To The Rack With Mac

As a diehard sports fan in the year 2020, it is pretty much par for the course to get caught up in the accolades and superstardom of the big names in each league. Kobe and Lebron in the NBA, Griffey, Jeter, Arod, Trout and Judge in the MLB, Brady, Peyton, Mahomes and Wilson in the NFL, so on and so forth. But what about the stars that get overlooked because they competed at the same time as these “larger than life” superstars?! This article is dedicated to who, in my opinion, are the most overlooked stars throughout sports, again in no particular order.

1. Tim Duncan 

Tim Duncan is easily one of the most underappreciated stars of his generation. Why? Well, the guy even received a nickname for it, “ The Big Fundamental”. He was not a flashy player by any means. His signature move was a bankshot for crying out loud! He was a pure rebounder who always utilized the lost art of boxing out and always tough yet fundamentally sound defender. What did that jump shot and fundamental play get him? 5 NBA titles and back to back MVP awards. Tim Duncan thrived and won A LOT in an era where Kobe, Lebron and  Shaq were dominating the headlines with flashy plays and moves. Shaq was a powerful dominant force using sheer brute strength to overpower his opponent. Duncan was more fundamentally sound and finesse driven which is why he wasn’t widely considered a fun player to watch. Although considered one of, if not the greatest power forward of all time, Duncan never really gets the attention that his Hall of Fame career deserves. Duncan finished his career averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds, but also an absolute heroic legend in the city of San Antonio and the NBA.  Let us also not forget that Tim Duncan had no intentions of ever playing basketball until he picked it up to keep him in shape for his swimming career. Yes, you read that right.

2. Jeremy Shockey

Ok I have to admit that my Giants fandom and bias is definitely coming into play on this one. Tough! Shockey was my favorite player growing up and I honestly do believe hes is super underappreciated, maybe not to the level of the previously mentioned Duncan, but certainly underappreciated. The statistics may not jump off the page at you, but it was the intangibles that made him the overlooked star he was. He gave every single thing he had out there on the gridiron on every single snap. He played with an intensity and a deep rooted passion that was evident every time he had the ball in his hands. He did not shy away from contact ever. On many occasions, he would bulldoze right over anyone in his path, get up from the hard hits and let the defense know he was there and he was not going to be intimidated or run away. Shockey was roasted consistently in the press for being boisterous on the field and having a bunch of fun off it. Nonetheless, the fans loved him and he showed up on Sundays. Defenders used to constantly go low when trying to tackle him which was no doubt a shot at inflicting injury so what was he supposed to do? Stay quiet and let the opponent hurt him or go right at them and let them know he won’t be bullied? He chose the latter. Every single play. It is that kind of fire and passion that I miss about today’s game. Let us not forget that Shockey also played a significant role in the Saints Super Bowl victory including catching the opening score of the game!.

3. Kenny Lofton

Aside from Rickey Henderson, I cannot remember another leadoff hitter who instilled as much fear in me as a fan as Kenny Lofton did. As a Yankee fan and seemingly every year having to fend off Lofton’s Cleveland Indians, Only him, Thome and Robbie Alomar made my heart race with every at bat. Vizquel was known more for his glove. Lofton was an absolutely pure and prolific hitter. He could rip the ball down the line or he could gap it the other way to left field. If he got on base his speed was tremendous. From 1st, a double in the gap would easily score the speedy CF every time. He amassed over 600 stolen bases in his career along with over 2400 hits and 1500 runs scored. The blasphemous reason he is on this list is because the man was kicked off the Hall of Fame ballot after just one year having not garnered enough votes to remain there. Absolutely ridiculous considering Lofton ranks 8th All Time in Wins Above Replacement behind only the likes of DiMaggio and Mays!!! Kenny Lofton is someone who is almost never talked about when it comes to impactful hitters but trust me if you ever watched those 90’s Indians-Yankees matchups, he is on your list.

4. Alex English

When the conversation of the NBA’s most prolific scorers comes up, Alex English is a name that is rarely, if ever, uttered. Consider this, From 1980-1989 not one single player scored more points than English. Yes, that includes names like Jordan, Bird, Johnson and Wilkins. In a decade dominated by the superstardom of the aforementioned names, Alex English’s numbers and accomplishments flew significantly under the radar. He never finished less than 5th place in scoring while a member of the Nuggets, including 1982-83 when he won the league’s scoring title. As a matter of fact, the same year, the Nuggets reached the Conference finals against the Lakers and had it not been for English requiring thumb surgery after injuring it in game 4, the Nuggets probably could have pushed the series to the distance or even won it. He was elected to the Hall Of Fame in 1997 yet, he is rarely brought up in any conversation among the games All Time greats. If there is any resume for underrated, it is the resume of Alex English.

5. Curtis Martin

Curtis Martin is another one of those names that is ranked among the all time great running backs in many statistical categories yet rarely mentioned in the conversation. In his first 10 seasons in the NFL, he rushed for 1,000 yards or more. With guys like Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson and Emmitt Smith getting all the attention for their breakaway speed or ferocious downhill power, Martin still averaged almost 5 yards per carry which I mean come on, is at least as equally impressive! Martin finished his career 4th on the all time rushing list behind only Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. Although a huge fan favorite in New York due to his career with the Jets, I think it is time we start bringing up just how damn good Curtis Martin was!

6. Andruw Jones

When is the last time you heard that name?! Many Yankee fans will answer when we got the absolute shell of the player he used to be from the Atlanta Braves. But what an absolute stud he was when he was on that championship Braves squad for all those years!! Jones won an unheard of 10 straight Gold Gloves while manning center field for Atlanta. His defensive Wins Above Replacement was ranked #1 among outfielders in the live ball era at a staggering 24.1. Hitting behind Chipper Jones, he still managed to constantly hit for tremendous power. So, Why is it that we rarely hear his name anymore? Well he was overshadowed at the time mostly by another Centerfielder named Ken something or other and as I previously stated, sat behind Chipper in more ways than just the lineup card. Chipper was the fan favorite in Atlanta and the most hated everywhere else, leaving little to no room for the other Jones in the limelight. Andruw finished his career with 454 homeruns, but his lack of hitting for average worked against him when it came to Hall of Fame voting. He received just 7.5 percent of the vote the last time around and is headed into his last year of eligibility. Given the numbers I just gave you, does he not have a stronger case that that?!

We tune in night in and night out, as fans, to watch our favorite teams and favorite players go head to head. We watch as they give us their best and metaphorically fight to see which team will prevail. In the heat of competition however, sometimes the metaphorical becomes reality and athletes lose their cool and most of the time it is with each other. I say most of the time because there is actually a couple of times on this list where the fight spills into the audience with the fans, and deservedly so. As a passionate, sometimes borderline insane fan myself, I understand heat of the moment tendencies but I will never understand why fans think it is okay to get involved physically. As for the fights on this list, there just is no way that you can rank them. Again, it will be up to the reader to make their own decision on which one they think was the craziest sports fight. Usually, I only cover 5 sports but today, I am willing to compromise as some of the craziest fights come from other sports. Also, we are talking about non combat sports so let’s just call it a swap. Also, I will only be choosing 1 fight from each sport because there are so many to choose from, Idecided on my favorites. I am writing an article, not a book. Now, LETS GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEE….you get the idea already.

