The best baseball card ever

I visited a sports card store for the first time in about a decade last weekend, and found my new favorite card. Naturally, I took it to an expert, my friend Mike, and he explains everything you need to know about why Upper Deck decided to include Alex Rodriguez in a series called "World Series Heroes" in 2004.

Top 10 Queen songs you've probably never heard

Without much to talk about in sports this month - obviously I'm not watching the NCAA tournament very closely - I have decided to share some of my favorite Queen songs. Queen is my favorite band ever, and contains both the greatest all-time singer, Freddie Mercury, and the most awesome guitar player, Brian May. (John Deacon on bass and Roger Taylor on drums weren't too shabby either.)

I didn't want to include any wildly popular Queen songs (of which there are numerous), because it would seem too difficult...yet too easy at the same time. I also won't include any songs from Queen I, due to the fact that it has too much sentimental value to me, making it hard to evaluate as objectively as the rest of the Queen albums. I had a cassette of Queen I for a couple years before I got a hold of any of their others albums, and I think I wore that tape out by the end of 6th grade. Anyway, without further delay, here are my top 10 Queen songs you've probably never heard. With each song you'll find Rhapsody links to each album if you're interested in listening, including live versions.

10) The Prophet's Song - A Night at the Opera (1975).

9) Friends Will Be Friends - A Kind of Magic (1986), Live at Wembley '86, Live Magic (1986).

8) Dragon Attack - The Game (1980), Rock Montreal (1981), Live at the Bowl (1982).

7) Don't Stop Me Now - Jazz (1978), Live Killers (1979).

6) '39 - A Night at the Opera (1975), Live Killers (1979).

5) Innuendo - Innuendo (1991).

4) It's a Hard Life - The Works (1984).

3) Ogre Battle - At The BBC (1973). Queen II (1974).

2) In The Lap of the Gods, Revisited - Sheer Heart Attack (1974), Live at Wembley '86

1) Seven Seas of Rhye - Queen II (1974), Live at Wembley '86, Live Magic (1986)

Honorable mention: I'm not sure if this one counts as wildly popular...though a live audience favorite, I've never heard it on the radio. If it counts, it belongs with the very best on this list.
Love of My Life - A Night at the Opera (1975), Live Killers (1979), Rock Montreal (1981), Live at the Bowl (1982), Live at Wembley '86, Live Magic (1986).

Another great thing to me about Queen, is that even after almost 20 years of listening to them, I could make this list again next week and I feel like it would be totally different.

Well folks, until next time, Keep Yourself Alive...but Don't Try So Hard.

Best and Worst in Sports Radio

If there's one thing I know (and there is - in fact it is documented that there are thirty-seven things I know), it's sports talk radio. Here are my top three and bottom three sports talk show hosts...

BEST

3) Andy Pollin (WTEM 980, Washington D.C.) - A friendly voice, Pollin is an excellent mediator, but has great opinions of his own. He's also co-written a book called The Great Book of Washington D.C. Sports Lists. (Hey, where do you think I got the list idea?)

2) Brandon Tierney (WEPN 1050, New York) - The most passionate sports host there is, Tierney does a fun show and meaningful and enjoyable interviews. To me, his show is the pulse of NY sports.

1) Steve Czaban (Fox Sports Radio) - Czabe is simply the man. Fresh, intriguing, and entertaining opinions, can't-miss show segments such as "The Daily Czabe" and "Lock It Up," and a blog that has it all. If I could listen to only one show, it would be his. He also co-hosts a local show in his native Washington D.C. with Pollin. Czabe's sports commentary is bar-none, yet his non-sports commentary is even more fun.

Honorable mention: Max Kellerman - Until March 9th, Kellerman made middays a lot more enjoyable, with his 10AM-1PM show on 1050 WEPN, New York. His "gunslinger" skits about Brett Favre were hilarious, and he always brought fresh perspective and insight to sports.

WORST

3) Jim Rome (Premiere Radio Network) - If you've known me for an extended period of time, seeing Rome on the "worst" list seems unheard of...but it's because I have listened for so long that I know he belongs here. His analysis is shallow, vague, and predictable. And he has the tendency to beat subjects and jokes to death.

2) Colin Cowherd (ESPN Radio) - Condescending and in love with himself, it doesn't take long to get tired of hearing him. And he's just not that interesting.

1) Ron Wolfley (KTAR 620 AM Phoenix) - Thanks to ESPN television, we've seen that you don't need to have facts or be astute in sports if you can simply be loud enough. This guy takes annoying to a new level.

And a special category for best local fill-in hosts who should have shows of their own

Joe Huizenga and Luke Lapinski. I've often said that Phoenix has got to be the worst market in the nation for sports radio. But there is not a lack of talent. If local sports radio host jobs were given out on merit, rather than...however they're given out now and in the past (Gambo and Ash...Jeff Dean...the aforementioned Wolfley...uggghhhh), these two would be surely have seats at the table.

