Best and worst stadium songs

Remember the good old days when sports stadium music consisted of a faceless, nameless guy pounding out Lady of Spain on the organ? Then it changed. Someone sang Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Them Goodbye and the next thing you know, we’re being blasted out of our seats by rock 'n’ roll songs that have become just as much of the sports culture as popcorn, hot dogs and the Star-Spangled Banner before every game.

You know them all because you hear them every single time you go to a Rays game or a Lightning game or any sporting event.

So today, we look at stadium songs, jock rock, sports anthems, whatever you want to call them. We look at the songs we hate, the ones we love and the ones that we tell everyone we hate but deep down love.

Ten classic stadium songs we hate
1. Rock and Roll, Part 2
We grew tired of this song about 10 years ago and now can’t listen to it at all knowing its performer, Gary Glitter, is a convicted child molester.
2. Glory Days
Let’s be clear. We love, love, love Bruce Springsteen, but this song is awful. “He could throw that speedball by you. Make you look like a fool boy.’’ Really, Bruce, speedball? Have you ever even watched a baseball game?
3. Blitzkrieg Bop
This Ramone’s classic hit opens with “Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!’’ After hearing it 4-billion times, our response is, “No thanks, we’re just going to hang out here.’’
4. Sweet Home Alabama
We’re probably un-American for listing this song, but here’s why: In the song, Lynyrd Skynyrd takes a shot at Neil Young. And any enemy of Neil Young is an enemy of ours.
5. Mony Mony
We hated the original version. We hate the Billy Idol cover even more. In fact, if we were listing all the songs ever written, Idol’s version of this Tommy James train wreck would rank right behind Charlene’s I’ve Never Been to Me, Ray Stevens’ Ahab the Arab and anything by Mike + the Mechanics.
6. Centerfield
Like Springsteen, John Fogerty is fine by us. And when Centerfield came out in 1985, it signified Fogerty’s big comeback. But somehow every high school and minor-league baseball team with a crummy sound system insists on playing this song over. And over. And over. The only time we can actually stand it anymore is when it’s played in Bull Durham.
7. We Are the Champions, Another One Bites the Dust, We Will Rock You
We always thought Queen was a little overrated, but when we hear these songs, we just get annoyed because we believe, deep down, that they wrote these songs specifically to get played in stadiums. That’s cheating.
8. YMCA
How did this song become such a stadium mainstay? What, because it has dance moves that a 2-year-old can memorize? So does the Hokey Pokey, the Chicken Dance Song and Macarena. While we’re at it, add those three to the list.
9. Cotton Eye Joe
Quite possibly the most annoying song ever, a cornball mixture of techno and hillbilly, often made worse by some wingnut trying to get on Jumbotron who looks like Larry the Cable Guy. And dances like him, too.
10. Unbelievable
This EMF song pretty much lost us when you hear Andrew Dice Clay singing, “Ohhh!’’

Ten stadium anthems that we still love
1. Welcome to the Jungle
Hands down, by far, no doubt about it the best stadium song ever. If this Guns N’ Roses effort doesn’t get you pumped up when your hear Axl Rose’s monster screech over Slash’s guitar at the beginning, you should be back at the home getting ready for your after-dinner Jell-O.
2. Seven Nation Army
We don’t hear this White Stripes hit at many stadiums, but we have heard it at Tropicana Field and now we wonder why we don’t hear it at more stadiums.
3. The Hockey Song
You know this — ''The good old hockey game, is the best game you can name, and the best game you can name, is the good old hockey game.’’ You can tell that writer Stompin’ Tom Connors actually loves and knows the game.
4. Push It
This Salt-N-Pepa song really serves no purpose at a game, but when you hear “Oohh baby, baby … baby, baby’’ you can’t help but start singing along.
5. Anything by AC/DC
Hells Bells, Shoot to Thrill, You Shook Me All Night Long, Thunderstruck, TNT. Doesn’t matter. We love them all.
6. Start Me Up
True, this is about the 100th-best song the Rolling Stones ever did, but if you don’t hear it at the start of a game, it feels like something’s wrong, like you locked you keys in your car or left the oven on or something.
7. Sirius
This is the Alan Parsons song that the Chicago Bulls play when they introduce the starting lineups. You only hear the first couple minutes, but that’s enough. Every time we hear it, we think of Michael Jordan.
8. Enter Sandman
The buildup in the first minute of this Metallica song gets you so fired up that you’re ready to put on some pads and go hit somebody.
9. Crazy Train
If you can’t find a copy of Enter Sandman, this Ozzy Osbourne song will do the trick. Hey, it was the theme of the New England Patriots and it worked out pretty well for them.
10. Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Still a classic. Seriously, do you know anybody who doesn’t like this song?

