My Big East Tournament Favorite Moments

Today I listened to the SVP & Russillo podcast and the One Big Thing done by Ryen Russillo was about the Big East. Here's the link if you want to hear it, One Big Thing. Good stuff. Anyway it got me thinking since this is the last real Big East Tourament before conference realignment takes place. I thought about the best moments of the Big East Tourney in my lifetime (mostly UConn related but that's because they have had some amazing moments recently).

Talik Brown vs Pittsburgh 2002 

Talik Brown was pretty much the worst shooter I can remember playing at UConn. That might be a little harsh but him making this shot was incredible. An absolute bomb with the shot clock running out. Sealed the Big East Title over Pitt, who were my most hated Big East team by far. Talik Brown. ONIONS.

Gerry McNamara carries Syracuse

The video is a long one but it might be worth watching. In 2006 the Orange won four games in four days basically because of McNamara. Buzzer beater to beat Cincinnati. Huge 3-pointer against UConn to force overtime. Game-winning assist to Eric Devendorf against Georgetown. And then defeating Pitt to win the title. Incredible run. 

Syracuse vs UConn 6 Overtime Game

One of the most incredible basketball games I've ever seen. Six overtimes. I couldn't believe it. It's one of those games where I remember where I was, at Mike Moriarty's house. Awesome, awesome game throughout. The game lasted 3 hours and 48 minutes. Eric Devendorf almost hits the game winner at the end of regulation, which would have been horrible because he is easily in my top 5 most hated college basketball players ever. I felt like UConn would eventually win it. Especially Kemba's half court shot at the end of the second OT, which bounced off the back of the rim and went straight up. I thought it was going to drop. Up by six in the 3rd OT but Andy Rautins hits a tying 3. Jeff Adrien had a shot at the buzzer but missed. I'm basically having a heart attack now. Then in the 5th overtime at the buzzer Adrien grabbed a rebound and had a great looked but missed. Then the 6th overtime everybody on UConn fouled out and Syracuse won. But this game is easily in my top 10 sporting events ever witnessed.

Cardiac Kemba

Gerry McNamara might have had an impressive Big East Tournament run in 2006 but Kemba Walker tops him in my opinion. In the 2011 Big East Tournament, Kemba put the team on his back. 5 games in 5 days and then eventually to the national championship. This was the highlight for me though. Breaking big Gary McGhee's ankles to hit the buzzer beater against Pitt. Classic. 

I'm sure there are more moments out there that I missed but it's definitely a sad thing that there won't be any more moments like this. The Big East will be missed.

The NBA for the Next Four Years

My personal belief on the NBA is that it is a fixed league. Some people might not agree with me but you have to admit it's easily predictable at least. Since 1984, only 8 teams have won the NBA Championship (Lakers 8, Bulls 6, Spurs 4, Celtics 3, Pistons 3, Heat 2, Rockets 2, Mavericks 1) Meanwhile since '84, in the NFL 15 teams have won, 18 MLB teams and the NHL has had a different champion every year for the past 9 seasons. Obviously you can make the point that the NBA is much different sport because it's much more of an individual game, where one player can carry a team to a title. But still, that's not a lot of parity over the past 29 years. 

Don't get me wrong I like the NBA more than I used to because it has been interesting since the Celtics Big 3 began playing. Then LeBron went to Heat. It's been fun watching the Conference Finals and Finals recently but that's really all you need to watch. At the beginning of the season you can name on one hand how many teams could actually win the championship. This year you had the Heat, Thunder, we thought Lakers, Spurs out of respect, then maybe you thought the Knicks or Celtics could at least challenge the Heat. So six total teams out of the 30 team league. If you are a fan of the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, or Denver Nuggets did you really believe your team could win the championship? Sure you will get to the playoffs but at the end of the day the six teams (well four because the Lakers stink and the Celtics don't have Rondo) I named earlier will beat you. 

Okay I guess that's enough of a rant about how spoiled I am with the parity in the NFL. Onto my predictions for the next four years...

As for this year the NBA Finals will be, once again, wait for it... It's a shocker... Heat vs Thunder. 

Clearly the Heat are the best team in the East and the entire league for that matter. The Knicks might get their shot at the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals but I don't see that series going past six games. The Heat should repeat and will repeat.

As for the team from the West, it's either the Spurs or the Thunder. One of my conspiracy theories is that David Stern hates the Spurs. Basically because they aren't great for ratings and Greg Popovich does what he wants, like not playing his best three players for no reason, so the Spurs won't make it. It would be really interesting to see them get a shot at the Heat though if they were all healthy.

So then that basically leaves the Thunder. Plus the NBA would love to have another Kevin Durant vs LeBron Finals, which has the potential to be a great rivalry for the next seven or eight years.

The Heat will win the series in six, possibly seven if the NBA wants that to happen. MVP will be LeBron. Pretty simple stuff for this year.

