764 career receptions, 14,004 receiving yards and 75 career receiving touchdowns over a 16-year NFL career from 1978-1993.
Certainly Hall-of-Fame-worthy numbers, right? And James Lofton's 2003 induction certainly proved the above credentials make him worthy of induction into Canton.
Lofton was drafted #6 overall in the 1978 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers out of Stanford. During his third and fourth years in the league, 1980 and 1981, he topped 1,200 receiving yards and had 71 receptions each season. He would stay with the Packers through 1986, topping 1,000 yards each year from 1983-1985 and leading the league in yards per catch in 1983 and 1984. He also went to seven of his eight career Pro Bowls during his nine seasons in Green Bay.
Lofton played for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1987 and 1988, but only had 69 receptions in those two seasons before joining the Buffalo Bills in 1989. He would play in three Super Bowls with Buffalo, and would make his eighth and final Pro Bowl in 1991 as he became the oldest player (at the time) to top 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He played for the Bills through 1992, then split 1993 (his final season) between the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles.
Lofton was the first NFL receiver to top 14,000 yards for his career and also the first player to score a touchdown in the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's. He is a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1980's and the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame.
After retirement, Lofton worked NFL games for Westwood One radio from 1999-2001 before becoming the San Diego Chargers' WR coach from 2002-2007 and then serving in the same capacity on the Oakland Raiders' coaching staff in 2008. He returned to Westwood One in 2009 and he teams with Dave Sims for Sunday night games.
When thinking about the NFL's all-time great wide receivers, Lofton's name probably doesn't come to mind immediately, which is probably because he spent the majority of his career playing in the obscurity of pre-Brett Favre Green Bay. But there he is, among the all-time leaders in many of the most important categories for wide receivers.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Allen Iverson-Retiring?
News came this week that Allen Iverson left the Memphis Grizzlies to deal with a family issue. A report suggested that, along with his displeasure with his playing situation, could lead him to retire. Memphis GM Chris Wallace has said he expects Iverson back, but no timeframe has been given for his return to the team.
A.I. has played just three games so far this season for the Grizzlies, averaging 12.3 points per game in 22 minutes a game. There have been some rumors that a higher profile team, like the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers, may be interested in acquiring Iverson but there seems to be little substance to those rumors.
If Iverson's career is indeed over, how will he be remembered?
There's his infamous "Practice? We're talkin' 'bout practice?" rant, which will live forever on YouTube and on any "All-Time Sports Meltdowns" countdown. Then there are his clashes with coaches, from Larry Brown in Philadelphia to George Karl in Denver.
But when judging Iverson's career, I feel it's best to look at his career stats up to this point.
Over his 14 NBA seasons, 2009-10 being his 14th season, Iverson has averaged 27.0 points per game (24,020 total points), averaged 6.2 assists per game and 2.2 steals per game. He has averaged over 3o points per game in a season four times, and has also led the league in steals per game three times.
Iverson has shot 42.5 percent from the floor and 78 percent from the free-throw line in his career, along with a 31.3 percent mark from three-point territory.
The 1997 NBA Rookie of the Year has won four scoring titles, one NBA MVP Award (2001) and has been an All-Star ten times.
Iverson's decline may have started last season, as he averaged just 17.5 points per game in 57 games with the Detroit Pistons. That was the first season of his career where he did not average at least 22 points per game.
In any case, Iverson was one of the most prolific scorers of his, or perhaps any era despite his lack of size (6'0").
Whenever his career ends, the question of Iverson's Hall of Fame worthiness will come up. In my estimation, "The Answer" to that question is yes.
UPDATE-11/16/09- Multiple reports say the Grizzlies have waived Iverson after the two sides agreed to terminate his contract ($3 milion for the 2009-10 season). If he clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday night. His NBA career could be over, but some rumors have suggested (even prior to his signing with Memphis) that he could play overseas.
A.I. has played just three games so far this season for the Grizzlies, averaging 12.3 points per game in 22 minutes a game. There have been some rumors that a higher profile team, like the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers, may be interested in acquiring Iverson but there seems to be little substance to those rumors.
If Iverson's career is indeed over, how will he be remembered?
