The Mount Rushmore of Sports

Lately on ESPN I've noticed that they're starting to debate who would be on the "Mount Rushmore of Sports" in every state. Sure, you could say it's another corny way to fill programming. But I actually think it's pretty interesting.

Who would you put on your state's Mount Rushmore of sports? Better yet, of the teams of which you're a fan, how would you construct that Mount?

Since I'm writing this post, I'll start. Feel free to comment on mine, but I'd like to see yours. Tell us which teams or state you're choosing from first. And remember, there are four dead presidents on the mount. You can only choose four athletes or coaches to make your mount.

My Teams: Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Blackhawks, Syracuse Orange, Illinois Fighting Illini

My Mount Rushmore: (All these players played in my lifetime)

1. Michael Jordan--Greatest basketball player of all-time, arguably the greatest athlete of all-time, certainly the greatest Bull of all time.
2. Greg Maddux--He didn't play that much of his career with the Cubs, and won just one of his four Cy Youngs in Cubbie blue. But until his retirement this year he was the active leader in wins with 355, and is a first ballot hall of famer.
3. Walter Payton--Until Emmitt Smith, he was the NFL's all-time leading rusher. He helped lead the Bears to their only Super Bowl victory (January 26, 1986 in a 46-10 win over New England).
4. Ryne Sandberg--A hall of fame second baseman that hit the second most home runs among 2nd basemen all time (when he retired he was first). Of course, they didn't win a championship with him there, but they won the division twice, which is good for the Cubs.

Let us know what you think. Post away.

Who Would You Be Most Angry About If He Was On Steroids?

Now that A-Roid has been fingered for steroid use, I've been thinking about something all day:

Which players, if it came out that they were using steroids, would I be most disappointed with? Which players would I be most upset to see were on steroids?

(Disclaimer: By posting this, I am in no way trying to say that these players are or were on steroids. These are players that we have no evidence of them being on steroids to date.)

Here's my top five list:

5. Mark Grace
4. Tom Glavine
3. Ryne Sandberg
2. Derek Jeter
1. Greg Maddux

I'm pretty sure that most if not all the guys on my list did not use steroids. But it's naive to say that we know for sure, and it would be false to claim unequivocally that they never used. That said, it would shock me if any of these guys except Derek Jeter did steroids, but who knows? I would really be upset if these five were on roids.

Who would make your top five list? Comment below.

Hall of Fame Personality? No. Hall of Famer? Yes.

Jeff Kent is planning to retire Thursday afternoon.  The all-time home run leader among second basemen hit seventy-four more home runs (351 as a second baseman, 377 overall) than the previous record holder, hall of famer Ryne Sandberg (282 career home runs, 277 at second base).

He was the MVP of the National League in 2000, and was a five time all-star.  Kent was the most feared hitter among second basemen once Sandberg retired, and he put together some fantastic years for San Francisco during the peak of Barry Bonds steroid induced run.

There's no question that he should get into the hall of fame one day.  After all, how could a guy that holds the record for most home runs at his predominant position not get a call to Cooperstown?  

Kent was a great hitter who hit more than twenty home runs in nine straight seasons (1997-2005).   But his surly personality and his unwillingness to back down to teammates is what he might be remembered for most.  If there's anything that keeps him out of the hall on the first few ballots, it will be his tumultuous relationship with the media.

Is it fair?  Maybe not.  Though the fact remains that the way a player is perceived by the Baseball Writers of America, those who vote for him, is immensely critical to his potential enshrinement.

Jeff Kent had his famous shouting match with Barry Bonds in the dugout, which made him look good to people that knew Bonds was a terrible clubhouse influence at times.  But it didn't help his image in the media.

Nor did his lie to media that his 2002 motorcycle crash happened because he 'fell while washing it'.  When San Francisco Chronicle writer Henry Schulman found later that he fell off his bike while doing a wheelie, when the Giants had distinctly told him and Bonds not to, he became much less friendly to the writers in which he had previously confided.

Jeff Kent was never considered one of the good guys.  And he never had enough clout to be so surly.  While former teammate Barry Bonds was smashing the single season home run record in 2001 with 73 round trippers, (granted, we now know he did that using steroids, [allegedly, ha!]) Bonds could afford to act the way he wanted around the media because at the time he wielded such immense power in the game.  Kent was softer spoken, but while he quietly racked up quality season after quality season, he never let the media in, and consequently never received any positive publicity.

Media darlings like Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter and LeBron James can do no wrong in the press.  As a result, one day their careers will be revered and celebrated, then validated by trips to the hall of fame.  In the case of Kent, he'll never have the fan fare.  He'll never have the appreciation associated with what was a great career.  Sure, he's not at the level of the three players mentioned above, but because he was never thought of as a good person, he'll never be recognized for a superb and steady seventeen year career.

So if Kent was smart, he'd smile and be cheerful in announcing his retirement.  Because if that's the last image we have of Kent as a baseball player, for his sake, it better be a positive one.