Great NFL QB's by Team

TOP TEN NFL QB’s

1. Peyton Manning

2. Brett Farve

3. Johnny Unitas

4. Joe Montana

5. Terry Bradshaw

6. Tom Brady

7. Roger Staubach

8. Steve Young

9. John Elway/Norm Van Brocklin

10. Bart Starr/Joe Namath

GREATEST QB FOR EACH TEAM

Bengals: Booner Esiason, Ken Anderson, Andy Dalton, Greg Cook

Bills: Jim Kelly, Jack Kemp, Joe Ferguson, Dennis Shaw

Broncos: John Elway, Peyton Manning, Frank Tripuka, Charlie Johnson

Browns: Otto Graham, Frank Ryan, Bernie Kosar, Brian Sipe

Chargers: Dan Fouts, John Hadl, Phillip Rivers

Chiefs: Len Dawson, Bill Kenney, Steve DeBerg

Colts: Peyton Manning, Johnny Unitas, Andrew Luck, Bert Jones, Earl Morrall

Dolphins: Dan Marino, Bob Griese, Earl Morrall, Ryan Tannyhill, David Woodley

Jaguars: Mark Brunnell, Bryon Leftwich, David Garrard, Blaine Gabbert

Jets: Joe Namath, Richard Todd, Ken O’Brien, Chad Pennington

Patriots: Tom Brady, Drew Bledsoe, Jim Plunkett, Tony Eason

Raiders: Ken Stabler, Jim Plunkett, Darrel Lamonica

Ravens: Joe Flacco, Trent Dilfer

Steelers: T.Bradshaw, B.Rothlesberger, Mark Malone, Cliff Stout, Terry Hanratty, Joe Gilliam, Kordell Stewart 

Texans: Matt Schaub, David Carr

Titans: Warren Moon, Steve McNair, Dan Pastorini, Kerry Collins, Jake Locker, George Blanda

Bears: Jim McMahon, Sid Luckman, Jay Cutler, Bobby Douglass

Bucs: Shawn King, Vinnie Testaverde, Trent Dilfer, Doug Williams

Cardinals: Jim Hart, Kurt Warner, Neil Lomax, Jake Plummer

Cowboys: Roger Staubach, T.Aikman, Danny White, Eddie LeBaron, T.Romo

Eagles: Norm Van Brocklin, R.Cunningham, R.Jaworski, D.McNabb

Falcons: Matt Ryan, Steve Bartkowski, Chris Chandler, Bob Berry

49ers: Joe Montana, Steve Young, John Brodie, Colin Kapernick, YA Tittle

Giants: Eli Manning, Fran Tarkenton, YA Tittle, Phil Simms

Lions: Bobby Layne, M.Stafford, Dutch Clark, E.Kramer, Gary Danielson, G.Landry

Packers: Brett Farve, Bart Starr, Aaron Rodgers

Panthers: Cam Newton, Kerry Collins, Steve Beuerlien

Rams: Bob Waterfield, Roman Gabriel, N.Van Brocklin, Kurt Warner, S.Bradford

Redskins: Sammy Baugh, J.Thiesman, S.Jurgensen, Mark Rypien, Doug Williams, R.Griffin

Saints: Drew Brees, Archie Manning, Billy Kilmer, Bobby Hebert

Seahawks: Russell Wilson, Jim Zorn, Trent Dilfer

Vikings: Fran Tarkenton, Donte Culpepper, Joe Kapp

TOP TEN FALCON QB’s

02 Matt Ryan

10 Steve Bartkowski

12 Chris Chandler

17 Bob Berry

07 Michael Vick

12 Chris Miller

03 Bobby Hebert

19 Bob Lee

01 Jeff George

11 Randy Johnson

14 June Jones

500 HR Club by Average

Frank Thomas enters the Hall of Fame with the 8th highest batting average for a 500 Home Run Club member. This makes Thomas an exception – over the years the 500 HR Club batting average has been gradually decreasing.

