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Articles By Nathan Rush
"For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, / He writes — not that you won or lost — but how you played the Game," Grantland Rice famously wrote in his 1908 poem, "Alumnus Football."
Not everyone in sports has lived by those words, obviously. With that mind, we look back at the 25 biggest bullies in sports history:
25. Richie Incognito
A threatening, profanity-laced, half-N-bomb, yo-mamma voicemail left for his Miami Dolphins O-linemate Jonathan Martin moved Incognito from "NFL's Dirtiest Player" to "Notorious B.U.L.L.Y."
24. Dale Earnhardt Sr.
The "Intimidator" was quick to remind his competition to "put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up there and eat that candy ass." Dale Sr. had no problem putting other cars into the wall with his No. 3 Monte Carlo.
23. Michael Jordan
Isiah Thomas was bullied off the Dream Team; Steve Kerr was punched in the face; Jerry Krause's Croatian sensation Toni Kukoc was harassed; and a teenage Kwame Brown was broken down to tears by "His Airness." Plus, MJ absolutely abused everyone in the NBA during his reign.
22. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Sports Illustrated declared Mayweather "a bully, one neatly wrapped in a cut 5-foot-8, 147-pound package. Like most bullies, Mayweather is intimidating. He sends promoters, managers and networks cowering in the corner with the mere threat of withholding his services. He holds the boxing world hostage by saying he will take his gloves and go home unless the fight isn't when he wants, where he wants and at what weight he wants. He perpetuates a lie … because he is confident in the fact that no one in the industry will stand up to him."
21. Randy Savage
"Oooooh, yeah!" The "Macho Man" broke into the WWF as a heel who bullied the "First Lady of Wrestling," Miss Elizabeth, and was quick to "snap into" anyone who dared look at his manager.
20. Kermit Washington
"The Punch" nearly killed Rudy Tomjanovich but also inspired the John Feinstein book, The Punch: One Night, Two Lives, and the Fight That Changed Basketball Forever.
19. Ron Artest
The Artest currently known as "Metta World Peace" was not always the lovable, flagrant-fouling, elbow-throwing, physical defender we know today. He was once the instigator of the infamous "Malice at the Palace." That poor fat fan in the stands didn't stand a chance.
18. Quinton Jackson
"Rampage" is a terror in and outside the ring. Making countless MMA fighters tap out, dry-humping ring girls and driving on the sidewalk during an extended police chase.
17. Todd Bertuzzi
The consummate goon and longtime NHL enforcer, Bertuzzi ended Steve Moore's hockey career with a sucker punch in 2004.
16. Jack Tatum
"The Assassin" paralyzed Darryl Stingley with a vicious hit over the middle in 1978. Tatum was the leader of a gang of bullies in the Oakland Raiders' secondary who were known for headhunting.
15. Vince McMahon
The Chairman and CEO of the WWE is a marketing genius, but he has no problem taking a metaphorical folding chair (or a real folding chair) to the back of anyone standing in his way. McMahon has bullied and bulldozed his way to the top of the ropes. Look out below.
14. Ndamukong Suh
The Albert Haynesworth 2.0 of dirty defensive tackles, Suh saves his worst for Thanksgiving dinner, stomping in 2011 and kicking in '12. He's also bullied friends and cable guys off the field, making Suh arguably the young bully with the most upside.
13. Bill Romanowski
Romo was psycho — spitting on opponents, beating up teammates and causing widespread chaos everywhere he roamed. Romanowski's rage was often steroid-fueled, as the linebacker told "60 Minutes" he received the juice from none other than Victor Conte himself.
12. John Kreese
Cobra Kai's screw-loose leader had a simple instruction: "Sweep the leg."
11. Daniel Snyder
The Washington Post's Dave McKenna has previously documented Snyder's bullying from A to Z, reminding us why the Redskins' owner is everyone's least favorite NFL power player.
10. Bob Gibson
Don't crowd the plate or drive reckless when Gibson is in fastball range. The two-time Cy Young winner and 1968 NL MVP has no patience. After years of plunking batters to establish his dominance on the mound, Gibson was cited for assault in a road rage case in 2002 after establishing he was king of the road.
9. Bill Laimbeer
Laimbeer was the dirtiest of the Detroit Pistons' "Bad Boys," a group that also included noted bullies like Dennis Rodman and Rick Mahorn. Motown's modus operandi in the late 1980s and early '90s was to punish anyone who dared take the ball to the rim — looking at you, Michael. There were even "Jordan Rules" used to intimidate the Pistons' fiercest rival from Chicago.
8. Mike Tyson
"Iron Mike" was the youngest heavyweight champion (20 years, 4 months) in history and one of the most feared fighters of all time. With 44 KOs in 50 career wins, Tyson was a bully among bullies. The tortured champ was also convicted of rape in 1991 and served three years in the penitentiary. And one more thing… Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield's ear in Las Vegas back in 1997.
7. Broad Street Bullies
Philadelphia Bulletin scribes Jack Chevalier and Pete Cafone coined the "Broad Street Bullies" nickname for the Philadelphia Flyers crew back in 1973. HBO Films made a documentary about the team that included Hart Trophy winner Bobby Clake.
6. Ty Cobb
Always angry? Check. Documented racist? Check. Slides into bases with his spikes up? Oh yeah. "I was the most hated man in baseball," Cobb famously told biographer Al Stump. Cobb was proud of his bullying.
5. Tonya Harding
The surreal attack on Nancy Kerrigan in 1994 made Harding and her goon ex-husband Jeff Gillooly a national scandal. After finishing eighth (to Kerrigan's silver medal) at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, Harding has gone on to a hodgepodge of pro wrestling and amateur boxing.
4. Lance Armstrong
"Live Strong" to beat testicular cancer. Blood dope to win seven Tours de France. Sue anyone who dares speak the truth about said blood doping. Most important, never apologize for anything — even if you're on Oprah. Because of Lance, millions of American sports fans will never again watch the Tour de France.
3. Bobby Knight
With his sideline, chair-throwing tirades, Robert Montgomery Knight evolved into the stereotypical coach who takes himself too seriously and uses his position of power to bully those cowering beneath.
2. Roger Goodell
The "Ginger Hammer" will not rest until the NFL has become a flag football league with an 18-game schedule and a team in London.
The NCAA rakes in nearly $1 billion in revenue annually. Roughly 80 percent of that comes from television deals, with college football and men's basketball being the primary cash cows. How much do "student-athletes" profit from the NCAA's non-profit monopoly? Oh, that's right. The NCAA is as big and corrupt as any bully in sports history. HBO's John Oliver explained it about as well as anyone:
The best team doesn't always win the NCAA Tournament. Many of greatest rosters ever assembled failed to cut down the nets in the one-and-done, single-elimination Madness of March. These are the 15 best teams that never won the NCAA Tournament.
RELATED: Top 10 Arenas in College Basketball
1. 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels
(34–1, 18–0 Big West)
Coach Jerry Tarkanian
Lost to Duke, 79–77, in Final Four
Vegas was the undisputed, undefeated heavyweight champion of the world in college basketball before falling to Duke in a rematch of the 1990 title game, in which the Runnin' Rebels humiliated the Blue Devils, 103–73. With three 1991 NBA Lottery picks — national player of the year forward Larry Johnson (No. 1 overall), wingman Stacey Augmon (No. 9) and point guard Greg Anthony (No. 12) — and the reigning Final Four MOP in Anderson Hunt, UNLV was as intimidating as it was dominant.
2. 1975 Indiana Hoosiers
(31–1, 18–0 Big Ten)
Coach Bob Knight
Lost to Kentucky, 92–90, in Elite Eight
Bob Knight and Joe B. Hall nearly went to blows during a 98–74 IU win over UK in December 1974. The Hoosiers were riding a 34-game winning streak heading into their rematch with the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament. But without a full strength Scott May — who scored two points due to a broken arm, after scoring 25 in the first meeting — undefeated Indiana fell to Kentucky, a team that went on to lose the national title to UCLA in John Wooden's final game.
3. 1983 Houston Cougars
(31–3, 16–0 Southwest)
Coach Guy Lewis
Lost to NC State, 54–52, in NCAA title game
Texas' tallest fraternity, "Phi Slama Jama" was led by a pair of future Hall of Famers in shot-swatting big man Akeem Olajuwon and high-flying Clyde "the Glide" Drexler. The middle of three straight Final Four appearances and first of two national title game runner-up finishes was the most painful, as NC State pulled off one of the greatest Cinderella upsets in Big Dance history.
4. 1985 Georgetown Hoyas
(35–3, 14–2 Big East)
Coach John Thompson
Lost to Villanova, 66–64, in NCAA title game
The Patrick Ewing-led Hoyas were runner-up to North Carolina in 1982, national champs in 1984 and heavily favored to repeat as champs in 1985. But the overwhelming edge in talent for Ewing, Reggie Williams, David Wingate and Co. was no match for the magical shooting night of Rollie Massimino's Wildcats, who shot 22-of-28 from the field to beat "Hoya Paranoia" on April Fools' Day.
5. 1984 North Carolina Tar Heels
Coach Dean Smith
Lost to Indiana, 72–68, in Sweet 16
On paper, this was Dean Smith's most talented team, on the court and on the bench. National player of the year Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Brad Daugherty and freshman Kenny Smith headlined a loaded roster, while Roy Williams, Bill Guthridge and Eddie Fogler served as assistant coaches for a group of Tar Heels that couldn't even make it to the Final Four.
6. 2015 Kentucky Wildcats
Coach John Calipari
Lost to Wisconsin, 71-64, in Final Four
Kentucky was the first team in history to go 38-0 as it reached the Final Four on a mission to become the first team to hit that magical 40-0 number. The Wildcats' stifling defense and imposing big men met their match against the historically efficient Wisconsin offense. This UK team didn't have the star power of perhaps other teams on this list, but it was among the deepest teams of the modern era.
7. 1993 Michigan Wolverines
(31–5, 15–3 Big Ten)
Coach Steve Fisher
Lost to North Carolina, 77–71, in NCAA title game
The sophomore season of the Fab Five — Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson — produced the same (since vacated) results as their freshman campaign. Michigan marched all the way to the national title game with their signature baggy shorts, black socks and swagger, only to lose to ACC power UNC, after losing to Duke in the championship game the season before.
8. 1997 Kansas Jayhawks
(34–2, 15–1 Big 12)
Coach Roy Williams
Lost to Arizona, 85–82, in Sweet 16
KU had it all, with NBA size down low in Raef LaFrentz and Scot Pollard, clutch shooters in Paul Pierce, Jerod Haase and Billy Thomas, and steady point guard play from Jacque Vaughn and Ryan Robertson. But Roy Williams' Jayhawks could not close the deal against Miles Simon, Mike Bibby and eventual champion Arizona.
9. 1973 NC State Wolfpack
Coach Norm Sloan
Banned from postseason play
David Thompson and Tommy Burleson led NC State to an undefeated regular season but were unable to go dancing after being banned from postseason play due to NCAA sanctions. When the ban was lifted, the 1973-74 Wolfpack went 30–1 cut down the nets following a national championship.
10. 1974 UCLA Bruins
(26–4, 12–2 Pac-8)
Coach John Wooden
Lost to NC State, 80–77 in 2OT, in Final Four
The next-to-last team coach by the Wizard of Westwood ended UCLA's streak of seven consecutive NCAA titles. Despite being led by Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes, the Bruins were unable to outlast NC State in double-overtime in the Final Four.
11. 1954 Kentucky Wildcats
Coach Adolph Rupp
Elected not to participate
Coach Adolph Rupp chose to take a stand against the NCAA by keeping the unbeaten Wildcats out of the Tournament after Frank Ramsey, Cliff Hagan and Lou Tsioropoulos were ruled ineligible due to a graduation rule that is no longer in place.
12. 1999 Duke Blue Devils
Coach Mike Krzyzewski
Lost to Connecticut, 77–74, in NCAA title game
One of Coach K's most talented teams was anchored by No. 1 overall pick Elton Brand, sharpshooting senior Trajan Langdon, point guard William Avery and athletic freak frosh Corey Maggette — all of whom went in the top 14 of the 1999 NBA Draft.
13. 1962 Ohio State Buckeyes
(26–2, 13–1 Big Ten)
Coach Fred Taylor
Lost to Cincinnati, 71–59, in NCAA title game
Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek are two of the greatest players in Ohio State history, playing in three consecutive NCAA title games — losing the last two trips as a heavy favorite against in-state rival Cincinnati.
14. 1957 Kansas Jayhawks
(24–3, 11–1 Big Seven)
Coach Dick Harp
Lost to North Carolina, 54–53 in 3OT, in NCAA title game
Kansas' Wilt Chamberlain was unable to follow in the championship footsteps of San Francisco's Bill Russell — who led the Dons to titles in 1955 and '56. The Stilt lost in triple-overtime in what old timers have called the greatest game ever played.
