Sunday, February 2, 2025

Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis is the Biggest trade in Sports History since Rogers Hornsby was traded for Frankie Frisch in 1927.

 One of the most unique trades in Sports History happened out of the Blue.

2 statured players in the prime of their careers were just traded for each. Doncic and Davis were ALL NBA last year. No trade has happen like this in NBA History. 

There have been big trades in History but it is usually a Big Name for bunch of players and draft picks. Think of Wayne Gretzky to the LA Kings and Kareem Abdul Jabbar to the LA Lakers.

I don't recall players of this accomplishment in their primes being traded for each other like this.

Some Big ones that come to mind

Rocky Colavito was traded for Harvey Kuenn - HR Champ for Batting Champ.

Phil Esposito for Jean Ratelle and Brad Park.

Alfonso Soriano for ARod (recently for Baseball)

Jared Goff  for Mathew Stafford was one of most unique trades in NFL history. (2 starting QBs traded like Pastorino for  Stabler and Norm Snead for Sonny Jurgenson.

It is the Hornsby for Frisch seems to be the only comparable deal in Sports History (USA - 4 sports) that is comparable. 

It will be interesting how the NBA officiates the Lakers now



Saturday, February 1, 2025

The NBA is cheating for the Los Angeles Lakers for the third year in a row.

 However, the cheating has narrowed. I have written about this before and it continues this year that the Lakers have the greatest free throw differential in the league 3 years running. The only conclusion is that the referees are instructed to call more fouls on the Lakers opponents and less on them.  See Below - I included recent champions for perspective.


2022-23             FT ATT   OPP FT ATT    Difference

Los Angeles        26.6            20.8                +5.8   - Lakers were first in both categories

Milwaukee          22.4            21.0                +1.4

Denver                22.4            22.7                -0.3

Boston                21.6            21.1                +0.5


2023-24             FT ATT   OPP FT ATT    Difference

Los Angeles        24.2            18.0                +6.2 - Lakers were second in both categories

Milwaukee          23.9            21.5                +2.5

Denver                19.9            22.2                -2.3

Boston                20.2            17.3                +2,9


2024-25             FT ATT   OPP FT ATT    Difference

Los Angeles        22.9            18.8                +4.1 - Currently 8th attempts - OPP 4th

Milwaukee          22.3            21.1                +1.2

Denver                23.6            19.8                +3.8

Boston                20.9            18.2                +2.7


For Personal Fouls 

In 2022-23, The Lakers committed 17.9 (least in league) and opponents 21.5 (2nd most in League).  

In 2023-24, The Lakers committed 15,6 (least in league) and opponents 19.7 (5nd most in League).  

In 2024-25, The Lakers committed 16.2 (2nd least in league) and opponents 19.5 (6nd most in League).  

There should be laws against this. The media does not call this out - Stephen A Smith, Charles Barkley, Bill Simmons, Brian Windhorst, Broderick Perkins are all quite on this issue. 

Let the cheating begin.


Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Well an 1980s Band (Duran Duran) just remade a 1970s song (Evil Woman) in the mid 2020s

 Well you don't hear something like that everyday.

I just heard (according to the radio host) "New" music from Duran Duran. I started to listen and kind of thought wait this sounds familiar.  And there is was the old ELO song being played by an old Band as a new music.

I am not sure if I can think of a scenario like this has ever happened before in the field of music.

I know Britney Spears and Elton John remixed Tiny Dancer recently. 

Was there any situation where a 1970s band redid a 1960s song in the last decade. I don't think so.

The song was not bad. Evil Woman was not a super favorite for me but I liked it when I was a kid. Though I think "sweet talkin woman" was my favorite ELO song. 

I look forward to hearing it again. 




Saturday, January 18, 2025

I waited 25 years for the 1975 Topps Heritage design and there is not going to be an Update set - That Sucks

 I have waited 25 years to collect 1975 Heritage (my second favorite set to 1972 Topps) and Topps Now decides not to put out a Heritage Update set - (But of course they decide to short print the regular set)

In 1975, there was no update set - That is fine but Topps has been producing an Update set for Heritage for years but It decides to stop now - That would suck

Where is my Alex Bregman, Vlad Guerrero, Fernando Tatis Heritage cards that were left out of the regular set. Plus where are all the super rookies Lankford, Chourio, Merrill.

This is like a big Tease -I can't (hope not) believe Topps is doing this.



Friday, January 10, 2025

This is analysis of the stats on the back of Topps Baseball cards from 1952-1980

 


This is analysis of the stats on the back of Topps Baseball cards from 1952-1980

 

 

 

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BAT

 

1952

x

x

x

x

 

 

x

x

x

Field*

1953

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Field*

1954

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Field*

1955

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Field*

1956

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Field*

1957

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1958

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Field*

1959

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1960

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1961

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1962

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1963

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1964

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1965

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1966

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1967

 

x

 

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1968

 

x

 

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1969

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1970

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1971

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

TB SB

1972

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1973

 

x

 

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1974

 

x

 

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1975

 

x

 

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1976

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1977

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1978

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1979

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

1980

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Field* - putout, assists, errors, fpct.

TB SB – Total Bases and Stolen Bases

 

 

  

1952 – putout, assists, errors, fpct.

1953 – putout, assists, errors, fpct.

1954 – putout, assists, errors, fpct.

1955 – putout, assists, errors, fpct.

1956 – putout, assists, errors, fpct.

1958 – putout, assists, errors, fpct.

1971 - Total Bases and Stolen Bases


* I wonder if there was an early fixation on fielding stats in baseball in the 1950s.

* I think 1971 TB was the only year total bases appeared on the back of Topps cards