HR AVG YR

521 344 19 Ted Williams 1960

714 342 22 Babe Ruth 1935

534 325 20 Jimmie Foxx 1945

555 312 19 Manny Ramirez 2011

755 305 23 Hank Aaron 1976

511 304 22 Mel Ott 1947

660 302 22 Willie Mays 1973

521 301 19 Frank Thomas 2008

654 299 20 Alex Rodriquez - active

536 298 18 Mickey Mantle 1968

762 298 22 Barry Bonds 2007

586 294 21 Frank Robinson 1976

509 292 22 Gary Sheffield 2009

569 288 20 Rafael Palmeiro 2005

630 284 22 Ken Griffey 2010

504 287 21 Eddie Murray 1997

621 276 22 Jim Thome 2012

512 274 19 Ernie Banks 1971

609 273 18 Sammy Sosa 2007

512 271 17 Eddie Mathews 1968

521 270 22 Willie McCovey 1980

548 267 18 Mike Schmidt 1989

583 263 16 Mark McGwire 2001

563 262 21 Reggie Jackson 1987

573 256 22 Harmon Killebrew 1975

Super Bowls

I used to be an expert about the Super Bowl. But as the years passed and the number of Super Bowls grew, it became hard to keep up. They all started to run together late in the Steeler dynasty. I’ve watched just about every game. Having this list on the blog will make it easier to keep up. Includes the year the game was player, number, roman numeral, teams, score, stadium, and MVP. The team that wore the colored jersey is in bold.

I've added this list as its own special tab up at the top of the blog, and will be adding each game's Sports Illustrated cover and other iconic Super Bowl photos.

67 1 I: Packers 35 Chiefs 10 (LA Coliseum) Bart Starr

68 2 II: Packers 33 Oakland Raiders 14 ((Orange Bowl) Bart Starr

69 3 III: Jets 16 Baltimore Colts 7 (Orange Bowl) Joe Namath

70 4 IV: Chiefs 23 Vikings 7 (Tulane Stadium, NO) Len Dawson

71 5 V: Baltimore Colts 16 Cowboys 13 (Orange Bowl) Chuck Howley

72 6 VI: Cowboys 24 Dolphins 3 (Tulane Stadium) Roger Staubach

73 7 VII: Dolphins 14 Redskins 7 (LA Coliseum) Jake Scott

74 8 VIII: Dolphins 24 Vikings 7 (Rice Stadium, Houston) Larry Csonka

75 9 IX: Steelers 16 Vikings 6 (Tulane Stadium) Franco Harris

76 10 X: Steelers 21 Cowboys 17 (Orange Bowl) Lynn Swann

77 11 XI: Oakland Raiders 32 Vikings 14 (Rose Bowl) Fred Biletnikoff

78 12 XII Dallas 27 Denver 10 Superdome Harvey Martin/Randy White

79 13 XIII: Steelers 35 Cowboys 31 (Orange Bowl) Terry Bradshaw

80 14 XIV: Steelers 31 LA Rams 19 (Rose Bowl) Terry Bradshaw

81 15 XV: Oakland Raiders 27 Eagles 10 (Superdome) Jim Plunkett

82 16 XVI: 49ers 26 Bengals 21 (Pontiac Silverdome) Joe Montana

83 17 XVII: Redskins 27 Dolphins 17 (Rose Bowl) John Riggins

84 18 XVIII: LA Raiders 38 Redskins 9 (Tampa Stadium) Marcus Allen

85 19 XIX: 49ers 38 Dolphins 16 (Stanford Stadium) Joe Montana

86 20 XX: Bears 46 Patriots 10 (Superdome) Richard Dent

87 21 XXI: Giants 39 Broncos 20 (Rose Bowl) Phil Simms

88 22 XXII Redskins 42 Denver 10 (J.Murphy Stadium, SD) Doug Williams

89 23 XXIII: 49ers 20 Bengals 16 (Joe Robbie Stadium, Mia) Jerry Rice

90 24 XXIV: 49ers 55 Broncos 10 (Superdome) Joe Montana

91 25 XXV: Giants 20 Bills 19 (Tampa Stadium) Ottis Anderson

92 26 XXVI: Redskins 37 Bills 24 (Metrodome) Mark Rypien

93 27 XXVII: Cowboys 52 Bills 17 (Rose Bowl) Troy Aikman

94 28 XXVIII: Cowboys 30 Bills 13 (Georgia Dome) Emmitt Smith

95 29 XXIX: 49ers 49 Chargers 26 (Joe Robbie Stadium, SD) Steve Young

96 30 XXX Dallas 27 Steelers 17 (Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe) Larry Brown

