Friday Free For All…..Volume 17.0

Friday Free For All…..Volume 17.0

By: J-Shannon

FRIIIIDDDDAAAAYYYYY, Thank God, I didn’t think this day was coming. I personally have had one hell of a long week, and I’m looking forward to doing nothing more than throw up the feet on a coffee table, loosen the tie, and crack open an Ice Cold ‘Merican. We got lots to cover this Friday morning, so stop acting like you’re working and start reading. This week, we tackle great sports movie clips, having legal but illegal sex, the NFL, the most overrated college football team in the land, and another “Real Man of Genius.” Enjoy People…….

--The “I THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW” Story from this Week:

1. The NFL is making a BIG MISTAKE……

This may just be my opinion, but the NFL is making a HUGE MISTAKE. As of 9:17 Thursday night when I am writing this article, there has been no movement for putting together a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and the Players Association. Let me break it down for the common folk as to what the real issues are all about:

The Team owners and players union are arguing over BILLIONS of dollars. What it boils down to is this, the Team Owners think they are owed more, and the players feel the same way.

Here is what pisses me off about the whole argument. If the league and players don’t agree to a new agreement, there could be a complete cancellation of the 2011 NFL Season. Now I will be EXTREMELY upset if there is no NFL season, but has everyone really stopped and thought about how many people this disagreement affects?

First, there will be NO pay for players. If you have a contract for 10 million or 500K, you aren’t getting a check. Sitting out a year probably won’t affect the Tom Brady’s and the Peyton Manning’s of the world, but what about the other 72% of NFL players who make $500K or less?

Second, almost every team has announced that Coaches and Staff will be taking pay cuts and or mandatory furlough days. Why; because if there is no season, there is no revenue. Billionaire owners don’t care if they are billionaires; they are going to cut cost when there is no revenue coming in. What did they do to deserve cuts? It’s not like they have any say over what goes down with the negotiations.

Last, keep in mind all of the hot dog vendors, beer men, stadium employees, television crews, restaurants, hotels, bars, strip clubs, merchandise workers, popcorn people, and everyone else who is involved in a game day. Their additional paychecks from the NFL season = 0.

--Thing that Have Pissed Me off This Week:

BYU Guard Brandon Davies…

So if you haven’t heard, BYU has a solid basketball team this year. They are on the verge of having one of the best teams they have ever had, and were on the verge of getting a Number 1 Seed in the NCAA Tournament. Well, Wednesday night they got the smack put down on them by New Mexico. Why? Maybe it was because their second leading scorer has been thrown off the team for breaking school honor code.

Now, here is what supposedly happened. Brandon broke school honor code by having sex with his girlfriend. As a result, he was kicked off the team.

You want my opinion? Stop whining about being kicked off the team. You are the one who chose to go to BYU, and you knew they had some serious rules and procedures. You are the one who signed the honor code, and you are the one who broke the rules. You shouldn’t feel bad you got kicked off the team; you should feel bad you let your teammates down. Look, the least you could do would have been keep the sex with the GF on the down low…. Step your game up Bro….

--Youtube Clips of the Week:

Notre Dame Bashing…..

Being that we are saluting the best “Real Men of Genius” commercials of all time, I came across this clip and HAD to include it in the Friday Morning Free for All. Definitely take the time to watch the clip; it is the perfect definition of a Notre Dame Football Fan…..

--My Favorite Sports Movie Scene of the Week:

New category, but really simple. Here is where I’m going to put in some of the absolute best sports movie scenes of all time…. This week:

“Has anyone ever told you you look like a little penis with a hat on?”

--Real Men of Genius Bro of the Week:

In honor of the kickoff of the 2011 NASCAR season, I felt it was only right to dedicate a portion of my Friday Free for All for the next few weeks to the “Real Men of Genius,” presented by ice cold ‘Merican Bud Light. This week, Bro Nameth Salutes you…….

Mr. Really Really Really Bad Dancer….

--Shout-Outs for the Week:

*LeBron James- I’ve had just about enough of “The King.” Like the decision wasn’t gay enough, he post this on Twitter just the other night “20+ games left in phase 2. I'm ReFOCUSED! No prisoners, I have no friends when at WAR besides my Soldiers.”

