Ten for Tuesday - Best First Picks

Oh, the joy of having the first overall pick in an upcoming draft. Teams that have suffered for decades know just how critical it is to make picks count early on in the draft, yet there have been so many horrible mistakes. Brien Taylor, Greg Oden, and JaMarcus Russell come specifically to mind. Today, I decided to take a look at what teams got it right over the course of baseball, football, and basketball history.

Before I begin, I would like to emphasize that this is more than just simply ranking talent. Superstars such as Shaquille O'Neal and John Elway will not be featured on this list despite being chosen first overall in 1992 and 1983, respectively. Shaq only played four full seasons in Orlando, where he was chosen, before leaving for Los Angeles and becoming the Hall of Famer we all know and love. Meanwhile, Elway was chosen first by the Baltimore Colts, who ended up losing out on the west coast wonder who wasn't interested in playing for an organization as bad as theirs was at the time. 

This list will constitute the best picks made that have impacted not only each franchise involved but the rest of the sport as well. I don't want to pretend to know any more about hockey than I do, so I excluded guys like Mario Lemieux, Alexander Ovechkin, and Sidney Crosby.

10 Best #1 Overall Picks

Honorable Mentions: Allen Iverson (1996, Philadelphia 76ers), David Robinson (1987, San Antonio Spurs), Alex Rodriguez (1993, Seattle Mariners), O.J. Simpson (1969, Buffalo Bills), Bruce Smith (1985, Buffalo Bills), Shaquille O'Neal (1992, Orlando Magic), John Elway (1983, Baltimore Colts)

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That list of names should warrant just how difficult it was to craft this Top 10. Allen Iverson was the heart and soul of the Philadelphia 76ers, leading them out of obscurity to the NBA Finals and taking home an MVP Award. Although AI played for several teams towards the home stretch of his excellent career, it was Philadelphia that got the best out of his talent. "The Admiral", David Robinson, also is well-deserving of a mention. Robinson made 10 All Star teams and won Rookie of the Year and the 1995 NBA MVP. He will go down as one of the greatest big men in basketball history, and it was so tough to keep him off this ten.

10 - Terry Bradshaw, 1st Pick of the 1970 NFL Draft

Chosen By: Pittsburgh Steelers

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Terry Bradshaw was a very good Quarterback in the NFL. Some go as far to say that he was one of the best, and while I disagree with this, he does have the accolades to back it up. He is the golden child of the rule some analysts use to rate Quarterbacks: "The best quarterbacks should be ranked by how many Super Bowl rings they have, and not by performance". I absolutely hate the entire idea of this (more on this later). Bradshaw won 4 Super Bowls as the anchor of the famous Steel Curtain team of the 1970's, and he was one of the NFL's best without question. But would I take John Elway, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, etc; over Bradshaw? Probably.

Regardless of where he ranks, his impact is unprecedented. He played his entire 14 year career in Pittsburgh, and is beloved all throughout the Steel City. Iverson and Robinson may have been more dominant at their peak (hard to compare sports, obviously), but who knows if the Steelers would have the most Super Bowl titles if it weren't for Bradshaw's elite performance under high pressure circumstances.

9 - Chipper Jones, 1st Pick of the 1990 MLB Draft

Chosen By: Atlanta Braves

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Growing up in Florida, Larry Wayne Jones was not Atlanta's original choice, but they grew to love and embrace their switch hitting mainstay. Chipper played 19 seasons for the Braves, and stayed consistent throughout his tenure at the hot corner and outfield positions. When he was 36, he won the batting title with a .364 average; and while he fell shy of 500 career home runs (468), he still had the most of any switch hitter in National League history. On top of it all, he made 8 All Star teams, won the 1999 NL MVP, and won the World Series in 1995. The Braves didn't know they were buying into a franchise legend in 1990, and with that in mind he definitely earned a place as one of the best 1st overall picks ever.

8 - LeBron James, 1st Pick of the 2003 NBA Draft

Chosen By: Cleveland Cavaliers

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Woah, woah, woah. LeBron James at #8? Is this some kind of madness? 