Four More Years of the Juggernaut

The Giants have reportedly reached a four-year deal with Brandon Jacobs. Far be it for me to call $25 million a small amount, but in NFL terms, I'm really surprised at how low this amount looks. At just over $6 million per year on average, this contract won't cripple the Giants' salary cap, and Jacobs was the one guy they had to keep.

Jacobs runs hard (he is, after all, a Juggernaut), and running backs of his punishing style don't normally last long, but this is a deal that is fair for both the Giants and Jacobs.

With the Giants' superb offensive line also returning intact for 2009, I expect big things next season. Now, they just need that field-stretching receiver to keep defenses from crowding the line of scrimmage the way they were able to do towards the end of last year.

Marbury can Play Now?

Stephon Marbury and the New York Knicks have agreed to a buyout, which means that Marbury is now free to sign with any other team. It also means that Marbury's Play Now standoff with the Knicks is over, which is a shame because it was the source of some good entertainment.

Rumor has it that the Celtics - defending NBA champions, at 46-12, and with an excellent young point guard in Rajon Rondo - are interested in signing Marbury. To this I say: "Yes Boston...please, please sign him."

Steelers set winning example...Giants well on their way?

Given their record number of Super Bowl rings, and overall consistency, especially when considering the salary cap...could the Pittsburgh Steelers be considered the best franchise in all of sports? I can't recall any point during my lifetime when the Steelers truly were a bad team. A look at their franchise history confirms this. The continued success of the Steelers has been staggering. They have finished .500 or better, 30 of last 36 seasons. Yes, a mere six losings seasons since 1972. And only three of them came in the past 17 seasons, what would be considered the "salary cap/parity" era in the NFL. I think it's no coincidence that they have had only three head coaches during this incredible run - Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin - stability that is unheard of. In looking again at more recent success, four times since 2001, the Steelers have had the #1 defense in the NFL in total yardage allowed, and that's with all the big name players they've developed then had to replace...guys like Joey Porter, Earl Holmes, Kendrell Bell, and Kimo von Olehoffen, all signed big contracts elsewhere, but each time the Steelers filled the void with drafting smart and finding gems. LaMarr Woodley was a 2nd rounder. Larry Foote, a 4th. NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison, undrafted.

I think if there is another team that might approach that kind of organizational consistency in the coming years, it's the Giants. With what they have in place, it looks like they'll be a strong contender for a long time. I like what I've seen so far from the Reese/Coughlin combination, and I think they'll make the right moves this offseason to add to the strong young nucleus they have. Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward are both becoming free agents. Obviously, re-signing Jacobs is a must. And I don't expect to see Plaxico Burress back in a Giants' uniform, so wide receiver will be another pressing need. The lack of a downfield threat really hurt them towards the end of last season. On defense, it appears they're set, but if there is one area that can imrpove the most, it's the secondary, which is simply slightly above average, and middle linebacker, where Antonio Pierce is starting to show his age. In the 2009 draft the Giants have one 1st round pick, and two 2nd round picks, so I'm eager to see what they do. Ah, the NFL season never ends. The Lions are on the clock!

Super Steelers

What a wonderful game. The Cardinals gave them a heck of a fight, but the Pittsburgh Steelers won their 6th Super Bowl. We are so often prone to the "Error of Recency," wherein the last thing we see tends to resonate the most. But sometimes it can actually be true, and I believe that over the past two seasons, we've seen the best two Super Bowls ever. Last year's is still #1, but this was close. It's going to be a long 6 or 7 months without the NFL, but whenever I feel the need to watch a game, I can turn on either one of these past two Super Bowls anytime, and become happy.

A few immediate observations from the game...

-Ben Roethlisberger has cemented himself as a great quarterback. He was clutch, tough, and incredibly poised. So few times in Super Bowl history has a quarterback led a game winning, length of the field drive with under two minutes to go, but Big Ben did it. (Eli Manning did it last year too - am I mentioning last year's Super Bowl a little too much yet?) And I have never seen a quarterback scramble so well behind the line of scrimmage. Roethlisberger made so many great plays where he had to buy extra time for his receivers to get open. While Santonio Holmes was a great choice for the game's MVP, Roethlisberger would have also been a fine pick.

-And that leads me to Holmes. Dynamic, electrifying, so dangerous with the ball. The Steelers did a good job of giving him a chance to do damage, with quick, short passes, letting him run after the catch. And what else can be said about his game winning grab in the back corner of the end zone.

-Again the Error of Recency becomes a possible reason, but I can't think of a more exciting, game-changing defensive play in the history of the Super Bowl, than Harrison's interception and 100 yard return for a touchdown. His dropping back into coverage surprised Kurt Warner, and Warner made the most crucial mistake of the game. Several great blocks were thrown by the Steelers on the return, and Harrison had just enough in the tank to make it to the end zone.

