Scatty.com

5 Most Expensive BMWs Ever Made

Posted on by scatty

BMW vehicles are already among the most expensive on the market, but there are some that truly go above and beyond when it comes to the selling price. BMW has had several vehicles that are worth hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars over the years. These five, though, end up setting the standard for the most expensive BMWs ever made.

5. 1990 BMW M8 E31 Prototype

Auto manufacturers tend to keep most of their projects a secret, and BMW kept their development of the BMW M8 E31 prototype hidden for about 20 years. Featuring a maximum output of 640 horsepower and a 6.0-liter V12 engine, the E31 was meant to be able to overtake Ferraris and McLarens that were out on the road while reaching top speeds of over 186 miles per hour.

In 2010, BMW finally revealed the prototype that they had been working on, and what truly could have been for the 8 series. There was only one unit made, with an estimated value of over $1 million. Of course, if BMW were to ever sell the car, it would certainly fetch a lot more than that at auction due to its rarity. The powerful supercar would more than likely be worth tens of millions.

4. 2015 BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage Concept

The 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL is one of the auto maker’s most notorious vehicles, and BMW wanted to pay tribute with a concept vehicle that would be an upgraded and updated version. The end result was the 2015 BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage, which was dubbed “The Batmobile” by some due to its appearance. 

Featuring a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged hybrid i6 engine and 500 horsepower, the Hommage changed the exterior design quite a bit, leading to some criticism. BMW announced in 2022 that there would be a new 3.0 that made it to production lines, but the Hommage concept was incredibly rare and valued at $1.5 million.

3. 1958 BMW 507 Series II

In 2019, a 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II was put up for auction in Arizona, and the winning bid ended up being $2,175,000. Only 252 of these cars were made that featured a 3.2-liter V8 engine and were $11,000 upon their release. Needless to say, the value of the 507 Series II models skyrocketed over the years and had been in the hands of a few different collectors during that time.

Interestingly enough, the 507 was a major loss for BMW as the cars were expensive to make and didn’t sell as quickly as they had hoped. Even Elvis Presley owning one didn’t help the notoriety early on, but the 507 has become a thing of legend ever since, as many feel it looks like it’s taken straight from a classic James Bond film.

2. 1991 BMW Nazca M12

BMW teamed up with Italian designer Fabrizio Giugiaro to come up with a concept that would be thought of as a car that could compete in Formula 1 and featured a V-12 engine. With that, the hyper-futuristic Nazca M12 was born in 1991 and debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show. The car was tweaked slightly to create the Nazca C2, but the original is the most coveted due to its rarity.

The concept car never made it to production despite being one of the most powerful cars that BMW had ever created. The rarity then contributed to its value, and the Nazca M12 is estimated to be around $3 million. Those that have sene it wish that they could’ve gotten one of these on the streets of Italy.

1. 1957 BMW 507 Touring

The 1958 version of the 507 isn’t the only BMW to be worth millions, as the one that was made the year prior was also an expensive one that didn’t become as popular (at the time) as BMW had thought. The 1957 version of the 507 was the first, with the car selling for as high as $5 million. 

The particular 507 that earned that much at auction was the touring version that was used by John Surtees, who won the 1956 Motorcycle World Championship and took exceptional care of the car for the remainder of his life. While most surviving 507s aren’t exactly up to code, Surtees’ was in top shape.

5 Best Career Paths Without a College Degree

Posted on by scatty

Due to the price of obtaining a college degree increasing dramatically, there are many people that are skipping college altogether and going straight into the job market. In the United States alone, more than one-third of adults never attended college. If you didn’t attend college or are a high-schooler that’s thinking about going to the job route before heading to college, here are the five best career paths you can take without a college degree.

1. Executive Assistant

Job Description: An executive assistant tends to help higher-ups in a company keep pace with their hectic schedules throughout the days and months. From making the schedule to taking calls and organizing, executive assistants can end up working around the clock if they’re working for some of the most important people in the world.

Salary Expectations: The median salary for an executive assistant is over $65,000, with the 10th percentile making around $50,000. The top 10 percent of executive assistants are making over $83,000 per year, with those working for top executives earning six figures.

Future Potential: Due to virtual assisting, some executive assistants are being outsourced, so now is the time to pursue this career before the market starts to shrink, according to experts.

