ESPN's Maryland Mount Rushmore

ESPN has released Mount Rushmore for each state, emcompassing all sports. Here is the state of Maryland:

-Brooks Robinson: The "Vacuum Cleaner" at third base, the Hall of Famer had 16 Gold Gloves, 15 All-Star Games, an MVP award in 1964, plus two World Series rings in his 22-year Oriole career.

-Cal Ripken Jr.: The "Iron Man," at shortstop/third base, the Hall of Famer played in 2,632 straight games. He had 19 All-Star Games, two MVPs, had over 3,000 hits and 400 home runs.

-Johnny Unitas: The "Golden Arm," the Baltimore Colts Hall of Famer was a 10-time Pro Bowler, threw a touchdown in 47 straight games, and won three championships, including "The Greatest Game Ever Played" in 1958.

-Michael Phelps: Called by many as the best ever Olympian, this swimmer amassing 14 gold medals in the 2004 and 2008 Games out of 16 events in those contests. He currently holds seven world records.

For me, I would keep Robinson, Ripken, and Unitas. Though I feel Ray Lewis should be on instead of Phelps, just because of how much the Ravens have meant to the state, and Lewis has been the leader of the team throughout its history, including when they won the Super Bowl in 2000. But Phelps is a good choice. Overall, ESPN did a very good job.

So this is a nice Mount Rushmore. The question I pose to you all, who would be on your Maryland Mount Rushmore?

(Photo credits: SI (Ripken), Oriolesnumbers.com (Robinson), US Magazine (Phelps), Pro Football Hall of Fame (Unitas))

Christmas Comes Early for Maryland Sports Figures

Even though the economy is down (understatement, I know, but bear with me), we here at ATH have a wealth of generosity in our hearts, and an overabundance of the giving spirit this time of year. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa (please comment if you celebrate Kwanzaa, I have yet to meet someone who does), you must agree that our Maryland sports figures are in need of gifts as much as anyone else. Here are some gifts we had in mind for our favorite (or least favorite) athletes, coaches, and executives…

Michael Phelps: Acting lessons for a year. Trust me Michael, or have you not seen that episode of Saturday Night Live yet?

Joe Flacco: Eyebrow trimmer/tweezers. Those things are out of control, and with his success this season he has to look good for those offseason interviews.

Ralph Friegen: A blindfold. That way, he won’t know whether the Terps are playing a good or a bad team that week. I know it isn’t on him, but I couldn’t very well give them to the players!

Nick Markakis: A contract extension. No joke here, get this man his extension before his price tag goes through the roof- the cost of this great player is only going up with time.

Cal Ripken Jr.: $398 million. That is the value of the Baltimore Orioles according to Forbes. Yes, Peter Angelos has given up some of his power to Andy MacPhail, but the man is still in charge and still has the final say over what this team does. Am I the only one who sees a time bomb ready to blow up this rebuilding project? Buy it, Cal.

Andy MacPhail: 2 starting pitchers. It is the least we can give him, though it might be tough just to get one.

Rex Ryan: A head coaching job. I want him to stay as badly as anyone, but if you need a motivator and a leader, this is your guy.

John Harbaugh: A candy cane. I know the offense seems to be reverting, but someone please tell coach it’s okay to smile sometimes, even to Ray. Maybe that’ll help him cheer up some.

Gary Williams: A big man. Braxton Dupree can’t seem to play his size, and in a wide open competition, no one else was able to set up. He needs a big man who can play up to his size and occasionally score.

Mark Teixeira: A Nationals uniform. Look, I don’t want him elsewhere in the division, and I am not sure that the money on him couldn’t be spent better elsewhere. Let him lose 90 games a year for 3 years, then opt out, then maybe sign with the O’s when they are good again.

Ed Reed: Defensive Player of the Year Award. Just give it to him already. Right now.

Dave Trembley: Position prospects in the minors. It won’t do him much good right now, but he’ll thank me later.

