Baseballs 10 Best Broadcasters

Watching a game of baseball can sometimes be as much fun listening to the broadcast booth as it is watching the actual action on the diamond.

Generally that area is filled by people who have been in and around the game for as long as anyone can remember. While the fairly recent losses of legends like Ernie Harwell and Harry Kalas makes the game a little less fun, there are several people left who bring listeners much needed smiles.

We all have our favorites, so feel free to add yours to the list if you are so inclined. Yours truly freely admits that he hasn't had the pleasure of hearing everyone behind the microphone.




Bob Uecker


If you want to get a feel of how cool "Ueck" is, you can watch all the commercials, appearances with Johnny Carson, movies, and even his sitcom for a taste.

One of the best ways is to listen to comedian Artie Lange tell a story of how he got to sit next to Uecker for a few innings and watch the maestro at work. Truly hilarious insight.

"Mr. Baseball" knows his stuff, both good and bad. A sound defensive catcher with a World Series ring, he once led the league in passed balls trying to catch knuckleballing Hall of Famer Phil Niekro despite playing just 59 games.

He is not just extremely funny, but you can improve your own game listening to Uecker. Want to learn how to catch a knuckleball? Just wait until it stops rolling, then go pick it up.

Here is a montage of some of his quips :


Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues. But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat.


Baseball hasn't forgotten me. I go to a lot of old-timers games and I haven't lost a thing. I sit in the bullpen and let people throw things at me. Just like old times.


Career highlights? I had two. I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets.


I didn't get a lot of awards as a player. But they did have a Bob Uecker Day Off for me once in Philly.


I had slumps that lasted into the winter.


I hit a grand slam off Ron Herbel and when his manager Herman Franks came out to get him, he was bringing Herbel's suitcase.


I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.


I led the league in "Go get 'em next time."


I set records that will never be equaled. In fact, I hope 90% of them don't even get printed.


I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for three-thousand dollars. That bothered my dad at the time because he didn't have that kind of dough. But he eventually scraped it up.


If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to? I always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBI. And I tried to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk about during the winter.


In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second season in the bigs.


Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist.


One time, I got pulled over at four a.m. I was fined seventy-five dollars for being intoxicated and four-hundred for being with the Phillies.


People don't know this but I helped the Cardinals win the pennant. I came down with hepatitis. The trainer injected me with it.


Sporting goods companies pay me not to endorse their products.


Sure, women sportswriters look when they're in the clubhouse. Read their stories. How else do you explain a capital letter in the middle of a word?


The highlight of my career? In '67 with St. Louis, I walked with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run in an intersquad game in spring training.


When I came up to bat with three men on and two outs in the ninth, I looked in the other team's dugout and they were already in street clothes.


When I looked at the third base coach, he turned his back on me.


I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Actually, I was born in Illinois. My mother and father were on an oleo margarine run to Chicago back in 1934, because we couldn't get colored margarine in Wisconsin. On the way home, my mother was with child. Me. And the pains started, and my dad pulled off into an exit area, and that's where the event took place. I remember it was a Nativity type setting. An exit light shining down. There were three truck drivers there. One guy was carrying butter, one guy had frankfurters, and the other guy was a retired baseball scout who told my folks that I probably had a chance to play somewhere down the line.

Well, a couple of grand slammers and the Brewers are right back in this one (Uecker during the 8th inning of a game the Brewers were losing 8–0.)

The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League game. He really showed me something. Struck out three times. Made an error that lost the game. Parents were throwing things at our car and swearing at us as we drove off. Gosh, I was proud.


I had slumps that lasted into the winter.

A doctor told me to drink lemon juice after a hot bath. But I have never finished the bath.


I won the Comeback of the Year Award five years in a row!

I'm scared of the Reds.

I had been playing for a while, and I asked Louisville Slugger to send me a dozen flame treated bats. But when I got it, I realized they had sent me a box of ashes.

Luv Ya Ueck!




Jim Palmer


Residents in Charm City have long been blessed with great men behind a microphone. The legendary Chuck Thompson is still king, and his days working with Orioles Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson were fun.

Ford Frick Award winner Jon Miller took over in the radio booth when Thompson, who also won the Frick Award, worked just television in 1983, the year the Orioles won the World Series. Today the Orioles have the excellent Gary Thorne.

Palmer is the greatest pitcher in Orioles history. He is a Hall of Famer who has done modeling and acting too, so going to the booth was a natural transition. He started working network television before coming back home to do just Orioles games.

Listening to Palmer is a daily education. From his knowledge of the game, stories from the past, and relationships with current players, Palmer is always fun to listen to.

A few years ago, the Orioles played the Washington Nationals. Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton was calling Nationals games at the time, and someone had the idea to put both in the same booth.

The legends swapped stories, theories, learning's, and more. Anyone who got to listen to the duo in that three game series probably paid little attention to the action on the field because the focus was on listening to the duo.

Baltimore has had solid guys like Buck Martinez in the booth, as well as Orioles greats like Rick Dempsey and Mike Flanagan working with Thorne too. But everyone quietly hopes Palmer will feel like calling the game that day so they can get a wealth of wisdom and greatness.





