Nate Kadah: A Second Chance at a Sport He Loves

By: Jonathan Kahn 

"Ever since I can remember" - that's what Syracuse University Linebacker Nate Kadah said was when football became a part of his life. Now Kadah is a Freshman walk-on on a division I football team.

It was just a few years ago that football seemed to be the furthest thing from his mind. Kadah, a standout on a talented Fayetteville-Manlius squad, was cruising into his senior season with his goal of playing college football dead in his sight. But, tragedy stuck when his father was diagnosed with brain cancer. 

"My dad passed away from brain cancer in February of 2013," Kadah said. "My mom kind of needed me close to home, so I needed to help her." 

Nate had to step away from football, the sport he loved. Kadah spent the next year at LeMoyne College in Syracuse. 

"I needed to go to LeMoyne where they don't have football," Kadah said. "And, get my life straight again."

He may not have had the pads on but football was still very much on Kadah's mind. Just a few miles away from his future team he still followed the Orange and the rest of college football.

"I was dying to get back to football," Kadah said. "I would see how my buddies were doing with sports. I was just dying to get back on the field."

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud for updates and insight.

Individually follow Tim and Jonathan on Twitter, too.

Have a question, guest, or topic you'd like us to cover? Email us: sportsmicSU@gmail.com   

The Passage of Time: A Sports Perspective

By: Tim Durr

In life, we gauge the passage of time in many different ways. We count weeks, months, years, and all those standard measures. But, we also mark milestones, and accomplishments in the passage of time.

For sports fans, there is the rotation of which sport is in season, and what point in the season it is can tell us exactly what time of the year it is. MLB playoffs, NFL just started, and NHL and NBA are warming up: you'd know it's early October. As we follow sports for longer periods, we gauge the passage of time by dynasties (if those even exist anymore), and length of player's careers. 

As someone who has been an engaged sports consumer for close to 15 years now (can't really count the first 10 years of my life as being anything more than a fan), I am just getting to that point where I can see a great player's career from start to finish. I have had tastes of careers that started after I became a full-time sports lover, and ended recently, but it wasn't a player who I was enamored with from start to finish. 

One of the first names that come to mind is LaDainian Tomlinson. (Enjoy the link to highlights of all the greats I mention) He was drafted in 2001, right when I was realizing that I wanted to do something related to sports when I grew up. 

LT had a fantastic career - most touchdowns in a season (31), most points in a single season (186), and so many other scoring records. But, I was on the wrong side of the U.S. for all but those final years when he was in New York. Either way, I enjoyed watching LT play, but he wasn't my favorite player. 

Why am I blabbering on about my nostalgia of seeing an athletes career start to finish? 

Part of it is watching Derek Jeter retire after a 20-year career with one team. I'm not a Yankees fan though, so that doesn't personally touch me like it does many others. 

The reason I'm nostalgic is because I see that one of my favorite players of all-time is closing in on the end of his career. Steve Smith, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, and now with the Baltimore Ravens, is getting into his final years. 

I still remember the first time I really started paying attention to Steve Smith. The 35-year-old, who was drafted in that same 2001 class with LT, was in his second year when he popped onto my radar.

Initially it wasn't for a good reason. Smith got into a fight with teammate Anthony Bright, was suspended a game and cited with a misdemeanor. I knew who he was at this point but that is my earliest memory of him. I turned on SportsCenter after coming home from school one day and there was the story. Something told me to keep paying attention to him when he got back on the field. I think it was that fire and intensity pouring out of him, and the ability to make his small 5'9'' body work like he's 6'6''. He's never taken anything from anyone, and that passion was contagious. 

I followed the Panthers throughout the 2002 and 2003 season and when I watched them in the Super Bowl against New England, I was sold as a Panthers fan for life. 

When Steve Smith retires, I will know a feeling that so many sports fans have had. The feeling of watching your favorite athlete walk off the field for the final time.

Wait!

I've already had my nostalgic moment with Steve Smith. I saw him walk off the field for the last time as a Panther after a NFC Championship loss to the San Francisco 49ers last year. 

It won't be the same when he plays his final game with the Ravens, or another team if he tries to stay around longer. How many of us get to see our favorite player leave from the place we first loved them? 

Jerry Rice? Nope, he went to Oakland, Denver, and Seattle after leaving San Francisco. 

Joe Montana? Nope, he went to Kansas City. 

Brett Favre? No. Michael Jordan? No. Wayne Gretzky? No. 

It seems more often than not, our favorite players depart from where we first loved them before hanging up their cleats, skates, or sneakers. 

I'm not sure how to feel about this. Part of me wants to compare it to breaking up with a girl, then seeing her on the arm of another man. Another part of me feels like I'd rather see them playing in a different city over retiring. 

This is the nature of sports, though. It's ultimately a business. So, finishing where you start isn't always an option. If it isn't the player who wants a change of scenery, it's usually an owner or GM who forces them out. 

Moral of the story, kids?

Appreciate the rare occasions when someone finishes their career with your favorite team. Celebrate everyday that Derek Jeter never put on another team's jersey. Get excited that Mario Lemieux was and will always be a Penguin. Cherish the fact that Larry Bird only donned Green and White as a Celtic. (You can be mad that Larry is now associated with the Pacers if you're a Boston fan, though.)  

One of the coolest things that I got to see growing up was my dad's love of Dan Marino. My dad met him at a football camp in high school. Marino was at Pitt and my dad was playing high school football in Western Pennsylvania.  Fast forward a few years and my dad becomes a Dolphins fan when Marino is drafted there. 

I got to see my dad enjoy watching Marino play on one team for 17 seasons (I was only alive for 8 of those seasons). He saw it from the start to the finish, and became a fan all because of one player. A few years after my dad got to see Marino's final game, I started a similar affinity because of Steve Smith. I found my favorite team because I found my favorite player. Should I be a Ravens fan because he left? No. I'll be a Panthers fan for life because I have that option to stay with one team, and that's something we should appreciate. 

Whether you were a Yankees fan before Jeter, a Dolphins fan before Marino, a Lakers fan before Magic, or you became a Lakers fan because of Kobe, a Steelers fan because of Mean Joe Greene, or whatever reason you like the team you do - enjoy the players who find a way in today's sports market to go through an entire career with one team. Because, before you know it, it's 1999 and that guy you met when you were 17 just played in his final game.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

If you have a nostalgic story of watching your favorite player, share it with us in the comments below.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud for updates and insight.

Individually follow Tim and Jonathan on Twitter, too.

Have a question, guest, or topic you'd like us to cover? Email us: sportsmicSU@gmail.com  

Piecing Together the Sports World

A New Beginning

Sports Microcosm was originally created as a blog by Tim Durr to delve deeper into sports than simply talking X's and O's. Now, Sports Microcosm is advancing into a full multimedia experience with a podcast, Twitter, Facebook, and adding another contributor to the process: Jonathan Kahn.

Jonathan is a graduate of SUNY Oswego's Broadcasting and Mass Communication program. He served as in-game host and executive producer of Hockey Night in Oswego for 2 years, interned with Time Warner Cable Sports Channel in Syracuse, NY as well as CNY Central. Jonathan has been a freelance reporter/producer in Syracuse since August of 2012. He is now pursuing a Masters of Science in Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University's Newhouse School.

And, in case you forgot about Tim. He is a graduate of Slippery Rock University's Communication program with an emphasis in Journalism. He served as Sports Editor of The Rocket for two years, interned with the Beaver County Times, produced a sports talk show on WSRU-TV, and did play-by-play for Slippery Rock football in 2011. He is now pursuing a Masters of Science in Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University's Newhouse School, and interning with the Syracuse Crunch.

The first edition of the podcast will be released Wednesday, Nov. 12, and podcasts will be released each Wednesday.

The blog element of Sports Microcosm will be updated on a regular basis with thoughts, commentary, and used as a more in-depth associate of the podcast element.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud for updates and insight.

Individually follow Tim and Jonathan on Twitter, too.

Have a question, guest, or topic you'd like us to cover? Email us: sportsmicSU@gmail.com  

Expectations Beyond Achievements: The Pittsburgh Penguins

A Year Later, A Round Shorter

It has been five years since the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup. In every year since then, they've lost to a lower seed. After last year, I was the front runner in leading the "let's make major changes" brigade. I didn't want them to bring Fleury back. I said Blysma should be fired. I said we should get rid of Letang, Kunitz, Orpik, Sutter, and so on. A handful of those names I called for played better this time around. Marc-Andre Fleury redeemed himself and played great in the seven wins the Penguins had this post-season. He even played decent in some of the six losses. So, I'll bite the bullet on that one and say Fleury has earned a right to stay. On the other hand, I don't understand how a team with so much talent can struggle so much. An argument can be made that they have the two best players in the NHL. They might have the two best sidekicks to those players also. Though, it didn't look that way for 95 percent of the playoffs. Past knowledge aside, if I was watching these 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, I'd say that Jussi Jokinen and Brandon Sutter were the two best players for the Penguins. I'd say Crosby looked like a child who didn't get the toy he wanted, and Malkin showed glimpses of greatness, but ultimately just met the bar of what we expected from him. James Neal looked like he didn't understand that the point of the game was to score goals, Chris Kunitz simply filled minutes, Beau Bennett disappeared against the Rangers, and Brian Gibbons was arguably one of the four best players against the Rangers. (Not because he played excellent, but because nobody else showed up.)

