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Greatest Players in Griz Basketball History

Posted on November 8, 2022 by scatty

While the University of Montana basketball team might not get national attention very often, it’s a program that has a long tradition that dates back to 1901. Since then, Montana has had some fantastic seasons and players that have etched themselves into Griz history. Of all of those players, here are the five greatest in Griz basketball history.

5. Sayeed Pridgett

Coming out of El Carrito high school in Oakland, California, Sayeed Pridgett made his way to Montana in 2016 and started several games as a freshman. It wasn’t until his junior year, though, that Pridgett started getting some serious playing time and it catapulted him into being one of the best players in the conference.

The two-time All-Big Sky player averaged 15.1 points during his junior seasons, then followed it up with a great senior campaign where he scored 19.8 points while also putting up 7.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Pridgett ended his Grizzlies career as the school’s fourth all-time leading scorer.

4. Martin Breunig

Martin Breunig found himself in the Pac-12 at the start of his college career, playing for the University of Washington. In two seasons with the Huskies, Breunig didn’t start a single game and posted 1.2 points per game. Hoping to crack a starting lineup, Breunig transferred to Montana, sitting out the 2013-14 season.

Breunig spent his remaining two years of eligibility with the Griz, averaging 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Breunig was named to the All-Big Sky Team in both seasons, leading the Grizzlies to both the NIT and CBI. Unfortunately, he never made the NCAA Tournament as a member of the Griz, though they did win a share of the Big Sky title in 2015.

3. Ahmaad Rorie

Just like Martin Breunig, Ahmaad Rorie transferred from a Pac-12 school to join Montana. Rorie came from Oregon where he spent one season with the Ducks as a role player, then became a star with Montana after sitting out for his transfer season. Rorie was a full-time starter for three seasons with the Griz, and was a member of the All-Big Sky Team in all three years.

Rorie added a Big Sky Tournament MVP Award to his resume, as well. In his final two seasons, Montana won the Big Sky Tournament to make it to the NCAA Tournament. In both of those tournaments, though, Rorie and the Griz would face off against a highly ranked Michigan team in the first round and lost both games.

2. Michael Ray Richardson

A 6’5” guard, Michael Ray Richardson came to Montana in 1974 and had a solid freshman season, and broke into the starting lineup the following year. Richardson posted 18.2 points per game during his sophomore year and only got better from there. Richardson was named to the All-Big Sky Team three times in Montana, finishing his career with 17.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Richardson made Big Sky Conference history when he was drafted fourth overall in 1978 by the New York Knicks. Richardson played for nine seasons in the NBA and then more than a decade overseas before retiring in 2002. Afterward, the four-time NBA All-Star would go into coaching for 10 years.

1. Larry Krystkowiak

Of course, when you’re talking about all-time Montana greats, you have to put Larry Krystkowiak at the top of the list. The 6’9” forward spent four seasons in Montana, becoming a starter in his sophomore season. Over the course of his Griz career, Krystkowiak was a three-time Big Sky Player of the Year and a two-time All-Big Sky Tourney Team member.

By his senior year, Krystkowiak was one of the NCAA’s top players, averaging 22.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. He was drafted in 1986 by the Chicago Bulls and spent more than a decade in the NBA. After his playing days, Krystkowiak went into coaching, returning to Montana where he became an assistant and eventually the Griz head coach before coaching the Milwaukee Bucks and the University of Utah.

5 Ways Therapy Can Help You Succeed In Life

Posted on November 8, 2022 by scatty

Mental health is a growing issue around the world, but thankfully there has been more attention placed on it as the years go on. It’s estimated that around 20 percent of adults in the United States actually receive mental health treatment, while the vast majority, unfortunately, ignore their mental health. Even if you find yourself in a good mental state, therapy can go a long way in improving your life further.

Though it’s not the cheapest form of mental health treatment, therapy is a way to be heard while also getting advice on how to make your life better. There are a ton of different ways in which therapy can help you succeed in life, and here are the five most important ways.

Improve Communication Skills

Communication is a hugely important skill to fine-tune and use for a multitude of reasons. Oftentimes, emotionally charged situations can be de-escalated by using proper communication skills.