Vin Scully


Scully's 61 years of calling Los Angeles Dodger games is the longest of any broadcaster with a single club in professional sports history. The 83-year old is still going strong, showing no signs of slowing down.

Not only is his wealth of knowledge endless, but all players say Scully is one of the truest gentleman to have ever graced the game.

Born in the Bronx of New York City, Scully started calling Brooklyn Dodger games in 1950. He accompanied the team when they moved in 1958, making him and Tommy Lasorda the last ties in the organization to their beginnings.

While he has covered all sports, many other organizations have unsuccessfully tried to retain his services. His loyalty to the Dodgers is a legend of lore that will not be duplicated.

The historic moments he has called it endless. From the Brooklyn Dodgers only World Series win, to four perfect games and a no-hitter. His biggest moments may have been Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run and Kirk Gibson's famous World Series home run in 1988.

Scully, a Frick Award winner, is often imitated but he will never be duplicated. There are thousands of Dodgers fans out there who root for the team because he is the man in the booth.





Jon Miller


Miller started out broadcasting Major League games with the Oakland A's in their title year. After working with the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox, he got a job with the Baltimore Orioles in 1983.

The Orioles changed owners in 1993, and Miller was fired in 1996 for being a broadcast journalist as opposed to a homer-type. Though Miller was an Orioles fan, he called games with an objectionable point of view.

The San Francisco Giants hired him immediately, where he still works today. Miller also spent 20 years with ESPN before departing after the 2010 season. Games he called with Hall of Famer Joe Morgan drew a large fan base for the network.

Miller won the Ford C. Frick Award in 2010. Lon Simmons, who also won the Frick Award in 2004, has still sat in on a few Giants games on occasion after retiring to a part-time basis. Giants fans are certainly lucky to have a pair of legends in their booth.

Miller is known for being cerebral and eclectic, as well as humorous. He does a wide range of impressions that range from Vin Scully, Jack Benny, Thompson, Simmons, and others.




Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow


This duo of ex-players have teamed in the Giants booth for a few decades. Their rapport is the stuff of legend, as the banter in known to fly often.

Krukow was a pitcher who won 124 games, including a 20-win season once for the Giants in 1986. Kuiper was a utility player with a good glove and light bat. Krukow often kids Kuiper how he has four more career home runs than Kuiper.

Krukow is best know for having his own lingo. His phrases are said to come from the "Kruktionary". Here are a few samples :

"Grab some pine, meat!"

"Just another - ha ha ha ha - laugher!"

"I wanna get that!, I wanna get that!, I wanna get that!" whenever a product is endorsed during a game.

Kuiper invented a new slogan for close games. "Giants baseball... torture!"

"Kruk and Kipe" are opinionated but funny. Having played the game, what they speak garners the respect of listeners. The fact that they are ex-Giants who staunchly support the team and players gives them even more legend in the Bay area.





Marty Brennaman


In 1974, Brennaman was hired by to replace the departed Al Michaels to broadcast the Cincinnati Reds games on the radio. Joe Nuxhall, a former Reds pitcher, was paired with him and the duo would call games the next 31 seasons.

The pair were extremely popular in Cincinnati, appearing in all sorts of events throughout the city. Brennaman has won the Ford C. Frick Award in 2000, as well as several other awards.

He is known for voicing his opinion, even if it is deemed controversial. He had been critical of umpires and even some Chicago Cubs fans. His son, Thom, is a respected announcer who has called games for the FOX network as one of the original announcers of NFL games, the Cubs, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Thom, who started out working with his dad in the late 1980's, re-joined the Reds in 2006 so the Brennaman's could team up again. This gives Reds fans a duo with almost 70 years of combined broadcast experience.





Ralph Kiner


Kiner followed a Hall of Fame playing career, which ended early due to injury, to the the booth. He joined the expansion New York Mets in 1962 and is still going at 88-years old. Kiner is the only broadcaster to call all of the Mets history as he gets ready to enter his 50th year with the team.

Mets fans enjoyed the days of Kiner and Frick Award winner Bob Murphy working together for 41 years. The duo was entertaining in many ways and developed a huge following.

Kiner is a gem himself. He is known for making mistakes on the microphone, especially with remembering names. He even called himself "Ralph Korner" once. He called Gary Carter "Gary Cooper", and Hubie Brooks "Mookie".

Kiner hosted a show called "Kiners Korner" since 1963, but the post-game show appearances dwindled as Kiner aged.

Here are a few of his most notable quotes on the "Korner" :

"And it's going....going....going to be caught"

"The Mets are winless in the month of Atlanta"

"It's Father's Day today at Shea, so to all you fathers out there, Happy Birthday."

"All of Rick Aguilera's saves have come in relief appearances."

"All the Met wins on the road against Los Angeles this year have come at Dodger Stadium."

Mets fans love Ralph Kiner! With good reason.





