True Pioneers in Sports History: Larry Doby

Happy Birthday Raymond Berry

This Day in Sports History - 2/24/1982

Wayne Gretzky sets a new NHL season goal-scoring record during a 6 - 3 Oilers victory over the Sabres in Buffalo. Gretzky came into the contest with 76 goals on the season, tied with Phil Esposito's 76 for the Boston Bruins in 1970-71. He gets his 77th with the score 3 - 3 at 13:24 of the third period on an unassisted goal past Buffalo netminder Don Edwards. Before the night is done, he adds two more goals, at 18:16 and 19:43, as Esposito stands by to hand him the game puck.

Andy Pettitte & Trevor Hoffman

The final two players on my 25 Free Agents to watch are Andy Pettitte and Trevor Hoffman. Both players decided to retire instead of returning for another season. Pettitte has a career record of 240 - 138 and 2,251 strikeouts. He also has the most postseason wins with 19. Hoffman, who started as a SS in the Minor-Leagues, had 601 career saves. Included in that were nine seasons of 40 or more saves. Hoffman is known for his change-up like Bruce Sutter is known for his splitter or Mariano Rivera is known for his cutter.

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Orlando Cabrera

The Cleveland Indians signed Orlando Cabrera to a one year contract. He'll move from SS to 2B to allow Asdrubal Cabrera (no relation) to stay at SS. Cabrera has 1,948 career hits and has won 2 Gold Gloves. From 2007-2010 Cabrera has played for 4 different teams and have helped each of them make the playoffs.

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Happy Birthday Jim Brown

Greatest Coaches Countdown - #34 Tom Osborne

Sport: College Football

Stops: Nebraska (1973 - 1997)

Record: 255 - 49 - 3 (.836 Winning Percentage)

Championships: 3

Fun Facts

1. Osborne ended his career in style, from 1994 - 1997 Nebraska went 49-2 and won 3 National Championships
2. He is the only coach to retire as the reigning national champion
3. From 2001 - 2007 Osborne was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nebraska's 3rd district

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Johnny Damon

The Tampa Bay Rays signed Johnny Damon. He re-joins former Boston teammate Manny Ramirez who was also signed by the Rays. Damon will spend time in LF, DH and perhaps even a little at 1B. Damon has 385 career stolen bases and is a career .287 hitter. More than the statistics that Damon has accumulated over his career, he has shown to be a team leader which is something the Rays need with a very young team.

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Happy Birthday Darrell Green

Vladimir Guerrero

The Baltimore Orioles signed DH Vlad Guerrero to a one year contract. Last season he helped lead the Texas Rangers to the World Series as he batted .300with 29 HRs and 115 RBIs. He joins a team that has already added 1B Derrek Lee, SS J.J. Hardy and 3B Mark Reynolds this off-season. The Orioles also have good young players like C Matt Wieters, OFs Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. This mix of young and old should help the Orioles offense throughout this season.

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My Four Favorite Commercials from Super Bowl XLV

One week ago, like many other people I was watching Super Bowl 45 between the Packers and Steelers. I was at a Super Bowl party with about 30 people and I was probably the only one there who actually cared about watching the game. As much as I enjoy watching the game I do love the commercials. Here are my favorite four from this year's Super Bowl, why four?, because that's all I liked.


The first one was an NFL commercial. It combined two of my favorite things: TV shows and football.



Next is this Volkswagon commercial. It's just super-cute, simple and has some humor.



The next one is a Budweiser commercial. I haven't liked a Budweiser commercial since the "Budweiser Frogs", but this was funny and I like the song "Tiny Dancer"


The final one that I liked was this Chrysler commercial. It makes a clear point, you know what they're selling (which is more of an issue in some ads than you'd think) and it uses Eminem and one of his excellent songs.

Adam Kennedy

The Seattle Mariners signed 2B Adam Kennedy this off-season. Kennedy is 35 years old and has seen his numbers decline. He was a member of the 2002 Anaheim Angels who won the World Series. Kennedy joins a team that has veterans like Ichiro, Chone Figgins and Jack Wilson as well as youngsters like Franklin Gutierrez and Dustin Ackley. Kennedy may be a bench player for this team; but he should help bring some professionalism and a winning attitude to a team that desperately needs it.