2. Police Officer

Job Description: Police officers are expected to uphold the law on a city, county, state, or national level. As first responders, police officers are called upon in the case of an emergency situation. There is a varying level of intensity with this job, as much of it is keeping public safety in order and doing community outreach, while some emergencies can escalate quickly. 

Salary Expectations: The salary of a police officer is a steady one, with a median income of over $61,000. Most police officers are making around this amount, with the bottom 10 percent still making over $50,000 per year while the top 10 percent is making over $72,000.

Future Potential: Police officer jobs are always consistent, and expected to remain at the same level.

3. Electrician

Job Description: Electricians handle a lot of different aspects of the field, doing everything from installing wiring to making repairs in buildings as small as a shed and as large as a skyscraper. Electricians don’t need a college degree, but most go through an apprenticeship to get into the trade as proper training is paramount.

Salary Expectations: An electrician’s salary can vary greatly depending on their experience and range of skills, as well as their contacts/references. Electricians on the lower end are making around $40,000 while the higher end can easily make over $70,000. The median salary for an electrician is over $53,000.

Future Potential: The need for electricians grows every year at a steady rate as the world becomes more dependent on electricity.

4. Plumber

Job Description: Plumbers are a lot like electricians in the fact that they need to have a lot of general knowledge on one broad topic. Plumbers install and repair pipes that carry water within a structure, while also taking care of valves, drainage systems, and much more. At the end of the day, plumbing is a lot more than fixing a toilet.

Salary Expectations: Plumbers are among the highest-paid workers on the list, with the bottom 10 percent still making around $45,000 per year. The median is over $60,000 and the top 10 percent are making over $76,000 per year, showing that’s it’s a stable job.

Future Potential: The need for plumbers isn’t skyrocketing, but is expected to remain steady for years to come.

5. Real Estate Agent

Job Description: A real estate agent acts as the liaison between a home seller and a home buyer, usually packing a busy schedule where they conduct home viewings and take people through the entire process of a sale. Agents have to be great in sales and communication, so the hours can often be brutal and are guaranteed to include weekends.

Salary Expectations: Out of all of the jobs on the list, the salary range for real estate agents is by far the most varied. The median income of $44,000 is barely above the bottom 10 percent of $42,000, while the upper 10 percent are making $70,000 and more. The top real estate agents are making six-figures, with many also making millions.

Future Potential: Due to the ebbs and flows of the real estate market, job growth and shrinkage can happen at any given time for real estate agents.

5 Mobile Games That Had Viral Success

Posted on by scatty

Every now and then, there’s an app that everybody goes crazy for and it goes from having a few hundred downloads to having millions of downloads seemingly overnight. Most of the time, the apps that are able to achieve this type of sudden viral success fall in the games category. Some of the games are incredibly simplistic and people of all ages end up becoming devoted to make it as far as they can, while others involve multiplayer and are just plain old fun.

There have been many games that went viral, though many of them were flashes in the pan that ended up becoming an afterthought just as soon as they were on everybody’s phones. Then, there are those that had staying power. Our list has a nice mix of both, as we showcase five mobile games that had the most viral success.

Flappy Bird

Flappy Bird is an arcade-style mobile game that was developed by Dong Nguyen’s company .Gears, also known as dotGears, was released in 2013. It rose in popularity in 2014, becoming an overnight sensation to kids and adults alike. People were obsessed with this fun, but difficult game. Making it the most downloaded mobile game of the year, earning a whopping $50,000 a day in sales and ad revenue. In an act of humanity, the game’s creator took it off the AppStore due to the incredibly addictive nature of the game. 

Candy Crush

Candy Crush is a worldwide mobile game phenomenon, free to play and popular among all ages and walks of life. It was developed by King and originally released for Facebook in 2012. Now the game can be downloaded sans Facebook and enjoyed by anybody on iOS, Android, or PC. The game features a cute and colorful array of candy pieces set up in a tile-matching style of gameplay. You must match three, or more candies in a line, block of four, or L-shaped formation. Each level presents its own challenges and increases in difficulty over the course of the levels. It’s a wonderfully fun and mind-numbing game that surprisingly never gets old. 

