Weekend Celtics Contest! **WINNER IS TENNELSON 55**

[KCLJ520]

I'm going to go with #5 today which I think was Hall of Famer Morton Anderson's # when he was with the Falcons.

And in case anyone was wondering why I mention an NFL player in a basketball topic it is because Kevin and I were wondering about HOF possibilities for kickers in his last contest. A week or two later our questions were answered when Anderson was elected to the Pro Football HOF. I was not sure where to post this and figured this was as good a place as any.

Thanks for the contest! Once again this is very generous of you!!

Jeff, glad you brought that up, as I was remembering the discussion in the last contest about kickers in the NFL HOF, and was excited to see Morton's name on the list! He played during a lesser known era, but had some monster numbers, and richly deserved a place in Canton. He sure went in with a great inductee class too, Kurt Warner, Jason Taylor, and LaDanian Tomlinson just to name a few! I would think that may clear the way in some people's minds for Adam Vinatieri, who is very close in quite a few statistical categories to Morton too!

Numbers taken: 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 39, 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 52, 55, 59, 65, 69, 72, 73.

 

[Benski3]

56 Please

Thanks

 

[mm1sub]

I will try #9

 

[jlackey40]

23 please

 

[Camsue]

#50 please

 

[KCLJ520]

Numbers taken: 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 39, 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 50, 52, 55, 56, 59, 65, 69, 72, 73.

Here is another bit of Celtics lore: Larry Bird vs. Dominique Wilkins in the 1988 semi-finals, probably one of the best games ever played!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ktH3C8LWU

 

[anglinomics]

48 please!

 

[grapler135s]

Final guess will be #6. Thanks again for another fun contest!

 

[chieftazmisty]

I am going with my age today 74

 

[KCLJ520]

Final guess will be #6. Thanks again for another fun contest!

You are welcome my friend!

Numbers taken: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 39, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 55, 56, 59, 65, 69, 72, 73.

Last day for guesses, I am closing and announcing the winner at 8 pm CST this evening! We will then go straight into my Spring Training contest, as pitchers and catchers report tomorrow, I believe!!

 

[katester44]

what's all this Sixers talk??? GREAT team, Dr. J and Moses were a fantastic combo, coming out of the ABA and being such a dominant force in the NBA for so long! Moses was a favorite of mine too, a real star as a young man who turned into a very solid center as his career progressed. Professional from 1974-1995, first in the ABA and then coming on as a 1983 World Champion and Finals MVP....very solid Hall of Famer!

The pick for today (last of the contest) - #22 - Andrew Toney. I grew up a Sixers fan. The Celtics and Lakers are/were evil. Both Billy Cunningham and Bobby Jones give that team a nice Tar Heel connection. So I will stick with my Sixers references!!!

Jeff, glad you brought that up, as I was remembering the discussion in the last contest about kickers in the NFL HOF, and was excited to see Morton's name on the list! He played during a lesser known era, but had some monster numbers, and richly deserved a place in Canton. He sure went in with a great inductee class too, Kurt Warner, Jason Taylor, and LaDanian Tomlinson just to name a few! I would think that may clear the way in some people's minds for Adam Vinatieri, who is very close in quite a few statistical categories to Morton too!

Numbers taken: 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 39, 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 52, 55, 59, 65, 69, 72, 73.

Discussed in a different thread - my general opinion is that this was one of the weakest HOF classes to enter Canton. Only LDT was a "sure thing", everyone else seemed like a reach.

 

[KCLJ520]

The pick for today (last of the contest) - #22 - Andrew Toney. I grew up a Sixers fan. The Celtics and Lakers are/were evil. Both Billy Cunningham and Bobby Jones give that team a nice Tar Heel connection. So I will stick with my Sixers references!!!



Discussed in a different thread - my general opinion is that this was one of the weakest HOF classes to enter Canton. Only LDT was a "sure thing", everyone else seemed like a reach.

Numbers taken: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 39, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 55, 56, 59, 65, 69, 72, 73.

Agreed about LDT, though I have to say the impact Kurt Warner had on the Rams and Cardinals was awesome (as a STL area fan), played in three Super Bowls, won one, he was pretty solid.

I think this is an era where players in all sports are being compared to former greats (I used the Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig standard for the MLB HOF thread: do the players being inducted belong there alongside past greats?) Usually not, but for the era they played in, they were the best of the best.

I mean, Kurt Warner vs. Johnny Unitas? LDT vs. Walter Payton? The current inductees are for sure greats of the era, and time will tell, but maybe some players will prove to be some of the greatest of all time.

God Bless,

Kevin

 

[katester44]

Numbers taken: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 39, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 55, 56, 59, 65, 69, 72, 73.

Agreed about LDT, though I have to say the impact Kurt Warner had on the Rams and Cardinals was awesome (as a STL area fan), played in three Super Bowls, won one, he was pretty solid.

I think this is an era where players in all sports are being compared to former greats (I used the Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig standard for the MLB HOF thread: do the players being inducted belong there alongside past greats?) Usually not, but for the era they played in, they were the best of the best.

I mean, Kurt Warner vs. Johnny Unitas? LDT vs. Walter Payton? The current inductees are for sure greats of the era, and time will tell, but maybe some players will prove to be some of the greatest of all time.

God Bless,

Kevin

I think that is where I disagree in terms of my HOF opinion - "pretty solid" does not equal a HOF credential. Don't get me wrong, I loved watching the greatest show on turf, especially when I had some combo of Warner/Faulk/Bruce/Holt on a fantasy team. The only reason Warner got a starting job was Trent Green headbutted a stadium support. But two/three good years in STL, followed by a flameout in NY, followed by two good years in AZ, isn't HOF. Terrell Davis - two/three really, really amazing seasons and that was it, he was done as a player after 4 years, but hung around for 7 total. TO not getting in this year, and some of these guys getting in, nullifies the HOF to me. To me, there is no shame in just putting 1 or 2 guys in a HOF class. When you are putting 7 guys in, just to "fill" a class, it diminishes the HOF.

