Below I have an interesting topic I saw on ESPN.com a few weeks back. It was a Mt. Rushmore for sports done for each state. People voted in a variety of ways to reach a consensus on who should be placed on each state's Mt. Rushmore of sports. Athletes were voted to the state's Mt. Rushmore based on their career accomplishments irrespective of what state they were born in. Athletes could be voted on to a Mt. Rushmore for a state that they are from, played in, currently live in, or played college ball in. With that said I think that the two states that I grew up in did really well. New York was to be expected, because honestly up and down the list you see other states laying claim to guys that either played professionally in NY or were born in NY. LT, Tyson, and Vince Lombardi just to name a few. Louisiana on the other hand did real well and surprisingly enough it was done with mostly basketball players (Shaq, Pistol Pete, Bill Russell, and Terry Bradshaw. But my two favorite states were Alabama and Mississippi. Who knew states that struggle in so many other important categoriese like education and health could produced some of the finest athletes our generation has seen. My biggest problem on this list however is the state of Florida and if you have read my past blogs you already know what it is....Tim Tebow. With all the great athletes to come out of the state of Florida how does a college junior in Tim Tebow make the Mt. Rushmore. This guy won't even be an 1st round pick in the NFL. I mean really, Tim Tebow?! Really?! Tim Tebow over Neon Deion "Primetime must be the money" Sanders. Really?! Ok I'll let it go, its not like this thing is really getting built. But I'd like some feed back on this one. How did your state turn out? Who do you think got left of the list unfairly? Talk to me...
Alabama
Hank Aaron Bear Bryant Bo Jackson Willie Mays
Alaska
Carlos Boozer Scott Gomez Joe Redington Susan Butcher
Arizona
Pat Tillman Lute Olson Jerry Colangelo Luis Gonzalez
Arkansas
Scottie Pippen Frank Broyles Brooks Robinson John McDonnell
California
Tiger Woods John Wooden Magic Johnson Jackie Robinson
Colorado
John Elway Joe Sakic Todd Helton Goose Gossage
Connecticut
Jim Calhoun Geno Auriemma Chris Drury Walter Camp
Delaware
Rich Gannon Randy White Tubby Raymond Dallas Green
Florida
Dan Marino Don Shula Bobby Bowden Tim Tebow
Georgia
Hank Aaron Herschel Walker Ty Cobb Bobby Jones
Hawaii
Duke Kahanamoku Bryan Clay Colt Brennan Wally Yonamine
Idaho
Harmon Killebrew Picabo Street Jerry Kramer Dan O'Brien
Illinois
Michael Jordan Walter Payton Ernie Banks Mike Ditka
Indiana
Larry Bird Bob Knight Peyton Manning John Wooden
Iowa
Dan Gable Kurt Warner Nile Kinnick Bob Feller
Kansas
Barry Sanders Wilt Chamberlain Danny Manning Jim Ryun
Kentucky
Muhammad Ali Adolph Rupp Secretariat Rick Pitino
Louisiana
Terry Bradshaw Pete Maravich Shaquille O'Neal Bill Russell
Maine
Cindy Blodgett Paul Kariya Joan Benoit Mike Bordick
Maryland
Cal Ripken Jr. Michael Phelps Johnny Unitas Brooks Robinson
Massachusetts
Ted Williams Bobby Orr Tom Brady Red Auerbach
Michigan
Steve Yzerman Barry Sanders Gordie Howe Joe Louis
Minnesota
Kirby Puckett Herb Brooks Harmon Killebrew Bud Grant
Mississippi
Jerry Rice Walter Payton Brett Favre Archie Manning
Missouri
Stan Musial Jack Buck Lamar Hunt George Brett
Montana
Brent Musberger Evel Knievel Phil Jackson Dave McNally
Nebraska
Tom Osborne Tommie Frazier Bob Gibson Gale Sayers
Nevada
Greg Maddux Andre Agassi Jerry Tarkanian Mike Tyson
New Hampshire
Carlton Fisk Bode Miller Chris Carpenter Jenny Thompson
New Jersey
Martin Brodeur Bill Parcells Carl Lewis Lawrence Taylor
New Mexico
Brian Urlacher Al Unser Sr. Nancy Lopez Tommy McDonald
New York
Babe Ruth Jackie Robinson Jim Brown Joe Namath
North Carolina
Michael Jordan Dean Smith Dale Earnhardt Mike Krzyzewski
North Dakota
Roger Maris Phil Jackson Lute Olson Darin Erstad
Ohio
Jack Nicklaus Jesse Owens Paul Brown Woody Hayes
Oklahoma
Mickey Mantle Jim Thorpe Barry Sanders Barry Switzer
Oregon
Steve Prefontaine Clyde Drexler Phil Knight Gary Payton
Pennsylvania
Joe Paterno Mario Lemieux Roberto Clemente Wilt Chamberlain
Puerto Rico
Roberto Clemente Ivan Rodriguez Wilfredo Benitez Jose Ortiz
Rhode Island
Ernie DiGregorio Rocco Baldelli Nap Lajoie Dave Gavitt
South Carolina
Joe Frazier Kevin Garnett Shoeless Joe Jackson John McKissick
South Dakota
Adam Vinatieri Sparky Anderson Billy Mills Brock Lesnar
Tennessee
Pat Summitt Peyton Manning Reggie White Wilma Rudolph
Texas
Nolan Ryan Lance Armstrong Tom Landry Earl Campbell
Utah
John Stockton Karl Malone Steve Young LaVell Edwards
Vermont
Jake Burton Tom Brennan John LeClair Patty Sheehan
Virginia
Arthur Ashe Bruce Smith Lawrence Taylor Sam Snead
Washington
Ken Griffey Jr. Steve Largent Edgar Martinez Don James
Washington, D.C.
Joe Gibbs Sammy Baugh John Thompson Walter Johnson
West Virginia
Jerry West Mary Lou Retton Sam Huff Randy Moss
Wisconsin
Vince Lombardi Brett Favre Hank Aaron Al McGuire
Wyoming
Rulon Gardner Jay Novacek Kenny Sailors Bobby Harris
2 comments:
I for one can live with the Louisiana Mt. Rushmore of Sports, but I have a few gripes. Being a true, through and through, born and raised New Orleanian unlike Mr. Moore, I think most would agree with me when I say that it is outrageous that there was not one football player on the list who ever put on a LSU Tigers Football or Saints jersey. I'm sorry but as a life long Saints fan and LSU alumnus, I can't say I totally agree with this list. I can rattle off a couple of players off the top of my head, which include Billy Cannon (The only LSU player to win the Heisman Trophy), Willie Roaf (played at LA Tech in college and for the Saints. Also,top 10 NFL draft pick, went to at least 8+ pro bowls, named to 1990s All-Decade team and will be the first Saints player to enter the NFL Hall of Fame), Rickey Jackson (Saints all-time sack leader), Deuce McAllister (Saints all-time leader in rushing yards) just to name a few.
Little late to this one, but I have a thought to add.
How can Jack Dempsey not be included on the list for Colorado? He was the heavyweight champion of the world for seven years during a time when boxing was the most popular sport in the country. He is considered by most experts to be one of the five greatest boxers in history, and yet, he was beaten out by Joe Sakic and Todd Helton? Really? The people of Kentucky, Michigan, and South Carolina were all smart enough to vote in Ali, Louis, and Frazier. I'm disappointed in Colorado.
Also, it's good to see Hawai'i hasn't forgotten about the Duke.
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