*Charlie Sheen- The guy is hilarious… enough said. He has the Balls and the Money to do whatever he wants….

*Serena Williams- Good luck on the road back from surgery….

*Chicago Cubs- The season hasn’t even started yet, and teammates are already fighting in the dugout. Solid.

*Green Bay Packers- Even though AJ Hawk led the team in tackles, you managed to convince him he was over paid, you then cut him, and then resigned him for less. Well Done!

*JaMarcus Russell- You got paid somewhere around 45 Million dollars for no reason, and you still got a house going into foreclosure. Nice move Bro…..

*Oregon Football- Looks like that run to the National Championship wasn’t a fluke. They actually have a little more in common with Auburn than making it to the big game. Oregon is being investigated by the NCAA for recruiting violations…..

As always, it’s been a pleasure. Leave a comment if you disagree with anything I got to say, and I’ll prove to you why you are wrong….. Check in again Monday Suckazzzzz.

Happy Crappy Monday Morning......Volume 10.0

Happy Crappy Monday Morning……Volume 10.0

By: J-Shannon

It’s Christmas time people…. You have to love this time of year. You go to work on time, but only do about 60% of what you normally would do. No one gets work done over the next couple of weeks. People are planning family time, what they are doing for Christmas, and searching for some last minute Christmas gifts. What better way to kick off Christmas then with a Happy Crappy Monday Morning, the Christmas edition. Enjoy…..

1.       Dirty Birds Flying High –

12-2. Man that sounds good. I’ll admit, I was extremely skeptical about Matt Ryan being drafted when he did. But what the hell do I know? I think this team is special. They are good, but not great. They are confident, not cocky. They get things done the hard way, by pounding the ball with Turner and Snelling, and wearing down the defense. Matt Ryan doesn’t try and force plays, he just takes what the defense gives him. It is amazing how much better your team plays when you have third and short situations, as opposed to third and long. It seems every time the Falcons have third down this season, it is only 3 or 4 yards to go. This team is special. This team has an opportunity to do something special…. How big is that Monday night football game at the Dome against the Saints going to be? Does home field advantage throughout the playoffs mean anything to you?

2.       MV7 = MVP

Look, I know Tom Brady is a stud. I know his numbers are unreal. I know he is going to go down as one of the best Quarterbacks ever. But if you took him away from that team, would there be that much of a fall off? Yea, they wouldn’t have gone 12-2, but I think it’s safe to say they would have made the playoffs. Now, take Michael Vick away from the Eagles. You’re talking a completely different team. The guy is single handily leading the Eagles to the playoffs on fire. Their O-Line is shaky; doesn’t matter, Vick breaks a tackle or 2 and scrambles for 40 yards. Maclin and Jackson are killing it lately, because they have a guy with an arm that can use their speed to his advantage. This team is hot, and is being led by a guy who has completely changed from the player and person he was 3 years ago. I’ll put it to you this way, I’m excited to see how far the Falcons go into the playoffs, but I damn sure don’t want to have to play MV7 or the Eagles.

3.       All the Miami Heat and King James Haters, where Did you Go?

You know it is funny, the Heat lose a couple of games, and everyone thinks it was a huge mistake for King James to “Take his Talents” to Miami. Well, the Heat is starting to get their shit together. They have won 12 in a row. Actually, they haven’t lost a game this month, and it’s the 20^th of the month. The more time that Wade and King James spend together on the court, the better this combination is going to get. If you were hating on the Heat, and talking about how this combination wasn’t going to work out, then you might want to consider hating on some other team…..

4.       The Town – Solid Flick

I had a chance to lie around on the couch Sunday night, and decided to switch it up from my normal routine. Normally, it’s a night to get my column together, and watch Faith Hill kick off Sunday Night Football. But this Sunday, I decided to watch The Town. Great flick, I highly recommend checking it out. I’m normally not a Ben Affleck fan, but he rocked it in this movie. Anytime you have a movie that’s action packed, involves a bank robbery or 2, and somehow finds a way to incorporate a professional sports team, it’s going to be a winner. This movie is a solid Bro flick…

5.       57^th Fighter Group Restaurant Review…..