97 31 XXXI: Packers 35 Patriots 21 (Superdome) Desmond Howard

98 32 XXXII Denver 31 Packers 24 (Qualcomm Stadium SD) Terrell Davis

99 33 XXXIII Denver 34 Falcons 19 (Pro Player Stadium, Mia) J.Elway

00 34 XXXIV: St Louis Rams 23 Titans 16 (Georgia Dome) Kurt Warner

01 35 XXXV Ravens 34 Giants 7 (R.James Stadium Tampa) Ray Lewis

02 36 XXXVI: Patriots 20 StL Rams 17 (Superdome) Tom Brady

03 37 XXXVII TB 48 Oak 21 Qualcomm Stadium Dexter Jackson

04 38 XXXVIII Patriots 32 Panthers 29 (Reliant Stadium, Houston) T Brady

05 39 XXXIX Patriots 24 Eagles 21 (Alltel Stadium, J'ville) Deion Branch

06 40 XL: Steelers 21 Seahawks 10 (Ford Field, Detroit) Hines Ward

07 41 XLI Indianapolis Colts 29 Bears 17 (Dolphin Stadium) P Manning

08 42 XLII Giants 17 Patriots 14 (Univ of Phoenix Stadium) E Manning  

09 43 XLIII Steelers 27 Arizona 23 (R James Stadium Santonio Holmes

10 44 XLIV: Saints 31 Colts 17 (Sun Life Stadium, Mia) Drew Brees

11 45 XLV: Packers 31 Steelers 25 (Cowboys Stadium) Aaron Rodgers

12 46 XLVI Giants 21 Patriots 17 (Lucas Oil Stadium Indy) E Manning

13 47 XLVII: Ravens 34 49ers 31 (Superdome) Joe Flacco

14 48 XLVIII: Broncos vs. Seahawks (MetLife Stadium, E Rutherford NJ)

15 49 XLIX: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

16 50 L: Levis Stadium, Santa Clara CA

17 51 LI: Reliant Stadium, Houston

Reading List: Nov Dec Jan

Happy, Happy, Happy: My Life and Legacy as the Duck Commander, by Phil Robertson, with Mark Schlabach.

The Duck Commander Family: How Faith, Family, and Ducks Built a Dynasty, by Willie & Korie Robertson, with Mark Schlabach.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book One), by CS Lewis

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, by Michael Lewis. The story of Wall Street’s failed handling of the mortgage crisis. Heavy reading (or listening, in my case).

Talent is Never Enough, by John Maxwell.

World Without End, by Ken Follett.

The Terminal Man, by Michael Crichton. One of the late Crichton’s earliest works, from the early 70’s.

Eaters of the Dead, by Michael Crichton

A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, & The Thanksgiving Visitor, by Truman Capote

Black List (Scot Harvath #11), by Brad Thor

The Columbus Affair, by Steve Berry.

Ten Men You Meet in the Huddle, by Bill Curry. The former head coach shares his experiences with his high school coach, Bobby Dodd, Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Willie Davis, Don Shula, Johnny Unitas, Bubba Smith, and George Plimpton. Great book. I learned that in 1973 Plimpton once pitched a three inning exhibition against the Braves in Atlanta Stadium. Curry was his catcher.

Top of the Order: 25 Writers Pick Their Favorite Baseball Player of All Time, by Sean Manning. Forward by WP Kinsella. Neal Pollack on Greg Maddux. Jim Bouton on Steve Dembowski. Jeff Pearlman on Garry Templeton. Doug Glanville on Garry Maddox. Essays on Albert Pujols, Michael Jordan, Lou Gehrig, Brooks Robinson, Tom Seaver, Mookie, Jim Rice, Rickey Henderson, Jackie Robinson, and more.

Connor Dunks

OGLETHORPE BASKETBALL: Will’s former teammate Connor Smith had his first college dunk Saturday night. He’s averaging 8 points and 23 minutes per game – 6th on the team. Connor is one of eight players to play in every game (one of three guards to do so). Oglethorpe is 18-1 for the season, losing only to LaGrange. They have beaten Berry, Swarthmore, and Emory. It’s their best start ever, and they’re ranked 23rd in Division III.

TECH BASKETBALL: I had wondered if GT coach Brian Gregory was overmatched in the ACC. He seems to always be signing players…several are lined up to come in for next season. They just might not be good enough to compete in the ACC. Earlier this year they couldn’t keep up with Dayton. At least Gregory’s contract isn’t huge like Hewitt’s or Johnson’s. I finally corrected the GT schedule in my calendar. I had the entire season messed up.

