NFL Regular Season Awards (Candidates)

MVP-
Nominees:
1. Adrian Peterson
2. Peyton Manning

Comeback Player of the Year:
Nominees:
1. Adrian Peterson
2. Peyton Manning

Offensive Player of the Year:
Nominees:
1. Adrian Peterson
2. Peyton Manning

Defensive Player of the Year:
Nominees:
1. J.J. Watt
2. Aldon Smith
3. Von Miller

Offensive Rookie of the Year
1. Robert Griffin III
2. Andrew Luck
3. Russell Wilson

As a rather bizarre 2012 NFL Season comes to a close, two of the biggest names have been players who have returned to have amazing seasons, following devastating injuries. Those names are none other than, Peyton Manning, and Adrian Peterson. Both men are head and shoulder candidates for both MVP, and Comeback Player of the Year.














Case for Peyton Manning:
Peyton Manning missed the ENTIRE 2011 season, because of a major, career-threatening neck surgery. There was very heavy doubt, that he would ever play again, because of how crucial his injury was. If his neck was not properly repaired, then his passing ability would have been greatly hindered. However, Manning has silenced his critics (Including myself). From the start of the season, Peyton Manning came out blazing, without missing a beat. In Week 1, Manning picked the Steelers defense apart in a Win on Sunday Night Football. Manning's season has been filled with a handful of comebacks. This season, Manning became the NFL's All-Time Leader in Comebacks. The difference between his comebacks, and Tim Tebow's is that he does much more to impact the team during that stretch. It also helps to have a great defense on the other side of the ball, to disrupt the other team. The Denver Broncos have received a great transformation, and rejuvenation after being the publicity circus of the NFL (Tebowmania). Now, Denver is a very serious contender, because they replaced an overhyped scrub (Tebow), with a bonafide legend (Peyton Manning). Manning is still up to his usual numbers, (Completing 347-511 Passes, 4,016 yards, 31 TDs, 10 INTs, 7.9 YPA, Comp. Pct: 67.9%, QB Rating: 103.5) while leading the Broncos to an 11-3 record, with a projected 2nd seed in the AFC. Now, the Defense doesn't have to carry as much of a load, with a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer, and Top 3 QB of all-time on their team. If Manning wins the MVP, he will be the 1st QB in NFL History to win 5 MVP Award. What a difference a year makes, both for Peyton and the Broncos.

Case for Adrian Peterson:
Adrian Peterson has made a remarkable comeback this season, after having a sub-par year in 2011. Peterson is making a tremendous comeback, with his best season since 2008. However, it has been rather tough for people to fully appreciate Peterson's work, because of how his team has under performed. To add further insult, Peterson has also had nagging injuries during his career, which have caused others to question his durability. The attention was also diverted from him, when big names such as Brett Favre, and Randy Moss came for a temporary run. However, he has always been the most consistent piece. I have always been a huge AP supporter, like I am with Peyton. However, it was tough for me to initially defend him, because of how bad his team had played. This season, AP has had an incredible resurgence. (289 Carries, 1,812 yards-Career high, 6.3 YPC, 11 TDs) The highlights of Peterson's season include the following (A 210-yard game in a loss vs. Green Bay, and a 212-yard game in a win vs. The St. Louis Rams). This has further validated my case, as to why he is the best running back of this era. Adrian Peterson has also been featured on the cover of this year's "Sports Illustrated". AP is on pace to break Eric Dickerson's Single-Season Rushing Record (2,105-1984). He is only 300 yards away from the record, which means he would have to average 150 yards per game in the last two games. This upcoming game against the Texans will be extremely crucial, because of how strong the D has been playing. If Peterson breaks the record, there is no question that he should walk away with the NFL MVP Award. With his play, the Vikings have a strong grip on a Wild Card spot.



Defensive Player of the Year:














Case for J.J. Watt:
J.J. Watt has been the building block of the Houston Texans' Defense this season. Watt is the first player since 1982 to have 15 or more sacks, and 15 or more passes deflected in a single season (Sacks were officially recognized in 1982). J.J. Watt has been a pass blocking machine. The Texans currently ranked 7th in the NFL in Defense, while allowing 325.9 ypg, causing 22 Fumbles, and recovering 13 of them. Watt leads his team in tackles (74). He also leads both his team, and the league in sacks (20.5-1st). With Watt, the Texans finally broke through with a playoff appearance last season. This year, Houston has clinched the AFC South division, and is projected to have the 1st seed, with a 1st Round Bye. Watt recorded a career-high 10 tackles in the Week 15 win vs. The Colts. He also had two games with 3 Deflected Passes (Week 1 vs. Dolphins, Week 5 vs. Jets). If Watt breaks Michael Strahan's Single Season Sack Record (23.5-2001), along with being the sole leader in Sacks, he deserves the DPOY.

