Comebacks can come in all shapes and forms and I am about to take you through some that have come to mind. Comebacks are what we love about sports, among other things, but what does it take to have a comeback? Well lets see.

With a player it takes a complete turn of events from recent history, such as injuries or appearing to be finished as an athlete. In a game, it takes all the players on a team to stay focused and battle through all adversities that may come there way until the end when they comeback. I will show you some examples of comebacks and would like you to comment on one of your best/favorite comebacks. It can be recent, past, or most memorable.

Baseball- comeback players/team of the year

1. Magglio Ordonez - Maggs has comeback from a knee injury that ended his days in Chicago the season before they won the World Series. Magglio only played 52 games in 2004 and 82 games last year for Detroit. Not only is Magglio Ordonez tearing it up this season, he returned to the All-Star game as well as leading his team to the best record in baseball to this point with a whopping 10 game lead on any team in baseball. This year Maggs is hitting .298 with 16 hr and 79 rbi.

2. Jim Thome - He is somewhat similar to Maggs in the fact he making his comeback from an injury in which he only played in 59 games last year in Philly. Although the Phillies didn’t just let their star walk, they were able to trade him and get Aaron Rowand. This year he has been crushing the ball. He currently is hitting .304 with 34 hr and 85 rbi. Last season was the first season since 1995 in which Thome did not hit at least thirty home runs, last season he only hit seven. This year he has comeback to form.

3. Nomar Garciaparra - Nomar was going to be considered but he yet again has been sidelined with injuries again in 2006. When he has been in this year he has been lights out hitting .327 with 12 hr and 57 rbi. But the problem with Nomar, he hasn’t played in more than 81 games for anyone since 2003 in Boston. Will Nomar ever comeback?

4. Detroit Tigers - this is an epic comeback! The tigers were 43-119 in 2003, this year they have the best record in baseball by a full 10 games at this point. This is also the best start to any season for Detroit in the entire history of the franchise. In 1984(way back when Uncle Rico could still throw a football over those mountains, and still reeling from his coach not putting him in and his team not winning the state championship) the Tigers had their highest win total of 104. Right now they are on pace to win around 110 games.

 

NFL players and teams -

Terrell Owens - can he comeback healthy enough in body and mind and put together an actual season this year. He has Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells but he can always find a way to blow that too. He may have been right every time he exploded on the sidelines or ran his mouth to the media and other players with the words he was saying. But hey, if you can dish it out you better be ready to eat some too. If those players and offensive coordinators were so bad at making mistakes, you don’t call them out in front of the world. Because that is being a bad teamate. Terrell, comeback to reality and show the world who is the best receiver in football, not the worst teammate.

Jon Kitna - Jon gets another chance to finish off his career on a good note. When he was in Cincinnati he was part of the building block for the foundation they don’t call the "Bunguls" anymore. He was to hold down the team until Heisman trophy winning first round pick Carson Palmer was ready. Now he gets to run a new offense in Detroit led by Mike Martz as the coordinator. He was the comeback player of the year in the NFL in 2004. And if you don’t think he can get the best out of Kitna you don’t know anything about Mike Martz.

Javon Walker - He gets his shot this year in Denver to be the man. After blowing out his knee in the season opener last year in Detroit, Javon was sidelined for the whole season. Now he is going to comeback and he is ready to go. We just don’t know where he is going to go with Jake Plummer at quarterback.

Brett Favre - If Brett is poised for this honor. If anyone can be a comeback player it is him. He is a legend for a reason. The legends and true champions always find a way to come back in the end so it wouldnt suprise me to see Brett have one last comeback.

Seattle and Philadelphia, will they both comeback to the NFC Championship game this year and contend for the Super Bowl. Philly was absent after the whole T.O. debacle and Seattle is poised to make another run for the title. Seattle may comeback, Philly, they need to learn how to run the ball before they comeback.

     Three quarterback making a comeback or sorts. Carson Palmer, Daunte Culpepper, and Ben Roethlisberger are all coming back from serious injuries. NFL fans around the leaguwill be anxious to have their star players on the field. Everyone knows how much of a factor injuries are in the NFL.

Cycling -

Floyd Landis’ comeback at the Tour De France this year was epic after the kind of crash he had. It was almost as if he were helped in some way. Not really, knowing what little I do about testosterone, it takes a long time for you to get any results from what ever it is you are using. Floyd, stay strong if you are innocent because this whole thing is fishy year after year and it has already gotten old accusing so many of doping and the testing system having so many bad tests.

Comeback lines of the day -

Yo mama is so fat, when I yelled into her belly button I heard an echo!

Yo mama so stupid that she sold her car for gas money!

How about some go aways!

  How about all the NFL players getting in trouble on the Bengals and Bears. Daven Holly of the Bears and Chris Henry of the Bengals got arrested on weapons charges, Henry didn’t stop there though. Henry managed to get picked up for drunk driving, posseision of marijuans, and giving alcohol to underage women. This between these two teams is so long and you have probably heard all about it. Not to mention Barrett Brooks (OL) for the Steelers tried to out run cops on a motorcycle and got caught, after trying to ditch his bike, and then get back on and run again. Sean Taylor of the Redskins who recently was sentenced on gun charges was fined by the NFL $71,000 and has community service until he is of retirement age.

