A lot is being made of the New York Jet’s quarterback situation. Prior to the draft a stunning trade lit up headlines when highly publicized Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow was traded to the New York Jets. It was obvious Tebow as going to be traded as the Broncos recently signed this year’s biggest free agent in Peyton Manning and had no room to deal with the type of fan drama that Tebow brings. So he was shipped off to New York.

And I really liked the move.

Yet it seems like everyone is trying desperately to make a big deal about this, labeling this a Quarterback controversy. Trying to spin it off like this move is going to hinder Sanchez development, and it’s going to cause turmoil with a team that already has locker room issues.

To me these claims are absolutely ridiculous.

First things first, Mark Sanchez is not a franchise quarterback, and we all know this. Jet fans can try and convince themselves all they want that he’s their guy but he should be a lot further than he is, and he’s simply not. Futhermore the offense that Rex Ryan has installed doesn’t ask for a franchise quarterback. His ground and pound, eat the clock up, and slowly drive down the field offense merely asks for a game manager to not screw things up. It worked for him in Baltimore and its working for him in New York.

What adding Tebow brings to the New York Jets is another weapon on offense. Tebow specializes in areas the Jets were atrocious at last season. Red Zone Offense. Having Tebow on your squad forces opposing teams to devote precious game planning time to plan against his possible presence on the field. Tebow coming to the Jets immediately improves the Jets chances to score a touchdown in the Red Zone which is exactly what they needed.

Also Tebow will keep Sanchez on his toes. You want to know how to keep Tebow off the field? Don’t suck. It’s as simple as that. Tebow will force Sanchez to play better, because you know if he doesn’t, we will start hearing the same chants we heard in Denver.

So the media can spin it all they want, acquiring Tebow was a match made in heaven for the New York Jets, and he will immediately make that team that much better.
 

When the Washington Redskins lit up the newswire with a blockbuster predraft trade they were sending a message to everyone. The message was that they believed Baylor Quarterback and current Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin III was their future franchise quarterback. And they believed this so much so that they were willing to give up not one, not two, but three first round draft picks and a second round draft pick to acquire him.

This led to huge speculation from everyone on whether or not the Redskins gave up to much to acquire a player who has yet to play a single NFL snap.

But who could blame them, some argued this guy was as good if not better than the already crowned first pick, Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck. And with the history of the Redskins’ failed drafts and failed free agent signings, some argued that the Redskins were smart for giving up more potential mistakes for a "can't miss" quarterback prospect. Only time would tell how they would make up for all those lost picks.

Then came the NFL Draft.

The Redskins did what was expected and drafted Robert Griffin III with their newly obtained second pick. But then they would do something that left the entire NFL nation scratching their heads. Three rounds later they would draft a second quarterback, Michigan States' Kirk Cousins. Sure Kirk Cousins has the resume for a team to take him in the fourth round, but the last team you'd expect to take him was the Washington Redskins.

One could argue that a little Quarterback competition could be very healthy, but we need to look at Washington’s situation here. They mortgaged their future draft picks to obtain RG III. What in the world are they doing using such a low draft pick on someone who may never see a single NFL snap?

I mean that's what the Redskins want right? They want RG III to be so successful that Cousins never earns the starting role and proves that all they gave up to draft RG III was justified right? So wouldn't you think that they could have used a valuable draft pick on something other than a backup quarterback? Even if a 4th round pick is a hit or miss spot, one would think you would rather hit or miss on a potential wide receiver, or running back, or offensive lineman, over a quarterback who at very best is going to be the backup for years to come.

Redskins will spend the next few months trying their best to defend this move. But it will be tough to make believers out of most of us. What are they trying to tell us? Did they draft Cousins as RG III’s insurance policy? Or do they know something we’re all missing here? Only time will tell on this puzzling move, and if this will be filed away as another one of Washington’s already many bone head moves under Dan Snyder.  