15. 1963 Cincinnati Bearcats
(26–2, 11–1 Missouri Valley)
Coach Ed Jucker
Lost to Loyola-Chicago, 60–58, in NCAA title game
In their fifth straight Final Four appearance, the Bearcats were aiming for a three-peat before the term existed. But back-to-back champion Cincinnati was shocked by underdog Loyola-Chicago in the final.
The NCAA Tournament is almost here. Selection Sunday is around the corner. Only one person will win your office bracket pick 'em pool. But everyone can have a funny March Madness bracket team name. Here are 68 names that should get a laugh, from the First Four to the Final Four.
Final Fourgasm
Cinderella Story
Boom Shaka Shaka
When I Think About You I Touch Bill Self
Not In Kansas Anymore
Shock It To Me
Shock and Awe
Stallings Will F'n Kill You
Court Stormers
Bill Walton Smells Colors
7-10 Splits
Full Metal Bracket
Prince Jersey Chaser
March Mad Men
Fast Breaking Bad
Ball So Hard University
Sparty Party
Horace Grant's Nephew
Bruce Pearl's BBQ
Bo Knows
Bo's Badgers
F--- 'Em Bucky
Mudiay's Semester Abroad
Headbands Make Her Dance
Anthony Benedetto's Wahoos
I Left My Heart in Charlottesville
Big Dancin' For Money
One Shining Moment
And1 Shining Moment
Church of Bracketology
Amoeba Defense
Stretch Final Fours
Air Ballers
One Man Wolf Pack
POTUS > Clark Kellogg
Pitino's 15-Second Drill
Italian Sausage Stuffed Snapper
Ospreys Cray
One Time at Band Camp
Coach 1K
Cameron Crazies
Duke's No-Look Policy
Carmelo Anthony Davis
Calipari's Recruiting Budget
Ashley's Judds
Big Bluegrass Nation
One and Won
Only one team will win your fantasy baseball league, but everyone can have a funny (or silly or crazy) fantasy baseball team name. These are 175 suggestions for the baseball nerds, Internet bird dogs, Sabermetric mathematician-magicians, jersey chasers and MLB Extra Innings subscribers who comprise fantasy baseball leagues around the world.
Technology and Stuff
50 Shade of Sonny Gray
50 Cents of First Pitches
Hakuna Moncada
Soler Flares
Yeah Jeets
Jeter Del Boca Vista
Jeter's Gift Baskets
McCann Man Code
CC's MPH Diet
Void A-Roid
A-Rod Centaur
Short Porch Party
Benedict Ellsbury
A-Rod Handwriting Experts
Biracial Angels
Ranger Danger
Jackie Robinson West
Volkswagen #Vanlife
Prince Bigger in Texas
Dead Ted's Head
Tampa Bay Carly Raes
Cano Mode
Barehand-relton Simmons
Wild Thing
Willie Mays Hays
JUST a Bit Outside
Crash Davis
Nuke LaLoosh
Maybe This Year
108 Stitches
Snitches Get 108 Stitches
Man With 4 Balls Can't Walk
99 Problems, Pitch Ain't One
$325-Million Marlin
Sandlot Beasts
Kansas City Lordes
Blurred Foul Lines
Blurred Outfield Lines
Wrecking Ball Four
Bronx Zoo
Hackensack Bulls
Dano Grande
Light-Tower Power
Joey Bats
San Diego Rotisserie Chickens
Grand Theft Votto
Cubs Mascot Dong
I Piss Excellence
I'm CEO, You Shut Up
Kenny Powers Posse
Balco Black Sox
Slump Busters
Joe Buck Yourself
Ain't Over Til It's Over
Déjà vu All Over Again
Springfield Isotopes
Griffey Jr.'s Tonic
Mattingly's Sideburns
Talkin' Baseball
New York Knights
Rockford Peaches
No Crying in Baseball
All the Way Mae
Tanaka-Knock Joke
Must Be the Mo'ne
Paleo Sandoval
Paleo Panda
Madison Budweiser
Miggy Azalea
Arms of an Angel
WAR-time Consigliere
Bob LOB Law
Crack That WHIP
VORP Speed
Mr. Kate Upton
Yoenis Envy
Yu Da Man
Dick Pole's Staff
Chief Noc-A Homa
Dread Pirates
Outfield Fly Rule
Rusty Trumbo
Smoak a Swisher
The Bourn Supremacy
The Price is Wrong
Heady Play by Beltre
Thome Don't Play That
Murderer's Row
Lovable Losers
Houston Lastros
Houston Colt .45s
Hot Pocket Corner
Joe Buck Nasty
Raking It In
Bay of Puigs
Flipping the Bat
Better Call Paul (Goldschmidt)
Kung Fu Pandas
Say It Aint's Sosa
Seventh-Inning Yoga
Cleveland Steamers
Dollar Dogs
Thirsty Thursdays
Kangaroo Court
Designated Shitter
El Paso Chihuahuas
Atlanta Black Crackers
Akron RubberDucks
Bleacher Creatures
Phillie Phanatics
Rally Monkeys
Southside Southpaws
Dr. Strangeglove
Lamb Gyroballs
Prince Fielder Body Issues
Millville Meteors
Love It When They Call Me Big Papi
Notorious P.A.P.I.
Carlos Santana's Greatest Hits
Say Hey, J-Hey
Ferguson IS the Cardinal Way
Wong Gone
Long Wong Silver
Evil Empire
Cuban Missiles
Cole Trains
Sack Up
Men of Steal
My Big Unit
Schwing! Batter Batter
Who's Your Daddy?
Crafty Lefties
The The Angels Angels
California Penal League
Looking Illegal
1864 Rules
Three-Finger Mordecai
Old Hoss Radbourn
Cobb Co. Braves
Hall of Shamers
Hannibal Lester
Golden Sombreros
Big League Choo
Bryce Hyper
Citizen Cain
Butt Slide
PED-co Park
Come Sale Away
Green Monsters
Ballpark Franks
Grand Salami
Pete Rose's Hall
Selig's Pick
Bud Selig 401K
Clown Question Bros
Small Ballers
Stolen Hunter Pence Signs
Back Back Back
Chris Berman Sucks
Fire Joe Morgan
Spitball LOOGYs
Ken Burns Baseball
Hebrew Hammers
Wrigley Blue Ivy
Jay Bruce Jenner
Mookie Loves Pearl Jam
No Mas Tomas
Can the Grandy Man?
Hamilton High Dive
Fire Breathing Lamborghinis
Vin Scully's Homeboys
Just like the crazy uncle with the nonstop inappropriate jokes or the aunt with the barely edible green bean casserole, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are welcome additions to the holiday family gathering even though they will probably provide an awkward moment or two.
Here are a few of the noteworthy Thanksgiving Day memories from the Lions, whose first Turkey Day game was in 1934, and Cowboys, who first sat at the table in 1966.
1. Lett It Snow
On a snow-covered field at old Cowboys Stadium in Dallas in 1993, the Cowboys blocked a potential game-winning field goal by the Dolphins with 15 seconds to play. The Boys surrounded the dead ball in celebration before Leon Lett came sliding in through the snow, tipping the ball and allowing the Fins to recover the muff at the one-yard-line — and beat Dallas, 16–14, on a game-winning field goal as time expired.
2. Heads or Tails?
Prior to the coin toss at the start of overtime in Detroit in 1998, Pittsburgh's "Bus" Jerome Bettis clearly called "tails." But referee Phil Luckett awarded the ball to the Lions, who kicked a game-winning field goal on their first drive to beat the stunned Steelers, 19–16.
3. O-fer
En route to becoming the only 0–16 team in history, the Lions allowed a Thanksgiving Day team-worst 47 points to the Titans, who posted an NFL-best 13–3 record in 2008.
4. Fried Turkey
Vikings rookie Randy Moss burned the Cowboys — who infamously passed on the wideout in the 1998 draft — to the tune of three catches for 163 yards (54.3 ypc) and three touchdowns, as Minnesota ran by Dallas, 46–36.
5. Unruly Kids
Detroit 24-year-old Ndamukong Suh threw a temper tantrum on the field and was ejected from the game for stomping on Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith during a 27–15 loss in 2011.
6. Delicious Leftovers
Cowboys third-stringer Jason Garrett starts in place of an injured Troy Aikman and outpitches the Packers' Brett Favre in a 42–31 Dallas win in 1994. The game reminds many of the time Cowboys backup Clint Longley replaced an injured Roger Staubach to lead thrilling come-from-behind 24–23 win over the rival Redskins in 1974.
7. Juice Spoiled
O.J. Simpson broke the NFL's single-game rushing record with 273 yards at Detroit on Thanksgiving Day in 1976. But due to inept quarterback play from Gary Marangi, who went 4-for-21 for 29 yards, the Bills lost to the Lions, 27–14.
8. Unfitting Finale
Mr. Thanksgiving himself, Lions legend Barry Sanders, had just 33 yards on 20 carries against the Steelers in 1998 — the worst showing No. 20 ever had on a fourth Thursday in November. Although the effort pushed Sanders over the 15,000-yard mark for his career, it was (shockingly) the last Thanksgiving Day he graced the nation with his brilliance.
Death Valley will be rocking when the No. 16 LSU Tigers take on the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide in prime time on CBS (8 p.m. ET) Saturday night. National title-winning coaches Les Miles and Nick Saban go toe-to-toe with five-star-stuffed, NFL-talent-laden rosters. Although Alabama (-6.5) is favored, LSU is capable of pulling off the upset and shaking up the SEC West standings and College Football Playoff picture. Here are four reasons the Bayou Bengals will beat Bama:
1. Death Valley
Tiger Stadium is "Where opponents dreams come to die," according to Coach Miles, who has a 45–4 record in Saturday night home games at Death Valley since taking over the top spot in Baton Rouge back in 2005. There is an indescribable force surrounding the 102,321 purple-and-gold rowdy crowd that comprises arguably the best home field advantage in all of college football.
2. Les Miles
The Mad Hatter has been known to eat grass, let 'er rip in interviews and just say F it — meaning Fake punts and Fourth-down conversions — in big games. In the season-opener against Wisconsin, special teams coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto dialed up a successful third-quarter fake punt that shifted momentum and started a run of 21 unanswered points in a 28–24 win at AT&T Stadium. Miles has a 5–4 record vs. Alabama in regular season games. And he will pull out all the stops to take down the Tide this time around.
3. Alabama Injuries
At this point in the season, every team is banged up. But Alabama is in particularly bad shape this weekend. Left tackle Cameron Robinson — a Louisiana native who spurned the Tigers in favor of the Tide — has a gimpy ankle that will make him a game-time decision. Even if Robinson does play, LSU's D-line could take advantage of the true freshman playing with a bum wheel. Stud tailback T.J. Yeldon is also struggling with a foot issue; this on the heels of a season-ending gruesome leg injury suffered by big back Kenyan Drake earlier this year.
4. Leonard Fournette
The 6'1", 230-pound 19-year-old from New Orleans is arguably the best freshman running back since Adrian Peterson. Fournette has 131 carries for 657 yards (5.0 ypc) and seven TDs, along with seven catches for 127 yards (18.1 ypc). LSU is 5–0 when Fournette has topped 11 carries. LSU is No. 7 nationally is rushing attempts and No. 1 in the SEC (439) — with 50 more attempts than No. 2 Arkansas (389). In a 10–7 win over Ole Miss earlier this year, LSU had 55 rushes for 264 yards compared to 16 pass attempts for 142 yards. Expect a similar gameplan featuring Fournette, whose only official visits were to LSU and Alabama.
Fine wine doesn't age as well as Peyton Manning. Just ask the 49ers, who came all the way from Northern California wine country to take a 42–17 Mile High beating at the hands — or, more accurately, the record-breaking right arm — of Manning.
The 38-year-old five-time league MVP was in prime form in prime time on Sunday night, completing 22-of-26 passes for 318 yards and four TDs — Nos. 507, 508, 509 and 510 of his 17-year career. Manning's 509th NFL scoring strike was an eight-yard completion to wideout Demaryius Thomas that broke Brett Favre's record for all-time passing TDs.
"I want to say congratulations for breaking the touchdown record," Favre said to Manning. "I'm not surprised. You've been a wonderful player and I've enjoyed watching you play. I've enjoyed competing against you. I wish you great success for the rest of the season and the rest of your career."
Manning's 510 TD passes have been thrown to 45 different players, 34 of whom are now retired from football. An astounding 111 of those scores have come in the two-and-a-half seasons that Manning has played for the Broncos. The other 399 TD tosses came in Manning's 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, who selected Archie's son out of Tennessee with the No. 1 overall pick in 1998.