November 19th, 2004 -“The Malice At The Palace”

Did you really think that I wouldn’t be talking about the biggest melee in NBA history?! The fight this night was about way more than just the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers. This is about exactly why fans should never get involved or try to insert themselves in on the court/field/ice skirmishes. Let’s start at the beginning. First, Metta World Peace, then known at Ron Artest, fouls Detroit’s Ben Wallace as he drives to the hoop. Wallace completely overreacts and shoves Artest with ferocious intent. Looking back, Wallace should have had way more restraint after such a seemingly dinky foul. Nevertheless, after the shove, players from both teams squared up at mid-court and from there all hell broke loose, but it didn’t have to. Things began to settle as Artest was collecting himself and decided to lay down on the scorer’s table. Order was being restored when out of nowhere a cup full of beer came flying from the stands, landing squarely in the mid-section of Artest who was still composing himself on the scorer’s table. Right there is where my opinion lies. If that fan wasn’t such an idiot and left it all alone or even if that beer misses its target, we are not including this on the list because the fight never happens. That was not the case. Artest gets up and goes Hulk after the fan that threw the beer. After completely obliterating said fan, other fans decided they would try to be tough guys as well and start grabbing and sucker punching the Pacers players who had also entered the stands to backup Ron. Those fans also got what they had coming from Stephen Jackson, Fred Jones and Jermaine O’ Neal. They finally get the players back on the court, but fans are still flexing their beer muscles. Fans running up and almost challenging the players to hit them. The players did and it was not pretty. Every single fan who either locked eyes with a player or tried to be tough, ultimately got laid out and rightfully so. There are 3 separate occasions where this thing is over but fans want to keep going. In the end, yes it was an ugly night for the sport and after this fight the rule was implemented that no player can leave the bench during an on-court altercation and if they do they are promptly suspended. However, the blame here is not on the players. Ron Artest did what any human being would do if they were calming down after a fight and got hit with something out of nowhere, he snapped. The other players were just defending and protecting their teammate. We tend to put these athletes on such a pedestal that we forget that they are humans with emotions and react to situations just how we would. Could things have been handled better by the players? Absolutely. Heat of the moment does not work that way sometimes. Artest rarely, if ever speaks about that night but you can tell it is because he is so remorseful of his actions. That night will be remembered forever, but we need to make sure we start telling the whole story before we paint these players as the bad guys.

“The Brawl In HockeyTown” Detroit Red Wings VS Colorado Avalanche

As most of you know I am not a hockey guy, but I absolutely love the backstory and events that unfolded during this brawl. In the 1996 playoffs Colorado’s Claude Lemieux laid a hit on the Red Wings Kris Draper that could have nearly ended his career. The hit resulted in Draper breaking his jaw, cheekbone and needing reconstructive surgery. The first matchup between the two the following season resulted in the one of the biggest forms of payback I have ever seen. Seemingly at every turn a fight broke out and a Red Wing stood victorious. Darren McCarty found Lemieux and laid out a beatdown on him so bad that he had to leave the ice for the remainder of the game which honestly is something that is rare in hockey. This is the same sport that a man died on the bench, was revived, and tried coming back into the game. Back to Detroit though. Even the goalies got into it with Mike Vernon meeting Patrick Roy at center ice and again, the Red Wing stood victorious as Roy had to clean himself up quite a bit having been split open above his eye and lip. The only way hockey players know how to avenge a brutal hit on a teammate is for the entire team to destroy the other. That is what happened on this night for sure. After all in the words of Red Wings captain Brendan Shanahan, “Hockey players have long memories”. Side note: Don’t we all wish every sport would let guys beat the shit out of each other until the dust settles like in hockey? I mean it just seems like the easiest way to settle any disagreements and after all is said and done, they all shake hands and go their separate ways. I am all for that.

New York Yankees vs Baltimore Orioles-May 19th 1998

Now I know what everyone is thinking, how the hell is the Varitek-A-Rod fight not the baseball one?! Well that would be because it wasn’t really a fight as Rodriguez got his ass kicked and did no fighting back. This fight however will not be judged on any of the players tackling abilities or it would get a big fat F. This one was about quick revenge and a fight that spilled into the dugout of the visiting Orioles. Armando Benitez, a relief pitcher for Baltimore, clearly intentionally drills Tino Martinez in the middle of his back. Now, Tino is clearly pissed but it is Benitez that sets everything off. Instead of taking his prompt ejection like a man, Benitez instead turns toward the Yankee dugout as Yankees are coming to defend their brother and challenges them to come after them. He would come to regret that. First off, Daryl Strawberry is seeing red and goes after Benitez on a mission. He is met with restraint by fellow and opposing personnel but Graeme Lloyd came in from the bullpen swinging like a mad man at Armando. Graeme lands no shots because his form is absolutely awful but it gave Strawberry the chance to strike. Strawberry punches and grabs Benitez as they both spill into the Orioles dugout throwing bombs and showing no mercy. It got so bad that both managers were climbing on top of their players in the dugout trying to restore order. Strawberry had a fat lip but Benitez definitely took the bigger shots and when the dust settled it was hard not to declare New York the victor. The biggest disappointment is that Tino was not able or I should say allowed to get any shots in as he was being held back by multiple players. In the end, the Yankees got the last laugh baseball wise as they went on to win multiple championships and Baltimore still has not.

Andre Johnson vs Cortland Finnegan

Honestly this the best and smartest NFL fight I have ever seen. Why? Because these 2 actually took their helmets off and duked it out. Well, I should say that andre Johnson did, Finnegan just got his ass kicked. The two had been jawing at each other and shoving pretty much the entire game. It all came to a head as time was winding down in the 4th quarter. They lock up again and Finnegan gets ahold of Johnson’s helmet and tosses it down the field but in doing so, left himself very vulnerable to what happens next. Now, Finnegan had lost his helmet already and his balance as he fell to the ground. Johnson gets around his back like something out of UFC and starts landing absolute bombs on the side of his opponents head. Finnegan would later say that Johnson hit like a b***h but we all saw as clear as day that this man got his ass whooped on live tv. Do I blame Johnson? Absolutely not. I couldn’t stand Cortland Finnegan. He was always trying to bait dudes to fight every week with not just talk because guys can handle that but the after the whistle late hits and shoves. He finally got what he deserved and in an unexpected twist, calmed right down after that for the remainder of his career. Probably got shut down in his trash talk with a response like “Dude, You want me to Andre Johnson you again?!”.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Nolan Ryan vs Robin Ventura

Aqib Talib vs Michael Crabtree

Bruins demolish Rangers Fans

Varitek Destroys Arod

Records are meant to be broken…..or not. Of course over the years, we have seen some incredible sports feats and records smashed. Most recently, we saw a “unobtainable” record broken when Russell Westbrook became only the second player in NBA history to average a triple double for an entire season. Even more impressive is that he came back the next season and did it again. In this article, I will be breaking down some of the most mind-boggling and unbreakable records in sports, some having been records for over 70 years, in no particular order. In the end, I will leave it up to the reader to determine in their own mind which record is truly the most untouchable.

Wilt Chamberlain’s array of NBA records

Wilt Chamberlain holds a ridiculous 68 individual records in the NBA. I don’t think you all care about each and every one so I picked 3 that I think are the most impressive and that we will never see again. The most obvious one is his single game record of 100 points. The closest anyone has ever come was 81 points by the late, great Kobe Bryant. In today’s NBA, the defense is just too good for one man to go off for triple digits. Devin Booker scored 70 recently and it felt like there was no way anyone could score 30 more points than that considering how hot of a hand Booker had in that game. Another single game record Chamberlain holds is his astonishing 55 rebounds in a single game. The closest we have seen was Charles Oakley snagging 20 less than Wilt’s record with 35. You see, Wilt was just a bigger and stronger guy than every other player in the league in his time. Today, the league is way more balanced and competitve from top to bottom so it is hard to imagine someone even grabbing 40 rebounds over someone else. If not physicality, then I am certain pride would kick in and there would be a certain scuffle or fight. Lastly, and this is the most unobtainable one of them all, Wilt averaged 50.4 PPG for a single season. Actually he has the top 4 greatest scoring seasons of all time until MJ comes in at #5 with 37.09 PPG. Just impossible in today’s game. No one scores at a clip that high anymore and my mind would be absolutely blown if anyone even came close.