Then for the 2013-14 season, the Heat will 3peat, most likely over the Thunder again but it's very possible the Spurs or Clippers might sneak in. Plus you can't rule out the Lakers if they resign Dwight Howard and they get Phil Jackson back, or at least a decent coach. Either way it's the Heat for the third straight time.

This is where it gets interesting. After that season ends, LeBron, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh can all opt out of their contracts, which they are expected to do. Then it all depends on what LeBron does. I think he might go back to Cleveland if owner Dan Gilbert can forgive him. He could also possibly go the Lakers to play with Dwight but who knows where Kobe will be three years from now. Or he could return to Miami to try to win his fourth straight ring. However that team would be different then the current Heat, so subtract at least Wade or Bosh. Either way, whichever team LeBron decides to play for in 2014-15, his team will not win the championship. I personally believe he goes back to Cleveland to play with Kyrie Irving. Anyways, the OKC Thunder will finally win that year and Durant will get his first ring.

Then in 2015-16, LeBron will get his fourth ring for either the Cavaliers, Lakers, or Heat.

After that I'm not too sure. But lock everything I just said up for the next four years. 

Top 20 Quarterbacks of All-Time

(I picked this photo for a few reasons. One, I didn't want to put a picture of my best ever to give it away and two, it's not like any Browns are on this list so I figured they at least deserved a picture of them doing what they do best.)

Everyday over the pond I listen to the PTI, SVP & Russillo, and the Herd podcasts. So this past week Colin said he was going to have a QB bracket in March to determine the best QB's of all-time. I thought it was a very cool idea and I'm sure I'll vote for it once it starts. However on Wednesday he quickly said what seeds he was thinking about putting all the QB's. I had one major problem, which is the reason I want to write this blog.
He had Big Ben as a 7 seed. ARE YOU SERIOUS? So he is basically saying Ben is between the 25-28 all-time. He also had Drew Bledsoe and Boomer Esiason as 7's along with Eli. BLEDSOE AND BOOMER? They aren't even close to Eli or Ben. I assume he made Ben a 7 because he had Terry Bradshaw as a 2 so they would have to meet up in round 2.
Any who, that made me pretty upset. So I decided to make my own list of the Top 20 QB's ever...well not ever. I stuck to the Super Bowl Era because I don't know anything about Otto Graham or Sammy Baugh, Sid Luckman, or Y.A. Tittle. I mean not that I've seen guys like Johnny U or Fran Tarkenton but I feel like the really old QB's played in a much different game.


Here we go your Top 20 QB's---

20. Jim Kelly --- Buffalo Bills

Taking your team to four straight Super Bowls has to account for something. Sure the Bills lost all four of those Super Bowls but he is the only QB to take his team to four in a row. Plus being a Hall of Famer helps prove my point.

19. Bob Griese --- Miami Dolphins

Similar to Jim Kelly, Bob Griese lead the Dolphins to three straight Super Bowls from 1972-1974. He won two of those games including Super Bowl VII to cap off the Dolphins perfect 17-0 season.

18. Bart Starr --- Green Bay Packers

So I said I wasn't counting before the Super Bowl Era, however Bart Starr is in both eras. He has a total of five NFL Championships/Super Bowls. Including three straight between 1965-67. He also won the first two Super Bowl MVPs. Sure it probably helped to be on the Packers when Vince Lombardi was the coach but that's still a pretty nice resume for Bart.

17. Fran Tarkenton --- Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants

Tarkenton retired as the all-time leader in total yards in NFL history, so that's not too bad. He also made 9 Pro Bowls and took the Vikings to three Super Bowls in the 70's. In 1975 he was also the league MVP.

16. Roger Staubach ---- Dallas Cowboys

Another QB from the 1970's who won two Super Bowls. Staubach also took the Cowboys to five Super Bowls. Unfortunately he ran into the Steel Curtain twice. Staubach won the Heisman Trophy while at Navy and then served in the Navy for six years.

15. Ben Roethlisberger --- Pittsburgh Steelers

I don't even want to hear how biased I am for putting Big Ben at 15. I easily could have put him higher. I don't understand how people could disagree with this ranking either. He just turned 31 and he already has two Super Bowl titles and has won three AFC Championships. Sure it doesn't always look pretty when he's playing but that's because his o-line has been pretty turrible ever since Alan Faneca left in 2008. Plus that's why he is a perfect Steeler. He makes it work when everything seems lost. His stats are never going to be outstanding like other QB's playing right now though, so he won't get as much love. But if he was ever to add another Super Bowl Championship to his resume, he easily vaults himself into the top 10 and possibly top 5.

14. Eli Manning --- New York Giants

The only reason Eli goes ahead of Ben is for the fact that in both of his Super Bowls he was the MVP. Both games against the Patriots he was fantastic but he's similar to Ben in the way that his numbers are never great. Plus at least three games a year he is going to lay down a stinker. But he wins when it matters most.