And I am sure someone will bring up Jim Brown only playing 8 years, but for those 8 years, he was a transcendent player. The best player in the league, every year for all 8 of those years. That is HOF to me. I don't like Tom Brady, but Tom Brady is a HOF QB. Philip Rivers, not HOF. Eli Manning, not HOF. Carson Palmer, not HOF. Drew Brees, HOF QB, not just for his play, but for saving New Orleans after Katrina. And also because his success sent Saban back to the college ranks with his tail between his legs.

Stepping off my soapbox now, allowing the masses to discuss!

 

[Mike]

62

 

[KCLJ520]

I think that is where I disagree in terms of my HOF opinion - "pretty solid" does not equal a HOF credential. Don't get me wrong, I loved watching the greatest show on turf, especially when I had some combo of Warner/Faulk/Bruce/Holt on a fantasy team. The only reason Warner got a starting job was Trent Green headbutted a stadium support. But two/three good years in STL, followed by a flameout in NY, followed by two good years in AZ, isn't HOF. Terrell Davis - two/three really, really amazing seasons and that was it, he was done as a player after 4 years, but hung around for 7 total. TO not getting in this year, and some of these guys getting in, nullifies the HOF to me. To me, there is no shame in just putting 1 or 2 guys in a HOF class. When you are putting 7 guys in, just to "fill" a class, it diminishes the HOF.

And I am sure someone will bring up Jim Brown only playing 8 years, but for those 8 years, he was a transcendent player. The best player in the league, every year for all 8 of those years. That is HOF to me. I don't like Tom Brady, but Tom Brady is a HOF QB. Philip Rivers, not HOF. Eli Manning, not HOF. Carson Palmer, not HOF. Drew Brees, HOF QB, not just for his play, but for saving New Orleans after Katrina. And also because his success sent Saban back to the college ranks with his tail between his legs.

Stepping off my soapbox now, allowing the masses to discuss!

I agree with you on a lot of points Katester, and it makes me wonder about Jim Brown, had he stayed in the NFL, if we would be talking about Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith, or if it would just have been Jim Brown? No doubt a HOFer, wholeheartedly agree.

I also agree with your point on filling the class. The MLB HOF has had years with one or two inductees, and that has been fine, I have disagreed with many of their inductees as well, on years that probably would have had only one or even zero players inducted. I think the NFL has a lot of players inducted traditionally, which I have disagreed with.

Also agree about Brees, and that is the impact of a player, what they have done for the game, and how society reacted while they were playing. It is sort of an intangible factor, but one that can be taken into account, Katrina was a horrible occurrence, and Brees did a ton for New Orleans, I can't imagine him playing anywhere else! (PS, for the record, not a Brady fan either by any means, was bummed that he passed Montana and Bradshaw for number of SB wins!)

Numbers taken: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 39, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 55, 56, 59, 62, 65, 69, 72, 73.

 

[SymphonicMetal]

I'll choose 41 for Wes Unseld of the BULLETS! One of the rivals of the Celtics in the 1970s.

What Katester44 calls a Tar Heel/76ers reference (Billy Cunningham and Bobby Jones), I call an ABA reference. I really miss that league.

And Jim Brown played 9 seasons and won 8 rushing titles. I think the short career player everyone throws out there in HOF arguments is Gale Sayers.

And one of the most shocking things to find out is Dominique Wilkins has diabetes. That was one of the most athleticly built guys I have ever seen (not to mention actually athletic) and to see that he has that condition is a real shocker. He was indeed the "Human Highlight Reel"

 

[SymphonicMetal]

Kevin, here is a Morten Anderson factoid for you. The kicker for Michigan State from 1974-1977 was Hans Nielson who was from Denmark. He was instrumental in recruiting a fellow Dane named Morten Anderson to MSU who in 1977 was an exchange student in Indianapolis. Anderson was the MSU kick from 1978 to 1981 making 8 straight years that Michigan State's kicker was from Denmark.

And one more trivia fact on Hall Of Fame kickers. Both of the pure place kickers who are in the Hall of Fame were foreigners, Jan Stenerud from Norway and Morten Anderson for Denmark.

 

[KCLJ520]

Kevin, here is a Morten Anderson factoid for you. The kicker for Michigan State from 1974-1977 was Hans Nielson who was from Denmark. He was instrumental in recruiting a fellow Dane named Morten Anderson to MSU who in 1977 was an exchange student in Indianapolis. Anderson was the MSU kick from 1978 to 1981 making 8 straight years that Michigan State's kicker was from Denmark.

And one more trivia fact on Hall Of Fame kickers. Both of the pure place kickers who are in the Hall of Fame were foreigners, Jan Stenerud from Norway and Morten Anderson for Denmark.

That is some cool trivia Jeff, maybe more European players are good placekickers growing up playing the continental sport of soccer??

Dick Butkus was another short career HOFer and a teammate of Sayers. Most fearsome player ever!

 

[KCLJ520]

13, tthanks

Final list of numbers taken: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 39, 41, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 55, 56, 59, 62, 65, 69, 72, 73.

Congrats Trevor, you won it! Dana Barros was a childhood favorite of mine, and he wore #13!! Contest is over, thanks for playing everyone!

New Spring Training contest opens tomorrow!!

God Bless,

Kevin

 

[grapler135s]

Thanks for another great contest...had fun reading all of the posts! Looking forward to your Spring Training contest! Take care!

Mike