Daniel Cabrera: Nothing. I think Baltimore already gave him everything they could, including way too many chances to be successful.

Good luck shopping everyone!

Death March Down Memory Lane

Windsor joined me for a two-game swing over the last couple days, visiting Bowie on Sunday and going to Camden Yards today. I will be sure to share my Sunday notes later this week, but for now my mind is on the 6-3 thrashing (or at least it feels that way) at the hands of Red Sox Nation- and it seems as though the entire nation was in attendance at Camden Yards. At least I think it was Camden Yards; that’s what the sign said. Those in the stands might have disagreed, given the wild chants of “Let’s Go Red Sox” drowned only slightly by the weak pleas by Orioles fans. The “LUUUKE” cry when Luke Scott came to the plate only a whisper to the roar of “YOUUUUU” that followed Kevin Youkilis stepping up to bat. The stands were even more slanted towards Red Sox fans than usual, a 70-30 Sox to O's fans ratio would be a generous one for the Orioles faithful who stuck it out. I have never been all that eager to go to Fenway Park, but now I feel as though I have already been there.

But this game was more than that. It was the feeling after strike one when you knew the Orioles batter was already done. It was silly swings on 2-0 counts. It was that sinking you get in your stomach when you know the game is over as soon as the bullpen starts warming up. It was getting within 3 feet of an Aubrey Huff would-be home run to tie the game, only to know that in the end it wouldn’t be enough.

I witnessed the most obnoxious fans outside of Columbus, Ohio scream their heads off after a bloop single, erupt in a chorus of swearing and screech like banshees after every ball and strike. It was more than passion, it was the unloading of the worst parts of the Red Sox bandwagon. Moreover, it was the entire stadium, not merely a section of fans here or there as so often accompanies the Yankees visits. I actually don’t mind being at a Yankees game anymore. Yankees fans have a cooler confidence about them, they are smug and convinced of their own superiority, but they save their energy for when it matters, and are far more respectful of other fans (still not very, but far more than “the Nation” can boast).

However, this travesty of a game started me thinking about the worst experiences I have had at a sporting event, and after reflection, perhaps this wasn’t so bad after all. I mean, I have had worse…

Third Place: October 6th, 2001- Cal Ripken’s Last Game
Okay, I am sure you all are scratching your heads on this one. I know I should be thrilled simply to have been at this game, but my disdain for Brady Anderson finally boiled over in this one. In the bottom of the 9th inning, the stage was set perfectly for Cal to make his final at-bat. Brady Anderson was batting with Cal on deck in a clear loss to the Mariners. Anderson, however, was being dealt nothing near the strike zone. The crowd was chanting “One More Time” as Anderson was determined to get a hit out of this wild frenzy. It seemed as though even the Mariners wanted to give Ripken another at-bat. Sure enough, Anderson did what he did so many times in his Orioles career- swung and missed at a ball at the shoulders and struck out. The ceremony was wonderful, but I could not get over that anticlimactic finish ruined by the likes of Brady Anderson. Giambi shaved the ‘stache, why couldn’t Brady shave the sideburns?

Second Place: December 22nd, 2007- American University at Maryland Terrapins
This wasn’t so bad because of the result (67-59 loss by the Terps that wasn’t even as close as the score), but because of the implications. My brother had gone out of his way to acquire our extended family tickets to this game over the Christmas break, so all our cousins and siblings loaded up and drove to College Park to see the Terps in action. The family is spread over the east coast and for all our Maryland state pride he is the one member of the family to decide to attend the University of Maryland. This was his big opportunity, it seemed, to bring the focus back from everyone’s respective alma mater to the flagship institution of the Old Line State. Well, the game was a testament to Gary William’s critics. Poor fundamental play, out-hustled for every loose ball, and a lackadaisical reliance on pure talent that wasn’t necessarily there. I am blessed not to have to watch Dave Neal pretend to be a basketball player for several months before Coach Williams begins subbing him into key situations where he doesn’t belong.