Five guilty pleasures (songs that we’re embarrassed to admit we still like)
1. Kiss Me
Stadiums always play this Sixpence None the Richer song when they put couples on the screen and force them to kiss. We especially like it when they show a couple not romantically involved. You can tell the guy is up for a smooch and actually thinks for a second that he might get one, but the girl shakes her head, waves her hands and mouths the words, “We’re just friends.’’
2. Celebration
Kool & the Gang
3. Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It
Will Smith
4. We Like to Party
Vengaboys
5. U Can’t Touch This
MC Hammer

10 reasons why it's cooler to be a Rays fan than a Bucs fan

Maybe it is cooler to be a Rays fan these days than a Bucs fan. Check out Jason Burtch. He's a 29-year-old Tampa Bay sports fan from Port Charlotte. Burtch wants Rays tickets so badly that he’s willing to give up Bucs tickets for Rays tickets. Friday, Burtch, a 29-year-old who lives in Port Charlotte, posted a message on a Rays message board wanting to trade Bucs tickets for Rays tickets.

Tampa Bay always has been and probably always will be football-first town. But, actually, it is cooler to be a Rays fan than a Bucs fan at the moment. Here are 10 reasons why:

1. You can feel good about the Rays
Delmon Young is a head case and the Rays trade him. Elijah Dukes is a trouble-maker and the Rays trade him. B.J. Upton loafs and the Rays bench him. Meantime, the Bucs re-sign a player (Jerramy Stevens) who has been in one legal shenanigan after another, and use a first-round pick to draft a guy (Aqib Talib) who was caught smoking marijuana on multiple occasions in college and then got into a fight with a teammate at the NFL rookie symposium.

2. The Rays treat players better
Rocco Baldelli comes down with a mysterious illness and what do the Rays do? Stand behind him, help him, show patience and eventually work him back into the lineup. Chris Simms loses a spleen and what to the Bucs do? Bad-mouth him, bench him and, ultimately, release him.

3. It literally is cooler
Rays home game: 72 degrees, no rain, no wind, no boiling sun. Bucs games: 90 degrees, maybe a wicked thunderstorm, searing sun. At Rays games, you settle in with a cold drink and a bag of peanuts that you can bring from home. At the Bucs game, you cram into an oven and need 70 SPF and a bottle of water to just keep from passing out.

4. Rays are more family friendly
In general, the difference between a Rays game and a Bucs fan is like the difference between a movie that's rated PG and another that’s rated R. The Bucs draw more fans, but that also means more of them are drunk, obnoxious and swear like they're in David Mamet play. In short, if you have the choice to take your 8-year-old to a Rays game or a Bucs game, it's no contest.

5. The Rays owners seem like regular guys
The Glazers are probably nice people and they do wonderful charity work. But when was the last time you saw Joel and Bryan Glazer or GM Bruce Allen serving as ushers at a game like Rays owner Stuart Sternberg and executives Matt Silverman and Andrew Friedman? The Rays boys just seem more accessible and their sole focus is a baseball team in St. Petersburg. (They have nothing to do with a soccer team in England.) Plus, Sternberg gets extra points for being a Springsteen fan. We don't know what kind of music the Glazers listen to because they are so private, but something about them screams "Yanni.''

6. You don't have to sit in traffic
See, there's one advantage to small crowds at Rays games. You don't have to fill up your gas tank, leave your house four hours early and inch your way along the final five miles just to arrive two hours before the game starts. Then repeat the whole thing after the game. The Rays are a pleasant evening out. The Bucs are a hard day's work.