Manning's go-to Colts lead the way, with Marvin Harrison (112 TDs), Reggie Wayne (67) and Dallas Clark (44) headlining the list, while current Broncos like Demaryius Thomas (30) and Julius Thomas (21) continue to gain ground at a ridiculous rate.
Manning's longevity and productivity have resulted in his excellence being taken for granted, in many ways. But following a series of neck surgeries that caused the future Hall of Famer to miss the 2011 season — and, subsequently, the Colts to cut Manning and draft Andrew Luck — nothing was guaranteed.
"I certainly didn't think this would even be a possibility a couple of years ago," said Manning. "I'm very grateful to the Broncos for welcoming me to their organization and for helping me during my career here. It has been a wonderful two-and-a-half years here."
Manning's time in Denver has exceeded even the wildest expectations of the Orange Crush faithful. He's posted an MVP campaign in which he broke the NFL single-season TD pass record (55 in 2013), an MVP runner-up (2012) and a Super Bowl appearance. This year, he's having one of his vintage years, completing 68.7 percent of his passes for 1,848 yards, 19 TDs and three INTs for a 118.2 passer rating while leading the Broncos to a 5–1 start.
The 6'5", 230-pounder with the "laser-rocket arm" is not only one of the most prolific passers in the game today, he's arguably the greatest quarterback to ever play the position. His statistics are proof of the process — from pre-snap read to back-shoulder throw into the end zone.
"Throwing touchdowns is a part of playing football," said Manning. "But I guess for me throwing touchdowns has helped teams I've been a part of win a lot of football games. I don't think I've thrown a lot of touchdowns that didn't mean something."
Manning's obsessive preparation is contagious. It has helped him post a 172–74 career regular-season record while rewriting the NFL record book.
"Everyone wanted 509. Everyone wanted that one," said Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme. "Just the way Peyton carries himself, the way he raises everyone's level of play. We all want to be a part of that."
When Florida State and Notre Dame played "The Game of the Century" on Nov. 13, 1993, Jameis Winston (b. Jan. 6, 1994) had not been born and Everett Golson (b. Jan. 2, 1993) was not yet one-year old. The '93 epic showdown ended with No. 1 Florida State falling at No. 2 Notre Dame, 31–24, before bouncing back to claim the National Championship.
This year's version also features two undefeated top-5 teams, with No. 2 Florida State (6–0) hosting No. 5 Notre Dame (6–0) in one of the season's classic matchups. Although the defending-champion Seminoles are heavy favorites, the Fighting Irish have more than a puncher's chance to win on the road in Tallahassee. Here's why:
1. Quarterback Play
This is a heavyweight showdown between two quarterbacks with a combined 35–1 record as a starter. Winston is a perfect 19–0 with a national title win over Auburn, while Golson is 16–1 with a national title loss to Alabama. Golson will have to outplay Winston, protect the football and control the clock — coach Brian Kelly is 26–2 at ND when winning time-of-possession — in order for Notre Dame to pull off the win at Florida State.
If Winston were unable to play or finish the game for some reason (suspension, fake injury, real injury, etc.), the Seminoles are in trouble at quarterback. Backup Sean Maguire, who subbed for Winston in an overtime win over Clemson earlier this year, is out with a hand injury. Third-stringer John Franklin III is a redshirt freshman who has yet to take a snap at FSU.
2. Undefeated vs. History
The 90th anniversary of the "Four Horsemen" is on Saturday. The Oct. 18, 1924, Notre Dame 13–7 win over Army inspired New York Herald-Tribune scribe Grantland Rice — the godfather inspiration of Bill Simmons' Grantland website — to write the famous poetic recap:
"Outlined against a blue, gray October sky the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are: (Harry) Stuhldreher, (Don) Miller, (Jim) Crowley and (Elmer) Layden."
Those aren't the only echoes waking. Notre Dame is 5–0–1 on Oct. 18 when ranked in the AP poll, 9–0–1 in games involving two teams with a record of 6–0 or better and 4–0–2 in games when the Irish are undefeated playing the defending national champions in the regular season.
3. No Homefield Advantage
Oh yeah, Notre Dame also carries a 1–0 record in Tallahassee, with Ty Willingham taking down Bobby Bowden's Noles in 2002. The other split stats show this to be a coin-toss contest. Jimbo Fisher is 3–3 at FSU in home games against top-10 teams, beating No. 7 Miami last year and No. 10 Clemson in 2012, while losing to No. 1 Oklahoma in 2011 and No. 6 Florida in 2012. On the other side, Kelly is 2–2 at ND in regular-season road games against top-10 teams, winning at No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 10 Michigan State in 2012, while losing to a top-10 Stanford twice (2011, '13).
This will be Notre Dame's first true road test, having played neutral site games at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis (vs. Purdue) and at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (vs. Syracuse). "I think playing in two NFL venues there is a kind of glamour and big-time atmosphere associated with those sites," said Kelly. "We were playing in an environment that kind of evokes that kind of feel that we'll get in a similar fashion at Florida State."
4. #BlameJameis
Thousands of authenticated autographs and a reopened Title IX rape investigation have put Winston's status in doubt on a day-to-day basis — so much so that Las Vegas has taken ND at FSU off the books until further notice.
With or without Winston, the Seminoles will need to play better than they did in closer-than-expected games against Oklahoma State, Clemson and NC State. In those three games, mental mistakes — the on-field equivalent of Jameis yelling "F--- her right in the ... !" on campus — resulted in a combined 25 penalties for 170 lost yards, negative-three turnover differential and minus-3:07 time-of-possession.
But hey, even the great Charlie Ward, a two-sport star (Heisman Trophy winner and NBA first-round pick) just like Winston (Heisman winner and FSU baseball closer), lost to the Irish. Ward had a 19–1 record heading into South Bend in '93 and finished the year with a 23–2 all-time mark and a national title.
The loser of this game still has a shot at making the College Football Playoff.
Jerry Jones' birthday party came a few hours early this season. The Dallas Cowboys owner, president and general manager turned 72 on Monday, Oct. 13, but the festivities got cranked up Sunday afternoon when the Cowboys upset the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, 30–23, at CenturyLink Field — where the neon-clad world champs had a 19–1 record (including playoffs) with Russell Wilson at quarterback prior to the Boys shocking the Hawks.
The win improved the Cowboys' record to 5–1 for the first time since 2007 and gave Jones an early birthday present that has to rank among the sweetest — and most surprising — of his career in Dallas.
"Almost as good as the Herschel Walker trade," joked Jones, referring to the blockbuster deal that, coincidentally, celebrated its 25th anniversary on Sunday and is credited with establishing the foundation of the 1990s dynasty that won three Super Bowls in four seasons.
"When I see us come up here against the Super Bowl champions and play in these adverse conditions. When I see us play like that, then I'd say we've got a chance to line up against anybody and win the game."
Much like the '90s Super Bowl teams with Emmitt Smith, these Cowboys are riding their star running back to victory week in, week out. DeMarco Murray joined Jim Brown as just the second player in NFL history to open a season with six consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Prior to Murray's 29-carry, 115-yard, one-TD effort on the ground, Seattle's No. 1-ranked rush defense was allowing 62.3 yards per game on just 2.6 yards per carry. The Seahawks had not allowed any runner to gain more than 38 yards this season and had not allowed a 100-yard rusher since Nov. 3, 2013. In fact, Murray is only the seventh 100-yard rusher since Pete Carroll took over as Seattle's coach in 2010.
"He's a powerful back," said Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who is known more for his trash talk than his praise of opposing players.
"He runs strong. You've got to tackle him with multiple people and when you have your opportunity to tackle him one-on-one, you've got to find a way to bring him down."
Murray was the main reason Dallas had a nearly two-to-one time-of-possession edge over Seattle, at 37:39-to-22:21.
But the Cowboys are certainly more than just a one-man team. The highlight of the game at Seattle was clearly the 3rd-and-20 conversion from Tony Romo to Terrence Williams, who tip-toed the sideline on a diving fourth-quarter catch that kept a 75-yard go-ahead touchdown drive alive.
Most surprising has been Dallas' defense, which allowed just nine first downs and 206 total yards against a powerful Seattle offense that includes Marshawn Lynch and Percy Harvin.
"Nothing surprises me in the NFL. They pay their players, too — the other side of the ball," said Jones. "Those guys weren't All-Pro players, in the '90s, and they're great players, great players. But before they were winning like that, they weren't thought to be great players. The winning helped them become better players."
This version of the Cowboys has a long way to go before being compared to the Super Bowl champions of two decades ago. But the sky appears to be the limit this year with offensive studs like Murray, Romo, wideout Dez Bryant, tackle Tyron Smith and tight end Jason Witten, along with a defense that has shown far more ability than anticipated.
"Guys aren't going to back down," said Cowboys coach Jason Garrett. "We have the right kind of guys on this team."
In other words, how 'bout them Cowboys?
The NHL season is upon us and that means it's time for slap shots, fist fights, line changes, icing and fantasy hockey. Only one team will raise the Stanley Cup at the end of the season, but everyone can have a funny fantasy hockey team name worthy of a toothless smile and playoff beard. Here are a few suggestions:
Moves Like Jagr
Jagr Bombs
Ride My Zamboni
Right in Her 5-Hole
Curved Stick
The New Great One
Wanna Puck?
Puck You
Mother Puckers
Five For Fighting
Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
Goon Squad
Big Daddy Kane
Blades of Glory
Duck Dynasty
Mighty Duck Face
Quack is Wack
Canadien Tuxedo
Olympic Oshie
The NBA season tips off Oct. 28, which means it's time for fantasy basketball. Only one team will win your league, but everyone can be a winner with a funny fantasy basketball team name. All you need to do is troll Donald Sterling or LeBron James, make a hipster or hip-hop pop culture reference and/or go meta with your NBA insight in a way that Metta World Peace might not follow. Here's our list of suggestions for 2014-15:
Blow Me (in the Ear)
Bosh Spice
Donald Sterling Scumbags
Adam Silver's My Homeboy
Bill Walton Smells Colors
Black Mamba > Black Widow
Kobe Wan Kenobi
Space Jam 2
Steve Ballmer's iPhone
Brooklyn Nyets
Westbrook Geek Chic
Serge I-block-ya
Planet LoveBron
Planet Lovetron
Pippen Ain't Easy
Cleveland Chemistry
Clubber Cousins
Metta World War 3
Metta World Peace Pipe
Derrick Rose Jersey
PG-13 Weeks
Mile High Manimal
Joakim Noah's Arc
Rose Before Hoes
Sprichst Du Dirk?
Dirk Digglers
Grabbing Assets
Brittney Griner Tight
Shaqramento Queens
Deng Girl!
D-League D-Bags
Stevie Wonder's Courtside Seats
Shawn Kemp's Kids
Pass the Rock to Lamar
Kardashian Double-Team
Lala's Honey Nut Cheerios
Air Ballers
Rodman & Madman
Love Outlet Passes
Tim Shootin', Tim Duncan
Knockin' Knickerbockers
Toronto Drakes
Degrassi Raptors
Ibaka Flocka Flame
Chocolate Thunder
Strawberry Thunder
Locks of the Week
Betting against the worst teams in the league playing on the road and against first- or second-year quarterbacks is traditionally smart money.
Chargers (-13) vs. Jaguars
Florida's worst team has been outscored by a league-worst 75 points, while scoring only 44 points (third-worst) so far.
Steelers (-7.5) vs. Buccaneers
Florida's second-worst team has been outscored by 50 points (second-worst), while scoring only 45 points (fourth-worst) so far.
Falcons (-3) at Vikings
Teddy Bridgewater makes his first career NFL start; the young buck will have to keep pace with the NFL's No. 1 scoring team (34.3 ppg) in Atlanta.
Lions (-1.5) at Jets
Who knows which Geno Smith will show up in this one? But the J-E-T-S secondary isn't ready for Megatron, Matt Stafford and the Lions passing attack.
Straight Up Upsets
Shaky quarterback play and a coin toss contest between bitter rivals highlight the underdog picks this week.
Raiders (+4) vs. Dolphins
Miami isn't sure if Ryan Tannehill is still their guy at QB. Oakland is hoping Derek Carr can pull out his first career NFL victory.
Bears (+1.5) vs. Packers
Aaron Rodgers has a 10–3 record against Chicago. But if you double-check, he had a 9–1 record against Detroit before losing last week.
Sucker Bets
Stay away from these games unless you are a degenerate or a hometown homer who has to have action on absolutely all the action.
Colts (-7.5) vs. Titans
This could be easy Horseshoe money if Charlie Whitehurst starts in place of Jake Locker.
49ers (-5) vs. Eagles
These two teams (and coaches) are too good to bet against. Don't ever bet against Jim Harbaugh or Chip Kelly.
Ravens (-3.5) vs. Panthers
Cam Newton could storm Baltimore, a team downward spiraling on and off the field.