No, and I'll tell you why the King doesn't hold the throne on this countdown. LeBron James may be the most talented athlete mentioned in this entire post, and when Cleveland chose him straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School he became the biggest basketball prodigy since at least Kobe Bryant, if not "His Airness" himself, Michael Jordan. James played 7 seasons in Cleveland before his infamous ESPN special announced his departure to South Beach. Seven seasons should be more than enough to warrant a spot on this list, but had he not left and betrayed his Cleveland supporters in favor of winning championships with the Heat, he could have been towards the top.

Luckily for Cavs fans, LeBron hasn't completely forgotten his first fanbase, and returned to Cleveland prior to this past season to finish what he started. It may have resulted in an NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors, but at least they made it there. If LeBron can finally fulfill his promise and bring home a title to Cleveland, his importance to the franchise will forever be remembered. 

7 - Kareem Abdul Jabbar, 1st Pick of the 1969 NBA Draft

Chosen By: Milwaukee Bucks

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Kareem Abdul Jabbar has been regarded by many as the best basketball player to ever walk the Earth. But everyone had to start somewhere, and before changing his name to Jabbar, he was Lew Alcindor of the Milwaukee Bucks. Alcindor was no slouch, but it wasn't until his days in Los Angeles when his legacy was completely set in stone. He only played 6 years in Milwaukee, but won 3 MVP's and made the All Star team in each of those years. The icing on the cake as to why he ranks above LeBron is that he did lead Milwaukee to a title in 1971. Alcindor was named the Finals MVP after leading the league in scoring that year. 

6 - Troy Aikman, 1st Pick of the 1989 NFL Draft

Chosen By: Dallas Cowboys 

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Much like Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman may be defined more for being a critical part of one of the best football teams of all time than for his own personal achievements. In sports, that really is what you shoot for. There have been better Quarterbacks than Aikman, but I wouldn't have a problem with him placing in any Top 10 Quarterbacks list (I may have to attack that down the line). The three time Super Bowl champion was joined by Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin to quite possibly form the best three headed monster the NFL has ever seen. 

Still, with 32,942 career passing yards and 165 touchdowns, along with serving America's Team for all 12 of his years, he was qualified to make the list as well.

5 - Hakeem Olajuwon, 1st Pick of the 1984 NBA Draft

Chosen By: Houston Rockets

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Is there a basketball player more underrated than Hakeem Olajuwon? If you try to view his accomplishments on Wikipedia, they take up most of your computer screen! Two time NBA Champion. Two time Finals MVP. 1994 NBA MVP. 12 All Star Games. 6 Time All NBA First Team. He's the Houston Rockets all time leading scorer, and nobody in history blocked more shots. Plus, he played 17 of his 18 years in Houston, and up until this point is their best player to grace the court. His importance to that team can only be paralleled by the four following #1 picks.

4 - Tim Duncan, 1st Pick of the 1997 NBA Draft

Chosen By: San Antonio Spurs

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Despite his counterparts Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, Tim Duncan is everything symbolic of the history of the San Antonio Spurs organization. For a player so consistently at the top of the game to still be disrespected as much as he has is sad. Duncan more than deserves be of the same breath as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and just about anyone else from this generation. With 5 NBA Championships under his belt (and counting), Duncan has solidified his legacy with the organization and with the NBA as a whole. In case you don't agree, I'll let some of his numbers do the talking: 15 All Star selections, 2 NBA MVP's, Rookie of the Year, 10 All NBA First Teams, and 8 All Defensive Team selections. He's led San Antonio in points scored, and not only has he been a part of great teams but he was the glue that kept them together. In three of his five NBA Finals wins, he won the MVP. Is there anything more that could possibly be said to keep Duncan from the respect he clearly deserves? 

3 - Peyton Manning, 1st Pick of the 1998 NFL Draft

Chosen By: Indianapolis Colts

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The fact that we haven't seen Peyton Manning 'man' Colts blue since the conclusion of the 2011 season and he still owns a spot this high on the list goes to prove just how impactful he was to their team. Luckily for Indianapolis, they seem to have a bright future still set in stone with their most recent #1 pick, Quarterback Andrew Luck, but he has some huge shoes to fill. Peyton only helped lead Indianapolis to one Super Bowl title, but their 2008 title was the shining moment of the entire organization's history. The elder Manning brother is larger than life, even if he has struggled in the postseason throughout most of his career. This does keep him from being considered the greatest QB of all time, but it certainly does not hurt his status as much as some say.