Pokémon Go

One of the most viral mobile games of modern times is Pokémon Go. Popular among today’s youth and millennials alike. It brings the adventure and unique nature of Pokémon to the real world. You can explore real-life locations and search for different kinds of Pokémon along your travels. You can find eggs that require the player to walk a specific distance before it hatches. Giving incentives to walk and stay active. As well as creating a fun way to socialize with other players in your community. 

Among Us

Among Us is another hugely successful game that got its start on mobile platforms. The game was developed by Innersloth studios and released in 2018, later being released for consoles and PC. The multiplayer social deduction game was inspired by the sci-fi thriller “The Thing” as well as the game “Mafia” created in the 1980s. Among Us rose in popularity in 2020 when a variety of Twitch streamers with large audiences began playing the game on streams. Some believe the 2020 pandemic made the game take off, due to its socially interactive and fun gameplay. 

Roblox

If you know a kid, you’ve probably heard of Roblox. The ever-so-popular mobile game is one kids go crazy for. It was developed by the Roblox Corporation and released for PC in 2006. Later released for mobile users in 2012 and 2014. The game is free to play but largely reliant on in-game purchases through the use of Robux. It’s estimated that half of all children in America are active users on the platform. It features a large variety of games for different age ranges, like music games, puzzle games, social games, and modified versions of popular games outside of Roblox. 

5 Best Motocross Video Games Ever

Posted on by scatty

Not all of us can get out to the motocross track or have room for a bike, but almost all of us do have a gaming console. For this reason, there are a lot of people that love motocross video games, even if they’ve never ridden a bike themselves. Over the years, we’ve been treated to a lot of great motocross video games, but which ones are truly the best? Here are our picks for the five best motocross video games of all time.

5. Excitebike

You can’t talk about motocross video games without mentioning the one that started it all back in 1984. Initially released for the Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System, “Excitebike” was a side-scrolling 8-bit racer that taught players the importance of finding the right speed for jumps on a motocross track. Sure it was difficult, but NES players had a lot of fun with it.

Not only did “Excitebike” set the tone for other NES side-scrollers, but it also launched a slew of sequels in the franchise including “Excitebike 64” and “Excitebike: World Rally”. People are split on the actual quality of the original “Excitebike”, but there’s no doubting its importance to video games overall and introducing a lot of youngsters to the sport.

4. MX Superfly

There was that special era of video games where you couldn’t yet race online but could purchase downloadable content including new songs and racers. “MX Superfly” was part of that era, and was released on the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube in the summer of 2002. A sequel to “MX 2002”, “Superfly” improved a lot from the first game and felt like the first true simulation in motocross.

The game hasn’t aged particularly well compared to others on the list, but “MX Superfly” was an amazing game for its time that featured outdoor racing, supercross, and even a stunt challenge. “MX Superfly” received generally positive reviews overall no matter what system it was on and motocross fans still come back to this game every now and then.

3. MX Unleashed

“MX 2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael” was the first of the THQ motocross trilogy, with “Superfly” being the second. The final installment of the series was “MX Unleashed”, which was released in February 2004 on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, but surprisingly not the GameCube. “MX Unleashed” further tweaked the style that made “MX Superfly” so enjoyable and added some new features to go along with it.

“MX Unleashed” felt like a true “Superfly” sequel, and fans were treated to it many years later when it became available on mobile phones and was included in Xbox’s Games With Gold program. While the graphics are what you expect from a PS2 game, the gameplay definitely withstands the test of time.

2. MX vs. ATV Reflex

Following the success of the MX Trilogy by THQ, the publisher set out to expand their horizons, getting ATVs included and launching the “MX vs. ATV” franchise in 2005 starting with “MX vs. ATV Unleashed”. There have been several games as part of the series since then, with “MX vs. ATV Reflex” being at the top of the list of fan favorites.

To get the full enjoyment out of “Reflex”, though, players would be better suited to use the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 versions that received great reviews as the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable versions didn’t get the same type of love. It takes some getting used to on the controls after playing the MX Trilogy, but the payoff is worth it.

1. MXGP3

Getting away from THQ for the top spot, Italian video game publisher Milestone has the “official motocross videogame” with their series MXGP, which was first released in 2014 on the PlayStation 3 and 4, as well as the Xbox 360. Since then, there have been several installments, with the top being “MXGP3”.