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The changes made to foxblogs have cramped my blogging style the way you post pictures and links.  If anyone will give me insight into this change it will be appreciated, thank you!

I was thinking about all the different types of sellouts around sports and I think I have come up with a few different examples of how many different ways Players, teams, and or fans are sellouts or will sellout. In no order of significance.

1. Yankee fans selling out on A-rod. It is already happening in New York that many fans and reporters are willing and advocating the trade Alex Rodriguez. Trust me now is not the time to bail out on the youngest player to hit 450 HRs because he is the highest paid player of anything in the World. This is the same guy that the Yankees traded Alphonso Soriano for and have been rumored to want to reacquire. The Yankees and fans sold out on Soriano in trading him, the fans and media are selling out on A-Rod and Brian Cashman (ironically named in being the Yankees GM) has sold out the Yankees future by making far too many trades.

2. The city of Detroit for not scheduling a Lions game and Tigers game on the same Sunday. When the Lions open up their season and the Tigers close theirs down, it would have been possible to sellout two games on the same intersection of downtown. The Lions continually sellout the home games and the Tigers have been selling outain and are making a playoff run which in turn may be the only way they would be able to have the two-fer of sellouts in October. Being the great sports town that Detroit is, the fans would sellout both games for sure.

3. Chris Brown of the Tennessee Titans is selling out on the Titans and his fans. The oft injured Brown is in the final year of his contract. The Titans drafted Lindale White as well. Brown's agent, Wynn Silbermann, formerly asked for a trade last week. Brown and his agent believe being traded away from a crowded backfield is his best career move. To me that tells me he is either not competitive or just does not believe he is good enough to get the bulk of the carries. How much does he think he is really going to get as a free agent? I am not looking for a player who wants out at the first sight of serious competition for his job. To me he is just a sellout.

4. Monday Night Football is a sellout for selling out to itself. They moved MNF to ESPN this year and changed the crew up. To me if they were really looking for an improvement in ratings, they would have made adjustments to the actual games! There were so many things to tweak but they never really did anything bout the actual games. They should have had more variety of teams on, less Packers (so we didn't have to hear Madden say Brett Favre's name over 100 times per and besides he is washed up now, move on!), and had an 8 O'clock start time EST. They should have had some signs that the games didn't mean anything because there wer so many games that weren't sold out.

5. The Brewers and Carlos Lee are sellouts. The fans of the Brew Crew are the big losers in this though. The Brewers need to trade Carlos Lee or resign him to a multi year deal. The fans have not had a World Series contender since 1982 and have never even won the World Series. They need to run the team less like a business and more like a team that wants to win. How about making a run for once instead of setting new lows in mediocrity. The Brewers and Detroit Lions are like distant sports cousins I guess, but do they both Sellout on their fans?  Either way they have never won it all.  The Lions only claim to a chamtpionship in way back in 1957 before it was even called the Super Bowl.

6.  Maurice Clarrett was a sellout to the team that made him famous, the Ohio State Buckeyes.  He was also a sellout to the fans of OSU, and he was a sellout to coachs of OSU.  Then to top it off he sold out his NFL career by having a year off.  He then sold out his future when he was arrested for aggrevated robbery.  He is now better known for non football activities, which is not good.




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     Major League Baseball has made the error. The MLB having the All-Star (exhibition) game decide home field advantage in the World Series is absurd. Next year they need to put a stop to this. Now I am happy that MLB tries to be innovative. However they need to just say that the All-Star game will only be played in nine innings or maybe even ten. But to have an All-Star game decide who have home field advantage is just terrible. It is like deciding a world wide tournament that only happens every four years be decided by a shoot out........oh wait.

     If MLB is so intent on bringing meaning to the All-Star game they need to forget about it. This is supposed to be a fun game and teams do NOT want their guys getting hurt. They wouldn’t even be in this predicament had the All-Star game in Milwaukee had not been called a tie in the 11^th inning. Bud Selig getting on that microphone to tell the crowd they were going to end the game was surreal to say the least. It did cause quite an uproar by fans everywhere. That is when it was decided that they will try to make the All-Star game have more meaning.

                                              
      Could you imagine any other sport letting their respective All-Star game decide this. I am guessing that the NBA isn’t going to do this anytime soon. If they want to have the players play harder and the game to mean something, give them another payday. That is what gets these guys going is money. They could have each player on the winning team get 500K and the losing team get 50K. I think you would then see both teams having fun and playing hard. There is also just something about players deciding where the World Series will be played at that won't even be in it. But hey what do I know?

  This seasons trade deadline in Major League Baseball will have yet again, several big names trading uniforms.  One move I always hate to see is when any player gets traded during the All-Star break from his team.  The Royals Mark Redman may be that guy this season, a player who has seen more locker rooms than Lisa Guerrero has given her phone number out in.