You know how it works, I rank based on the following categories: Atmosphere, Talent Level, Cheddar Factor, Drink Accessibility, and Playlist.

·         Atmosphere 9….. This place is great and unique. The restaurant is a themed restaurant, with the feeling of eating on a military base. From the military cars in the parking lot, to the guard gate at the entrance, to the sandbags on the walls, it really gives the feel of a military base. Also, don’t expect to hear music while in the bathroom, instead plan to hear famous war generals giving motivational speeches.

·         Talent Level 6…. One word, COUGAR! Cougars are on the prowl at this place. Keep your eyes peeled, and be prepared, because you will get hit on.

·         Cheddar Factor 7…. It’s a little on the high side, but it is nicer than your ordinary restaurant. The food was amazing. I recommend getting a steak. Also, if you are on active duty, just bring an ID. It is free, as a thanks for your service.

·         Drink Accessibility 8…. The place is a pretty good sized restaurant. There are multiple bars, and cocktail waitresses everywhere. I didn’t have any problem getting a drink in this place.

·         Playlist  6….. Yea, they had a DJ for the dance floor. But their music selection was a little more suited for the Cougars in the bar than anyone else. It is a little old school. Don’t expect to hear anything from the 2000 era.

·         FINAL SCORE = 36…. Translation: Check it out. It is definitely worth the atmosphere, at least once. Also, if you have anyone from the WWII Era, I’m told they have to go, because it is a solid reminder of the past.

6.       DeSean Jackson made the Giants his Bitch….

This won’t take long. Hey Giant fans, how did that make you feel? Look, 14 seconds left in the game, there should not be a remote chance that that punt lands anywhere close to in bounds. It’s that simple. Mr. Coughlin, there is a guy in North Carolina right now, and his name is Bill Cowher. He is preparing to put the old whistle around his neck again, and get back into Coaching in the NFL. That kick off your punter’s foot might as well have been your job if you don’t win the Super Bowl this year……By the way, if you missed it, here it is…..

7.       The NFL

Watch the clip below. You mean to tell me that Tyler Brayton gets fined 15k for that hit and the poor JETS assistant who makes about 80k gets popped for 25k?? Cmon Goodell this is embarrassing. Not only should Tyler Brayton be suspended, Curtis Lofton should take him out back and beat his ass. Have a look see:

8.       Get the Resume’s Ready, Vacancies Everywhere after Christmas

Come January, there are going to be multiple coaching jobs open in the NFL. Hell, so far there are already 3, with the Cowgirls, Broncos, and the Vikings open. But in my eyes, there are going to be a few more. Keep an eye on the Texans, who seem to add talent ever year but remain mediocre. The Titans, who look like they are going to make the stupid decision to choose Vince Young over Jeff Fischer. The Panthers, although who wants that job. The Giants, just because New York doesn’t put up with the type of crap that happened yesterday. (See #6). Other possibilities include Jacksonville and San Fran. Bad news for you Atlanta fans, don’t be surprised if your Offensive Coordinator is a head coach somewhere else next year.

9.       Greinke= From Shittiest to Just Shitty

Just a quick Congrats to Zack Greinke, you left the really shitty team you have been playing for, and now play for just a Shitty team. Congrats.

10. The Top 10 in the Top 10…….

Oh the Top 10. This week is special; it is the Christmas top 10. But the top 10 Christmas movies have been done, so I decided to switch it up a bit. I did the Top 10 Dysfunctional family members in a Christmas movie. Enjoy, and don’t act like you don’t have any of these family members in your family.

1.       UNCLE EDDIE – Christmas Vacation: Possibly my favorite Christmas Character of all time, How could you have a dysfunctional family without Uncle Eddie? Showing up in his horrible RV, with his dog Snots, Eddie somehow charms you into liking him. Everyone has an uncle Eddie in their family.

Favorite Quote:  “Shitter was full Clark!”

2.       BUZZ MCCALLISTER – Home Alone:  What a great older brother. Buzz was that annoying older brother who did anything he could do to get on your nerves. The fact that he ate an entire pizza just to piss his younger brother off is priceless. The downside to Buzz, his girlfriend…. WOOF.