The free agency period is always tough for Steeler fans. They are forced to sit back and watch teams spend big money to snag some of the NFL’s top proven talent off the free agent market. While other teams boast in excitement of their new acquisitions, Steeler fans have to wait an extra month for their free agency period to begin: the NFL Draft.

The Steelers pride themselves on being masters of the draft, and that is how they build their team. It is definitely a recipe for success as not team has been as successful as the Pittsburgh Steelers since the NFL merger.

As the 2012 draft came to a close, the Steelers did better for themselves then they ever could have done in free agency. Not only that, they’re walking away with arguably having one of their best drafts this decade!

This draft fell that perfectly for the Steelers. They were blessed to have top 10 talent in David DeCastro fall to them late in the first round because of his rather ordinary position of guard. Then struck gold twice by having another top first rounder in Mike Adams who is definitely a motivated monster fall to them in the second round.

In the third, the Steelers wisely drafted a too-small coverage linebacker – Sean Spence – who is tough enough to play on run downs one day if there’s someone big enough in front to occupy blockers.

Enter round four, and that big man – Alameda Ta’amu – was still there because, well, no one runs the ball anymore, so who really needs a nose tackle? The Steelers traded up to secure him. He had gotten in shape by the Senior Bowl and showed everyone he – still a mere 21-year-old – was ready to play after riding the weight-gain rollercoaster during four years as a starter at Washington.

With size, mobility and pedigree, Ta’amu is the classic two-gap, linebacker-saving nose tackle in the most traditional sense. And the Steelers loved what they saw him do at the Senior Bowl, so they were able to draft him a few rounds later than he would’ve gone in the older, more run-oriented NFL of a few years ago. Not that the addition of bulldozing running back Trent Richardson to the division affected the Steelers’ decision in regards to Ta’amu, right?

Oh, it’s easy to chuckle from the perspective of a patient front office. And, by the way, they added a sprinter – Chris Rainey – in the fifth round.

He’s listed as a tailback/receiver/return specialist, and he’s out of Florida. Herd up all those Gators and let Maurkice Pouncey teach them what it means to be a Steeler.

The Steelers had one heck of a 2012 NFL draft, and have cemented themselves as continually being one of the top teams in the NFL. If you are a Steeler fan you must be absolutely giddy over the excellent talent you added to an already very strong football team.
 

As the 2012 NFL draft rapidly approaches everyone is talking about Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck who will be the drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with their #1 pick. The Quarterback of their future, and the Colts are putting all the chips on the line that he is going to be their guy for many years to come.

What the Colts are doing is exactly what any team should do for their future franchise Quarterback. It’s simple: clean house and build around him. Give him weapons to compliment his strengths. Make him the best quarterback he can possibly be.

The San Diego Chargers have a franchise quarterback of their own. Often referred to as a top 5 quarterback in the league, Phillip Rivers was drafted in 2004 and later was decided over then starter Drew Brees as the future of the franchise. Drew Brees would go on to make a name for himself as the Quarterback for the Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints, while Rivers would be the guy who was expected to lead the Chargers to their first title in a very long time.

However unlike the Colts, Norv Turner and company have taken a different approach, better yet the exact opposite approach. They have consistently, season after season, let their best talent on offense leave for greener pastures. From their Hall of Fame running back Ladainian Tomlinson, to the next best thing in Michael Turner, to all pro wide receiver Vincent Jackson, the list goes on. And in return the Chargers have done minimal to replace such huge losses.

When will the bleeding stop for this Chargers offense? When will Phillip Rivers get the help and the weapons he rightfully deserves? When it was announced that Norv Turner will be keeping his job as head coach, it sent a message to Charger fans everywhere that the team is content with the constant regression this team has taken since Schottenheimer was fired. Watchful eyes will be on the Chargers when draft day begins, not only to right the wrong they’ve been doing to their franchise quarterback for the last handful of seasons, but also get this team back to their winning ways in the AFC West.
 