Texans (-3) vs. Bills
EJ Manuel was so bad against San Diego last week it makes you want to bet on Ryan Fitzpatrick. But not really.
Saints (-3) at Cowboys
This Sunday night showdown is a Sean Payton homecoming. Why'd the Boys let that guy leave?
Monday Night Moolah
Monday night time is the right time to double-up or double-back on the weekend's winnings or losings.
Patriots (-3.5) at Chiefs
Tom Brady is 4–1 all-time against Kansas City — but the Chiefs did take out his knee in the 2008 season-opener.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins better already have the champagne on ice. The way this season is going there may not be much time to prepare for the celebration of the last remaining unbeaten team losing its first game — thus ensuring the 17–0 Super Bowl VII champion's place as the only undefeated team in NFL history.
Three weeks into the year, only three teams have a perfect 3–0 record — the Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. And while all three share the same record, the routes taken have been decidedly different.
Sports Scientist
The Eagles have scratched out wins over the Jaguars (34–17), Colts (30–27) and Redskins (37–34), not because of their fast starts but because of their strong finishes. Philadelphia has been outscored by a combined score of 54–27 in the first half of games. But those same Eagles have flipped the switch to outscore opponents 40–14 in the fourth quarter.
"I believe we're the freshest team in the fourth quarter," said second-year coach Chip Kelly. "The way our whole team played in the fourth quarter obviously shows what type of conditioning we have."
Kelly has been an outspoken proponent of various new-age sports science — tailoring specific diets to individual players, placing an emphasis on hydration and encouraging players to get as much sleep as possible on a nightly basis. He also has instituted practice policies that include less contact but more running, which at least one player (see below: Cary Williams, Outside the Huddle) has taken issue with.
But the evidence is on Kelly's side. Last season, Kelly's club suffered fewer preventable soft-tissue injuries and muscle strains than almost every other team en route to a 10–6 record and NFC East division title. The Eagles led the league with 14 players who started every game last season.
"We train in a great way," said defensive coordinator Bill Davis. "The sports science we have, the way we analyze it, there's no concern. I actually think we're the strongest team in the fourth quarter, and it shows. We keep finishing games. Where others don't have it in the tank, we have it in the tank. It shows. … I've been with 10 different organizations, and it's not even close."
Red-headed stranger
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has a 33–18 regular season record, with 82 TDs and 50 INTs over 51 career starts. But all anyone wants to talk about is his 0–3 record in the playoffs, where he has thrown one TD and six INTs.
"Whatever you do during the regular season doesn't matter once you get to the playoffs," Dalton said after a 27–10 home loss to San Diego in last year's Wild Card game. "It's disappointing."
Regardless of criticism, Dalton is the only quarterback in Bengals history to make three straight playoff appearances. As a result, he inked a team-friendly six-year that could be worth as much as $115 million but also gives the franchise several outs should it want to move in a different direction.
This year, Dalton has been his usual regular-season self, with a 95.4 passer rating and as many receiving TDs as INTs thrown — with one each. In fact, Dalton's first INT of the season was Cincinnati's first turnover of the year.
But Dalton knows, maybe better than any other QB around, he'll never be "the guy" in Cincy until he wins a playoff game.
No desert mirage
In the NFL, the rule of thumb is "10 wins and you're in" the playoffs. Last season, Arizona's 10–6 record wasn't good enough in an NFC West that included Seattle and San Francisco. This year, the Cards hope to overtake the Hawks and Niners. Judging by coach Bruce Arians track record, that is a realistic goal.
Arians was named 2012 NFL Coach of the Year after going 9–3 as interim coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The following season, Arians took over in Arizona and has gone 13–6 — giving him a career mark of 22–9.
Dive deeper and Arians' record is even more impressive. The Cardinals have won nine of their last 10 games and have outscored their opponents 30–0 in the fourth quarter in close-call wins over the Chargers (18–17), Giants (25–14) and 49ers (23–14). That is exactly where Arizona wants to be heading into its Week 4 bye.
"For us to go undefeated in September is a huge step forward with all the things that have gone on the past two weeks," said Arians. "I love the resiliency of our football team, the focus that they bring every single day to work."
Locks of the Week
Three of the worst teams in the league will struggle to stay in the game against three teams with playoff aspirations.
Patriots (-14) vs. Raiders
Sorry, Derek Carr. Since 2001, Bill Belichick has a 14–5 record against rookie quarterbacks, with none of those losses coming at home.
Colts (-7) at Jaguars
Last season, Indy stomped out J-Ville by a combined score of 67–13. This season, the Jags have been outscored by a combined 75–27.
Cowboys (-1) at Rams
The Michael Sam Bowl is pretty much a pick 'em. It's always risky betting on Tony Romo and Co., but this is one the Boys should win.
Straight Up Upsets
These underdogs have Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks going up against inconsistent, albeit talented, young defenses.
Packers (+2.5) at Lions
Olivia Munn's man, Aaron Rodgers, has not lost to the Lions since an ugly 7–3 defeat at Detroit in Week 14 of 2010.
Giants (+2.5) vs. Texans
Eli Manning has thrown two INTs in both games — both losses — he's played this year.
Backdoor Cover
Debatable quarterback play has two road teams getting bigger numbers than they deserve. They may not win but they won't get blown out.
Titans (+7) at Bengals
Jake Locker is playing for his future, while Andy Dalton has already been to the playoffs three times and inked a $96-million extension.
Redskins (+6.5) at Eagles
The Kirk Cousins Era begins with a division showdown with Chip Kelly's comeback kids. Oh, and DeSean Jackson really, really wants revenge.
Sucker Bets
Stay away from these games unless you're a degenerate or a hometown homer who has to have action on absolutely all the action.
Saints (-10) vs. Vikings
Remember when BountyGate nearly knocked Brett Favre out of the league?
Seahawks (-5) vs. Broncos
Too soon. Too soon.
Dolphins (-4) vs. Chiefs
Neither team has established its identity for 2014.
49ers (-3) at Cardinals
Jim Harbaugh is 5–1 against these NFC West division foes.
Panthers (-3) vs. Steelers
The battle of 6'5", 240-plus-pound quarterbacks could be a shootout.
Bills (-2.5) vs. Chargers
Bet against West Coast teams playing 1 p.m. Eastern Time kickoffs.
Ravens (-1.5) at Browns
The original Jim Browns take on the expansion Courtney Browns.
Monday Night Moolah
Double down on this weekend's winnings or get back from this weekend's losses with a Monday night party.
Bears (+3) at Jets
Smokin' Jay Cutler aims to shine in prime time for the second straight week.
Mo' money, mo' problems — for NFL quarterbacks. Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt signed a six-year,$100-million contract with $51.876 million in guaranteed money this offseason. And instead of resting on his laurels, the 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year has taken his game up a notch.
"Like I said all along, the goal is to always be great," said Watt. "I don't want to be that guy that people say got money and shut down. I want to work hard every day — whether it is workouts, practice, games — and improve."
Improvement is a scary thought for the towering 6'5", 289-pound 25-year-old, who terrorized Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins during a 17–6 win that snapped the Texans' 14-game losing streak and gave the franchise its first victory since an overtime win over the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 15, 2013.
Watt notched one sack, along with five knock-downs of RG3 (one of which resulted in an intentional grounding penalty), one fumble recovery as well as his signature "J.J. Swatt" on both a blocked extra-point attempt and pass deflection.
"I guess the only thing he didn't do was intercept a pass and run it back," said Texans owner Bob McNair. "J.J. was unbelievable."
Watt's performance in Week 1 was just the first step in proving he is worth every penny of his new deal. But, in many ways, it was also just business as usual for a defensive force who is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
In 49 games, Watt has 37.5 sacks — including a league-leading 20.5 in 2012 — along with 28 pass deflections and eight forced fumbles. If those numbers aren't impressive enough, take a look at Watt's playoff stats. In four career postseason games, he's notched five sacks, three pass deflections and an INT returned 29 yards for a touchdown.
"Watt is obviously a hell of a football player," said Texans first-year coach Bill O'Brien. "There's no other way to put it. He's just a great player."
Watt helped O'Brien win his NFL head coaching debut and ruined the first game of Washington boss Jay Gruden's NFL head coaching career. But those who have been around the league weren't at all surprised.
"He's the man. He just got the hundred mil. He got it for a reason, you can see that," said Texans safety D.J.
Swearinger, who has given Watt a new nickname. "J.J. is 'The Hundred Mil,' so he's supposed to do that."
Watt has worked hard to become the $100-million man. Rated a two-star prospect by recruiting websites Rivals and Scout, the Pewaukee (Wis.) High School product took official recruiting visits to Central Michigan, Colorado and Minnesota before signing with the Chippewas.
Watt played one season as a tight end at Central Michigan, catching eight passes for 77 yards in 2007. Unhappy with CMU, Watt decided to transfer to the University of Wisconsin.
During the time between attending CMU and UW, Watt worked as a pizza delivery man. A tall tale has grown from his days ringing doorbells and passing out pies. Legend has it that Watt was recognized by a kid inside the house on one of his delivery stops. Afterwards, an emotional Watt returned to his car and cried, vowing to get back on the field and back on track.
Although that's a heartwarming rags-to-riches story, it's not exactly 100 percent accurate.
"I never cried," Watt told the Houston Chronicle. "What was going through my mind was, this kid once saw me as the greatest, someone he looked up to. When I saw the look on his face, that for that split second he didn't see me as that anymore, that hurt. … It re-instilled the drive in me to become great again, to become that kid's role model again."
Watt bounced back with two solid seasons as a defensive end at Wisconsin before becoming the No. 11 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. After an award-winning start to his pro career in Houston, Watt doesn't have to deliver pizzas anymore — unless it's part of a national ad campaign for NFL sponsor Papa John's.
But don't think for a second that the change in tax bracket has changed Watt, who seems to be struggling to adjust to his unreal riches.
"I Googled, 'What do rich people buy?' because I don't feel like a rich person, and I don't really try to act like a rich person, so I don't know what they buy," Watt said in a postgame interview with FOX reporter Laura Okmin.
"I didn't really like the stuff I saw, so I'm gonna stick with my humble lifestyle and just keep working out."
It's been said that money makes a man more of what he already was. If that's the case, Watt is about to cement his status as the most dangerous defensive player in the game today.
Quarterbacks beware.
Seven NFL teams will be under new leadership for the 2014 season. Of the latest crop of head coaches, four are rookies as it applies to the pro level, while three are getting a second chance to head up an NFL team. Last season, Philadelphia's Chip Kelly and San Diego's Mike McCoy wound up in the postseason in their first season as an NFL head coach, while Cleveland's Rob Chudzinski went 4-12 and promptly got fired.
So which members of the coaching class of 2014 are most likely to succeed or potentially be interviewing for a new job sooner rather than later? Here's a breakdown (alphabetical order) of the NFL's newest head coaches.
Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
Previous job: Offensive coordinator, Baltimore Ravens
Pros: Tony Dungy's successor-in-waiting with the Colts went 24–8 over his first two seasons as an NFL head coach, with an upset loss to Drew Brees and the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. Those, however, were the final two years of the Peyton Manning era in Indy. After a three-year run with the Colts, Caldwell was hired as QB coach of the Ravens. He then was promoted to offensive coordinator following the midseason firing of Cam Cameron. With Caldwell calling the plays, Joe Flacco threw 15 TDs and only one INT — leading Baltimore to a Super Bowl XLVII "Harbaugh Bowl" victory over the 49ers.
Cons: The 59-year-old Caldwell went 2–14 in his one season without Manning in Indy and 26–63 in eight seasons as the coach at Wake Forest. The Motor City is bringing in a retread who may not be capable of producing the high-performance results fans have expected since the 10–6 run of 2011.
Final Analysis: The hiring of Caldwell is the most depressing news at Ford Field since Nickelback played at halftime of the Thanksgiving Day game.
Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
Previous job: Offensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals
Pros: Jay is Jon Gruden's brother and, as a result, the subject of hilarious Frank Caliendo impressions like the recent instant classic "Gruden vs. Gruden QB Camp." Jay won Super Bowl XXXVII as an offensive assistant for his older brother. He also coached the Orlando Predators to two ArenaBowl championships after winning four ArenaBowl titles as quarterback of the Tampa Bay Storm. After leaving the AFL for the NFL, Gruden was the offensive coordinator of the Bengals, making the playoffs each of his three seasons.
Cons: Jay is not Jon Gruden and, as a result, may disappoint fans expecting a Super Bowl-winning, live-wire head coach. Also, most of Jay's success has come in the Arena Football League, which is played indoors on fields that are 50 yards long with starting lineups of eight players on each side.