7. Joe Maddon seems like a nicer guy than Jon Gruden
The Bucs coach isn't paid to make friends, but to win games. I get that. But I go back two years ago when Maddon took two games off to attend his girlfriend's graduation from law school. I just don't see Gruden doing something like that. Maddon sips wine after a game. Meantime, when we think of Gruden, our first thought is seeing how many times he can use a word that starts with "F'' on the sidelines.

8. Free parking
When I see the word "free,'' my next thought is "cool.'' Cars with four or more people can still park for free at a Rays game. The Bucs charge 25 bucks a pop no matter how many people are in your car. Plus, you can get a ticket to a Rays game for a mere $9. Nine dollars can't get your front wheels into the parking lot at Raymond James.

9. Post-game concerts and giveaways
LL Cool J, Loverboy and more bobbleheads than you can shake a stick at. That's what you get at a Rays game. What do the Bucs give away? Posters that turn into flying airplanes about midway through the fourth quarter of their games. And, this has nothing to do with giveaways, but here's another reason -- there's more offense at a Rays game.

10. You can hang out after a Rays game
Okay, so downtown St. Pete isn't exactly midtown Manhattan. But at least you can walk to a couple of dozen places to grab a bite to eat and a drink, maybe even listen to a little music. There are a few popular places within walking distance of Raymond James. Sure, you can listen to music at these, uh, establishments, but you better not grab anything or a guy named T-Bone will snap your spinal cord.   

Tiger's greatest moments

I already miss Tiger Woods. He has only been out of commission, what, three days now? And, already, we are wondering what in the world golf is going to be like without him. Plus, all golf fans are still drunk from his incredible performance at the U.S. Open. Speaking of that performance, where exactly does it rank in a career full of incredible perfomances? Well, right at the top.

Here's a look at the top 10 moments (so far) in the career of Tiger Woods:

1. 2008 U.S. Open
Considering the knee surgery, doctor's orders to not play and the long layoff -- heck, the guy hadn't played a tournament in two months -- this has to top the list, especially knowing what we know now. He seemed out of the hunt heading into the back nine on Saturday. But two eagles and a birdie while limping and wincing in pain combined to make up one of the best and most dramatic nine holes in major championship history. As if all that wasn't enough, he overcomes the enormous pressure that he is supposed to win a playoff against a heavy underdog and does just that -- wins. And he did it with two fractures in his leg. Incredible.

2. 1997 Masters
This tournament officially announced Tiger intended on being one of the legends. At age 21, Tiger shot 70, 66, 65 and 69 for a Masters-record 18-under-par 270. He won the tournament by 12 strokes. CBS's Jim Nantz accurately called it "a win for the ages.''

3. 2000 U.S. Open
Tiger shot a U.S. Open-record 12 under at Pebble Beach. That's remarkable. Can you think of a word better than remarkable? Well, you should think of one to describe the rest of this story. Miguel Angel Jimenez and Ernie Els tied for second. They were 3 over par! Tiger;s score and margin of victory were U.S. Open records.

4. 2000 British Open
Tiger became only the fifth player -- and youngest, at 24 -- to win a career grand slam. And it was in grand fashion. He shot an astounding 19 under, the lowest score in regulation in the history of the Open. In fact, 19 under remains the lowest score in the history of all four majors. He won the tournament by eight shots over Els and Thomas Bjorn. British Open legend Tom Watson said, "He is something supernatural.''

5. 2001 Masters
Tiger shot a final-round 68 to beat David Duval by two strokes. When he put on the green jacket that April afternoon, he  was the current defending champion in all four majors, thus completing the "Tiger Slam.''

6. 2006 British Open
Tiger showed that he is human. Not because he played poorly, but because he broke down in tears after winning the Open. It was his first major victory after the death of the man who inspired him -- his father, Earl.

7. 2000 PGA Championship
Tiger beat Bob May in a three-hole playoff, but only after he birdied the 71st and 72nd holes to force the playoff. The victory came after he had won the U.S. and British Opens, making him the first since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in one year.

8. 1996 U.S. Amateur
Tiger trailed Steve Scott by five shots with 16 holes to go and needed a long birdie putt just to send it to a playoff. He won on the second extra playoff hole, his third consecutive amateur championship.