Chip Caray


Sometimes one is born to sit in a broadcast booth due to D.N.A. Chip Carey's grandfather and father had announced baseball games over 80 seasons combined. His grandfather, Harry, is a legend in the city of Chicago, while his dad, Skip, is an Atlanta legend.

His dad broke him into broadcasting Braves baseball in 1991, even though he had already two seasons of working Orlando Magic games, in the NBA, under his belt. Carey left the Braves to call Seattle Mariners games for a few years, then worked for the FOX network.

His grandfather worked with him doing games in 1998, and the two would work together calling Chicago Cubs games until 2004. Carey joined the Atlanta Braves to work with his father again in 2005, where he currently works. He also has a brother who calls games for a minor league team in the Braves network.

Skip Carey worked many years with Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton calling Braves games. Sutton has a son, Daron, who is considered by many to be one of the best broadcasters calling baseball games.

Chip Carey truly benefited from learning as a child from his parents. Thom Brennaman is another excellent broadcaster who is following his own famous fathers footsteps.

But being related to a famous broadcaster does not mean one is automatically good at his job. Joe Buck is the son of the legendary Jack Buck, but is as exciting as watching paint dry behind a microphone.




Jerry Coleman


Coleman started out as a player and won four World Series as well as a World Series MVP Award. He is the only Major League Baseball player ever to have seen combat in two wars.

He started working in the booth of San Diego Padres games in 1972 and has been there since, with the exception of the 1980 season. He managed the Padres that year and went 73-89.

He is one of just four ex-players to win the Ford C. Frick Award. Coleman is known for a penchant of making mistakes announcing, but the 86-year old is a legend in the San Diego area.

The Baltimore Orioles Will Never Win With Peter Angelos

The Oriole Way

Peter Angelos, the Baltimore Orioles owner, has no idea what that means. It is a term every baseball fan in Charm City is well aware of, and a methodology that Angelos has seemed bent on destroying since he bought the ball club in 1993.

The Oriole Way had been very successful before he bought the club. For over three decades, from the 1960's to the 1980's, the Orioles had the highest winning percentage in all of sports, and the winningest team in all of baseball. They won six American League Pennants and three World Series over that time.

The first, and so far only, right move Angelos made to benefit the ball club in a positive manner occurred in 2007 when he hired Andy MacPhail as the teams General Manager and President of Baseball Operations.

MacPhail, a veteran baseball man, had oversaw the Minnesota Twins to two World Series titles when he was the teams General Manager from 1985 to 1994. He was named The Sporting News Major League Baseball Executive of the Year in 1991. He then left to join the Chicago Cubs, staying with them until 2006, but was unable to duplicate his previous successes.

His joining the Orioles is almost like a homecoming for him. His dad is former American League President Lee MacPhail, who is actually the man who started The Oriole Way as General Manager of the team until 1965. The American League Championship Most Valuable Player Award is named after him, and he is the oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Andy's grandfather is Larry MacPhail, the man who brought Major League Baseball innovations like night baseball, broadcasting regular season games, and teams flying from city to city to play baseball. He was even a racetrack president in Bowie, Maryland. Larry and Lee are the only father and son inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Andy has been following the similar blueprint of his father. The team is chock full of young talent that is very raw and attempting to learn on the fly. Though the team is losing more than it is winning at present time, most baseball experts agree the team has the talent to contend in a few years.

Cal Ripken Jr. is more than Major League Baseball's Iron Man, having played the most consecutive games in the history of all professional sports, he is also a Orioles Hall of Famer who truly knows what The Oriole Way means in every sense.

Not only did he stay with the franchise for over twenty years, his father spent 36 years with the team and his younger brother spent over seven years with them. Cal Ripken Sr. was once a manager of the Orioles, and both of his sons played under him. This is the only time that this has ever occurred in Major League Baseball history.

Since retiring as a player, the Ripken sons have been have served as ambassadors to baseball across the globe and bought a minor league baseball team close to Baltimore that is within the Orioles system. He has kept a keen interest on his beloved Orioles, and is trying to help develop players to bring the organization championships again.

He recently approached Angelos to offer his services to talk to some of the young Orioles stars, hoping to offer a mentorship in hopes to "finish off their development." He did not ask for a specific role, he only wanted to do what he was taught in The Oriole Way. To give back.

Angelos, widely considered the worst owner in Major League Baseball and one of the worst in all of professional sports, flatly refused the generous offer from a legend trying to help a team that has lost ten of the 11 games they have played this season thus far.

His reason was as moronic as his legacy of ownership. He did not want Ripken to receive any credit once the team became successful. What Angelos did yet again was put his ego ahead of his team or the Orioles fans who help keep his team from going under by paying money seeing a product not being afforded every opportunity possible to win.

Orioles fans since the 1990's have been pleading for Angelos to sell the team to someone who actually cares about the team, but the lawyer refuses to listen to his clients. Though he refutes the claim as to the reason why he turned away Ripken Jr., most fans believe the initial reports because the mans ego has caused the team to fall on hard times pretty much upon his arrival as owner.

Former Orioles owners like Jerold Hoffberger and Edward Bennett Williams never would have turned away perhaps the most famous Oriole of them all. They would welcome the wisdom of team legends to keep The Oriole Way strong.