Case for Aldon Smith:
Aldon Smith has been the focal point of the Niners' Defense this season, which is tremendous. Smith's incredibly long reach has helped him record 19.5 sacks (2nd in NFL). He also has 64 tackles, and 3 forced fumbles. Smith's presence in San Fran's LB Corps, with Patrick Willis and Navorro Bowman, is what has launched the team to the number 2 Defense in the NFL (allowing only 296.5 ypg, causing 20 fumbles, and recovering 10).  Smith has 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons, the most of any player in NFL history. Aldon is an absolute terrorizer, when it comes to pressure from the outside. Smith recorded a season-high 5 sacks, in the Week 11 win vs. The Bears. The Niners have clinched the NFC West Division, and are projected as the 3rd seed in the playoffs, in large part to Smith's contributions as their most dominant pass rusher. As I have said with Watt, if Smith breaks Strahan's sack record, he could win the DPOY Award.



Case for Von Miller:

Von Miller has been the heartbeat of the Denver Broncos Defense. Miller's 17.5 sacks has engineered the Broncos to the number 3 defense in the league (allowing 302.2 ypg, forcing 23 fumbles, and recovering 8). Miller's speed to shed tight ends, and blockers has helped him become a major threat to the quarterback. Even though Miller is 3rd in Sacks, his impact for a defensive monster has got to be taken into very strong account. The Broncos Defensive Corps has vaunted Denver to become one of the top 2 seeds in the AFC. Just like Houston, Denver's pass rush has a great deal to contribute to that. Miller's ability to disrupt the ball carrier has been tremendous, as he has recorded 6 forced fumbles (1st for his team). Miller is also 3rd on his team in tackles (65). Von Miller is certainly the dark horse of this race for NFL DPOY.

Additional Note: Smith, Watt, and Miller all came into the league in 2011. Each player is having an incredible breakout sophomore season. All three are head and shoulders above the rest in Defense. Their monstrous pass-rushing abilities have set them ahead of the rest of the pack.


Offensive Rookie of the Year:

Case for Robert Griffin III:
Robert Griffin III has been the main rejuvenating force for the Washington Redskins becoming contenders agian. RG III's spectacular play has made him one of the most transcendent level rookies the league has ever seen. I am not saying that for sensationalism, but his play speaks for itself. Griffin's play has raised the level of his team around him. His amazing blend of passing ability, amazing speed, and pure athleticism, have made him a major threat for opposing teams all season. I may not be a fan of his team, but he is the one player from that franchise that I have the greatest deal of respect. This season, RG III has completed 249 out of 375 passes, 3,100 yards, 20 TD's, and 5 INT's, with a QB Rating of 104.1. Griffin's mobility has also enabled him to rush for 752 yards. As the quintessential leader of the Redskins, Griffin has put them in the best position to grab the NFC East division. The sky is the limit for RG III.

Case for Andrew Luck:
Andrew Luck was drafted 1st overall by the Colts, with the weight of replacing a legend in Peyton Manning. So far, Luck has adapted very well to the pros. Within the course of a year, the Colts have gone from being the doormat of the NFL, to being back in contention. Indy is currently 2nd in their division, thanks to the strong play of Andrew Luck. Luck has been phenomenal as the Colts catalyst, engineering incredible comebacks through the course of the season (Traditional Colts football). Andrew Luck has completed 325 out of 599 passes, leads all rookies with 4,183 yards, and 21 touchdowns, with a QB Rating of 75.6. Luck's 18 interceptions have given a hit to his rating, but he is making a strong adjustment (Peyton Manning threw 28 INT's his rookie year). The Colts are now a projected 5th seed in the AFC. This is a great sign of things to come, for both Andrew Luck, and the Colts.

Case for Russell Wilson:
Russell Wilson has been the dark horse/sleeper for the NFL Offensive ROY Award. Wilson's leadership has made the Seahawks a surprise playoff contender. Coming off of an offseason where Matt Flynn was signed for an insane amount of money, Russell Wilson has made him an afterthought. In spite of the controversial game against the Packers, Wilson has been amazing. For someone under 6'0" (5'11"), Wilson has excelled, and gone beyond everyone's expectations of him. Russell has totally flown underneath the radar, especially with this surge heading into the playoffs. Wilson has completed 237 out of 374 passes, 2,868 yards, 25 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a QB Rating 98.0.