The Yankees and Mariners are just two teams of many looking to make a change for the better before the trade deadline.  The fact that the Yankees make more moves than anyone is the reason why any team that trades with them should make sure they aren't giving the Yankees anyone.  If the Yanks had stood pat on many occasions they would't be looking to add $12 - $15 million in payroll again this season just to finish second to the Red Sox.   The Yankees have been rumored to be trying to acquire Washington's Alfonso Soriano and José Guillen, Milwaukee's Carlos Lee, and Philadelphia's Bobby Abreu.  The move the Yankees need to make is getting healthy.  Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui are on the 15 day DL along with second baseman Robinson Cano and pitcher Carl Pavano.  That is four players they will have back but may not be able to contribute in time to make the playoffs.  It may be time for the Yankees to actually keep some of their prospects and see them come to fruition in the big leagues.   If they kept players longer it may them not the White Sox enjoying a 17 game winning streak by Jose Contreras.  They traded Contreras for Estoban Loaiza WITH CASH to the White Sox and it was also right after his family got here from Cuba.

The Seattle Mariners are trying to recoup a pitcher this season in a deadline trade.  They have been rumored to be looking for a starting pitcher.  It is kind of funny since just two seasons ago it was them who traded Freddy Garcia with Ben Davis to the White Sox for Jeremy Reed, Miguel Olivo, and Michael Morse.  It may be Karma but it is just aother case of a team making a move when they had zero patience and zero thought of actually being a contender in another year or two.  They should only be so lucky to get a pitcher like him back in the fold after botching that trade so badly.

 

For some teams in baseball right now they are looking to make a significant move via trade to make a playoff run.  Some teams need and will acquire starting pitching, or a big bat.  Some teams really truely need to make a move, but for some teams, no move may be the right move.

I am not going to go through all the teams but here are a few that need a new face in the clubhouse and a few that no move may be the best move.

Chicago Cubs - With the Cubs struggling all season long now it is time to make some moves.  They have several players they can trade and if they want to have a better future it is time to move some players and stock up some younger players.  They have starting pitching and several veteran players they can move.  Kerry Wood and Mark Prior however should not be traded, they should be rested.  This is not the season they hoped to have but next season at least they could start over.  Any baseball franchise needs a solid 1-2 punch to start the rotation, with Wood and Prior they have that when they are healthy.  If they can make any trades they need to get as many players in return as possible.

Washington Senators - They are in great position to trade Alphonso Soriano and possibly Nick Johnson.  They also are a team who needs to get as much in return as possible.  Getting cash back for these players is not a smart option.  They can't afford to make a deal to get a prospect and cash for Soriano.  They should be looking for several players in return even if they are all prospects.  Cash does not win you games, look at the Yankees, they pay over $200 million for a team in second place in the AL East and 6.5 games back of the wild card.

Cincinnati Reds - Staring pitching is needed most.  They have also been very streaky this season as well.  Every time they have been counted out they put a string of wins together like as of late.  They now lead the wild card race for the National league.  The Reds should not be looking to move Griffey either.  With Dunn and Griffey in the line up in gives them two solid left handed hitters that most teams only dream of.

Florida Marlins - if they have another fire sale they may as well move this franchise.  No team in baseball has let more talent go than them.  It is a shame that baseball fans in south Florida have had to be a part of a team that has won two World Series and traded away any player that remotely has a fan base.  Maybe baseball should have a minimun cap as well to prevent teams like the Marlins from selling out on their fans as many times as they already have.  Have they ever thought about trying to win back to back championships?

Chicago White Sox - No move may be best for them.  They won the World Series last year and have only the Tigers in front of them in all of baseball.   Bullpen help may be the only move they make.

Detroit Tigers - Rumored to be trying to work out a deal with Philadelphis for Bobby Abreu to add a left handed hitter to an already potent line up one through nine.  They have also been rumored to be involved with a John Smoltz for Joel Zumaya trade.  To trade Zumaya for anyone would be a mistake they would regret for many seasons to come.  He is the future closer and has three pitchs already in his arsenal.  It would be ironic if they did make that move since it was Detroit who traded Smoltz for a veteran pitcher in the first place when they traded him to Atlanta for Doyle Alexander in 1987.  As for a left handed bat, they have Dmitri Young rehabing in the minors and he is a switch hitter.  He has been almost the only force in the line up the Tigers had in years past.  He may be just what they need and they already have him.  No move may be the best move.  They have the best record in baseball, they should go with what has gotten them there.

Milwaukee Brewers - If they can trade Carlos Lee they must.  They have been fading fast and Lee makes a lot of dough.  He will be a free agent at the end of the season and they need to get something for him. Lee will be in high demand but his impending free agency may hinder what they get in return.

New York Yankees - Starting pitching is imperative to acquire for the Yanks.  They have had injuries and weak pitching all season.  They need to look to National league to get what they need as American League teams will be less willing to trade with them.  They will get their star outfilders back before the playoffs.  Pitching wins anyway.  And if they really want to win that is the direction they need to go.

  First of all I would like to thank all the people who voted and left comments.  Everyones opinion was considered.  I don't want to give the entire list to you all at once though.  Check back to see who the next players are as I roll them out. 

  There was a lot to condiser when putting together a list like this.  Some of the things that were taken into consideration were not just based on stats.  There is only one pitcher on the list as well and you will find that out when I get to it.  I quickly realized that this was a tough subject due to the amount of players that have played the game.  Remember they have been keeping stats since 1876.  MLB was established in 1845 though.  One hundred and thirty years they have been keeping stats, at least by my reasearch.  I guess I would have been a Detroit Wolverines fan in 1883 and that was also the year that the Philadelphia Quakers team ERA was 8.96.  Anyway back to the list, coming in at number:

10. Pete Rose (Charlie Hustle) - Rose is the career leader in hits (4,256), singles (3,215), at-bats (14,053) and games played (3,562). He is second all-time in doubles, fourth in runs, and collected at least 100 hits in his first 23 seasons, a record. He had more than 200 hits in a season 10 times, also a record, led the league in hits in seven seasons, and is the most prolific switch-hitter in history.  He played 1B, 2B, 3B, OF, and managed as well as being a player manager several seasons.  He played for Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Montreal.