With men like Ripken Jr., Jim Palmer, Frank and Brooks Robinson, Eddie Murray and others still alive, it would only be a move of intelligent design to ask these Hall of Famers to give back to the team whatever they desire. An intelligence Peter Angelos has never had, and the reason the Orioles will never be anything as long as he is associated with them.

Wanna See Something Ugly?

Baseball begins this weekend, and I am in a fantasy league with the legendary Bartolis.

Played fantasy baseball for the first time last year, and think I finished last..or pretty darn near it.

I expect to keep that going this year.

MY fantasy team :


SP: Brandon Webb - Dude has been solid...one of my top players probably.
SP: Clayton Kershaw - Kid is a stud. Future ace...hoping he's ready now.
SP: Hiroki Kuroda - I have no idea what to expect from him.
SP: Jordan Zimmermann - A front runner for N.L. R.O.Y.

P: Andy Pettitte - I hope he has something left.
P: Scott Olsen - Dude eats up innings.

RP: B.J. Ryan - They say he has arm woes right now. Uh oh.
RP: George Sherrill - has had a bad spring, and might lose his closer job.




C: Jesus Flores - A future All Star.
1B: Casey Kotchman - If he stays healthy, he might be OK.
2B: Chase Utley - A stud. Hope he keeps it going.
SS: Mike Young - Carries a good stick in a launching pad ballpark.
3B: Ryan Zimmerman - I'm sure he will explode this year. Contract year.
OF: Ichiro Suzuki - I don't know his fantasy worth, but I like him.
OF: Jay Bruce - He will be a star. Just hope it's now.
OF: David Murphy - Another Ranger in that tiny ballpark.
OF: Adam Jones - He is ready to bust out.

Utility: Dave Ortiz - Hope Big Popi can get some big pops.
Utility: Carlos Guillen - Can hit in his sleep.


BENCH:

SS: Christian Guzman - Hoping he will play like last year.
OF: Fred Lewis - A future Giants leader.
OF: Garrett Anderson - Took the old pro for his stick.
2B: Ronnie Belliard - Dude can hit, when healthy.
1B: Kyle Blanks - Stashing him just in case he plays. Has huge power.








OK, Let me get my baseball predictions for 2009 out of the way:


AL EAST

1. Red Sox - I think Bay will fill the Manny void really well, the only thing I wonder if the bullpen up until Papelbon. But it's in better shape than most teams...so why nitpick?

2. Rays - I LIKE this squad. I think they have what it takes to get the wild card too. I see a 3-way battle this year...and I think the Rays will get it done to move on. They also have that great farm system.

3. Yankees - Ted Stepien (former Cav's owner) showed that money can't buy you love. Burnett pitching a whole season is questionable, in my eyes. Word is that Rivera has lost a yard off his heat too. Jeter is on his last legs, and is a liability in the field. Heck, there's a lot of oldsters in the field with fat wallets. I just don't see it...but I could be wrong.

4. Blue Jays - Cito doesn't have the same roster he had his first time around, but it's not bad. I think the Jays will push for a spot in the top three for quite a few months this year. They even have the skill set to stay there.

5. Orioles - Until Peter Angelos dies or sells, this is their spot. Good news is there are young players again, and the farm is trying to build. I'm not in love with the rotation, but the pen is maybe the best in the division. Adam Jones is primed to explode this year, making the Bedard trade look even better.




AL CENTRAL

1. Twins - I like the kids here. I can see them getting over the hump this year, making the future look even more promising.

2. White Sox - I think Ozzie will make sure these guys are competitive.

3. Indians - They have the talent to win it all, especially if Westbrook stays healthy.

4. Tigers - I don't like their pitching enough, and they seem like a bunch of under achievers as a whole to me. I could be wrong easily though.

5. Royals - They are building something in KC, and have enough talent to do well. IF that pitching staff can stay healthy and gel, they can make a push.




AL WEST

1. Angels - They are the best in this division by far, even minus K-Rod.

2. A's - I might be crazy here, but I'm liking the power on this squad.

3. Rangers - If they ever pitch, they will win the division with all their great sticks. Kinsler might be the best second baseman in baseball.

4. Mariners - Rebuilding takes time.




NL EAST


1. Mets - Just a feeling.

2. Phillies - Will win the wild card, and could win it all again.

3. Nationals - I am pulling a homer move here. I think Zimmerman and Zimmermann will be huge this year. Flores is a budding All Star, and the pitching staff is in better shape than last year. IF Dukes, Kearns, Milledge, and Willingham can hit, then Dunn can play more 1B. Unless Nick Johnson decides to play 162 games. IF Johnson lasts, he hits .280+...then the OF is strong. The only question will be second base. This team will score more runs, and might actually pitch too.