RAY GUY: My dad told me that when I was ten or eleven he took me to a high school all-star game in Macon. Ray Guy played in the game. I did not remember that. Guy was born in Swainsboro but played for Thomson High (see links)  Wiki and Pro Football Reference

Guy was the first punter to hit the Superdome scoreboard, during the 1976 Pro Bowl. Saints punter Russell Erxleben hit the scoreboard during a 1980 preseason game against the Dolphins. The scoreboard is no longer in the middle of the Superdome, but there is a similar scoreboard in the new Cowboys Stadium. Saints link

BRAVES ARBITRATION: If Heyward puts up huge numbers, then walks, people will forget that back in 2013 they were calling him the next Francoeur. So many make mountains out of molehills, like going to the arbitration hearing with Kimbrel and Heyward.

ELIMINATING THE PAT: Rex Robinson says that if the PAT isn’t worth anything, then long field goals should be worth more. Count 50 yarders as 4 points and 60 yarders as 5 points. Under 30 yarders could count two points.

Roger Goodell does have a point. So many people change the channel during PATs. Less than half of one percent are missed. I’d rather keep the PAT, even if it means moving it back ten or twenty yards. Make the guy who scored the touchdown attempt the kick. But that will never happen because of all the betting on football.

As usual Jeff Schultz goes way overboard, saying that most all special teams need to be eliminated. Special teams is where you see all the dumb plays, and supposedly where the injuries happen. But so often the outcome of a game hinges on a special team play.

Fun Facts: Super Bowl

The Broncos will be wearing orange jerseys in the Super Bowl. In previous Super Bowls the Broncos are 0-3 wearing orange jerseys.

The Broncos are the first Super Bowl team to wear one color jersey (orange), then wear a second colored jersey (navy), then wear the first color jersey again.

This is the 11th Super Bowl in which neither team’s helmet logo contains any letters of the alphabet.

The Broncos are the only team to play in different Super Bowls with and without letters in their helmet logos.

Peyton’s #18 and Wilson’s #3 represent the largest numerical difference between numbers worn by Super Bowl starting QBs. Previous record was SB2 (Starr #15 and Lamonica #3).

QB’s wearing a double-digit number are 12-10 in Super Bowl games against QB’s wearing single-digit numbers. The Falcons own one of the ten losses (Chandler #12 vs. Elway #7).

NOTE: These fun fact were stolen from Monday’s Uni-Watch blog post. http://www.uni-watch.com/2014/01/20/monday-morning-uni-watch-126/#comments

23 Stops in a Day

On the way home from work Friday I spotted a unique pair of Air Jordan 7 loafers. All black, size 12. I could get away with wearing them to work. I passed, and went home and looked them up on line. Found a pair on eBay selling for $140.00. Decided to make the trip back over to Norcross to get them. The fit is tight, but I should make a good profit on eBay.

That turned out to be just part of a Saturday on the go. Ceil was volunteering down at the Passion Conference at Phillips Arena. She had to arrive before 8 am both Friday and Saturday morning, and stay until midnight. To shorten her commute and give her more rest time I picked her up and dropped her off. Saturday those bookended 21 other stops and errands along the way. After the morning trip I took Matthew out to hunt for vintage CD’s at thrift stores. He came up empty, but I found a few items along the way. My Saturday:

1. Phillips Arena to take Ceil

2. BP near Gwinnett Place

3. McDonalds for Egg McMuffins

4. Dollar Tree (not open yet)

5. Post Office (mailed two packages)

6. Goodwill Norcross (Air Jordans)

7. Goodwill East Roswell (did not buy Pumas)

8. Kroger (cereal, yogurt, Redbox)

9. Home (lunch, housework)

10. Park Ave East Cobb (Patagonia shirt)

11. Goodwill Marietta (Star Wars video)

12. Atlanta Union Mission Store near Big Chicken

13. Value Village (did not buy Nats cap or Masters polo)

14. Kennesaw Goodwill (did not buy Masters tee)

15. Walgreens (tea for Matthew)

16. Park Ave Woodstock (did not buy soccer jersey)

17. Goodwill Woodstock (did not buy Red Sox cap)

18. Park Ave Marietta (Callaway golf shorts)

20. Goodwill East Cobb (Minus Zero jacket, Columbia shirt)

21. Willys (burrito)

22. Home (watch Jobs movie, nap)

23. Phillips Arena to pick up Ceil.

Saturday night Anna went down to Little Five Points with friends. I rented the Steve Jobs movie. All alone, Matthew watched The Blind Side.