Favorite Quote: “No, for three reasons: A, I'm not that lucky. Two, we use smoke detectors and D, we live on the most boring street in the whole United States of America, where nothing even remotely dangerous will ever happen. Period.”

3.       MR. PARKER- A Christmas Story: Don’t act like you don’t watch this movie at least twice when it is on for 24 hours on TBS. One of the best movies of all time in my book, Mr. Parker reminds everyone of their own father in one way or another. You have to love the old man, complaining about the neighbors dogs, loving his leg lamp, and having his special ways of fixing the problems in the house.

Favorite Quote: “What is a lamp, you nincompoop? It's a Major Award. I won it!”

4.       Dr. NEIL MILLER (Step dad)- The Santa Clause- Tell me you remember the Santa Clause? Tim Allen was great, but my favorite character in that movie was the Stepfather, Neil. Why? I want just one of those phenomenal sweaters’ he used to wear. They were better than anything Mr. Cosby use to wear.

Favorite Quote: “All I ever wanted for Christmas was an Oscar Meyer Weiner whistle.”

5.       BUDDY THE ELF- ELF: I know he isn’t a family member in a movie, but how can you have a Christmas list without adding Buddy.

Favorite Quote:” I thought maybe we could make ginger bread houses, and eat cookie dough, and go ice skating, and maybe even hold hands”

6.       UNCLE FRANK- Home Alone: Everyone has the annoying cheap uncle in the family. Uncle Frank is that uncle. He doesn’t let you watch the good movies, and treats you like a child. Uncle Frank was an ass.

Favorite Quote: “Look what you did you little Jerk”

7.       AUNT BETHANY- Christmas Vacation: What a sweet old lady. She is deaf, and wraps her cat up as a gift. Every line she has in the movie is priceless. From the moment she is suppose to say the Blessing, and actually says the Pledge of Allegiance, to the part where she hears the squirrel. Everyone loves Aunt Bethany.

Favorite Quote: “Oh Dear, did I break wind?”

      8.       DENVER AND DALLAS MCVIE- 4 Christmases: Everyone has those siblings they want to just pound. Well Denver and Dallas McVie are training for the UFC so no dice when Brad rolls in for Christmas.

             Favorite Quote: "Hey Brad, lick my gonads."

       9.       SCOTT CALVIN- The Santa Claus:   What happens when you accidentally kill Santa Claus? You become him. Your boy Scott Calvin has got some serious stories to tell at his sons Career Day.

             Favorite Quote: "We shared a bowl of sugar, did some shots of brown liqour, played with my shot guns, field-dressed a cat, looked for women..."

        10.     THE KID- Bad Santa: Seriously his name in the movie is The Kid. Everyone knows that chubby kid who has the cheeks that look like they are going to explode. This is that kid.

              Favorite Quote: "It's a wooden pickle."

 Leave me your thoughts and comments on the facebook post…. Special shout out to Meghan McClamb for the help on the top 10. See you all Friday morning Suckazzzzzz.

Weekly Bro Nameth Awards and Braves Chatter

Its hump day and Betty White is coming to town. Grab a snickers and man up.

1. FIFA President: "Gay fans should refrain from sexual activities' in Qatar." That went over about as well as a pregnant pole vaulter. A friend of mine on Facebook said it best; How about everyone gay and straight skip the World Cup that year since they picked such a shitty and socially repressed country to have it in. Grab a Snicks.
2. Mother Nature: It's colder than a mother in laws love! She needs to get off her high horse and make a decision. Typical woman. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Enough already! Either get really cold and snow or stop wasting my time. Cold with no snow is just a big tease. I'm sure next week it will be a high of 75 since we do live in Atlanta and that's how she rolls.
3. Jets Strength Coach: You sir are a grade A D-Bag. Former Dolphins LB Zach Thomas has come out and said that he believes the coaches were told to lineup on the sideline and I agree with him. Why would 5 coaches and a player be standing toe to toe directly on the white line where the coaches box is? It doesn't make any sense. He is suspended without pay for the rest of the year and honestly, he should probably be fired. I say they let him fight the guy he took down.
4. Tavaris Jackson: Carpe Diem. Everyone wants to see what Tavaris Jackson can bring to the table and after stinking it up he collides knees with AP and down goes Frazier. You have basically been sitting on the bench for 4 years and here was your chance to show what you could do and to say you fell on your face is an understatement. With Dong Gate likely retiring you could of shown the coaches and fans that you were ready for the prime time but no dice.

