll be imitated and emulated by those you played with, those you played against and those who never saw you play at all. So leave everything on the court. Leave the game better than you found it. And when it comes time for you to leave, leave a legend.”

-Kobe Bryant

 

The True Basketball GOAT

Folks on TV and fans on social media spend so much time arguing about who is the greatest of all-time in basketball. It’s a pretty dumb argument, considering the true GOAT is hardly ever mentioned – Breanna Stewart. 

Stewart, just 26 years old, just helped the Seattle Storm win the 2020 WNBA Championship, their second in three years. 

Overall, Stewart’s resume includes 2 WNBA titles and 2 Finals MVPs, WNBA MVP in 2018, and Rookie of the Year in 2016. In college, Stewart helped UConn win 4 National Championships and she was named Tournament MOP all 4 times and was a 3x National Player of the Year. In 2016, she won an Olympic Gold Medal.

Her resume is truly second to none and her pro career is just beginning. Cheers to the true basketball GOAT! 

Lebron James’ Legacy

Moving onto the NBA’s GOAT discussion… 

On Friday night, the Lakers (up 3-1) will look to close out the 2020 NBA Finals, giving the franchise their 17th NBA Championship.

For Lebron James, it would be his 4th NBA title. It would also be the third straight Presidential Election where Lebron has won the NBA title and done so with three different teams. 

The Lebron greatness conversation always includes his Finals record (3-6). But to me, the most important number is 10. Lebron has played in the NBA Finals in 10 out of 17 seasons and he is notably 14-0 in first round series’. For comparison’s sake, Jordan lost his first three first round series.

But back to the Finals record. Six losses is nothing to brag about, but it’s important to view them in the proper context.

Let’s look closer at those 6 losses

• 2007 – Worst team ever

Cavs got swept by Tim Duncan and the Spurs. Drew Gooden (12.8 ppg) was the Cavs second leading scorer in the Finals. The lineup included James, Gooden, Sasha Pavlovic, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Daniel Gibson.

This might legitimately be the worst NBA Finals team of all-time. But to get there, Lebron single-handily beat a legendary Pistons team in the Eastern Conference Finals.

• 2011 – No excuse

In James’ first year in Miami, the Heat lost to the Mavs. As great and well put-together as that Dallas team was, there is no excuse for this loss. Miami had the better team and this is the one Finals loss that stands out as inexcusable.

• 2014 – Great Spurs

This Spurs team was great, going 62-20. The 62 wins were the most during any of their 5 championship seasons. They beat the Heat in just 5 games. Kawhi got his first ring and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili got their last ones.

• 2015 – No Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love

Do you need proof of Lebron’s greatness? Here it is.

Warriors won this series in 6 games, even though Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were both out due to injuries. Lebron was stuck with Timofey Mozgov, the team’s second leading scorer (14.0 ppg), Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, and Matthew Dellavedova, who was arguably the team’s second best player throughout the Finals.

• 2017 and 2018 – Warriors Super Team

2017 was the Warriors first year with Kevin Durant and coming off the blown 3-1 lead, no one ever had a chance of beating them. 

In 2018, Cavs traded Kyrie Irving before the season for a damaged Isaiah Thomas and returned to the Finals with a new group that included George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr, and Rodney Hood, plus Love and Smith.

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I’m not making excuses for James, but he is not the best player ever – Michael Jordan is and forever will be. But there’s a huge difference between Jordan and James. Jordan went 6-0 in the Finals against 6 teams inferior to his. James lost 6 Finals, 5 of which to teams superior to his.

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NFL Week 5 – Legacy Matchups 

Tom Brady vs Nick Foles

Bears vs Bucs on Thursday Night Football is not the same thing as Patriots vs Eagles in the Super Bowl. Both of these guys’ legacies are entrenched. Brady is one of the greatest QBs of all-time, with his 6 Super Bowl wins and if he leads the Bucs to a Super Bowl at 43 years old, he would no doubt solidify himself at the top of the list.

Nick Foles is forever a Philly legend, having led the Eagles to their first ever Super Bowl victory. He is 0-5 as a starter since leaving Philly after the 2018 season and is making his second starter for the Bears. But it doesn’t matter, the legend of BDN will last forever. 

Drew Brees vs Chargers

Like Brady, Brees’ legacy is entrenched. Leading the Saints to a win in Super Bowl XLIV helps secure his place among the greats as does his spot at the top of many of the all-time statistical rankings.

