Random Sports Reference

Larry and Magic at the 1979 NCAA men's basketball championship game held at the University of Utah. With March Madness approaching, it's never a bad idea to reflect one of the most seminal moments in the history of an incredible sporting event.  The NCAA Tournament is a thing of beauty, even when it's overrun by commercialism. But back in 1979 it was definitely something different than it is now. In a word, it was "purer" back then. It was more about the basketball than brackets, corporate sponsorship and the sleaziness of the NCAA.  Looking back on the 1979 tournament with modern hindsight, which of course included Magic Johnson's Michigan State Spartans and Larry Bird's Indiana State Sycamores in the championship game, it's almost impossible to overstate what that singular event did for not only the NCAA Tournament, but indeed the game of basketball as a whole.  Michigan State wound up winning the game 75-64 inside the University of Utah's Specia...

  The great Julius Winfield Erving II better known as Dr. J. The man could get up. Wishing a happy 74th birthday to the great Julius Erving, better known by one of the coolest nicknames in sports history: Dr. J.  But did you know his full name? As a kid, he was one of my all-time favorite athletes. His Sports Illustrated poster (remember those?) adorned a wall in my bedroom. We even share the same birthday. However, I never knew the man's full name until just now, when I Googled him for a little information for this post.  Julius Winfield Erving II.  Man, I thought the moniker "Dr. J" was cool. But the 6-foot-7 small forward's full name is straight up awesome! JWE2? The name is actually hugely fitting for Dr. J, who was known to be a class act during his legendary career. Since retiring in 1987, Erving has been a visible representative of his longtime NBA team, the Philadelphia 76ers, and he remains one of the NBA's elder statesmen. Dr. J was a 16-time All-Star, a...

  Brooks Robinson snares one at the hot corner Full disclosure: George Brett is my all-time favorite baseball player. My family was living in Overland Park, Kansas when Brett broke in with the Kansas City Royals. He played in a handful of games in 1973, but really began his Royals career in 1974, as the team's anchor at third base. I was 10 and the time, a wonder age to solidify myself as a fan of the Royals, and of the game itself. For me, that was a golden time. I was just a kid who loved sports and quickly learned to live and die with the Royals, and George Brett in particular.  Even after noting all that, I have no problem casting my vote for Brooks Robinson as the greatest third baseman to have ever played the game. There is plenty of debate involving Robinson, Brett, Philadelphia's Mike Schmidt and Atlanta's Chipper Jones. Admittedly, my nod to Brooksie is a bit sentimental.  I'll always be a George Brett guy, but Brooks has a special spot in my baseball heart bec...

Go ahead and take a nice long look at this photo of legendary Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson taken by photographer Bill Ray for Life Magazine. Ray got the shot at halftime of Super Bowl I held Jan. 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.  What stands out? Well, likely for starters it's the cigarette Dawson's dragging on. Most athletes don't smoke today (not cigarettes, at least), and if they don't do it around photographers.  But what else do you see?  There's a bottle of something resting between Dawson's feet. My first thought was, "Is that a beer?" Nope. Turns out it's even more shocking. It's a Fresca.  What's a Fresca, you ask. Folks of a certain age (me, for example) know that a Fresca is a lightly carbonated grapefruit soda that, depending on your tastebuds, is either a pretty smooth beverage or something that goes spewing back out the moment it hits your mouth.  Anything else jump out?  How about the folding metal chairs or...