9. 2006 PGA Championship
At the longest course in major championship history, Tiger had rounds of 69, 68, 65 and 68 for an 18-under 270 and a five-stroke victory. The 18 under tied the PGA Championship record set by Bob May in 2000. Oh, and Tiger shot 18 under in 2000, too, then beat May in the playoff.

10. 2005 Masters
After Saturday rain stopped the tournament halfway through the third round, Tiger trailed Chris DiMarco by four shots. But helped by seven straight birdies, Tiger waged a duel with DiMarco that ended with Woods winning in a playoff for his fourth green jacket.

Broadcasting's best

Last week, we lost the best television sports broadcaster ever in Jim McKay. At age 86, McKay, the longtime host of the Olympics and Wide World of Sports, passed away. It got me thinking about the most notable and influential sports television broadcasters to ever look into a camera and talk into a microphone. They weren't known for one sport, but for their ability to cover any and all sports. But if they were there, you knew one thing for sure: This was the big event of the moment. Here is my list of the most notable TV sports broadcasters of all time.

1. Jim McKay
The gold standard. The Edward R. Murrow of sports broadcasting. His prolific work on ABC's Wide World of Sports alone sets him above all others because he wasn't calling just baseball or football. He was calling every sport known to man and a few man didn't know, such as barrel jumping or some such thing. Of course, he had no problem with the big event either. After all, does it get any bigger than hosting the Olympics? In fact, you could argue McKay helped make the Olympics what the Games are today, and his work covering the tragedy at the Munich Olympics in 1972 was legendary. Throw in his smooth, classy and comfortable work on golf and horse racing and you have the master.

2. Howard Cosell
Some of you out there will absolutely hate Cosell being this high on the list, or even on the list at all. But in the 1970s, if it was a big event, Cosell  was there. Let's face it, he WAS Monday Night Football. He WAS the World Series. He WAS boxing on TV, especially because of his playful interaction with  Muhammad Ali that not only helped make Ali famous, but helped advance Ali's social causes. You watched often not to see the game, but to listen to Cosell. You loved him or hated him, but you were never ambivalent. When you think about it, is there a better compliment than that?

3. Bob Costas
When it's all said and done, Costas likely will be at the top of this list. He has hosted just about every major sporting event from the Olympics to the Super Bowl to the World Series to the NBA Finals. He mixes humor with intelligence and he manages to pull off the difficult task of being a thinking man's broadcaster while relating to the common man. In other words, he appeals to those who read the New York Times and the New York Post. Best of all, he never makes himself bigger than the event he is covering. And he is the best interviewer in sports.

4. Al Michaels
Simply put, the absolute best play-by-play man there has ever been. Timing? Perfect. Emotion? Always just right. Mistakes? Rare, if ever. He's so good that it seems as if he is calling a game that he has already seen and he knows exactly what is going to happen. His call of the 1980 U.S.-USSR hockey game might be the single-best performance ever by a play-by-play announcer. Sure, we all know his signature line of "Do you believe in miracles?'' but go back and listen to that entire broadcast and just how good Michaels was. That was 28 years ago and he has only gotten better since.

5. Curt Gowdy
Maybe there wouldn't have been a Dick Enberg or an Al Michaels if it hadn't been for Curt Gowdy, whose work in the late 1960s and 1970s earned him the well-deserved tag of "the best announcer in the business.'' He had another nickname -- "Broadcast of Everything'' -- because of his ability to call any sport. He did it all, but saved his best for the World Series and Super Bowl. During the 1970s, Gowdy's football work on NBC -- calling classic showdowns involving the Raiders, Dolphins and Steelers -- helped turn football into America's favorite sport on television.

6. Dick Enberg
For a good chunk of the 1980s, Enberg seemingly called every sporting event on TV -- the baseball game of the week to the top football game each Sunday to the best college basketball games to Wimbledon to the Olympics. While he called a game, he made it sound as if there was no place he would rather be than watching this game with you. Nearly 30 years later, Enberg still can be found at many major events and he hasn't lost a step.