Sunday morning Ceil went with Anna to Grace Church in Midtown. Since UGA is off Monday Will came home for the special PCC service at Phillips Arena. Left home at 2:30 and didn’t get home until 9 pm. I stayed back and did laundry, cleaned the kitchen and upstairs, worked on eBay, ate popcorn, and watched the NFL games. Later Will cooked quesadillas.

NFL's Longest Punts

Top Ten Longest Punts in NFL History

98 1969 Steve O’Neal, NYJ

94 1931 Joe Lintzenich, Bears

94 1923 Pete Henry, Canton Bulldogs

93 1991 Shawn McCarty, NE

91 1989 Randall Cunningham, Eagles (QB)

90 2001 Rodney Williams, NYG (Georgia Tech)

90 1965 Don Chandler, GB

89 1984 Luke Prestridge, NE

88 1948 Bob Waterfield, Rams (QB)

87 1984 Dave Finzer, Bears

Other Long Punts of Note

87 1968 Bob Scarpitto, Boston

86 1947 Bob Waterfield, Rams (QB)

86 1957 Larry Barnes, SF

85 1940 Sammy Baugh, Redskins (QB)

82 1961 Paul Maquire, SD (the announcer)

81 2007 Dustin Colquitt, KC (Tennessee)

81 1943 Sammy Baugh, Redskins (QB)

80 1994 Randall Cunningham, Eagles (QB)

79 2012 Drew Butler, Steelers (UGA)

78 1969 Paul Maguire, Bills (the announcer)

78 1943 Sid Luckman, Bears

77 1980 Ray Guy, Raiders (Swainsboro GA)

76 1944 Sammy Baugh, Redskins (QB)

75 1964 Billy Lothridge, Cowboys (Georgia Tech)

75 1975 John James, Falcons

75 1962 Boyd Dowler, GB (WR)

75 1941 Sammy Baugh, Redskins (QB)

74 1976 Dan Pastorini, Oilers (QB)

73 1979 Danny White, Cowboys (QB)

73 1997 Tom Tupa, NE (QB)

73 1978 Bucky Dilts, Broncos (UGA)

73 1964 Yale Lary, Lions (also in 1963)

73 1970 Spike Jones, Oilers (UGA)

73 1944 Frank Sinkwich, Lions QB (UGA)

72 1997 Chris Gardocki, Colts (Clemson)

72 1956 Norm Van Brocklin, Rams (QB)

72 1963 Jerrel Wilson, KC

71 1964 John Hadl, SD (QB)

PFG

Last summer the fashion craze at the beach was Columbia PFG fishing shirts. Anna quickly jumped on the craze (she wore hers twice). here in Atlanta I had seen a few middle-aged men wearing the shirts, sometimes at work on Fridays. The shirts are designed to be worn untucked and look terrible if tucked in. That rules out wearing them to work. I love the lightweight, waterproof fishing pants. I’d wear the them to work, except the bulky cargo pockets don’t look very professional.

After we returned from the beach I started looking for the shirts and since then have built up quite the collection – actually more than I need. It would be nice to track down a red UGA shirt or white Tech PFG shirt, or a pair of shorts or swim trunks in my size. These PFG Omni-Shade shirts and pants block harmful ultraviolet rays through tight weave construction, UV absorbers, and with UV reflectors. Here’s my collection…

SHIRTS/JACKETS

Light blue PFG short sleeve shirt

Tan PFG short sleeve shirt

Hawaiian print Columbia short sleeve shirt

Bright yellow PFG short sleeve: too big, will sell.

Red check PFG Super Bonefish – too small, will sell

Light yellow PFG long sleeve shirt

Black Columbia winter long sleeve shirt

Will’s black Columbia jacket

Ceil’s black Columbia winter pullover

Anna’s light blue PFG short sleeve shirt

PANTS

PFG convertible pants/shorts: light green

Bass Pro convertible pants/swimsuit: khaki

Bass Pro convertible pants/swimsuit: hunter

North Face hiking pants: brown

North Face hiking shorts: brown

Gap heavy hiking pants: khaki

REI convertible pants/shorts: khaki (to sell)

Columbia khakis (too short, to sell)

Off-white Columbia cargo pants (to sell)

North Face tan corduroys (to sell)

Will’s khaki REI convertible pants/shorts

PFG stands for Professional Fishing Gear. There’s a neato Columbia store in the new Woodstock outlet mall, though I’ve only made the journey once.