Final Analysis: Since taking control of Washington in 1999, owner Daniel Snyder has hired six coaches — Marty Schottenheimer, Steve Spurrier, Joe Gibbs, Jim Zorn, Mike Shanahan and Gruden. Three of those were proven NFL head coaches; the other three — Gruden included — were ex-quarterbacks with zero NFL head-coaching experience.
Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans
Previous job: Head coach, Penn State
Pros: In his first head-coaching gig, O'Brien did an admirable job after inheriting a disaster at Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal and the death of Joe Paterno. The 44-year-old went 15–9, with wins over Michigan and Wisconsin, and he swept the Big Ten Coach of the Year awards in 2012. The quarterback guru has extensive experience in the NFL with the Patriots, as an offensive assistant who worked his way up to offensive coordinator — losing Super Bowls XLII and XLVI to Eli Manning's Giants along the way.
Cons: O'Brien is the eighth Bill Belichick assistant to become an NFL head coach, joining Al Groh, Nick Saban, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Josh McDaniels, Jim Schwartz and Charlie Weis. Once out from under the protection of the short-sleeve hoodie, disciples of Belichick not named Saban have struggled. And even the great Saban — who has enjoyed tremendous success on the collegiate level — went only 15–17 in two NFL seasons.
Final Analysis: The third coach hired by Bob McNair follows in the footsteps of Dom Capers and Gary Kubiak, who delivered the 13-year-old franchise's only two playoff appearances in 2011 and 2012 before tanking to 2–14 in his final season. O'Brien has been handed a playoff-ready team in what was the league's weakest division in 2013. The pieces are in place for immediate success.
Mike Pettine, Cleveland Browns
Previous job: Defensive Coordinator, Buffalo Bills
Pros: Since the expansion Browns rejoined the NFL in 1999, the franchise has hired seven different head coaches and enjoyed just two winning seasons. Butch Davis in 2002 is the only one of those coaches to reach the playoffs. Expectations are low, despite the fact that the original Browns (now the Ravens) have won two Super Bowls since leaving Lake Erie. Pettine arrives alongside Johnny Manziel, whose personality and playing style likely will make or break his head coach.
Cons: Owner Jimmy Haslam's truck-stop company, Pilot Flying J, agreed in July to pay $92 million in fines following a federal investigation related to customer fraud. Last year's coach, Rob Chudzinski, was fired after only one season. The expansion Browns have a cumulative minus-1,399 point differential over 15 seasons. Simply put, this is one of the worst jobs in pro sports.
Final Analysis: Pettine is the son of legendary Pennsylvania high school football coach Mike Pettine Sr. and the one-time right-hand man of Rex Ryan. If the Johnny Football experience goes well, the 47-year-old Pettine could be the franchise's longest-tenured coach since Bill Belichick coached the final five seasons of the original Browns from 1991-95.
Lovie Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Previous job: Head coach, Chicago Bears
Pros: The 56-year-old Smith is a familiar face re-hired by the Glazer family, having served as the Bucs' linebackers coach from 1996-2000. He helped Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin perfect the Tampa-2 defense while coaching Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks. Smith then served as the defensive coordinator for the Rams, losing to Tom Brady and the underdog Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI. After taking over the top spot for the Bears in 2004, Smith posted an 81–63 record with three NFC North division titles and a 3–3 postseason mark, including a loss to Peyton Manning and the Colts in Super Bowl XLI.
Cons: Smith doesn't inspire cannon fire; his personality is more Dungy than Jon Gruden. The lack of fireworks likely contributed to Smith's firing in Chicago, despite a 10–6 record in his final season.
Final Analysis: The 2005 AP Coach of the Year has had just three losing seasons in nine years as a head coach. There's less style but plenty of substance with Smith, who has assembled a strong staff led by Leslie Frazier (defensive coordinator), Jeff Tedford (offensive coordinator) and Bucs legend Hardy Nickerson (linebackers).
Ken Whisenhunt, Tennessee Titans
Previous job: Offensive coordinator, San Diego Chargers
Pros: A former tight end with seven years of NFL experience under his belt, Whisenhunt was a Super Bowl XL-winning offensive coordinator with the Steelers — famously calling the only TD pass thrown by a wide receiver in Super Bowl history, with Antwaan Randle El tossing a 43-yard scoring strike to Hines Ward to seal the victory over the Seahawks. After being hired as head coach of the Cardinals in 2007, Whisenhunt turned around and lost to his former team in Super Bowl XLIII.
Cons: Whisenhunt's tenure in Arizona got off to a hot start before burning out, or maybe just fading away. A 27–21 record with two playoff appearances in his first three years was followed by an 18–30 mark. The coach failed to develop Matt Leinart — a jilted passer who recently claimed Kurt Warner, not Whisenhunt, should be credited with the Cards' early offensive success.
Final Analysis: The 52-year-old Whisenhunt is the first coaching hire in Oilers-Titans history made by someone other than franchise founder Bud Adams (1923-2013). And unlike predecessors Mike Munchak and Jeff Fisher, Whisenhunt doesn't have Oilers-Titans blue blood. Whisenhunt is bringing a new tune to Music City.
Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
Previous job: Defensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals
Pros: Zimmer has weathered a few storms in his day. He survived four coaching tenures — Barry Switzer, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo and Bill Parcells — over 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, winning Super Bowl XXX as defensive backs coach. He spent one fateful season as Bobby Petrino's defensive coordinator with the Falcons before joining the Bengals, where he coached for six seasons and made four trips to the playoffs.
Cons: The 58-year-old Zimmer has made a name for himself on defense. But he was hired as a head coach only after serving as the defensive coordinator under Marvin Lewis, who is a defensive mastermind in his own right — having coordinated the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV-winning defense before taking over the top spot in Cincy.
Final Analysis: After interviewing for the Browns job last offseason and being on the short list of several openings this year, Zimmer has finally earned his shot . But he's never been a head coach on any level, and the NFL is a tough place to learn on the job.
(Bill O'Brien photo courtesy of Houston Texans' Web site, www.houstontexans.com; Jim Caldwell photo by Stuart Zaas, courtesy of Detroit Lions' Web site, www.detroitlions.com; Mike Pettine photo courtesy of Cleveland Browns' Web site, www.clevelandbrowns.com, Ken Whisenhunt photo courtesy of Tennessee Titans' Web site, www.titansonline.com)
First, Seattle Seahawks' "Legion of Boom" mic Richard Sherman went all Tony Montana on Erin Andrews. "I'm the best corner in the game," Sherman ranted after the NFC title game. "Don't open your mouth about the best or I'm gonna shut it for you real quick." Then, Arizona Cardinals' triple-threat Patrick Peterson became the Internet's highest-paid troll after becoming the league's richest cornerback. Even the New York Jets' delusional Dee Milliner "ain't gonna say that somebody else is better."
These days, every cornerback who backpedals for a living is fluidly flipping their hips and running their mouth at 4.3 speed claiming the title of "NFL's best." But really, who is the top cover man in an increasingly pass-happy league? It's not Deion Sanders anymore, that's for sure.
Here are the top 10 cornerbacks in the GIF game today, when factoring in size, speed, age, health, proven production and 2014 potential to cover the full spectrum of downfield receiving threats — from monsters like "Megatron" Calvin Johnson (6'5", 236) to track stars like DeSean Jackson (5'10", 178).
1. Richard Sherman, 26, Seattle Seahawks
6'3", 195, Stanford (No. 154 pick, 2011)
48 G, 167 T, 57 PD, 20 INT for 227 yards (11.4 ypr), 2 TDs, 4 FF, 1 SK
You mad, bro? Don't be. Sherman is in his loud-mouthed, lockdown prime. He's got a Super Bowl ring and a fat new four-year, $56 million contract. The big-play maker made his biggest splashes on the biggest stages and arguably deserved to be named 2013 Defensive Player of the Year after recording eight INTs for 125 yards (15.6 ypr) and a 58-yard pick-six — his second straight eight-INT, one-TD season. Plus, Sherman allowed only one TD for the Seahawks' top-ranked defense. Floyd Mayweather is the champ. But Sherman has the CB title belt.
2. Darrelle Revis, 29, New England Patriots
5'11", 198, Pittsburgh (No. 14 pick, 2007)
95 G, 344 T, 109 PD, 21 INT for 367 yards (17.5 ypr), 3 TDs, 5 FF, 2 SK
Bill Belichick is looking forward to an extended vacation on Revis Island, where defensive schemes are much easier to gameplan with one side of the field on lock. After a Lost-like couple of seasons dealing with injury and contract issues in New York and Tampa Bay, Revis is likely to return to his all-time prime this year in New England.
3. Patrick Peterson, 24, Arizona Cardinals
6'1", 219, LSU (No. 5 pick, 2011)
48 G, 161 T, 42 PD, 12 INT for 124 yards (10.3 ypr), 1 SK
Money talks. And five years, $70 million currently has the floor. Peterson has the potential to top this list — and likely will, sooner than later. But as of this season, one of the game's best all-around athletes needs his cover skills to catch up with his walk-off punt return highlight reel and even bootleg passing ability.
4. Joe Haden, 25, Cleveland Browns
5'11", 195, Florida (No. 7 pick, 2010)
57 G, 234 T, 67 PD, 13 INT for 222 yards (17.1 ypr), TD, 3 FF, 2 SK
Who knew Cleveland had an NFL team before Johnny Football? The Browns have the league's top left tackle in Joe Thomas and a realistic shot at having the best cornerback in Haden, who makes very few mistakes by the lake — but would probably have trouble guarding LeBron James, though.
5. Aqib Talib, 28, Denver Broncos
6'1", 205, Kansas (No. 20 pick, 2008)
77 G, 242 T, 70 PD, 23 INT for 348 yards (15.1 ypr), 4 TD, 2 FF
Clearly, he feels like a boss, which is necessary to run with the likes of A.J. Green and Dez Bryant. A volatile young Buc, mellowed ex-Patriot turned big-money Bronco, Talib has struggled to stay on the field. But when he's on, there are few with the size, speed and swag necessary to match Talib's talents.
6. Desmond Trufant, 23, Atlanta Falcons
6'0", 190, Washington (No. 22 pick, 2013)
16 G, 70 T, 17 PD, 2 INT (0 ypr), 1 FF
Following in the high-steps of Deion and DeAngelo Hall — who also wore No. 21 at cornerback for the Falcons — the third Trufant brother to play in the NFL (along with big bros Marcus and Isaiah) had an incredible rookie season and appears to be the next elite cover corner. And you can't knock his hustle, unless you're C.J. Spiller.
7. Alterraun Verner, 25, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5'10", 187, UCLA (No. 104 pick, 2010)
64 G, 288 T, 50 PD, 11 INT for 124 yards (11.3 ypr), TD, 2 FF
One of the big winners of the offseason, Verner snagged a four-year, $26.5 million deal and will be heading from Tennessee to Tampa Bay, where he will play for defensive guru Lovie Smith. Verner is a ball-hawk who has never missed a game (64-for-64) and continues to add veteran moves to an already dangerous arsenal.
8. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, 28, N.Y. Giants
6'2", 193, Tennessee State (No. 16 pick, 2008)
92 G, 246 T, 98 PD, 19 INT for 409 yards (21.5 ypr), 5 TD, 3 FF, 1 SK
DRC isn't the toughest guy on the block but he's not a punk, either. A cheap shot from Michael Floyd — who outweighs DRC by roughly 30 pounds — deserves to be answered with another cheap shot. What he lacks in physicality, DRC makes up for in speed, length and cocky attitude, which often borders on arrogant (just ask Kirk Cousins).
9. Brent Grimes, 31, Miami Dolphins
5'10", 190, Shippensburg (Undrafted, 2006)
75 G, 314 T, 73 PD, 17 INT for 257 yards (15.1 ypr), TD, 1 FF
A blue-collar scrapper, Grimes doesn't fit in with the rest of this list and may be a one-time-only inclusion. But the undrafted free-agent deserves mention heading into 2014, following a couple standout campaigns that bookended an injury-shortened 2012 season.
10. Vontae Davis, 26, Indianapolis Colts
5'11", 207, Illinois (No. 25 pick, 2009)
70 G, 245 T, 51 PD, 13 INT for 150 yards (11.5 ypr), TD, 1 FF, 2 SK
Vernon Davis' little brother has all the raw talent in the world but his production never matched his potential until last season. The tools were always there, however. And since his brother was a late-bloomer before exploding onto the scene, maybe Vontae will follow Vernon's lead-block and vault up these rankings in the near future. There's no doubt Davis can run with anyone, taking over routes for greats like Andre Johnson.
(Editor's note: Apologies to Honey Badger, Pacman, Nickell and all the nickelbacks covering the slot. You're doing great work chasing Wes Welker, but the best of the best are on an island on the outside. Plus, Nickelback gets no respect.)