7. Brent Musburger
Wait, don't roll your eyes. Yes, I know Musburger has become the butt of jokes by fans and critics. But don't underestimate his work. "You are looking live at … '' has been a signature call for, don't look now, more than 30 years. And you know what? He's still around, calling ABC's top college football and basketball games, hosting big horse races, as well as major bowl games. With Musburger as host, CBS's NFL Today became the blueprint for the modern-day NFL pregame show. And, say what you will about his style, you cannot deny that Musburger sounds truly excited about whatever he is calling.

8. Chris Schenkel
A pioneer in broadcasting. He might have been the original sports "host.'' For parts of five decades, Schenkel -- with his low-key, baritone, smooth style -- called it all, but is best known for his work on college football, the NBA and the Pro Bowlers tour. He was the voice of college football before Keith Jackson. He was the voice of the NBA before Marv Albert. And you can't even think of bowling on television without thinking of Schenkel.

9. Keith Jackson
The voice of college football. If Jackson was calling the game, you knew it was the game in the country on that particular Saturday. But often forgotten is Jackson was the original play-by-play announcer on Monday Night Football and called events such as the World Series, the Indy 500, the NBA Finals, the Olympics and even a few Evel Knievel jumps. His college football work was so outstanding that it overshadowed just how versatile he was.

10. Pat Summerall
Summerall isn’t known for covering the variety of events like the others on this list. He is best known for two things: the NFL and the U.S. Open tennis tournament. He called more Super Bowls (16) than any other broadcaster. He was the voice of the NFL at a time when the NFL on TV became the phenomenon that is today. Plus, he was a former NFL player, which leads us to this statement: Summerall is, by far, the best athlete-turned-broadcaster in the history of sports or broadcasting. That's why he's on this list.

Who will be the Lightning's next coach?

Who will coach the Lightning next season? Will it be John Tortorella or ESPN analyst Barry Melrose? The smart money is on Melrose. Yet it appears to be an either-or proposition. Why is that? If soon-to-be-Lightning owner Oren Koules is bent on making a change — and I'm not so sure that a change is in order — these are five others he should at least consider for a minute or two before deciding that his new favorite hairstyle is the mullet. I'm not saying any one of these guys should get the job, but don't you at least consider them?
1. Ron Wilson
The former Ducks, Caps and Sharks coach has a lifetime record of 518-446-127. Those 518 wins are eighth in NHL history. During the past three seasons, his Sharks went 187-97-38, but then again, they failed to get past the second round of the playoffs. Still, eighth most victories of all time?
2. Scotty Bowman
Hey, why not? He's the greatest coach in NHL history. Maybe the greatest coach in any sport ever. And, here's the kicker: He lives in Sarasota. You probably would have to give him a boatload of money and let him be in charge of the whole shebang, but, say it again, the greatest hockey coach of all time!
3. Pat Burns
Another local. He has a place on the other side of the Skyway. He has overcome cancer and appears a little more mellow these days. Was coach of the year with three teams and is a proven winner. And he's hungry.
4. Andre Savard
There's always some hot assistant coach floating around, and Savard, an assistant with the Penguins, is the hot name these days. He has been a head coach (back with Quebec in 1987-88) and is very well-liked by the players he coaches. Rumor is he could be the Panthers’ next head coach.
5. Paul Maurice
Fired after two seasons in Toronto, but he did take the Carolina Hurricanes to the finals in 2002. A young guy (he's only 40) who relates well to players.

What's up, Doc? Mike Emrick honored by Hall of Fame

The Hockey Hall of Fame announced Thursday that Mike "Doc'' Emrick will receive the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. Emrick is pretty much the American voice of hockey, having called games on all the major networks, as well as primarily the Flyers and Devils over the past 30 years. Actually, I'm surprised Emrick is being honored this year. I would've sworn he had won this award years ago.
Here are my picks for the top five hockey announcers on television:
1. Sam Rosen, MSG (Rangers). Still the gold standard.
2. Bob Cole, CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Some think he has slipped in recent years, but still feels like a special game when he's calling it. Expected to retire before next season, but here's hoping he still calls games now and then.
3. Rick Peckham, Sun Sports (Lightning). The locals know how professional this guy is. A class act off the ice, too.
4. Mike Emrick, MSG (Devils), Versus, NBC. Sounds like he's having the time of his life every second he is calling a game.
5. Jim Hughson, CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Usually calls the second game of the Saturday night doubleheader and is expected to take over for Cole on the prime-time game.

