Tag: wayne gretzky

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Green Bay Packers

Odds and Ends: Brett Favre’s future reads like this…

With rumors ferociously swirling around a potential Brett Favre comeback, everyone is now buzzing about the possibilities. “Are we going to get one more year of horribly timed interceptions?” “Will we get one more season of John Madden slobbering over No. 4?” “Could we still see another euphoric sprint to the end zone?” Who knows. Actually, Tirico Suave knows and they’ve come up with a pair of headlines from the distant future regarding the NFL’s ironman. As indicated, Favre will die at the age of 89, but that still doesn’t mean his playing days are over.

In other news…

[NYDailyNews.com]: “Hey, Madonna, whatcha doing tonight?”

[MMAMania.com]: Next up for Urijah Faber is Mike Brown

[The Big Lead]: Thank goodness, she looks nothing like her father

[Throwdown.com]: Rampage is practicing his gangsta rap poses

[Awful Announcing]: Dickie V is just like the rest of us. He’s smitten with Erin Andrews too

[The Wizard of Odds]: Art of the cupcake schedule

[Home Run Derby]: Ooh-la-la. Dodgers coconut bra

[ESPN]: Extraordinary piece on the impact of Len Bias’ life and death

[The Bad News Bloggers]: Top 10 reasons the NFL salary cap must stay in place

[FBKid’s Sports Minute]: It’s never too early to start thinking about fantasy football breakout players

[The Sporting Blog]: Weeeeeeeees and pees

And finally, “ringing the bell,” huh? So, that’s what you kids call it these days.

Categories
Edmonton Oilers

Dec 19 in Sports History: Gretzky’s youngest to 1000 goals


In 1984: Wayne Gretzky, in a victory over the Los Angeles Kings, became the fastest player ever (23 years old) to reach 1,000 points in his career. Gretzky did it in only 424 games, which beat the former fastest Guy Lafleur by over 300 games. Gretzky would score his 400th goal a month later, also making him the fastest to 400 goals. To put Gretzky’s 1,000 points into perspective: The Great One reached 1,000 in only his sixth season. Mark Messier needed 12 years to reach 1,000, Ronnie Francis took 13, and Gordie Howe had to wait 14 years to reach the milestone. They are the three players behind Gretzky on the all-time scoring leader’s list. Today’s current leader, Sidney Crosby of the Penguins, better step it up quick if he wants to break Gretzky’s record. Sid the Kid would need to average 179 points a year, but nobody has scored that many since 1989.

In 1999: Offensive lineman Orlando Brown of the Cleveland Browns suffered a career-threatening eye injury in a game against Jacksonville. Was it an accidental poke suffered in the trenches from a Jaguar’s defender? No, it was a careless toss of the flag by a foolish NFL referee. While flagging Brown for holding, official Jeff Triplette needlessly Elwayed his flag – which was weighted with bb’s for some reason — and struck Brown in the right eye. Brown reacted angrily and shoved Triplette to the ground. He was ejected and suspended indefinitely by the NFL. He returned to play for the Baltimore Ravens in 2003 and eventually received a multi-million dollar settlement from the NHL. Triplette was never disciplined for the incident.

Categories
Texas Rangers

Dec 12 in Sports History: A-Rod’s big payday



Broke the bank

In 2000: Free agent shortstop Alex Rodriguez cashed in big time, with a 10-year, $252 million dollar contract from the Texas Rangers. Of course, it broke every conceivable record for amount of money paid to any athlete in any sport. In 2004, he was traded to the Yankees, and A-Rod is still waiting for his first World Series ring. According to our sources, the money never bought him a hug, either.

In 1981: Wayne Gretzky set another of his untouchable records, this one the fastest to reach 50 goals. The Great One’s goal going into the year was to score 50 in 50 games, but he was way off. It only took him 39, and he accomplished it at the old Auditorium in Buffalo. Gretzky went on to smash Phil Esposito’s mark of 76 goals in a season and ended up with a mind-boggling 92.

In 1965: While everyone is talking about Bears’ rookie Devin Hester’s performance last night against the Rams with two kick returns for touchdowns, his performance doesn’t quite match the great Gale Sayers. The Kansas rookie set a record with six touchdowns in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. Played on a muddy Wrigley Field surface, Sayers’ scores included an 80 yard reception, a 50 yard run and an 65 yard punt return. His 22 touchdowns in 1965 are an NFL rookie record.

Categories
NHL General

August 9 in Sports History: Great One sold to the Kings


In 1988: In a move that shocked the hockey world, Wayne Gretzky was traded from the Edmonton Oilers (where he had just recently won his fourth Stanley Cup), to the Los Angeles Kings. Gretzky, along with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski, came to L.A. in exchange for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first-round draft picks and cash (it was rumored that Edmonton was in serious financial trouble). It was arguably the biggest trade in sports history. Gretzky’s arrival in Tinseltown signified an increase (albeit temporarily) in the NHL’s popularity, as teams began popping up in non-traditional markets such as Anaheim, San Jose, Florida and Nashville. Two years after the trade, however, the Oilers got the last laugh by winning the Cup without the Great One in 1990. Gretzky’s Kings reached the Finals in 1993, but lost to the Montreal Canadiens. He retired in 1999 as the NHL’s all-time leading scorer by more than 1,000 points.

In 1975: Almost 30 years to the day it was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints played their first-ever game in the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints lost the exhibition game to the Houston Oilers, 13-7. After not playing there the entire 2005 season because of the damage, the Saints plan on returning in 2006.