As I mentioned before, I don't agree to the argument that quarterbacks should be judged solely off of postseason accomplishments. It certainly helps for someone of Joe Montana's stature to have 4 titles of his own, but let's keep in mind that championships are won based off offensive and defensive team performance.

2 - Ken Griffey Jr., 1st Pick of the 1987 MLB Draft
Chosen By: Seattle Mariners

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Imagine if Ken Griffey Jr. was a little luckier. We can take out the fact that he is one of the most famous, rich athletes of all time, but if "The Kid" could have stayed healthy, we may have had a clean home run king. Griffey was a prolific five tool player among his years in Seattle, and was a quiet leader for an emerging team that always seemed to fall just short of winning it all. If the Mariners could have afforded to keep Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, and Griffey together longer, I bet they could have won a World Series. Could have. In our collector universe, we glorify his 1989 Upper Deck rookie card, which may just be the best card printed within the past 30 years. He recently recreated that moment in Macklemore's new music video "Downtown", and while it made absolutely no sense, it was refreshing to see Griffey in the public eye again. Except, rather than crushing home runs with his trademark gorgeous swing or robbing home runs, he catches a fish and flashes a smile. 

1 - Earvin "Magic" Johnson, 1st Pick of the 1979 NBA Draft

Chosen By: Los Angeles Lakers

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You can not spell "Lakers" without "Magic". Technically you can, but there is no doubt that he should be the first face that pops up in your head when you think of one of the most storied organizations in sports history. Kobe Bryant has had a remarkable career, Kareem Abdul Jabbar contributed greatly, and Wilt Chamberlain may be the greatest basketball player ever, but Magic Johnson has been all about Hollywood ever since the day he was drafted first overall.

Magic compiled 3 MVP trophies and 5 Championship titles amidst a career that was threatened and shortened by his contraction of AIDS. He made the All Star team in all but his sophomore season. He was flashy and extravagant and always made his presence felt. In fact, he still does in Los Angeles through his work as part owner of the Dodgers. I had to shift the order of this list a few times, but he stayed at the top.

For now, that will do it for this week's Ten for Tuesday. In the future, we may see Bryce Harper, Andrew Luck, Anthony Davis, and others on this list.

See Ya!

Card Shop Pack Breaks!

Hey guys, Drew back here. On Friday night my dad had to go get some hunting supplies at the mall so on the way back we made a quick trip to the shop. I bought some toploaders and magnetics, because it seems like I always run out of them so fast! Also got 3 packs, 1 2009 UD Draft football, 1 2010 Topps football, and 1 2010 Topps Update Jumbo Baseball pack! Here are the results:

2009 UD Draft Football:

- Fenuki Tupou RC
- Knowshon Moreno RC
- Jonathan Luigs RC
- Alex Mack RC
- Jared Cook RC
- Ian Campbell RC
- Jairus Byrd RC

- Peyton Manning All Americans Insert
- Peyton Manning Draft History
- Eli Manning Draft History
- Troy Polamalu Draft History

Interesting product, never opened any of it before. The cards look great for TTM'ing, and they have a nice glossy cover. The only notable rookie in the pack was Moreno, and getting 2 Peyton inserts is ridiculous but he's a good player to get multiple inserts of. All of these are for trade.

2010 Topps Football:

- David Garrard
- Tony Romo
- Robert Meachem
- Kyle Wilson Gold Parallel /2010
- DeAngelo Williams Draft Anniversary Insert
- Adrian Peterson Topps Attax
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Houston Texans
- Brandon LaFell RC
- Patrick Robinson RC

Not a really exciting pack unless your a Jets fan! And guess what, I'm a Jets fan! Yay! As you saw yesterday, I got Kyle Wilson back TTM a few days ago, and now I pull his numbered Topps rookie! Sweet!