Where the THQ series of games is more arcade-esque, “MXGP” is a better simulation of what it’s like to be in a race with over a dozen other riders. CPUs racers are incredibly smart, even down to whipping their bikes over a jump. Overall, “MXGP 3” received positive reviews and helped push the series to where it is today.

A Brief History of DnD

Posted on by scatty

Dungeons and Dragons is a tabletop game that has been played by tens of millions worldwide, and because of the rise of the internet age, millions more have been added to the player userbase to the point where there are over 13 million active players. While it was considered to be for “nerds” in its early days, people from all walks of life play DnD now.

Those that are new to the game might not know where it came from, though. How did it get from the dank basements of 1970s teens to internet streamers with thousands of viewers? Before we look into the future of Dungeons and Dragons, we have to look into its past. Here is a brief history of DnD.

Starting with the Siege

Before Dungeons and Dragons came along, there was a game named Siege of Bodenburg created by Henry Bodenstedt in 1967 that was published in the Strategy & Tactics magazine. The medieval game was a favorite for Jeff Perren and the rest of the Lake Geneva Tactical Studies Association.

During the late 1960s, Perren wrote his own rules for Siege of Bodenburg, and fellow LGTSA member Gary Gygax added a fantasy element to his rules, creating an all-new game that was originally titled Chainmail and released in 1971. Meanwhile, Dave Wesley and Dave Arneson were working on their own wargame and used many of the rules of Chainmail.

Chaining the Dragon

Dave Arneson had worked with Gary Gygax before, and the two were able to share their ideas of blending the two sets of rules that they created. The new game needed a name, however, and Gygax let his toddler daughter decide on the simplistic Dungeons and Dragons. Gygax and his fellow players thought it was a big hit, and their playing group grew rapidly in the early days of DnD.

After playing for countless hours, Gygax continued to alter the rules so that they would be more player-friendly and accessible while also being fun. Gygax took inspiration from a lot of science fiction and fantasy pieces of media. It was clear that Dungeons and Dragons was going to be a hit, but Gygax was working for Guidon Games at the time, and the business was too small to handle the production that DnD required.

The Big Reveal

With that in mind, Gygax invested some of his money and found a business partner in the form of Don Kaye to found their own publishing company and created hundreds of copies of the original Dungeons and Dragons set. To raise enough to pay for the DnD printing, they tried a quick release of another smaller wargame, but the sales were almost nonexistent and the two ran out of their own money to make DnD widespread.

Instead, the duo turned to Brian Blume, who threw in enough money on the condition that he got 1/3rd of the publishing rights. Gygax and Kaye had no choice but to accept, and Dungeons and Dragons was finally ready to sell, releasing in 1974 as a boxed set with 1,000 total copies in its original run, with every copy selling.

DnD Boom

Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Dungeons and Dragons became a big hit around the world, but Kaye passed away suddenly and left the company’s financial future up in the air. Gygax and Blume were able to get the rest of the business’s shares and had to find a bigger headquarters after the game gained popularity. 

As more people began to play DnD, expansion packs were added and new content was released on a consistent basis to keep people coming back for more. Eventually, Dungeons and Dragons was purchased by Wizards of the Coast, which has owned the game since 1997. Over the years, DnD has picked up a lot of celebrity players and is one of the most popular games played on the streaming website Twitch.

“When I wrote the DnD game in 1972-3, I envisaged an audience of military boardgamers, military miniatures players, and fantasy, (science-fiction) and horror fans only,” Gygax said of the game’s creation. “This was indeed the initial core audience, and it wasn’t until 1976…that I began to realize that the appeal was more universal.”

5 Best Players in Oregon Ducks Basketball History

Posted on by scatty

When you think of historic basketball programs on the west coast, people tend to think of UCLA, but it was actually Oregon that won the first-ever NCAA men’s basketball tournament. It would take nearly 80 years for the Ducks to get back to the Final Four, but along the way, there have been some great players that nearly got them there. Throughout all of Oregon basketball history, here are the five best players to ever wear the Ducks uniform:

5. Terrell Brandon

Portland native Terrell Brandon spent just two seasons at Oregon but had a massive impact on the basketball program. Brandon was a first-team All-Pac-10 member in both of his seasons and the conference’s Player of the Year in 1991. In that season, Brandon set the school record for most points in a season with 745.