These techniques are used and taught in therapy, allowing you to become familiar with them and use them in your personal life outside of therapy. Once your communication skills improve, you’ll have an easier time conveying yourself to the people in your life.

Setting Healthy Boundaries

Another helpful and vital tool therapy teaches is setting and enforcing strong personal boundaries. You can place boundaries of varying degrees in all situations and environments you find yourself in. Whether you’re setting boundaries for fellow employees in the workplace, family, friends, or even your therapist.

Boundaries allow you to express the kind of specific behaviors, topics, closeness, etc., you approve of, or disapprove of when others are around you. It’s just as important to respect others’ boundaries as it is for them to respect yours. Communicating those specific wants and needs to the people in your life is key.

Improve Self Esteem and Confidence

If you’re not feeling worthy and confident, it shows up in all aspects of your daily life. Working with your therapist to build yourself up mentally and emotionally is the foundation for improving your life and mental health. Your therapist can teach you ways to improve your self-esteem, self-love, and confidence, and see yourself in a better light.

It’s never easy taking the steps to love yourself, especially when your mental illness tells you to believe otherwise. With guidance, practicing techniques, and the proper motivation, you’ll see a difference in how you think and feel about yourself.

Learning Coping Skills To Manage Symptoms and Stress

Stress, big or small, is a relatively common occurrence in all of our lives. A lot of people tend to instinctively run to unhealthy and quick fixes to give them the comfort they desperately seek. Using therapy to learn the healthy, long term, coping mechanisms can help to keep your emotions regulated when facing distress.

Controlling your breathing to stay calm and collected is a helpful way to keep your mind clear. Grounding is another helpful technique. Grounding methods allow you to focus on the present moment and keep anxious distractions at bay. Your therapist will advise you to practice these methods when you suffer from the symptoms of mental illness and the stress and anxiety of daily life.

Heal Past Trauma and Close Wounds

Your past doesn’t define you, but it can be responsible for driving your emotional responses in present situations. With the use of therapy, you can learn how your past trauma affects you in the present. It can provide you with newfound insights and self-awareness.

Therefore, helping you work on improving the way you handle your emotions and unraveling the reasons behind mental illness and how to work through it. Coping with past trauma and getting to a point of healing is not an easy, or short process, however, it is crucial and therapy is the best way to get you there.

5 Most Extreme Escape Rooms For Hardcore Fans

Posted on November 8, 2022November 8, 2022 by scatty

No two escape rooms are exactly the same, with some being very tame and aimed at beginners while others are so extreme that you have to sign a waiver. Hardcore escape room fans have likely seen the most extreme options in their area, so if you fall in this category and want to branch out for a road trip, there are some escape rooms that will test your patience and sanity.

These escape rooms have insanely low success rates and offer outside factors that will have you hitting the panic button faster than you think. If you’re brave enough, check out these five most extreme escape rooms for only the most hardcore fans.

The Basement (Los Angeles, California)

This escape room is not for the faint of heart. The Basement, located in Los Angeles, California, features a devilish escape room where participants have been kidnapped by the cannibalistic serial killer, Edward Tandy.

Set in his dead mother’s home, the sadistic, flesh-hungry, and psychotic Tandy gives you clues to help solve the scavenger hunt like puzzles to aid in your escape. The room has a slim 12.5% success rate with extreme difficulty and cryptic clues. Once you’ve collected all of the items, you can escape the crazy Tandy and breathe a sigh of relief.

The Torture Chamber (Elk Grove, California)

The Torture Chamber in Elk Grove, California paints a grizzly picture. You and your team are trapped inside the torture chamber of notorious serial killer, the American River Killer. He’s killed before and you’re his next set of victims. The previous victim used her last bit of strength to leave clues and hints to aid in your escape.

The sadistic killer has left for exactly 60 minutes and you must utilize every minute and every tool, no matter how small and unassuming, to help you escape before you suffer the same fate as the others.

The 13th Gate Escape (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

Voted the #1 escape room in the US, The 13th Gate Escape in Baton Rouge, Louisiana features a great selection of rooms with differing themes, difficulties, and fear factors. Like the Tomb of Anubis, Death Row, and Cutthroat Cavern. One of the most notable is the terrifying Asylum Room, with intermediate difficulty and an extreme fear factor.