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Rafael Soriano

RP Rafael Soriano signed with the New York Yankees. Soriano will be used as a set-up guy for future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera, and may be the team's long term answer to replace Rivera when the time comes. Soraino has 88 career saves and 49 career holds. Last season Soriano was an All-Star for the Tampa Bay Rays and led the Majors with 45 saves.

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Edgar Renteria

The Cincinnati Reds signed World Series MVP SS Edgar Renteria to a 1 year deal which can be worth up to $3 million. Renteria is a career .287 hitter with 290 career stolen-bases. Renteria will join an infield with 3B Scott Rolen, 2B Brandon Phillips and 1B and reigning NL MVP Joey Votto. Renteria is also a 2 time Gold Glove award winner.

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Happy Birthday Mookie Wilson

Today is the birthday of former New York Mets' OF Mookie Wilson. Wilson may be best known for the game-winning hit in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Here is the entire inning with Mookie's heroics at the end.

Best by the Numbers - Minnesota Edition

1. Warren Moon
2. Malik Sealy
3. Stephon Marbury
4. Paul Molitor: Molitor's 3,000th hit came as a member of the Twins, he's the only player to get his 3,000th hit with a triple
5. Kim Johnsson
6. Tony Oliva
7. Joe Mauer: Mauer is a three time AL Batting Champion
8. Gary Gaetti
9. Mikko Koivu
10. Wally Szczerbiak
11. Daunte Culpepper
12. Brian Harper
13. Luke Ridnour
14. Brad Johnson
15. Christian Guzman
16. Frank Viola
17. Petr Sykora
18. Jason Bartlett
19. Sam Cassell
20. Madieu Williams: Williams received the "Walter Payton Man of the Year" award for his charitable work
21. Kevin Garnett
22. Brad Radke: Radke had 148 wins in his career spent entirely in Minnesota
23. Brendan Harris
24. Bobby Jackson
25. Al Jefferson
26. Robert Smith: Smith, an Ohio State alumn, holds the Vikings all-time record for rushing yards with 6,818
27. David Ortiz
28. Bert Blyleven: Will be inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2011
29. Rod Carew
30. Terry Porter
31. Chris Cook
32. Christian Laettner
33. Justin Morneau
34. Kirby Puckett: Puckett played all 12 years of his career for the Twins
35. Manny Fernandez
36. Joe Nathan
37. Jimmy Hitchcock
38. Rick Aguilera
39. Jaun Rincon
40. Jim Kleinsasser
41. Jeff Reardon
42. Darren Sharper
43. Chris Carr
44. Dave Casper
45. Chuck Person
46. Cullen Loeffler
47. Jack Morris: Morris won a World Series in his only season with the Twins
48. Torii Hunter
49. Tony Richardson
50. Matt Lawton
51. Ben Leber
52. Chad Greenway
53. Joe Mays
54. Matt Guerrier
55. Mike Redmond
56. Chris Doleman
57. Johan Santana: Santana won 2 Cy Youngs as a member of the Twins
58. Ed McDaniel
59. Dixon Edwards
60. Jon Rauch
61. Everett Lindsay
62. Jeff Christy
63. Corbin Lacina
64. Randall McDaniel
65. Gary Zimmerman
66. Grant Wiley
67. Benoit Pouliot
68. Mike Morris
69. Jared Allen
70. Jim Marshall: Marshall has the record for consecutive starts by a DE with 270
71. David Dixon
72. Jason Fisk
73. Todd Steussie
74. Bryant McKinnie
75. Joe Phillips
76. Steve Hutchinson
77. Korey Stringer
78. Matt Birk: Birk was a 6th round pick out of Harvard
79. Artis Hicks
80. Chris Carter: Carter, an Ohio State alumn, was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor in 2003
81. Visante Schainco
82. Troy Walters
83. Robert Tate
84. Randy Moss: Moss was drafted 21st overall by the Vikings in 1998
85. Greg Camarillo
86. Jake Reed
87. Bernard Berrian
88. Alan Page: Page is currently an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
89. Matthew Hatchette
90. Derrick Alexander
91. John Burrough
92. Duane Clemons
93. John Randle: Randle was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010
94. Pat Williams
95. Kenechi Udeze
96. Pierre-Marc Bouchard
97. Talance Sawyer
98. Letroy Guion
99. Napoleon Harris
    

