Favorite Movies

Nate’s 9: Favorite Movies

This was really hard, because when I started I thought “Goodfellas” would be top 5, and I thought that “In the Name of the Father”, “There Will Be Blood”, “Crash”, and “Midnight Cowboy” would all have places in the top 9.  I sat down with 94 movies when I started, and while I don’t feel good about kicking some ridiculously good films out of this list, I had to have all of these in here.  I think the reasons that these pictures made it, and not the aforementioned, is because they got to me beyond the realm of just watching the film, and have stayed with me leading up to and through the writing of this blog.

Note: Lion King makes the top 9 under normal circumstances, but since I’ve already completed an animated movies top 9, I decided to leave this for the film industry.

#9 – Sandlot.  The first movie that I feel in love with, so I had to find room for it on this list. With classic lines like,
“For-Ev-Er”,
“You’re killin’ me Smalls”,
“Remember kid. There’s heroes and there’s legends.  Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart kid, and you’ll never go wrong.”
It’s one of the greatest sports movies for quotes that I’ve ever had the privilege of watching.  Even the character’s names are memorable.  Ham. Squints. Yeah-Yeah. The Jet.  I’m not sure if any of our kids are going to be able to relate to the film the way that we were able to.  One of my favorite memories growing up were all the sandlot sports games that we used to play, and the freedom that came along with that.  Our parents never worried about where we were, because we were always together.  We didn’t have to be at a particular sporting event by 6:00, because we always made our own games.  I cherished those memories, and I’d never trade them for organized sports, and I think this movie emulates most of those feelings that we had as kids.  Wendy Peffercorn may still live in the minds of many grown men, hoping to be saved from drowning. One of the best things at the end of the film was knowing that Squints was able to lock that up after all.

#8 – Kramer vs. Kramer.  Knowing what a child means to a home now, I can totally appreciate this movie much more than I ever would have been able to under other circumstances.  Dustin Hoffman is terrific as Ted, and Meryl Streep plays the unhappy Joanna so well, that even though I think she wasn’t doing the right thing, I can absolutely understand what she was going through.  The dialogue is phenomenal; Hoffman and Justin Henry, who plays their son, have excellent chemistry.  It’s a battle that I would never want to go to war for, but I imagine that this type of thing plays out a lot more than we think.  The ending still fires me up just thinking about it, but I believe that it was a reflection of America at this time.  One of the more emotional and involved movies I think I’ve ever watched.

#7 – Field of Dreams.  Woo boy.  If this ending doesn’t choke you up a little bit when the sun is setting and the ball is getting tossed around, then I question your feelings as a human being.  A movie that I can relate to for many reasons.  First, my complex relationship with my father.  Any boy would love to have that second opportunity to spend some quality time with a dad that can no longer be with them.  Second, his passion for sports takes him all around the country in his quest for discovering what he needs to know about himself.  I needed that year in Europe; without it, sports wise I don’t think I would be complete.  Soccer, after my family and writing, probably defines me more than anything else, and so I thoroughly understand why Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) needed to build his baseball field.  If I had the yard, well, you know.  Third, James Earl Jones is the master.  His laugh walking through the cornstalks is hauntingly beautiful and inexplicably sad all at once, and it leaves you wondering exactly what is beyond the baseball field in Iowa.  And sweet, little Burt Lancaster.  His smile makes me smile.  A rich film indeed.

#6 – Michael Clayton.  Recommended to me by a friend.  At first I wasn’t sure why.  The cast was okay, but it wasn’t any of my favorite actors. All he said was that it was my type of film.  Halfway through, I was confused, disoriented, and wasn’t connecting the dots at all.  The second time... masterpiece.  It was so brilliantly interwoven, and the truths weren’t revealed until the very end.  It wasn’t edge on your seat suspenseful, with guns blazing and cars flipping, but every scene required some little insignificant detail, that would be later returned in vociferous encounters with undetermined assailants.  It shows a soft side as well through Clayton’s (George Clooney) relationship with his son Henry.  My entire favorite part of the movie though, is Clooney’s fabulous line near the end of the story. “I am Shiva, The God of Death!” In any case, if you haven’t seen this movie, or didn’t like it the first time of viewing, just give it one more try.  When all the t’s are crossed and all the I’s dotted, the ending is mind blowing.

#5 – The Pianist.  I remember this movie being talked about when I was in my early twenties, but I’m glad that I didn’t give it a try.  I feel partly responsible for World War II; I am familiar with all the hate crimes that the Nazi’s committed, and yet I’ve forgiven them.  Deep down, I really feel like its one situation of which I shouldn’t.  Someone, anyone could have done so much more to help stop the madness that occurred throughout Europe.  I still think it took the Russians to do most of the heavy lifting, but two stories have convinced me that not all was evil.  Not everyone wanted the Hitler dream.  The first was Schindler’s List.  Damned if he didn’t so some good, and I’m glad he was recognized for it.  The second is the Pianist.  At first I just thought it was a good film. About two hours in I believed it worthy of the three Oscars, but that it wouldn’t go down as one of my all-time greats.  After watching Warsaw get destroyed over and over again, I just assumed my bitterness would get the best of me and I wouldn’t be able to finish the film.  I’m so, so thankful that I kept going.  Wilm Hosenfeld deserves to be remembered for the remnants of time; all those wonderful things he did for the Polish and Jewish people during the Second World War is amazing and altruistic. Władysław Szpilman deserves some credit too; using his own memoirs to create this film, and getting the knowledge of what Hosenfeld did for the world to see.  It’s a special, heartfelt movie, and I only wish it could have ended with a happier result.  It's the only movie that I physically walked away from, in tears, when it rolled to the credits. I have taken much from it though; I have read James Michener’s “Poland”, and I spend part of my limited free time learning and understanding the proceedings that took place during our history’s most turbulent time.

#4 – Blow.  Johnny Depp has done some amazing things throughout his career. Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd, Captain Jack Sparrow, Ichabod Crane, and on and on.  But it’s his portrayal of George Jung – the supplier of most of America’s cocaine in the early 1970’s that has me convinced that he’s one of this generation's greats.  He captures Jung in all of his moments – 'carefree' early in California, 'supportive' in his relationship with Barbara before she moves on, 'afraid' of meeting El Diablo for the first time, 'over-confident' when he starts to make a killing on cocaine sales in the US, 'humble' during his come down, and 'repentant' when his daughter comes to prison.  It’s one of the greatest true stories that I have ever watched, and for many years, was my favorite film of all-time.  I haven’t used cocaine once in my entire life, but to watch what it does to people... that’s entertainment.  Everybody is brilliant in this flick, but I think special reverence goes to Penelope Cruz – she was unforgettable in her interpretation of Mirtha.  She left a mark.