Cal Ripken’s Iron Man Record

2,632 games played in a row. Think about that for a few minutes. Cal Ripken had to stay healthy day in and day out for 16 seasons. He had to play well enough and avoid injury to go out there for 14 consecutive years as his body aged and the game changed. The man whos record he broke did it while playing 1st base. Ripken did it while playing one of the most physcially demanding positions being a shortstop! This day and age we live in is an era where a guy sits out with cramps in his stomach. Not to mention that even if not injured, guys will usually just take a day off because we live in the era of load management. There is just absolutely no way this one ever gets broken. The closest active player with most consecutive games played? A whopping 256 by Freddy Galvis. You see, It just isnt even on the table as a record that will be touched.

Wayne Gretzky’s Career Points Record

This one is absolutely ridiculous. Wayne Gretzky tallied a whopping 2,857 points in his NHL career. In order for someone to get to that mark, they would need rack up 143 points for 20 straight seasons. No one has even tallied 140 points in a season since Jaromir Jagr had 143 in 1996. Gretzky also holds the top 11 highest point total seasons ever. The man was a god. To put this in perspective, Nikita Kucherov had an amazing season in 2019 and was the NHL points leader with….128 points. It is safe to say the Great One’s record will be safe for quite some time.

Joe Dimaggio’s 56 Game Hit Streak

56 straight games with at least one hit. Doesn’t seem crazy that someone could do it right? Wrong. Besides when Joltin Joe set the record in 1956 and Pete Rose doing it for 44 straight games in 1978, no player has even reached the 40 game mark. On average, the best hitters in baseball get a hit less than 40% of the time they come to the plate. That means that 7 out of 10 times they come to bat, they either get out or walk. Simply just the media attention the record gets when someone even starts approaching 20 games is a frenzy in itself. There is no way that one man can not let all the hoopla and attention get to their heads. I remember growing up and Luis Castillo of the Marlins reached 36 straight games and it aged him 20 years in just 5 weeks. He was a young vibrant second baseman and by the end of it he had gray hairs poking out of his baseball cap. There is just no way I see someone even coming close to this one. Besides Dimaggio being my favorite Yankee of all time, I just do not think it is obtainable at all. The likelihood of someone even playing that many games in a row without sustaining a minor physical setback is next to none, let alone getting a hit every game for 2 months straight.

Ted Williams Batting Average In A Single Season

This one technically is not a record however, Teddy Ballgame is the last player to bat .400 or better in a single season having batted .406 in 1941. The last person to even come close to a batting average that high was Tony Gwynn in 1996 batting .394. In today’s MLB, the level of competition and athletic abilities of both pitchers and the defense behind them is just far to great to honestly see anyone eclipsing .400 for quite some time. I do personally believe this to be the most obtainable record however because it is like Williams said after that historic season “I do no understand what all the fuss is about, that still means I failed every 6 out of 10 times I came up to bat”.

There are a few records that I did not mention for various reasons. The Boston Celtics won 8 straight NBA championships but in a time when there were only 10 teams in the league. UCLA won 7 straight Men’s National titles and 88 straight games but in a time where parity and turnover were at a far less rate. Emmitt Smith ran for 18,355 yards in his career but in a time where running back commitees did not exist. Smith carried the ball at least 240 times in 14 seasons. No back lasts that long anymore. For various reasons I did not include them but which record in your eyes is the most unreachable?

Most people when asked what their favorite sound in sports is, Yes I said favorite sound, overwhelmingly will answer the unmistakable loud crack of a baseball bat as it flies through the zone and strikes the hide of the baseball in the perfect sweet spot. What makes that sound often more appealing is the beauty of the swing itself that comes with it. This list consists of some of the most celebrated players to ever play the game and others well, not so much. Regardless of where you stand on their choices, there is no denying that every single player on this list today has one of those unforgettable swings that make that sound of the bat making contact that much smoother and crisp. I understand that many of you may have your own criteria when it comes to baseball’s sweetest swings but these are 10 players that when it comes down to it, you will say to yourself, “Damn, he did have a sweet swing” or to translate for the younger fans out there, “Shit was lit fam”.

#10-Bernie Williams

Most people when they think of Bernie, they think of the Yankees dynasty that ran roughshot through the league for most of the late 90’s and early 2000’s. He was the starting Center Fielder for arguably the greatest team ever assembled in 1998. What you probably do not remember is that in the midst of all the historic feats during that season, Williams won the batting title batting .339 thus making him the 1st player in Major League history to win a batting title, gold glove and a World Series all in the same season. His swing was like the music he plays, sweet and smooth no matter which side of the plate he stood. He had a little hitch before the ball arrived at the plate, ever so slight, and in one fast motion the bat flew through the zone and whether it was a rip down the line for a double or a timely run scoring hit in the postseason (he holds the record for most postseason RBI’s ever with 80), WIlliams made it look easy and effortless. He lands at number 10 on my list even though the case could be made to elevate him higher.

9. Keith Hernandez

Now, let me preface this by saying that I absolutely despise Keith Hernandez. He made my hometown of Sag Harbor his annual stomping grounds for most of my young adult life. I saw him out one night and approached to say “Hey Keith, sorry to bother you but I just wanted to say Hello and shake your hand”. He proceeded to tell me that I was not allowed to shake his hand because I was wearing a Yankee hat. I proceeded to laugh, take my hand back and walk away after I told him how big of a male reproductive organ he was being. These Yankee pinstripes don’t run for anybody. Regardless of his pompous attitude, he still had a pretty damn sweet swing. Although he never hit more than 16 homers in a season, Hernandez’s swing was so full of finesse and so smooth, he found a rhythm that was pure beauty. He used that sweet stroke on his way to a batting title in 1979 hitting .344 and a World Championship in 1986 with the Mets.

#8-Vladimir Guerrero Sr.

Known mostly for his ridiculous arm strength and equally ridiculous instinct to swing at literally anything thrown in his general direction, Vlad still has one of the smoothest swings I have ever seen. He is still the only player I have seen get a base hit off a ball that bounced before it reached him multiple times in his career. Despite swinging wildly, when he made contact it was a beautiful sight to see. His 2004 MVP season was the best season of all time for an Angel not named Mike Trout. He batted .337 with 39 HR’s and 127 RBI’s. He also led the league in total bases and runs scored. He was voted baseball’s most feared hitter by his peers in 2008. You do not receive that kind of respect or earn those kinds of numbers by having just some pedestrian swing. However unorthodox his approach, Vlad on a tear was absolutely stunning to watch and I am sure most people in my age group and beyond will agree.

#7-Barry Bonds

I know what you are thinking. Really?! Again?! Yes, again. Most baseball lists whether negative or positive will probably contain the name Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds in his prime transcended the sport. To this day I have never been amazed by any player the way I was by Barry Bond’s swing. Let’s be honest, steroids dont help your eyes. The years that Bonds was at the top of baseball were spent in pure amazement. There was no prettier sight than seeing Barry effortlessly flick his wrists and put one into McCovey Cove night in and night out in San Fransisco. If he actually put some torque and hips into his swing anybody within a 3 mile radius was put on notice just in case. I exaggerate of course but honestly, it was that jaw droopping and fun to watch. Without numbers I can sit here and make a case for his name to be on this list but you don’t become baseball’s single season and all time homerun leader without having one of the sweetest swings of all time.