The upcoming NFL season marks the kickoff of everyone's real favorite sport — fantasy football. Only one team in your league will be crowned Super Bowl champion. But it just takes a dirty joke or some well-crafted Johnny Football trolling to cash in on the best fantasy football team name. Here are a few suggestions for this season:
Brown-out Drunk
Money Manziel
Drake's New Favorite Team
Mount Douchemore
Waka Flacco Flame
U Mad Bro?
Taste My Rainbow
12th Man Records
Bout That Action, Boss
Harbaugh's Dad Pants
Trolling Crabtree
Vince Young's Steakhouse
Cry Me a Rivers
Connecticut Cholos
Hernandez Hit Men
The Gronk Abides
Party Like a Gronk Star
Wilfork Dance Party
Keyshawn Beliebs
Touchdown Germany
Gisele's Bundchens
Mr. UGG Boots
I Spygate
Evil Empire
Revis' Vineyard
Jay-Z's My Agent
Off to Tennessee the Whiz
Remember the Titans
I Don't Want Your Life
Bud Kilmer's Coyotes
Dillon Panthers
Kissing Suzy Kolber
Pouncey Bouncers
Miami AR-15s
Smokin' Jay Cutler
Black Unicorns
Dirty Sanchez Butt-Fumblers
Purple Jesus Juice
All Day 2K
J.J. S.W.A.T.T. Team
Clowney Question Bro
Kaepernick Swag
Eli Looking at Things
You Down With JPP?
Mannings' O-Face
Peyton Manning's 5-Head
Omaha! Omaha!
Mile High Manning
Welker, Texas Ranger
Sherman's Last Rant
The Boldin the Beautiful
Call Me the Brees
Jimmy "WR" Graham
No Romo
Jason Garrett's Ginger Boys
Monte Kiffin's 401K
Dez Does Dallas
80% Mental, 40% Physical
Laces Out
Show Me the Money
Four Horsemen
Titletown TDs
Titletown Cheeseheads
Super Bowl Quadruple-Check
Prime Prep Two-Step
Don Beebe's Hustle
Toronto Bills
Big Ol' Bortles
Not Racist Redskins
Hard Knocks Life
Eat a Damn Snack
Motown Megatrons
Suh Girls, One Cup
Boy Named Suh
Somewhere Over Dwayne Bowe
K.C. Kool-Aid Man
Drinkin' Fortes
Turn Your Head and Coughlin
Tampa Bay Terminators
Polk High Panthers
JaMarcus' Purple Drank Diet
Jim Haslem's Accountants
Illiterate Read Option
Springfield Atoms
Forgetting Brandon Marshall
Ron Mexico's Perro
It's Always Runny in Philadelphia
Favre Dollar Footlong
Van Buren Boys
Crab-leg Bootleg
Makin' It Wayne
Luckness Monster
Irsay's $29K
Red Hot Julius Peppers
Show Me Your TDs
Slow White Bronco
Going Incognito
Wham, Bam, Michael Sam
Straight Cash Homey
Gruden vs. Gruden
The 2014 World Cup has narrowed its field from 32 nations in the Group Stage down to the 16 teams that advanced to the single-elimination Knockout Stage, which kicks off Saturday, June 28. But before we move on with the tournament, let's take a quick look back at the insanity that took place in Brazil over the past couple of weeks. These are a few of the highlights and lowlights from the 2014 World Cup Group Stage:
First goal of 2014 World Cup is Marcelo own goal
Oops. The host nation scored its first-ever World Cup own goal in the opener against Croatia, as Brazil's talented left back Marcelo accidentally scored on his own side for the first goal of the 2014 World Cup.
Clint Dempsey's first-minute goal vs. Ghana
A good omen to start the party for the USMNT. America's best and brightest player sent shockwaves back home with an electric goal to start what has been a fun, albeit unexpected, run through the Group of Death and the Group Stage on to the Knockout Stage.
Lionel Messi's 90th-minute goal to beat Iran
The beautiful game's most beautiful player was able to bend a beautiful ball for a last-minute match-winning goal. Messi has four goals, tied with Brazil's Neymar and Germany's Thomas Muller for most in the Group Stage.
Robin van Persie's diving rainbow header vs. Spain
It would have taken devine intervention for "Saint Iker" Casillas to stop this incredible first-touch diving rainbow header from van Persie in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup finals between Spain and the Netherlands.
Guillermo Ochoa's clean sheet in draw vs. Brazil
Mexico beat a Neymar-led Brazil squad in the Olympic gold medal match in London two years ago. But a 0-0 draw in the Group Stage of the World Cup may have been even sweeter. Ochoa had six ridiculous saves in easily the best display of goaltending thus far.
Luis Suarez biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini
Third time is a charm — unless you're biting opponents on the pitch, Suarez-style. After battling back from injury and scoring two goals, Suarez really left his mark on the World Cup with another ugly incident for the Uraguay villain.
Teddy Goalsevelt and Will Ferrell firing up fans
If a pair of former U.S. President impressionists can't get you fired up, then you're not a red-white-and-blue-blooded 'Merican.
Jurgen Klinsmann's "please excuse" form letter
Coach Klinsmann had a plan. It didn't include Landon Donovan, but it did include advancing to the Round of 16 in style — with an excused absense from work, thanks to the boss of the USMNT.
Cristiano Ronaldo both villain and hero for USA
The world's richest, prettiest and floppiest striker may not have been in tip-top shape but he made the most of what gas he had in the tank — ripping the collective hearts out of the USA with an assist on a stopage-time equalizer one game before scoring the winning goal against Ghana, which resulted in the USA advancing to the Knockout Stage.
Spain, Italy, England, Portugal failing to advance
Europe's traditional powers couldn't take the sweltering Amazonian heat of the World Cup in Brazil. The quartet comprised of a billion dollars worth of club talent was unable to produce for country on the sport's biggest stage.
ESPN camera crews' ability to find hot fans in crowd
Uncanny. The Worldwide Leader had a sixth sense for finding a diamond in the rough, no matter how rough-looking the crowd might appear to be from the untrained eye. Expect more knockouts in the Knockout Stage. It is Brazil, after all.
As soon as Commissioner Adam Silver tipped off the 2014 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the hilarity was on a fast-break pace. ESPN's crew was highlighted by pro's pro Reece Davis, length-loving Jay Bilas and the hot-and-heavy bromance of Jalen Rose and Bill Simmons at the big desk, while globetrotting European expatriate Fran Fraschilla told tales of scouting the south of France and motorcycle wreck Jay Williams wiped out during every post-draft interview. These are just a few highlights from the telecast.
Andrew Wiggins' Three Amigos fashion sense
The No. 1 overall pick of the Cavaliers is the second consecutive Canadian drafted with the top spot, following the Anthony Bennett shocker last year. There have now been three Canadians drafted in the top-5 all-time, with all three picked by the Cavs. And after seeing what the wide-smiling Wiggins was wearing on draft night, Cleveland's Canadian trio of Wiggins, Bennett and Tristan Thompson might as well be called the "Three Amigos" — if Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short don't mind, that is.
Joel Embiid's ESPN reaction to getting drafted
It's been a rough few weeks for the 7-foot, 20-year-old Embiid. First it was a stress fracture in his back. Then it was a stress fracture in the navicular bone in his right foot. Finally he was stung by the tape-delay bug, sitting with a blank look on his face after being drafted No. 3 overall by the 76ers. ESPN's cameras zoomed in for an awkward few seconds of instant-classic draft footage.
Dante Exum's Foot Locker and Adidas commercials
The 18-year-old Australian combo guard went No. 5 overall to the Utah Jazz, but his real highlight reel was during commercial breaks during the draft. Exum — whose father, Cecil, was a teammate of Michael Jordan and James Worthy on North Carolina's 1982 national title team — played up his "international man of mystery" status and stateside anonymity in a series of ads for Foot Locker and Adidas. Whether he was mistaking bills for fan mail, practicing his autograph or wanting to avoid the paparazzi, Exum stole the show within the show.
Toronto drafting "Brazilian Kevin Durant" Bruno Caboclo
By far the craziest pick of the draft came when the Raptors took the 6'9", 18-year-old Caboclo with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round. Frascilla declared the so-called "Brazilian Kevin Durant" as "two years away from being two years away." Bilas seemed to think Toronto may have had more success making "Bruno Mars" the first "Bruno" selected in draft history. While the Raptors are hoping they've landed the next "Greek Freak" Giannis Antetokounmpo, the rest of the hoops-watching world is laughing.
Bill Simmons' reaction to Heat getting Shabazz Napier
The Sports Guy loved the Celtics' picks of Marcus Smart (pronounced Maaaacus Smaaaat from now on) and James Young — who prompted a fist pump from Simmons and marked the official end of the Kentucky basketball season, according to John Calipari — at Nos. 6 and 17, respectively. But Simmons is sick of teams "helping the Heat," which is what he thought went down when the Bobcats traded LeBron James' favorite player in the draft, two-time UConn champ Shabazz Napier, to two-time champ Miami.
Adam Silver and the NBA "drafting" Isaiah Austin
On a much more serious note, Silver continued to show a Midas touch when dealing with delicate matters. A 7-footer out of Baylor, Austin was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome — a connective tissue disorder that can affect the heart, lungs, eyes and spinal cord — during pre-draft medical evaluations. As a result, Austin's basketball career was effectively ended. But at the halfway point of the draft, Silver called Austin on stage as a draft pick of the NBA. It was a poignant moment of genuine emotion that even a smug Internet troll draft critic could respect and appreciate. Well played, sir.
The 2014 NBA Draft tips off Thursday, June 26. But before Commissioner Adam Silver receives his annual standing ovation — in what will be his first draft since taking over the top spot from David Stern — there will be plenty of rumor-mongering and internet-trolling. After all, this draft is headlined by the Canadian Tracy McGrady, Mormon Carmelo Anthony, Cameroonian Greg Oden and Australian Penny Hardaway.
Here's a rundown of the top pre-draft rumors and predictions heading into what should be one of the most hectic nights on the league calendar, as all 30 teams look to make themselves more attractive for LeBron James' pending "Decision Part Deux."
No. 1 pick is Andrew Wiggins — not Jabari Parker
The high-flying Wiggins is less polished but has top-of-the-backboard upside thanks to his reported 44-inch vertical leap. Parker may be more NBA-ready on draft night, but the Cavaliers (or whichever team trades up to No. 1) will be drafting for the long-term future — not a post-draft pickup game.
Joel Embiid falls out of top-5 due to back and foot injuries
The 20-year-old 7-footer out of Kansas was considered the top prospect in the entire draft until he was revealed to have a stress fracture in the navicular bone in his right foot — an injury similar to those suffered by Yao Ming, Bill Walton, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and other big men with bad wheels. Oh, and the big fella also had his season cut short at KU due to a stress fracture in his back.
Dante Exum shocks draft by being selected in the top-3
His dad played ball with Michael Jordan at North Carolina in the early-80's! He's the greatest Australian player since Luc Longley, who also played ball with Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls in the mid-90's! This kid is practically Michael Jordan — who, come to think of it, was selected at No. 3 overall 30 years ago. Eerie.
Noah Vonleh gets drafted ahead of injured Joel Embiid
The Indiana freshman has a 7'4" wingspan and the second-biggest hands (11.75") in Chicago draft combine history. In Vonleh's one season in Bloomington he led the Big Ten in rebounding (9.0 rpg) and hit 48.5 percent (16-of-33) from 3-point range. When all is said and done, Vonleh might have the best NBA career of anyone in this year's class.
Magic love Marcus Smart at No. 2 in 2013 or No. 4 in '14
Orlando likely would have taken the Oklahoma State combo guard over Indiana guard Victor Oladipo at No. 2 overall in last year's draft. Sitting at No. 4 this year, the Magic will be tempted by Embiid or Aussie 1.5-guard Dante Exum, but will stick with the opinion they've held for two years now.
Jazz trade No. 5 pick and Derrick Favors for No. 1 or 2 pick
No need to take a private jet to Las Vegas, it's party time in Salt Lake City. Expect the Jazz to roll the dice and push their chips on the table with a trade package that includes their best big man (Favors) and their top pick (No. 5) in exchange for a chance to acquire Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker.
Celtics do not draft Julius Randle — but the Lakers do
Kentucky's go-to guy is a polished lefty with nasty Z-Bo-style post moves and a foot that may or may not be about to break (again), depending on who you talk to. Randle skipped a second workout with the C's to do a fashion interview with GQ. He may have a promise from the Lake Show or the Dallas native may have already gone Hollywood. Either way, he's a future Laker, even if only for one night.
Kings trade out of No. 8 pick for overpriced veteran
Sac-town has DeMarcus Cousins locked up for the next four years and needs to make the most of their time with the young big man. Look for the Kings to go for broke with a blockbuster trade for either Josh Smith's radioactive contract in Detroit or maybe a placeholder pick for a sign-and-trade max contract for Eric Bledsoe (DMC's college buddy) in Phoenix.