Pete is known for a lot of things in and out of baseball.  The important thing to remember with Pete is that he was nicknamed Charlie Hustle for a reason.  He is well known for crashing into Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game to score the winning run in the 12th.  Some may say he hung around way to long to pad his stats which is not true.  Many players have played until they just can't anymore.  Everyone always says they remember Willie Mays limping around the bases in his final season. It is more of a testament to the character, heart, and durability to a player if he plays a long time. It is about the love of the game.  Pete once said "I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball."  Rose had more heart than almost all the other players from his era.  He was a great sports hero and will always be remembered for "hustling".



9. Stan Musial -  Stan was a three time NL MVP winner, two time player of the year, and winner of the Lou Gehrig award.  The Lou Gehrig Memorial Award was established by Lou Gehrig's college fraternity, Phi Delta Theta at Columbia University. The award is presented annually to the Major League baseball player who both on and off the field best exemplifies the character of Lou Gehrig.  His career stats are compared to the games best including several players to be named in this list.  On a 162 average of 22 seasons he has stats of 25 home runs, 104 RBI, and a .331 average. He played from 1941 - 1963.  One of the best things about his longevity in MLB is that all 22 seasons were played with the Cardinals.  He also was dubbed "Stan the Man".  In 1954, Stan Musial became the first player to hit 5 home runs in a double header against the New York Giants.  A statue of Musial was dedicated at Busch Stadium in 1968.  He played 22 seasons but every place and bio for him says he was selected to 24 straight All-Star games.  He won three World Series rings (42', 44', and 46')  and had 475 career home runs.  For one who played so long, Musial was unbelievably consistent. He smacked 1,815 hits at home and the same number on the road.  All the statistics and awards were accomplished by a 175 pound man,  the same size as Derek Jeter.  To top it all off he gave up the 1945 season to serve his country in WWII.  Stan Musial will always be remembered as one of the most feared hitters in the National League and for being a diplomat to the game.


8. Joe DiMaggio - Joltin Joe still holds the hitting streak record at 56 games!  He was a 3-time MVP winner and 13-time all-star who was widely hailed for his accomplishment on both offense and defense, as well as for the grace with which he played the game, at the time of his retirement at age 36 he had the fifth-most career home runs(361) and sixth-highest slugging percentage (.579) in history.  In 1969 a poll was conducted to coincide with the centennial of professional baseball voted him the sport's greatest living player.   The "Yankke clipper" was touted by sportswriters as Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Shoeless Joe Jackson rolled into one, he made his major league debut on May 3, 1936,  batting ahead of Lou Gehrig. The Yankees had not been to the World Series since 1932, but, thanks in large part to their sensational rookie, they won the next four. DiMaggio is the only athlete in North American pro sports history to be on four championship teams in his first 4 full seasons. In total, he led the Yankees to nine titles in thirteen years.  A 162 game average of his career would be 34 HR and 134 RBI per season, so in other words he would get paid about $12 million per season these days, maybe more playing for the Yankees.  He also enlisted in WWII but was sent to California because it was thought that if he were killed or injured in the war it would devastate morale.  Joe was also famous for visiting childrens hospitals.  Broadway Joe loved to visit with kids.  At the time he was probably the biggest icon in America and for him to take time away for the kids says something about how great of a person and player he was.  Once he retired he met, fell in love with, and married Marilyn Monroe.  The relationship was loving yet complex, marred by his jealousy and her ambition. DiMaggio biographer Richard Ben Cramer asserts it was also violent. One incident allegedly happened after the skirt-blowing scene in "The Seven Year Itch"  was filmed on New York's Lexington Avenue before hundreds of fans, director Billy Wilder recalled "the look of death" on DiMaggio's face as he watched.  When she filed for divorce just 274 days after the wedding, Oscar Levant said "it proved that no man could be a success in two pastimes". 


7. Ty Cobb - Tyrus Raymond (Ty or Georgia Peach) Cobb is a name that every baseball fan knows and it is for a reason. He didn't have a lot of power, but no one really did when he played.  He was known for his aggressive play and ability to will his team to victory.  He is also know as one of the best hitters of all-time.  After a mediocre year for the Tigers in 1906, owner Frank Navin hired the enthusiastic, aggressive Hughie Jennings to be the manager. Jennings knew what Cobb could do and let him run the bases on his own, without signals from the manager.  The main tenet of Cobb's baserunning strategy was that the base paths belonged to him. He felt that he had every right to do whatever he could to keep it that way. An example of this was against Cleveland in June 1907, when he tripled. Instead of stopping at third, Cobb continued to home where the catcher, Harry Bemis, was waiting with the ball. Cobb lowered his shoulder and plowed Bemis over, knocking the ball loose. Bemis picked up the ball and beat Cobb over the head with it until the umpire pulled Bemis off Cobb and ejected the catcher.  Cobb claims in his autobiography that because Bemis beat him over the head with the ball and verbally abused him, he became one of only two intentional-spiking victims in Cobb's career. He also claims that although he missed Bemis with his spikes, the message had been clear and Bemis never again bothered him. Cobb liked to talk about his exploits, and even in his autobiography, when he states that he is writing it to dispel vicious rumors about him, it is clear that he revels in the image of him as a demon.  It is hard to say whether or not most stories about him are true or the accuracy of them, either way he liked being portayed in the manner that he was.