-It seems like a cliche among sports fans is to be critical of an announce team, as if they could do better. But Al Michaels and John Madden did a great job calling the game. I wouldn't expect anything less from Michaels, the most polished, professional, level-headed commentator in all of sports broadcasting. Speaking of cliches, I expected to hear a lot of them regarding the Cardinals and the underdog angle. I'd have set the over/under line at about 25 on how many times they'd say the words "unheralded," or "unsung hero." But that never came. Not once that I heard. I owe you an apology, Al, I should have known better. And while Madden will be guilty of stating the obvious at times, he didn't do it nearly to the level he's satirized for.

-If I have one criticism of NBC however, it's the lack of variety on replays. For instance, the Steelers kept Larry Fitzgerald from hurting them for most of the game, and I would have liked to seen how. Reportedly, NBC had about 40 or 50 cameras on the game, so surely one or two were fixed on Fitzgerald on each play. Show us exactly why Fitzgerald wasn't open, and what kind of coverages the Steelers used. Pittsburgh left a lot of Arizona receivers wide open in the flats - show us where those Steeler defenders were. The average football watcher, especially in the general audience for the Super Bowl, was probably wondering, "Why don't they just throw it to Fitzgerald? He's awesome."

-And that leads me to Fitzgerald...who is awesome. Yes, he was taken away for most of the game, but like a ticking time bomb, he finally went off in the 4th quarter with his deep TD catch and run right down the middle. It was quite a lapse in coverage by Pittsburgh, and it was all Fitzgerald needed. Fitzgerald also unleashed his inner Tyree with his other TD, using the top of his helmet to aid his leaping catch. By the way, David Tyree already wrote a book, but I think "Unleash Your Inner Tyree" would be a great title for a motivational book. It would also need a good subtitle, incorporating his jersey number. I'm thinking, "Unleash Your Inner Tyree: 85 Ways To Improve Your Life."

-The one tactical decision by the Steelers that I'll question, is Coach Mike Tomlin's decision not to go for it on 4th and inches at the goal line after Roethlisberger's TD run was overturned. In some ways, when a coach decides to kick a field goal from inside the one yard line, he is telling his team that he doesn't believe in them to get that half a yard. I think this can be very deflating, even though points are put on the board. Even if you're stopped, you've pinned the other team on the one yard line to start their drive. If I was a head coach, there would be very few circumstances where I wouldn't go for it on 4th and inches at the goal line.

-Hines Ward is super tough, but was not a big factor in the game. I think he was still really hurting.

In closing, I am really happy for the Steelers and their fans. The win could not have come for a better organization, or fan base. I've said this before, but unlike the Cowboys and their 1970s marketing ploy that the more uninitiated fans fell for, the Steelers are the real America's Team.

Super Bowl Prediction

In the week and a half or so since the Championship round, I was feeling pretty nervous about this game. But I’m finally ready to take a stand. Give me the Steelers. And if you’re a point spread gambler…if I have to lay the 7 points, I’ll do it. Also, take the “over.”

Last week, I compared the pregame scenario of this Super Bowl XLIII, to that of Super Bowl XIV. A 9-7 team that got hot at the right time, with an ex-Steelers coordinator on their staff, facing a dominant Steelers team, in a game that was closer than it looked on paper. However, I see this game playing out more like Super Bowl XIX.

In Super Bowl XIX, the Miami Dolphins faced the San Francisco 49ers. Miami started the game well, but after a while, the one-dimensional Dolphins were exposed, and the well-balanced 49ers took full command of the game. The final score: 49ers 38, Dolphins 16. At one point late in the game, 49ers offensive lineman Jesse Sapolu turned to a sideline camera and said something like, “They came here to see an offense…and the wrong one showed up.” I see the Steelers’ offense showing more firepower than they are given credit for, and the Steelers’ defense forcing Kurt Warner into several costly mistakes.

Last year, I picked the Patriots, and hoped I'd be wrong. This year, I pick the Steelers, and hope I'll be right. My pick for this one will be the same score of Super Bowl XIX, plus an extra TD for Arizona to account for Larry Fitzgerald’s awesomeness. Final score: Steelers 38, Cardinals 23.

(Plus Czabe picks the Steelers, so that makes me feel better. Though he compares this one more to Super Bowl XXXV, Giants vs. Ravens.)

"Nothing Hurts Quite Like The One You Shoulda Had"

Good brief article today by Steve Czaban on why the Steelers had better not lose on Sunday.

Because I'm a sucker for lists

Fox Sports has the top 10 best and worst Super Bowl teams of all time. It's fun to see how their lists would compare to yours, and to take a trip down memory lane in the process. And it's interesting to try to figure out what criteria you should judge on, especially with lists like these. Do you rank by the team's overall season performance? Whether they played above or below their heads in the game? The level of the opponent they faced?

I think the "best" list doesn't have nearly the number of Steelers teams it could. Just one, the 1978 team, at #7. On the worst list, the only real surprise was the 1995 Steelers at #10. Several Vikings teams, or the recent Seahwaks or Bears, would have made a fine choice, considering what they did in the years surrounding their Super Bowl run, coupled with how they played in the Super Bowl. However, my friend Bill will be happy to see two Broncos teams on the worst list - though I actually think it's the wrong two.