This list is for those who make the most out of the opportunities they have. Many of these guys are/were key contributors to their team's success at one time or another.
10. Craig Hodges- Bulls (1988-1992)
Ok, so the list kind of starts after Craig. However, he and Larry Bird are the only two NBA-ers to win 3-point contests at the All-Star break three different times.(1990-1992)
9. Lee Smith- Cubs (1980-1987)
A closer who didn't truly hit his stride 'til he left the Windy City, Smith is still worthy of a spot. The game's second-most all-time saves leader racked up multiple 30-save seasons, keeping the Cubs "on lock" throughout the 80's.
8. Glen Milbryn- Bears (1998-2000)
Arguably the Bears second greatest return man. He once returned three kicks for touchdowns in one season. (Remember when that was a stellar year? That's like all in a day's work for Devin.)
7. Bobby Jenks- White Sox (2005-Current)
Nothing gave me more of a thrill than watching Ozzie make the hand gestures to the bullpen that he wanted the big fat rookie to come out and seal a 2005 playoff birth in Detroit. It was also he who closed out that World Series, earning two saves in the four games. This Sox closer tied the all-time mark for most consecutive outs last season. He was also shooting for the record of most times getting caught bringing beer on the team bus. That number currently sits at two.
6. Brandon Ayanbadejo- Bears (2005-Current)
When you think special teams you wouldn't normally think of a guy on a coverage team, but if you watch the Bears week in and week out, one can't help but notice big ole' #94 hammering people on just about, literally, EVERY return. I was disappointed to see that neither NFL.com or football-reference.com had stats on him for his special teams abilities, because I'm almost positive he had more tackles on kick and punt returns than Archuleta and Danielle did combined in their starting roles this season.
5. Bobby Thigpen- White Sox (1986-1993)
Ok, I'm sorry fans, but I don't know a whole lot about this guy. In 1990 he set the MLB record for most saves in a season (57) that even 2003 Cy Young winner Eric Gagne did not touch. All I know is that if Gagne only saved 55 games that year, in what I would say was the greatest season I have ever seen out of a reliever (I realize my credibility with closers is ruined since I don't know a thing about Thigpen), and Bobby still had more, that must have been one hell of a season.
4. Patrick Manelly- Bears (1998-Current)
When describing this long snapper, the only thing that comes to mind is "Simply the BEST, Better than all the rest!" No but seriously, I did some research, and this guy has let three punts get blocked in his 10-year tenure in Chicago. THREE!! He owns the record for most consecutive games without a block. The guy is damn near perfect, every time, and makes Brad Maynard look like a better punter than he actually is. I could make an argument for this guy to be a Hall-of-Famer. So Pat, if your reading, shoot us an email.
3. Dennis Rodman- Bulls (1995-1998)
This was initially a questionable person to put on a list, until we researched some numbers and found ourselves in sheer awe. This was a guy who was on the down slope of his career when he arrived in the Second City, but his rebound count was insane. Twice in his three years he averaged 15 rebounds a night, and in 1996-97 he averaged 16. Dennis also brought that intimidation factor every time somebody stepped into the paint, something unmatched by anybody in the League, maybe of all-time. In the 1995-96 season, he even got some MVP votes.
2. Steve Kerr- Bulls (1993-1998)
Steve Kerr just didn't miss. He is a career 45% three-point shooter, 2nd All-time behind Jason Kapono, who will probably fade as he ages. He was the 1996 3-Point competition winner, and the inspiration for kids like me to throw away my jump shot mechanics in order to see who could hit the deepest trey. During the 1996-98 seasons, he was good for about 8 points and 1.5 threes a night, and hair I would have died for. (Insert Barnes joke here.)
1. Devin Hester- Bears (2006-Current)
Was there any doubt Mr. Soulja Boy himself wasn't going to be #1. This list was made FOR him. He's a punt/kick return god and a first-ballot Hall of Famer, as it currently stands today. Maybe no player, definitely no special teamster, is more scouted and analyzed than Devin. No matter who you are a fan of, hearing the phrase "...kicking to the Bears," you know people are tuning in, waiting to see the man with more electricity running through him than anybody on the planet, do what he does best. Now if only he could figure out how to run a fly pattern properly.
7 comments:
Barnes' hair > Kerr's hair
Jenks over Smith... ur dick is loose. Jenks is as average as closers come
and where do u get off posting on the same day then a day later on my post... "Dude, your post is going to have to wait. We just posted one." What happend to that Phil... Oh wait, there are specia rules for Phil "Cocksucker" Barnes
If you would have actually read the post, you would have noticed that I mentioned Smith's best years weren't even as he was a Cub. Jenks already has two 40-save seasons, two more than your boy smith had while in Chicago. Jenks got his first 40 save season at the age of 26, his second season in the bigs. (first full season) We had to wait 'til Smith was 34, already 11 years in pro-ball to see him do that. Then lets check out post-season numbers. Jenks, has already had more appearances than Lee had in his entire career. Bobby had four saves in six post-season appearances, including two saves in the World Series. Now lets check out Old Man Lee's numbers... a "stellar" 0-2 record with a 8.44 era, just the numbers your looking for in a closer. So before you call me a cocksucker and tell me my dick is loose, do some research and look up some numbers. Oh... and we don't post lists on weekends.
Oh and keep the profanity down. Nobody is going to want to keep viewing this site if you can't keep my junk out of a post
Ur right... the man with the second most saves of all-time and a lifetime 3.03 era is worse than Bobby Jenks (3.26 career that would be 3 seasons only, which only looks to get bigger with his waist). And as you already know closers were used differently in those days. They were used when needed not just at the end of a game for a meaningless stat in a 3 run no brainer. Hence, why Smith average 14.0 more innings a year than Jenks, making it less likely for him to even qualify for saves. Plus, I dont know where ur getting ur stats but Jenks has average 56 games per yr while Smith averaged 55, while adding the 14 more innings a yr as i already mentioned. You do ur research and understand the history of baseball a little bit more. baseball reference is never wrong. out
I never said that Bobby Jenks was better than Smith was overall in his career. I can say he was better than Smith was while he was a Cub though. I never said anything about innings per year but I do not feel that that is even remotely important when discussing a closer, they only thing that is important is if he got the job done or not, and in Jenk's three years he has proved to me that he is deservant of a higher ranking that Smith during his run in Chicago.
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