The haunting story behind the room is surrounded by death. Dr. Victor Delacroix is said to have performed sickening experiments on patients of the Avery Island Asylum, a tuberculosis hospital in the early 1900s. After his death, the hospital of horrors was shut down, but mysterious and haunting activities still go on inside the tattered walls. You and your team go check it out and you’re all trapped inside. You must work to escape within the 60-minute time frame.

Bates Motel Escape Rooms (West Chester, Pennsylvania)

Based on the fictional Bates Motel series, this escape room in West Chester Pennsylvania brings it all to life. They feature detailed rooms, with CGI, lighting, and sound effects. Along with mysterious hidden doorways and clues that require attentiveness and critical thinking. If you manage to pull it together in the 60 minutes you have to figure out the puzzle room, you and your team can escape unscathed.

Trap Door Escape Room’s ‘Fear The Bogeyman’ (Bartonsville, Pennsylvania)

Located in Bartonsville Pennsylvania, Fear The Bogeyman escape room features you and your team playing as paranormal investigators seeking the whereabouts of children abducted by the Bogeyman. The intense action will make it challenging to keep your wits about you for the 60 minutes you have to solve the puzzles and save the unfortunate souls taken by the mysterious entity who is actually in there with you. It takes the fear factor to another level and makes this escape room a must.

Five Tips To Improve Your Typing Speed

Posted on November 8, 2022 by scatty

Though typing used to just be a hobby, for the most part, having the ability to type with perfect accuracy and a high rate of speed is one of the most desired skills available these days. The average person types at about 40 words per minute. That certainly isn’t slow, but experts say that people should be typing around 70 words per minute to increase their productivity.

Whether you’re someone that’s attempting to get above the average words per minute mark or already an expert that’s looking to finetune your skills, there are certain ways to improve your typing speed. Follow these five tips and you’ll see your words per minute increase in no time!

Maintain proper posture.

One of the tips to help you reach your goal of typing at a faster and more efficient pace is one that is sure to improve your skills almost immediately. Maintaining proper body posture is the foundation for ensuring your typing speed improves.

For proper posture, you’ll want to keep your shoulders relaxed, your feet flat on the floor, and sit upright in a chair that allows your spine to retain its natural curve. Doing this will keep you comfortable longer, help you feel more attentive, and keep your arms and hands in the best placement possible for more fluid movements and increased typing speed.

Proper finger placement.

Along with posture, finger placement is a hugely important helpful step to improving your typing speed. You’ll want to start by keeping your hands by the base of the keyboard to keep them from tiring too quickly, while still being close enough to reach the keys with ease. Next, you’ll want to memorize the keys on which to rest your fingers.

Your left pinky finger should rest on the A key, your left ring finger on the S key, your left middle finger on the D key, left pointer finger on the F key. Your right pinky finger should be on the semi-colon key, right ring finger on the L key, right middle finger on the K key, right pointer finger on the J key, and both thumbs should be resting on the space bar, or hovering above. When typing, try to only use the fingers nearby the keys needed. It will help to keep correct finger placement and minimize unnecessary movements that slow you down.

Don’t look down at the keyboard.

A pretty simple, but useful tip is to keep your eyes on the screen and don’t look down at your keyboard. Looking down at the keys takes up time, slows you down, and keeps you distracted from the screen and task in front of you. It sounds silly, but try closing your eyes, or blindfolding yourself while typing out a few sentences and see how long it takes you to get the hang of speeding up your typing while keeping your eyes off the keyboard.

Practice typing words and phrases that use a variety of letters.

A helpful tool for improving typing accuracy and speed is practicing typing words and phrases that use a variety of letters, therefore, a variety of keys. Doing so will enable you to develop muscle memory for a more comfortable and easy style of typing. As well as increasing your overall speed and confidence in using the correct fingers for the variety of keys.

Type slowly and get used to the feel of the keyboard before speeding up.

Although increasing your speed is the main objective here, you’ll want to first familiarize yourself with the keyboard before you focus on speed. Try the previously mentioned tips of proper posture and finger placement, but instead of aiming for speed you can get used to the feel of the keys and typing slowly to work on accuracy.