Post-Oregon Days: Brandon left the Ducks after his sophomore season to declare for the NBA Draft and was selected 11th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though he’d run into injury problems in the NBA, Brandon was a two-time NBA All-Star in 1996 and 1997 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Overall he averaged 13.8 points and 6.1 assists per game in his 11-year career.

4. Luke Ridnour

A high school All-American from Blaine, Washington, Luke Ridnour made an immediate impact in his freshman season, averaging 7.4 points per game en route to being the Pac 10 Freshman of the Year. By the time he was a junior, Ridnour was averaging nearly 20 points per game and was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year to go along with two first-team All-Pac-10 honors.

Post-Oregon Days: Ridnour declared for the NBA Draft following his impressive junior season and was the 14th overall selection in 2003 by the Seattle SuperSonics. Ridnour spent more than a decade in the NBA, averaging 9.3 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game while playing for five different franchises, finishing in 2015 with the Orlando Magic.

3. Payton Pritchard

The first player on the list to put in a full four seasons with Oregon, Payton Pritchard from West Linn, Oregon was a starter in all four of those years. Pritchard was one of the top players in the nation by his senior season when he was averaging 20.5 points and 5.5 assists per game. Pritchard is fourth in program history in scoring and won the Lute Olson Award, Bob Cousy Award and was All-Pac-12 and All-American in his final year. 

Post-Oregon Days: Pritchard was the 26th overall selection by the Boston Celtics in the 2020 NBA Draft and received significant playing time in his first season, averaging 7.7 points per game. Though he’d see reduced time in his second year, Pritchard remains a member of the Celtics rotation as a role player.

2. Luke Jackson

Creswell native Luke Jackson stayed in-state for his college career where he played four seasons, including a senior campaign with 21.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Jackson was an All-American in 2004 and two-time First-Team All-Pac-10 with 1,970 career points.

Post-Oregon Days: There were big things expected for Jackson as he skipped his senior season for the NBA and was drafted 10th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, he spent just two seasons with the team before wrapping up his NBA career in 2008 with short stints for the Clippers, Raptors, and Heat. Jackson played just 73 games in the NBA before moving his professional career to Europe.

1. Ron Lee

The top player on the list is Ron Lee, who started all four seasons and is the program record holder for most points scored at 2.085. Lee averaged over 18 points per game in all four of his seasons with Oregon and was named First-Team All-Pac-8 in each one. In 1976, he was recognized as the conference’s Player of the Year.

Post-Oregon Days: Just like Jackson, Lee was a 10th overall selection as the Phoenix Suns drafted him in 1976. Lee played for Phoenix for just a couple of seasons, though, and spent time with the Jazz, Hawks, and Pistons before his NBA career ended in 1982. He finished with 7.3 points and 3.8 assists per game while leading the NBA in steals during the 1977-78 season before heading to Europe for the rest of his pro days.

5 Best Players in Oregon Ducks Football History

Posted on by scatty

Oregon football has a long history in the NCAA, but it wasn’t until the mid 1990s that the program started to make its mark on a national level. The school, and especially alumni Phil Knight of Nike, started to inject more resources into the program, and the result has been Oregon becoming one of the best football programs of the 21st century.

Along the way, there have been some legendary Ducks players, but a handful that truly stands out. These players may not have had the best careers in the NFL, but what they did during their days in Eugene makes them the five best players in Oregon Ducks’ football history.

Before we start the list, here are some honorable mentions of players that just missed the cut: Jonathan Stewart, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Max Unger, Gary Zimmerman, DeForest Buckner, Kayvon Thibodeaux, LaMichael James.

5. Joey Harrington

Portland native Joey Harrington started seeing playing time in his sophomore season with Oregon, and by his junior year, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the Pac-10. Harrington’s Oregon career was capped off with a 27-6 touchdown to interception ratio and a fourth-place finish in the 2001 Heisman voting. He finished his career with 6,911 passing yards and 59 touchdowns to go along with a massive win in the Fiesta Bowl.

Post-Oregon Days: Harrington was thought to be a surefire franchise quarterback in the NFL and was selected by the Detroit Lions with the third overall pick in 2002. He remained there for four seasons and played with Miami, Atlanta, and New Orleans before ending his career in 2008 with 79 touchdowns and 85 interceptions.