Kobe Bryant's "30,000"

First of all, I want to say congratulations to Kobe Bryant for reaching such a historic milestone. This is an amazing achievement. Reaching this takes a lot of hard work in dedication. Kobe has left great memories and a very lasting impression upon us basketball fans during his illustrious 17-year career. However, something needs to be seriously addressed, and put into proper perspective. There are people out there in the media, and hardcore Kobe fans who will put their own twisted spin on this milestone. They will say that "Kobe is the fastest to reach 30,000 points" or "Kobe is outpacing MJ". Yes, they say some outrageous things. Here is the thing. He truly is the youngest in terms of age, but in terms of career, it has actually taken him longer. What  makes things even more lopsided, is that he came straight out of high school. The others ahead of him (Kareem, Karl Malone, Jordan, Wilt), all came out of college after 3-4 years. Yet, they reached 30,000 career points in a shorter span of time in their careers than Kobe. Allow me to put things in perspective:

-Wilt Chamberlain (30,000 points- 941 games)
-Michael Jordan (30,000 points- 960 games)
-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30,000 points- 1,101 games)
-Karl Malone (30,000 points- 1,152 games)
-Kobe Bryant (30,000 points- 1,180 games)

As you can clearly see, Kobe has played many more games than those ahead of him to reach this point. However, he has made less shots to reach that total. Kobe has played 108 more games than Jordan, and 135 more games than Wilt, but he STILL trails them in career points. This all leads to one thing. Kobe Bryant is the greatest "VOLUME scorer" of all-time. This means, that out of the top 5 scoring leaders, Kobe has shot the lowest field goal percentage. He has NEVER had 1 season in his career shooting 50% from the field. This title of "volume scorer" can work both ways. Yes, he has compiled more points than others such as John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, etc, who have similar percentages. However, when comparing him to more prolific & accurate scorers such as Michael, Wilt, Kareem and Karl Malone, it is not exactly a badge of honor. Now, I am not taking anything away from him as an all-time great. (One of the top 15 of all-time) I am just simply giving more perspective. Unfortunately, that delusional network Disn-ESPN, and the Kobetards will reach to no end for any possible comparison to MJ. I have news for you out there: Kobe does not compare! I definitely have more respect for NBATV, for showing how many more games Kobe played to achieve this. The fact that it took the previous players less games to reach this many points, is very alarming! This goes to show how he has been much more inconsistent than his predecessors in the 30,000 point club. Another thing that I would like to point out is, the fact that Kobe only has 1 League MVP Award. The previous four players have won multiple MVP's!

Here are the accomplishments of each player, when they achieved 30,000 points:

-When Wilt Chamberlain scored 30,000 points, he won 4 MVP's, and 7 Scoring Titles.
-When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 30,000 points, he won 6 MVP's, 2 Scoring Titles, and 1 Finals MVP. -When Michael Air Jordan scored 30,000 points, he won 5 MVP's, 10 Scoring Titles, and 6 Finals MVP's. -When Karl Malone scored 30,000 points, he won 2 MVP's. (K. Malone's Jazz ran into Jordan's Bulls twice in the Finals. If Jordan was not in that era, he would have had multiple scoring titles.)

Total points do not tell the entire story. Those ahead of him, clearly have a larger body of work, along with their points.

Here are the top 5 scorers, and their career field goal percentages:

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points, 56% FG shooting- 1,560 games)
2. Karl Malone (36,928 points, 51% FG shooting- 1,476 games)
3. Michael Jordan (32,292 points, 50% (51% as a Bull) FG shooting- 1,072 games)
4. Wilt Chamberlain (31,419 points, 54% FG shooting- 1,045 games)
5. Kobe Bryant (30,016 points, 45% FG shooting- 1,180 games)

This goes to further prove my point, of how Kobe Bryant has been less efficient, and a more inconsistent scorer than those above. Kareem and The Mailman have played slightly longer than Kobe, but shot higher percentages. He still has over 6,000 less points than both of them. By the time his career is over, Kobe will have the most missed shots in NBA history. Right now, he is on a rapid pace. Yes, he will eventually pass Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain in career total points. However, that will only happen because of pure volume, with longevity at a less efficient and less accurate rate. There is no way that anyone can claim that Kobe is the greatest scorer of all-time, except when it pertains to inefficiency.

Kareem missed 9,755 shots to score 30,000 points
Karl Malone missed 9,996 shots to score 30,000 points
Wilt missed 10,965 shots to score 30,000 points
Jordan missed 11,140 shots to score 30,000 points
Kobe missed 12,599 shots to score 30,000 points

The difference in accuracy is larger than a country mile. Kobe is certainly the most accomplished player of this time, outside of Tim Duncan. Yet, when you look at the entire picture, you will see that Kobe has glaring blemishes compared to the cream of the crop. He is an all-time great, but not on the level of Legends & Icons such as Michael Jordan, Kareem, Wilt, Magic to name a few. Bottom line is, Kobe is an all-time great, but not the greatest of all-time in the most valuable achievements.