#6-Pete Rose

Well, he is baseball’s all time hit leader and probably the biggest travesty in all of sports is that he is not in the Hall of Fame. He played every game as hard as he could and by the end of his career he had certainly paid the price for it physically. Despite that, Charlie Hustle from both sides of the plate was a force to be reckoned with. Batting both right and left handed, he had the unique ability to hit the ball to all parts of the field seemingly placing his hits wherever he wanted to and wherever the defense was not. We all know his aggressive demeanor and rough play was fun to watch, except maybe if your name is Ray Fossey. The reason he is on this list is because if you become baseball’s all time hit leader, you probably did so by having a top 10 swing in the game. I will use this to say one more thing. PUT HIM IN THE DAMN HALL OF FAME WOUKD YOU?!?! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

#5-Ted Williams–

Had it not been for the 5 years he took off of baseball to serve his country in World War II, there would be no argument that Ted Williams is the greatest hitter in baseball history. Even with those 5 years off, you can still make the case. He played 19 full season and had a career average of .366. He won a total of 6 batting titles and 2 MVP awards. He is the last person in baseball to ever hit .400 or better having hit an astonishing .406 at just 22 years of age. He is baseball’s all time leader in on base percentage at .482 and recorded over 2,00 hits and 521 homeruns in his career. Can you imagine the numbers we woukd be talking about if he never left? He also made it look so damn easy and fluid game in and game out. Ted Williams is the epitome of hard work, class and toughness, even if he did play for the Red Sox.

#4-Derek Jeter–

I mean, come on. Derek Jeter has one of the sweetest swings ever. I do not mean to be redundant considering the list im making right now but I am almost positive that I will be getting some flack for where he sits here. Derek played in an era where all the emphasis was put on power and pulling the ball. He went ahgainst the grain on that one. Dont get me wrong, Jeter could rip it in the gap in left as well as right but his bread and butter was that sweet inside out swing to right field nearly every time he got up to bat. Always delivered in the big moments as well. Not known for his power, he still clubbed some historic homeruns in his career including his 3000th hit off of David Price. He finished his career with 3,465 hits and a .310 career average. Captain Clutch should go down as the best shortstop of all time and easily makes this list. Anyone who watched him and isn’t just a hter will agree.

#3- Will Clark-

Now let us be more honest than we usually are on this one. Do you really think someone gets the nickname “The Natural” without having a badass sweet swing to go with it. I only know about WIll Clark because my father an I would go back and forth between him and my #1 on this list all the time growing up. My dad stilll says he has never seen anyone with a swing like Clark’s. Had he not been so often injured, he would certainly be ranked among the all time greats is most offensive categories. His overall numbers certainly to not do justice to how easy and flawless this mans swing was. He finished his carrer with a .303 batting average and over 15oo RBI’s but his career was limited and ultimately cut short due to knee injuries. Regardless, “The Natural” will always and forever be on my list of top 10 sweetest swings.

#2-Tony Gwynn–

Tony Gwynn throughout his career put up video game like numbers. The man just did not strikeout. He didnt hit for much power in his career but with over 3000 hits and a career .338 batting average, the man could rake. It wasn’t just the fact that he had an amazing eye and unreal plate discipline but the fact that he could put the ball anywhere on the field at any time and made it look so easy, it nearly seemed boring for him. I know, Tony Gwynn was always smiling but my point is that it never seemed to be tough for him. Most elite pitchers who faced him, and by most I mean 90%, name him the toughest out they ever had to get. That includes pitchers like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Randy Johnson. Notice how 2 of those names are left handed? Having been a left handed hitter, Gwynn made pitchers sweat even when it was supposed to be easy. Yeah, right. Tony Gwynn is one of the most elite hitters the game has ever seen. If you do not agree with his place on this list, I suggest you go watch some highlights and get yourself educated.

#1-Ken Griffey Jr-

I mean I really have no words. It is literally the sweetest swing we have ever seen. Flawless, Effortless and just plain old cool! I remember growing up and playing wiffle ball with my friends, literally every single one of us would turn our hat backwards, jump to the left side of the plate and try to imitate the greatest swing of all time. Often Imitated, Never duplicated in every sense of the saying because none of us ever looked as cool as “The Kid” did. Ken Griffey Jr is also another name of this list that is full of what ifs. He hit 630 homeruns to go with almost 1900 RBI’s. He also gained 10 Gold Glove awards and 13 All Star Appearances. He missed huge amounts of time with quad, hamstring and various other issues. With the numbers presented to you just now, is there any doubt had he stayed healthy that we would be talking about the greatest all around baseball player of all time? No, I do not think so. I challenge anyone who thinks different to please present all argumennts my way.

Most fans when they hear the name Gilbert Arenas, their mind immediately goes to that one incident in a certain locker room, involving a certain teammate and a certain firearm. I get it. The day and age we live in seems to feed off of others mistakes. One false move can make or break a legacy in the eyes of most fans, writers, reporters and critics. Not this writer. Not this fan. When I think of the career of Gilbert Arenas, I think of probably one of the most overlooked and under appreciated players in NBA history. I think of someone who has had to prove his worth at every level until he finally put the world on notice with an incredible stretch of play that put him among the top names in the sport. With his unique ability to pull up and drain a shot from anywhere past half court and simultaneously having the moves to finish strong downhill after leaving his defender in the dust, Arenas ascended to superstardom. I also unfortunately think of a knee injury that altered the path of his career and ultimately cut it short well before it was meant to come to an end.

During his senior year of high school, Arenas averaged 34 points per game and was expecting to recieve multiple offers from all the top colleges in the country including his hometown UCLA Bruins. The Bruins, along with most other top schools in the country, did not share the same enthusiasm and decided to pass on him. Gil ultimately ended up at Arizona to play for the Wildcats. In just 2 short years, he would end up making all those that passed on him pay en route to a National Title Game berth. Arenas led a team in scoring that included future NBA talent such as Richard Jefferson and Luke Walton, with 16.5 points per game while shooting a ridiculous 42.5% from 3 point range. Despite Arizona head coach Lute Olson’s plea to continue in school, Arenas decided to declare for the NBA draft, projecting himself as a lottery pick.

Again overlooked and under appreciated, Arenas dropped to the second round and 31st pick to the Golden State Warriors. Many scouts had considered him to be too young and skinny to be an impactful player in the league. Being banished to the bench and 3rd string, this was all the fuel he would need to start the fire in him that eventually catapaulted him among the elite. After seeing very little time his rookie year, Arenas earned the starting role by year 2. Gilbert made a career out of proving those who snubbed him wrong and the first instance of this was the Rookie/Sophomore game during All-Star Weekend. Arenas was passed up for the game his rookie year but by year 2, he not only was selected to the roster, he came out and won MVP honors. He finished that season with the Warriors and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player. When asked about the award Arenas simply replied, “I was always good“. Without any financial flexibility, the Warriors would be forced to let Arenas walk in free agency, a move that I am thinking they wished they freed up some cap space to avoid. Arenas would be highly sought after with his stock clearly trending in an upward direction. Ultimately he would sign a 6-yr/60 million dollar contract with the Washington Wizards and go on a tear that would take the league by storm.

There was a learning curve his first year in Washington, but by the second year coupled with fellow guard Larry Hughes, he led the highest scoring backcourt in the NBA with 25.2 ppg, good enough for 4th in the league. he was also ranked 4th in steals per game that year. A fiery player full of emotion and little restraint, Arenas led the Wizards year in and year out in scoring and on the defensive side of the ball. He always rose to the occasion in the biggest momments and in the biggest games. It seemed inevitable that if his team needed a big shot to win, Arenas would drain it and set the arena ablaze whether on the road or at home. Paired with Antwan Jamison and Caron Butler in 2005-2006, Arenas led the Wizards in being the highest scoring team in the NBA. One of his biggest moments was dropping 60 points on Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. No moment or matchup was ever too big for the budding superstar. After being left off the FIBA World Championship roster, Arenas again internally vowed revenge. The next time he saw USA Director Jerry Colangelo’s Phoenix Suns, he exploded for 54 points seemingly staring Colangelo down after every bucket. lesson learned. Do no ignite a fire you cannot put out.