13. Aaron Rodgers --- Green Bay Packers

Sure he only has one ring but he is also only 29 years old and has only been the starting QB in Green Bay for five seasons. In those five seasons he has won an MVP, a Super Bowl MVP, been named to three pro bowls, and he currently has the highest QB rating of all-time at 104.9. Second place is Steve Young, with a rating of 96.8. So he's been pretty good.

12. Kurt Warner --- St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals

Kurt Warner deserves to be on this list even though he was an Iowa Barnstormer to start his career. He broke through with the Rams in 1999 when he lead the Rams to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. During that season he won the league MVP and the SB MVP. Later in his career he added another MVP and had two more trips to the Super Bowl, which he lost both but he has the record for most yards thrown for in a single Super Bowl, along with second and third place.

11. Drew Brees --- San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints

DREW BREEEEEEEEESSSSSSS.
He holds a lot of passing records and he won a Super Bowl for the Saints. The Saints were horrible forever. But he got the job done.

10. Troy Aikman --- Dallas Cowboys

It's very hard not to put a guy with three Super Bowl rings in the top 10. So here is Mr. Aikman. He lead the 90's Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in four years (thanks mostly to the Bills and Neil O'Donnell). But he was named SB MVP once and he was also a three time all-pro.


9. Johnny Unitas --- Baltimore Colts

How could I not put Johnny U on the list? Sure most of his career was played before the Super Bowl era but he did win Super Bowl V along with two NFL Championships. He was a three time MVP and he played in 10 pro bowls. He was also drafted by the Steelers in the 9th round but they cut him for some reason. Idiots.

8. Steve Young --- Tampa Bay Bucs, San Francisco 49ers

Like I said before Young is second all-time in passer rating. He also has two MVP's and a Super Bowl MVP, when he set a record throwing 6 TD's in SB XXIX. Young was also a scrambler and he still holds the record for most rushing TD's by a QB with 43.

7. Brett Favre --- Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings

I was going to list some of Brett Favre's records but the dude has an entire wikipedia page devoted to them so here it is. Brett's Records. Anyway, the most important thing would be his three straight MVP awards and his Super Bowl XXXI championship. Part of me thinks he could still play today if he wanted to but I'm glad he finally called it a career two years ago.

6. John Elway --- Denver Broncos

I really started to watch football when the Broncos were winning back to back Super Bowls, so I had to have Elway in the top 10. He was the king of comebacks. The Drive being his most famous against the Brownies in the '87 AFC Championship. He took the Broncos to five Super Bowls and won two.

5. Terry Bradshaw --- Pittsburgh Steelers

Yes it's true he had the Steel Curtain for a defense and was playing for arguably the best dynasty in the history of the NFL, but the guy still won four Super Bowls. Not having him in the top 5 would be a crime. He won two Super Bowl MVPs and one regular season MVP. He's the blond bomber. Lock it up. The original TFB.

4. Dan Marino --- Miami Dolphins

If Dan the Man had one ring he might be on the top of the list or at least in the top 3 but without it I can't put him over the next three guys. He was one of the best though. In his second NFL season he threw for 48 TD's (a record that stood for 20 years) and 5,084 yards (a record that stood for 27 years) as he took the Dolphins to the Super Bowl.

3. Peyton Manning --- Indianapolis Colts

I always said Peyton was the best QB I've ever seen play but I think I'm finally admitting that TFB is the guy. Basically because of the postseason, where Peyton's record is only 9-11. Also 8 times his team has been knocked out in their first game. Thankfully for him he did get his one ring, in which he had to defeat the Patriots to get to the Super Bowl. He is obviously one of the most talented QB's ever and could possibly hold most of the records Brett Favre does now if he keeps playing at a high level for the Broncos. Four MVP's is more than Brady but I'll take TFB's rings.

2. Thomas F. Brady --- New England Patriots

I feel like a traitor for putting Lord Brady second all-time, but how can I not. At the start of his career he was an unknown. Then thanks to friggin Mo Lewis of the Jets, who killed Drew Bledsoe he got his chance to start. And thanks to a stupid tuck rule he got to win his first Super Bowl in 2001. Yes, I'm still bitter because they beat the Steelers in the AFC Championship that year. Get off my back about it.
Anyways, I will say this, it's hard not to call someone the best QB of all-time when they have three Super Bowl titles, two SB MVP's, two regular season MVP's, and he is the all-time leader in playoff wins with 17. Plus he has taken the Patriots to the AFC Championship in 7 of the last 12 seasons, winning five of those games. I can't wait for this dude to retire. He still needs to win one more Super Bowl to take down the man at the top of the list though.

1. Joe Montana --- San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs

I don't think there should be any doubt that Joe Montana belongs at the top of this list. 4 Super Bowls, 3 SB MVP's (the record for one player), and 2 regular season MVP's. Plus in his four Super Bowl appearances he threw for 11 touchdowns and ZERO interceptions, while having the best passer rating in SB history, 127.8. That is the definition of being a clutch quarterback.