Colt McCoy, Brady Quinn, Charlie Fry, Luke McCown, Tim Couch and Scott Milanovich. Let's face it, the Browns and drafting Quarterbacks has been nothing but a nightmare since they rejoined NFL. And now there is talk in the 2012 NFL draft that the Cleveland Browns are thinking Quarterback again!

And the temptation will be there. Not once. Not twice. But three times early in the draft.

To me the Browns will be making another mistake if they attempt to settle for yet another suspect Quarterback. If they have convinced themselves of anything, is those types of Quarterbacks have never panned out for them.

Sure taking a potential franchise quarterback provides instant promise. But taking Tannehill or Weeden, especially in the first round, to me is hitting the panic button. It's making a pick based on need and not the best player available, which is the formula for failure in the NFL draft.

Every year the Pittsburgh Steelers have been told to address their offensive line issues as much as possible through the draft. Yet they have shown, regardless of need, they will always side with the best players available. And look at all the success it’s brought them.

The Cleveland Browns should follow suit. I understand if they feel Colt McCoy isn’t their starting Quarterback, but he’s not awful. With three very early picks, they could load that offense up with weapons which would make it hard for McCoy to fail. Players like Alabama's running back Trent Richardson, wide receivers like Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill or LSU's Rueben Randle and right tackles Stanford's Jonathan Martin or Mississippi's Bobby Massie. By using an early-round pick on Tannehill or Weeden, the Browns lose out on an impact player who can immediately help that offense.

It is time the Cleveland Browns get serious about an NFL draft, and they’re setup to have a spectacular one. That is… if they’re smart about it, and resist the temptation to stretch for another suspect Quarterback. Learn from your mistakes, and stop doing what has never worked for you in the past! 

Last time we were talking about someone related to football wrecking his motorcycle, it was Pittsburgh Steelers young and reckless quarterback Ben Roethlisberger smashing his face on some old lady’s windshield. Now there’s a new face, a new crash, and new drama.

That would be Arkansas’ prized head coach Bobby Petrino. What was originally played off as just an unfortunate motorcycle accident which banged up the 51 year old father of four, unfolded into a web of lies, deceivements, and cover-ups which ultimately led to his firing.

On Tuesday, Arkansas’ Athletic director Jeff Long addressed the media at an evening news conference in which he described the shocking laundry list of intentional deception by Petrino since his motorcycle accident with his mistress just more than a week ago.

The most obvious of cover-ups by Petrino, began with failing to come clean to Long about his inappropriate relationship with Jessica Dorrell, a former university volleyball player he hired on his staff and paid under-the-table.

Petrino not only lied to Long and the media about his personal and work relationship with Dorrell following the accident, but also failed to disclose that she was with him at the time of his crash -- something that he didn't confront Long with until 20 minutes before he found out the police report would be released, stating the details of her presence.

The removal of Petrino may come as a shock to many. The coach has built Arkansas into an SEC and national contender in just over four years, going 21-5 the past two seasons, and finishing with a No. 5 final rank and Cotton Bowl victory over Kansas State last year; all feats incredibly tough to accomplish considering national champion Alabama and national runner-up LSU are in the same division. But Jeff Long and company did the right thing. A man this dishonest has no respect for Arkansas and has no business being their head coach, or being anyone’s head coach for that matter.

Cracking a joke to my twitter followers on Monday as I turned on the NCAA Championship game I tweeted “If it has the word championship on it, and is sports related I am watching it” And how could you not? The two best teams that sport has to offer battling it out for something they’ve been fighting for all season long. I even found myself watching the Women’s World Cup finals last year and was treated to quite a game.

Nothing holds more true than the competition we’re about to see at this year’s Masters. Sure it’s not the championship of Golf, but there isn’t a professional golfer out there who wouldn’t rather have a Green Jacket over a PGA Cup.

Don’t get me wrong, Golf is a tough sport to watch, and chances are most of us won’t watch until the weekend. But that’s when the fun happens. Especially in the 2011 Masters where we saw a Sunday full of drama, suspense and last minute battles that instantly made this one of the most exciting masters we have witnessed in a long time.