This weeks 5 hour Energy award goes to the NY Jets. I don't know what your deal is but you guys are walking around like you got that 2:30 feeling. You get absolutely drubbed by the Patriots 45-3 and then come home to play the Dolphins. You lose 10-6. Now that's 9 points scored in your last 2 games and Dirty Sanchez looks awful. Santonio Holmes couldn't catch a cold right now and Rex Ryan is just a fat slob. If their is 1 thing in sports that is my ultimate pet peeve its someone like Rex Ryan. He walks around like he has accomplished something yet he hasn't done anything as a head coach. He wears a wig at a press conference and thinks its funny. Jokes on you Sherman Klump.

This weeks Mike Tyson Award for biggest beat down goes to Colgate University. You lost 100-43 to Syracuse. Now, Colgate has no chance of beating Syracuse but to lose by 57 you got to be doing alot wrong. Syracuse led 12-0 before Colgate got its first bucket, 34-4 with a little over eight minutes remaining in the first half and 46-8 by halftime. At one point in the second half The Orange were up by 63! The first half for Colgate was almost as bad as the 5 point performance the Cal Golden Bears had a while back but it did set a record for first half futility in the Carrier Dome.

This weeks "it sucks to be you" award goes to the Carolina Panthers. Your once competitive franchise looks awful. Jimmy Clausen looks like the biggest knobber in the NFL and you got manhandled on Sunday against the Falcons. I don't care that you ran the ball well in the 2nd half the game was over at that point. The Falcon's were not as sharp on offense as they normally are and they still put up 31. The only positive thing to come out of this season as your are clearly in the drivers seat for Andrew Luck. There will be the temptation to take $cam Newton as hes going to have the Vince Young effect after he dominated Oregon but it would be in your best interest to draft Luck instead. Nonetheless you still blow.

The Atlanta Braves have had a very nice off season thus far with the signings of Dan Uggla, George Sherrill and trading for Scott Linebrink. With the pieces we have coming back and the power bat we desperately needed in Uggla, I think the Braves have a very good chance next year. Our SP and bullpen should again be solid and the only place I think we still need help is in CF. The idea of adding Jacoby Ellsbury would be incredible. However, I don't know if the RedSox are willing to part with him cheaply. I still wouldn't mind seeing us grabbing Scott Podsednick from the WhiteSox. That would a speed dynamic to our lineup we haven't had in years. With the Phillies signing Cliff Lee the odds we win the NL East are basically gone. However I still think the Braves are suited to win 90-94 games. If we win 90 games we are winning the wild card. Do not fear, Fredi Gonzalez will do just fine replacing the most overrated manager of all time in Bobby Cox.

Picking Contest, Braves and Hawks Chatter, Skip Bayless really is dumb

After another dismal performance by myself I have to admit I am kind of glad that I don't really have to pick any college games this weekend! I am straight getting worked by pretty much everyone in the contest. We had some folks not submit some picks so I made an executive decision to give you all ZERO'S. However, since almost everyone didn't pick it actually made the contest extremely close. So step your game up and don't miss this week! **Bo I cant find your picks on facebook but I know you made them...**Here is where we stand:

	Wk1	Wk 2	Wk 3	Wk 4	Wk 5	Wk 6	Wk 7	Wk 8	Total
Jeffrey	5	6	7	0	0				18
Jason	5	6	4	0	0				15
Mary	4	5	6	0	0				15
Chris	3	4	4	0	4				15
Krieger	0	0	7	0	7				14
Bo	0	3	7	0					10
Pat	0	3	5	0	0				8
Gaddy	0	0	6	0	0				6