The Best Dodgers On Both Sides Of The Nation: The 5 Best Ever Boys in Blue

Posted on October 28, 2022 by scatty

Few Major League Baseball franchises have the type of rich history and tradition as the Los Angeles Dodgers. Dating back to their days in Brooklyn, the Dodgers have been a storied franchise with a lot of success and names that would become legendary in America’s pastime.

With the hundreds upon hundreds of those that have worn a Dodgers jersey, though, which ones are indeed the greatest of all time? Here are our picks for the top five Dodgers in franchise history, though not all of them were actually players on the team.

1. Sandy Koufax

Sandy Koufax was nicknamed “The Left Arm of God” for good reason. Starting his career in 1955 when the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn, Koufax took a little bit of time to find his footing as an all-time great. By the time he reached his mid-20s, Koufax had already been in the league for a long time and the 1960s was when he reached his potential.

Koufax became an All-Star for the first time in 1961, posting an 18-13 record with a 3.52 earned run average. He would make the All-Star Team every year for the remainder of his career while also racking up three Cy Young Award wins and was the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1963. If it weren’t for arthritis in his throwing arm, Koufax could’ve kept going for years.

2. Jackie Robinson

You can’t tell the story of Major League Baseball without mentioning Jackie Robinson, who broke the league’s color barrier. Robinson was already an established star of the Negro Leagues during the mid-1940s and made his way to the Dodgers in 1947 where he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

Robinson spent all 10 of his Major League seasons with the Dodgers before their move to Los Angeles. During his career, he posted a .311 batting average with 137 home runs, 734 runs batted in, and 200 stolen bases to go along with his seven All-Star nods and 1949 Most Valuable Player Award.

3. Clayton Kershaw

By far the youngest player on the list, Clayotn Kershaw was one of those pitchers that were almost Major League ready coming out of high school in 2006. The Dodgers drafted him 7th overall that year, with Kershaw making his MLB debut in 2008. Kershaw became a staple for the Dodgers, and by his fourth season, he won a Cy Young Award for the first time thanks to a 21-5 record and 2.28 earned run average.

Kershaw’s impact on the Dodgers can’t be understated, as he helped the team win their first World Series since 1988 while matching Koufax’s performance of three Cy Youngs and an MVP Award, doing so in 2014.

4. Don Drysdale

The final of the three pitchers on the list is Don Drysdale, who spent his entire 14-season career in Major League Baseball with the Dodgers, making the move to Los Angeles with the team after his second season. Drysdale had an instant impact on the team as a teenager and then became dominant in his 20s.

Over the course of his career, Drysdale pitched an incredible 3,432 innings with a record of 209-166 and an ERA of 2.95. Drysdale was named to the NL All-Star Team nine times, winning three World Series and one Cy Young Award. Like Koufax, he retired at the top of his game due to injury issues.

5. Vin Scully

What would a list of the greatest Dodgers be without mentioning the team’s voice for so long, Vin Scully? Scully served as the play-by-play voice of the Dodgers all the way back in 1950 when the team was playing in Brooklyn and remained in the broadcast booth through the 2016 season.

Scully is an icon, not just for the Dodgers, but for baseball in general. He called several World Series games nationally and was a recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award, a Hollywood Walk of Fame Star, and even the Presidential Medal of Freedom before passing away in 2022 at the age of 94.

5 Best Games For PS Vita

Posted on October 28, 2022 by scatty

Long before the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck set the standard for high-powered portable gaming, Sony had been doing it for years, first with the PlayStation Portable (PSP) and then with the PlayStation Vita. The PS Vita was introduced in 2011 with a price tag of $250 and was meant to compete with Nintendo’s 3DS.

Though the PS Vita didn’t sell well in North America, the system took off in Japan and had a lifespan that lasted for nearly a decade. During that time, more than 1,700 games were released, but which ones were the best? Here are the five best games for the PS Vita.

5. Tearaway

One of the rare games released only for the PS Vita, “Tearaway” was a gorgeous game by Media Molecule that took the world of papercraft and brought it to life. “Tearaway” used the touch panel on the back of the PS Vita to make it a unique experience for players, which in turn created some amazing visuals.

“Tearaway” was a very family-friendly game that was beloved by critics. The game won several awards for its design, including Edge Magazine’s 2013 award. At the BAFTA Video Game Awards the following year, “Tearaway” was nominated for several awards, winning Best Family Game, Best Mobile/Handheld Game, and Best Artistic Achievement.