4. Braves - Rebuilding on the fly is hard to do.

5. Marlins - Cheap owners and no fans. It might get ugly down there.




NL CENTRAL

1. Cubs - I think the team will get that love they have been seeking. Pinella is the right man to give it.

2. Cardinals - Pujols alone gives you a chance to win.

3. Reds - LIKING this squad. PITCHING plus. Then there's the youngsters. I think they make the run.

4. Astros - I can't figure these guys out yet, so guessing here.

5. Brewers - I think they are either going to blow up...or hold it together. Not sure which one yet.

6. Pirates - I will not say a word.




NL WEST

1. Dodgers - They should win it if they pitch well.

2. Rockies - I can see an improvement this year.

3. Diamondbacks - The top three teams in this division are all capable of winning it.

4. Giants - They are improving yearly.

5. Padres - The rebuilding will happen after the divorce settlement, I guess.




AL Pennant

Boston



NL Pennant

Cubs



World Series

Too bad the Boston has won something already, so we can't call it the "Sad Sap Series". But, now that the BoSox have gotten two rings....I think they will get a third in a helluva 7 games series.





But then again...I am a last place fantasy baseball participant...so what do I know?

The ALMOST All Time Dallas Cowboys = Offense

REMEMBER = This list, as the title implies, pays tribute to greats NOT in Canton




Quarterback : Don Meredith

Don was already a legend in Dallas before he turned pro. He went to SMU, which some called "Southern Meredith University" during his time there, and is a member of the College Football Hall Of Fame. The Chicago Bears drafted Meredith in the 3rd round of the 1960 draft, the 32nd player picked overall, but traded him to the expansion Cowboys for a few draft picks. After starting five of the fourteen games he played in his first two season, Don replaced incumbent starter Eddie LeBaron during the 1962 season. Though the Cowboys would not have a winning season until 1966, Meredith became a fan favorite who was known for his toughness and determination. He led the NFL in yards gained per completion in 1965, as the Cowboys had their first non losing season by going 7 - 7. The 1966 season saw Don win the Bert Bell Awards for NFL Player Of The Year, as well as earn his first Pro Bowl nod, when he led the NFL in yards gained per pass completion again. Dallas had now joined the top tier of the NFL ranks, and would go on to play in the 1967 NFL Championship. Though they lost in the famous "Ice Bowl" to the Green Bay Packers, his leadership skills were now in the national spotlight. "Dandy Don" would make the Pro Bowl Team in each of the following two seasons, but missed several games due to various injuries. After the 1969 season, he suddenly retired from the game at 30 years old. Every home football game he played from high school to the pros was in North Texas. He then went on to enjoy a career as an NFL broadcaster for 15 years. Don Meredith is a member of the Cowboys Ring Of Honor. Though the Cowboys have had a few Hall Of Famers play quarterback during the teams 48 years of existence, "Dandy Don" was one of a kind.








Fullback : Don Perkins

Don was a ninth round draft pick of the Baltimore Colts in the 1960 draft, the 106th player chosen overall. Don never played with the Colts because he had signed a contract already with the expansion Cowboys. After the Colts were compensated, Perkins suited up for Dallas in the 1961 season. Don's rookie year saw him play Halfback and gain 815 yards on 200 carries, while catching a career high 32 passes. He was named to his first All Pro Team for that season, an honor he would be given in each of the following two seasons. Perkins had a career bests with 945 rushing yards on 222 carries in 1962. He also ran for 7 touchdowns. The next season Don moved to Fullback, where he scored 7 times on 149 carries for 614 yards over 11 games. After scoring 6 touchdowns on 174 carries for 768 yards, Don did not score in 1965 after gaining 690 yards on 177 carries. It was the only year of his career where he failed to reach the end zone. Perkins rebounded with an All Pro season in 1966 after gaining 726 yards on 186 carries with a career best 8 rushing touchdowns. He returned to the Pro Bowl the nest year after gaining 823 yards on 201 carries and 6 scores. After a Pro Bowl season in 1968, where Perkins gained 836 yards on 191 carries and 6 total touchdowns, he retired from the NFL. He retired as the Cowboys all time leader in rushing yards with 6,217 yards, and still ranks third in franchise history. Don wasn't a big Fullback, standing 5'10" and weighing 204 lbs, but he was a hard nosed runner and an exceptional blocking back. Don Perkins is a member of the Cowboys Ring Of Honor, and the greatest Fullback in Dallas Cowboys history. Robert Newhouse and Daryl Johnston deserve mention.