There's his infamous "Practice? We're talkin' 'bout practice?" rant, which will live forever on YouTube and on any "All-Time Sports Meltdowns" countdown. Then there are his clashes with coaches, from Larry Brown in Philadelphia to George Karl in Denver.
But when judging Iverson's career, I feel it's best to look at his career stats up to this point.
Over his 14 NBA seasons, 2009-10 being his 14th season, Iverson has averaged 27.0 points per game (24,020 total points), averaged 6.2 assists per game and 2.2 steals per game. He has averaged over 3o points per game in a season four times, and has also led the league in steals per game three times.
Iverson has shot 42.5 percent from the floor and 78 percent from the free-throw line in his career, along with a 31.3 percent mark from three-point territory.
The 1997 NBA Rookie of the Year has won four scoring titles, one NBA MVP Award (2001) and has been an All-Star ten times.
Iverson's decline may have started last season, as he averaged just 17.5 points per game in 57 games with the Detroit Pistons. That was the first season of his career where he did not average at least 22 points per game.
In any case, Iverson was one of the most prolific scorers of his, or perhaps any era despite his lack of size (6'0").
Whenever his career ends, the question of Iverson's Hall of Fame worthiness will come up. In my estimation, "The Answer" to that question is yes.
UPDATE-11/16/09- Multiple reports say the Grizzlies have waived Iverson after the two sides agreed to terminate his contract ($3 milion for the 2009-10 season). If he clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday night. His NBA career could be over, but some rumors have suggested (even prior to his signing with Memphis) that he could play overseas.
Monday, November 9, 2009
How To Find My Work
Here are the various avenues where I can be found:
Twitter: @bradberreman24-I "re-tweet" things that interest me and also post some of my takes on sports stories
Facebook-Just search my name-"Brad Berreman"
Rotowire.com: I cover the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for the site. Not all ACC news updates are mine, but I am one of the contributors to the site's coverage of the conference.
SportsBuff.com-I post fantasy football relevant NFL news updates (stats, injury news, player transactions, etc.), focusing on the NFC.
Twitter: @bradberreman24-I "re-tweet" things that interest me and also post some of my takes on sports stories
Facebook-Just search my name-"Brad Berreman"
Rotowire.com: I cover the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for the site. Not all ACC news updates are mine, but I am one of the contributors to the site's coverage of the conference.
SportsBuff.com-I post fantasy football relevant NFL news updates (stats, injury news, player transactions, etc.), focusing on the NFC.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Seamheads.com: The Case For J.J. Hardy
This article is featured on Seamheads (http://www.seamheads.com/) and takes a look at SS J.J. Hardy of the Milwaukee Brewers.
I originally posted this on August 17, 2009, but I figured it was worth re-posting with today's news that the Minnesota Twins have acquired Hardy in exchange for OF Carlos Gomez.
http://seamheads.com/blog/2009/08/17/the-case-for-jj-hardy/#more-1548
I originally posted this on August 17, 2009, but I figured it was worth re-posting with today's news that the Minnesota Twins have acquired Hardy in exchange for OF Carlos Gomez.
http://seamheads.com/blog/2009/08/17/the-case-for-jj-hardy/#more-1548
Thursday, October 22, 2009
ESPN's 30 In 30: "Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL?"
On Tuesday night, ESPN premiered the latest short film in their "30 In 30" series profiling prominent sports' stories during the network's 30 years of existence. This hour-long film was about the USFL, a spring time pro football league that lasted just three seasons from 1983-1985.
Many notable players that would later go on to the NFL got their start in pro football in the USFL, including Hall of Famers Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Reggie White and Gary Zimmerman. Three consecutive Heisman Trophy winners, 1982-Hershel Walker, 1983-Mike Rozier and 1984-Doug Flutie, signed their first pro contracts with the USFL. Other prominent players that played in the USFL include Brian Sipe, Doug Williams, Bobby Hebert, Anthony Carter, Nate Newton and Sam Mills. There were many others that played in the NFL prior to or after their stint in the USFL.