4. Gravity Rush

Originally intended to be on the PlayStation 3 as “Gravite”, “Gravity Rush” was then repurposed to be one of the cornerstones of the PS Vita upon its release in early 2012. A game that gives the player a lot of freedom, “Gravity Rush” allows you to utilize the PS VIta’s handheld capabilities to alter the in-game world to advance.

When released, critics were pretty torn on “Gravity Rush” with some calling it mediocre while others called it an instant classic. As time has gone on, “Gravity Rush” has become more beloved to become one of the best PS Vita games during its run.

3. Rayman Origins

By the time 2011 and the PS Vita came around, Rayman was already an established character in video games. Making a game for the handheld system was a safe bet for Sony, though “Rayman Origins” would also release on several other consoles including the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. The platformer didn’t lose any quality on the handheld version, marking another great entry in the Rayman series.

“Rayman Origins” was what fans of the series had been hoping for when the game was released, and critics agreed that it didn’t disappoint. While the Nintendo 3DS version lost some features that didn’t make it a fan favorite, the PS Vita version was just about perfect, receiving a 9.5 out of 10 score from IGN.

2. Spelunky

A game that was originally created for Microsoft Windows, “Spelunky” was released on both standalone and handheld consoles in 2012, four years after it was initially made. The roguelike platformer by Mossmouth, LLC became an instant cult classic for a lot of fans across all platforms. The PSVita version wasn’t any different than the other consoles, meaning that no quality was lost in the shrink-down from consoles.

An easy game for players to pick up and easily get enthralled with, “Spelunky” is an addictive romp that many consider being one of the best indie games ever. Many critics have called it their personal favorite game, including Eurogamer giving the game a perfect 10/10 score.

1. Persona 4 Golden

Considered one of the best games that Sony systems have ever had, “Persona 4” was originally released in 2008 on the PlayStation 2 and received new versions throughout the life of the game. Among them was “Persona 4 Golden”, which was originally meant to be on the PSP, but would’ve needed to be stripped down from its console version. With the release of the PS Vita, though, players were able to get the full experience of “Persona 4”.

“Persona 4 Golden” received rave reviews almost entirely across the board, including its highest ratings coming from the PS Vita version. “Persona 4 Golden” sold 1 million copies, making it among the best-selling portable games of all time.

5 Longest Running Individual NHL Awards

Posted on October 28, 2022 by scatty

There are few sports that care about the history and tradition of their trophies quite like hockey, particularly the NHL. Each year, the team and individual awards are handed out in front of a national audience, with many of them subject to public debate. Some of the trophies handed out date back to the early part of the 20th century, but which ones are the oldest? Here are the five longest-running individual NHL awards.

5. Art Ross Trophy

The first trophy on the list is the Art Ross Trophy, which was first handed out after the 1947-48 NHL season. While the other trophies on the list are completely subjective and at the whim of hockey writers, general managers, and executives, the Art Ross Trophy is given to the player who scores the most points (goals and assists combined) in a season.

Elmer Lach of the Montreal Canadiens won the first Art Ross Trophy, but there’s one name that became synonymous with the trophy: Wayne Gretzky. “The Great One” took home the Art Ross a whopping 10 times during his career, surpassing the six times that Mario Lemieux and Gordie Howe won. Other notable multiple-time winners include Jaromir Jagr, Connor McDavid, and Phil Esposito.

4. Calder Memorial Trophy

Frank Calder was the NHL’s first-ever president, and the award given out to the league’s best rookie is named after him. The Calder Memorial Trophy was first handed out following the 1936-37 NHL season and the age range between the oldest and youngest to win the award is quite staggering, especially in the trophy’s early years.

At 25 years old, Carl Voss of the Detroit Red Wings won the first Calder Trophy, while the 1940s saw a trio of 19-year-olds and a 27-year-old win. Four 18-year-olds have won the Calder Trophy, with Bobby Orr, Dale Hawerchuk, Tom Barrasso, and Nathan MacKinnon setting the bar.