2015 HOF Class: Elite?

Last week ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian wrote a good article about next year’s potential Hall of Fame class. Unlike some writers Kurkjian carefully words his proclamations, not calling a player the greatest ever but instead leaving room for debate. While the column focused on the 2015 candidates, several comments were slanted against two Braves  

Randy Johnson was named one of the ten best pitchers ever, and “by some measures” in the top six. “A strong case can be made” that Johnson is the best left-handed pitcher ever after Lefty Grove. What about Warren Spahn? Spahn won 20 or more games a whopping 13 times, and won 60 more games than Grove or the Big Unit. Considering that Spahn played in Boston, you’d think Kurkjian wouldn’t have left him out. A comparison shows that Johnson only best Spahn in winning percentage and strikeouts. At the very least Tom Glavine deserves to be mentioned.

PL.YR…W…L…win%.ERA.CG…IP……K.…BB…hbp

RJ  22  303 166 .646  3.29 100 4135  4875 1497 190

LG  17  300 141 .680  3.06 298 3940  2266 1187  42

WS  21  363 245 .597 3.09 382 5243  2583 1434  42

TG   22  305 203 .600 3.54   56 4413  2607 1500  66

GM  23  355 227 .610 3.16 109 5008  3371   999 137

Kurkjian calls Johnson the most dominant pitcher of his era. What of Greg Maddux? Depends what “most dominant” means. Maddux dominated with a far lower ERA than other pitchers. Johnson dominated with a wicked slider any all the strikeouts. Johnson hit batters because he was wild (500 more walks than Maddux in 850 fewer innings). Maddux hit batters because he wanted to.

Pedro Martinez: “His 1999 and 2000 seasons might have been the greatest back-to-back years a pitcher has ever had: He went 41-10, struck out 597 and walked 69 in 430.3 innings with an ERA of 1.90; the American League ERA combined for those two seasons was 4.90”. While Martinez was slightly better than Greg Maddux in 99-00, Kurkjian fails to mention Maddux’s even more remarkable 94-95 seasons.

PL..years.…W-L……K.…BB..…IP..…ERA..winning %

PM 99-00…41-10…597…69…430.3…1.90…80.3

GM 99-00…38-18…326…79…468.2…3.26…69.9

GM 94-95…35- 8.…337…54…411.2…1.59…81.4

John Smoltz: “He’s a Hall of Famer. And by a slim margin, he compares to Curt Schilling.” What? Smoltz had a lower ERA, pitched more innings, and was selected to more All Star games. Smoltz won a Cy Young Award, but Schilling didn’t. While Schilling and Smoltz won about the same number of games, Smoltz also saved 154 games. Those achievements place him far ahead of Schilling, and within shouting distance of Pedro.     

“Advanced metrics place him just ahead of Nolan Ryan and just behind Bob Gibson.” Any comparison to Nolan Ryan is a compliment. Ryan, Gibson, Schilling, and Smoltz were four of the most competitive pitchers ever. Ryan piled up strikeouts and no-hitters. Smoltz had all the saves and a lower WHIP than Ryan or Gibson.

PL.cy.top5.AS..W – L..win%.ERA…IP…...K….BB…WHIP.save

JS..1…3….8..213-155..579..3.33..3473..3084..1010..1.176..154

CS..0…4…6..216-146..597..3.46..3261..3116..  711..1.137…22

NR..0…6…8..324-292..526..3.19..5386..5714..2295..1.247.…3

BG..2…3…8..251-174..591..2.91..3884..3117..1336..1.188.…6

PM..3…7…8..219-100..687..2.93..2827..3154….760..1.054….3

Baseball-Reference.com’s Fan EloRater Rank:

3. Lefty Grove  

7. Warren Spahn

8. Randy Johnson

9. Greg Maddux

22. Pedro Martinez

25. Tom Glavine

27. Bob Gibson  

29. Nolan Ryan

35. John Smoltz

39. Curt Schilling

Gary Sheffield: Kurkjian praises Sheffield…

…one of 12 players with 500 HR & .292 BA

…slugging percentage greater than several in HOF (Reggie Jackson)

…OPS equals Griffey Jr, higher than McCovey & Stargell

…WAR is greater than Killebrew.

The column can be found here: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10250028/looking-ahead-2015-hall-fame-ballot

Talking to Tommy

Interesting Tuesday evening. Took Reid to the Tech game. Before the game I met him at his men’s group – mostly retirees. He introduced me to Tommy Nobis, and I got to talk to Nobis for several minutes. Nobis made a comment about playing for a losing team, but as a kid the only thing I remembered about the Falcons’ record was the excitement when they finished the year at or over .500. 