On Monday Night Football, the Saints play the Chargers. In 2001, Brees was a second round pick to the Chargers, where he had an up-and-down 5 year stretch. At one point (in 2003) he was benched for Doug Flutie, and then Philip Rivers was drafted 4th overall in 2004 to replace him. Following back-to-back seasons over .500, in 2006, Brees left as a free agent and chose to sign with the Saints over the Dolphins.

Imagine how different things would be for everyone if Brees played for Nick Saban in Miami, or if the Chargers had never replaced him with Rivers?

Cam Newton vs Broncos

Cam’s legacy is fascinating as he has always been polarizing to fans and the media. No player has ever been built like Cam, with this combination of arm, speed, and overall strength. He is one-of-a-kind and a very special player.

Yet, he is constantly criticized and is labeled by many as selfish. Handing touchdown balls to little kids and making teammates smile doesn’t seem very selfish. He went 3 months of being unemployed before signing with the Patriots for the bare minimum and has gotten off to a strong start in 2020. 

It remains TBD if Cam will clear COVID protocols ahead of Sunday’s game against the Broncos, who Cam had one of the worst games of his career against in Super Bowl 50. Cam was awful, completing just 18-41 passes and producing a 55.4 QB rating. That’s definitely a very lasting memory of his career. Panthers were 15-1 and he won regular season MVP, but he flopped on the big stage and has had a hard time overcoming that.

Jason Garrett vs Cowboys

The Giants offensive coordinator has seen his team score 3 total offensive touchdowns, while his old team has gotten off to a scorching start offensively. However, the Cowboys are just 1-3 start, something they never did with Garrett. Dallas has a ton of questions surrounding the roster and the new coaching staff and Garrett has become a weekly trending topic on twitter as people wonder if he is really to blame for the last 10 years?

Adam Gase vs Kenyan Drake

This is simple – Jets head coach Adam Gase’s legacy is that he sucks. He’s an awful, awful head coach and the day he is fired will be a very proud day for this franchise. Gase’s legacy revolves around a group of (current or former) Dolphins offensive players who seemed held back by Gase’s ineptitude.

One of those guys is Cardinals RB Kenyan Drake. In 48 games with Miami under Gase, Drake ran for 1,358 yards and 9 TDs. In 8 games with Arizona in 2019, he ran for nearly half of the yardage, 643 yards, and 8 TDs.

Bill O’Brien vs himself

Texans face the Jaguars on Sunday. It will be their first game since 2013 where Bill O’Brien is not the head coach. Here’s the thing about O’Brien – he doesn’t suck as  head coach (unlike Gase). Texans made the playoffs in 4 of his 6 seasons, but never advanced past the second round. O’Brien went 52-48 in 6+ seasons, but he got power hungry and it disrupted the franchise. O’Brien became General Manager last year and from there, everything went down hill. Texans are 0-4 to start 2020 and don’t have a first OR second round pick in 2021 Draft because O’Brien traded both of them for LT Laremy Tunsil. Good player, horrible trade. He famously traded Deandre Hopkins for a washed up running back and a second round draft pick. His legacy is a good guy, good coach, who simply had more power and control than he ever deserved.

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College Football Week 6 – Legacy Games

Texas vs Oklahoma

Tom Herman is in year 4 at Texas. He is 1-3 vs the Sooners and his team suffered a bad loss against TCU last week (meaning Texas is not back). Oklahoma has lost 2 in a row and is 0-2 in Big 12 play.

Is Tom Herman just another guy or does he still have the potential to do special things at Texas? Is Lincoln Riley special? Or has he built his reputation off of established transfer QBs, as opposed to building them from the ground up (like Spencer Rattler). Both coaches have a lot on the line this week.

Florida vs Texas A&M

Jimbo Fisher got paid $75 million to leave Florida State and coach the Aggies in 2018. Since then, they have gone 9-4 and 8-5. He is a combined 1-6 against LSU, Auburn and Alabama.

In three games against Alabama, Texas A&M has been outscored by an average of 48-25. The one win came against LSU in 2018 in a flukish 7 overtime game that they won 74-72. 

Look, no one beats Saban and the Tide, but for $75 million, you have to come closer than they have and you have to be better than the 4th best team in your own division. 

Tennessee vs Georgia

For Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt, this isn’t a bad situation. A loss to the #3 team in the country would show Tennessee has work to do, but doesn’t mean they are a bad team. But a win would set him up as a legend in Knoxville. Tennessee has the nation’s longest winning streak at 8 games but has lost 3 in a row to Georgia and is 2-8 in their last 10.