NBA 50 Greatest Players: Overview

Ladies and Gentleman, I would like to thank you for taking the time out to observe my list of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history. This is a project that I am very proud of, and very passionate about. As you can see, I put my time, effort, research and very hard work into this. However, this is not a very easy project at all. In fact, it is very unenviable. You can create a whirlwind of debates with a topic like this. There are two different teams in this topic. One team is about the rings. The other team is about the stats. When you set a criteria that puts things in perspective, this will help both sides find common ground. If you only focus on rings, then Sam Jones, John Havlicek, and Robert Horry should all be ahead of Michael Jordan for that matter. Rings are great, but we need to look at them for what they are, team accomplishments. However, if you go off of stats alone, then Karl Malone should be ahead of Wilt Chamberlain and Tim Duncan because he has more career points. Dominique Wilkins should be ahead of Larry Bird, and Elvin Hayes should be ahead of Hakeem Olajuwon. However, when you weigh accolades and impact, total points should not be the final measuring stick for greatness. To put things in perspective, someone needs to be an outstanding individual player, while contributing to a championship team. Being a leader of a championship team, along with amazing achievements is what strengthens a player's legacy. If someone is a great player, but is overshadowed by a megastar in their time, their legacy takes a hit, even if they get 1 or 2 championships at best. If someone was considered the defining player of their era, that is another bonus. This is why the list is called the "50 Greatest". Everything is taken into account. This is not solely based off of pure skill level, and nothing else. Visually, "Player A" may look better than "Player B". However, when you look at their numbers on a night to night basis, there could be a different story. I am a very strong student of the rich history of the game of basketball. It is my personal favorite, by the way. Basketball has created hundreds, and thousands of awesome players throughout the years, and those players have inspired the generations after them to go higher. In order to make the Top 50, players must meet the following criteria (In no particular order):

-Individual dominance
-Achievements
-Team accomplishments (in perspective)
-Impact on the game
-Greatness in Era
-Longevity

Sit back, relax and enjoy.

Tebowmania goes too far!!!

Just when you think that the Tebow hype could not go lower, it has. Recently, Tim Tebow has officially "Trademarked" the prayer pose with one knee down. That is right! If you are in public using that prayer position, look forward to a lawsuit on your hands from Tebow and his lawyers! The Tebowmania foolishness has rubbed me the wrong way from day one! The way that the media has painted him as the poster boy for Christianity is disgusting and a major punch in the face to other Christians such as myself! He has been elevated to a pedestal as the only famous "Christian" in sports and entertainment, which is completely ludicrous. What is even worse, is that it has seemed to go to his head, to the point where he wants to trademark a prayer pose to say that it belongs to him. I am not judging his hear or anything, because that is not what I am supposed to do. However, I see a strong lack of substance and consistency with Tebow. First off, this guy is inaccurate and awkward as a quarterback, which alone irritates me! Then, DisnESPN wants to constantly blow smoke up his rear end, by overhyping these 4th quarter comebacks, which were against bad teams or teams without their best players. This way, they can portray him as a true leader and a "clutch player" which makes me sick! Now, he plays in the largest media market in the world (New York) as a Jet, which gives him even more undeserved publicity. When you look at him lately, he is posing shirtless on the cover of GQ, and hanging around celebrities and paparazzi. For a guy who is the most outward Christian in sports, I don't see a lot of fruit being shown. Tim Tebow is NOT the first or the last Christian Athlete in Sports History! I have seen many other Christian Athletes, who were exponentially better than him, who proclaimed Christ, both in and out of their field. Men such as Reggie White (RIP), Kurt Warner, and others such as Ray Lewis, have had a much more consistent pattern when it pertains to their witness on and off the field. These men have dominated their sport! "The Minister of Defense" wasn't just a really cool nickname, he really WAS a Minister! Men like him and Warner not only proudly confessed their faith, but their impact was tremendous for the rest of the world. Drew Brees has done more to contribute to society and for Christianity than Tebow. Players like these and others have gone the extra mile. There are countless numbers of players who feed the hungry, clothe the naked and visit those who are sick or in prison. I don't want to sound like I am preaching, but Jesus clearly said "When you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me." Cris Carter goes in on Tebow constantly, and buries his performance and the undeserved hype. Now, I believe that he will have even more ammunition. For those who read this that are not Christians, I don't expect you to fully understand, but at least have empathy and respect what I believe in. I am doing this from my heart. As I have said, I am a Christian who stands as strongly for my beliefs as possible. I am certainly a work in progress. However, I will not put someone else on the pedestal for the ultimate role model in Christianity, because Jesus is the ultimate measuring stick for each of us in the faith. When Evander Holyfield went around preaching, but his personal life surfaced, it was certainly a let down. This goes to prove my point that no one should be propped up, because Christians are fallible human beings as well. Unfortunately, those who have placed Tim Tebow on this fictitious pedestal will be in for a rude awakening and a very nasty fall. When the news breaks out even further, this will truly be the straw that breaks the camel's back for a lot of Christians that support this guy. I remember when Tebow was on Saturday Night Live, and they had someone on there dressed up as Jesus standing next to him. I thought to myself "Alright, this is going too far!" I am disgusted at how this man's faith is being exploited, and how he is starting to feed into himself a bit too much. For the record, I go to a church with a very large congregation where people dance, shout, bow down and pray during praise and worship. It makes me cringe when I have to see someone bowing on one knee at the altar and think about how Tebow has licensed and trademarked a form of worship. I am sure you could find a painting of Moses doing this exact same pose. Hey Tebow boy, you are not the first and last to do that prayer pose! I don't feel bad for the Jets organization as a whole, because they knew the circus that was coming when they signed Tebow. That franchise is a media mess, that loves to talk, but shows no action on the field. However, I do feel bad for players like Bart Scott, who do not like that kind of attention thrown their way.