Last year we saw young phenom Rory McIlroy blow a commanding lead in such a horrible meltdown . At some points it was just tough to watch, as the emotion clearly was showing on his face. We saw Tiger Woods make a strong push only to come up short. Adam Scott and Jason Day battling down the home stretch only to be outmatched by an amazing ending by Charl Schwartzel who would birdy the final four holes and win by two shots.

Anyone who watched the Masters that day instantly became a fan, and anyone who even considers themselves a sports fan must watch this weekend. If it was anything like last year’s Masters, all jammed packed with last year’s super stars all playing extremely well right now, then we’re definitely in for a treat.

Several days before the 2012 NFL Free Agency period commenced, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell dropped a bombshell by announcing he will be docking both the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins a combined $46 million in cap space for front-loading contracting during the uncapped 2010 season.

Over the next several weeks this news sent shockwaves throughout the football world as everyone knew the two most prolific NFL’s owners Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder would not stand for this. And who could blame them?

What really did they do wrong?

Are they guilty of overspending the most? If you look there were a total of 13 NFL teams who spent well over the projected cap. They definitely weren’t the only ones.

And what about the several others who spent well below the minimum? That should be equally punishing, should it not?

Is it because of heavily front loaded contracts? Julius Peppers earned a whopping $30 million in 2010. His base salary in 2011? $900k. Yet no punishment for the Chicago Bears.

To me the NFL is treading on some very thin ice here. Singling out two franchises because they did it the worst is not fair when others were involved. Furthermore there was no rule in place at the time that said the teams could not spend as their little hearts desired. Sure Goodell told everyone “you better not” and most listened, but that is not how rules work. The fact of the matter is the Cowboys and Redskins broke no rules, and are being penalized as if they did. This “make it up as you go” philosophy that Roger Goodell has been enforcing for some time now needs to stop.

With the heavy word of collusion being thrown around, it has now caught the attention of the United States Government who will be observing the situation with watchful eyes as the issue progresses. We’ll all see how thin this ice truly is and it could have Goodell on the hot seat in no time.
 

#5 Warren Spahn

Spahn totaled 363 wins in his illustrious career as a hurler. He is widely considered the best left handed pitcher of all time as well. Spahn also participated in a staggering 14 all star games and is the bench mark for what longevity means for a pitcher. Why is this? Well at the age of 42 Spahn won 23 games in a season. Even the pitchers now who are supposedly in much better shape do not even come close to numbers like Spahn did.

#4 Cy Young

Cy Young is one of those guys where the name really speaks for itself. His total wins which equal 511 also tell a heck of a story as well. If it wasn’t for his 300 plus losses he would easily find himself at number one on this list. The era he played in featured sometimes 3 man starting rotations where nowadays it is standard to have starting rotations of at least 5 and sometimes even 6. His 749 complete games and 511 career wins are major league records that will never be approached again.

#3 Roger Clemens

We judged this list based on sheer numbers and given the era Roger Clemens played in he is the last 350 win pitcher we will see for a long time. Sorry, we do not think he should be excluded from this list because he probably did PED’s. You can’t just ignore 7 Cy Young awards when you are making a list like this either in our opinion. Oh yeah, he also had the second most strikeouts ever and an ERA of 3.11 for his career which is way below the average for his era.

#2 Nolan Ryan

We know we will get some flack for having Ryan at number 2 but stay with us here. First, he is the all-time strikeout leader and based on the kid gloves pitchers are treated with these days that might be the most secure record in the book. He is first also in no-hitters in MLB history with 7 which is not likely to be broken as well. Did you know that he also had 12 one hitters as well? That is staggering in itself when you think about it. 324 career wins is not bad either. If it wasn’t for his questionable control at times he may well be number 1. His numbers in the modern era are simply jaw dropping.

#1 Walter Johnson

Yeah, he pitched a long time ago, get over it. "The Big Train" as he was called had over 400 career wins and has a microscopic 2.11 career ERA which is unheard of to even have for one season this day and age never mind for a long career. He also had a streak of 56 consecutive scoreless innings and won 2 league MVP’s as a pitcher.
 