Halfback : Calvin Hill

Calvin was the Cowboys first round draft choice in the 1969 draft, the 24th player chosen overall. He was put to work right away and gained 942 yards on 204 carries with 8 scores. He ran one ball for a career long 55 yards, and also completed all 3 of his passes with 2 scores. Calvin was named Rookie Of The Year, and was named to the Pro Bowl Team. The next two rears were injury plagued seasons for Hill. He gained 1,045 yards on 259 carries and 15 total touchdowns while starting 14 of the 20 games he played in. The Cowboys would reach the Super Bowl both of those seasons, winning once. He then became the first 1,000 yards rusher in Cowboys history in 1972, after gaining 1,036 yards on 245 carries and 9 total touchdowns. He also snagged a career best 43 pass receptions. Calvin returned to the Pro Bowl, and would do again the following season after gaining career highs with 1,142 yards rushing yards on 273 carries. He also scored 6 times. 1974 was the last year Hill would be an All Pro, and as a member of the Cowboys. He ran for 844 yards on 185 carries for 7 scores. Due to a contract dispute, Calvin joined The Hawaiians of the World Football League for 1975, the only pro football team to emanate out of Hawaii. He joined the Washington Redskins in 1976 and played as a seldom used reserve over the next two seasons, gaining 558 yards on 148 carries and a touchdown. Calvin joined the Cleveland Browns in 1978, and was used primarily 4 seasons. He ran for 516 yards on 138 carries and 2 touchdowns, along with 107 receptions 1,248 yards and 16 more scores. He then retired after the 1981 season. Though Calvin played just 6 seasons with Dallas, he gained 5009 rushing yards and was a 4 time All Pro with them. He certainly was a great player.








Wide Receiver : Drew Pearson

Drew was signed by the Cowboys in 1973 as an undrafted rookie free agent. He broke into the starting unit as a rookie for 6 games and caught 22 passes. Drew had his best season the following year. He caught 62 balls for 1,087 yards, both of which were career bests, and went to his first Pro Bowl game. After catching 46 balls for 822 yards and a career high 8 touchdowns in 1975, Drew returned to the Pro Bowl in 1976 after 58 balls for 806 yards and 6 scores. Pearson then went to his last Pro Bowl the following year after catching 48 passes for a league leading 870 yards to go with 2 scores. His 62.1 receiving yards per game led the NFL also, which would help the Cowboys to go on and win Super Bowl XII. After 44 receptions in 1978, Drew had 1,026 yards on 58 receptions for 8 touchdowns the following season. His 18.7 yards per catch was a career best. Though Drew was still an integral part of the Cowboys offense over the next 3 seasons, his production slightly declined each year with reception totals of 43, 38, and 26 respectively. Despite missing 2 games in 1983, Drew would catch 47 passes and score 5 times. He then retired with 489 career receptions for 7,822 yards and 67 touchdowns. "Mr. Clutch" is a member of the NFL 1970's All Decade Team, and is known for several historical catches like the "Hail Mary against the Minnesota Vikings in a 1975 playoff game, another game winning catch against the Los Angelos Rams in a 1973 playoff game, and the winning catch against the Cowboys arch rival Washington Redskins on Thanksgiving in 1974. All 3 catches were part of the NFL's Top 75 Plays in NFL History by NFL Films in 1994. For some strange reason, Drew Pearson has yet to be put in the Cowboys Ring Of Honor, but he is certainly one of the greatest Wide Receivers the franchise has ever had.








Wide Receiver : Tony Hill

Tony was the Cowboys 3rd round draft pick in 1977, the 62nd player chosen overall. He only caught 2 balls in his rookie year, and returned 10 punts and 3 kickoffs. Dallas would end up winning Super Bowl XII that year. Hill really exploded onto the NFL scene the following year, and earned his first Pro Bowl bid. He snagged 46 balls for 823 yards and 6 scores. He returned to the Pro Bowl the next year, when he scored a career best 10 touchdowns on 60 receptions for 1,062 yards. He took one pass for a career long 75 yards as well. He had virtually identical numbers the following season, when he had 60 receptions for 1,055 yards and 8 touchdowns. Despite starting in 9 of the 16 games he played in 1981, Tony averaged a career high 20.7 yards on 46 catches. After 35 receptions in the strike shortened season of 1982, Hill had 49 catches and 7 touchdowns the next year. Despite missing 5 games in 1984, he managed to snare 58 balls and 5 scores. Tony made his last Pro Bowl Team in 1985, after catching a career best 74 passes for 1,113 yards. He also had 7 touchdowns. His last year in the NFL was in the following 1986 season. Tony had 49 receptions for 770 yards and 3 scores. Tony Hill retired with 479 receptions for 7,988 yards and 51 touchdowns. He and Drew Pearson formed one of the best duo's in the NFL for several years, as you can tell by their similar career statistics.









Tight End : Jay Novacek

Jay was drafted by the Saint Louis Cardinals in the 6th round of the 1985 draft. He was the 158th player chosen overall. Jay was seldom used, and seldom healthy, in his first 3 seasons. He caught a total of 22 passes during that time, but started to blossom with 38 receptions in 1988. After catching 23 passes the next year, Novacek signed with the Cowboys as a free agent before the 1990 season. He immediately contributed as the Cowboys starting Tight End that year, when he had 59 catches. He went to his first Pro Bowl the following year, after catching 59 more passes. Jay returned to the Pro Bowl in 1992 after having career bests with 68 receptions and 6 touchdowns. In his 1993 All Pro season, Jay ran a ball 2 yards for the only rushing touchdown of his career. Novacek would continue to make the Pro Bowl until 1996. That year saw him have a career high 705 yards on 62 receptions, while scoring 5 times. Jay was then hurt during the Cowboys Super Bowl XXX victory,and never played again. Jay Novacek retired with 422 receptions for 4,630 yards and 31 total touchdowns. Doug Cosbie deserves mention, but Jay Novacek may be the best Tight End the Cowboys have ever had thus far.