#3 – Taxi Driver. Travis Bickle!  I had seen a number of Robert DeNiro films by this point, but it wasn’t until his portrayal of Bickle, did I believe him to be part of the all-time greats (Now I have him #3).  I understand and can sympathize with any solider that fought over in Vietnam, it’s was the main topic in many of the conversations that I had with my dad, once I was old enough to comprehend what happened over there.  They got effed. (The troops). Really bad.  And those troops reacted to their experiences in many different ways.  Take Bickle.  He just wanted to commit random acts of violence (albeit for the good of man), and took the steps necessary to try and make that happen.  While his life probably didn’t end up the way he planned for it too, I hope he can take solace in knowing that he was the hero in someone’s eyes, who probably didn’t have hope for those types of thoughts to take place. And the instant classic, “You talkin’ to me?” That scene propels this movie straight into the top nine as far as I’m concerned.

#2 – Big Fish. For me, by Tim Burton.  While I don’t particular care for Mr. Burton’s directional procedures, I know without a doubt that this film was meant for me to be in the audience.  I can only hope that each one of you have a film that touches you, and affects your life and your experiences, the way this one did for mine.  Don’t really need to touch on why it’s on my list, or even recount the great lines, but just know that if you want to know a little more of my story and what I’m about, that you only need to give up 2 hours of your life.

#1 – Godfather.  5th in my book list, but the movie.  The movie is simply perfect.  Mario Puzo is one of, if not the favorite author of yours truly.  It’s a great book.  He captures the characters so well, and most of you probably agree that a book always kicks the crap out of the film that tries to replicate it.  NOT THIS TIME. I don’t want to label it the perfect film, because every piece of art and entertainment needs to be appraised and critiqued beyond all reasonable doubt (Pete Carroll, anyone), but Marlon Brando captures Don flawlessly. Al Pacino with Michael Corelone. I don’t need to go on, if you’ve seen these films (the first two), you know exactly what I’m talking about. It has a perfect score on Metascore is which nearly impossible to do (only one publication has to give you a 99, for your score to be a... 99). The trailer is so good that I’d rather watch that then about 90% of the film industry.  It’s much more than a classic; I’m still looking for the right words to express what this film means to me, what it means to the industry, what it means to our culture, what it may mean to you.  There are no stereotypes, no one is typecast, no one hogs the screen, and no one over pursues their character.  Pacino waits in the background until his moment is called, and that’s probably my all-time favorite moment, in any movie, or entertainment product ever.  This movie is in a class, all by itself.

Favorite Alcoholic Beverages

Nate’s 9: Favorite Alcoholic Beverages

            I love all of you, so I hope that when you are having a good time and enjoying alcohol, you are doing so responsibly and safely!  Just a fun little blog that has nothing to do with sports or other such obsessions!

#9 – Colorado Bulldog.  I don’t have them much, because I never think to order one.  Plus I consider it to be more of a sippy drink, and with 3 children, I don’t have nearly as much time as I used to have to sip.  Anything that has coke in it though, should do well for me.  And this one does.

#8 - Amaretto Sour.  It started out as my introduction to the hard stuff.  I didn’t really drink that much in high school, and when I did it was usually the Jim Beam mixed bottles (oh jeez).  Arriving in Germany was the best thing that could’ve happened for me.  I went from the classic Amaretto-apple juice to the much more sophisticated (or so I thought) Amaretto-sour. Di saronno specifically.

#7 – Ayinger Brau Weisse.  The best hefeweissen beer in the world.  Well, maybe.  There’s so many great ones, that I just have to pick the one that I drank the most while in Germany.  It’s really thick and it’s alcohol content is quite high, so chances are you can only have one, but I guarantee that it’s one you’ll always enjoy.  

#6 – Gin & Tonic.  My current preference.  It does what it’s supposed to do, taste good and allow for the opportunity of fun, but without the pounding that vodka and/or tequila are known to do.  It took awhile with this one.

#5 – Vodka & Cranberry.  My old preference.  It went down nice with the Grey Goose, and everyone knows that I can put away a little cranberry.  In fact my favorite refinement was to chase the vodka-cranberry with a glass of cranberry.

#4 – Whiskey & Seven.  Preferably Crown if available.  I’m not much a fan of the Sierra Mist, Seven Up, Sprite family, but for some reason if you throw in a little whiskey, it makes all the difference.  Whiskey on the rocks is still probably ten years out, so I might as well enjoy the sugar before it decides to take a shot at my metabolism offerings.

#3 – Strongbow.  World’s best cider.  I was honestly devastated when I found out that Magner’s had pretty much purchased all the Strongbow taps around the twin cities.  It did everything a cider was supposed to do.  Go down easy, taste sweeter than candy, but hard enough that you just can’t stop at one.  Or two.

#2 – Goose Gimlet.  Extra lime.  I can take down about 4-5 of these in one sitting.  When I first heard about this concoction, I thought it was absurd.  Who would want vodka with lime juice!? However, after watching my bowling team put away around 20 an evening for a number of years, I decided to give this ‘seniors’ drink a stab. Delicious, indeed.

#1 – Amstel Light.  My mouth still waters at the thought of a fresh, cold Amstel light fresh out of the bottle.  It’s the only light beer that I ever care to drink.  Yet, I never drank this wonderful beverage in Europe, nor did I care to.  I was a snob!  German beer was the best!  Then the Irish!  The Dutch... come on now.  When I finally turned 21 here in the states, the beer coolers in every liquor store opened up their options in my favor.  It didn’t matter where the beer came from, as long as it met my taste bud’s requirements. This little treat chose to be my bride.  

