Randall McDaniel is Hall of Fame bound
By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 03/03/2009
At this year's Super Bowl, I was not surprised to learn that former Vikings guard Randall McDaniel was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Many seemed surprised that Cris Carter was not. His day will come, but McDaniel is obviously more than worthy of the career honor. He was drafted in the first round by the Vikings in 1988, played 12 years (1988-99) for the Vikings and started 202 consecutive games in his career. He played in 11 consecutive Pro Bowls and 12 overall, an NFL record. He finished his career with Tampa Bay.
The week after the Super Bowl, the Hall of Fame class of 2009 was honored on the field before game time at the Pro Bowl held in Honolulu, Hawaii. “You never expect anything like this being a lineman. You always assume that it's going to be four other guys standing next to you to do it,” McDaniel said. “But walking out on the field before the game started between all the [other inductees], it started to sink in a little bit.
“I think as it gets closer to that day of the induction, I don't know when it's going to hit,” McDaniel added. “I learned from the older guys [such as former Viking and 2008 inductee Gary Zimmerman]. I had some good teachers along the way [including] John Michaels being the coach of that [offensive] line. But on the field, Zim and all the guys said, ‘You do it our way until you prove you can do it better.'”
Number 64 McDaniel is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame class of 2008. Twice he was All-American at Arizona State University and led the Sun Devils to three straight bowl games, including ASU's first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl in 1987. The Pro Football Hall of Fame 2009 class will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, this August.
Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
The NBA made it official during this year's All-Star game events in Phoenix that starting this summer the MVP of the NBA Finals will receive the newly named Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. Russell led the Celtics to 11 NBA championships in 13 years, including a record eight straight titles. “Who better to name this prestigious award for than one of the greatest players of all-time and the ultimate champion,” said Commissioner David Stern.
Telly Hughes is leaving for Milwaukee
Telly Hughes after nearly two years in Minnesota at Fox Sports North, reporting on Twins, Gophers, Timberwolves and Wild games as a sideline reporter on game broadcasts, is leaving to become a cheese-head — Hughes is moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, soon to work for Fox Sports Wisconsin.
He will primarily work on MLB Milwaukee Brewers and NBA Milwaukee Bucks broadcasts. Hughes leaves having never beaten me in golf and after doing excellent work hosting the Tubby Smith Show, Timberwolves Weekly and Twins Live.
Fitz Notes & Quotes
In 2003, no sports franchise was valued at $1 billion. Now in 2009, 24 professional sports franchises are valued at least $1 billion. Nineteen of the franchises are in the NFL, and only one is in Major League Baseball: the New York Yankees.
Since President Barack Obama, a huge Chicago White Sox fan, took office in January, White Sox sales have increased by 25 percent.
Point the finger at the owners!
Consider this: In 1992, the year former owner Bud Selig became commissioner of Major League Baseball, the great American pastime, revenues for the entire league were $1.2 billion. Last year, MLB revenues were a record $6.08 billion. Selig apparently is on commission: Last year, he was paid nearly $18 million, $17,470.491 to be exact.
Only three players in all of baseball made more than the commissioner: Alex Rodriguez, $23 million, Derek Jeter, $22 million and Jason Giambi, $21.5 million. All three played with the New York Yankees.
Barry Bonds has been indicted for, Roger Clemens has been accused of, and Alex Rodriguez has admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. That means the three biggest stars in the last 25 years of MLB all cheated.
And MLB benefited — look at the record profits. This indicates that the MLB owners were fully aware of the drug use by many players that was going on. Juicing by many of the players padded the pockets of the owners. Numbers don't lie.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:20 am, and on WDGY-AM 740 Monday & Saturday mornings at 7:50 am and Fridays at 3:50 pm; he also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Larry welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-recorder.com , or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com .