First Place: September 1st, 2007- Appalachian State Mountaineers at the Michigan Wolverines
Yes, I attended one of the greatest upsets in sports history, and had to endure the devastation of being on the losing side. In fact, I wrote a preview for the game on a blog I used to contribute to in which I predicted a final of 35-18 Michigan, explaining that the spread offense would give Michigan quite a bit of trouble but that talent in the end would have to prevail. I was ripped by commenters and the other contributors that I was giving ol’ App State too much credit; that the Wolverines would invariably steamroll the upstart Mountaineers.

A week and 4 quarters later, as Michigan lined up for that final ill-fated field goal attempt I uttered words that I may regret for the rest of my life. “Okay, okay, they have had their fun, now Michigan is going to win it. They blocked one earlier, but there’s no way we haven’t adjusted for it this time.” Same rush, same side, same result, and the 112,000 in attendance could not leave fast enough. Along with the other Wolverines faithful I walked numb, my heart in my hands in utter disbelief, feeling my maize and blue apparel chafe more and more as the harsh reality sunk in and my sunburn sting that much harder with every heavy step out of the stadium. I'm not gonna lie, this one is still with me.

No, I suppose a 6-3 loss isn’t so bad, thank God for the 162 game season. And to think, the college football season is just around the corner…

Orioles come up short, continue to get disrespected

So the Orioles lose their first series against the return of Cito Gaston.

Remember Cito? The AL All-Star manager who wouldn't pitch Orioles ace Mike Mussina in the 1993 All-Star Game in Camden Yards? I have a feeling a lot of fans, including myself, will never forgive him for that. Granted, he didn't pitch his own ace Pat Hentgen, but the game is in Baltimore, let the hometown hero pitch. Can you imagine Mariano Rivera not pitching in this year's All-Star Game?

This series is hurting a number of fans in many ways. Two one-run losses, both of which could have been different had a few more plays or calls gone their way. But, the fact is they didn't, and the Orioles couldn't overcome it. The Orioles now have a losing record at 44-45 after losing four straight. We should at least be happy that Roy Halladay was scratched from tonight's game, and instead the Birds will take on former Oriole John Parrish. Parrish is pitching in his second start, and he'll go against Jeremy Guthrie, who's looking for his 6th win.

Last night, I was watching "The Best Damn Sports Show Period" on Comcast SportsNet, and they were running down the All-Time All-Star Team. For example, Johnny Bench at catcher, Lou Gehrig playing first base, Hank Aaron playing right field, etc. They had experts Harold Reynolds, Ken Rosenthal, and Rollie Fingers on, a solid crew to analyze this. Apparently, the team itself wasn't chosen by them. I'm not sure who chose the team, but I'm guessing it was by fans. The shortstop chosen: Alex Rodriguez.

So, apparently you can put a third baseman at shortstop. Rodriguez has spent 1/3 of his games at third base. He was a great shortstop, but he moved positions. One of two players should have been chosen: Cal Ripken (who all three analysts agreed it should be) or Ozzie Smith. It is bad enough that people and the media love to salivate over Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees in general, but this is ridiculous. Why was he even considered at shortstop? Completely passing over two Hall of Fame shortstops to put in a player who probably will spend more days at third base than at shortstop is absurd. For a stats argument, Cal Ripken has 19 All-Star Games to Rodriguez's 12 (five of them at third base). As a player, Rodriguez will go to the Hall of Fame, and will be one of the best ever players, but the fact is that at this point in time, you can't put him as the greatest shortstop ever when he isn't playing there. Let's put Mike Piazza at first base or Babe Ruth at pitcher while we are at it. Someday Rodriguez may get on this team, but for now, put someone on who is more deserving. I prefer Cal Ripken, but Ozzie Smith would have been fine too.

I'll have more All-Star Game grief later when the break comes.

(Photo credit: Mario Grech, Baseball World (Mussina), Tom Jones (Ripken))