Favorite Teams that aren't my Teams

Nate’s 9: Favorite Teams that aren’t my Teams

             I don't think life would be very fun if we couldn't cheer for other teams every once in a while.  By no means am I saying that you should cheer for your team's biggest rival, unless you are unaware of who that rival is (whoops).  But there have definitely been some teams that I've really enjoyed throughout the years.  These are the nine that I've enjoyed the most:

            #9 – German Football National Team (DFB) 2006-14. I had a conversation with a friend about eight years ago (during 2006 World Cup) over the topic of the German national team and why they were so successful, even though they really didn’t have that many good players.  My argument was, they are good, they just don’t get any recognition, because the Arsenal’s and Manchester United’s of the world never pay for them.  I’m not sure why.  They have a factory of good players.  In fact, I had made a prediction that they were going to win the 2006 World Cup even though I agreed that France probably had the world’s best team back then, and the Brazilians were probably second.  What I will say is that I didn’t see Italy winning the World Cup, especially after their league fiasco. In any case, it was the year 2000 when I officially fell in love with the German national team, but like most Germans I thought there wasn’t something quite right with the squad.  I don’t know if it was the result of the East meets West generation or what, but when I watched them at the 2000 European Championships in Belgium, I came away rightly disenchanted by them.  They scored 1 goal in 3 games in a group that they were probably supposed to win, and their team looked old and dispassionate.  Guys like Mehmet Scholl, Lothar Matthaus and Thomas Hassler had hit their end, and weren’t going to have much of an impact during the rest of their careers.  I was caught unawares that this performance became the part of one of the most special sides in recent soccer history.  I guess that soon after their lackluster performance, the German FA (DFB as well) decided enough was enough and encouraged clubs to spend money and overhaul the youth system as opposed to the expense of signing foreigners.  While German football took a pretty big hit for a number of years (after Leverkusen appeared in the 2002 Champions League Final it was 8 years before Bayern made it back for the German clubs), they were slowly developing what I now believe is the greatest national team in the world.  They finished 3^rd in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. They were runner up at the 2008 Euro Championships.  Fun and exciting players like Miroslav Klose, Mesut Özil, Marco Reus and Philip Lahm are giving the national team an identity; a counter-attacking side that pressures the ball non-stop for 90 minutes.  And there are ‘factories’ more of good players coming through.

            #8 – Philadelphia Flyers 1996-2000. During my most impressionable years, Minnesota did not have a hockey team.  I didn’t think that was fair considering all the time my friends and I spent playing NHLPA 93 and the like.  I dabbled with the Chicago Blackhawks for a bit, enjoyed some of those Vancouver Canucks teams... (Or just Pavel Bure).  But when this big, bad, bruising hockey team started to develop in the mid 90’s, I had to give them my undivided attention.  In fact, I think it was the day they traded for Paul Coffey.  They already had a pretty decent team.  Especially in defense.  Guys like Eric Desjardins, Chris Therien and Petr Svoboda.  Ron Hextall was still in goal, and he was a BAD-ASS! I don’t think any players messed with him, because they were afraid.  But for me it started up top.  I think my favorite player in the league was John LeClair, and my second favorite player was Eric Lindros.  They had the Osseo graduate Trent Klatt, the Elk River graduate Joel Otto, Rod Brind’Amour etc, etc. I still liked them even when Hextall left, and Vanbiesbrouck came into the fold.  But it was two trades late into this era that set them apart from every other hockey team that I’ve enjoyed watching and cheering for.  The separate trades for Mark Recchi and Keith Primeau. Bring in the 19 year old Simon Gagne into the mix, and I still think this team failed by not bringing home the Stanley Cup trophy.  Still to this day, this is probably the team that was tailor made for everything I enjoy about hockey.  An intense, physical group that just wears down opponents and eventually beats them into submission. 

            #7 – Los Angeles Raiders 1986-88.  Before I wholly embraced the Green Bay Packers as my heart and soul of the NFL, I liked the Raiders. Well, specifically 5 Raiders anyway.  But it was enough to the point that I really only played the first Tecmo Bowl with one team, and I always looked for them on the television when I was a youngster.  They were: Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, Willie Gault, Mike Haynes and Bo Jackson. What upset me was I could never use Tim Brown as a receiver on Tecmo Bowl; he was only available as a return man.  For whatever reason, they only gave the Raiders 1 WR to play with and that was Willie Gault.  This team wasn’t that great in real life and never made the playoffs while I watched them.  My only strong memory that I still have is Bo’s 92 yard run against the Cincinnati Bengals when I was sitting in my living room, going crazy.  He hit the edge, and bam!  The fastest run I’ve still seen to this day.  Bo was one of the greatest.

            #6 – Houston Rockets 1994-96.  I still think it’s the greatest collection of chemistry in NBA history.  While I think that the Chicago Bulls are probably the best team of my generation, you could see a little bit of us versus them in that squad, specifically with Jordan’s camp and Kukoc’s camp.  It didn’t really take away from the team though, those western conference teams were great, and none of them really challenged the Bulls for the title.  This Rockets team probably could have though if the timing was right.  Every player on this team had a distinguished role, and the most impressive part was they never really deviated from those responsibilities. Hakeem Olajuwon sat in the post, and was the leader of the franchise.  You never saw him taking threes, he never brought the ball up court, and he just sat down low and used his array of skills to score baskets.  Robert Horry was their starting power forward and played second fiddle to Hakeem, but played out in the perimeter a little more, which benefited his game and Hakeem’s as well.  Clyde Drexler and Mario Elie shared heavy minutes at the 3 spot and while Drexler’s gifts were on the offensive end, Elie could shore up things defensively.  Vernon Maxwell was an underrated 2, although he started to play himself off the team at this time.  I remember him always being temperamental, but when he was focused he held his own with the best.  Sam Cassell and Kenny Smith shared the point guard duties, and while Smith was more conservative and got the team to play calm during pressure situations, Cassell played more balls to the walls and up-tempo.  It really was one of the better NBA teams that I can remember, and one that never really dealt with any kind of locker room issues, outside of Maxwell’s behavioral concerns.  It’s a shame it never worked out with Charles Barkley joining the squad, but they ran into a team that had a similar style of chemistry plus maybe a pinch of more talent, and the Jazz would appear in back-to-back finals down the road.