After back-to-back Stanley Cup appearances, the Penguins' fans raised the bar. Each year the team has assembled trade deadline deals that made everyone scream for excitement. "Jerome Iginla is the missing piece." It turns out he disrupted chemistry and was forced to play out of his natural position. "Brendan Morrow is a strong presence that we need." It turns out he was underwhelming and didn't accomplish much in the playoffs. "Doug Murray is a defensive stalwart and will secure our defensive pairings." Actually, he's slow and a big ogre. This year it was "Marcel Goc is a solid center and can change games in the faceoff circle." Actually, he got injured and didn't have enough time to get into the system. "Lee Stempniak is going to be the perfect fill-in for Pascal Dupuis." Or he'll get bounced from the first line after about four games and be replaced with Beau Bennett, Brian Gibbons, Evgeni Malkin, Big Bird, Elmo, I think I played a few shifts...okay you get it. The Penguins couldn't figure out which line worked with which players. 

As I rehash the past mistakes and issues that the Penguins have had, I see two things. Bad coaching and bad front office decisions. Now I'm not "in the room" when Bylsma is addressing the team, but I haven't seen much that showed he was really making the right moves to improve this team. There isn't any accountability. There isn't enough determination and discipline. Too many times, I see Evgeni Malkin taking a penalty in the offensive zone. Or, Sidney Crosby gets knocked off his game because he wants to be a physical presence instead of a finesse scorer. James Neal goes and acts like a goon and makes dirty plays, Chris Kunitz seemed to settle into a role that killed his production late in the season and playoffs. Where is the coaching staff that organizes these issues? Everything is too reactionary by the Penguins. Yes, they lost a ridiculous amount of man games this year. Yes, they had a 3-1 lead over the Rangers until a force outside of hockey changed the momentum and will to fight for New York. But, this isn't the first time we've seen this. It's been five years since a Stanley Cup victory and the Penguins have under-performed every season.

"But, it's really hard to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals. In today's age, nobody can have repeated success like this. We should be happy that we've made the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons."

Okay, let's see how Pittsburgh stacks up against the top teams of the past ten years then. Should we be proud of what they accomplished? 

The Boston Bruins have made the playoffs seven consecutive years. They have one Stanley Cup win, and two Stanley Cup appearances, the same as Pittsburgh. They've been bounced in the first round twice in these seven years, Pittsburgh has been bounced in the first round three times. 

The Chicago Blackhawks have made the playoffs six consecutive seasons. They have won two Stanley Cups in their two appearances. They've been bounced in the first round twice, and they are four wins away from reaching their third Stanley Cup Final in five years. 

The Los Angeles Kings have made the playoffs five consecutive seasons. They have won the Stanley Cup once, in their only appearance, and bounced from the first round twice. 

The San Jose Sharks have made 10 consecutive appearances. They have never made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in that time, and were bounced in the first round four times. 

The Detroit Red Wings have made the playoffs 23 straight years. In that time, they've won four Stanley Cups, but i'm only going to mention their last 10 seasons. In those seasons, they've made two Stanley Cup appearances, both against the Penguins and they each won a trophy. They've lost in the first round four times in those 10 years.

From gauging these five teams compared to the Penguins, it seems that Pittsburgh is right on par with the most successful teams of the past 10 years. They have a strong consecutive streak, they won a Stanley Cup, and they've been bounced in the first round about the same or less than the other teams. But is being one of the five best teams for a stretch of 10 years, really enough? Are they actually even one of the best teams?

Since 2008, in the Penguins first Stanley Cup appearance in the past decade, 27 of the 30 NHL teams have made it to at least one playoff appearance. 21 have made two appearances or more. 18 have made three appearances or more. And, exactly 16 have made four appearances or more. So, for the last seven seasons the majority of the playoff field has been the same for the majority of the time. 1/4 of the field has been exactly the same. 1/2 of the field has been the same all but one year, and 3/4 of the field has been the same for five of the seven years. 

The Penguins are part of that 1/4 that has made the playoff every season in the past seven years. The only other teams are Boston, Detroit and San Jose, as mentioned above. Anyone with some hockey knowledge would probably put Anaheim, Chicago and Los Angeles above San Jose though for top teams in recent years as all three have a Stanley Cup win and San Jose doesn't. So, let's get a better gauge of which teams are really the best. Let's give a points system. 1 point for simply making the playoffs, 2 points for advancing 1 round, 4 points for advancing two rounds, 6 points for making the Cup finals, and 10 points for winning a Cup. 

Excluding this current season, the best teams based on this points rating from 2008 are:

Chicago Blackhawks = 55 points (2 Stanley Cup wins, two first round losses, and a third round loss)

Pittsburgh Penguins = 48 points (1 Stanley Cup win, a Finals loss, two first round exits, and a second and third round loss)

Detorit Red Wings = 46 points (1 Stanley Cup win, a Finals loss, three 2nd round exits, and a first round loss)

Boston Bruins = 44 points (1 Stanley Cup win, a Finals loss, two second round losses, one first round exit)

The issue with this ranking is that a large portion of the team, specifically the bottom three lines, have changed a lot since 2008. In the last three seasons, the Penguins have 9 points by this barometer, which is the same as the Canadiens, and less than the Rangers (11), Sharks (11), Canucks (15), Flyers (19), Blackhawks (25), Kings (25), and Bruins (37). 

By the end of the playoffs this year, Pittsburgh will possibly fall even further behind for their performance since 2011. With the talent on the Penguins roster, is it really acceptable to have a team that averages being just inside the top third of teams in the NHL the past three years? 

No. It is completely unacceptable.

Now that we've discussed some metrics for the team's performance since making their first Finals appearance in the past decade, let's look at what they can do now. 

1.) Fire Dan Bylsma.

2.) Fire Ray Shero.

3.) Make some major trades.

After firing Dan Bylsma, there is a perfect selection to replace him. Andy Murray (no not the tennis player). Murray was the head coach with the Los Angeles Kings from 1999 to 2006, then the St. Louis Blues from 2006 to 2010. Since being fired from the Blues, he's been coaching at Western Michigan University. When coaching the Kings, down 3-1 in a playoff series to Colorado, Murray made the announcement that any of his players who weren't giving 100% wouldn't be playing in game 5. The Kings came back to win the next two games and force a game 7. Isn't that exactly what the Penguins need? Haven't we had enough of this lack of accountability, lack of adjustments, and lack of performance from the Penguins.

I'll get deeper into steps two and three of this plan after doing some more research over the next few days. 

The Monuments Men: Final Four

In a couple weeks it will be one of my favorite periods of the sports calendar: March Madness. As of now, we have our own madness to settle. Throughout the week, I have ranked my Top-4 from each of America's top professional sports. It started with the NFL where Jerry Rice, Bill Walsh, Tom Brady, and Jim Brown made the Mt. Rushmore of football. In basketball, it was Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James. The NHL got Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, and Sidney Crosby on the list. In baseball, I called Kyle Holmgren from the bullpen and he selected Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and I threw in Barry Bonds to discuss the steroid era. There is the Sweet 16 of pro sports in America. Now we're going to move down to our Final Four, choosing one from each sport.

The Gridiron Gang

This is a no-brainer if you read my initial post selecting the Mt. Rushmore in the NFL. All of my choices were debatable, except one: Jerry Rice. He has almost 7,000 more receiving yards (22,895) than any other WR to ever grace the gridiron. His 195 TDs is 41 more than second place Randy Moss, and then add in 13 Pro Bowl appearances, 3 Super Bowl rings, and a work ethic that was rarely touched. You could argue that Bill Walsh was the guy who set up the offense that Jerry succeeded in and he made bigger contributions to the game. I would say that's a fair statement but nobody says Bill Walsh is streets ahead of the next best head coach. Jerry Rice can't be compared. Is there a single receiver who even comes within 7,000 yards of Jerry Rice? The simple answer is NO! He was so dominant at his position that I don't see anyone ever coming close to his accomplishments. Tom Brady still has years left in his career and if he wins two more Super Bowls then the debate could be made that he's the greatest NFL player of all-time, but until then, it's Jerry Rice over everyone. Even the great Jim Brown falls short. Much attribution to that is the shortness of his career. He was a prolific scorer but his rushing numbers didn't stand up through the longevity of future running backs. The closest case made for anyone comparing to Rice is Jim Brown but after looking through the numbers and seeing what Jerry accomplished over a long career, he is the G.O.A.T.

Heralded on the Hardwood

Everyone expects this to be the easiest decision to make. It's Michael Jeffrey Jordan, isn't it? Nope. Not this time. I'm going to pay homage to the most prolific scorer I have ever seen (watched highlights and read articles about) and that is Wilt Chamberlain. As I said in my previous post, we all acknowledge the fact that he scored 100 in a game but we overlook the fact that he has 32 of the 63 occurrences in the NBA that a player scored over 60 points. Yes, half of the highest scoring games in NBA history are Wilt Chamberlain's. If you look at the Top-20 highest scoring games in NBA history, Wilt has 15 of 20. He scored between 65-70 points 10 times. Most players don't score between 40-45 points 10 times in their career. My personal favorite player of all-time, LeBron James only has 12 total 40+ point games, and 9 games of 50 or more with 56 points being his most ever. Now, LeBron doesn't need to score as much as Wilt did but the best player of our current time isn't even close to being the scorer that Wilt was. Nobody comes close to Wilt. The only guy who stacks up with his career numbers is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Also, Wilt averaged 22 rebounds per game throughout his career. He has one season where he averaged 50 points per game. Nobody comes with 15 points of that in a season anymore. The stone that houses the NBA on my Final Four Mt. Rushmore is Wilt Chamberlain.