One of Cobb's most devastating approaches to baseball and perhaps the one that left the most lasting impression was his psychological intimidation. One part of that particular program was to nurture his image as a monster that both he and the media were creating. The more horrible that opponents thought that he was, the more that he felt that he could manipulate them to his advantage. For example, it was a good thing that opposing fielders thought that he sharpened his spikes. It seems that in 1908 at Highland Park in New York, a couple of Detroit benchwarmers sat outside their dugout sharpening their spikes. Eventually, the story became that Cobb would sit "with mouth twisted and eyes ablaze" filing his spikes in front of the dugout. Cobb waited until after his playing days to publicly refute those allegations, since they undoubtedly helped add to the Cobb aura. Cobb once said "Baseball was one-hundred percent of my life." 

  Cobb won 12 batting titles, including 9 in a row from 1907 thru 1915 and he was the youngest AL player to reach 1,000 hit level (24 years old).  He played 22 seasons  for the Detroit Tigers and two years with the Philadelphia Athletics.  He never hit more than 12 HRs in a season but averaged over 100 RBI per season for his career. He batted over .400 three times and hit under .320 once.  One of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 where he received 98.23% of the votes (222 out of 226).  He is number 2 on the all-time hits list and had a career batting average of .366 which puts him with the all-time greats of the game. A 162 game average fo Cobb would be 6 HR 103 RBI and a .366 BA.  The only thing that made him fall to number 7 is lack of power and the era he played in.  However he stole home 54 times in his career which is unheard of in todays era.    He could be argued as the best ever, but no matter where he is on a list like this he will always be a name synonymous with baseball greatness.



6. Barry Bonds - The book on Bonds stills has chapters to be written which may someday move him up this list (as if he cares).  Barry Bonds career has been one of the most prolific of all-time.  He is currently 2nd on the all-time career home runs list. He has already played 20 seasons and has averages of 42 HR, 110 RBI,
and a .300 BA.  He has only played for two teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Fransisco Giants.  Bonds is a 13 time All-Star, 7 time NL MVP, 8 Gold Gloves, and 3 time Player of the Year Award winner.  The 7 MVP awars is a record including 4 straight from 2001 through 2004.  Oh and there is that other thing, he holds the Home Run record for a single season with 73 in 2001.  Bonds has generally been known as reclusive in the clubhouse, and is not a favorite with the media. Teammates have occasionally remarked that they do not have any conversations with Bonds, but after passing Ruth on the all-time home run list, Bonds himself spoke of his teammates's support and their having celebrated the event together.   He is now in pursuit of Hank Aaron's all-time career home runs record which he will more than likely pass in the 2007 season. 

Players like Bonds only come along every so often.  Bonds has reached and raised the bar for players to come as players before had done for him in the past.  In order to measure greatness the bar has to be set, and later to be raised by the next great player.

Bonds career has been marred in steroid allegations the past few seasons.  He has had a syringe thrown at him, he is booed every at bat on the road, and fans yell at him every chance they get.  The thing that bothers me most about this is that Bonds has never tested positive for anything.  Steroids weren't even illegal in MLB at the time.   People have even said that the stats he has should have asterisks next to them.  Isn't this America?  We have found him guilty without even testing him positive?  Raphael Palmero tested positive after testifying to congress and pointing at them while he said he never took steroids.  What about all the current players that have tested positive, including pitchers?  No one really ever talks about it.  The U.S. Government launched an investigation into Bonds and steroids in baseball.  This is actually being lead by Senator George Mitchell.  I have an idea, how about we launch an investigation into why gas is almost $3.00 a gallon now.  I would like to see money they spend on this investigation (which could be hundreds of thousands) put into our school systems!  How about an investigation into why we have cut backs in education year after year or why so many jobs keep going over seas day after day with out any hope that will change.  "Nothing is more important to me than the integrity of the game of baseball," said Selig, commenting on the investigation after the publication Game of Shadows, a book written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters that details alleged steroid use by Bonds and others.  No matter what is said about him he can still be argued as one the the best ever, and maybe he is or will be.



5. Lou Gehrig - Standing inside Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig declared himself the “luckiest man on the face of the earth.” Remarkably humble and modest for a man of his stature, he was not used to the outpouring of public support showered upon him by 62,000 fans in attendance. It was on that day Lou Gehrig officially retired from Major League Baseball.  It is probably one of most famous speaches in baseball if not in American History.  The image of Gehrig a humbled man in front of his peers and fans will be remembered forever.  Lou Gehrig said "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.  

