Interesting Rarely Known Sports Facts/Tidbits Thread

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1616812394356801538

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617237033692418051

 

[alkeiper]

Over the last thirty years (1993-2022) the Yankees had 14 pitchers win 50+ games for the franchise.

The Pirates? Two.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617357704443400192

He led the NFL in solo tackles with 160 in 1985, 174 in 1986 and 162 in 1988. Additionally, he was in the top 10 of NFL solo tacklers in 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. He announced his retirement on February 14, 1997.[2] At the time of his retirement, he was the second-leading tackler in NFL history and remains the Jets' all-time leading tackler. Clifton made 1,484 tackles over the course of his professional career ranking him 10th overall in combined tackles since 1987

Kyle Clifton - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[alkeiper]

In 1960 Lefty Grove received six votes from the BBWAA for that year's Hall of Fame election. While that seems insulting for a player with 300 career wins, it's probably explained by the fact that Grove had already been inducted in 1947.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1618666034545967105

 

[strummer]

Today was the 18th(!) time the 49ers have played in the NFC Championship game. 16 of them have come since 1981.

There have been 53 NFC Championsip games since the merger. The Niners have played in more than a 1/3 of them.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1620613534236426243

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1620815261606752257

 

[alfdogg]

All those snaps and only won 7 times smh

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1621318601142665216

Blasphemy!!!

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1621674905954848770

 

[Hawk 34]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1621318601142665216

Blasphemy!!!

No no believe it or not the Cowboys used to play in the Super Bowl.

 

[alkeiper]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1621674905954848770

That would’ve been John and Arthur Allyn’s ownership group. They changed the name of the park when they bought it from Bill Veeck. When Veeck bought the team back in ‘76, Veeck restored the name.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I’m mildly surprised that @Magic Johnson didn’t try and go for a third comeback to try and help Shaq & Kobe win a ship.

Strange to think Magic was the same age in 1998 as LeBron is now.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

When you look at the contracts NBA players make today, these numbers seem so low...

Michael Jordan's Career Contracts

As the arguable GOAT turns 60, are dive into the 5 NBA contracts Michael Jordan signed amidst 3 retirements, two unbelievable salaries, and a front-office gig.

www.spotrac.com

 

[alkeiper]

Phillies career WAR
Ryan Howard: 14.7
Bryce Harper: 14.7

 

[HarleyQuinn]

I still loathe how WAR negatively penalizes 1B for playing 1B right out of the gate while giving SS a boost like it's needed... just irritates the shit out of me. I get they aren't going to be Ozzie Smith or Cal Ripken Jr but they are still valuable fielding-wise.

It'd be like penalizing a DT because they are a big behemoth in the middle and can't play CB or MLB.

 

[alkeiper]

The whole crux of the concept is that if you want to find a first baseman who hits .225 with 20 HRs a season, it's not terribly difficult. But there's certainly an argument that just because other people can do it does not mean you don't deserve credit for it as well. That's an area where replacement level probably falls short. I do think WAR probably overrates deadball era first basemen.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1633289932587298816

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1633861239544659969

Don Horn was no stud either and no one mentions him.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1634683750457171970

Bud Grant will presumably be the last NBA Champion to a coach an NFL team to four Super Bowl appearances but maybe someone will surprise us.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Interesting to hear that Ditka was openly pitching for McMahon to return the same week Iron Mike wound up canned by Da Bears.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://www.facebook.com/BigHairAndPlasticGrass/photos/a.321819669865/10153298166389866

That’s one hell of a way to start a season.

 

[BruiserBrody]

I guess I forgot that the Saints tried to trade their whole draft to get Peyton Manning a year before they traded their whole draft for Ricky Williams.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Maybe the worst preseason prediction in history? 1987 Cleveland Indians lost 101 games. SI was off by just eight years with this prediction. Nbd.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

View attachment 1881
Maybe the worst preseason prediction in history? 1987 Cleveland Indians lost 101 games. SI was off by just eight years with this prediction. Nbd.

Been way way worse... c'mon, man.

The '86 Indians had won 84 games. '87 came down to players underperforming (Joe Carter went from a 130 OPS+ to 104, Mel Hall went from an OPS+ of 128 to 96, Cory Snyder went from 115 to 89) and the pitchers all melting down: Tom Candiotti had his worst ERA+ until 1994; Phil Niekro put up a 77 ERA+ at 48 years old after being almost league average the year before; and they leaned on a washed-up Steve Carlton who was 42 years old and virtually DOA the season before.

If the pitching had been almost league-average like the year before, they probably finish closer to 75-80 wins again. Certainly not best in the AL but not the bottom feeders they'd finish as.

Worth noting the pitching bounced back to relatively league average in 1988 and the Indians finished 78-84.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Going from 84 wins to best in the league is almost as much of a step forward as going from 84 wins to 61 is a step backwards!

In non dynasty eras though, people can get a little silly with the predictions and I mean the actual ‘87 World Series champ ended up being Twins so they really just picked the wrong AL Central (AL West at the time- JR voice )doormat.

 

[alkeiper]

The ‘86 Indians led the league in runs scored but finished last in walks. Their pitching staff didn’t strike out many batters, their defense was terrible so when the batting average fell…yeah.

Julio Franco never played another game at shortstop after that year so they must’ve seen a problem with the defense.

The franchise made one successful move that season though. They drafted Albert Belle in the amateur draft, the first big piece of their future pennant winner.

 

[strummer]

It was the 87 Indians season that inspired David S. Ward to write Major League as the only way he would see the Indians win would be in fiction