What followed was a series of unfortunate events that led to Arenas calling it an early career. In 2007, after a collison on the court, he suffered a torn MCL in his knee and missed almost 2 entire seasons of play. He was never the same after he returned. There were glimpses of the pre-injured Agent Zero, but never to the consistent level it once was. After the infamous incident all but sealed his exit from Washington, Arenas gave it a few more shots with the Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, and the Shanghai Sharks of the CBA in China. There is no doubt in my mind that had it not been for the knee injury, Arenas would be in the conversation among the all time greats at his position. No really, he was that damn good. He is easily one of the best isolation players I have ever seen play the game.

These day Arenas is a full time father and coach in Los Angeles. He also has one of the best podcasts out there right now in “The No Chill Podcast”. He still carries around the demeanor and swag of super confidence that often annoyed reporters and fans alike but who wouldn’t? He had to not only earn everything he ever achieved and work harder than most to do so. He had to spend tireless amount of time in the gym when others were home sleeping in their beds. He was another example of first one in the gym, last one to leave and it paid off! He is the epitome of what can happen when you ignore the naysayers and instead use it as motivation to make them eat their words. If anything Gilbert Arenas is a good example of perserverance and heroics than whatever you may think of him because he got into a little trouble. Regardless of what people want to say, It was so much fun watching him play growing up and I for one do not let others dictate how a player should be recognized by me. The media will tell you today to focus on the negative narratives and use that to jumpstart a career in this business. I say screw that, why the hell am I going to punish a man for an isloated incident where no one was hurt when the fact remains he brought myself and my friends so much joy through the game of basketbal?! Not me. I would rather him be remembered as Agent Zero, the man that proved everybody wrong and made it, just like I am going to.

Thank you everyone who voted! Mac Daddy’s first ever Legend Of The Week voting ended with one of baseball’s greatest hitters, Barry Bonds being declared the winner! The goal behind the Legend of the Week is for me to choose athletes who impacted my life greatly and celebrate their careers through my memories and writing. Regardless of how you feel about Bonds’s steroid use and impact on the game that had, the fact is Barry Bonds did things that we may never see again. His numbers are astronomical and as a kid, every single one of his at bats was a must watch day in and day out his entire career.

This article is a really tough one to write for me. Growing up, I was hands down one of the biggest Barry Bonds fans on the planet. Jerseys, Posters, Binders for school, Hats, Textbook covers, you name it, it either had a Yankee or Giants Logo or a picture of Barry Bonds. How could someone not be? By the numbers Barry Bonds is the most dominate player of all time. Yes, he hit 762 homeruns, crowning him the all time HR king, but it was the other things that he did that left you speechless. Things that to this day and having all the information we do, are still hard to ignore regardless.

Barry Bonds was destined for greatness from birth. He is the son of MLB great Bobby Bonds and godson of one of the best players of all time in Willie Mays. He was drafted at 21 years old by the Pittsburgh Pirates and went on to play 22 seasons with them and most notably, the San Francisco Giants. He is a 7x MVP and a 14x All Star Selection. He finished his career as baseball’s all time leader in home runs with 762. He also holds the single season homerun record with 73. His homerun records are jaw dropping enough. Every at bat you expected a mammoth blast or a walk. I have never seen a man so feared at the plate. I mean who remembers Buck Showalter intenionally walking Bonds with the bases loaded? He impacted the game that much. I still remember his homerun at the Angels in the 2002 World Series where they caught Angels 3B Tim Salmon on TV in awe stating “That’s the furthest ball I have ever seen hit”. Those moments will never be forgotten but it is his accomplishments that came with them that take him to another level of dominant.

Barry Bonds was walked a total of 2,558 times in his career. If the number doesn’t astonish you in itself, then the fact that it is nearly 400 walks ahead of the 2nd place player just might. In 2004, Bonds’s age 39 season, he was walked a MLB record 232 times. Even more ridiculous is the fact that he had 373 official at bats but miraculously reached base 376 times. Read that again. That is a real statistic. Mind boggling. I cannot even begin to explain how that happens but he is the only player in MLB history to have reached base more than have at bats. Look it up if you do not believe me. If someone ever does eclipse his homerun records, I can still almost gurantee no one comes close to his walk and on base records.

I cannot and will not ignore the elephant in the room here. I know. I was heartbroken the day I finally accepted the truth about Barry Bonds. I am on record in previous writing that I do not believe he belongs in the Hall Of Fame despite the god-like numbers I presented today. I do not believe he deserves the proverbial “death sentence” he seems to have received however. These numbers and achievements are things I do not expect to see again in my lifetime. The excitement and awe that one player brought me has yet to have been matched, even though Mike Trout is a damn good ball player. It may be an era which baseball tends to want to forget but ultimately it was an era I am glad I experienced and Barry Bonds is a player I’m proud to say I grew up watching. Here is to Barry Bonds. Mac Daddy’s 1st Ever Legend Of The Week!

We’ll get to that snoozer in a bit but first things first, Zhang WeiLi and Joanna Jedrzejczyk absolutely stole the show last night. Between the way Dana had been promoting them and the performance those two put on, he may have been better off choosing them as the main event. This was a fight that showed you what a fight is supposed to be. You want to see fighters work at an incredible pace? How about a challenger enter the ring and lay it all on the line to take the champs belt? What about grit and determination; two warriors who will stop at nothing to get their hand raised? Then you tune into the co main event last night because that’s what we got! This is officially in my top 10 favorite fights all time, hell maybe even top 5! Hands down the best women’s fight I have ever seen.
Now if you’re interested in the total opposite of what I just said, or you need to find a way to put yourself to sleep before the work week begins, go back and watch last night’s snooze fest!

I was pulling for the soldier of god last night, as Dana made it clear this would most likely be his last crack at the title. As a huge Randy Coture fan, I’ve been waiting to see a guy in his 40s hoist the title again. Guess I’ll have to wait for DC/Stipe 3.
First round starts and Yoel takes the center of the octagon and virtually stands still, challenging Izzy to come forward and fight him. Izzy meanwhile took a Mayweather “I’m the champ, you come get me” approach. After 2-3 minutes of posturing from both competitors, an Ali shuffle, some weak jabs by Israel and a huge overhand left from Yoel we close round one… guess what? This is virtually what’s about to take place through all five rounds.
You know things are getting really bad when after four straight rounds of nothing but boos from the crowd, the ref brings both “fighters” (using that term loosely for this bout as no fighting took place.) to the center of the ring before the start of five. He told them plainly, “You need to give the judges something to score.”
So even referee Dan Miragliotta, the man with the best seat in the house, was of the belief that neither fighter had done damn thing. I mean, if I have to give somebody credit for something, I guess I’ll tip my hat to Israel for being the first guy I’ve seen fight Yoel who was really able to effect him with his leg kicks. I guess I can also credit Yoel for landing a few good overhand lefts, and doing that weird forward roll, and takedown combo, but all in all I was very disappointed with the way this main event played out. I won’t even waste everyone’s time to even try to break down how boring each round was.
The crowd was at their peak following the performance of WeiLi and JJ and this fight just did not live up to the hype. In fact it completely sucked the air out of the arena. I guess we all should’ve paid closer attention at the first press conference when the dance battle broke out, on account that’s really all these two guys did last night: A WHOLE LOT OF DANCING!
A few days back I was watching Chael Sonnen speaking about the fighting style of Yoel Romero, states how most fighters go out there to do as much as they can to win a round while Yoel does the bare minimum, and this just proved his theory. He was trying to either lull Izzy to sleep or provoke him into rushing at him out of frustration. By the time it was clear that tactic wasn’t going to work, the fight was already over leaving the two men were virtually scoreless through 5.