Center : Mark Stepnoski

Mark was the Cowboys 3rd round draft choice in the 1989 draft. He was the 57th player chosen overall. He eventually took over for long time starter Tom Rafferty, and started 4 games in his rookie year. He would then start in every game he played in the NFL from 1990 until his retirement. Stepnoski made his first Pro Bowl Team in 1992, despite missing 2 games. He would achieve that honor for the next four seasons as well. The Cowboys would go to, and win, back to back Super Bowls between 1992 to 1993. He joined the Houston Oilers in 1995 and stayed with them as they moved to Tennessee in 1997. After the 1998 season, Stepnoski rejoined the Cowboys in 1999. He then started for the team until his retirement in 2001. Mark Stepnoski's 3 Pro Bowl appearances with Dallas are the most by any Center in franchise history, and that mark was recently equaled by Andre Gurode.









Guard : John Niland

Niland was the Cowboys first round draft choice of the 1966 draft, the fifth player chosen overall. He was plugged in as a starter at Left Guard right away, and stayed there for the rest of his time with Dallas. He made his first Pro Bowl Team in 1968, and would garner that nod for six straight seasons. He was an important part of an excellent offensive line that went to 2 Super Bowls, 4 Conference Championships, 6 Division Championships , and 8 seasons of playoff appearances during his time in Dallas. In 1972, Niland scored a touchdown off of a fumble recovery. John made his last Pro Bowl Team in 1973, then played his last year with the Cowboys in 1974. He was then traded to the Philadelphia Eagles before 1975, then retired after playing one season with them. Dallas has had many great Guards in their franchise history, and John Niland certainly ranks near the top.








Guard : Nate Newton

Nate went undrafted by the NFL in 1984, so he joined the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL, and played with them until 1985. He then signed with the Cowboys before the 1986 season. He played as a reserve in 11 games during his rookie season, but started in all 11 games he played the next year. Nate would start in every game he played over the next four years, and missed only 3 due to injury. He made his first Pro Bowl Team in 1992, a honor he would achieve for five straight seasons, and helped the Cowboys win Super Bowl XXVII. The Cowboys repeated as champions the next year, then won again in 1995. After Newton missed 3 games in 1997, he made his last All Pro Team the next year. It was also his last with Dallas. He joined the Carolina Panthers, and played in 7 games, in 1999. Nate then retired from the NFL. I left Eric Allen off this list because I am certain he will be inducted into Canton. Herb Scott and Blaine Nye deserve mention as well. Nate Newton was a very big, strong, and agile man who was noted for sound technique and crushing blocks. He is one of the best Guards to have ever played for the Cowboys.








Offensive Tackle : Ralph Neely

Ralph was drafted in the second round by both the NFL Baltimore Colts and the AFL Houston Oilers. Ralph initially agreed to play with the Oilers, who even offered Neely a gas station in his contract, but decided to join the Cowboys after Dallas acquired his rights from the Colts. He started right away at Right Tackle, and remained there for 5 seasons. He made the Pro Bowl three straight seasons from 1967 to 1969. He moved to Left Tackle in 1970, and even saw time at Right Guard. Now the Cowboys starter at Left Tackle, Ralph manned that position until 1977. He was injured halfway into the Cowboys victorious 1971 Super Bowl season, and missed the rest of the year. In 1972, Ralph rushed for 10 yards. After the Cowboys beat the Denver Broncos at Super Bowl XII in 1977, then Neely retired. Though Ralph has yet to join his bookend, Rayfield Wright, in Canton or Cowboys Ring Of Honor, he was an excellent and versatile player. Ralph Neely is a member on the NFL 1960's All Decade Team.







Offensive Tackle : Pat Donovan

Pat was drafted in the 4th round of the 1975 draft by the Cowboys. He was the 90th player chosen overall. Donovan's was part of a Cowboys draft class tabbed "The Dirty Dozen", which helped the team to great successes. After being a reserve for his first three seasons behind Ralph Neely, Pat took over as the full time starter at Left Tackle. He made his first Pro Bowl Team in 1979, and would continue to do so until 1982. After playing out the 1983 season, Donovan retired from the NFL. The Cowboys have had a few great Tackles in their 48 years. Hall Of Famer Rayfield Wright heads the list, and Eric Williams may soon join him in Canton. Pat Donovan was also an excellent player in his own right.