NFL: Taken from USA TODAY

• Navy (-8.5) vs. Army......Give me Army +8.5
• Atlanta (-7) @ Carolina......Dive me Da Falcons -7
• San Diego (-7) vs. Kansas City......Give me Da Chiefs +7
• Patriots (-3) @ Chicago......Give me Da Bears +3
• Philly (-3) @ The CowGirls......Give me Da CowGirls +3
• NY Jets (-5.5) vs. The Dolphins......Give me Da Jets -5.5
• NY Giants (-2) @ Minnesota......Give me Da Vikings +2
• Baltimore (-3) @ Houston......Give me Da Ravens -3
• GB (-6.5) @ Detroit......Give me Da Packers -6.5

Weekend Choices:

• The Tourist or Chronicles of Narnia......The Tourist
• McDonald's or Wendy's......I'm torn, but have to go with Wendy's
• Craps or Blackjack......Craps
• Snow Ski or Water Ski......Snow Ski
• Job Security or 2 week gig to earn the job of your dreams......2 week gig, Bro Big or Bro Home

The Atlanta Braves have quietly put together some nice moves this off season. Everyone knows about Dan "Yo momma is" Uggla, but they signed lefty George Sherrill yesterday to a 1 year contract. Now some of you fantasy owners might recognize Sherrill from his days with the Orioles and his consistent 25-30 saves with them. Sherrill is a very crafty, hard throwing lefty who has been with the Dodgers the last 2 years. His stats last year were NOT good. However, lefties only hit around .190 off him last year and I think this definitely bolsters our bullpen. Nice work Frank Wren. Now go get us some help in CF.

The Hawks have been playing some great ball over the last week or so including a very impressive win over the Orlando Magic in Orlando. It would be to easy to take shots at Joe Johnson since the Hawks look BETTER without him in the lineup. I have always been one to take shots so here we go. Joe Johnson is bad and ruins our offense. He isn't worth nearly what we are paying him and his stupid Iso offense is just that, stupid. Since he has gone down the Hawks are 5-1 and looking good doing so. Josh Smith has elevated his game as has Al Horford. I still wish the Hawks would have signed Raymond Felton and let Joe walk. Felton is having a great year in NewYork and who knows, maybe we could have convinced a big FA next year to come here. It is what it is and we are stuck with Joe and his indifferent attitude. I did want to give a big shout out to the Hawks as they have earned it. Keep up the good work while Joe is out because once he returns i for see a bunch of 5-19 nights from him like we have grown accustomed to.

Skip Bayless is really starting to push my buttons. The guy has the BIGGEST AGENDA against the Atlanta Falcons that I have ever seen. He said the Falcons were the 9th best team in the NFL. Are you on drugs? Just because the Falcons don't blow people out they are an average football team? Please. I honestly cannot understand how someone who consistently makes moronic comments continues to GET PAID by the four letter network. I would love to debate him and I am confident I would absolutely destroy him if given the chance. Its bad enough that ESPN favors the northeast and the Atlanta teams as a whole get no love but for him to sit there are continue to put the Falcons down when they have done nothing but win and beat some pretty damn good football teams is an embarrassment to sports talk. I'm sure he is only saying these things to push buttons and get people fired up but at some point it just makes you look stupid.

Numbers Game

Numbers Game

By: Barrett Elkins

For the next couple of posts of mine I am going to do something recommend to me by a colleague.  This colleague is not just a colleague, but a great former college soccer player from Bowling Green.  I use the word “former” because watching him walk around the office now (due to past soccer injuries) looks similar to my 95-year old grandmother.  Anyway, I am going to be breaking down the top 50 athletes to wear the numbers 1-50.  I will be writing me next piece on the numbers 11-20.  Please keep in mind that these are my opinions and some of the decisions were very tough, but came down to the players that I most enjoyed watching or hearing stories from family members who enjoyed watching them. 

I would like to recommend a great book on the subject called, Right On The Numbers, by Nino Frostino.