Ruler of the Rink

This debate was settled in my blog on Wednesday so I apologize for the reiteration. The NHL doesn't even need four choices. It comes down to two. Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky. While Gretzky has career numbers that dwarf anyone, the amount of time they played has to be considered. When you break down the averages, their points per game is separated by .04, Gretzky has the slight edge. Lemieux has more goals per game and Gretzky has more assists. Lemieux has a better percentage of game-winning goals and a better career shooting percentage. While I could simply say that Lemieux has the edge in 3 of 5 categories, so that settles it, I won't. I look at more than that. Lemieux never had a line mate as amazing as Mark Messier. The people who surrounded Lemieux for the majority of his career weren't Hall of Famers. Gretzky played on the same line with different Hall of Famers his whole career. Since I already made this decision on Thursday, I won't go on and on, I'll simply say if you want more information then look back at my Monuments Men: NHL post and see the argument for Lemieux. He's the third face on the list. 

Dominance on the Diamond

Since I had Kyle choose 3 of the 4 heads to be etched on the MLB Mt. Rushmore, I discussed with him which player he would select as baseball's representative in the Final Four of American Sports. Hint: He didn't choose Barry Bonds. The obvious choice that most of America would lean toward is Babe Ruth. He still gets a huge amount of mentions when people talk about the game today. No other sport really does that. Most sports go back about 20 years at most but baseball is a different animal. So, we chose a different animal to represent our Mt. Rushmore: Ty Cobb. The reasoning: he failed less than any other hitter in history. That's a bit of a joke, but it does hold some merit. As Kyle stated yesterday, or you could look up for yourself, Cobb has the best batting average ever. He hit more than .300 in all but his rookie season and went over .400 three times. One of the most absurd records that he holds is how many times he's stolen home. It's 54 times. That's more than some teams stole home in their entire history.  Cobb stole home 21 more times than any other player in league history. The numbers aren't the only thing that make Cobb so amazing. His burning desire to win and intensity to dominate the sport puts him above everyone. So, while your list might have Babe Ruth, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, and Joe Montana, we have Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry Rice, Mario Lemieux and Ty Cobb. 

Final Four

Four men in the four most popular sports in America. Jerry Rice in football, Wilt Chamberlain in basketball, Mario Lemieux in hockey, and Ty Cobb in baseball. If I was going to add a few more faces for some of the more niche sports in America that have either declined or been more secondary, I would choose Muhammad Ali, who might be the most influential athlete in sports history, and Dale Earnhardt as the choice for NASCAR. There isn't any other sport that I follow enough to comment on who the greatest ever would be. Check it next week as we rotate to more recent sports issues for our blogs and end the list. Hopefully you enjoyed this week! 

The Monuments Men: MLB

When we talk about the greatest ever in sports, we always seem to focus on the era that the current 30 and 40 year olds watched growing up (probably because most people around that age work in the sports media). In basketball, it’s Magic, Larry and Michael. Football talks about Montana, Elway and Rice. Baseball is a different animal, though. It's the oldest sport that's been in the mainstream of American culture, so our field of players to choose from is quite large. Also, we start in 1907 when choosing different players. No other sport travels back that far to discuss the greats. When creating this idea of a Mt. Rushmore for each of the four major sports, I knew baseball would be the hardest to select. So, I'm calling in the Sports Microcosm baseball expert, my former roommate, and co-host on Apt 11 Sports, Kyle Holmgren to fill in the list. But first, let me add one piece to the mountain and discuss the most insane period of the sport: the steroid era.  

Pumped Up on Baseball

The era of baseball that I grew up watching is now marred with asterisks, medical acronyms, and a blanket of fog over all accomplishments during the time period. During this era, several guys dominated. One who started out as a skinny kid in Pittsburgh became a behemoth in the bay area. Of course I’m talking about Home Run King, Barry Bonds. In a 22-year career he hit 762 home runs, which is the most by any player in any era. "He was on steroids, though!" Yes, we are all aware of that. He never failed a test, though. And unlike the Baseball Hall of Fame, I'm not going to choose to ignore one of the most popular eras of the sport. It was definitely the most exciting era. Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGuire went year after year drilling 50+ homers and having us tune in every game they played to see who moved into the lead that day. Also, to Bonds' credit, he was an MVP player prior to hitting 500 foot jacks every night. In Pittsburgh, Bonds was a finalist for the MVP his final 3 seasons there, winning the award twice. His first year in San Francisco is when his numbers ballooned. Is that the moment that we want to mark as the start of steroid usage? Maybe he started in 1990 and it took a little time for his power to hit astronomical numbers? The point is that we'll never get specifics unless he decides to come out and say when he started, how long he used for and even then we don't know what he would have achieved without them. The man was walked almost 20 percent of his plate appearances. Intentionally walked 26 percent of all his walks. He finished his career with almost 3,000 hits and 2,000 RBIs. Removed from the era, Barry Bonds is arguably one of the best batters to ever step to the plate. While nobody else wants to acknowledge the period, I don't care about the sanctity of baseball as much as the next guy and Barry Bonds is going on my list. His head’s nearly the size of the actual Mt. Rushmore so it’ll fit right up there with the rest of the faces. Or maybe it'll end up as a statue to Barry because everyone else will complain about being put on a list with him. Now, here's Kyle to give you some insight on the history of the game and who he selects as his Top-3 MLB players of all-time.

I get to pick my Top-3 MLB players of all-time? Not exactly an easy task. As Tim said, we’ve got to go all the way back to 1907 when we start looking for our guys. Now I’m a little more of a purist than my former roommate and I care a little more about the sanctity of baseball. Would Bonds make my list? No, but this isn’t my blog so I’ll take what I can get with three of the four picks. It’s so hard to pick with all of the amazing baseball players that have come and gone over the years. Bob Feller, pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, won 25 games in 1941 and 26 games in 1946. He had a bit of a slump while he was in WWII. Hank Aaron and his home runs make him one of the greats. Jackie Robinson is honored across the league once a year for the contribution that he made to baseball and to the entire country. More recently, Derek Jeter decides to retire after the most impressive career I’ve seen in my lifetime. If I had to pick just three…

The Obvious Choice

Let’s play a game. I’ll say something and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Ready? Best baseball player ever. I’ll bet the name Babe Ruth crossed your mind just now. If he’s not number one on your list, he should be pretty high. Ruth finished his 22 year career with 714 home runs, almost 3,000 hits, and over 2,200 RBIs. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? One thing that differentiates Ruth from almost every other player was his play on the field before all the home runs and the fame. Before his Yankee days, he was a world class pitcher for the Red Sox. Ruth made all but seven of his starts from 1915 to 1919. In that time he started 139 games and of those 139 games he won 87. That’s about 63% if you were looking for a number. In the 1916 season he had 23 wins with an ERA of 1.75 and 24 wins with an ERA of 2.01 in 1917. If he did nothing else for the rest of his career he’d be a great player. The numbers are all well and good but it’s what Ruth did to the game that puts him on the list of the best ever. He was one of the architects of the way the game is played today. All of those steroids that Tim talked about up there, that started with Ruth. I’m not saying Babe Ruth was on the juice, but he did start a trend that still exists in baseball today. McGuire, Sosa and Bonds were all chasing an idea that Ruth helped build. The home run hitter is king. The Yankees even built their new stadium to allow for more home runs from their lineup of power hitters. The game is dominated by home runs and all of that started with George Herman Ruth.

The Georgia Peach

When Babe Ruth started hitting 40 or 50 plus home runs in the 1920s, a completely different kind of baseball player was dominating the game about 600 miles to the west, in Detroit. It has famously been said that the best hitters in the game fail seven times out of ten. During the 1911, 1912 and 1922 seasons, this man only failed six times out of ten. Ty Cobb still has the best career batting average in the history of baseball. He hit .366 over 24 seasons. The only time he hit less than .300 was his rookie season in 1905 and he only had 150 AB that season anyway. He set upwards of 90 records in his illustrious career and a few of them still stand today including that .366 career average. A record that begins to illustrate the way that Ty Cobb played the game of baseball is the record for most times stealing home. He did it 54 times. He stole home, 54 times. He won nine batting titles in a row and a couple more outside of those. Out of his 4,189 hits, Ty Cobb only hit 117 home runs. There is a legend that surrounds a two game stretch Cobb played during the 1925 season. In those two games, Cobb hit five home runs. If you were paying attention a couple sentences ago, this was not his normal game plan. According to legend, Cobb told reporters to pay close attention because he was going to try something new that day. He said that for the first time in his life, he was going to actually try to hit home runs. He wanted to prove to them that he could hit for power if he wanted to. Whether or not he actually told reporters that before the two games is still debated. What’s not debated was Cobb’s hatred for everything Ruthian post 1920. He thought the great desire for home runs killed all the strategy in the game. If you don’t think that’s the case, look at how different the play is in the National and American leagues today.