4. Penei Sewell

Penei Sewell was considered a can’t-miss high school prospect who grew up in St. George, Utah. Almost every team was after his services, and Oregon landed Sewell in 2018. He immediately became a starter on the offensive line and won the Outland and Morris trophies during his 2019 All-American season before opting out of the COVID-19-affected 2020 season and entering the NFL Draft.

Post Oregon Days: Sewell was also a top 10 pick by the Detroit Lions and was selected seventh overall in 2021. Sewell became an immediate starter in Detroit and made an impact in his first season, being named to the All-Rookie Team and figures to be a staple of the Lions’ offensive line for years to come.

3. Haloti Ngata

Coming out of Salt Lake City, Haloti Ngata started on the Ducks’ defensive line for three seasons and was both an All-Pac-10 and All-American player while also winning the Morris Trophy in 2005. Ngata could do it all in college, and he only left Oregon early because of his mother’s illness and needed the NFL money to support her.

Post-Oregon Days: Ngata is another Oregon player that made his way to Detroit for three seasons, but spent nine years with the Baltimore Ravens first, and was a five-time All-Pro with the team. Ngata won a Super Bowl with Baltimore and was the 12th overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft.

2. Dennis Dixon

One of the flashiest quarterbacks of his time, Dennis Dixon threw for over 5,100 yards and had 38 touchdowns through the air during his Oregon career while also rushing for 1,208 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dixon was a two-time All-Pac-10 player and the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2007.

Post Oregon Days: Dixon is the lone Duck on the list to not be a first-round selection as he was taken 156th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008. He remained in Pittsburgh through the 2011 season and was on the practice squad for four different franchises from 2012 to 2014 before retiring with one touchdown and two interceptions.

1. Marcus Mariota

Of course, the best player in Oregon’s program history is the school’s only Heisman Trophy winner: Marcus Mariota. Mariota was a three-year starter with the Ducks, throwing for 10,796 yards and 105 touchdowns compared to just 14 interceptions. Mariota also rushed for 2,237 yards and another 29 touchdowns.

Post-Oregon Days: Mariota was the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft after Jameis Winston was taken first, leading the Tennessee Titans for five seasons. Mariota was let go by the team following the 2019 season and made his way to the Las Vegas Raiders as a backup to Derek Carr before becoming a starter once again for the Atlanta Falcons.

5 Questions To Ask Before You Get a Mortgage

Posted on by scatty

There’s no larger expense that you’ll have in your life than the purchase of a home, which for some can cost seven figures. Not many of us are able to pay for a house in cash, and rely on mortgage to get the job done so we have a place to call home for the next few decades. With that in mind, you have to ask yourself a few questions before committing to a mortgage. These five questions need to be answered first and foremost before signing any paperwork.

1. What’s my interest rate?

The one thing that determines the housing market more than anything is the current interest rate. Before locking yourself into a mortgage, make sure that you’re getting the best interest possible. Of course, the rates are completely volatile and can change on a daily basis, so it’s best to strike at a rate that’s favorable like it was during the late 2000s and early 2020s.

You also have to understand the different types of mortgage interest rates. There are different rates depending on the type and length, with some being fixed rate mortgages while others are adjustable rates. Fixed rate mortgages are by far the most popular, with people locking into their prices for the length of the loan.

2. What type of mortgage do I need?

Interest rates differ by the type of mortgage that you get, and there are several options when shopping around for a loan. A fixed-rate mortgage is the most common, as it comes with a set monthly payment amount that appeals to people who will eventually make more money and can pay off their mortgage early. Then, there’s the adjustable-rate mortgage where there are lower payments at the beginning, which is also another good option for those that will make more as the years go on.

For those with great credit and want to buy an expensive home, conventional and jumbo mortgages are among the best options and typically handled through a broker. Finally, there are government loans through the VA and FHA that require low down payments and are given to those with low credit scores.

3. Is my debt too high?

You can have hundreds of thousands in debt, but if you’re making millions of dollars, then that massive amount of debt won’t matter one bit to mortgage lenders. Debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is one of the first things that lenders will look at, and the lower your DTI, the better your chances of getting a desirable mortgage approved.

There are two aspects to your DTI, with the front-end and back-end. The front end is the monthly payments that include your mortgage, taxes, insurance, and utilities. The back-end is for all of your other monthly expenses that aren’t related to the house, such as credit cards, groceries, gas, and student loans.