Kicker : Rafael Septien

Rafael wins this spot because of service time. The Cowboys have had several other kickers go to the Pro Bowl just once like Septien did, but none lasted with the team as long. Rafael was a tenth round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints, the 258th player overall, in the 1977 draft. He ended up playing for the Los Angelos Rams that year, and scored 86 points. He then joined the defending champion Cowboys in 1978, and scored 94 points. He made 46 of 47 extra point attempts, both of which led the NFL that season. Septien followed that up with 97 points the next year. He then led the NFL with 59 extra point conversions out of 60 attempts in the 1980 season, while scoring 92 points. Rafael's best season may have been in 1981, his only Pro Bowl year. He scored 121 points, while leading the NFL with 27 field goals made. He then had 58 points in the strike shortened season of 1981, and then had a career best 123 points the following year. Rafael then had 101 points in 1983, and 99 the following year. His last year in the NFL was 1986, where he scored 88 points. Septien is the Cowboys all time leader in field goal and extra point attempts and field goal and extra point conversions. His 874 points are the most ever by any Cowboy. Rafael Septien was named to the Cowboys 40th Anniversary Team in 2000, and he is the greatest kicker the teams has ever had so far.








Return Specialist : Kevin Williams

Williams, born in Dallas, was the 46th player chosen in the second round by the Cowboys in the 1993 draft. He spent his first two seasons as the Cowboys primary return specialist. He returned 2 punts for touchdowns on 36 attempts as a rookie, which was the most in the NFL that year. Kevin also found time to receive 20 balls for two touchdowns, while scoring his only two rushing touchdowns on seven attempts. The Cowboys would go on to win Super Bowl XXVIII. He took another punt 83 yards for a score the next year on 39 returns, while taking a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown. Kevin averaged a career best 26.7 yards per kick return on 43 attempts that year. 1995 saw the Cowboys win Super Bowl XXX, as Williams saw his punt return duties decrease as his receiving duties increased. He did return 49 kickoffs, the most he had as a Cowboy, as well as catching a career high 38 passes for 613 yards and two scores. He also rushed the ball a career high 10 times for 53 yards. Williams had an injury shortened season in 1996 and caught 27 passes for a score in the 10 games he suited up for. He returned just 21 kickoffs and 2 punts that season as well. He then joined the Arizona Cardinals for the 1997 season and led the NFL with a career best 1,458 kickoff return yards on a career high 59 attempts. Williams also returned a career high 40 punts for 416 yards, and caught 20 passes with one touchdown. He then joined the Buffalo Bills for the following season and returned 47 kickoffs for 1,059 yards, as well as returning 37 punts for 369 yards. Kevin also scored the last touchdown of his career that year on 29 receptions. Williams then caught 31 passes for the Bills in 1999, as well as returning 33 punts for 331 yards and 42 kickoff returns for 8840 yards. He then joined the San Francisco 49ers for the 2000 season. Used only as a return specialist, Kevin had 26 punt returns for 220 yards to go with 30 kickoff returns for 536 yards. He then retired after that year. His 3, 416 kickoff return yards are the most in Cowboys history. Hall Of Famers Bob Hayes and Mel Renfro deserve mention, as does Kelvin Martin. Martin has the most punt return yardage in Cowboys history, and Renfro still has the third most kick return yardage. Hayes, Martin, and Williams all share the Cowboys franchise record for 3 punt returns for touchdowns in a career. Though the Cowboys have had many decent return specialists, and Williams' 98 receptions with the team shows he was a versatile weapon, he is my pick as their best overall return specialist not in Canton.

Hey Detroit? Look At Boston!

Most fans of sports are aware of the "Curse Of Babe Ruth", which loomed over the Boston Red Sox franchise for decades. Some lived their entire lives believing in its existence. Those who don't believe in curses rationalize the reasons for the lack of championships by the Red Sox were either due to teams unlucky, not good enough, or a combination of both. Regardless to whether curses are real or not, the Red Sox have certainly shoved that myth into the derriere of oblivion.

Where am I going with this? Well, it was 50 years ago when the Detroit Lions Hall Of Fame Quarterback Bobby Layne was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The story goes that, as Layne was ready to go to Pittsburgh, he told a group of people that the Lions would not win another championship for 50 years. What has followed in the Lions franchise has circumstances that could have Lions fans believing in the curse laid down by Layne. From the quarterback carousal that has followed since Layne's departure, to the numerous #1 draft picks that failed, to the several head coaches that have come and gone without much impact, the Lions have floundered for the better part of the 50 years that have followed. The past decade, the Lions have the worst record in the NFL, and many Detroit fans lay this blame on the Lions ownership. But, it is really their incompetence, or "Bobby Layne's Curse" in effect?


Though "Ruth's Curse" never had a timeline, nor did the Babe ever utter that he placed a curse on the Red Sox, there can be similarities for Lions fans to draw from for the sake of hope. It certainly would be better to latch onto the Red Sox curse than the Chicago Cubs curse. At least until the Cubs win another championship. Neither franchise has suffered as much as the Lions, who have won just one playoff game since Layne's departure.


The time is ticking on this curse. If it is true, this indicates the Lions are bound for glory in 2009. I know this whole idea seems far fetched, but so does the thought that curses are real. Well, at least to some. So cheer up Lions fans. Get your 2009 calender ready. Maybe even buy your Super Bowl tickets early. If this curse is real, it expires at the end of this season. Then, you can feel that joy Red Sox fans have been feeling the past few years. A joy so grand, that even 100 year old BoSox fans walk around without the need for Viagra. Detroit Lions fans deserve that joy as well.