#5 – The U 2000-02. While I wasn’t too young to remember the loud, brazen Hurricanes of the early 90’s, I was more a fan of the quiet, unassuming Washington Huskies of that time.  I thought they were doing things the right way, winning and being quiet about it.  When I came back from Europe in 2000, I realized that it shouldn’t matter what the team’s persona was like, because every environment can be a stepping stone toward prominence. These ‘Canes were the first team that I embraced that played with a different style.  And what a team.  I still think it’s probably the greatest collection of talent in NCAA history, at least in the modern era (post 70’s).  Their third string running back was Frank Gore for goodness sakes.  While many could see that Ken Dorsey wasn’t the most talented guy, he knew what it took to win games, and he just put the ball in the hands of his playmakers, of which there were many.  Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, Gore, Najeh Davenport, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr, Andre Johnson, Roscoe Parrish, Devin Hester and on and on. I thought they were better defensively.  There’s no doubt in my mind that the secondary is the greatest, during certain times they were able to utilize Ed Reed, Philip Buchanon, Mike Rumph, Sean Taylor, Kelly Jennings and Antrel Rolle.  All first round selections.  For as good as some of these Alabama, LSU and Auburn teams have been recently, none could put up the talent to the NFL that this team did.  I haven’t even touched on the interior, and I shan’t.  I’ll just leave you with a few of these that I remember from over the years... 52-6, 33-7, 61-0, 49-27 @ Tallahassee, 59-0, 65-7 (both against ranked teams), 37-14 (for the title), and 41-16 (at the Swamp).  Just a handful of games against my beloved Nittany Lions, Florida State, Florida, Syracuse, Vick’s Tech, and a couple of other impressive opponents back at the beginning of the century.  Good stuff.  

            #4 – Arsenal 1998-2000. The 1997-98 was the first season I really started to get interested in European football, most likely the result of purchasing the game FIFA and the France World Cup coming up around the corner.  At the time I had no inkling of who to cheer for, or even how the game was played specifically.  Someone at school that was well-versed in soccer told me that if I was going to watch England, the star teams were Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle.  The first game I watched was Manchester United vs. Sheffield Wednesday, and I decided that if they won, that would be my team (They did).  However, looking back, I really enjoyed that Arsenal squad, and until I went to Europe to learn that it’s like cheering for the Lakers and the Celtics, was pleased to see Arsenal get positive results.  That first year it seemed like that’s all they did.  I think every time I turned on Fox Sports World, Arsenal won a match.  And why wouldn’t they?  They had a great collection of talent including the best English GK I’ve still seen to this day, David Seaman.  Marc Overmars become my first favorite soccer play, and my e-mail address to this day is still overmars_wu.  This is tough to admit, but while I was in London, I may or may not have purchased a Marc Overmars Arsenal jersey.  Confusing, considering that I could have put 2+2 together and bought a Dutch Overmars jersey instead.  Lesson learned.  Patrick Vieira, Ray Parlour and Emmanuel Petit were still a group of midfielders that I believe to be just as talented as the three that manned United’s midfield: Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Roy Keane.  It wasn’t until I spent a year in Europe that I realized that Arsenal was not allowed to be my second favorite club, and as if to prove a point, they decided to sell Marc Overmars to Barcelona that same week.  I’ve been United thoroughly ever since, but I still have a bit of a soft spot for that talented Arsenal squad that turned it up at the end of the last century. 

            #3 – Seattle Mariners 1991-96.  While baseball has always been my least favorite of the now ‘5 big sports’, there was a time when I really enjoyed sitting down with my baseball cards and dreaming up of fantasy teams and scheming trades.  My friend Joey and I used to generate lineups of our favorite players and create a score sheet using dice, and seeing which one of our ‘fantasy’ teams would win it all.  While I liked the Twins, and I was pleased when they won the World Series that fall, I really liked the collection of all-star talent that the Mariners had put together.  Jay Buhner, Tino Martinez, Edgar Martinez, Harold Reynolds, Omar Vizquel, Randy Johnson, Ken Sr, and Ken Jr were all a part of this up-and-coming franchise.  1991 was the first season that the club had a winning record in franchise history (thank you baseball-reference).  When we created our teams I would say that 50% of my team came from this group of players, and I always used Randy Johnson as my starting pitcher (Rick Aguilera was my closer).  I know this team never won a World Series, and that it got dismantled rather quickly (probably too soon in my opinion), but while these guys were together the Mariners not only had a chance to get to the Series, but they probably missed the chance to become the dynasty that the Braves and Yankees decided to grow into instead. 

#2 – Real Madrid 2002-03.  This team really should be number one.  For all the great teams that I’ve had the privilege to watch and be entertained by over the years, the collection of individual talent that Madrid put together these two seasons probably hasn’t been replicated since.  They signed one player in 2001 and that was Zinedine Zidane.  He led them to a Champions League title.  They signed one player in 2002 and that was Ronaldo.  The ‘fat’ one.  While he couldn’t quite led them back to the Champions League final, he played and scored a hat trick in what was one of the greatest individual performances in Champions League history (the game at Old Trafford).  The reason that I loved this team so much though is because they were the Porsche and the Ford F-350 together as one.  They had the flair and exciting players in Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Raul, Morientes, Roberto Carlos, and Guti. But it was the engine that I truly enjoyed.  The guys like Fernando Hierro, Claude Makelele, Flavio Conceiçáo, Ivan Helguera, Iker Casillas and Michel Salgado.  All of those guys worked hard, and for the good of the team.  In fact, after Perez sold Makelele and had managers stop playing Helguera did the team fall apart and just look like a pretty toy (with Beckham of all people).  Yet, when this line-up was at full strength, and everybody on form, I think they are still one of the best sides ever pieced together in world sports.  (To be fair, this wonderfully put together squad finished 3^rd in La Liga, and runners-up in the Copa Del Rey.  But their hearts were only set on getting the one trophy.  And that one they got.)

#1 – Saint Louis Rams 1999-2001.  I’m still obsessed with this group of players. Proof?  I own a Rams beanie hat, I have Marshall Faulk’s, Torry Holt’s, and Isaac Bruce’s Rams jerseys, I still wish that Mike Martz would become the Packers offensive coordinator, and I don’t get sad whenever the Rams beat the Packers.  I still know about 75% of this era’s roster, and the names Dre Bly and Dexter McCleon will never be forgotten.  I just really took to this football team.  I’m not sure why.  I was in Germany when the team started to develop into the offensive powerhouse that it became during their super bowl years. I didn’t even know that Kurt Warner had taken over from Trent Green until I saw that the Rams had the best record in the NFL at a certain point.  My phone conversations with my dad and the Sports Illustrated issues were the only updates I could get while I was over there, because my first host family didn’t have the internet.  Yet, they engulfed my passion for some reason, and they still haven’t let go and here we are some fourteen years later.  While they’re known for their offensive talent, it’s the defense that I thought gave this team their identity that allowed for them to make it to two Super Bowls in three seasons.  They gave up a fair amount of points and yardage, but I think that was a result more of teams trying to keep up, than for the lack of talent or execution that the Rams may have had.  They generated a lot of turnovers, and made plays at crucial points throughout the three seasons.  (Fun statistic:  They led the NFL in rushing defense and sacks during their title season – look it up).  They also of course led the NFL in points scored, passing yards and total yards as well.  Their front four of Grant Wistrom, Kevin Carter, D’Marco Farr and Ray Agnew were very underrated and one of the reasons why they got to the Super Bowl only scoring 11 points in the NFC Championship game.  But, yes, let’s talk about the offense.  We are all very familiar with Warner.  Marshall Faulk was one of the NFL’s best, and hell for all you Big Ten fans, you’re familiar with Illini running back Robert Holcombe.  He was the lead blocker for the great Faulk.  The group of wide receivers is probably one of the deepest in NFL history as Tony Horne was their fifth guy.  Ricky Proehl was their third, and Az-Zahir was the #4.  The offensive line finally came together to forge one of the great ones of the last generation, and Orlando Pace and Adam Timmerman were both all-Pros.  In any sense, I wasn’t mad when this team won the Super Bowl, in fact while sitting in my German family’s living room at about 4 in the morning, I was in awe.  Tennessee put together a nasty performance, and it looked like things were going to go their way until two events.  One, Warner to Bruce.  Two, Mike Jones at the one.  While Tom Brady kept this team from truly being considered one of the greats, it sure was a fun and exciting team to watch.  In reality, it was my favorite one. 