Miami vs Clemson

Miami has not been “The U” in a very long time. No swagger, no real national relevance. A lot of that is the result of bad coaching and bad quarterback play. Well, here we go, Saturday night on the road against the class of the conference.

D’Eriq King, who transferred from Houston might be the best QB Miami has had in over a decade and head coach Manny Diaz, who went 6-7 in his first year, has a major opportunity for a program-changing win. The spotlight is squarely on these two to have the world scream “The U is back!”.

6 People in Sports Who Became Politicians

 

STICK TO SPORTS! Unless you are directly involved in sports and politics, as a handful of people are.

There are many people that have been involved with both, but I wanted to point out a small group of well-known athletes, coaches, and Hall of Famers who have held office following a sports career or cameo.

Tommy Tuberville (college football coach)

Tommy Tuberville is a former, long-time college football head coach. He compiled a 159-99 career record at Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas Tech, and Cincinnati. His biggest success was a 13-0 season at Auburn in 2004, but because of how the old BCS system worked, they did not play for the championship.

After getting fired by Cincinnati, following a 4-8 season in 2016, Tuberville transitioned from football to politics.

Tuberville is representing the Republican Party in the race for US Senate in Alabama. Tuberville has a big supporter in Donald Trump and is battling Democrat Doug Jones.

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Bill Bradley (NY Knicks) 

Bill Bradley is a legend. He is a member of the basketball Hall of Fame, College basketball Hall of Fame, Olympic Gold medal winner (1964), and 2x NBA champion with the New York Knicks (1970, 1973). Considering the Knicks only have 2 championships, that’s a big accomplishment!

Following his career, Bradley, who attended Princeton, returned to New Jersey as US Senator from 1979-1997.

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Anthony Gonzalez (football player)

In the 2007 BCS National Championship Game, Ohio State lost 41-14 to Florida. In that game, WR Anthony Gonzalez led Ohio State with 2 catches, for 11 years. That season, he had 51 catches for 734 yards and 8 TDs, and finished his career with 13 TD catches in three seasons playing for Ohio State.

He only caught 7 TDs in the NFL (first and second seasons) after the Indianapolis Colts drafted him #32 in the first round 2007 Draft. His career was derailed by injuries.

Now, with his football career long behind him, Gonzalez is Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio’s 16th district.

Gonzalez’s (arguably) most memorable moment (certainly his first) with the Buckeyes came in 2005 against Michigan, when he made “the catch”.

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Kevin Johnson (Phoenix Suns)

Kevin Johnson is a former Phoenix Suns legend. He was always under-appreciated throughout his NBA career. Johnson made 3 All Star teams, named All-NBA 5x, Most Improved Player in 1988-89, and had 4 straight seasons of 20+ ppg, 10+ apg, Johnson saved basketball in Sacramento.

Keeping the Kings in Sacramento and building the Golden 1 Center could have happened without Ranadive – it almost did – but it would not have happened without Mayor Kevin Johnson and former NBA Commissioner David Stern. It was Johnson and Stern – and they alone – who were indispensable in the years-long saga resulting in the new arena.
Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/marcos-breton/article110479617.html#storylink=cpy

Johnson served in office from 2008-2016.

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Steve Largent (Seattle Seahawks)

Largent is a Football Hall of Fame and 7x NFL Pro Bowler. His #80 is retired by the Seattle Seahawks and he is among the best players in the franchise’s history. Largent played with Seahawks from 1976-1989.

Following his retirement, he went into politics and was a member of US House of Representatives from Oklahoma’s 1st district from 1994-2002.

Check out the hit Largent delivers here. After an interception, Largent makes a tackle, forces a fumble, stares down the defender, and recovers the fumble himself.

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Kane (WWE)

Those into wrestling, are familiar with the “Big Red Machine” Kane. Kane is a former 2-time world heavyweight champion and the current Mayor of Knox County in Tennessee.

Phrased another way – the Mayor of Knox County once threw a lighter onto a casket that his “brother” was in, lighting him on fire.

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BONUS – Donald Trump (WWE)

This one is a fun bonus. Obviously Trump was never an athlete or coach, but he is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. In 2007, at Wrestlemania 23, Trump was stunned. Not figuratively, literally.

How can anyone not love Stone Cold Steve Austin?