Canada Tube gets drafted ahead of Dougie McBuckets
Michigan's Nik Stauskas and Creighton's Doug McDermott are the consensus top-two shooters in the draft. And while McDermott was everyone's national player of the year — and reason for Kate Upton to "Dougie" — it will be the Canadian Youtube sensation Stauskas who hears his name called first, possibly earlier than anticipated.
Celtics take Dario Saric as draft-and-stash at No. 17
Croatia's latest uberstar just inked a three-year deal in Turkey, but don't expect that to prevent the 6'10" versatile forward from being a first-round draft-and-stash for an NBA team looking to either save money or cash in on the value of a potential top-10 talent falling down the board. Saric wants to be a Celtic or Laker, so expect Danny Ainge to make a splash with his second first-rounder.
Michael Jordan drafts Horace Grant's nephew at No. 24
What was old is new again. His Airness has brought back the Charlotte Hornets name and colors, throwing away the Bobcats name — which was maybe the most egotistical in sports history, as the namesake of previous owner Robert "Bob" Johnson. In another "back to the future" move, expect MJ to draft Syracuse forward Jerami Grant, the nephew of former Bulls teammate Horace Grant and son of former NBAer Harvey Grant.
Kevin Love will not be traded to the Warriors or Bulls
Despite endless speculation that Golden State is willing to include Klay Thompson (or are they?) and that Derrick Rose would prefer to play with Love over Carmelo Anthony in Chicago, there will be no Love exchanged on draft night. Minnesota was swindled in the Kevin Garnett deal and will almost certainly suffer the same fate with Kevin Love. Rather than collect assets from one of the deepest drafts in history, the T-Wolves will wait… and wait… and wait… until it's too late.
With the 2014 World Cup set to kick off in Brazil, we thought it made sense to get our readers up to speed on the teams. To make it easy, we put things in college football terms. Here's a look at each of the 32 countries competing, as well as what we perceive their American college football counterparts are north of Rio. After all, football is a religion all around the globe, whether it involves slide-tackling or a wrap-up technique. (All odds provided by Bovada.com and indicate odds of winning the World Cup outright.)
Brazil (3:1) = Alabama
The backups for A Selecao and Bama could probably contend.
Mexico (125:1) = Texas
Mexico futbol and Texas football are about equal right now.
Croatia (150:1) = Penn State
James Franklin could coach Vatreni to the Knockout Stage.
Cameroon (500:1) = Texas A&M
Samuel Eto'o a.k.a. Samuel Fo'otbo'ol or Sammy Football.
Spain (6:1) = Florida State
Reigning champs have support of Spanish and Seminole cowgirls.
Netherlands (25:1) = Oregon
Oranje, Oregon. Gotta wear sunglasses the colors are so bright.
Chile (40:1) = Baylor
Are the best days behind or ahead of La Roja and Baylor?
Australia (500:1) = Miami
Australia and Miami. Socceroos and Hurricanes. All night long.
Colombia (33:1) = Stanford
The Stanford Band and Tree are running - from Los Cafeteros?
Ivory Coast (125:1) = Ole Miss
Is this finally the year for Les Elephants and Colonel Reb?
Japan (150:1) = Wisconsin
Samurai Blue and Bucky Badger could make a surprise run.
Greece (200:1) = Michigan
Remember when Greece and Michigan were contenders? Ancient history.
Italy (22:1) = Auburn
Mario and Luigi could lead Azzurri to the promised land. War Eagle!
England (22:1) = Georgia
The Three Lions and the Dawgs underachieve with elite talent.
Uruguay (25:1) = South Carolina
Don't be surprised if La Celeste or Ol' Ball Coach advances.
Costa Rica (1,000:1) = North Carolina
Pretty sure Rashad McCants is a high-ranking FIFA member.
France (25:1) = LSU
Les Bleus in Baton Rouge yelling Geaux Tigers! Mardi Gras?
Switzerland (125:1) = Florida
Will Muschamp likes Nickelback and Switzerland.
Ecuador (150:1) = Clemson
La Tri and the Tigers must regroup to stay competitive.
Honduras (1,500:1) = Virginia Tech
Los Catrachos is Chupacabra meets Hokie.
Argentina (4:1) = Oklahoma
Lionel Messi is in Adrian Peterson prime form.
Bosnia & Herzegovina (150:1) = Missouri
First trip to World Cup for Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Nigeria (250:1) = Louisville
Super Eagles and Cardinals look to air for scoring.
Iran (1,500:1) = Iowa
"What are four-letter places where I don't want to go, Alex?"
Germany (11:2) = Ohio State
Group of Death: Die Adler and Ohio Hate could win it all this year.
Portugal (25:1) = USC
Cristiano Ronald is Hollywood. USC Trojans? Also Hollywood.
USA (100:1) = Notre Dame
Egomaniacal coach? Check. Overhyped program? Check. Envied by all? Check.
Ghana (200:1) = Arizona State
Black Stars have been Sun Devils to USMNT in World Cup.
Belgium (18:1) = UCLA
Do all the women in Belgium look like Bruins cheerleaders?
Russia (100:1) = Michigan State
The Fightin' Putins are shirtless Spartans on horseback. No?
South Korea (300:1) = Washington
Seattle's got Seoul. What else do you need?
Algeria (1,000:1) = Nebraska
"Al Jazeera?" asks Bo Pellini. Bo clearly does not know.
From the moment Roger Goodell was first booed, the 2014 NFL Draft was everything fans expected and/or didn't expect. As usual, trades, tears and tacky suits dominated the first round. But there were a few wild and crazy moments of note from the NFL's prime time must-see Thursday night TV reality show.
Johnny Football's long fall
Even Jerry Jones passed on Johnny Manziel, who fell all the way down the board to the Cleveland Browns at No. 22 overall — the exact same spot mistakes by the lake were made on quarterbacks Brandon Weeden (2012) and Brady Quinn (2007) not so long ago. But Johnny Dawg Pound is a different breed; he's planning to make "taking the Browns to the Super Bowl" more than just a euphemism.
Jon Gruden commentary
ESPN's crew of booming blow-hard Chris Berman, "Who the hell is" Mel Kiper and first-time long-time Ray Lewis wouldn't have been the same without the many faces of Jon Gruden, whose love affair with Johnny Laceless Football was in full bloom on draft night. Even Frank Caliendo couldn't do justice to Chucky's performance, which gave the simulcast edge to ESPN over NFL Network — which was highlighted by Marshall Faulk's oversized bowtie.
Blake Bortles' girlfriend
Were ESPN and NFL Network in cahoots? Why was the lovely Lindsey Duke not given more airtime? After all, her man Blake Bortles was the No. 3 overall pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team down the road from the University of Central Florida. Instead of Duke, it was Taylor Lewan's mom who showed off some MILF cleavage while her son rocked a Macklemore-inspired hairdo.
Sammy Watkins' selfie
The Buffalo Bills splashed the hot-wing sauce by trading up from the No. 9 overall pick to the No. 4 spot — trading away their 2015 first- and fourth-rounders in order to secure Clemson playmaker Sammy Watkins. The top wideout in the draft was also the top Instagram man, pulling a Chain Smokers move by taking a selfie after his bro-bear-hug with Commissioner Goodell.
Browns' Draft Day drama
Kevin Costner did it again. First, he bamboozled Buffalo for future picks. Then, he moved the Browns up from No. 26 overall to No. 22, beating the Minnesota Vikings to the spot to take Johnny Manziel. Wait? It wasn't Costner? It was first-year GM Ray Farmer doing what embattled owner Jimmy Haslam wanted — or was told by a homeless man to do, according to our pal Sal Paolantonio. Either way, Cleveland rocked the draft, if not the box office. As Johnny's OVO would say, "YOLO."
While most athletes are content to enjoy the limelight on the field of competitive sports, many have tried to bask in the bright lights of Hollywood. Here are 30 athletes who made their mark in the movies; some as classic characters in blockbusters and others in forgettable box office disasters.
1. Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Terminator (1984)
The four-time Mr. Universe and International Powerlifting Champion from Austria went on to become the greatest action hero of his — or any — generation. Schwarzenegger's signature role was the Terminator sent back in time to assassinate Sarah Connor, the mother of unborn revolutionary leader John Connor. Although he speaks only 18 lines in the James Cameron classic, Arnold utters his most memorable quote — "I'll be back."
Other notable films: Conan the Barbarian (1982), Predator (1987), Total Recall (1990), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994)
2. Johnny Weissmuller, Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)
A five-time gold medalist swimmer and bronze medalist water polo player, Weissmuller starred in 12 Tarzan films from 1932-48. Although he was the sixth actor to portray the Edgar Rice Burrough character, Weissmuller added arguably the most important element to Tarzan — the ape-man's ululating yell.
3. Jim Brown, 100 Rifles (1969)
Arguably the greatest running back (and lacrosse player) in history, Brown retired from the NFL during the prime of his career to become a movie star.
"To leave at 29 years old, MVP, having won the championship in '64 and played for it in '65," Brown told Esquire in 2008. "To go into the movies and break the color barrier and be in a sex scene with Raquel Welch. To get to be in The Dirty Dozen with some great actors. To make more money in one year than you damn near made in nine years of football. Everything about it was ingenious."
Other notable films: The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Running Man (1987), Mars Attacks! (1996), Any Given Sunday (1999)
4. O.J. Simpson, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991)
The Juice was a Heisman Trophy winner at USC and the only running back in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in only 14 games. But he was also the bumbling klutz Detective Nordberg in The Naked Gun franchise.
Nordberg: "All right, listen up everyone! I want you to calmly file towards the exits. That's it, that's it! Nobody runs, just walk. Single file. That's it. Now if we just stay calm, no one's gonna be harmed by the huge bomb that's gonna explode any minute."
But O.J.'s best acting scene came during his 1994-95 trial for double-homicide — when he was given black gloves and the stage in one of the greatest legal dramas ever.
Other notable films: The Towering Inferno (1974), The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Airplane! (1980)
From sky hook to fly boy, Kareem was co-pilot Roger Murdock — flying alongside a very Jerry Sandusky pilot played by Peter Graves — in the comedy classic Airplane! He also fought Bruce Lee during his film debut in Game of Death.
Roger Murdock: "Listen Kid! I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes."
Other notable films: Game of Death (1972), Fletch (1985)
6. Carl Weathers, Rocky (1976)
Before he was iconic heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in the Best Picture Academy Award-winning Rocky, Weathers played football at San Diego State, then four seasons with the NFL's Oakland Raiders and the CFL's B.C. Lions.
Apollo Creed: "Southpaw nothing. I'll drop him in three. Apollo Creed meets the Italian Stallion. Now that sounds like a damn monster movie."
Other notable films: Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Predator (1987), Happy Gilmore (1996)
7. Mike Tyson, The Hangover (2009)
The youngest fighter (20 years, 4 months, 22 days) to unify the heavyweight title belt (WBC, WBA and IBF), Iron Mike was a terror in the ring — going 37–0 before losing to Buster Douglas in Tokyo, in one of the greatest upsets in sports history.
A surreal caricature of a man, Tyson infamously did hard time, bit off Evander Holyfield's ear, got a face tattoo and speaks with an effeminate voice that contradicts his baddest man alive persona. Already bordering on a fictional existence, Tyson took his act to the big screen, singing Phil Collins' classic "In the Air Tonight" in the bachelor party flick Hangover.
Tyson: "By the way man, where you get that cop car from?"
Stu Price: "We, uh, stole it from these dumbass cops."
Tyson: "Nice! High five there! That's nice!"
Other notable films: Rocky Balboa (2006), The Hangover Part II (2011)
8. Bob Uecker, Major League (1989)
One of Uecker's 14 career home runs in MLB was off of the legendary lefty Sandy Koufax. But the backup catcher was known more for his play-by-play commentary — both in real life as the five-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year with the Milwaukee Brewers and in film as the hard-drinking Harry Doyle with the Cleveland Indians in the Major League trilogy.
Harry Doyle: "So, here is Rick Vaughn, the one they call the 'Wild Thing.' So, he sets and deals. (Vaughn throws a wild pitch) Just a bit outside, he tried for the corner and missed. (Vaughn throws another wild pitch) Ball 4. (Vaughn throws another wild pitch) Ball 8. (Vaughn throws another wild pitch) Low, and he walks the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. How can these guys lay off pitches that close?"
Other notable films: Major League II (1994), Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco (1996), Major League: Back to the Minors (1998)
9. Alex Karras, Blazing Saddles (1974)
An Outland Award winning defensive tackle at Iowa and a four-time Pro Bowl selection in the NFL, Karras was the perfect fit for the horse-punching Mongo in the Mel Brooks wild Western satire Blazing Saddles.
Mongo: "Mongo only pawn … in game of life."