Stadiums to Visit

Nate’s 9: Stadiums I would like to See

                           When it comes to travel, I have done pretty well.  I’ve seen a fair amount of the United States, at least when it comes to the mid-Atlantic and the east coast.  I saw more of Europe than I could ever have dreamed of.  But I did miss a few of the great sports stadiums from around the world.  All these stadiums are for personal reasons; these are the locations that I must visit.

#9 – Memorial Stadium.  Home of the Clemson Tigers.  Death Valley to all of those familiar with the game of college football.  I know that the SEC believes that every single one of their stadium experiences is better than anything outside of the conference, but I bet Clemson would beg to differ.  The football team begins the evening by riding the bus around the campus getting everyone hyped up for the night’s event.  They park at the top of the stadium before all the players come in through the top of the stadium, single file, and rub the rock for good luck.  Then all the players run down “The Hill”, and by that point, the stadium just rocks (pun most definitely intended).  It would be fun to be a part of that.

#8 – Fenway Park.  I really don’t like the Boston Red Sox.  And that might be an understatement.  If I were to do a Nate’s nine on my nine least favorite sports franchises, the Red Sox would be close, if not at the top of that list.  I can’t stand the drumming on by their fans and organization about how great they are and how evil the Yankees empire really is, and how the Sox are for the people by the people.  It’s maddening. They are just a smaller shadow of the exact same thing, except they can’t win when it matters (most of the time) With that said, if someone were to lend me a pair of ear buds and I could experience the history and luster that is Fenway Park, without the elitist mindset of the Boston fans, I wouldn’t be opposed to it, on the contrary, I think it would be something that I would covertly enjoy.

#7 – Yankee Stadium. Hell, since I’d most likely be in the area and everything, I might as well just take a train ride down and visit the Cathedral in the Bronx.  I love the history of baseball, and its stadiums are one of the great allures of the sport for me.  Since Tiger Stadium, Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds are essentially dirt, I may as well visit the only stadium that has been built to be an exact replica of the old one.  I was once told that the “House that Ruth Built” was a very nice stadium, except there weren’t any niceties about it.  The new one is supposed to accommodate those that would not want to sit in a stink box, but give the magnetism of history as well. I am interested to see what the church of baseball is all about.

#6 – Nou Camp.  A third stadium in a row in which I’m not in favor of the team that plays within the stadiums’ boundaries, but this is a place that offers such richness and narration that one would be foolish not to consider taking a journey to see the holy point.  FC Barcelona, one of our world’s great soccer teams, performs spectacular football in this giant place of worship.  From the outside I hear that it’s uninteresting, dreary and lacking creativity or progressive viewing, but it’s the experience that one is left with after a customary Barcelona victory that gives people the excitement about making a visit.  While it would be fun to see them there and perhaps witness it without one of those victories, I can’t help but think that my experience would be lessened if I couldn’t experience the Camp Nou in high spirits and with the Catalan passion.

#5 – Superdome.  First, I thought I wanted to go there during a Super Bowl week and experience things from that joyful occasion (assuming the Packers made it).  Now, I think I would rather go when the “Who Dat” Saints hosted an intense home game.  I know that there are louder stadiums in our country and the acoustics ratings have proven this.  But as far as visiting a stadium that has the passion and support of the home side no matter how poorly things might be going... I just think it would be one of life’s great events if I could visit the dome during that time.  I know it’s probably the ugliest stadium in the country, and in one of its dirtiest cities.  Yet, I get the feeling that it’d be one of the few that I couldn’t visit just once, like a place that could be considered a second home.

#4 -  The New Wembley Stadium.  As a soccer fanatic, I don’t think my life would be complete without a visit to the hallowed Wembley.  Well, since I can’t do that either (damn Yankees & Brits), the new-same experience will have to do.  I have no problem with modernity; but a number of my reasons for visiting these stadiums have to do with their history and players that have walked the halls through them.  I will never sit in the same right field that Babe Ruth fielded in, just like I won’t ever be able to see a goal scored by Wayne Rooney that was also scored into the same goal by Sir Bobby Charlton.  And I’m okay with that.  But I would like to experience the human thought and analysis as to why we felt like the old ones with all their history, charm, personality and attraction weren’t good enough and why these new amenities will give us the thrill that we so desperately seek.  So New Wembley it is.

#3 – Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.  The Swamp.  Duh-dun.......  Duh-dun.... Duh-dun, Duh-dun, Duh-dun, Duh-dun, duh-dah-dah-dah-duh, GO GATORS! I see the irony in a shark themed music piece that is intended for an alligator.  But after years and years of playing with the Florida Gators on all seasons of NCAA football when I got tired of using the Nittany Lions, I couldn’t get enough of this chant or the atmosphere of this stadium (or the ridiculous amount of football talent in Florida).  As a result, I have 2 Gators t-shirts, a Gators cap, a Gators beanie, a Gators blanket and more Gatorade than I could think to drink (okay, the last part isn’t true).  I rocked that bandwagon hard!  There’s even a signage in the upper deck that says, “This is The Swamp!”  Such southern hospitality.  For it to come full circle, I need to spend a day at The Swamp.