The Best of Both Worlds

There was one man who came into the batter’s box with some of the attributes of both Ruth and Cobb. That man was Ted Williams. Williams started his career about a decade after Ruth and Cobb had finished theirs. He is the last man to hit .400 over an entire season. He finished his career with a batting average of .344 and an on base percentage of .482. His career OBP is a record that still stands today. He had the average like Cobb, so what made him like Ruth? Williams finished his 19 year career with 521 home runs. He’s not in the 700 club, but those guys never hit .400. Williams was obsessed with hitting. In 1970, he wrote a book called The Science of Hitting. That’s what hitting was to him, a science. He broke it down into its different pieces and perfected all of them. He used a lighter bat, allowing him to swing faster. He was said to have told his teammates not to leave their bats on the ground because they might absorb moisture, making them heavier. While he was playing left field in front of the massive Green Monster at Fenway Park, he would practice his swing by looking at his shadow as he went through his movement. He lived for hitting. It was his life. Williams was criticized for being selfish with his batting. He wouldn’t swing at a bad pitch to put the ball in play and advance the runner. His argument was basically that it was stupid to swing at a pitch outside the strike zone because his average dropped dramatically. Williams is considered by many to be the best hitter of all time, and that’s why he’s making it up on Mt. Rushmore.

The Lineup

Thanks to Kyle for pinch hitting on the blog today and giving us some insight on his greats of baseball. We know that you probably have 15 other guys you think are worthy of the Mt. Rushmore, and we agree that they’re worthy but these are the choices. Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial, Cy Young, and the rest of the crew all made major contributions to the game, but when you have to pick 4, things get hard. Then when taking away a spot for someone else to put the best player of the steroid era to make a point, it’s ever harder. All of the 4 major sports have been covered and tomorrow I’ll stack up the best from each sport to choose the Final 4 on the American Pro Sports Mt. Rushmore. 

The Monuments Men: NHL

Simple As...

When it comes to building a Mt. Rushmore of players for any of the major sports, there are always more than 4 people who are worthy of making the list. With the NFL there are more than 4 at almost every position, the NBA has 4 current players that have cases to make the list, and MLB spans such a large amount of time that it's hard to differentiate eras. But, in hockey, we have a simpler task. The first two busts on the mountain are undeniable. They dominated as players and then moved to management and coaching positions, their contribution to the game is undeniable. They are Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky. 

Since it is an obvious notion that these two top the list, at least in the minds of most educated hockey fans, i'm going to compare the two and see if we can come to a conclusion of who is the best between them. I'm sure your initial response will be that Gretzky has more assists than Lemieux has total points but Gretzky played over 500 more games. The numbers you have to look at are the averages over a career. You can't simply look at total numbers because everyone doesn't play the same amount of time. There is something to say for longevity but also something to say for Mario going through cancer and returning to play hockey after it. When comparing averages, there isn't much difference between the two.

                                                                   Wayne Gretzky                             Mario Lemieux

Points Per Game:                                               1.92                                             1.88

Goals Per Game:                                                   .60                                              .75

Assists Per Game:                                              1.32                                             1.13

Game Winning Goal Percentage:                   6%                                               8%

Shooting Percentage:                                       17.6%                                          19%

I'm from Pittsburgh so my childhood was spent watching Mario Lemieux and my adult life still involves a lot of time being spent watching Lemieux because he's such a staple in Pittsburgh history. But, I believe I can make a fairly strong case for Mario being the better player. No. 66 played with guys you probably never heard of if you're not a die-hard hockey fan or Pittsburgher. No. 99 played with guys that are Hall of Famers. Mario also accomplished something nobody else ever has. He scored 5 goals in 5 different ways. He scored even-strength, power play, empty net, penalty shot, and short handed goals. Add to it the accomplishments made after their career and Lemieux adds another Stanley Cup as a team owner in 2009 with the Penguins. Gretzky didn't have quite as much success in the front office realm. While the debate will go on of 66 or 99 for decades, it's obvious that they are the two best players to ever play. Now, let's check the rest of the list.

Am I Missing Something?

Upon first entertaining the idea of the Mt. Rushmore of hockey players, I leaned toward Gordie Howe and Bobby Orr being my 3rd and 4th choices. Then I did some research. My favorite statistic: points per game average showed me that Gordie Howe didn't have a very impressive number. He has the 37th best PPG average. "He accomplished things at all levels of the game. Look at the Gordie Howe Hat Trick." You mean the feat that he only accomplished twice? Yeah, that's right. I'm not sure why it was named after him like he did it every game. He wasn't even the first to do it. The first time it was recorded was in the 1920s and it probably happened a few times before that. The all-time leader in Gordie Howe Hat Tricks is Brendan Shanahan with 17. Rick Tocchet and Brian Sutter are tied for second with 15. Maybe we should call it the Shanahan Hat Trick? After reviewing the numbers, Gordie Howe was definitely a top talent but he doesn't have the numbers to be on the Mt. Rushmore. My Mt. Rushmore isn't solely about the early founders of the game. It's about the greats of the game. Whether they still play today or if they retired 30 years ago, I look at the numbers and the contributions. When I looked deeper into Bobby Orr's numbers, he stacks up. He makes my list. Orr played 12 seasons and has the 5th best PPG average of all-time. I'm sure someone along this list you said, "Hey your PPG average is negative toward the top defensemen to ever play the game." Well, you're right. It is discriminatory. However, if you're not hockey educated, Bobby Orr was a defensemen. He is the only defensemen with 9 career hat tricks. (Real ones, not Gordie Howe ones). Orr was the first defenseman to lead the league in scoring, the first player to record 100 assists in a season, and the only player to ever win the Norris Trophy, Hart Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy, and Art Ross Trophy in one season. I still question if I'm missing something with Gordie Howe and maybe a reader will properly inform me, but Bobby Orr is someone everyone needs to know about, and he's on my list because of it. 

The Kid Makes the List

As I have done with my first two sports Mt. Rushmore's, I am choosing a current player who I undoubtedly believe will finish with career numbers worthy of being an all-time great, or the greatest ever. I don't think Sidney Crosby will ever pass Mario or Gretzky on the list of the greatest NHL players but his numbers show that he's already one of the best ever. His PPG average is 4th all-time at 1.40, which is a few points better than Bobby Orr had. He's already secured one Stanley Cup and has a solid career ahead of him. The only concern with Crosby is the fact that he has had injury issues throughout his career. The upside to that is if he can remain healthy for complete seasons in a row, his numbers will stack up even more impressively. You can say I picked another Pittsburgh guy because this is where I'm from but it's the numbers that I'm looking at. No other current player stacks up. The only one that comes close is another guy who started as a Penguin, too: Jaromir Jagr. While Sid the Kid still has a long career ahead of him, he's on the Mt. Rushmore today. 

The Frozen Four

We should probably make this Mt. Rushmore out of ice. If we did that then it would be the easiest to melt down and rebuild if a major change needed to be made. I took care of that and made sure Sidney Crosby was given a spot. The other guys beside Crosby are unarguable choices. Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr dominated the sport and posted numbers and records that have stood for years and don't look like they'll be broken anytime soon. Tomorrow we'll dive into the MLB Mt. Rushmore and Friday you'll get one selection from each sport for the American Pro Sports Mt. Rushmore. 

The Monuments Men: NBA

The reason that this 5-part series of blog posts started was because of a comment made by LeBron James about who his Mt. Rushmore of NBA players would be. He chose Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Oscar Robertson. All very deserving choices for the list, but I think LBJ was a bit off with the majority of his list. I'll tell you who is being added and dropped later. First, let's look at the obvious choice that is making the list: Michael Jordan.

[Insert Everyone's Opinion Here]

Do I even need to give you a reason why Michael Jordan makes this list? Everyone who has ever heard of the sport of basketball knows who Michael Jordan is. The two are synonymous terms. The man and the sport are united for all of eternity. His famous "Jumpman" symbol of him dunking with legs spread apart is the universal symbol of his brand. The same brand that helped raise him to the level of deity. Jordan's numbers speak for itself. So, yes Michael Jordan is on the list of best basketball players ever. What I'm going to use this space to do is bash him a little bit. Well, that's what you'll call it. I'm going to call it a reality check into things you don't see or remember. What if I tried to put someone on the list who had a gambling issue? Like Pete Rose with baseball, most people would be against it. How about I put a misogynist on the list? Nothing like a little infidelity with those triple-doubles. What about finding a guy who is a real team player? You know, the type of guy who punches his teammate in the face during practice. Ask Steve Kerr if he remembers any teammate doing that. While Michael Jordan is stated to be the best basketball player by everyone, nobody seems to remember his flaws. We only see his dunks, his game-winners, his moments of excellence. We skip the page where he quits his sport to go give baseball a shot. Instead, it gets made into a movie and everyone forgets how he failed at baseball while quitting on his teammates. When I think of Jordan playing baseball, I think of Space Jam. What we should think of when we think of Jordan leaving the Bulls to pursue baseball is that the team went from 57 wins his final season before baseball and 55 wins the first season without him. So, Michael Jordan had some really damn good teammates around him. In contrast, let's look at LeBron James' final season in Cleveland. The Cavs won 61 games in LeBron's final season with the team. Their first season without him, they won 19. In the first 3 seasons without him they only won a total of 64 games. The first name on the Mt. Rushmore is Michael Jeffrey Jordan. This one's for you, though. Look at him on this mountain and remember that he wasn't a deity. He didn't invent the sport. He played it very well for a long period. But, he wasn't exactly the example for all your kids to follow.