Sincerely
A passionate and frustrated Christian

Top 10 Running Backs of All-Time

1. Walter Payton- 13 NFL Seasons
3,838 Carries (2nd)
16,726 Rushing Yards (2nd)
125 Touchdowns (110 Rushing-4th, 15 Receiving)
1977 NFL AP MVP
1977 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
1985 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
Super Bowl Champion (XX)
Member of Pro-Football Hall of Fame (1993)
Pro Bowl Selections: 9
Pro Bowl MVP (1978)
All-Pro Selections: 9 (6x 1st Team, 3x 2nd Team)
10 seasons with 1,000 yards rushing (1st)
Most seasons with 1,300 or more rushing yards (9-1st)
6 Consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards rushing
Led the league in Rushing Attempts 4 times
NFL Rushing Champion (1,852-1977)
League leader in Rushing Touchdowns (14-1977)
League leader in Yards from Scrimmage (1977, 1978)
Career-high 275 rushing yards in one game (Nov. 20, 1977, vs Minnesota Vikings)
Games with 100 or more yards rushing, career: 77
Consecutive Games with 100 or more yards rushing: 9 (10/13/85-12/8/85)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 21,264 (3rd)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 21,803 (3rd)
Average Yards Per Game, Career: 88 ypg (7th)
NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team

2. Jim Brown- 9 NFL Seasons
2,359 Carries (25th)
12,312 Rushing Yards (9th)
126 Touchdowns (106 Rushing-5th, 20 Receiving)
3x NFL MVP (1957, '58, '65)
Pro Bowl Selections: 9
9x All-Pro Selection (8x 1st Team, 1x 2nd Team)
8x Rushing Champion ('57-'61, '63-'65)
Average Yards Per Game, Career: 104.3 ypg (1st)
Average Yards Per Carry, Career: 5.2 ypc (1st)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 14,811 (21)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 15,459 (24th)
NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
Member of Pro-Football Hall of Fame (1971)

3. Barry Sanders- 10 NFL Seasons
3,062 Carries (6th)
15,269 Rushing Yards (3rd)
109 Touchdowns (99 Rushing-9th, 10 Receiving)
1989 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
1991 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
1994 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
1997 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
1997 NFL AP MVP
Pro Bowl Selections: 10
10x 1st Team All-Pro Selection
4x Rushing Champion (1990, '94, '96, '97)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
10 Consecutive 1,000 yard seasons (Tied-1st)
Most Consecutive 1,000 yard seasons (10-1st)
Most Seasons w/ 1,300 or more rushing yards (9)-Tied w/Walter Payton
Most Seasons w/ 1,400 or more rushing yards (7)
Most Consecutive seasons w/ 1,400 or more rushing yards (5)-Tied w/ Emmitt Smith
Most Seasons w/ 1,500 or more rushing yards (5)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 18,456 (5th)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 18,308 (8th)
Pro-Football Hall of Fame (2004)

4. Emmitt Smith- 15 NFL Seasons
4,409 Carries (1st)
18,355 Rushing Yards (1st)
175 Touchdowns (165 Rushing-1st, 10 Receiving)
1990 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
1993 NFL AP MVP
1993 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
Super Bowl Champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)
Super Bowl XXVIII MVP
Pro Bowl Selections: 8
All-Pro Selections: 6
4x Rushing Champion (1991, '92, '93, '95)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
Most 100-yard Rushing Games, Career: 78 (1st)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 21,579 (2nd)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 21,579 (4th)
Pro-Football Hall of Fame (2010)