3. Vezina Trophy

Major League Baseball has the Cy Young Award that’s given out to the best pitcher each year, a position that rarely gets an MVP Award. Hockey has a similar setup where goaltenders get their own award, with the Vezina Trophy handed to the league’s top goalie of the season. Named after longtime Canadiens goalie Georges Vezina, the award dates back to the 1926-27 NHL season.

George Hainsworth of the Canadiens won the Vezina Trophy the first three times it was given out. Bill Durnan became the first man to win the Vezina six times, but his record wouldn’t last long. In 1969, Jacques Plante won his seventh award while playing with the St. Louis Blues. Dominik Hasek is the only other goalie to win the award six times.

2. Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

The NHL is the only one of the big four sports leagues in North America where one of the major awards is given out to the person who showed the most sportsmanship while also being exceptional as a player. The second oldest individual trophy, the Lady Byng is given to one gentleman each year and is named after the wife of former Canadian Governor General Viscount Byng.

Frank Nighbor won the first two Lady Byng Trophies that were handed out, and many of the players that have won the title have done so multiple times. Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers won the award seven times while Wayne Gretzky, Red Kelly, and Pavel Datsyuk won the title four times.

1. Hart Memorial Trophy

While other professional sports leagues in North America simply call it the “most valuable player” award, the NHL recognizes the MVP via the Hart Memorial Trophy. Cecil Hart, who coached the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 until 1939, is the namesake for the trophy after his father gave it to the league.

The Hart Trophy was awarded for the first time in 1924, given to Frank Nighbor of the Ottawa Senators. Many eventual Hall of Fame players have won the Hart Trophy, including Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, and Mario Lemieux. Only two players who won the trophy prior to 2000 didn’t go on to be elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame (Al Rollins and Tommy Anderson).

The Five Best Roma Managers Of All Time

Posted on October 28, 2022 by scatty

Serie A in Italy has had a lot of long-running clubs, and among the oldest is Associazione Sportiva Roma, though most of us just call them A.C. Roma or Roma. Over the years, Roma has had dozens of managers come through Stadio Olimpico with some not sticking around long due to lack of results while others have helped Roma reach new heights. Out of all of those managers, here are the five best in the club’s history.

5. Alfredo Foni

Born in 1911, Alfredo Foni had a lengthy playing career, most notably with Juventus where he appeared in 266 matches over the course of 13 years. Following his retirement in 1947, Foni had a 30-year managing career that included stints with more than a half dozen clubs and two national teams (Italy and Switzerland).

Among those clubs was Roma, who Foni managed in 1960 and 1961. Foni’s brief Roma career was highlighted by winning the 1960-61 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. The club defeated Cologne XI in the quarterfinals and then Hibernian in the semis, both in play-off matches. Roma drew with Birmingham City in the first leg of the finals but clinched the cup on a 2-0 win in the second leg.

4. Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho is no stranger to pressure, especially as a manager of some of the most prominent clubs in the world. Following his playing career that lasted from 1980 to 1987, Mourinho became the manager of Benfica, eventually making his way to Chelsea in 2004. After spending three years there, Mourinho had stops with Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea (again), Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur before landing with Roma in 2021.

Mourinho had won the English Premier League multiple times as a manager and brought his winning ways to Roma. In 2022, Roma won the UEFA Europa Conference League by defeating Boda/Glimt in the quarterfinals, Leicester City in the semis, and then Feyenoord in the finals 1-0.

3. Fabio Capello

The only manager on the list that actually played for Roma during his career, Fabio Capello was on the squad from 1967 to 1970, ending his career with A.C. Milan in 1980. Capello then managed A.C. Milan and Real Madrid during the 1990s before ending the decade by becoming Roma’s manager.

Capello’s record with Roma was 118-73-50 and was highlighted by his time in 2001. That year, Capello won both the Supercoppa Italiana and Serie A championships. Following his tenure as Roma’s manager, Capello returned to Real Madrid before managing both the English and Russian national teams.

2. Nils Liedholm

Known for his playing career with A.C. Milan from 1949 to 1961 in which he made 359 appearances, Nils Liedholm was among the greatest football players from Sweden. Liedholm went into management immediately after retiring from playing and managed six different clubs from 1961 to 1996 including multiple stints with Roma.

