Monday, February 27, 2012

Athletes by the Number: 30-39

As we hit the fourth installment of this wonderful list, I just wanted to remind everyone that this is the list of people I think of when I think of the number... and I do plan on doing a G.O.A.T. List for 00-99... and it will be awesome...

Moving on...

30 - Chris Osgood:  A major contributor to the Detroit Red Wings for over ten years, he backed up Mike Vernon for the '97 Stanley Cup, won the '98 Stanley Cup, and split time with Dominik Hasek during the Stanley Cup Season of 2007-2008.  Terrell Davis is an honorable mention.

31 - Grant Fuhr:  Hall of Fame Goalie.  Defined goaltending for almost 20 years.  Wayne Gretzky has time in and time out said that Fuhr is the best goaltender he ever played with.

32 - Jim Brown:  Considered to be one of the greatest athletes ever produced by the United States, Jim Brown set rushing record after rushing record with the Cleveland Browns.  Brown retired after only his eighth season so that he could pursue his acting career.  Honorable mentions go out to Richard Hamilton, Anthony Thomas, and most importantly, Magic Johnson.

33 - Kris Draper:  While Draper is certainly a bit of a regional choice, he was a staple of the Detroit Red Wings for over 15 years.  He was a member of all four Stanley Cup Championships that I was alive for.  He defined 33 to me.  Honorable mentions would include Patrick Roy, Larry Bird, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

34 - Walter Payton:  Sweetness.  He carried the Chicago Bears to Super Bowl XX and was one of the G.O.A.T.  I feel like I keeping saying that.  But, when it is that obvious, I suppose it is what it is.

35 - Justin Verlander:  The man has turned into a rock star.  He even has his own cereal.  If he leads the Tigers to a World Series along with the help of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder this season, he will be considered to be one of the G.O.A.T.  Honorable mentions go out to Jimmy Howard and Frank Thomas.

36 - Rasheed Wallace:  This has a lot to do with the whole "being a Detroit sports fan thing" but Rasheed made the Pistons into not just a great team, but a championship team.

37 - Shaun Alexander:  To be completely honest, I just can't really think of anyone else who wore the 3-7.  Perhaps Olaf Kolzig

38 - Curt Schilling: The 2004 ALCS.  Game 6.  The bloody sock.  Enough Said.

39 - Dominik Hasek:  "The Dominator" stood on his head over and over again protecting the pipes for the Blackhawks, Sabres, and Red Wings.  A picture of him jumping up and down after winning the gold medal in the 1998 Winter Olympics still sits in my mind as one of the great Olympic Moments... strangely...

Ready... set... discuss...

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