No. 1. Ozzie Smith

It is very fitting that The Wizard of Ozz is the first on this list.  I was born in St. Louis and grew up idolizing Smith.  Smith was arguably the best defensive shortstop of all time.  He won an incredible 13 Gold Golves and played 15 All Star games.  While he played his first season in San Diego, he was known as one of the best Cardinals of all time and had his number retired a year after his retirement.  (I still have an Ozzie Smith rookie card in mint condition.  Make me an offer!)

No. 2 Derek Jeter

I chose Derek Jeter as the best No. 2 because he has done a couple of things that I truly admire.  He has played under the microscope of New York City his entire career AND has remained a true role model (This has the potential to make me look dumb if he does not work out his new contract this offseason).  He might not be the best defensive shortstop, or even close on the list of Yankees, but he brings so much maturity and leadership to a team that he is worth every penny of his absurd contract (Don’t get me started on Alex Rodriguez). 

No. 3 Babe Ruth

The Sultan of Swat does not need much said about him.  All I am going to say about The Babe is that I lived with a guy from Boston one year, and I very thankful that Ruth was a Yankee.  While I will admit that Boston fans are some of the most loyal fans in the country, it is best for one’s mental health not be around one for a long period of time. 

No. 4 Lou Gehrig

There are many stories about why Wally Pipp was benched as the Yankees first baseman.  The most popular story is that Pipp came to the game that day with a headache.  Rather than play through it, he told his manager to give the young Gehrig a chance.  Whatever the reason was, Gehrig went on to play 2130 straight games for the Yankees.  Wally Pipp was traded to the Reds a couple of years later, and the rest, as they say, is history.  I still consider his retirement speech as one of the greatest of all time.  His attitude is one that should be admired by any athlete in any sport.  “Today, I consider myself, one of the luckiest people on the face of the earth.”

No. 5 Joe DiMaggio

As much as I wanted to stay away from just one sport, and especially a single team, I cannot help but picking DiMaggio over any No. 5 of all time.  Anyone who knows any history of baseball knows his impact on the game.  As much as I don’t like his personal life, I cannot take away what he did on the field.  His hitting streak will never be beaten.

No. 6 Bill Russell

Now I know I was not old enough to ever see him play, but this is a player whose numbers speak for themselves.  11 championships in 13 seasons is going to be tough to beat…ever.  He had seven games of over 40 rebounds (that is not a typo).  He makes it impossible to stay away from Boston with my picks.  He is not just a part of those 11 championships; he is the reason for the Celtics early dominance.

No. 7 Mickey Mantle

This was a tough choice for me over Peter Maravich, but Mantle earned my choice.  His seven World Series rings might have sealed the deal.  Or, it could have been the fact that he had to fill some of the biggest shoes in baseball history (taking over in center field after DiMaggio left), and rewriting the history books.  He was truly one of the greatest players to ever play the game.

No. 8 Cal Ripken Jr.

This was the toughest choice yet, but Ripken Jr. gets my vote because he is the perfect athlete.  Not only was he great on the field, he was always on the field.  His streak of consecutive games played will never be close to being threatened.  He was truly a team player and a player from which all athletes can learn.  His attitude remained consistent through decades and his work ethic is still admired by all.

No. 9 Ted Williams

Ted Williams, even being a member of the Red Sox, earned this spot.  He is arguably the best pure hitter that baseball has ever seen.  He won the Triple Crown twice in his career and finished up with a career average over .300.  His career could be summed up by his final plate appearance which he sent flying over the wall for his 521^st home run. 

No. 10 Chipper Jones

I will admit that recently I have been down on Chipper.  Chipper gets the nod for two reasons.  First, this is a choice over his entire career, not his previous season.  Secondly, I did not find anyone with the number 10 that jumped out at me (please feel free to let me know how wrong I am).  Chipper has been a huge contributor to ONE team his entire career and has proven that he can both hit for average and for power.  The home runs he has accumulated over the seasons have come at times when he had no power on either side of him and pitchers could have easily pitched around him. 

When I started this list, I wanted to stay away from just having one sport or team.  But after doing some research, I realized that there is a reason that baseball is considered America’s national past time.  Please feel free to show me where I am wrong.  I know picking Cal Ripken Jr. over Kobe might upset some people.  Anyway, 1-10 is complete, so I must leave you to start researching 11-20.  Have a great week!