Other prominent names that were part of the USFL are current South Carolina and former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier, current ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso, former New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts' head coach Jim Mora, Sr., broadcaster Charlie Steiner, current UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel and former Kansas City Chiefs executive Carl Peterson, among others.
But the prominent personality that is largely blamed for the league's demise is Donald Trump. Trump bought a franchise in the USFL, the New York/New Jersey Generals, and was driven to move the league's schedule to the fall so they could compete with the NFL. Even in the mid-1980's, this was not a plan that seemed destined to work.
Trump sued the NFL essentially saying they had a monopoly, at least in part because they had tv deals with all three major networks. While he was right, and the court ultimately ruled in the USFL's favor, the damages awarded were not substantial-$3. To say nothing of the fact that the court proceedings started when the USFL should have been playing, which they obviously were not. Many USFL owners were struggling financially, and the league ultimately folded.
The USFL also brought some innovations that are being used currently in the NFL, like the two-point conversion and a challenge-driven instant replay system.
A "New USFL" is rumored to be coming in 2010, with many of the original franchise names. Check out the website, http://www.newusfl.com/.
Many notable players that would later go on to the NFL got their start in pro football in the USFL, including Hall of Famers Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Reggie White and Gary Zimmerman. Three consecutive Heisman Trophy winners, 1982-Hershel Walker, 1983-Mike Rozier and 1984-Doug Flutie, signed their first pro contracts with the USFL. Other prominent players that played in the USFL include Brian Sipe, Doug Williams, Bobby Hebert, Anthony Carter, Nate Newton and Sam Mills. There were many others that played in the NFL prior to or after their stint in the USFL.
Other prominent names that were part of the USFL are current South Carolina and former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier, current ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso, former New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts' head coach Jim Mora, Sr., broadcaster Charlie Steiner, current UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel and former Kansas City Chiefs executive Carl Peterson, among others.
But the prominent personality that is largely blamed for the league's demise is Donald Trump. Trump bought a franchise in the USFL, the New York/New Jersey Generals, and was driven to move the league's schedule to the fall so they could compete with the NFL. Even in the mid-1980's, this was not a plan that seemed destined to work.
Trump sued the NFL essentially saying they had a monopoly, at least in part because they had tv deals with all three major networks. While he was right, and the court ultimately ruled in the USFL's favor, the damages awarded were not substantial-$3. To say nothing of the fact that the court proceedings started when the USFL should have been playing, which they obviously were not. Many USFL owners were struggling financially, and the league ultimately folded.
The USFL also brought some innovations that are being used currently in the NFL, like the two-point conversion and a challenge-driven instant replay system.
A "New USFL" is rumored to be coming in 2010, with many of the original franchise names. Check out the website, http://www.newusfl.com/.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Benchwarmer Baseball Experts League-Regular Season Final Result
In the fantasy baseball expert's league I'm in on Benchwarmer Baseball (http://www.benchwarmerbaseball.net) we have now completed our 150-game regular season.
In the "Blogs Division" my team, the MVN.com Fantasy Outsiders, finished three games back in second place with a 86-64 record (.573 winning percentage). We played a head-to-head format, obviously.
I will return to this league in 2010, so look for updates on how I'm doing in it again next year.
In the "Blogs Division" my team, the MVN.com Fantasy Outsiders, finished three games back in second place with a 86-64 record (.573 winning percentage). We played a head-to-head format, obviously.
I will return to this league in 2010, so look for updates on how I'm doing in it again next year.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Benchwarmer Baseball Experts League-Standings Update
In the fantasy baseball Expert's League I'm in on Benchwarmer Baseball (http://www.benchwarmerbaseball.net) is nearing the end of it's season, as is real baseball.
Through 138 games of our 150 game season, I have a record of 79-59 and am in second place (three games out of first) in the "Blogs Division".
I will give another standing's update when the regular season is over.
Through 138 games of our 150 game season, I have a record of 79-59 and am in second place (three games out of first) in the "Blogs Division".
I will give another standing's update when the regular season is over.
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About Me
- Brad Berreman
- I am a sportswriter based in Minnesota, and I contribute currently to a few sports related websites. I intend to use this blog to post links to and samples of my writing, in order to increase the visibility of my work.