Best and worst jobs in sports

Most jobs in sports are pretty good. But some jobs are better than others and some are way worse. So here’s a look at the best and worst jobs in sports.

Five best jobs in sports
Tiger Woods' caddie
Most caddies get about $1,000 a week plus 5 percent of the tournament purse, and even more for a top-10 finish or a victory. Tiger wins too much to pay out that kind of dough, but Forbes magazine once guessed Tiger's caddie, Steve Williams, makes more than $1-million a year. Not a bad gig for carrying around a bag of clubs and saying, "Nice shot, Tiger.''

Team owner, National Football League
There's a salary cap, so you can only spend so much. And the league practically prints money. The TV contacts alone pay the league more than $3.7-billion a year. That's billion with a B. And you get the same money whether you go 0-16 or 16-0.

First-base coach, San Diego Padres
Can you hold batting gloves? Work a stopwatch? Yell "Back!'' when a pitcher throws to first? Great, you're hired. When a guy named Stump Merrill was hired to be the Yankees first-base coach years ago, his wife asked, "What's a first-base coach do besides pat guys on the rear end?'' He said, "Nothing, let's practice!'' Why the Padres? They've had the fewest baserunners this season.

TV color analyst, any sport
I'm not suggesting they don't work hard and do homework and all that jazz. But don't all of us sit at home and yell out stuff at the screen? The only difference is analysts don't swear, don't have potato chip grease on their fingers and they usually have to wear a shirt with buttons. And, oh, yeah, they get paid.

Trainer of boxing contender
You only work a few hours a day, and by "work'' we mean "bark out orders to your fighter during training.'' You get to watch while they’re the ones taking punches in the face. Then you get paid when your guy wins. And if your guy gets knocked out, he doesn't remember what you did or didn't do, so he can't blame you. Then you get paid.

Five worst jobs
Public relations director, Cincinnati Bengals
For starters, there's a good chance of a weekly 4 a.m. phone call from a bail bondsman, followed by a hastily-called news conference to explain how another player has been arrested for domestic this or possession of that. And after all that, you have Chad Johnson. Lone perk is you’re on a first-name basis with all the local cops.

Head coach, Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have had nine coaches in the past 13 seasons, making it the most precarious job since Naomi Campbell's personal assistant. And you play in Oakland, which, sorry, isn't exactly San Francisco.

Director of ticket sales, Pittsburgh Pirates
Sure, you can market the swanky new stadium until you realize that it actually isn't all that new anymore. After eight years at PNC Park, Pittsburghers pretty much have seen all the downtown skyline there is to see. Now you have to sell a team that hasn't had a winning record since 1992 and looks like it's not going to have another one until 2092.

Commissioner, National Hockey League
An impossible job. Eighty percent of your teams play in a country where no one cares. The rest of the teams play in a country that invented the sport and likes to remind everyone, especially you, of it. Whatever you do, it's never good enough.

International soccer referee
If you a blow a call in an NBA or NHL game, you might get pelted with expletives from a few fans. Blow a call in some soccer stadium in Europe or South America and there’s a chance you'll get pelted with a few bullets. Here, bad referees live in infamy. There, bad referees can live, so to speak, 6 feet under.

The biggest losers -- great performances in losses

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James poured in 45 points Sunday afternoon, but it wasn't enough as his Cavs lost Game 7 to the Celtics. It was one of the best performances ever in a loss. Over the years, there have been hundreds of great performances ever in a loss, but these are the first 10 that come to mind.

Dominique Wilkins
This performance came up quite a bit Sunday because it was 20 years ago that the Atlanta Hawks star scored 47, including 16 in the fourth quarter, in a Game 7 loss at Boston. In that matchup, the Celtics' Larry Bird had 34, including 20 in the fourth quarter.

Chuck Howley
The Cowboys linebacker was the MVP of Super Bowl V after intercepting two passes and recovering a fumble in a 16-13 loss to the Colts. It was the first time a defensive player won Super Bowl MVP honors and remains the only time a player from a losing team has won the award.