After an extremely poor season, the Indianapolis Colts cleaned house. They released their superstar quarterback, fired and replaced a lot of personnel in the front office, hired a new head coach and with the first round of the draft pick drafted their future franchise Quarterback.

However I am not talking about the 2012 Colts, I am talking about the 1997 Colts. And the quarterback they drafted was Peyton Manning. Sounds awfully familiar to what they’re doing this year right?

I see a lot of people questioning what Irsay is doing by releasing his hall of fame quarterback, releasing all the teams’ best talent, replacing the head coach, replacing his entire front office. Well to me the answer is simple: This isn’t his first time doing it.

He did exactly the same thing when they drafted Peyton Manning. Cleaned house and built an entire offense around their franchise quarterback that compliments his strengths. Irsay isn’t going to set Andrew Luck up for failure or ask him to do things he’s not. Irsay isn’t going to draft Andrew Luck and ask him to run Peyton Manning’s system. No, he’s doing it exactly how it should be done. He’s going to give Andrew Luck the best opportunity to succeed in this league. He is going to bring talent around Andrew Luck that play to his strengths. He is going to build an entire offense around his franchise quarterback, just like he did for Peyton Manning.

Remember Peyton Mannings first season wasn’t the best. It took time for the Colts to get those weapons around him and for him to get in the groove. So while everyone is keeping a close eye on how Peyton does in Denver and how Luck might struggle in Indianapolis, I will sit back and watch as Irsay does what he’s proven once before. And that’s he knows what he’s doing, and he’s doing it right!
 

#5 John Elway – Denver Broncos

John Elway had about a storied of a career as you can have as a quarterback. After much Super Bowl disappointment early in his career Elway ended his storybook career as a signal caller who back-to-back Super Bowl crowns. Maybe the most famous of Elway’s career was the 98 yard drive he led the Broncos on in the 1987 AFC Championship vs. the Browns to secure Denver a trip to the Super Bowl. He was a 9-time pro bowler, NFL Hall of Famer, and 1987 league MVP. When we think Broncos nowadays we think John Elway, who is now apart of the team’s front office as well.

#4 Johnny Unitas – Baltimore Colts

Yeah, he played for other teams, but Unitas was above all a Baltimore Colt. Unitas was important to the game because he absolutely revolutionized what we know now as the passing game. He is looked at by many as being the original QB prototype that all others after him would be judged. Unitas played in the pre-Super Bowl era so he had 3 NFL championships and was named a pro-bowler 10 times. He was a 3 time MVP and truly the player of his generation with his legendary black high top cleats and flattop haircut.

#3 Tom Brady – New England Patriots

Tom is a three time Super Bowl Champion which isn’t bad for a guy who was picked in the sixth round of the draft out of Michigan. Brady has amassed 2 league MVP’s and a Super Bowl MVP to go along with his absolute assault on the statistical record books as well. Brady’s career is still a work in progress and we could see him at the top of this list before all is set and done.

#2 Peyton Manning – Indianapolis Colts

Manning is still writing his novel as an NFL quarterback as well and he is already the fastest QB to 4,000 completions and the fastest to 50,000 yards as well. He is an 11-time pro bowler and before missing all of last season with a freak neck injury had started every game of his career. He has one Super Bowl ring, a Super Bowl MVP, and has been the league MVP 3 times to boot. The way he directs an offense is absolutely beautiful to watch so here is to hoping his health allows him to do so for years to come.

#1 Joe Montana – San Francisco 49ers

Yes, we know he played for the Chiefs towards the end, but Joe was a 49er. Joe stands above the rest because of his big plays in the games biggest moments. He is a 4-time Super Bowl Champ and 3-time Super Bowl MVP. He was no slouch in the regular season winning 2 league MVP awards as well. He still holds the postseason record with 45 TD passes and has clutch moments in the playoffs that will live in the NFL forever. Also of note is the fact that in his four Super Bowls Montana threw 0 interceptions. Not bad huh, especially for a skinny and lanky 3rd round pick that people said would never amount to much in the NFL.
 