2010 Topps Update Jumbo Baseball:
- A Bunch of Base, Ivan Rodriguez and Jose Bautista were highlights
- All Star cards of Heath Bell, Jose Valverde, Jon Lester, Matt Holliday, Scott Rolen, Adrian Beltre, Vladimir Guerrero, Justin Verlander, Torii Hunter, Jose Bautista, Alex Rodriguez, Brian McCann, Jason Heyward, Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Johnson, Phil Hughes/David Price, Vladimir Guerrero/Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols/Ryan Braun
- Home Run Derby cards of Matt Holliday, Chris Young, and Nick Swisher

- Bengie Molina Gold /2010
- Steve Carlton/Jon Lester Legendary Lineage
- Roy Campanella Million Card Giveaway (Redeemed: 2002 Eddie Taubensee)
- Colby Rasmus Peak Performance
- Ian Stewart Turkey Red
- Theres No Tying in Baseball Tales of the Game
- Don Mattingly Cards Your Mom Threw Out
- Adam Wainwright Topps Attax

- Colby Rasmus Peak Performance Autograph!

The autograph was certainly surprised and I'm happy I landed it! If I didn't, that would have definitely been a waste of 10 bucks. Rasmus is a solid player, not sure if he'll amount to a whole lot but he hit over 20 home runs this year so you can certainly do worse! Also got a Swisher, which doesn't do much considering its for the set and not my PC. It's a great looking card of Swish though!

It was a good little trip to the shop for sure! If anybody is curious in trading for any of these cards, please let me know. Most of the Topps Update base and inserts will not be for trade, but the football stuff is and the Rasmus Auto.

See Ya!

Drew's Top 10 TTMs

Hey guys, Drew back here. I worked up a list yesterday of my top through the mails, and I figured I would share the list with you guys. I listed it based on player/celebrity importance in society, legacy, being a great signer, a success I never imagined to get back, and some of the players I had to pay to get did not get as high of a rank as other players. Well, here goes, starting at number 10...

10. Virgil Trucks

Virgil never was a star pitcher in any way, although he is one of few few pitchers to throw 2 no-hitters in the same season. He is a tremendous signer though, for free I got my custom signed, index card signed, inscribed, and stamped, a bonus card signed, a stat sheet signed, and a personal letter to me! For a 93 year old man, I find Mr. "Fire" Trucks a truly remarkable guy.

9. Rex Ryan

If the Jets couldn't pull out that game against the Lions he wouldn't be on this list, because he did many things that I questioned throughout the game. However, Rex was a longshot to get TTM, and I really like his attitude towards winning. Inscribed "To Drew", Rex Ryan was one of the better successes.

8. Duke Snider

Duke Snider is one of the best Hall of Famers you can get right now. The 8 time All Star and 2 time World Series champion is now 84 years old and in not the best of condition. His signature has gotten more shaky as seen on my card, so hopefully things will get better for his sake. I am very glad I was able to get him though.

7. Bob Feller

Another nice old school Hall of Famer success here. Mr. Feller, for 92 years old, has a legacy in baseball, and is a great man. After trying him earlier and getting my custom destroyed in the mail, I told him what happened and he signed my new custom for free! Not only is Feller a baseball hero, but he is an American hero as well for serving some of the years in his prime in military service. A legend indeed.

6. Goose Gossage

This one came in recently, after waiting about a month, but it was well worth the wait. As you all know by now, this picture will look beautiful with the other great Yankees signed pictures I own. Goose was one of the first great relievers, and he brought fear to all of the hitters he faced. The signature can be read with ease, as Mr. Gossage has one of the best signatures in the game.

5. Whitey Ford

This guy would probably have ranked higher if I didn't have to send him $50 to get the picture signed. I gave him at least $20 more than I should have to get a success, because I already tried him previously only to get a price list. I couldn't think of much of a better Yankee to spend $50 on then the "Chairman of the Board", so I was thrilled to see the picture signed in all its glory. He inscribed it "To Drew, Whitey Ford, HOF 74". Awesome.

4. Lil Wayne

How often do you get the opportunity to get a great rappers autograph? Not often! I sent this custom card of Weezy to him during his recent prison stay for gun charges. I listen to a diverse amount of music and Lil Wayne has to be up there in my opinion in the rap industry. He seems like he's changed throughout the prison stay, thanking all his fans for the love and support and singling them out one at a time on his blog. This was a great success for me and I never imagined I would own a Lil Wayne autograph!

3. Steve Young

This card doesn't look spectacular by any means, but it doesn't matter, Steve Young, one of the best quarterbacks of all time, signed it! He has never been a consistent signer, but he has been as of very recently, so if you haven't tried him already I strongly suggest you try and try now! His signature is bold and beautiful and is a great addition to my collection!