#2 – Wrigley Field.  Might as well finish off the trifecta of baseball immortality.  It solely ranks higher on here than Yankee Stadium, because I can actually visit the damn place!  In all seriousness though, it’s a great stadium in my favorite American city, in a cute little area, with a cute little ball club.  It’s the one stadium on this list in which I almost wish that the home team would lose so I can get the full game day experience.  But before my life is done, I have to see the vines, the rooftop seating, the manual scorecards, and all the other charms that take me back to the decades of which I’ve been reading from.  I can say this much – there’s not one other franchise in professional sports that would embrace the name “lovable losers”, and I need to understand why.

#1 – Old Trafford.  I’ve been to Lambeau.  I’ve been to the Signal Iduna.  I’ve been to Happy Valley and the great Beaver Stadium.  Even my biggest love interest, Manchester United has made many a ventures to come and placate my viewing pleasure here in the U.S. Now, I must finish this love story and spend some time in the Theatre of Dreams. 

Favorite Quotes

Nate’s 9: Favorite Quotes

     Winding down to the final couple of Nate’s 9 blogs, this was a topic that I’ve really wanted to do from the get go.  After getting started on it though, I realized how extreme of a topic that quotes are, and how difficult it would be to whittle it down to nine.  There are essentially hundreds of thousands of great quotes, and I wouldn’t be able to navigate through all of them to get it down to single digits.  I decided to go with a different method instead, and picked out some quotes that I try to live by on a daily basis.  Some are favorites, some are just true, some brought a smile to my face, and some are goals of mine.  Hope you enjoy the list, and thanks for taking the time to read some of these nine over the last 2 years.  Peace.

Note: I’ve decided to leave the names of the people who have made these statements out of my blog for the sole purpose of the reader not having to make judgments about the author. There’s always copying and pasting to Google if your curiosity gets the best of you!

Note II: The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot is my favorite work of literature.  Sometimes it reminds me of life.  I included a few of his quotes within this list, and I will share Part I of that poem at the bottom.  If you care to read it, I hope you enjoy it!

For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.

When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.

As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.

I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives.

Your best teacher is your last mistake.

If you love a flower, don’t pick it up. Because if you pick it up, it dies, and ceases to be what you loved. So, if you love a flower, let it be.

Love is not about possession.  Love is about appreciation.

Live in such a way, that if someone spoke badly of you, no one would ever believe it.

"I wanted to see exotic Vietnam, the jewel of Southeast Asia. I, uh, I wanted to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture, and kill them."

Sports do not build character. They reveal it.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt.

Whatever you are, be a good one.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.

If there is dissatisfaction with the status quo, good. If there is ferment, so much the better. If there is restlessness, I am pleased. Then let there be ideas, and hard thought, and hard work. If man feels small, let man make himself bigger.

I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.

Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.

A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion to a person who has never experienced it than we can explain light to the blind.

People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.

We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know.

I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people's accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man's failures.

What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.

It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun.

Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.

I. THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD

APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding     

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain.

Winter kept us warm, covering                5

Earth in forgetful snow, feeding     

A little life with dried tubers.         

Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee      

With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade,       

And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten,          10

And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.  

Bin gar keine Russin, stamm’ aus Litauen, echt deutsch.

And when we were children, staying at the archduke’s,  

My cousin’s, he took me out on a sled,       

And I was frightened. He said, Marie,          15

Marie, hold on tight. And down we went.

In the mountains, there you feel free.         

I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter.      

What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow        

Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,          20

You cannot say, or guess, for you know only        

A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,      

And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,   

And the dry stone no sound of water. Only           

There is shadow under this red rock,              25

(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),         

And I will show you something different from either       

Your shadow at morning striding behind you       

Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;     

I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

As the seasons go, I am afraid of what I don't know. - Life: by Nate Confer (est.2002)

Books

Nate’s 9: Favorite Books

            I love ‘em.  Pretty much after my family and sports, books are next on the Nate’s love list.  Probably even more than music.  After much deliberation, here are the 9 that I have enjoyed the most.

Note:  I have yet to read “The Stand”, but for all intents and purposes, I know there will be room for it on this list, once I gather up the courage to take on that mild beast.

#9 – The Glory of their Times – by Lawrence Ritter. This book shocked me immensely, and also turned me toward a genre of book that I never thought that I would be interested in: Sports History.  I much prefer what is to come, instead of what’s already been played.  My mother got it for me in some silent auction book basket that she purchased for a relatively excessive amount of money.  I flipped through all of the books and thought I may as well take this one since she was willing to spend so much on the basket.  Cue to my finish of reading the book when I was absolutely overcome with melancholy when it was over.  It’s one of the most joyful, profound, thoughtful reading experiences that I have ever had.  Essentially it’s a story written by Ritter about visiting a number of major league baseball players back when the American and National Leagues started to gain popularity in the early 1900’s.  And listening to these now much older men share the intimate details of what went on during those times was as satisfying as admitting my misconception about the book just by viewing its cover.  It’s easily my favorite sports read of all-time, and a book I continue to go back to reading whether it be to look at the pictures again or get taken back to a long ago, forgotten place.

#8 – The Things They Carried – by Tim O’Brien.  Now I love historical novels, and it’s the reason that I decided to purchase a book that many others had to read when they were in high school.  And after about fifteen pages I thought, crap. Why did I spend my money on this?  It’s weird, and inexpressive.  I put it back on the shelf, and started something else.  A few years later, I came back to it.  I know that my dad dealt with issues concerning his experience with the Charlies while he was in Vietnam, and I thought that maybe it was a way that I could understand the type of person that he became because of the happenings of that generation.  What I stumbled upon was probably even more validating then my mistake in the book mentioned above.  How did I get things wrong, again?  TTTC was so poignant, so singular, it not only felt like a book different from anything else I’d ever read, but just an experience unlike anything else I’d ever done.  The truth to all the stories, the language of the book, the complexity of the characters... I now understand all my friends challenges and changes that come in connection with going to battle, but this book also made me understand my father a little better, and an era and the country that I came from. 

#7 – I Know This Much is True – by Wally Lamb.  This was almost the opposite of the first two books on my list.  I came in expecting a ton, because all I heard was Oprah ranting and raving about what a wonderful book it was.  And it opened with a bang. “On the afternoon of October 12, 1990, my twin brother Thomas entered the Three Rivers, Connecticut Public Library, retreated to one of the rear study carrels, and prayed to God the sacrifice he was about to commit would be deemed acceptable.”  And I bought the book instantly after.  I didn't even know what the sacrifice was. I love books that compel me to change my perceptions of life and life’s experiences and this book was able to do that.  A magnum opus of a novel. 