 

Gehrig played seventeen years all in New York.  He had 162 game averages of 37 HR, 149 RBI, and .340 BA.  This does include three seasons (1923, 1924, 1939) in which Gehrig played less than 13 games.  He is considered one the most prolific hitters to ever play the game.  He won the Triple Crown in 1934 as well as winning the AL-MVP award in 1927 and 1936.  He is a seven time All-Star and helped the Yankees win 6 World Series titles.  Gehrig also holds the record for most grand slams in a career with 23.  He set a record by playing in a consecutive streak of 2,130 professional baseball games throughout his career, despite 17 fractures in his hands and other minor injuries. Gehrig’s record stood until Cal Ripken, Jr. broke it in 1995.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. In light of his progressive illness, the usual two-year waiting period after a player retires was waived in Gehrig’s case.

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), is now known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness, resulting in paralysis.  On June 2, 1941, Lou Gehrig succumbed to ALS and the country mourned.  He is now honored by many and considered one of the best players to ever play and one of the finest men to represent the greatest game ever played, baseball.

4. Henry "Hank" Aaron - "Hammerin" Hank Aaron is the all-time Home run record holder with 755 in his career.  A career that spanned 23 season (21 with the Braves).  The Atalanta Braves were still in Milwaukee and then were moved to Atlanta.  He played his last two seasons back in Milwaukee with the Brewers.  In a 162 game average of his career he would hit 37 HR, 113 RBI, and a .305 BA.  The durability fort a player to accomplish such high numbers for suach a long period is only compounderd by the racism endured through this time period as well.  Lesser men would have broken.  The chase to beat the Babe heated up in the summer of 1973 and with it the mail. Aaron needed a secretary to sort it as he received more than an estimated 3,000 letters a day, more than any American outside of politics.  Unfortunately, racsist initially did much of the writing. 

The letters came from every state, but most were postmarked in northern cities. They were filled with hate; more hate than Aaron had ever imagined. "This," Aaron said later about the letters, "changed me."  Aaron hit his 700th home run off of the Phillies', Ken Brett. The 1973 season ended with Aaron at 713 homers after hitting a remarkable 40 in just 392 at-bats. He was 39.   Aaron broke baseball's all time RBI record in May of 75' and in July of 76' he hit his 755th and final home run.
 
Aaron was a 21 time All-Star, the 1970 Lou Gehrig award winner, and the NL- MVP in 1957.  He also is the All-time RBI leader (2,297), All-time total bases leader (6,856), All-time extra-base hits leader (1,477) and was the first player to reach 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.

3.  Willie Mays - Mays was a 20 time All-Starand is regarded as one of the finest players to ever play the game of baseball.  He played in a time when whites weren't exactly ready for the best baseball player to be black.  If you have ever heard the term "the catch" it is him.  With his back to home plate, Mays caught the ball over his left shoulder, and "then whirled and threw, like some olden statue o####reek javelin hurler, his head twisted away to the left as his right arm swept out and around ... And as he turned, or as he threw -- I could not tell which, the two motions were welded into one -- off came the cap, and then Mays himself continued to spin around after the gigantic effort of returning the ball whence it came, and he went down flat on his belly, and out of sight." The Catch helped the Giants win the World Series in four games, their first series win since 1933, and their last to date.  The catch is widely known as one of baseballs finest plays of all time and one of the most memorable.

In 1952 the "Say-Hey-Kid" traded in his spikes for military boots after being drafted.  The Giants lost Mays for most of 1952 and all of 1953.  He returned to the team in 1954.

Mays has no shortage of awards for his storied career as well.  He is also the first player to have 300 stolen bases and 300 home runs, he finished with 660 HR.   His combination of speed, fielding and hitting put him in the top five of the all century team created in the late nineties. 

For 22 seasons in baseball Mays had a 162 game average of 36 HR, 103 RBI, and a .302 BA.  Mays was a 12 time Gold Glove winner, 20 time All-Star, 1951 Rookie of the year, 1954 Player of the year (after returning from the Korean War), two time All-Star MVP, 1971 Roberto Clemete Award winner, and two time NL-MVP.  While he only won one World Series he apeared in four.  He led the Majors from 1956-1959 in stolen bases.  He was also in the top five in all of baseball every season he played in extra base hits.  Mays said that Joe Dimaggio was the greatest living player, until he died in 1999.  Now with Mays it's worth looking back at the 20-time All-Star,  who is now, officially, the "greatest living baseball player" -- much better late than never.

2. Ted Williams - He is also simply known as "Teddy Ballgame".   He is widely know as the pure hitter of all time.  He served in two different wars during his career which also only heightens the lure of one of baseballs greatest players.  In May of 1942 , Ted signed up for duty.  He went to the naval recruiting station on Causeway Street in Boston where he met with Lieutenant Donahue. Lt. Donahue swore him in and signed Ted up for naval aviation. He didn’t have to report until the end of the 42’ season.  He returned to baseball in 1946 and promptly hit 38 HR, 123 RBI ant batted .342 for the season.  In 1952 he again was serving his country in the Korean War.  He flew 39 missions before returning home of July 1953.

  Ted Williams has some hardware as well, and you knew I was going to let you know what it was.  It is quite a list of accomplishments.  He was the Rookie of the Year in 1939 (according to his website) he is a 17 time All-Star, two time AL_MVP, two time Triple Crown winner and five time Major League Player of the year award winner.  He had a 162 game average of 37 HR, 130 RBI, and a .344 average.  He is the last player to hit .400 as well.  He led the league in On base percentage as well.