Other notable films: Porky's (1982), Victor Victoria (1982), Against All Odds (1984)
10. Andre the Giant, The Princess Bride (1987)
The 7'4", 530-pound Frenchman was one of the greatest acts in WWF history before playing the lovable strongman running mate of Inigo Montoya in the rom-com fairy tale The Princess Bride.
Fezzik: "It's not my fault being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise."
Other notable films: Conan the Destroyer (1984), Micki + Maude (1984)
11. Bubba Smith, Police Academy (1984)
"Kill, Bubba, Kill" was chanted by fans at Michigan State before Smith became the No. 1 overall pick of the 1967 NFL Draft. The 6'7" Smith was a two-time Pro Bowl defensive end with the Baltimore Colts and a member of the Super Bowl V champions and Super Bowl III runners-up. But to many, he was Lt. Moses Hightower of the Police Academy series.
Hightower: "I was a florist."
Mahoney: "A florist?"
Hightower: "Yeah, you know, flowers and shit."
Other notable films: Police Academy 2-6 (1985-89)
12. Vinnie Jones, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
A real deal hooligan, Jones was a footballer who captained the Welsh national team before becoming a typecast movie tough guy.
Other notable films: Snatch (2000), Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000), Swordfish (2001), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
13. John Matuszak, The Goonies (1985)
"Tooz" was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft and a two-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowls XI and XV) before playing the deformed "Sloth" in The Goonies.
Other notable films: North Dallas Forty (1979), Caveman (1981)
14. Jason Lee, Almost Famous (2000)
The former professional skateboarder has carved his way to becoming one of the top goofy-foot grinders in the acting game, turning a wicked 360 flip into mainstream big (and small) screen success.
Other notable films: Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Vanilla Sky (2001), Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
15. Cam Neely, Dumb and Dumber (1994)
"Kick his ass, Sea Bass!" has made its way into the vernacular thanks to the Hockey Hall of Famer who hockey-ed a loogie on Jim Carey's hamburger in the cult classic.
Sea Bass: "What the hell? Who's the dead man that hit me with the salt shaker?"
Other notable films: D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994), Me, Myself & Irene (2000), What's the Worst That Could Happen (2001)
16. Roger Clemens, Kingpin (1996)
Clemens, like Neely, is an athlete-actor in Farrelly Brothers comedies. Another intimidator, Clemens plays the role of Skidmark, who doesn't like it when he finds Amish bowler Ishmael dancing with his girl.
Ishmael: "Hi Mr. Skidmark."
Other notable films: Cobb (1994), Anger Management (2003)
17. Ray Allen, He Got Game (1998)
Ray plays Jesus Shuttlesworth — Denzel Washington's son, based loosely on the life of Stephon Marbury — in the Spike Lee joint He Got Game. The perky perks of college basketball recruiting, as well as its financially and politically charged shady side, are in the spotlight.
Other notable film: Harvard Man (2001)
18. Ray Nitschke, The Longest Yard (1974)
The iconic two-time Super Bowl (I and II) champion Green Bay Packers middle linebacker makes this Burt Reynolds original where the prison inmates play against the guards.
Other notable film: Head (1968)
19. Lawrence Taylor, Any Given Sunday (1999)
Another of the NFL's all-time great linebackers stretches his acting chops by playing football in a film. Coached by Al Pacino, L.T. is a veteran risking his life to play another Sunday for the Miami Sharks.
Other notable films: The Waterboy (1998), The Comebacks (2007), When in Rome (2010)
20. Mike Ditka, Kicking and Screaming (2005)
One of two men to win Super Bowls as a player, assistant coach and head coach, Ditka may have been able to beat a Hurricane — according to Bill Swerski's Superfans on Saturday Night Live — but he was no match for Will Ferrell.
21. Wilt Chamberlain, Conan the Destroyer (1984)
After scoring a record 100 points in a single NBA game, Wilt the Stilt teamed up with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Look out, ladies.
22. Jesse Ventura, Predator (1987)
Another Arnold Schwarzenegger castmate, "The Body" was hunting and hunted by a Predator monster in the jungles of Central America. The duo would go on to become governors, with Ventura taking over Minnesota and Arnold becoming the "Governator" of Call-ee-forn-ee-a.
Other notable films: The Running Man (1987), Demolition Man (1993), Batman & Robin (1997)
23. Terry Bradshaw, Failure to Launch (2006)
The four-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback plays the husband of Kathy Bates and father of Matthew McConaughey, a 35-year-old still living with his parents. Spoiler alert: Bradshaw bares all.
24. Brett Favre, There's Something About Mary (1998)
Cameron Diaz is a Niners fan, but Brett and Warren are friends.
Favre: "Hi, Mary!"
Mary: "Brett?"
Pat Healy: "What the hell is Brett Favre doing here?"
Favre: "I'm in town to play the Dolphins, you dumb ass."
25. Dan Marino, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Ray Finkle blames Marino — "Laces out!" — for losing Super Bowl XVII and ruining his career. The Jim Carey vehicle is funnier than Isotoner commercials, which is saying something.
26. Lance Armstrong, Dodgeball (2004)
After convincing Ben Still to Live Strong, Lance has since taken his ball and gone home.
Armstrong: "I've been watching the dodgeball tournament on the Ocho, ESPN 8. I just can't get enough of it. But, good luck in the tournament. I'm really pulling for you against those jerks from Globo Gym. I think you better hurry up or you're gonna be late."
Peter La Fleur: "Uh, actually I decided to quit, Lance."
Armstrong: "Quit? You know, once I was thinking about quitting when I was diagnosed with brain, lung and testicular cancer, all at the same time. But with the love and support of my friends and family, I got back on the bike and I won the Tour de France five times in a row. But I'm sure you have a good reason to quit. So what are you dying from that's keeping you from the finals?"
27. Derek Jeter, The Other Guys (2010)
He's a biracial angel.
28. Gheorghe Muresan, My Giant (1998)
The 7'7" Romanian sensation wasn't just Billy Crystal's giant, he was everyone's giant.
29. Michael Jordan, Space Jam (1996)
Bugs Bunny owes us all an apology. You too, Michael.
30. Shaquille O'Neal, Kazaam (1996)
Shaq would probably spend all three of his wishes to wipe out this boombox genie flop.
The best team doesn't always win the NCAA Tournament. Many of greatest rosters ever assembled failed to cut down the nets in the one-and-done, single-elimination Madness of March. These are the 15 best teams that never won the NCAA Tournament.
1. 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels
(34–1, 18–0 Big West)
Coach Jerry Tarkanian
Lost to Duke, 79–77, in Final Four
Vegas was the undisputed, undefeated heavyweight champion of the world in college basketball before falling to Duke in a rematch of the 1990 title game, in which the Runnin' Rebels humiliated the Blue Devils, 103–73. With three 1991 NBA Lottery picks — national player of the year forward Larry Johnson (No. 1 overall), wingman Stacey Augmon (No. 9) and point guard Greg Anthony (No. 12) — and the reigning Final Four MOP in Anderson Hunt, UNLV was as intimidating as it was dominant.
2. 1975 Indiana Hoosiers
(31–1, 18–0 Big Ten)
Coach Bob Knight
Lost to Kentucky, 92–90, in Elite Eight
Bob Knight and Joe B. Hall nearly went to blows during a 98–74 IU win over UK in December 1974. The Hoosiers were riding a 34-game winning streak heading into their rematch with the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament. But without a full strength Scott May — who scored two points due to a broken arm, after scoring 25 in the first meeting — undefeated Indiana fell to Kentucky, a team that went on to lose the national title to UCLA in John Wooden's final game.
3. 1983 Houston Cougars
(31–3, 16–0 Southwest)
Coach Guy Lewis
Lost to NC State, 54–52, in NCAA title game
Texas' tallest fraternity, "Phi Slama Jama" was led by a pair of future Hall of Famers in shot-swatting big man Akeem Olajuwon and high-flying Clyde "the Glide" Drexler. The middle of three straight Final Four appearances and first of two national title game runner-up finishes was the most painful, as NC State pulled off one of the greatest Cinderella upsets in Big Dance history.
4. 1985 Georgetown Hoyas
(35–3, 14–2 Big East)
Coach John Thompson
Lost to Villanova, 66–64, in NCAA title game
The Patrick Ewing-led Hoyas were runner-up to North Carolina in 1982, national champs in 1984 and heavily favored to repeat as champs in 1985. But the overwhelming edge in talent for Ewing, Reggie Williams, David Wingate and Co. was no match for the magical shooting night of Rollie Massimino's Wildcats, who shot 22-of-28 from the field to beat "Hoya Paranoia" on April Fools' Day.
5. 1984 North Carolina Tar Heels
Coach Dean Smith
Lost to Indiana, 72–68, in Sweet 16
On paper, this was Dean Smith's most talented team, on the court and on the bench. National player of the year Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Brad Daugherty and freshman Kenny Smith headlined a loaded roster, while Roy Williams, Bill Guthridge and Eddie Fogler served as assistants coaches for a group of Tar Heels that couldn't even make it to the Final Four.
6. 1993 Michigan Wolverines
(31–5, 15–3 Big Ten)
Coach Steve Fisher
Lost to North Carolina, 77–71, in NCAA title game
The sophomore season of the Fab Five — Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson — produced the same (since vacated) results as their freshman campaign. Michigan marched all the way to the national title game with their signature baggy shorts, black socks and swagger, only to lose to ACC power UNC, after losing to Duke in the championship game the season before.
7. 1997 Kansas Jayhawks
(34–2, 15–1 Big 12)
Coach Roy Williams
Lost to Arizona, 85–82, in Sweet 16
KU had it all, with NBA size down low in Raef LaFrentz and Scot Pollard, clutch shooters in Paul Pierce, Jerod Haase and Billy Thomas, and steady point guard play from Jacque Vaughn and Ryan Robertson. But Roy Williams' Jayhawks could not close the deal against Miles Simon, Mike Bibby and eventual champion Arizona.
8. 1973 NC State Wolfpack
Coach Norm Sloan
Banned from postseason play
David Thompson and Tommy Burleson led NC State to an undefeated regular season but were unable to go dancing after being banned from postseason play due to NCAA sanctions. When the ban was lifted, the 1973-74 Wolfpack went 30–1 cut down the nets following a national championship.
9. 1974 UCLA Bruins
(26–4, 12–2 Pac-8)
Coach John Wooden
Lost to NC State, 80–77 in 2OT, in Final Four
The next-to-last team coach by the Wizard of Westwood ended UCLA's streak of seven consecutive NCAA titles. Despite being led by Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes, the Bruins were unable to outlast NC State in double-overtime in the Final Four.
10. 1954 Kentucky Wildcats
Coach Adolph Rupp
Elected not to participate
Coach Adolph Rupp chose to take a stand against the NCAA by keeping the unbeaten Wildcats out of the Tournament after Frank Ramsey, Cliff Hagan and Lou Tsioropoulos were ruled ineligible due to a graduation rule that is no longer in place.
11. 1999 Duke Blue Devils
Coach Mike Krzyzewski
Lost to Connecticut, 77–74, in NCAA title game
One of Coach K's most talented teams was anchored by No. 1 overall pick Elton Brand, sharpshooting senior Trajan Langdon, point guard William Avery and athletic freak frosh Corey Maggette — all of whom went in the top 14 of the 1999 NBA Draft.
12. 1962 Ohio State Buckeyes
(26–2, 13–1 Big Ten)
Coach Fred Taylor
Lost to Cincinnati, 71–59, in NCAA title game
Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek are two of the greatest players in Ohio State history, playing in three consecutive NCAA title games — losing the last two trips as a heavy favorite against in-state rival Cincinnati.
13. 1957 Kansas Jayhawks
(24–3, 11–1 Big Seven)
Coach Dick Harp
Lost to North Carolina, 54–53 in 3OT, in NCAA title game
Kansas' Wilt Chamberlain was unable to follow in the championship footsteps of San Francisco's Bill Russell — who led the Dons to titles in 1955 and 1956. The Stilt lost in triple-overtime in what old timers have called the greatest game ever played.
14. 1963 Cincinnati Bearcats
(26–2, 11–1 Missouri Valley)
Coach Ed Jucker
Lost to Loyola-Chicago, 60–58, in NCAA title game
In their fifth straight Final Four appearance, the Bearcats were aiming for a three-peat before the term existed. But back-to-back champion Cincinnati was shocked by underdog Loyola-Chicago in the final.
15. 1979 Indiana State Sycamores
(33–1, 16–0 Missouri Valley)
Coach Bill Hodges
Lost to Michigan State, 75–64, in NCAA title game
The Legend of Larry Bird sprouted from the Sycamores undefeated 33–0 run to the NCAA title game, where Bird vs. Magic made the contest the highest rated college basketball game in history.