#6 – New York – by Edward Rutherfurd. Quite simply, it gave me the obsession and enthusiasm that I currently have for visiting the city of New York someday.  Hopefully soon.  What Rutherfurd does in his novels is great for readers that can move quickly and understand numerous character replacements.  In New York he started with a fur trader family in the middle of the 17^th century, and through marriage, experiences and a long procession of having baby boys, linked a family from then until the New York that we are all familiar with today, or at least as of 2009.  It’s their stories that were so interesting and very comparable to what happened for a lot of immigrants that decided to take a chance on coming over to this great country.  It made for great relatively light reading, but really pulled at the readers heart strings near the end as well. 

#5 – Goodnight Moon – by Margaret Wise Brown.  I’m kidding, but it still is one of my two favorite books that were read to me as a child, along with “Where the Wild Things Are”. 

#5 – The Godfather – by Mario Puzo.  This book is also a masterpiece, but that movie... I don’t think anything will come close to touching it, at least not in my lifetime...  I think it’s kind of sad in a way, because my favorite part of this novel is the story of Vito Corleone in his younger years and gives us a glimpse into how he became the person he did in the rest of the novel.  It’s such a great part of the story, it’s sad that Puzo wasn't able to expand on it and truly develop Vito’s character as one for all ages. (In his defense, he had more than enough script and Corleone’s story continues to live on, although by writers who don’t have quite the deft touch that Mr. Puzo did).  What Puzo did was so simple, but daring.  He pretty much wrote a non-fictional book about the five families of New York and its celebrities, but without using their names.  He does it with elegance and style and even has the reader sympathetic to the decisions and outcomes of the Corleone family.  At least he had mine.

#4 – The Chamber – by John Grisham.  Normally when I read a Grisham novel, it’s for the light, easy pace that his readers have become accustomed to getting.  It’s usually a story that sets up in the courtroom or thereabouts, and there’s conflict, and mystery, and the reader leaves the story feeling satisfied and happy.  I felt that way with pretty much every book of his that I read until I purchased “The Chamber”.  This book does not leave anyone happy and satisfied, well, I suppose maybe a certain person.  What it does do extremely well is challenge the reader on the death penalty issue and resolving conflict with members of your family.  Prior to reading this novel, I had a certain viewpoint on the penalty, and my mind had yet to be changed numerous times.  I had to learn a new moral compass, and that’s one of the most difficult things to do after thinking a certain way for so long.  I hate racism, and hate seeing it whenever I turn on the TV, read the paper, etc. but when you’re innocent, you’re innocent and that was the hardest part for me.

#3 – Hearts in Atlantis – by Stephen King.  Speaking of the unexpected... After reading, “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon”, and not being entirely impressed, I thought that Hearts in Atlantis would be another bust by a writer that I thought at the time was a bit “overrated” (my words, I know).  I opened this book, and it was almost like I ordered it off of the menu.  The 1960’s, Vietnam, Randall Flagg, underdogs, foreshadowing, intricate stories, all things I love. And all of it in the same novel!  In all seriousness though, my perceptions of King’s talents changed invariably after this novel.  His diminutive modifications in each story that somehow always seem to be significant some hundred pages later.  His way of linking the beginning of the story with the middle and end and hardly leaving out any detail that won’t matter when the time comes.  This is almost the perfect novel, in that it deals with human relationships and not every situation is feel good, nor is every one destructive.  Life is, and King has a better grasp of that term that most.

#2 – California Gold – by John Jakes.  James Macklin Chance.  My favorite book character of all-time.  This story... it was almost like he was a character that was a part of my family.  I lived and breathed his life the exact same way that Jakes wrote it out.  When he failed, I felt miserable for him; when he succeeded, I was delighted.  On the backdrop of the history of California and how many Americans out there did not make it rich and realizing that the gold rush was somewhat of a big scam created by advertisers and other people looking to make a fast buck, Jakes allowed Chance the chance (you know it, I think that happens more often than we're led to believe – this naming of a character for a purpose) to really tell a great story and live a life that any American should and would feel proud of.  There are some people out there that do commit awful wrongs against others, and people that do wish failure for those that they feel have wronged them.  JMC collided with those individuals and through perseverance and determination, truly lived one of the great fictional stories that I have had the pleasure of reading. 

#1 – Storm of Swords – by George R.R. Martin.  There have been better novels, better characters, better writing for sure among all the great books that I've read.  This though, goes by the simple structure that every single chapter, hell almost every single sentence had some definitive necessity toward the story being told.  It is the only book that I have ever read in my life in which every chapter was a masterpiece in its own right.  There’s not one thing that I, as the reader, would have asked to be done differently.  For those that aren't familiar with this story, it’s the third novel in the series “Ice and Fire”, or the more familiar term, “Game of Thrones”.  It’s sensational.  Every character is important and has value pertinent to the climax of the story.  The predictability is naught; anything can happen to anyone at any time without thought for their significance prior to the results.  I can’t even describe it, only that any time I glance upon the book I am in this state of euphoria and I want to go back and visit the land of the Seven Kingdoms, the Wall, Pentos and all the rest. 

Favorite Wide Receivers

Nate’s 9: Favorite Wide Receivers

Well, I thought I had this all wrapped up about a week ago, before I got into some intense and valuable debates about who really belongs in a top 9 of all-time receivers.  If Dez Bryant just maintains possession through that ‘catch’ of his, it’s probably enough to push out my 9th guy, and get him into this small group of superstars.  I’m just kidding, I feel awful for the guy and I believe that the rule has to be changed.  That said, while Dez is a favorite and I make it a fantasy football goal of mine to have him as often as possible, this group is just a little too strong and a little too established for the young gun to knock them out. Yet.

Note:  I would like to have a quick shout out to Keyshawn Johnson, Al Toon, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, Henry Ellard, Mark Duper and Sammy Watkins who are all guys that I like as much or more then the people on this list, but probably don’t have the productivity that would allow for their placement in this hallowed group of players.  My apologies gentlemen.

#9 – Calvin Johnson.  I’ve been obsessed since his watching the scouting combine back in 2007.  At the time, my only concern was that he wouldn’t get drafted by the Oakland Raiders or Detroit Lions because both those teams were making a mess of their draft picks in recent times, and it’s nothing to say that they could have ruined Calvin as well.  My opinion started to change when I heard a scout say that he had only given 2 perfect scores in all his years of scouting and one of those players was the great Calvin Johnson.  It was good enough for me and more than enough for Detroit as he’s been miles better than the Williams’ and Carlos Rogers of Detroit’s past.  Wish he was elsewhere, but any deep ball is a threat for six with this guy on the field.