Keep it 100

Years before my time, your time, and all documented history, wait! It was 1959 when a kid from Philadelphia entered the league. Over 14 years later, he left with records falling out of his pants pockets but we act like he accomplished it while shooting into a laundry basket with socks in 1885. It was actually March 2, 1962 (only 52 years ago, not 152), when Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game. That record still stands to this day. With that centennial performance, Wilt went on to average 50.4 points per game and 25.7 rebounds per game that season. He finished with an average of 30.1 points per game and 23 rebounds per game for his career. The aura around Wilt Chamberlain's accomplishments is that he was a foot taller than everyone and dominated the league. The truth is that he was 7 foot with the league average height around the same as it was today. How many 7 footers in the NBA today are putting up 100 points in a game and dominating? Roy Hibbert is physically identical to Wilt Chamberlain and averages 11 points per game and 7 rebounds per game. Wilt was a special player that we continually overlook. Everyone acknowledges the 100 point game but nobody looks at his 50, 60 and 70 point games scattered throughout his career. Wilt has 4 of the 5 highest scoring single NBA performances ever. Other than Kobe Bryant's second place 81, Wilt has first, third, fourth and fifth with 100, 78, and 73 (twice). He also scored 72, 70, 68, and 67 (four times). In the history of the NBA, there are 63 occurrences when a player scored 60 or more points. Michael Jordan has done it 5 times, Kobe Bryant also has 5, and Elgin Baylor did it 4 times. Wilt makes up over half the list with 32 times of scoring 60+ points. If you're searching for the best pure scorer in NBA history, your choice is Wilt Chamberlain. He's also one of my four choices for the NBA Mt. Rushmore. 

Titles on Titles on Titles

When choosing who the next entry on the list would be, I had a plethora of people to choose from. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Shaquielle O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Patrick Ewing, and the list goes on. But, as I said in my NFL Mt. Rushmore post, I take several factors into consideration and one of those is winning. So, how can I leave off the best winner in the sport. In 13 seasons, in the same era as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell won 11 NBA titles. So, while Wilt was dropping 60+ 32 times, Bill was winning titles all the time. He averaged a respectable 15 points per game and 22 rebounds per game. While he averaged 15 points less per game through his career that Wilt, the amount of championships are astounding. He won a title in 84% of his seasons in the NBA. Nobody else comes close to that. The great Michael Jordan won a title in 40% of his seasons. Less than half the amount Bill Russell did. That dominance of winning gets Bill Russell a place on the Mt. Rushmore. 

Legacy Solidified

I know you don't agree with this if you're almost anyone between the ages of 17 and 100 but LeBron James is better than Michael Jordan. I've been saying this since he beat Boston in game 6 of the playoffs in 2012, and I've been saying that he would be the best ever when it's all said and done for several years now.  

I want to write and ask you all to put away your nostalgia of M.J. for a minute but I can't do that to you. I know where you're coming from. M.J. was great. He was the best ever until 500 and some days ago. When LeBron scored 45 points and 15 rebounds against the Celtics, I knew it was over. The legacy started to build and come to fruition and with his second title in 2013, it was solidified. 

Here's why I pick LeBron over M.J. and give James the final piece on the NBA Mt. Rushmore:

1.) It's about every facet of the game to me. It's about scoring, rebounding, assisting, blocking, defense, etc. Both of these players had/have immense talent at those skills, but LeBron has to use all of those skills every single night. He led the Heat in 9 categories in Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals. His all-around game is more complete to me than Michael's was. Look at the stats, LeBron's big games have him with a packed box score and Michael's games had 45 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist. LeBron has 37 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, 4 steals, 9 of 11 free throws, and dominant defense.  

2.) Following my first point, LeBron is the better teammate. He makes everyone around him better. He sets them up for open looks. He gets into the right position so they can make a good decision of passing or shooting. He cares deeply about the guys he plays with. They are his brothers. They are a family. I was young for most of Jordan's dominance but I always got  this vibe that Jordan knew he was on a level above everyone and acted accordingly. As I said earlier about M.J., he only cared about winning and would do anything to win. LeBron isn't that guy. He wins because he elevates his teammates. 

3.) LeBron is a better person. Now you say that we should only judge them by what they do on the court. Why? If you're the greatest at something, everything you do is put under a microscope. If I'm picking out an idol or role model for someone, i'm picking LeBron first and Jordan will probably be an undrafted free agent. I like the drive and ferocity of Jordan. He was an assassin. That's one way to operate. I like how LeBron does it better. He would rather go down with the crew over abandoning ship to save himself. I want my kids to learn the qualities that LeBron has over Michael. Too many people say you need to be heartless and vicious to be successful. LeBron shows that isn't true. You have to be dedicated, work hard and put everything you have into something to be successful, but you can do it without being overly arrogant.   

Start Etching It

I don't have time to reconfigure the Mt. Rushmore years from now so that's why LeBron is getting on it now. In my eyes it isn't even a debate if he should be on the list or not. He's accomplished so much in the first half of his career so he's going up there with Michael, Bill, and Wilt. The argument can be made for about 6-10 other guys to make this list but that goes for any sport. These 4 were chosen because of what they accomplished and did for the sport. Tomorrow we'll head from the court to the ice and talk about the Top-4 NHL players of all-time. 

The Monuments Men: NFL

Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of talk because of an interview that LeBron James gave with NBATV where he was asked which 4 NBA players would be on his Mt. Rushmore of the best to ever play the game. The discussion that has swirled around this got me thinking. And, I want to present my Mt. Rushmore for each of the 4 major American sports: NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. This will be the first part of a five part series. In this first presentation I will choose my NFL Monuments Men. My criteria for choosing each player depends on stats, winning, era played in, and contribution to the game. Without jumping directly into who I choose, I want to touch on some guys who barely missed the list along the way.

The Architects

There are leagues of men who made major contributions to the game of football. They go beyond being the best at their position during a period and truly make a change to how the game is played. One of the names that comes to mind is Walter Camp, the guy who literally wrote the book on American Football. Another is Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President of this great country, with his political influence making the game safer and ushering in the forward pass. (Ironic that the guy on the real Mt. Rushmore has a chance to make this one, too.) Vince Lombardi is another name that makes the finalists in the architects of the game. If this was a Green Bay Mt. Rushmore then he'd have his face on it 4 straight times, but it isn't. So, while Lombardi transformed a field in Wisconsin into a NFL powerhouse, others made bigger impacts. The same goes for Hank Stram, who made my list as a finalist and one of the most cerebral coaches to ever lead a football team. While all of these architects made major impacts to the game of football, the one who I am choosing from this group to grace the NFL Mt. Rushmore is Bill Walsh. 

Bill Walsh started in the NFL as an assistant to Paul Brown and after proving to be brilliant with offenses he found trouble finding his opportunity at head coaching because Brown told people he was too soft in his approach to football. This sent Walsh to coach at Stanford University. During this time he started to fine-tune his quick hitting pass attack. Walsh utilized an approach of short passes that he saw equally as risky as handing off to a running back. This offensive style moved the chains with quick routes, and allowed the deep passing and running game to play off of the quick slant routes. Famously, the style became known as the West Coast Offense, and revolutionized the game of football. Why did this beat out the introduction of the forward pass? The forward pass was done out of necessity as an attempt to save the game. It was an extremely bold move and deserves a ton of praise sent toward Theodore Roosevelt for it. But, the West Coast Offense was ingenuity from a man to revive the forward pass. The rules and mentality at the time allowed defensive backs to manhandle receivers who ran deep patterns. With Walsh's change, passing was once again a true weapon against defenses. Add to Walsh's ingenuity, his reach into the sport today are still staggering. Below is a list of the assistants that became head coaches that stem from the Bill Walsh School of Coaching.

Source: Wikipedia

You can take each guy under Bill Walsh and assign one to each NFL team. Yes, his 6 most prominent assistant coaches had 26 assistants who all became head coaches in the NFL. Add to it how many have won Super Bowls or made appearances and if that's not enough to get a place on Mt. Rushmore, then what is?

The Obvious Choice

I open argument for every other selection that I make on the list of NFL's Mt. Rushmore but this one isn't debatable. This is the best player to ever step on a NFL field. He wasn't the most athletic. He wasn't the fastest nor smartest. He was simply the best. He was the best because of his work ethic. Who is it that I'm talking about? Jerry Rice, of course.

Rice has almost 7,000 more receiving yards (22,895) than any other WR to ever step on the field. He has 41 more TDs (195) than any other receiver. He was a 13 time Pro Bowler, won 3 Super Bowl rings, and got to work with a guy named Bill Walsh to help both of them make this Mt. Rushmore. 