Enter Paulo Costa. I am sure Costa will bring the best version of Israel Adesanya back out to play. The Champ seems to thrive under pressure and when he can counter attack and Costa doesn’t have a scared bone in his body. He’s the type of fighter to march forward against any and every one and let combinations fly. I’m sure that by the time Paulo is cleared by a licensed doctor this fight will be a distant memory especially when it will so obviously be overshadowed by the bonkers co-main event. Let’s also not let this review of the main event deter you from going back and checking out the highlights from the main card and preliminary fights! There were some great bouts and awesome finishes. Shane O’Malley sent Jose Quinonez’ head into orbit with a round house kick, before going complete donkey Kong on his head with hammer fists. Drakkar Klose and Beneil Dariush had a hell of a second round, both men swinging for the fences. Klose then fell victim to a bomb from Dariush that knocked his mouth piece out and put him to sleep. Magny also had a stellar performance even though he entered the fight as the underdog. Finally, Oliveria v Griffin was an all-out dog fight. All in all, it was a decent night of fights but I think we are all ready for Khabib v Tony now.

Before we get into the countdown, I would like to set some kind of precedent for this list. This list is not who I think is the best player skill wise but rather they are ranked by the impact and influence they had on me as a fan growing up. I grew up, fortunately enough, in a time when MJ and Kobe shared the court before MJ passed the torch. In a time when LeBron James and Kobe Bryant shared the court before Kobe passed the torch. It was an era where competition, skill, passion and intensity were at an all time high. This list is not about statistics, although I will use them in the article, but rather about how a kid on Eastern Long Island’s love for the game grew through these 10 players. Without any further delay, here we go.

#10-Gilbert Arenas

I can imagine people’s reaction right now when they see this name cracking my top 10. Shocked. Laughing. Thats all good and well but growing up, Gilbert Arenas was such a force in the league for a 4 year stretch that everybody was talking about him. In the 05-06 season, Arenas was Top 5 in the league in scoring with 29.3 ppg and also Top 5 in assists with 6.1 apg. More importantly to this list, is the fiery passion and chip on his shoulder he played with. He chose the jersey number 0 as homage to the NBA scouts and executives that told him that is how many minutes he would play. He met every challenge and smashed it. He never gave up. He became a top 10 player in the NBA despite being told he couldnt do it. So before asking me why he is on my list, maybe you should ask yourselves why he isnt on yours. Let us be honest here. If you have ever stood at a free throw line, you have tried the Arenas patented behind the back regimen at least once!

#9-Dwayne Wade

Man, how could D Wade not be on this list?! Watching him even at Marquette, I think I knew he was going to be one special player. In 2006, that championship run was magical. I am a lifelong Mavericks fan and you think I would have been crushed. I was. But I was also ecstatic because the way Wade and Shaq led that team was incredible to watch. In just his 3rd season, Wade showed the true toughness and grit of a bonafide veteran leader on his way to being named Finals MVP. That summer, he led the US Olympic “Redeem Team” in scoring on the way to a gold medal. He is Miami’s all time leader in points assists and steals. I will never forget the game against the Bulls when Wade went on a tear and to top it off, hit a physics defying game winner and promptly jumped up on the scorer’s table screaming “This is my house”! Chills. The embodiment of fire and passion on the court, there is no doubt why Dwayne Wade makes this list!

#8-Kevin Garnett

From the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Boston Celtics and back there is one thing that Kevin Garnett took with him everywhere he went and every time he stepped out on the court, his love for the game of basketball. I didnt even need to see the ball in his hands to know how much every game meant to him. Whether it was bumping his chest ferociously with his own fist or headbutting the padding under the hoop pre game or crawling across the court on all fours while getting back on defense like some kind of giant tarantula, Kevin Garnett oozed intensity. His energy was so viable, you felt it through the TV screen and goosebumps would crawl up your arms. He was a warrior in every sense of the word on and off the court. He pushed himself and his teammates for greatness so much that sometimes it broke them. I loved it. I would literally stop everything if KG was going to be on tv and made sure I tuned in every minute he played. The championship he finally got in Boston made it all sweeter. Not many have deserved it like him. I think I yelled just as loud as he did every time i saw his iconic “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLEEEEEE” COMMERCIAL. His statistics alone are among the greats but it is the other things I mentioned that have him on my list today. Dont ever change KG!!!

#7- Vince Carter

Vince Carter is hands down the greatest dunker the game has ever seen. Fluid motion, smooth hangtime and flushed down with explosive ferocity, every slam was jaw dropping! The dunk heard around the world at the Olympics is evidence of this in itself. He corrals the loose ball, one dribble and soared over a 7 footer with such ease it made the the behemoth seem like Mini Me from Austin Powers. Vinsanity swept the world well before that in one of the most iconic performances at the Slam Dunk Contests of all time in 2000. I remember as kids, my friends and I would lower the local neighborhood rims just to try and imitate him. We failed miserably every time. That is the impact he had on all of us. When he won the title with The Mavericks a few years ago, I was just as happy for him as I was for Dirk and Jason Kidd. All those years of blood sweat and tears propelling the league to superstardom finally paid off. The best part of it is at 42 years old, Vince is still out there right now playing for the Atlanta Hawks. His best years are behind him but he is doing what every great does, mentoring the younger generations and providing leadership helping to usher in a new era. What Vince did for the game will never be forgotten. I show my kids old videos of him all the time. A legend of almost mythical proportions. Thank you VC.

#6- Shaquille O’Neal

The most dominant force to EVER wear an NBA uniform. His game and his personality paralled his gigantic frame in the way that they were larger than life. His best performances were in my opinion, the battles between his and Kobe’s Lakers and the Sacramento Kings. That was knock down drag out war. Shaq was so strong and so powerful, he just bullied Brad Miller and Vlade Divac making them look like mere average players, which they were not. Shaq filled my childhood with memories other than basketball too. I grew up on Kazaam and his Shaq-Fu video game. I owned a pair of his light up shoes. Shaq is truly a larger than life figure. His dominance of the NBA just fueled that thought. His performance in the Finals from 2000-2002 is something we will probably never see again. 3 straight Finals MVP awards, but his sheer power and dominance over his opponents is what I will remember most. The Big Diesel is widely considered or at least in my eyes, a top 10 player of all time. Thank you Shaq.

#5- Allen Iverson

Let’s just be 100% truthful here, if you grew up in the 2000’s watching basketball, you wanted to be like A.I. Every person I knew had his shoes, his headbands, his jersey or some sort of 76ers memorabilia. Iverson got so much negative press for his swagger and attitude, but didnt he earn the right to be that way? Wouldn’t you eventually grow tired of the negativity considering what you had and continued to accomplish on the court? I know I would. I mean the man led a team who’s next notable players were Eric Snow and Samuel Dalembert (no disrespect intended). A.I led the league in scoring multiple times, won MVP, put up with alot of unwarranted grief while still playing at an intensely high level. Even as a 13 year old kid, I understood that. His iconic moment in the Finals against the Lakers is where his legend in my eyes grew exponentially. Him and his team had been counted out from the jump in that matchup and when he emphatically stepped over Tyronn Lue after dropping him with a crossover and draining the jumper, the look in his eyes said “Damnit, I deserve to be here!” He certainly did. Although the 76ers were ultimately no match for Kobe and Shaq’s Lakers, Iverson put the world on notice that he was a force to be reckoned with. His handles and uniqie ability to get to the hoop with such ease and grace is what set him apart from the rest. He made our childhoods and the NBA a lot of fun and no one can ever take that away.

#4 Dirk Nowitski

Ahh, the legend himself. I have mentioned a few times before that I am a diehard Mavs fan and it is 90 percent because of this man. 7 feet tall but almost played like a 3 or 2. His ability to get to the hoop alone warranted respect, but his jumpshot changed the game. Before Dirk, big men could lay back a bit with little to no worry that their adversary could drain an outside shot. When Dirk stepped on the floor, that gameplan went out the window. It seemed that every jumper hit nothing but the bottom of the net. There was no one more fun to watch go on a hot streak. If you wanted him to post you up he could, and he would either get to the rim or give you that famous turn around, tear drop, nothing but net jumper again. The Mavs title run and win over Lebron and Wade’s Heat does not happen without Dirk’s pure desire to win and lead. He finished his career in the top 10 in Points in NBA history. He also holds the record for most points scored by a foreign born player. He led the same franchise day in and day out the entirety of his career. He left every ounce of what he had out on the floor for us Mavericks fans. Without Nowitski, I do not know that I am as enamored with the game of basketball as I am now. One of the best to ever do it. Thank You, Dirk.