5. LaDanian Tomlinson- 11 NFL Seasons
3,174 Carries
13,684 Rushing Yards (5th All-Time)
162 Touchdowns (145 Rushing-2nd, 17 Receiving)
2006 NFL AP MVP
2006 NFL Offensive Player of the Year
2006 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
Pro Bowl Selections: 5
All-Pro Selections: 6 (4x 1st Team, 2x 2nd Team)
2x Rushing Champion (2006, 2007)
Most Total Touchdowns in Single Season (31-2006)
Most Rushing Touchdowns in Single Season (28-2006)
Most games with 2+ rushing TDs (38)
Most games with 3+ rushing TDs (12)
Most games with 200+ yards from scrimmage in a season (5-2003)
Most games with 2 or more TDs in a season (10-2006)
Most games with 3 or more TDs in a season (6-2006)
Most consecutive games with a rushing TD (18/2004-2005)
Most consecutive games with 2 or more rushing TDs (8-2006)
Most consecutive games with 3 or more rushing TDs (3-2006)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 18,456 (5th)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 18,456 (7th)
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team




















6. Marshall Faulk- 12 NFL Seasons
2,836 Carries (15th)
12,279 Rushing Yards (10th)
136 Touchdowns (100 Rushing- 7th, 36 Receiving)
1994 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
1999 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
2000 NFL AP MVP
2000 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
2001 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
2001 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
Super Bowl Champion (XXXIV)
Pro Bowl Selections: 7
All-Pro Selections: 3
Leader in Rushing Touchdowns: (18-2000)
Leader in Yards Per Carry: 3 (1999, 2000, 2001)
2x Leader in Total Touchdowns: (2000, 2001)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 19,154 (4th)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 19,172 (6th)
Pro-Football Hall-of Fame (2011)

7. Eric Dickerson- 11 NFL Seasons
2,996 Carries (9th)
13,259 Rushing Yards (7th)
96 Touchdowns (90 Rushing- 12th, 6 Receiving)
1983 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
1986 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
Pro Bowl Selections: 6
All-Pro Selections: 5
4x Rushing Champion (1983, 1984, 1986, 1988)
Leader in Rushing Touchdowns (14-1984)
NFL Single-Season Record for Rushing Yards (2,105-1984)
Average Yards Per Game, Career: 90.8 (5th)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 15,396 (14th)
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
Pro-Football Hall-of-Fame (1999)




















8. Marcus Allen- 16 NFL Seasons
3,022 Carries (8th)
12,243 Rushing Yards (12th)
144 Touchdowns (123 Rushing- 3rd, 21 Receiving)
1982 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
Super Bowl Champion (XVIII)
Super Bowl XVIII MVP
1985 NFL AP MVP
1985 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
1993 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year
Pro Bowl Selections: 6
All-Pro Selections: 3 (2x 1st Team, 1x 2nd Team)
NFL Rushing Champion (1,759- 1985)
2x Leader in Rushing Touchdowns (1982, 1993)
2x Leader in Total Touchdowns (1982, 1984)
Consecutive Seasons with multiple touchdowns: 16
Consecutive Seasons with a rushing touchdown: 16
Consecutive Seasons with multiple rushing touchdowns: 16
Oldest player to score 10+ TDs in a season: 37 (1997)
Leader in Rushing Yards Per Game: (1985)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 17,654 (7th)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 17,654 (10th)
Pro-Football Hall-of-Fame (2003)

9. Earl Campbell- 8 NFL Seasons
2,187 Carries
9,407 Rushing Yards
74 Touchdowns
1978 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
1978 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
1979 NFL AP MVP
1979 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
1979 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
1980 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
Pro Bowl Selections: 5
All-Pro Selections: 3
3x NFL Rushing Champion (1978, 1979, 1980)
3x Leader in Rushing Yards Per Game: ('78, '79, '80)
2x Leader in Rushing Touchdowns: ('79, '80)
Leader in Total Touchdowns: (19- 1979)
Leader in Rushing Yards Per Carry: (5.2- 1980)
NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
Pro-Football Hall-of-Fame (1991)

10. Tony Dorsett- 12 NFL Seasons
2,936 Carries (11th)
12,739 Rushing Yards (8th)
90 Touchdowns (77 Rushing- 20th, 13 Receiving)
1977 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
Super Bowl Champion (XII)
Pro Bowl Selections: 4
All-Pro Selections: 1
Leader in Carries: (177-1982)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 16,293 (10th)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 16,293 (16th)
Pro-Football Hall-of-Fame (1994)