The case is pretty clear that Jerry Rice's contribution to the game of football is a monumental one. He has the stats to make the list, the wins to make the list, and he was the father to the era of glamorizing the WR position. Without Jerry Rice, those guys who were stretching for his heels in the record books wouldn't have ever become receivers. Jerry ushered in an era of Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald, Terrell Owens, Cris Carter, Calvin Johnson, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Tim Brown, Marvin Harrison and every other receiver that's stepped on a field since Sept. 5, 1994 when Jerry Rice broke Jim Brown's career touchdown record. Many of these receivers were finalists on my list of potential Mt. Rushmore representatives, but I couldn't put another on the list with Jerry Rice. He's the best receiver, hands down. Special mention to the No. 2 leader in receptions, Tony Gonzalez. Similar to how Jerry Rice became a truly dominant receiver and opened the door for those to follow, Gonzalez made the basketball to tight end transition one that happens more and more each year because of his performance as a TE in the NFL. Currently in the NFL today are Jimmy Graham, Julius Thomas, and Antonio Gates, who all have basketball backgrounds. That gets Tony Gonzalez special mention as a player who narrowly misses making my Mt. Rushmore.

The Golden Position

Since the invention of the forward pass, one position has become the sexiest in sports: Pro Football Quarterback. From "Broadway" Joe Namath guaranteeing victory in Super Bowl III, to Joe Montana thriving in Bill Walsh's West Coast Offense, and John Elway and Dan Marino going in the same draft and dominating the sport for a decade, the QB is the ultimate glamour spot. All of the aforementioned guys deserve a thought at getting a spot on the list. Marino held almost every passing record until Brett Favre, Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning dethroned him in recent years. Joe Namath made a statement for the AFL, and Montana and Elway added championships with great stats. But one guy has beaten all of the odds. Every other QB that I've mentioned so far was a first or second round pick. Except one. That one is Tom Brady. He was selected in the sixth round with the 199th pick. He was kept on the New England Patriots roster as a No. 4 QB in his rookie season. He worked like crazy to become the back-up, and when he got his chance, he wasn't giving it back. Minus one season of Randy Moss, Brady hasn't had a Hall of Fame receiver to throw to. He's barely even had Pro Bowl receivers to throw to. That hasn't stopped him from winning 3 Super Bowls and leaving the field with his team leading in 2 others. He found a way to will a injury riddled team to the AFC Championship this season and displays a work ethic rivaled by few. The logic of making Tom Brady one of four on the NFL Mt. Rushmore is this: I knew I was going to put a QB on the list, and the QB that I put at the top on my all-time list is Tom Brady. When it's all said and done after Brady plays another 5-6 years, he might have 4 Super Bowl wins and 7 appearances. He'll be Top-5 in every QB category, be among the most winning QBs in the game, and has a work ethic to be idolized by everybody. 

First Down vs Sweetness

The final piece of the stone to be chiseled in the metaphorical mountain comes down to Jim Brown and Walter Payton. Two NFL running backs that did it anyway necessary. They worked hard, ran hard, and made defenses look silly. Walter had more rush yards than Brown but he also played 70 more games. The way Walter ran was something special, though. He did things on the field that were unheard of. He also started his career 10 years after Brown's ended. So a certain amount of comparison is difficult because defenses, offensive lines, the passing game, and so many other factors changed from 1957 when Brown entered the league to 1987 when Payton exited it. Add to it the fact that other than highlight reels, I didn't get to see either of them enough to really pick out nuances that puts one above the other. After watching several packages of highlights, I've come to a conclusion: If they were both wearing the same uniform, I couldn't differentiate between the two of them. They both ran angry with a bizarre elegance. They'd hit three guys head on and then do a bit of a twist and bend that would score a 10 from even the Russian judge. Their abilities from the eye test are so even that it's hard to pick one over the other. So, I have to rely on the stats in front of me and go with the original. With more yards per game, yards per attempt, and overall touchdowns in fewer games, the final portrait hammered into my NFL Mt. Rushmore is Jim Brown. 

If they all played together, one ball wouldn't be enough

There you have it. My four selections to be etched on the NFL Mt. Rushmore are Bill Walsh, Jerry Rice, Tom Brady, and Jim Brown. Could you imagine if these four played in the same era on the same team. They'd have to have two balls. One for Brady to throw to Rice and another one he'd hand to Brown. All while Bill Walsh was working his schemes of the West Coast Offense to run his team like a well oiled machine. Now that the NFL Mt. Rushmore has been selected, tomorrow you'll get the NBA version, Wednesday the NHL, Thursday the MLB, and Friday the top from each sport will be selected to create the Major American Sports Mt. Rushmore. Now we just need some mountains in Canton, Ohio to build this football one..

It's All About the QB

There is one position that is sensationalized, scrutinized, marginalized, and overall more important than any other position in football. The QB in the NFL can change a team's future overnight. Add one amazing talent and you have the ability to change everything. Heading into the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs, I want to rank all 32 teams at the QB position to see what they have, and for those near the bottom, if drafting a QB would make any improvements.

32. Cleveland Browns - Jason Campbell / Brandon Weeden / Brian Hoyer
This QB situation is the definition of a debacle in the Ohio city near Lake Erie. They started the year with some shaky thoughts on Brandon Weeden and how he'd perform. Once he was injured, Brian Hoyer led them on a 3-game winning streak and even made me somewhat of a believer that they could contend in a weak AFC for the No. 6 seed. Once Hoyer went down, Jason Campbell stepped in and performed averagely. Now the Browns look to the future and they're going to have to take a shot on a QB with a Top-5 pick. My issue - I'm not sure how well any of these QBs will survive in Cleveland when they're getting bashed by defensive ends and linebackers each week. Both Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater lack the girth that I'd like to see from an NFL QB. It looks like the Browns will once again slum through the sludge of mediocrity and ineptitude.

31. Oakland Raiders - Terrelle Pryor / Matt McGloin
If things weren't absolutely terrible in Cleveland, let's visit Oakland for even more dysfunction. The battle of two Big-10 QBs who did little to impress me or give me hope for their NFL futures. McGloin is a fighter and an over-comer who has never been picked for anything. Seriously. I don't think he was picked in gym class for dodgeball in 8th grade. He walked on at Happy Valley, went undrafted to the Raiders and sat behind Pryor and Matt Flynn until Flynn flew away and Pryor got hurt. Now, the Raiders have to choose between athletic or average at the QB position. Maybe that No. 5 pick will be used to take a QB, I think they'd be better off playing a different sport, though.

30. Minnesota Vikings - Matt Cassel / Christian Ponder / Josh Freeman
I'm beginning to see a trend through the teams that were bad this season: more than one QB started. A fall from grace was expected from the Vikings this season, they somehow went 10-6 and made the playoffs last season...oh that's right, AP nearly broke the NFL rushing record. This season, a slow start, a family tragedy and injury led to AP barely eclipsing 1,200 yards rushing. With no running back to rely on, the carousel wound up and churned out bad performances all around. Cassel would be my choice for next season. Give up on Ponder and Freeman and bring in a young QB with some potential. Let him sit for a year behind Cassel and then polish him to fit into the system. I'd personally take someone like A.J. McCarron in the 2nd round. He's a winner and solid playmaker, sometimes that's what you need more than the sexy pick.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars - Chad Henne / Blaine Gabbert
Please don't select Johnny Manziel. That's all I ask from Jacksonville. They're better off taking Tebow. Honestly, I don't care what Jacksonville does. I think they're the most pointless team in the NFL. They should hire someone who has a background with a moving company. Get someone who knows how to pack up a semi that'll help them move to LA or London or Toronto or wherever the NFL sends them because the franchise in Jacksonville isn't working out. On a serious note about QBs, I think Henne will be a fine fit for getting 4 wins next season.

28. New York Jets - Geno Smith
There was a stretch where I had a better QBR than Geno Smith this season. That's barely a joke. He had 12 TDs and 21 INTs in his rookie campaign. There was a span where he had 4 straight games with less than 10 completions (8,8,9,4). That's a total of 29 completions over a 4 game period. Peyton Manning had 7 games this season where he completed 29 or more passes. To Smith's defense, the Jets have the worst offensive talent I have seen in years. If the Jets decide to draft a couple good talents at WR and TE then Geno might actually have reason to complete 29 passes in a game instead of in a quarter of the season.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Mike Glennon
Greg Schiano seemed to think that Glennon had the potential to be the QB of the future but none of that matters now. Lovie Smith is now the head coach with the Bucs and the rest of the management around him is shaken up as well. Glennon looked solid at times once he got comfortable in the offense and had no issue slinging the ball all over the field. I'm not sure he has the intangibles to be a franchise guy and Lovie Smith definitely isn't going to help him improve on that. If Glennon takes care of the ball, Tampa could win 7-8 games next season, but who knows if he'll be the commander guiding the ship for the Bucs.

26. Houston Texans - Matt Schaub / Case Keenum
The chaos in Houston is more of an issue than the talent at the QB position. Keenum and Schaub both have some raw talent that is higher than 26th best in the NFL. The issue is that the team spiraled out of control and once they hit about 2-6, it was pretty obvious they wouldn't win another game this season. I don't see how Matt Schaub can come back and i'm excited to see how Bill O'Brien evaluates Case Keenum as his franchise talent.  

25. Tennessee Titans - Jake Locker / Ryan Fitzpatrick
My prediction is that if Jake Locker stayed healthy all season then they'd be the No. 6 seed instead of San Diego. That's the issue, though. I'm not sure how durable Jake Locker is. Locker, Ponder and Sam Bradford all feel like the same QB to me. They have B-quality abilities, can make some plays, but seem to be injury prone. Overall, I wouldn't put any money on Jake Locker to take the Titans anywhere beyond a No. 6 seed in a shaky AFC.

24. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford / Kellen Clemens
(See 25). Seriously, Sam Bradford and Jake Locker tie for 25th in my book. They both are capable of doing exactly the same thing. They're quality talents but they're nowhere near the top of the NFL. The reason St. Louis is above Tennessee is because the Rams are a serious contender if they could get a healthy QB that took care of the ball.

23. Washington Redskins - Robert Griffin III / Kirk Cousins
Thank you for visiting the infirmary section of our blog today. We will soon be leaving the Dr. James Andrews section and talking about teams with quality professional QBs who don't get hurt every season. First, let's talk about RGIII. His talent is B+ to A-. If he wasn't injury prone I would put him up in the Top-15, breaching on Top-10. That isn't the case, however. RGIII was hurt in college, hurt as a rookie and never fully recovered. He sat out the final three games this season and will have a new coach to sabotage in 2014. The Redskins gave up way too much to get Griffin and it's going to hurt them in the future. Then they decided to pick Kirk Cousins in the same draft as his back-up. What a mess the Redskins are. On the plus side, the salary cap fines are done for Washington and they can fill in some pieces around Griffin. It's worth seeing what Griffin can do if he's healthy next season, which is all we can hope for.

22. Arizona Cardinals - Carson Palmer
It's time to start looking toward the future Arizona. Carson Palmer played plenty well enough this season to get the Cardinals the 5th best record in the NFC but Seattle and San Francisco ruined a playoff spot for the Cards. While this was a nice season for Arizona, Carson Palmer is past his prime. He isn't going to ascend your team to new heights, he's going to give you 1-2 more seasons of solid play but that's all he has left. He isn't going to pull a Kurt Warner and get you to the Super Bowl, but another 10-6 season will have the Cards right there for a No. 6 seed in 2014. I'd draft a 2nd to 4th round QB, maybe a Tajh Boyd or Aaron Murray to sculpt behind Palmer for a season or two.

21. Buffalo Bills - E.J. Manuel
He was a bit too injured in his rookie season and that worries me. His talent and resiliency seem top-notch and if he can get healthy and continue to grow, he'll breach the Top-15 in a few years. The Bills have some pieces that need to be improved to make it above mundane and average but Manuel has the traits. If he can be developed similarly to how Cam Newton has been groomed in Carolina, then the Bills could make some noise in the next few years. Get E.J. healthy and prepare for 2014 Buffalo.

20. Miami Dolphins - Ryan Tannehill
I might be selling Tannehill short at No. 20, but if I do this list again next season, he'll be closer to 15 than 25. He is a better version of Locker/Ponder/Bradford and through a year of insanity in Miami posted decent numbers. He had almost 4,000 yards and posted 24 TDs to 17 INTs. Those numbers should improve next season to something like 28 TDs and 12 INTs. Those numbers would be good enough to compete for a Wild Card spot if the rest of the team performs around him. Don't sell Tannehill short, he might be the 6th best QB drafted in the past 2 seasons, which is better than a good portion of the league.

19. San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers
It's not how you start, it's how you finish. The Chargers know that statement better than almost anyone. Over the past several seasons they've notoriously been the 7-3 team that misses the playoffs. This season they're the 5-7 team that makes the playoffs. Rivers has been curious, to say the least, with cases of fumblitis and the interception over the past few seasons but 32 TDs, 11 INTs and a 105.5 passer rating is what the fans of San Diego have been waiting for since 2008.

18. Cincinnati Bengals - Andy Dalton
Will the real Andy Dalton please appear in a stadium outside of Cincinnati? Or maybe, has the real Andy Dalton appeared outside of Cincinnati? If Dalton is going to ascend to elite levels then we need to see consistency. He's been great in Cincinnati with an undefeated record this season but away from home struggles have ensued. Throwing 20 INTs in 2013 is a bit much and to be elite he needs to get that number into the low teens. If Dalton can run off 3 great games then the Bengals could be Super Bowl bound. If Dalton lays an egg against San Diego then many of us will question him even stronger than we have so far.

17. Kansas City Chiefs - Alex Smith
They say he doesn't have the NFL caliber arm, they say he doesn't make the throws necessary to be elite, San Francisco sent him out of town for a kid who struggles to make reads, and yet he keeps winning. Alex Smith helped a team go from 2 to 11 wins. He did it with an 89.1 passer rating and a 23-7 TD to INT ratio. I'll take those numbers. Those are numbers that can win a Super Bowl if your defense and running game help guide the troops. Then why is Alex Smith at 17 on this list? Well, it's a mix of where your ceiling is at and what have you done in the past. Maybe you don't remember, but until Jim Harbaugh came to town, Alex Smith was all but written off as an NFL bust. He's had a great season of not being asked to do too much for KC and he's had success. Alex Smith is pretty much at his pinnacle, though. He's reached the peak of his talent. It's good enough to win a Super Bowl in a Trent Dilfer-type way. We'll see if KC can make it happen this season.

16. Philadelphia Eagles - Nick Foles
Speaking of taking care of the ball and doing what your team needs to get the job done, please visit exhibit A. Nick Foles posted the 2nd best passer rating in NFL history. He threw 27 TDs to only 2 INTs. That's an absurd 13.5:1 ratio. Peyton Manning had a 5.5:1 ratio and he's going to win the MVP. Chip Kelly looks like a genius from how well the Eagles have played on offense and Nick Foles should have a nice career if he can stay with Chip for 5-6 seasons and come anywhere close to this production.

15. Atlanta Falcons - Matt Ryan
Let's write this season off as an anomaly for Matt Ryan. He still had an 89.6 passer rating and 26 TDs but the 17 INTs were a bit high for what we expect from Ryan. The injuries to Roddy White and Julio Jones didn't help but something was never there this season with Atlanta. I'm not sure if the Falcons will return next season and run off 13 wins but they should definitely be competitive with 8-10. Matt Ryan dropped some stock for me but if he returns to form, he'll be somewhere around No. 11 next season.

14. Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford
Why can't Detroit be successful? Seriously, that isn't one of those questions I'm going to answer for you. I don't understand how you can have a QB that has a rocket attached to his arm that fires footballs to a machine of a wide receiver named Megatron (Calvin Johnson), with a defensive line that should get 80 sacks per season. Enough about the struggles of Detroit, actually, I think Detroit is at fault for why Stafford is only 14th on my list. He has all of the tools but doesn't quite understand his craft. That's the best way I can put it. He's ready to build a house but I don't think he knows exactly how to make one that'll withstand a storm. Too many years as a Detroit Lion will do that to you, though.

13. San Francisco 49ers - Colin Kaepernick
After last season ended, the media was ready to anoint Kaepernick as the new savior of football. I still haven't been sold on Kaepernick's abilities from the pocket. The reason he makes the Top-15 is because of his ceiling. He has the raw ability to dominate the field with his legs and strength. That last line is something I should be saying about a running back, not a QB. If Kaepernick can figure out how to read a defense more effectively and get beyond his first option, then he can be a transcendent talent. He might be able to make it to back-to-back Super Bowls and even win this one, but it won't be because he carried the team in a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady manner, it'll be because the defense causes havoc against Green Bay, Carolina and Seattle.

12. Baltimore Ravens - Joe Flacco
He had a year that wasn't quite on the level of a brand new shiny, Top-3 salary but he has a clutch "gene" that always seems to find a way to win. The Ravens fielded a brand new defense this season that struggled early, the running game was nonexistent because of Ray Rice's injuries, and that put Flacco in a hole where he had to toss the ball all over the field so he wouldn't get sacked 18 times a game. This was one of Flacco's worst seasons, he had a 19:22 TD-INT ratio, the most INTs in his career by 10, and least TDs since his rookie season. Flacco has been solid and clutch throughout his career and this year will be marked as an outlier.

11. New York Giants - Eli Manning
You're probably asking how Eli Manning can be anywhere near 10th after the season he had. It goes back to the what you've done and what you have in the future. Eli has won 2 Super Bowls and was a 4th Quarter, 2 Minute Drill machine the past several seasons. While Eli has never been a guy to get through a season with only 8 INTs, he has always had a positive ratio. This is the first season that ratio was negative. Much like Flacco, Eli had issues with a bad offensive line and poor running attack. The Giants will get those fixed and Eli's numbers will flip back to 27 TDs and 18 INTs instead of the opposite.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers - Ben Roethlisberger
Mr. Past His Prime is still a Top-10 QB because of his past. He's accomplished amazing things in Pittsburgh. He makes plays that he has no business making but now his capability to make those plays is behind him. He's relying more on being a quick pocket passer. He's been efficient at it, but he isn't a dominating force anymore. He passed for 4,200 yards, 28 TDs and 14 INTs, and after a horrendous start, the Steelers almost made the playoffs. The legacy and aura in Pittsburgh is winning and Big Ben has done that since 2004. He's closer to the end than the beginning, but 3-4 solid years still remain for Roethlisberger.