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Happy Birthday Vlade Divac

Super Bowl XLV Preview

This Sunday February 6th will be Super Bowl 45 between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. Here are 45 facts and stats that hopefully you'll enjoy.

1. First time that there will be more Super Bowls than US Presidents
2. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a 6-1 Super Bowl record
3. The Green Bay Packers have a 3-1 Super Bowl record
4. Packers are first #6 seed from NFC to make the Super Bowl
5. Packers have 3 players from Ohio St. (Ryan Pickett, Matt Wilhelm, A.J. Hawk)
6. Steelers have help opponents to under 17 points eleven times this season
7. Steelers are 22-3 in games where Troy Polamalu has an interception
8. Ben Roethlisberger has a 10-2 playoff record
9. Aaron Rodgers is NFL's all time leader in passer rating
10. Clay Matthews had 13.5 sacks this season
11. Charles Woodson played in Super Bowl 37 for Oakland
12. James Harrison has been fined $100K this season
13. Packers RB coach Edgar Bennett played for Packers in Super Bowl 31 win
14. Lamar Woodley has 10 sacks in 6 career playoff games
15. Packers OLB coach Kevin Greene played for Steelers from 1993-1995
16. Steelers DC Dick LeBeau played cornerback in NFL for 13 years
17. Rashard Mendenhall had a 3.9 yards/att during the regular season
18. Tramon Williams has 3 INT in playoffs, one returned for TD
19. 1st Super Bowl where both teams are more than 75 years old
20. Mike Tomlin has 5 straight playoff wins
21. Packers have lost 15 players to season ending injuries
22. Pittsburgh has 25 players with Super Bowl experience; Green Bay has 2
23. A.J. Hawk had a team leading 111 tackles this season
24. Packers defense forced 15 fumbles and 24 interceptions
25. Steelers defense forced 24 fumbles and 21 interceptions
26. Lawrence Timmons had a team leading 135 tackles
27. Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior and James Harrison each had over 100 tackles
28. Hines Ward has 7 receptions 166 yards and 1 TD in 2 career Super Bowl games
29. Ben Roethlisberger is looking to become 5th QB with 3 Super Bowl wins (Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Troy Aikman & Tom Brady)
30. Aaron Rodgers is 27 years old; Brett Favre was 27 years old when he one Super Bowl 31
31. James Harrison has longest play in Super Bowl history with a 100 yard interception return in Super Bowl 43
32. Mike McCarthy was born in Pittsburgh
33. Packers have 21 players/coaches in the Hall of Fame, Steelers have 18
34. Mike Tomlin is youngest coach to take team to 2 Super Bowls
35. Both teams play a 3-4 defense, making this the first Super Bowl to match two 3-4 defenses
36. Steelers were 4-2 against common opponents while Packers were 3-3
37. Packers FB John Kuhn was on Pittsburgh's 2005 Super Bowl team, he could become the 48th player to win a Super Bowl with more than one team
38. Packers DC Dom Capers was Steelers DC from 1992-1994
39. Steelers led NFL with 48 sacks; Packers were 2nd with 47
40. "The Terrible Towel" is made by a company in Wisconsin
41. Greg Jennings had 12 TDs during the regular season
42. Mike Wallace averaged 21 yards/reception during the regular season
43. Steelers WR Antwaan Randle El threw 2 TDs during the regular season
44. Donald Driver was a 7th round draft pick in 1999
45. The Packers have not trailed by more than 7 points all season