4. Can I afford monthly payments?

The other side of the DTI is the income itself. If you’re one of the many people that’s looking to move from an apartment and into a house because the mortgage payments are cheaper than rent, you have to consider your savings.

Rental agreements are typically 12 months and you aren’t obligated to make any major repairs as that onus falls on the landlord. When you own a house, though, you’re the one that pays for any repairs and has to replace appliances. Make sure you have enough money to afford these unexpected expenses before diving into a mortgage.

5. How long do I want to live here?

When you’re paying for something like a house, you know that you’re investing a lot of money, but you’ll also be investing a lot of time. Before you get into a mortgage, you want to make sure that you’re satisfied with the house that you’ll be calling a home. While you have the option to pay off a mortgage early, that’s not going to be a strong likelihood for a lot of people.

With that in mind, you want to make sure that you’re comfortable living in a new house for at least 10 years, with the average mortgage being 30 years. In some cases, mortgages can be as long as 50 years, so make sure that everything is absolutely perfect for you and your investment before taking out a five, six, or seven-figure loan.

Best 7th Round Picks in NFL History

Posted on by scatty

You never know what you’re going to get in the NFL Draft. Sometimes you get Jamarcus Russell with the first overall pick, and then sometimes you get Tom Brady in the sixth round. You can scout all you want, but you never truly know how a player will pan out in the NFL until they’re on the field.

The NFL Draft moved to seven rounds in 1994 and has stayed at that mark ever since. Long gone are the days when there were 20 rounds since there are so many teams. After the first couple of rounds, the casual fan tends to stop paying attention, but there have still been some amazing players to be drafted in the seventh, and what is now the final, round. Here are our picks for the best seventh-round selections in NFL Draft history.

Before we get to the list, here are our honorable mentions for the players that just missed the cut: Donald Driver, Marques Colston, Julian Edelman, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jake Scott, Bo Jackson, Jim Ringo, and Joe Schmidt.

5. Harold Carmichael

Harold Carmichael was an incredibly tall wide receiver coming out of Southern University in 1971 at 6’8”, but was considered a raw talent. The Philadelphia Eagles took the chance on him based on his size, using the 161st overall pick on Carmichael. He would end up leading the NFL in yards in 1973 and reached four Pro Bowls with the Eagles.

Carmichael was also a two-time All-Pro in Philadelphia, playing for more than a decade with the Eagles. One of his crowning achievements was winning the 1980 NFL Man of the Year Award, as well. Carmichael finished with 8,985 receiving yards and 79 touchdowns before ending his career in 1984 with the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys.

4. Rayfield Wright

Nicknamed “The Big Cat” because he could move incredibly nimbly for someone his size (6’6”, 270 pounds), Rayfield Wright was a force at Fort Valley State in the 1960s. The school didn’t play in Division-I at the time, however, so not many people got a chance to see Wright before he made it to the NFL Draft and was selected 182nd overall by the Dallas Cowboys.

Wright was a home run pick for the Cowboys as he was named an All-Pro in six seasons, with half of those being First-Team honors. Wright was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after winning two Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys and was inducted into the franchise’s Ring of Honor.

3. Gary Anderson

The seventh round is usually when teams are taking kickers off the board, and some turn out to be amazing at their job. South African native and Syracuse graduate Gary Anderson was the 171st overall pick in 1982 by the Buffalo Bills but actually started his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1984.

Anderson spent more than 20 years in the NFL playing for a total of six franchises, and was selected as an All-Pro on three occasions and made two All-Decade Teams. His best season came in 1998 when he connected on all 35 of his field goal attempts in the regular season (don’t ask about the NFC Championship Game, however).

2. Larry Wilson

It might be cheating since Larry Wilson was drafted into a much smaller NFL, as he was only the 74th overall pick in the 1960 NFL Draft and a first-rounder in the AFL Draft. Regardless, Wilson was still a seventh-round selection by the St. Louis Cardinals, and spent his entire career with the franchise.

The Hall of Famer finished his career with 52 interceptions and was named to the All-Pro team seven times, with six of those being on the First-Team. Wilson was also on two All-Decade Teams, as well as the 75th and 100th NFL Anniversary All-Time Teams.