I saw a newborn wearing a shirt the other day that read “I don’t know what baseball is yet but I already hate the Yankees”. The Yankees are definitely a team that you can say you either love them or you hate them. Their deep pockets always label them as a team that tries to pay for championships, being the big bully to small market franchises. And so when a team that spends twice, sometimes three times as much for their players compared to the rest of the league and doesn’t hoist up that World Series trophy at the end of the year, you can’t help but laugh at all that wasted money.

This season, there is another team that has officially been added to the radar. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

They join the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies of the world as a team that has officially dished out top dollar to become the team that wins the final game of the season.

The Angels, were by far the most talked about team this offseason, shelling out over 300 million dollars to land highly publicized free agents Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson. With those two signings for that kind of money puts all eyes will be on them not only to knock off the Texas Rangers, who have dominated the A.L. West in recent years, but at the very least make it very deep into the playoffs.

Heading into the 2012 Major League Baseball season the Angels already have that Miami Heat like buzz about them. Everyone will be watching this year to see if they live up to the extremely high expectations they have officially set for themselves. This is a new time for the Angels, one like they’ve never experienced. Even when the team won the World Series in 2002, the attention paid to the team is nowhere close to what it is now. They’ll have become the hottest ticket in spring training this year and will be the most in-demand summer show in all of baseball.

Hopefully they can put that all behind them and go out and do what all of us expect them to do this season. Win. 

Last week Justin Rose was able to survive the Blue Monster for his first PGA Tour win of 2012 and the fourth victory of his career. This week the PGA Tour continues its Florida Swing at the Transitions Championship in Palm Harbor.

The top ranked player in this week’s event is Luke Donald, who is currently ranked number two in the world behind Rory McIlroy. Donald had a slow start to the year by barely making the first two cuts of the events he entered in, but played solidly at last week’s WGC Cadillac Championship, finishing in a tie for sixth place. Will he continue to improve at this week’s event? We will have to wait and see, but I expect him to finish in the top-25 at the very least.

There are two players to watch out for alongside Luke Donald at the Transitions Championship, and that is Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson. Snedeker has had a fantastic year thus far on the PGA Tour, making the cut in all six events he has entered in, with one with and three top 10 finishes to his credit. It is interesting how he does so well, because he is one of the fastest players on the Tour today. He steps right up to the ball and just hits it, and I guess not thinking about hitting the ball two much has led a lot to his success on the PGA Tour to this point in his career.

Along with Donald and Snedeker, another player to watch out for is Webb Simpson. Webb had a fantastic year in 2011, finishing in second place behind Luke Donald on the money list with over $6.3 million earned in that year alone (could you imagine making that much money hitting a golf ball around?). This year he has continued his hot streak, with two top 25 finishes and five cuts made in five starts. All three of these players should be near the top of the leaderboard heading into the weekend, and it should certainly make for another exciting finish.

#5 Cecil Cooper – Milwaukee Brewers – Years Played in the 80’s - 1980-1987

After starting his career in 1971 with the Boston Red Sox, Cooper was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers prior to the 1977 season and in exchange the Red Sox received outfielder Bernie Carbo and first baseman George Scott. At the time of the trade, Brewers owner Bud Selig was heavily criticized for making the deal. Selig and the Brewers would end up getting the last laugh as Cooper had several very productive seasons while with the Brewers from 1977-1987.

In the decade of the 80’s specifically Cooper had some of the best years of his career highlight by his 1980 season which saw him hit 25 homeruns and drive in 122 runs while hitting a mind boggling .352. Cooper was an all-star that season and finished fifth in the AL MVP voting as well. Cooper was also an all-star and an integral player on the only Brewers team to ever reach the World Series during the 1982 season. In that year, Cooper would amass 32 homeruns and 121 RBI’s while hitting a very respectable .307.