  Ted Williams was not close at all with the media.  He was very uncomfortable around them.  He felt they liked to discuss his personal life as much as his baseball performance. Insecure about his upbringing, stubborn because of the immense confidence in his beliefs, Williams made up his mind that the "knights of the keyboard" were against him and treated most of them accordingly, as he describes in his memoir, "My Turn at Bat."  Williams also had an uneasy relationship with his fans as well.  He was great one-on-one with fans.  Williams felt at times a good deal of gratitude, for their passion and their knowledge of the game. On the other hand, Williams was temperamental, high-strung, and at times tactless. He gave generously to those in need, and demanded loyalty to those around him.

Ted Williams will be forever known as Teddy Ballgame and as one of the most iconic Personas in all of sports.  He fought in two wars, never won a World Series, and still managed to have one of the most prolific careers in all of sports.  Ted Williams retired from the game in 1960, and hit a home run in his final at-bat, on September 28, 1960, in front of only 10,454 fans at Fenway Park.


1. George Herman "Babe" Ruth - The Babe is the first name in baseball.  He is the name that all have heard.  He became a Major Leaguer at the tender age of 19. He pitched and played outfield for the Red Sox for the next six years. Ruth made an immediate impact both on and off the field. Stories of his off-the-field eating and drinking escapades have become as legendary as his baseball accomplishments.  He will always be remembered as one of the greatest hitters of all time, but he was an equally adept pitcher. In his first World Series game for Boston in 1916, Babe set a record that still stands today. Ruth took the mound in Game 4 against the National League Champion Brooklyn Robins. He got off to a rocky start in the first inning by giving up a quick run, but settled down to pitch 13 scoreless innings for the 2-1 win. The 14-inning gem stands as the longest complete game in World Series history.

During his 22-year professional career, Babe cemented his name as the most prolific home run hitter of his time. In 1927, he hit 60 home runs during a 154-game stretch. This record stood until 1961, when Roger Maris hit 61 homers in an expanded 162-game schedule. Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick decided Maris' record would enter the record books with an asterisk denoting the difference in the schedule. He may no longer be the career home run king, but his record .690 lifetime slugging percentage may never be topped. Writers attempted to capture the essence of his greatness by giving him nicknames like "The Great Bambino" and "The Sultan of Swat."


There is also the famous called shot.  Perhaps the most famous moment in baseball history, and certainly of Babe's career, came during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. In 5th inning, after he had already hit one homer, Babe came up to bat. He ran the count to two balls and two strikes. Before Cubs pitcher Charlie Root hurled the next pitch, amid the heckling of Cubs fans, Babe pointed to the center field bleachers. Then he slammed what is believed to be the longest home run ever hit out of Wrigley Field, directly above the spot where he had pointed. This story has been as debated as often as it has been celebrated. Did he really call his shot, or was he simply pointing at the pitcher? The world may never know. However, to many fans this moment symbolizes the golden age of baseball. The Yankees went on to win the 1932 World Series, their third sweep in four years.

The Babe was also a quite the elder statesman of the game and was almost always pictured with bunches of kids all around him.  He also promoted the game overseas as well.  Which at the time was a lot harder than it is today.  Babe spent his post-baseball years giving talks on the radio, orphanages and hospitals. He also served as a spokesperson for United States War Bonds during World War II. He was acknowledged for his legendary status as a player when he was among the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, along with Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner.

While it was nearly impossible to compare these players through all the different eras than can be arguments made all around as to who should be on this list.  Mickey Mantle and Roberto Clemente should have maybe been on the list as well as Tris Speaker and many others.  The were so many factors that made the comparison almost impractical.  It is always imperative to remeber that some of the players didn't play intergrated baseball and todays players have strength and conditioning programs as well.  Anyway here you have it, my list of the top tep players in baseball of all time.

NFL


Tennessee Titans- Former San Francisco 49er first round pick Ahmed Plummer has played only nine games in the past two years after a succession of injuries. Twelve-year veteran Ty Law picked off 10 passes for the New York Jets in 2005, but also comes with a high price tag and, even more troubling, a warning label. They have had both in this month to see what interest each player has in Tennessee and a decision will come soon.

Detroit Lions- Warren Sapp a Lion?  The Lions released Dan Wilkinson yesterday in a move that suprised some.  He has talked about retirement all off-season.  He also has pending law suits in Maryland from a restaurant deal he had going from his Redskins days that didn't work out.  Ironically his lack of working out is what got him cut from Detroit. New head coach Rod Marinelli wants players who want to play and put in the extra effort needed to turn the franchise around.  Since Wilkinson was paid pretty well, that money can be used to pursue other free agents, if any players become available who might interest the Lions. There has been speculation in Oakland that the Raiders might part company with Warren Sapp, who had a strong relationship with Marinelli with the Buccaneers.

Pittsburgh Steelers- Joey Porter missed the first week of the Steelers' voluntary workouts, and now the question is whether he will participate in any of them.  Porter, a Pro Bowl linebacker, attended the team's mandatory three-day minicamp May 13-15 but was the only veteran absent from all four of their follow-up voluntary sessions last week at their UPMC training facility on the South Side.  He has two years left on a contract he signed in February 2004. He is scheduled to earn a salary of $3.85 million this year, and earn $5 million in 2007, which includes a $1 million roster bonus.