#8 – Lynn Swann.  The only receiver on this list that I wasn’t at least able to see once since I’ve been watching football.  I think the aura around him was always more than what his statistics have shown, and he might have been declared by the Twitterverse or Facebook land as “overrated”.  But watching NFL films on all the Super Bowls that the Pittsburgh Steelers had played in convinced me otherwise.  He definitely had a bit of chic in his game and he may have pushed some the wrong way.  But some of his catches... man.  I see why he is so revered in the land of steel. He was probably the Dez before the Dez.

#7 – Torry Holt.  Part of the fear factor that was the St. Louis Rams for a couple of years.  Torry always scared me the most, because you knew that Marshall Faulk was going to get his, and Isaac Bruce was always good for a number of catches as well.  Yet, Holt could beat you so many ways. He had deceptive speed, and was capable of getting behind the defender in a hurry. He could run the fade route in the end zone and get up to make a play.  But he was also the Rams guy that could get out of a jam off the line and run that quick slant that would get the Rams ten quick, simple yards.  That pass has almost gone out of the game today in favor of the WR screen and the slot receiver, but I think Holt could have played in almost any era.

#6 – Art Monk.  The master of the catch.  I still think he probably had the greatest hands in NFL history, at least from the eras that I’ve seen.  He caught 106 passes in the early 1980’s, which is one of the true great statistics in football.  That’s like a RB going for 2,000 yards in today’s passing league.  (Yes, I know how good he is, that’s the point I’m trying to make.  It makes me mad that people don’t think I like AP, when I liked AP long, long before anyone else did.  Just saying.)  Monk was almost the perfect receiver.  He ran good routes, had good size, knew how to use his body, and made his quarterback better.  He won 3 rings.  I just liked him because he was a wide receiver that caught the ball and nothing else, and that’s all you need to do.

#5 – Steve Largent.  I grew up in an era of great running backs.  Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Bo Jackson, Emmitt Smith.  There was a little bit of prestige to each of these players when you said their name. Kind of like Michael and Kobe when it comes to basketball.  Steve Largent was probably one of the few receivers that could be allocated this honor.  He was kind of the underdog gone good.  The Houston Oilers had drafted him, but traded him to the Seahawks because they were going to cut him anyway.  He then went on to score 100 touchdowns, and has been mentioned in a lot of greatest receivers’ lists, which is all the more impressive considering his quarterbacks during his time with the Seahawks.  (Jim Zorn and Dave Krieg).

#4 – Sterling Sharpe.  For a long time, he was my favorite wide receiver.  I’m still heartbroken that he never got to be a part of the Packers Super Bowl winning team back in 1997.  He could do just about everything on the field as well, but for having a lot of receptions, he ran a lot of routes that would be considered down field.  I think the reception statistic gets cheapened a little bit now-a-days as we have the screens and the 5 WR sets that gets guys 4-5 yard receptions, but Sterling and Jerry Rice were both capable of catching a number of balls while also running downfield routes.  He only played 5 1-2 seasons in the NFL, and there are people who consider Sterling one of the all-time greats.  I won’t quite reach for that marker, but I think Shannon Sharpe got it right when he said, “I'm the only player, of 267 men that [have] walked through this building to my left, that can honestly say this: I'm the only pro football player that's in the Hall of Fame, and I'm the second best player in my own family.”

#3 – Randy Moss.  For a long time he was - my guy.  I followed him as soon as I had heard about his first highlights while reading NFL Sporting News back in the 9th grade.  I watched as Notre Dame and Florida State walked away, and still thought, he’s so good, why would these teams give up on this guy?  I remember playing NCAA football with the Marshall Thundering Herd and averaging 32 yards per catch with #88 in the bright green.  And I remember being devastated when I saw that it was going to be Dennis Green that took a chance on the greatest wide receiver talent in the history of football.  He put up some amazing numbers and scored some amazing touchdowns while not giving everything during his time in the league.  If he had decided to work as hard as a Monk, or a Rice, or a Payton, I have no idea what amount of numbers he may have been able to put up.

#2 – Tim Brown.  This guy is getting slept on by all the voters who decide whether a player does or doesn’t make the NFL Hall of Fame.  His numbers are better than both Art Monk’s and Steve Largent’s while one could say that his teams were worse until the uniting of Brown, Rice and Gannon.  He gained more than 2,000 total yards in his rookie year between running and receiving. (He also returned kicks for the Raiders much longer than he should have, but was quite productive – 25.2 KR & 10.2 PR avg). Most impressive for me though was how he evolved through his career.  He started out as a flanker, and was expected to run a lot of deep routes and get behind the secondary.  Then during the prime of his career they asked him to play a style similar to Cris Carter; make tough catches and get in the end zone.  During the latter stages of his career when the team had Jerry Rice and Jerry Porter, he moved inside and became their 3rd wideout and made big plays on third downs and caught a lot of the ‘tough yards’.  An all-faceted skilled wide receiver that is just missing a ring.  Evidently that ring is good enough to keep him out of the Hall of Fame, but not off of this list.  I love the guy.

#1 – Jerry.  It’s too easy.  I think he’s the greatest player that NFL sports have ever seen.  He was so much better than everybody else, and it wasn’t because of his pure talent or athletic gifts (6’2” 200 lbs). He wasn’t the quickest player on the field either.  But he had every single intangible that is probably asked of any athlete in any sport.  He did have massive hands (I still remember seeing him drop the ball against Green Bay, probably the only time that it happened). He had a mean healthy streak, in fact I think he only missed one full season in his NFL career.  He kept a positive attitude and never created animosity at any organization that he was a part of. He had a confidence that was probably borderline cocky, but definitely knew the difference and when to pull back on the reins. Most importantly, he worked his ASS OFF!  Most people know about the Hill that he and Roger Craig would run during the off-season.  He also would run a 100, 200, 400 and 800 so he could differentiate between what types of speed he needed to use on the football field.  He worked on skill sets that would improve his explosion techniques, his hand-eye coordination, his change of direction, vertical leaping, and on and on.  I’m not sure about the other guys on this list, but I’m guessing that while most of them were looking at their accomplishments with what could be described as satisfaction; Jerry was probably working on continuing to make himself better.  That’s almost certainly the difference between being everybody’s #1, and being debated regarding who is the second best.

The Hill