Top 5 Wide Receivers of All-Time

1. Jerry Rice- 20 NFL Seasons
1,549 Receptions (1st),
22,895 Receiving Yards (1st),
207 Touchdowns (1st- 197 receiving, 10 rushing)
Pro Bowls- 13
All-Pro Selections-12 (11x 1st Team All-Pro)
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame (2010)
3x Super Bowl Champion (XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
Super Bowl XXIII MVP
2x NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1987, 1993)
Holds numerous NFL records
49ers All-Time Leader in Career Receptions (1,281)
49ers All-Time Leader in Career Receiving Yards (19,247)
49ers All-Time Leader in Career TDs (187)
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
Most 1,000 yard receiving seasons (14)
Most consecutive games with with a pass reception (274)
Most consecutive games with a touchdown reception- (13-1986-1987)
Most seasons with 50 or more receptions (17)
4 seasons with 100+ receptions
6 seasons leading the league in receiving yards
Led the league in touchdown receptions 6 times.
Postseason Records:
Most postseason games (29)
Most postseason touchdowns (22)
Most postseason receiving yards (2,245)
Most postseason receptions (151)
Most consecutive games, 100 or more receiving yards-3 (1988-1989)
Super Bowl Records:
Career points-48 (1st)
Receptions-33 (1st)
Receiving yards- 589 (1st)
Touchdowns- 8 (1st)
Receptions in a game- 11 (1st)
Receiving yards in a game- 215 (1st)



















2. Randy Moss- 14 NFL Seasons
982 Receptions (10th)
15,292 Receiving Yards (4th)
156 Touchdowns (2nd)
73.6 receiving yards per game (7th)
Pro Bowls: 7
All-Pro Selections: 5
10 seasons with 1,000 receiving yards (2nd)
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
Most touchdown receptions in a season- 23 (2007)
Highest career yards per catch average with 900+ career receptions- 15.6
Fastest player to reach 5,000 career receiving yards
Most seasons with 17+ TD receptions- 3 (1st-'98, '03, '07)
Most 1,200 yard receiving seasons to start a career- 6 ('98, '99, '00, '01, '02, '03)
Vikings 2nd All-Time Leader in career TDs (92)
Most 100 yard receiving games in Vikings history (41)
Most Playoff TDs in Vikings history (8)

3. Terrell Owens- 15 NFL Seasons
1,078 Receptions (6th)
15,934 Receiving Yards (2nd)
153 Touchdowns (3rd)
Pro Bowls: 6
All-Pro Selections: 5 (1st Team)
3x NFL Receiving Touchdowns Leader (2001, 2002, 2006)
2nd All-Time in Seasons with 13+ Touchdown Receptions with 7 (J. Rice- 8)
Nine Seasons with 1,000+ yards w/five consecutive (2000-2004)
Third Player to reach 150+ Touchdowns
6th Player to reach 1,000+ Receptions
Consecutive Seasons with at least 5 or more Touchdown Receptions (11, 2000-2010)
49ers All-Time Leader in Single Game Receptions: 20 (12/17/00)
Eagles All-Time Leader in Single Season Touchdowns: 14 (2004)
Eagles All-Time Leader in Single Season Receiving YPG: 109.0 (2005)
Cowboys Leader in Most Consecutive Games with at least 1 Touchdown: 7 (2007)
Cowboys All-Time Leader in Single Game Touchdown Receptions: 4 (11/18/07)
15k Receiving Yards Club
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team




















4. Cris Carter- 16 NFL Seasons
1,101 Receptions (4th)
13,899 Receiving Yards (9th)
131 Touchdowns (4th)
Pro Bowls: 8
All-Pro Selections: 3 (2- 1st Team, 1- 2nd Team)
Vikings All-Time Leader in Career Receptions (1,004)
Vikings All-Time Leader in Career Receiving Yards (12,383)
Vikings All-Time Leader in Career TDs (110)
1st player with 120+ receptions in back to back seasons. (122-1994 & 1995)
Most 12+ reception games in a single season in 1995 (4)
Most consecutive seasons with 5 or more TDs (11)
Most consecutive games with 2 TD receptions (4)
Finished the '90s decade with 835 receptions, only second to Jerry Rice (860)
1 of 2 receivers to have 150 yard receiving games in 3 different decades (Jerry Rice)
Member of Pro-Football Hall of Fame (2013)



