2. Peyton Manning

You can say that Peyton Manning is the best signing player in the NFL today, but no matter how often he signs for his fans, he seems to be the best free signer I can think of. Peyton has already left a tremendous legacy in football, similar to that of Steve Young, but getting to see Peyton play every week makes it more special to have his autograph than Mr. Young. Peyton has a great sig and I'm still pumped that I got him back.

1. Yogi Berra

Without a doubt my top success! Yogi is in the top 5 best living Hall of Fame hitters for sure, you may argue that he is the best catcher of all time as well. He won 13 World Series and made 18 All Star Games! That is unbelievable! And I got him for free at that!

Well I hope you all enjoyed that! I started writing players letters way back, my first being to Jets wide receiver Brad Smith. I never got back from him, but then I wrote a letter to Iditarod racer Jeff King because I did a project on him, and I got my card back signed. From then on I've acquired 30 autographs for typically around 88 cents each. I started making customs after seeing what people were making, and I keep getting better and better.

If you haven't gotten involved in the TTM hobby, I suggest you do. If you need help getting started, shoot me an email to yanks1996wsc@gmail.com!

See Ya!

TTM #13- LUCKY 13!!!

Hey guys, Drew back here. My day was absolutely made today when I found my 2nd best TTM success (Yogi is #1) to date waiting for me. Check this bad boy out!

YES! PEYTON MANNING! Probably the most popular/famous player in the NFL today, took his personal time out to sign this card for me! And boy, does it look beautiful. I'm sure most of you know about Manning, 10 Pro Bowls, 4 MVP Awards, 2008 Super Bowl MVP, and the leader of the Colts in wins, touchdowns, pass attempts, pass completions, and passing yards. As far as all time, he's 3rd behind Favre and Marino in career passing touchdowns, and 4th in yards. Not too bad considering he's got a few more great years left.

Peyton sent the other card back unsigned, but thats most certainly ok. The card he did sign was from 2008 UD Football Heroes, and it looks better than this one would have looked! He also sent a little promo card for his charity, which I feel bad that I didn't send money to, but I really can't, savin all my cash for my big card show coming soon.

Overall, an unbelievable TTM success, from an unbelievable player. I will continue to support Peyton Manning throughout the rest of my life, and other than my boy Mark Sanchez, he may be my second favorite current quarterback. Thanks Peyton!

Leave Your Comments Below! See Ya!

New Custom

Hey guys, I just made a quick custom, trying some football through the mails soon, and here is my attempt at a football custom:

Super Bowl Sunday- Take Your Pick!

Hey guys, Drew back here. Today I am going to an airsoft party, and I'm getting back at around 7:30 I think. So, I'll miss the 1st hour of the Super Bowl, which isn't a huge deal but it does stink a little. The past 2 Super Bowls both had horrible 1st halves, until James Harrison returned that touchdown last year. This year, we have the Saints vs. the Colts, and it's gonna be a heck of a game. It's going to be exciting to see who wins it, and I can't wait to watch it.

I am honestly rooting for the Saints, because I really want to see them win. The Colts are a good team and I respect Manning & Reggie Wayne quite a bit, and I won't mind seeing them win, but they just won and I'd like to see the 'aints go all the way. It's going to come down to defense I think, and the Saints have a pretty bad one at that. The Colts have a pretty balanced attack so they will be tough to beat, so that means one of my former faves Jonathan Vilma, needs to step it up and have a big game. Both defenses aren't anything special, but the Colts have the edge at that point.

The Saints have the edge on offense for one reason and one reason only, the rushing attack. I think Reggie Bush is one of the best clutch running backs in the NFL now, especially in the playoffs. He does absolutely nothing in the regular season but he is a lethal weapon in the postseason. Add in Pierre Thomas and you have a good running game. Addai won't be able to match this in any way, shape, or form.

Overall, I think the Saints have enough offense to prevail, but it's gonna be a close game. It could definitely go either way, and we have never seen Drew Brees in such a big game before, so we'll have to see how he handles it. I think he will very well.

Prediction: Saints 30, Colts 27

I'm leaving a poll up now, take your pick, Go Saints, and See Ya!