#3-Lebron James

Love him or Hate him, Lebron James is one of the most influential players ever. I have been his biggest fan, his biggest critic and biggest fan again all in the 17 year span of his career. He has been just awe inspiring to watch on and off the court. His willingness to lead and to teach those around him and impact their lives is unmatched. He had led teams that without him otherwise would fall into obscurity (they pretty much have), to the promise land of the NBA Finals. He has turned almost an entire nation against him wirh his constant moving and the stands he takes. He is THAT polarizing. The moment my opinion changed on Lebron is the moment i finally started being an actual witness. He is crucified daily for things that normal beings would be praised for. He has devoted his life to being a dad and husband while being the face of the NBA. He has built schools and provided futures for children who would other else not have the opportunity. In year 17, he has taken on the role of mentor to the future generations of players while simultaneously playing at an MVP level and leading the Lakers to the best record in the West. On and off the floor, no matter what he makes you feel, Lebron is forever high on this list. 3 titles. Countless accolades. 34,000 points and counting. Top 3 of all time. None of that matters to me as much as this. James has made me grow as a fan and a person. Any one who can make you feel those emotions on either end of the spectrum are bound to do so. Those are things that cannot be debated.

#2 -Michael Jordan

I dont think there are many NBA lists that exist without this mans name on it. Michael Jordan is basketball. He is yet another legend on this list that no matter what, his impact and legacy will be felt forever. The only reason he is not number 1 is because technically his greatest years weren’t the ones I was around for too much. Don’t get me wrong, I watched the 1998 championship battle with Utah. I grew up idolizing Michael Jordan. His legacy speaks for itself. His jumpman logo is everywhere. I don’t know many people who don’t own a piece of apparel or brand of shoe. My older brother grew up with MJ and he made sure I knew who Jordan was before I began even watching basketball. I used to watch his film “Come Fly With Me” on repeat day after day after day in my VCR. I have argued and argued over him being the greatest player of all time. His physical and mental toughness are mind boggling. His battles with Detroit are etched in sports lore forever. He is Michael freaking Jordan, of course he is on the list!!! I have never seen a man float or glide in air before I saw Michael play. He battled and battled on the court through injury and sickness. The “Flu Game” is proof of his unwillingness to surrender. Not to mention, the man saved the Looney Tunes from aliens!!! In all seriousness, Jordan came into the league when the NBA needed someone the most to save it. He did and then some. He is the reason we can sit and enjoy the game as we do today. Thank you MJ.

#1-Kobe Bryant

Ladies and Gentlemen, my generations Mike. This is really hard to write considering the past month has seemed unreal. I find that in some way darkly fitting because what Kobe was able to accomplish seemed unreal as well. His accomplishments are great but that is not why Kobe sits here at #1. Kobe had something in him that set him apart from everyone. That “Mamba Mentality”. The unwaivering, never satisfied fuel and desire to be the best. The work ethic. The first one in the gym last one out demeanor. The ” Hey, theres no way you’re working harder than me so why should you get the ball” thought process. The savage killer on the court. The intensity to push his teammates to be great to the point of almost causing mental breakdowns. 81 points. Gold medals. MVP awards. Titles. But also, the things we saw shortly before his passing. As a dad, seeing how much he enjoyed being a father, made me realize Kobe and I are not different in that aspect. It really is the best feeling in the world. His work for the LA community and the girls he coached was amazing. He brought everything he could and all the knowledge he had to others as he transitioned to life after basketball. His life was cut short, but his impact on me and every basketball fan will live forever. We will make sure of that!

Having been born in 1989 and grown up in the 90’s and 00’s, I was blessed in my youth to be exposed to what I consider to be one of the best era’s in NBA history. The Michael Jordan era. The Detroit Pistons Bad Boy era. Shaq and Penny. I also have been blessed to have been a part of the era that came after. The Shaq and Kobe era. The Paul Pierce, KG, Ray Allen Celtics era. The Spurs dynasty led by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. All the way up to present day, where it seems up until laat year the NBA Finals should have been named the “Lebron- Steph Curry Invitational”. You see where I am headed with this. One of the hard parts of being such a die hard, over the top sports fan is the question that lies when each of those periods of time come to an end. What is the state of play in basketball when there is No Michael? No Kobe? Much sooner than later it will be, No Lebron? Well, have no fear NBA fans, the sudden surge of superior talent in the young guys coming up in the league and through the college ranks as well as overseas should tell us that the state of the league is not only just fine, but something to be extremely excited about for many, many years to come.

At the end of each legendary players career, we begin to ask about and search for the next “face of the league”. When Jordan retired, we knew Kobe was taking over. When Kobe’s career was winding down, we knew the league was in good hands with Lebron. So where does the NBA now stand that Lebron is in year 17, although still playing at an extremely high level, but undoubtedly in the last few seasons of his career? The beautiful thing about the future of the NBA is that the young talent is vastly widespread across most , if not every franchise.

Ok, obviously Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best young player in the NBA. He has the Milwaukee Bucks sitting atop the Eastern Conference and poised to make a championship run. He also looks set to take home back to back MVP trophies (well it is definitely close between he and Lebron). It would be easy to say that Giannis is definitely the lead character in the young wave of talent and poised to take the torch from Lebron, but maybe not. Maybe it could be one of the many young men I am about to discuss and mention.

The top 5 players poised to challenge Giannis as the “face of the league” is pretty consistent across the board no matter who you ask. It consists of Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Trae Young and rookies Zion Williamson and Ja Morant. There is a case to be made for every one of these guys. I will give a brief synopsis of each players case and at the end, I will let the reader draw their own conclusion from the information given.

Trae Young is in his 2nd year in the NBA and already is a household name. His playmaking ability coupled with a jumpshot that he can pull up and drill from just about anywhere with as hot of a hand as anyone, has made Trae an already top star in the league. Trae is averaging 29.6 points per game to go along with 9.3 assits and 4.3 rebounds. Trae is electric and can get people out of their seats in a hurry, just ask Trevor Ariza. However, his team, the Atlanta Hawks is sitting with the 4th worst record in the NBA and unfortunately for Young, in this day and age, all that matters when sizing up the greats is winning. The Hawks need to build around this young man because he has continued to show he seems to be the real deal.

Jayson Tatum is in the midst of the best season of his young 3 year career and it is not even close. With star point guard Kemba Walker down, Tatum has assumed the role of star player and floor general and has done so phenomenally. He hit a stretch this past week that has not been done since Shaq was in Orlando. He went 3 straight games with over 30 points on at least 60 percent shooting. Think about that. No one since 1994 has done that. He is averaging 7 more points per game and 2 rebounds per game more than last season. Tatum has the Celtics set to be a contender for years to come and if they can win a title or two, then he is definitely atop the list as top dog.

Ja Morant is not going to wow you with the numbers…..yet. What has been incredibly impressive about this kid is both his athletic ability and leadership qualities at such a young age. On more than one occasion this season, Morant has demanded the ball in his hands at the most critical times and delivered. He can catch fire from deep or drive the lane and jump over anybody (see picture above) Morant is averaging just over 17 points a game, but is leading a young Grizzlies team in a playoff chase. His name may not jump off the page at you yet, but the sky is the limit for Morant and I for one am excited to see what he has in store for us in the future.