5. Marvin Harrison- 13 NFL Seasons
1,102 Receptions (3rd- 2nd among WRs)
14,580 Receiving yards (6th)
128 Receiving Touchdowns (5th)
Pro Bowls: 8
All-Pro Selections: 8
Super Bowl XLI Champion
Colts All-Time Leader in Receptions (1,102)
Colts All-Time Leader in Receiving Yards (14,580)
Colts All-Time Leader in Career TDs (128)
Most Receptions in a single season- 143 (2002)
4th Most TD Receptions in a decade- 95 (2000-2009)
Consecutive Seasons with 100+ receptions- 4 (1999-2002)
Consecutive Seasons with 1,400+ receiving yards- 4 (1999-2002)
Most average receptions per game in a career- 5.8 (1996-2008)

2012: The Year of LeBron

Congratulations to LeBron James for winning his first title, while leading the Miami Heat to victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 NBA Finals. Therefore, LeBron James' victory as the Leader of a championship team, further solidifies and cements his legacy among the all-time greats, adding a Finals MVP trophy along with his 3 MVP Awards. Now, LeBron has proven that he is indeed an Alpha Dog level player, both in the regular season and in the postseason with an incredible playoff run to add to that. LeBron's versatility is on another level apart from the rest of the league. As for those critics that say that LeBron is not "clutch" or a "killer", as The Rock says, they can know their role and shut their mouth!! LeBron has given the ultimate validation and confirmation, that he can in fact, close the deal. In fact, he has often "closed" the game more than his star sidekick Dwyane Wade. Excluding last year's Finals vs. the Mavs, James was the more consistent player for that team. LeBron is 45% in Game-winning situations, while Wade is 33%. During the series against the Celtics, LeBron was the driving force. In the Eastern Conference Finals vs Chicago, LeBron was the ultimate weapon to destroy League MVP Derrick Rose. During the offseason, LeBron went on a mission, with full focus. He goes to Houston to train with Hall of Famer, and NBA Legend Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon to improve his low post game. The training brought great results, as LeBron cut out his jump shooting, and took more control down low in the paint. As a result, he recorded a career high field goal percentage of 53%. During a compacted, sloppy lockout-shortened 66 game season, LeBron James was the most consistent player throughout the league, especially for his team. By the way, did I mention before that this year's average FG % was 45 percent? Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade, the man that many called the main leader on the team, played anything like it, as he missed nearly half of the season with injuries, along with inconsistent play, bringing in only 22 ppg. Along with a great shooting percentage, LeBron's numbers were his typical well-rounded stats across the board, as he averaged merely 27.1 ppg, 7.9 RPGs, and 6.2 apg. LeBron turned up the Heat (no pun intended) in the playoffs, with a phenomenal 30.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg, and 5.6 apg, off of 50% shooting, with a playoff run that we have not seen for quite some time, since Prime Shaq, & Tim Duncan. During this time, he guarded everyone from Carmelo Anthony, Danny Grainger, Rondo, Paul Pierce, to Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook. The highlights of this run included a (40/18/9) in Game 4 of the East Semis ,vs the Pacers, (45/15/5) in Game 6 of the ECF vs. the Celtics, and a triple double (26/11/13) in Game 5 of the Finals vs. The Thunder. In the first round, he burned the Knicks with (27.2/6.2/5.6). In the Conference Semis vs. Indiana, he obliterated the Pacers for (30.0/10.8/6.2). In the Conference Finals, he went on a rampage (33.6/11.0/3.9). In the Finals, he cleaned Kevin Durant & the Thunder's clock (28.6/10.2/7.4). When someone is hungry for a title, they have a breakout season that I call their "statement" season. In this case for Michael, it was 1991 vs. the Lakers, when he vanquished them for 31/6/11 55% FG, in his quest for his very first title, and First Finals MVP. (He would soon make many more statements). That season, he went on to win League MVP (31.5/6.0/5.5/2.7), and led the Bulls through a season in which they could not be stopped. For Magic Johnson, it was 1987, when he had his greatest individual season (24/6.3/12.2) en route to his first MVP (his best MVP season). Johnson was bashed for the way he & the Lakers underperformed the previous year vs. The Houston Rockets in the WCF. This season, Magic went on to lead the Lakers to a 65-17 record on the way to putting away arch-rival Larry Bird's Celtics once and for all. For the Finals, Johnson averaged (26.2/8.0/13.0). These are just the few of many great examples, where a player is on a seek & destroy mission, where they blow the competition, and leave a trail of bodies behind. These are the kind of seasons, where a player has that standout, defining season, where they make their mark as the undisputed "Best Player in the NBA" by winning League MVP, while leading his team to a title, then earning "Finals MVP", to stand as the best in both regular & postseason. This season, LeBron James definitively, and undeniably made that claim, as he put his ultimate stamp on the league as the best in the world. This year, along with the rest of his consistency during his career, has launched LeBron higher into the upper echelon of NBA Greatness. LeBron's legend will only continue to grow.