In the 70’s several Falcons (and athletes in general) ditched the crewcuts and grew sideburns and longer hair. Nobis did as well. At one meeting Edie sat with Mrs. Nobis, who is active at the church she attends. He seemed ok when I spoke to him, and was taller than I would’ve thought…still taller than me. Nobis stood tall, though his knees usually remained bent. 

Then during the game we were walking around at halftime and noticed John Smoltz walking just ahead of us. Later the camera focused on Smoltz and the announcer called him by name. Smoltz seemed peeved at the attention and grudgingly waved. In the same situation Dennis Scott smiled and waved.   

Wednesday night I got home while everyone was watching American Idol. Long-time judge Randy Jackson will be missed, but not Nicky Minaj. New judge Harry Connick Jr meshes well with holdovers Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez. At nine Matthew watched his favorite show: Psych. Very good.

At ten and 10:30 Duck Dynasty débuted two new family members. At ten the Korean foreign exchange student that Willie and Korie had supported since high school moved back “home” to West Monroe. She should add to the show. I had read about her in Willie & Korie’s book about the family. At 10:30 Willie hired a relative of Korie’s to be his personal assistant. He should also add fun, though the show already has enough goofy, long-haired, bearded male characters. I barely stayed awake until 11:00. Matthew was just getting started on his English homework.      

This weekend is the big Passion Conference for college kids at Phillips Arena. Not sure if Will is going, but Ceil is volunteering – all day both Friday and Saturday, from very early in the morning until the wee hours of the night. I’ll take her to MARTA next Friday and probably take her/pick her up the other times.

Trying to remember about Chief Noc-a-homa’s sidekicks? There was Princess Win-a-lotta, but wasn’t an earlier sidekick Poke-a-single? I could’ve sworn I remembered that, but couldn’t find anything on line.

The guys from our small group have started back meeting. So far it’s worked well, and we’ve been able to cut through the crap and dig deep into issues we are facing. Soon it will be my week to lead/share.

The UGA student found dead in his room was not in Will’s dorm, nor close to it.

The Hawks gave away a trip on the team plane to the game in London. Guess I didn’t win.

Great Black QB's

While many athletic black quarterbacks have shown a lot of promise, so many more have fallen by the wayside than became great NFL signal-callers. Jamarcus Russell is a prime example, leaving LSU early with great promise but little experience. Perhaps it is a misnomer to even label a QB as black these days, but I am an old fart. The label could be a compliment. Some might say Johnny Manziel plays like a black QB.

TOP TEN BLACK NFL QUARTERBACKS

1. Randall Cunningham was a great quarterback who unfortunately played for mediocre teams. He almost led the Vikings to the Super Bowl. Cunningham still holds the Eagles record for the longest punt. Until RGIII displaces him, Cunningham is the greatest ever black NFL QB.

2. Donovan McNabb was prolific at Syracuse, and led the Eagles to the Super Bowl. He has been the most successful black NFL QB, though he is a step or two below the level of elite QB's like Brady, Peyton, Montana, Young, Staubach, Bradshaw, Unitas, and Graham.

3. Doug Williams showcased his tremendous talent in his Super Bowl win. Even then he had to overcome a sprained knee suffered early in the game. Drafted by the fledgling Buccaneers, Williams was never able to achieve sustained brilliance as a pro. He did have a great college career at Grambling.

4. Michael Vick left Virginia Tech early, and has suffered through an injury-riddled NFL career. His talent is unquestioned, though his maturity while playing for the Falcons was quite suspect. After a triumphant return with the Eagles, injuries have continued to sideline Vick.

5. Russell Wilson is very quickly establishing himself as one of the best.

6. Robert Griffin may very well be the greatest-ever black college quarterback. A great resume was capped by his Heisman Trophy win. Let's hope his NFL career is not cut short due to injuries.

7. Byron Leftwich passed for more yards in college than any other black QB, playing for pass-happy Marshall. In college he did miss time from injuries, and had the misfortune to have been drafted in the early years of the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise. After a spate of injuries he eventually roamed the NFL as a backup. His large size and immobility contributed to his demise: great arm, bad body.   

8. Dante Culpepper was a star at Central Florida. Saw him play at Grant Field. He was successful for the Vikings, but not all-world.