Harvey Haddix
Possibly the greatest pitching performance in major-league history was turned in by the Pirates southpaw, who tossed a perfect game for 12 innings in 1959 against the Milwaukee Braves. Haddix retired 36 consecutive batters, but the game remained scoreless headed to the 13th. An error, a bunt, an intentional walk then a double  resulted in a loss for Haddix and the Pirates.

Isiah Thomas
During the last 94 seconds of regulation in the fifth and deciding playoff game against the Knicks in 1984, the Pistons point guard scored 16 consecutive points on three jumpers, a 3-pointer, a driving three-point play and four free throws to send the game to overtime. And he drew three fouls on defender Rory Sparrow in a mere 30 seconds. Thomas fouled out in OT, and the Knicks won behind 44 points from Bernard King, who was playing with two dislocated fingers and severe dehydration as a result of  the flu.

Johnny Unitas
The numbers weren't that great, but this is remembered as one of the last great moments in the legendary career of Johnny U. In 1972, the Colts quarterback completed 26 of 45 passes for 376 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to match the Jets' Joe Namath. What a day Broadway Joe had: 496 yards passing and six touchdowns, including TD passes of 65, 67, 79 and 80 yards in the Jets' 44-34 victory.

John McEnroe
In what might be the greatest tennis match ever, the brash 21-year-old reached the 1980 Wimbledon final against four-time defending champ Bjorn Borg. McEnroe trailed 2-1 in sets when the match went to a fourth-set tiebreaker. The incredibly intense tiebreaker lasted 20 minutes, and McEnroe saved five match points and won 18-16. Bjorg, however, would win the fifth set 8-6.

Bobby Richardson
The Yankees second baseman was a monster in the 1960 World Series, batting .367 with a grand slam, two doubles, two triples and 12 RBIs in seven games. But the Yanks lost to the Pirates on Bill Mazeroski's ninth-inning, Game 7 homer. Still, Richardson was named the MVP of the series and remains the only member of the losing team to win the World Series MVP.

Ron Hextall
The 23-year-old Flyers goalie won the 1987 Conn Smythe award, given to the MVP of the playoffs. Hextall played in all of the Flyers' 26 postseason games, winning 15 with two shutouts and a 2.77 goals-against average. But the Flyers lost the final in seven games to the powerful Oilers and Wayne Gretzky. Hextall is one of five players on a losing team to be chosen as playoff MVP, along with Detroit's Roger Crozier (1966), St. Louis' Glenn Hall (1968), Philadelphia's Reggie Leach (1976) and Anaheim's Jean-Sebastien Giguere (2003).

Billy Conn
The tough Pittsburgh boxer met the great Joe Louis on June 18, 1941, for the heavyweight title. Conn fought a masterful fight and led Louis on the scorecard after 12 rounds. But Conn tried to go for a knockout in the 13th round and ended up getting knocked out himself. After the fight, Conn said, "I lost my head and a million bucks.''

Lenny Dykstra
The scrappy Phillies centerfielder batted .348 in the 1993 World Series with four homers, including two in a 15-14 loss in Game 4. The Phillies eventually lost the series in six games, but Dykstra was the best player and probably would’ve been named MVP had the Blue Jays, thanks to Joe Carter’s Game 6 walkoff homer, not won the series.

Hanging 'em up -- athletes and retirement

First it was Annika Sorenstam, the best female golfer on the planet. Then it was Justine Henin, currently ranked No. 1 in women's tennis. Both announced retirements last week. Sorenstam, 37, will retire at the end of the year. Henin, 25, is walking away immediately. They join the list of athletes who walk away while on top. So we look at retirement. Those who left too early. Those who stayed too long. And those who need to walk away.

Five who walked away too soon
Jim Brown: Browns running back played only nine seasons and made the Pro Bowl every season. He retired at age 30 to become an actor and social activist.
Sandy Koufax: Dodgers pitcher , retired at 30 because of arm trouble, but in his final two seasons he went 26-8 and 27-9.
Barry Sanders: Lions running back abruptly quit at age 31 despite rushing for 1,491 yards in his final season and being just shy of the NFL's all-time rushing record.
John Elway: Broncos QB was 38 when he retired, but he quit after winning back-to-back Super Bowls and probably had another couple of seasons left in his powerful arm.
Rocky Marciano: The heavyweight champ was 32 years old and a perfect 49-0 with 43 knockouts when he retired from boxing.