MLB


New York- take your pick which New York team picks up Dontrell Willis.  Both have had scouts following him the last two weeks.  He has had a slightly down season on a team that sold everyone else off before the season even started.  He was kept because he is still very young and has not had his first big pay day yet.

Kansas City- The Royals are now 19 games back of Detroit in the AL Central.  It is only May 23rd.  Yes their season is done and they will be unloading some players.  They made several off-season free agent signings and nothing has worked for them this year.  The biggest reason is they didn't sign pitching.  They have several veteran players they can trade off that may bring them plenty of young prospects for a team that has traded off every prospect that has every come to fruition for them.

Washington Nationals- Alfonso Soriano may also be headed out of town very soon.  He has been rumored to be traded since the time he was traded to Washington.  He may be headed toi the Mets, White Sox, Philadelphia, or St. Louis.

Los Angeles- If Morales struggles, the Angels will turn to the trade market, with Arizona first baseman Tony Clark considered a possible target. Clark is an attractive short-term option because he is signed only through this season and, because he's stuck behind young first baseman Conor Jackson, wouldn't cost as much as some of the front-line players the Angels are pursuing, such as Alfonso Soriano and Shea Hillenbrand.  The Angels are 11 games below .500 and in last place, a perfect fit for Tony Clark.  Ask any Detroit Tigers fan.

NFL news
 The New England Patriots had Ty Law the 32-year-old, five-time Pro Bowl cornerback in for a physical last Friday as part of a free agent visit.   Pats coach Bill Belichick has kept in touch with Law this offseason through a series of private phone conversations.  Law had 10 interceptions, a career best, last season.  Ty also only spent one season with the Jets and played the rest of his career with the Patriots.

Dolphins to sign Marcus Vick?  According to league sources when they had him in for the teams mini-camp they saw enough in him to think he may be able to land a roster spot.  The team recently traded for starting quarterbacks Daunte Culpepper and Joey Harrington so it is unlikely he would make the team as a quarterback. There are said to be several CFL teams interested as well.  They have also not had Joey play for them yet either.  Miami fans may be excited to have traded for two starting quarterbacks, but there is a reason they were available as well.

Lions fans say goodbye to Joey Harrington and hello to two back up quarterbacks.  Jon Kitna is the likely starter and it is up to Josh McCown and Dan Orlovsky to battle for the 2nd quarterback position, although the best move is the addition of offensive coordinator Mike Martz.  Best subtraction, Joey Harrington.  It is rumored that Martz had a qb school in the off season where he gave the participants IQ tests.  Harrington's came back negative (insert rim shot here), also see his exit interview with Mitch Albom, that will explain a lot.


MLB news

Soriano headed to New York?  According to several sources the Yankees and Mets both have interest in acquiring the outfielding second baseman.  Both teams will inquire about him closer to the trade deadline so look for scouts from Washington in New York for the next month.  Another possibility for both New York teams is Detroits Dmitri Young.  He plays outfield, third base, and first base but mostly is a DH.  Neither team would have to give up much to get him as the Tigers are 1/2 game behind the White Sox and have the second best record in baseball without Young.

San Fransisco - look for the Giants to make one final run with the current team and then try to rebuild the organization through younger players.  The giants have a large number of aging veterans and it has been rumored that Bonds may move to the American league to DH and the Giants may not bring back their ace Jason Schmidt.  Bonds is one of nine Giants veterans in the final year of their contracts, along with Jason Schmidt, Moises Alou, Ray Durham, Pedro Feliz, Steve Kline, Todd Greene, Jose Vizcaino and Jamey Wright.  They count for more than $50 million of the Giants' $90-million-plus payroll, with Bonds' $18 million and Schmidt's $10.5 million the largest hits.

NBA news

Ben Wallace has hired an agent.  Wallace will become a free agent this summer and will likely land the biggest contract of his entire career.  Wallace is in his prime and is a four time NBA defensive player of the year.  He is looking to remain in Detroit and hopes to complete a deal after the season. 

In case you have not opened your eyes and had your ears plugged for the last 48 hours, the New York Knicks may be ready to part ways with Larry Brown.  The Knicks may be the model for how not to run a franchise.  Would the Knicks actually pay $40 million to get rid of Brown?  After setting records for payroll and paying members not even on the team or in the league, can they really afford to pay Brown and a new coach?  With Larry Brown they need to have one thing they have never had, patience.  The coach is a proven winner, and then he leaves.  Isiah, you have to let him do the winning first.  Brown may now be the biggest coaching distraction in all of sports for the past to off-seasons.

Lebron James has drawn comparisons and played  a parallel career thus far in his NBA career to Michael Jordan.  He even has to go through the same team the Detroit Pistons to get to the promise land.  The biggest difference is that Lebron is in his third season as Michael was only a rookie at this point due to James playing in the NBA straight out of high school.  This off season look for the cavs to add veteran depth and specialty players to the roster much as the way the Pistons have done.  New Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has modeled everything after the Pistons, a team he sponsors, while owning the Cavs.  Gilbert owns the Cavaliers and named the arena Quicken Loans arena and sponsors the Pistons with Rock Financial, the same company marketed with a different name in Michigan.  He also hired a like announcer to the Pistons that gets the crowd pumped up and making plenty of noise.