For those of you fellow couch potatoes who just can't enough meaningless sports reporting, I hope you've been following ESPN's
Mount Rushmores of Sports, brought to you by writer/personality
Rick Reilly. This week Reilly announced the
Pennsylvania Rushmore as a top five finalist. The four chiseled faces: Joe Paterno, Wilt Chamberlain, Mario Lemieux, and Roberto Clemente.
The most humorous bit about the PA Rushmore was the amount of votes that fictional icon, Rocky, garnered. So if Philly was voting for Rocky, where were the votes for Smarty Jones and Vince Papale. Once again, we all know where the sports town in PA is located.
Another honor for a non-fictional icon.
4 comments:
left off - Carlton, Schmidt, Stargell, Bradshaw, Harris, Palmer, Greene, Ward, Noll, Marino, Holmes (Larry not Santonio), Blount, Foxx, Andretti, and Thorpe. Lots of great sportsmen from PA.
I would think Dr. J would have been included. Also, Jack Ham, although not nearly the brand name of the others, was a standout at every single level he played, all played in PA.
When I think of Mt. Rushmore - the first thing that comes to mind is leadership. So the first two picks for me would be Joe Paterno and Chuck Noll.
JoePA is a no-brainer. Given his lofty status in the collegiate coaching ranks coupled with his "grand experiment" and philanthropy endevors make him a stone cold lock. For those in need of a history leason, the "grand experiment" is what he sold the PSU adminstration on in his early years. He wanted to maintain the scholar-athelete, with an emphasis on scholar. Though the "experiment" may have slipped in the last decade, his program produced a long list of successful individuals that didn't earn a dime from playing football.
With Chuck Noll, nothing much needs to be said. 4 titles in 6 years and his best team didn't win one (1976 - look it up). His ability to maintain an even keel and coach his team without much emotion enabled him to keep things in prespective and do what was best for the team. And having the 1974 draft in your pocket didn't hurt. 4 HoF'ers in the first 5 rounds (Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stalworth and Mike Webster).
My next choice is Arnold Palmer. He trancended his sport and you have to give major points for that. He brought golf out of the country clubs and introduced it to the masses. The guy hasn't done anything on the golf course in decades and he is still getting marketing deals. This goes to show his wide-ranging appeal. Also, he is highly respected by today's players. Tiger Woods speaks glowingly of Arnold as do all the other pros.
My 4th choice is tough. It is between Julius Erving (aka Dr. J) and Mario Lemeuix. Let's face it, Dr. J was Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan finished wetting the bed. He was a star in the ABA (gotta love the red, white and blue ball) and the NBA. If player marketing was as prevalent in the 70s as it was for MJ - Dr. J would be a serioulsy rich dude!! However, I have to give the nod to Mario. Yes, it is a homer pick - but you can argue that he was the greatest player in hockey EVER.
With Mario, you have a guy that revolutionized the game. He had all the skill in the world and was bigger than the goons in the mid 80s. It would have been scary if he would have been a work-out freak. For Mario, getting ready for the season meant that he stopped eating mayo after August 1st. Couple that with the chain smoking (he quite in him mid-20s) and partying lifestyle, it is amazing that he could score one goal let alone 690. It is what he did for the franchise and the city that sets him apart. He saved hockey in Pittsburgh twice, and you could argue that he saved it a third time too). He first saved the franchise by simply getting drafted and putting on an amazing performance each and every night for 12 years - which includes 2 Stanley Cups. He again saved the Penguins when he took control of the organ-I-zation and raised the team up out of brankruptcy. And it shold be noted - he did not blow off his creditors - it may have took several years, but it was reported that the team fulfilled all its obligations down to the caterers and limousine services. You can also argue that he saved the franchise a third time by securing the financing of a new facility that the Pens will be moving to in a few years. I don't necessarily agree that Mario would have moved the team. If push came to shove - he would have sold the team and let someone else move them. He is smart enough to know that moving the Pens would CRUSH all the good will he built in southwestern PA.
So - there you have it. A-dawg's picks for the Pennsylvania Mt. Rushmore of Sports.
Chiming in behind Ad Rock's immensely cerebral (and well spell checked) post...it's a shame that you can't get about 10 faces on Rushmore. Although I think all 4 of the faces as presented by Reilly are worthy, I would also give a shout to Chaz Noll, simply because he is probably my favorite figure from the 70's dynasty, and cleary the greatest NFL architech of all time. As a Philadelphian, you would expect there to be Dr. J and Wilt shit everywhere, but there really isn't. I still think that J was the poster child of 70's basketball, just when it needed an identity. What about the high school and collegiate studs like Dorsett, Ham, and Marino? I'm going to go with: Joe PA, Mario, Clemente, and Noll simply because I think Wilt and J almost cancel each other out. (good thing I don't have any Sixers genuises as readers)...time for MP to weigh in.
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