Five who stayed too long
Willie Mays: Whenever at athlete hangs on too long, we are reminded of the great Willie Mays falling down in the outfield with the Mets and hitting just .211 in his final season.
O.J. Simpson: His body battered, he sadly played two years at the end of his career near his birthplace in San Francisco and rushed for only 460 yards in his final season.
Joe Namath: Hardly able to stand because of bad knees, Broadway Joe became L.A. Joe and played four forgettable games with the Rams.
Johnny Unitas: The greatest QB in NFL history traded in the classic Colts uniform for the ugly powder blue of the Chargers and played five games with three TDs and seven interceptions.
Dale Murphy: One of the great athletes in Atlanta sports history, a true legend. Final season stats? Batted .143 with no homers and seven RBIs. And, oh, yeah, he was wearing a Colorado Rockies uniform.

Five boxers who should've walked away before they did
Boxers are famous for overstaying their welcome, so they need a separate list. Here are five of many who went from great to tomato cans because they could not walk away.
Muhammad Ali: Perhaps the greatest boxer ever ended his career by losing three of his final four fights, including getting knocked around in his finale by Trevor Berbick.
Roberto Duran: The one-time best pound-for-pound fighter in the world lost four of his final nine fights, including to guys such as Omar Eduardo Gonzalez and William Joppy.
Joe Louis: Forced to fight for money because of IRS issues, his legendary career ended with a loss to Ezzard Charles, then an eighth-round knockout to Rocky Marciano.
Larry Holmes: At one point Holmes was 48-0 and compared to the great Rocky Marciano. He ended his career getting pummeled by Mike Tyson then fighting 24 more times, including his final one in which, at 52 years old and 254 pounds, he beat "Butterbean'' Esch.
Sugar Ray Leonard: He had several retirements and came back each time to have some success. Except the last two times. In 1991 at age 34, he was knocked down twice and lost a lopsided decision to Terry Norris.  In 1997, he was KOed for good by Hector "Macho'' Camacho in the fifth round.

Five who should retire
Michael Strahan: The Giants defensive lineman can still play, but aren't we all sick of hearing about his threats to retire? He has become football's version of Roger Clemens. Just quit and become a broadcaster already, would you?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Perhaps the best boxer of his generation, he is 39-0, 31 years old, has all his faculties and has nothing left to prove. Yet he is still looking for another fight against Oscar De La Hoya, a man he already has beaten. Why not walk away now?
Tim Tebow: A national title followed by the Heisman Trophy. His life can't get any better, can it? Quit while you're ahead, kid.
The Williams Sisters: Are you tennis players or fashion designers? Venus and Serena seem to always have one foot in tennis and one foot out. It would be nice to see both feet in the same place, whether that is tennis or fashion.
Bud Selig: Not an athlete, but you get my drift. Time for some fresh blood in baseball's commissioner office.

Five who should not retire
Brett Favre: Forget the last pass, he almost quarterbacked the Packers to the Super Bowl last season.
Jaromir Jagr: Outstanding postseason proved Rangers forward nowhere close to being done.
Joe Paterno: Penn State football coach built legendary program. He can stay as long as he wants.
Bobby Bowden: See: Joe Paterno.
Bob Knight: Arrogant. A bully. A brute. Despite all this, he makes college basketball fun and interesting.

Special guest Marc Topkin gives us his five best baseball towns

This weekend, the Rays make their first-ever visit to St. Louis, which many claim is the best baseball town in the country. So Two Cents decided to bring a special guest who knows a thing or two about baseball towns. I might be a little biased, but I don't think you're going to find a better baseball writer around than the St. Pete Times' Marc Topkin, who has covered baseball since 1987. So Marc gives us his five best baseball towns. Take it away, Marc:

1. St. Louis: A college football atmosphere around the diamond.
2. Boston: Everyone's into the Sox, though some do it for show.
3. New York: The fans know a lot about the game; just ask them.
4. Baltimore: That's why it's so sad to see what's happening now.
5. Cincinnati: Traditionally among the best; but what's up with that chili?