Zion Williamson’s NBA career is 11 games old, but good god almighty does this kid look special!!! He has already broken records recording 20 or more points in 11 straight games as a teenager. His incredible hops and showtime dunks are great, but I am more impressed at his willingness to go right at the guys defending him showing no signs of timidness, despite some height differences. He has gone right at the likes of Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard with fantastic results. He is showing fantastic power and scoring ability, averaging 24 ppg while shooting 59.3% from the field so far. Any one who had doubt he could compete has been proven wrong and it looks like the Pelicans have found their franchise player to couple with a young foundation of Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. If he continues on this trend and the Pelicans begin to compete, Zion Williamson could certainly be considered as the top guy when all is said and done.

Luka Doncic is at the head of the class at this point. He has pretty much been a walking teiple-double since coming into the league last year and has only gotten better this season. He is currently averaging 28.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game! He turned 21 just a few short days ago. He has turned a Dallas Mavericks franchise around from laughing stock with their best player in franchise history retiring to right in the middle of the playoff picture in the hands of a once in a blue moon talent leading the way. He leads naturally and makes everyone around him better. Hos ball handling is awe inspiring. If Giannis is not the future face of this league, Luka is. Period.

Before you draw your conclusion based on this article, I would like to state that there are many veterans with many years left that help make the NBA what it is. Kawhi, Harden, Lillard, Steph, KD are all a ways away from calling it quits and are the leaders this league calls upon when it needs them most. They are the ones that answer that call brilliantly. There are also alot of young guys who’s names you do not hear much who are having good young campaigns like Deaaron Fox, Collin Sexton and TJ Warren. There are young men coming through the draft coming up like James Wiseman and Lamelo Ball who are exciting players with good potential. Their presence along with the emergence of the players mentioned above just goes to show that no matter what, it is safe to say this league is among the most competitive it has ever been. It also shows that the NBA is in great hands and when the day comes the NBA needs a new “face”, there is more than one player ready to step up and take it? The only question is who?

With Spring Training started this past week, the upcoming 2020 MLB season is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated and fun to watch in recent memory. Everyone from players to coaches to executives to the entire sports media world is talking about the Houston Astros and their sign stealing scandal. Rightfully so. However this list, at least #4-#1, is going to focus on the most intriguing players to watch this year based on either the excitement they bring to the game, the scary good potential they have to make major impact and their track record this far and what these players bring to bring to their respective clubs this season. It will not contain your usual big names like Mike Trout or Nolan Arenado, those guys you will always be watching but rather the young up and comers and 1 big contract guy too that everyone should keep an eye on. The guys most likely to really break out and make a name for themselves. So,without any further ado, lets kick this thing off with a tie between teammates for the #5 spot off the aforementioned disgraced Hoston Astros team.

#5- Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, Houston Astros- Remember the criteria I mentioned in the introduction above? Yeah, throw that away completely for this spot only on the list. I was not even going to put these 2 on any kind of list heading into this season besides maybe “Players I’d Like To Most See Drilled In The Back With A 99MPH Fastball” where they would sit at the top. When creating this list, I couldnt help but think of the questions and storylines surrounding them considering the outcry for them to be suspended and stripped of a title for cheating. Are these 2 going to lead the league in OPS and OBP considering everyone and their mother wants to throw at them? Will the team break the single season HBP record? Will they be injured because of it? As it stands right now, 4 games into spring training, the Astros have already been hit 7 times, showing no signs of slowing down. Hate or Love them, the fact is that baseball fans around the globe will be tuning in at record rates to see the answers to those exact questions. There are alot of angry people out there wanting to see them be hit and hit continuously. These 2 are at the forefront of everything. They went in front of the cameras and gave half assed apologies with smug smiles and smug World Series predictions, ultimately enlarging those huge targets on their backs. Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman are no doubt 2 of the top players at their positions but it will be interesting to see how they perform with this hanging over their heads for what is likely to be all season long or unless Rob Manfred decides to strip the title. TV ratings will never be higher than when they are on TV but it will not be for any other reason than to see if their opponents are out for blood and revenge. Now, let’s move on to #4-#1 and some players that havent been proven to steal a title from the rest of the league.

#4 Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays- Bo Bichette is one of 3 2nd generation Major Leaguers with Hall of Fame fathers on the Blue Jays roster, the other 2 being Cavan Biggio (Son of Craig) and Vlad Guerrero Jr. (Son of Vlad Sr.). Vlad’s power and personality could have had him in this slot as well but in my opinion, it is Bo that is going to set the table and make this Toronto team a surprise this year and a potential contender for many years to come. Bichette was called up in August of 2019 and quickly cemented his spot as starting shortstop for the Jays. In just 46 games from the leadoff spot, Bichette slashed .311 with 11 HR’s 61 hits and a streak of extra base hits that took the league by storm. He is the heartbeat of that lineup, but also showed to have a smooth ability in the field to make the tremendously difficult to look fairly easy. With full 162 game averages based on his numbers laat year, Bo would have a line of .301 avg with 215 hits, 113 runs scored, 39 HR’s and 74 RBI’s. WHO WOULDNT WANT THOSE KIND OF NUMBERS FROM FROM A LEADOFF HITTER?!

3. Gerritt Cole, New York Yankees- Alright, my Yankee fandom may be coming into play here but take a minute to look at the storylines before making any judgement. Cole signed a massive 9 year, 324 million dollar contract this offseason making him the highest paid pitcher in MLB history on whatcused to be the most hated franchise in the sport ( Astros took that spot easily). He is coming off a 20-5 2019 season that saw him finish 2nd in the Cy Young voting to then fellow teammate Justin Verlander. If you ask me and many others though, they will tell you that undoubtedly it is Cole whom is Number One. Over the last 2 seasons he has finished with 15 or more wins and an ERA under 3. He is hitting his stride at the right time as The Yankees look to end their decade long title drought. The big questions and intriguing storiesis if he can handle the pressure of both being considered the savior in New York and living up to such a historical amount of money. He will already be leaned on even heavier heading into the season considering both James Paxton and Luis Severino having suffered injuries that will keep them out some time. Nonetheless, Cole is my pick for both Cy Young and MVP awards in the American League this year. His run support will be the most he has had in his career and he has shown zero signs of decline heading into this year. His ability to adapt even when he doesnt have his top stuff also makes fans want to tune in even more. For Yankee fans such as myself, I really hope I am right!

2. Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals- This one may come as a shocker to most but, hey this only my opinion. Amongst many experts, including myself, Flaherty was widely considered the best pitcher in all of baseball the 2nd half of the season going 10-4 with a sub 2 ERA. Flaherty may not be a household name that casual fans knowjust yet but to real fans hes definitely THE arm to watch this year. As a matter of fact I am picking Flaherty to dethrone Mets P Jacob Degrom as the National League Cy Young award winner this season. The Cardinals do seem to have the talent to compete in the NL Central this season and Jack Flaherty is a big reason why.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr, San Diego Padres- Tatis Jr is 100 percent hands down the most electrifying young player in baseball. His baserunning ability was almost stuff of legend in 2019. His rookie year saw him steal home, get into and out of seemingly impossible pickles all year long, slising head first into First Base to beat out infield singles, his glove and arm strength are among the top I have seen since Lindor and Machado broke into the league and at the plate, he was an absolute stud. Tatis Jr in just 84 games, hit .317 with 22 HR’s and 53 RBI’S. If not for an injury, he would have had historical, astronomical numbers for a rookie leadoff hitter. Tatis looks to be the future of the Padres franchise and with good reason. His teammates love him. He’s outrageous on and off the field. He’s very young at just 21 years old and with the willingness of San Diego to spend money, they can easily make him the man they build around along with 300 million dollar man Manny Machado. Look for Tatis and the Padres to have a breakout year.

That’s the list. I understand my picks aren’t the greatest players or biggest names but they sure as hell are ones to watch for. Please Read SHARE Comment!!!!!