9. Jefferson Street Joe Gilliam had great talent, but never really got the chance to play much once Terry Bradshaw blossomed.

10. James Harris was the first black starting QB in the NFL, so he had to be good. Though solid, Harris was unspectacular.  

QB's like Tommy Frazier and Charlie Ward were great leaders and ran their offenses well, but were not prolific passers. Despite winning the Heisman, Ward knew his best career path was the NBA. My idea was to compare the current crop of great black college QB's.

Teddy Bridgewater is expected to be a top draft pick. I love his high completion percentage. Teddy seems hesitant to me, as opposed to all-out like RGIII. I could be wrong, but I just don’t see him becoming a winning NFL QB.

Tajh Boyd finally won a big game in the Orange Bowl. He posted great numbers against inferior opponents, then stumbled in big games. This caused Heisman hopes and draft position to fall. His size, mobility, and attitude will help him, but the simple mistakes Boyd so often makes will keep him from making it big in the NFL. I doubt superior coaching will help.

This fall Jameis Winston set the world on fire. He seems to have it all: a strong arm, size, mobility, leadership, competitive fire, and a passion for study. It helps that Winston runs only as a last resort. Unlike Bridgewater and Boyd, some day Winston could challenge RGIII and Cunningham as the greatest ever black QB. But that's years in the future.

Penn State & Ga Tech

Sounds like Penn State is continuing to make bad decisions. Perhaps they should schedule Georgia Tech. This past year Central Florida beat Penn State in Happy Valley. This August Penn State opens with UCF - in Ireland.

Sounds like UGA will be getting new defensive coaches without having to fire anyone. Did I hear a rumor that UGA was trying to get Michigan State's defensive coordinator? The UGA DB coach that quit grew up in the northeast. This was his first time living so far from where he grew up. Since he quit for personal reasons, he may have found the football culture different or just needed to get back closer to family. http://usat.ly/1eJGm0U

This gets back to what a commitment means these days in college football. A coach recruits a player to a school but sometimes leaves the school. Vad Lee should have known what he was getting into when he came to Tech. I doubt anyone told him he couldn't be running the option.

So Vad made a bad decision. Should he be held to his commitment? The rules say he can transfer to a smaller school without losing a year of eligibility. So he is just following the rules. Studying the situation, having Vad transfer is the best situation for Tech. Statistically, Lee was a worse passer than Tevin Washington or Josh Nesbitt...and he was a worse runner.

Backup QB Justin Thomas ran the option in high school, and is a quicker, faster runner than Vad. He is no passer, but that isn't a requirement in Paul Johnson's offense. Tech could very well have a better record next year, if they can win their opener against Georgia Southern.

Busy Tuesday morning, but managed to get my walk in. Also did some research on the longest punts in NFL history. Some interesting, recognizable names.

Monday night Ceil cooked grilled chicken, spinach, and parmesan rice with onions. One of her more healthy meals lately. Watched the Golf Channel. Reruns of Ferhety interviewing Bill Clinton and David Duval.

Sac Fly Career Leaders

Sacrifice flies became an official statistic in 1954, right when Hank Aaron was bursting on the scene. I have a feeling the sac fly was popular back in the days of Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth.  

128 Eddie Murray

127 Cal Ripken

123 Robin Yount

121 Hank Aaron, Frank Thomas

120 George Brett, Ruben Sierra

119 Rafael Palmeiro, Rusty Staub

118 Andre Dawson

115 Don Baylor

114 Brooks Robinson

111 Gary Sheffield

109 Paul Molitor

108 Mike Schmidt

106 Tony Perez

105 Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Carter

104 Al Kaline, BJ Surhoff, Gary Gaetti

103 Amos Otis, Jeff Kent, Jeff Conine

102 Frank Robinson, Ken Griffey, Jeff Bagwell

101 Alex Rodriquez (active leader), Will Clark

100 Ted Simmons

99 Mark Grace, Harold Baines, Gary Carter

98 Luis Gonzalez, Carlos Lee

97 Chipper Jones, Bill Buckner, Bobby Bonilla, Roberto Alomar

96 E. Banks, J. Olerud, W. Boggs, D. Mattingly, Willie Davis, J. Morgan

95 Dave Winfield, Al Oliver

94 Omar Vizquel, Jim Rice, Ron Santo, Chili Davis

93 Carlos Delgado, Jason Giambi, Todd Helton, Scott Rolen

91 Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Wally Joiner, Lou Whitaker