1. Shannon Sharpe

Known by the younger crowd as an analyst, Shannon Sharpe is one of the best tight ends ever and was selected 192nd overall out of Savannah State. Most of his career was spent with the Denver Broncos, though he did play for the Baltimore Ravens for two seasons. 

Sharpe was a five-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl player who holds the tight end record for most receiving yards in a game with 214. Sharpe finished his career with over 10,000 yards and hauled in 62 touchdowns.

5 Worst NFL Draft Picks Ever

Posted on by scatty

You never know what you’re going to get in the NFL Draft, as some players can become Hall of Famers from later rounds, while top picks can end up being so bad that they’re out of the league within a couple of years. There have been some massive draft blunders over the years, but a few that really take the cake. Here are the five worst NFL Draft picks ever.

5. (Tie) Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold

The 2018 NFL Draft was loaded with talent, and the Cleveland Browns had the chance to finally grab a franchise quarterback. They opted for 2017 Heisman winner Baker Mayfield, while the New York Giants selected Saquon Barkley second overall. The third pick went to the New York Jets, and they took USC quarterback Sam Darnold.

Many were sold on Mayfield and Darnold to become franchise quarterbacks, while also saying the Buffalo Bills drafted Josh Allen too high at seventh overall. Within just a couple of years, Mayfield and Darnold departed their teams and became teammates and backups with the Carolina Panthers while Allen became one of the best QBs in the league. Other players that both teams passed up on include Denzel Ward, Bradley Chubb, and Quenton Nelson.

4. Tony Mandarich

Four of the first five selections in the 1989 NFL Draft were enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Troy Aikman was a mainstay with the Dallas Cowboys, Barry Sanders became one of the best running backs of all time, Derrick Thomas was one of the 1990s best linebackers and Deion Sanders is a cornerback that current-day players all looked up to.

Then, there’s Tony Mandarich. The Michigan State offensive tackle was dubbed “The Incredible Bulk” by Sports Illustrated but flamed out with the Green Bay Packers. Mandarich played four seasons in Green Bay before he was out of the NFL for several years, and ended with a modest comeback with the Indianapolis Colts.

3. Lawrence Phillips

The 1996 NFL Draft was pretty loaded, with the top three picks all being perennial Pro Bowlers and the fourth would end up being a Hall of Famer in the form of left tackle Jonathan Ogden. At the sixth pick, the St. Louis Rams were in need of a running back and passed up on Michigan’s Tim Biakabutuka and Ohio State’s Eddie George in favor of Nebraska rusher Lawrence Phillips.

Phillips didn’t even make it through two seasons before the Rams let him go as he was having a lot of trouble off the field, including staying out drinking until the morning of gamedays. Phillips played in just 35 games during his career, having short stints with the Dolphins and 49ers. What made the pick really hurt was that the Rams traded away Jerome Bettis to make room for Phillips on the roster.

2. Ryan Leaf

Heading into the 1998 NFL Draft, it should’ve been clear that Peyton Manning was the top overall player, but there was still a debate on whether the Indianapolis Colts should select him or Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf. The Colts made the right choice by taking Manning, and Leaf fell to number two where the San Diego Chargers thought they found their franchise player.

Unfortunately, Leaf had a laundry list of problems both on and off the field, and only lasted with the Chargers for three seasons. By 2002, Leaf was out of the league and finished with a horrid 14 touchdowns to 36 interceptions. During that time, he had a record of 4-17 as a starter, including an 0-3 mark as the Cowboys started in 2001 when he received a second chance. Even worse, the Chargers passed up on the opportunity to draft Heisman winner and Hall of Famer Charles Woodson.

1. JaMarcus Russell

After a fine career at LSU that included a Sugar Bowl victory over Brady Quinn’s Notre Dame squad, JaMarcus Russell was the clear-cut number-one pick in the 2007 NFL Draft because of his impressive arm strength and mobility. The Raiders were the “winners” of the sweepstakes but quickly discovered that Russell’s head wasn’t in the game.

Russell wasn’t focusing on learning the playbook or practicing his hardest and the end result was just three years in the NFL. Russell threw for only 18 touchdowns compared to 23 interceptions, and he lost 18 of the 25 starts that he made. Some teams flirted with the idea of allowing Russell to make his comeback in the 2010s, but he ultimately played his final game in 2009 as the biggest draft bust of all time.