#4 Kent Hrbek – Minnesota Twins – Years Played in the 80’s - 1981 – 1989

Kent Hrbek was born and raised in Minnesota and spent his entire 14 year career playing with the Twins. To go along with being a slugger at the plate Hrbek was also a quality defensive first baseman as well.

Hrbek hit 20 or more homeruns in every year of the decade except for two and also had more than 80 RBI’s in all but two seasons in the decade in addition. The best season of Hrbek’s career had to be the 1987 season when he helped lead the Twins to the AL West crown as he belted 34 homeruns and drove in 90 runs. The hometown kid also led the Twins to their first World Series Championship in 1987.

#3 Keith Hernandez – New York Mets/St. Louis Cardinals – Years Played – 1980-1989

Yes, that Keith Hernandez. Long before he would be known as Jerry’s man crush on the TV show Seinfeld, Hernandez was an excellent first baseman. In the 1980’s Keith was the cornerstone of two different championship teams one with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982 and the New York Mets in 1986.

Individually Keith totaled 11 gold glove awards in his career with 9 of those coming in the decade of the 80’s. Although he won his only MVP with the Cardinals in 1979, Keith would have good seasons and upon being traded to the Mets in the middle of the 1983 season he would lead the then young Mets down the path to an eventual championship in 1986.

#2 Don Mattingly – New York Yankees – Years Played – 1982-1989

Don Mattingly spent his entire career with the New York Yankees and had the best years of his career in the 80’s. In the decade, Mattingly was a 6-time all-star, 5-time gold glove winner, and 3 times silver slugger award winner.

Mattingly’s best year came in 1985 when he was named MVP of the American League. In that season Mattingly hit 35 homeruns which was a career high and also drove in a career high 145 runs all while hitting .324. Although back problems would slow Mattingly down later in his career there is no denying that during his prime in the 1980’s that Mattingly was one of the best all-around first baseman in the league.

#1 Eddie Murray – Baltimore Orioles/L.A. Dodgers – Years Played – 1980 – 1989

Eddie Murray is the only member of this list that is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. While Murray never won the MVP he was a model of consistency throughout his 20 year career and more specifically in the decade of the 80’s.

Murray would hit over 20 HR’s every year of the decade except for one and have more than 75 RBI’s for the entire decade. He was a 6-time all-star and won 3 gold gloves in the decade that saw him go to the Dodgers after the 1988 season. All tolled Murray would end up with over 500 career home runs and over 1900 RBI’s and would go down as one of the greatest switch hitting first baseman ever.
 

While it has happened many times on the PGA Tour this year, a final round collapse by the leader usually happened to players who weren’t so good. In this case it occurred with Bubba Watson, who has won multiple times on the PGA Tour in his career. I guess pressure can get the best of us no matter how much experience we have.

Bubba started the day with a commanding three shot lead over Justin Rose, and I thought he would just run away with the tournament on the final day to get his first career World Golf Championship title. The weakest area of his game was his putting, and he was actually putting great throughout the first three days, so it could only continue into the final day, right?

Unfortunately for Watson it didn’t, as he could seem to make a putt when he needed to make them the most on Sunday. That and his approach shots into greens were not nearly as good as they were during the first three days. He hit the ball so close on so many holes the first three days that he had tap-in birdie putts left and right. With the wind howling on Sunday though Watson was not able to do this and struggled as a result of it.

Watson went on to shoot a final round score of two over 74, good for second place overall. Justin Rose shot a two under 70 to take the title by one shot over Bubba, as he played just solidly enough to take the title away from him.

The other big story of the day came in the form of Tiger Woods, who withdrew after playing the first couple of holes on the back nine on Sunday due to tightness in his left Achilles tendon. It is not good news for Tiger at all even though it is only tightness, as this is the same area that has been causing him trouble over the past couple of years. If he can’t stop injuring that area even with a new swing it could spell trouble for Tiger’s chances at breaking Jack Nicklaus’ major record.