9. Chicago Bears - Jay Cutler
Mr. New Contract is ready to turn some heads. Yes, he's 30 years old. Yes, he's only won one playoff game and one game against the Packers. Yes, he's cocky, arrogant and a bit of a cry baby. But, he has the QB whisperer guiding him along the way. He had his best passer rating of his career, and threw as many TDs this season in 11 games as he did in 15 last season. With a monster contract in his pocket and people questioning if he's worth it, Cutler will be hellbent on proving that he's a Top-10 QB and can win playoff games and a Super Bowl. His arms a rocket and his weapons are real. Alshon Jeffrey, Martellus Bennett and Brandon Marshall are capable of making Cutler look even better than he actually is, and that's something the NFL should fear.

8. Dallas Cowboys - Tony Romo
This is an No. 8 ranking, pending a back surgery that could ruin him ever being the QB he was again. If Romo makes a full recovery and doesn't have this lingering back problem then he'll be a Top-10 QB in this league for years. Nobody gives Romo the credit he deserves for being astounding 98% of the time because when there are 2 minutes left, he makes a vital mistake. My theory - Romo is the sanity in the asylum. Dallas is managed horribly. Jerry Jones is a great owner, not a great GM. So, when Romo has to do everything all game some mistakes are going to happen. I'm not sure if Romo will ever break out of this mold because I don't think Dallas will ever be run well enough to show Romo's full potential.

7. Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton
Last year I would have placed Cam around 15th on this list. He was trying too hard for the first 12 weeks of 2012 and when it started to click late, they turned it on. Since then, Carolina has been fantastic. He regressed a bit in the first few games this season but finally bought into the system and realized he didn't have to do it all. Since he's learned his place in the offense, he's been amazing. The defense is good enough to give them a chance to beat anyone and Cam has the highest ceiling in the league. Every week, Cam makes a few plays that make you think he's a superhero. In a structured environment where he takes care of the ball then shows those moments of excellence, the Panthers can achieve great heights.

6. New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees
All this guy does is throw for 5,000+ yards. While Peyton Manning is over there breaking his record by 1-yard, he's saying, "that's fine, I've done it 4 times." Size doesn't matter because Brees throws one of the prettiest passes I've ever seen. He's a Super Bowl champ and one of the best passers in NFL history. His 51,081 yards ranks 5th all-time and at 33 years old, another 4-5 seasons of 4,500+ yards will place him 2nd or 3rd on the list. The reason he's not 2nd or 3rd on my list is because there is a bit more future-casting involved that puts these next two guys in front of him.

5. Seattle Seahawks - Russell Wilson
I've been talking about what you've done for me and what you're doing in the future and in this case, the latter outweighs the former. A few years ago when Wilson was at Wisconsin, I watched one of his games with my college roommate and marveled at his ability. He never gets rattled. He always knows what to do and keeps his eyes downfield. He progresses through his options and rarely makes a bad decision. A 26:9 TD-INT ratio and a 101.2 passer rating makes him one of the most consistent QBs in the league. He doesn't have to throw 50 times a game, put up 4,800 yards in a season and throw 50 TDs to be successful. He makes smart plays that help his team be successful. He has one of the brightest futures of any player currently in this league.

4. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck
Speaking of young kids with bright futures, meet Andrew Luck. From day one in the NFL, he's looked like a 5 year pro. He has no fear about being the leader and taking all the blame for what he does. He's extremely cerebral and has such a high IQ. He is everything that Indianapolis could hope for. They got Peyton Manning in 1998, he got injured and old, so what happens...they get a young guy named Andrew Luck who can do everything Manning did but will be in the league until 2025 instead of 2015. Like Wilson, he put together a great TD-INT ratio at 23:9. Luck and Wilson have the opportunity to run this league into the 2020s and I have all the faith that they will.

3. Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers
Something that never happens anymore was the best thing that ever happened to Aaron Rodgers. He sat behind Brett Favre for 3 seasons before being handed the reins. Since that time he has proven to be one of the best all-around QBs to ever grace a football field. He plays with a chip on his shoulder because he's done a lot of waiting in his life: from being passed over by team after team in the draft, then hanging out behind Favre for 3 seasons, all help Rodgers be the player he is. I think he has the best mix of skills at the QB position in the NFL today. He can throw the ball wherever needed, make the adjustments necessary, and breakdown a defense effectively. Even though he missed a large chunk of football this season, don't be surprised if he gets those extra reps in the playoffs by playing into mid or late January.

2. Denver Broncos - Peyton Manning
Is there anything else to say about Peyton Manning that hasn't already been said? Actually, I have quite a lot to say about Peyton Manning. I hold all judgment for him on how he plays over the next month. I know he can throw for almost 5,500 yards, 55 TDs and a 115.1 passer rating. That's all great. He studies the game every minute like someone is going to take the information away from him if he doesn't absorb it constantly. When he's on the field he always makes the adjustments to succeed...unless it's 20 degrees and windy. Then he loses to the Patriots. Statistically, Peyton Manning is the best QB to ever grace the field. He is a fantasy football gem. Seriously, I think every fantasy football team that had Peyton Manning this season won their league. That isn't what really matters, though. But, Peyton knows that. He puts up the pretty numbers and places his name in all the record books but his kryptonite is the fact that he is playing in the era of Brady. He throws 5 more TDs in a season than Brady's best and 252 more yards this season than in Brady's best year but that doesn't matter. Brady has 3 rings to Manning's 1 and Brady has owned Peyton in head to head battles, 10 to 4.

1. New England Patriots - Tom Brady
Here is why Tom Brady is ahead of Peyton Manning. Tom Brady is 17-7 in the playoffs. Manning is 9-11 with eight one-and-down losses. Brady has 3 Super Bowl rings and if not for two amazing catches by Giants' receivers, he'd have 5. We won't focus on what could have been though. We'll focus on what is. Brady started full time in 2001, he's averaged 27.6 TDs per season, Manning has 30.8. Interceptions: Brady -10.6 per season, Manning -13.3. Career Passer Rating: Brady - 95.7, Manning - 97.2. You're probably looking at these numbers and saying, "Brady isn't putting up better numbers in these categories, why is he better?" He's better because their stats are so close but when the two QBs end up on the same field against each other, Brady finds a way to win 72% of the time. I know it's a team sport and there are 21 other guys starting for each team that contribute to success but while Brady's style helps to improve and exalt the team to new heights, Manning boosts the offense to another level and watches his defense get softer and weaker each game. Manning might go down as the second best QB of all-time but he'll be second behind Tom Brady. Brady doesn't need another Super Bowl ring, passing TD, or playoff win, he's locked it up in my book. Brady isn't only the best QB in the league right now but the best QB to ever play.

Added Fun - Playoff Predictions - Wild Card Week

Kansas City Chiefs vs Indianapolis Colts

A rematch of a Week 16 beatdown by the Colts is expected to be a toss-up this time around. The Chiefs made major mistakes in that matchup and lost the turnover battle but I wouldn't put it past Andy Reid that he knew there was a good chance these two teams would play again this week and kept some tricks up his sleeve. If you look at my QB matchup, its' my No. 4 guy Andrew Luck against No. 17 Alex Smith. The plus for Smith is that he's extremely consistent. If the Chiefs defense could force a turnover early and get a 10 to 14 point lead then I'm all in for Smith managing the game and getting the Chiefs a win. If it comes down to a tie game in the 4th quarter, I'm putting all my chips in on Luck to make the big plays down the stretch. 

Prediction: Colts 27, Chiefs 24

New Orleans Saints vs Philadelphia Eagles

The Saints haven't been the same on the road but they've played tough defenses in their 3 latest home losses. Philly doesn't have a stout defense. Philly is going to have to score early and often to win this one. They'll rely on LeSean McCoy and ball control to take away possessions from the Saints. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for the Eagles to win this game but the Saints are the better team on paper. Drew Brees has so many targets on offense and it'll be hard for the worst defense in the playoffs to stop him. Chip Kelly has been a master this season on offense and winning this game will depend on his offense being his defense. It doesn't look like it will be enough, unless that arctic blast gets to Philly from Green Bay and freezes the Saints offense. 

Prediction: Saints 34, Eagles 28

San Diego Chargers vs Cincinnati Bengals

The Chargers have finally finished a season properly. They've had so many struggles of completely falling apart down the stretch, they've won 4 straight to make the playoffs but I think this will be a short lived celebration. The Bengals have dominated teams at home this season. They haven't played cupcakes at home, either. They broke Tom Brady's streak of consecutive games with a TD pass and beat the Pats. They defeated the Packers early in the season when Rodgers was healthy. And they shredded the Colts, 42-28, a few weeks ago. If there is one game this weekend that'll let us down, it'll be this one. The playoff excitement for San Diego will be over quickly.

Prediction: Bengals 31, Chargers 17

San Francisco 49ers vs Green Bay Packers

Here's a quick message from the national weather service. It'll be -5 degrees air temperature at game start. The temperature will then drop throughout the game to a low of -18. Once the wind chill is factored in the temperature will feel like -25 to -35 degrees. You know what the record low in San Francisco is for January? 32 degrees. That's close to the record high for Green Bay in January. We're talking about two very different worlds colliding in Wisconsin. On paper the 49ers are head and shoulders above the Packers but a few game changers reside on the Packers that could alter this outcome greatly. This game is the hardest one for me to figure out because it's hard to predict how the weather will affect San Francisco. I'm going to say this will be a sloppy, hard fought game. 

Prediction: 49ers 19, Packers 17