The first time Liedholm managed Roma was from 1973 to 1977, then again from 1979 to 1984, and finally in 1996. During his three tenures, Liedholm won several honours with the club. His first major honour came in the form of the 1979-80 Coppa Italia, which he would win two more times. In 1984, Roma was the runner-up of the European Cup and in 1983, Liedholm led Roma to the Serie A title.

1. Luciano Spalletti

Following his playing career that lasted from 1984 to 1993, Luciano Spalletti jumped right into management where he led Empoli for several years before moving on to Sampdoria, Venezia, Udinese, and Ancona before finally landing with Roma for two stints from 2005-2009, and 2016-2017.

Spalletti’s first run with Roma ended with a record of 122-53-49 while his second was 50-11-14. Spalletti was named the Serie A Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons, his first two in Roma. Spalletti’s career was highlighted by a Supercoppa Italiana title and back-to-back Coppa Italia championships in 2007 and 2008.

Inside the War Room: Best Football General Managers Ever

Posted on October 28, 2022 by scatty

Being the general manager of a professional football team can be a pretty thankless job. When the team is doing well, almost nobody knows your name. When the team is struggling, though, and the coach is already fired, all eyes are on you as the next to be on the chopping block. After all, the general manager puts together the roster, including the coaches.

While GMs tend to come and go rather quickly, there is a handful that became mainstays for a franchise over the course of multiple decades. Which ones have stood out as the best in NFL history, though? Here are our picks for the five best general managers who were able to command the war room with ease.

1. Bill Polian

While some would argue that Bill Polian doesn’t belong on the list, it’s impossible to leave off a man that has won the NFL’s Executive of the Year Award six times. Polian started as a scout with the Kansas City Chiefs before spending time as an executive in the Canadian Football League and USFL.

Polian returned to the NFL with the Buffalo Bills front office, with the team reaching four consecutive Super Bowls. Polian then became the first GM in Carolina Panthers history, with the team reaching the NFC Championship in their second season. Polian moved on to the Indianapolis Colts, drafting Peyton Manning, putting a good team around him, and winning a Super Bowl during his 13 years in the front office.

2. George Young

Along with Polian, George Young has racked up a lot of Executive of the Year Awards, taking home a total of five during his career. A former NFL player himself, Young was a coach before jumping into the executive chair in 1975 with the Miami Dolphins. Young helped form the Dolphins in the later part of the decade before becoming the New York Giants GM.

Young spent 18 years with the Giants in that position, building a roster that won two Super Bowls. The Giants started to decline a bit in the mid-1990s, so Young retired and worked for the league office until his death in 2001.

3. Kevin Colbert

Building a team after the implementation of the salary cap hasn’t been easy for any GM, but for more than 20 years, Kevin Colbert made it look easy. Colbert had been with the scouting departments in both Miami and Detroit during the 1980s and 1990s before becoming Director of Football Operations for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2000.

Colbert remained with the organization all the way up to his retirement after the 2022 NFL Draft. Colbert didn’t receive a lot of fanfare as he kept franchise stability, drafting the likes of Antonio Brown, T.J. Watt, James Conner, and Troy Polamalu, just to name a few.

4. Ozzie Newsome

A former NFL great as a tight end with the Cleveland Browns, Ozzie Newsome joined the franchise’s front office in 1991 and stuck with them when the team moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. Eventually, Newsome would be promoted all the way up to General Manager in 2002.

Newsome’s Ravens won two Super Bowls before he retired in 2018, but not before drafting several Hall of Famers. These picks included Ray Lewis, Jonathan Ogden, and Ed Reed. In his final draft, Newsome selected eventual MVP winner Lamar Jackson.

5. Bill Belicheck

One of the reasons that Bill Belicheck left the New York Jets almost immediately after taking the job is because the New England Patriots were willing to give him roster control in 2000. Though some call his work as a GM “overrated” and say that it was truly Tom Brady that won him all of those Super Bowls, Belichick did make a ton of good roster moves.

Belichick was able to revive the career of Randy Moss, who many thought was done for after his time in Oakland. He also signed the likes of Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, and Stephon Gilmore. Add in amazing draft picks like Rob Gronkowski, Asante Samuel, and Devin McCourty and it’s clear that Belichick knows what he’s doing.

Athletes: 13

Congressmen: 4

Reagan Cabinet Members: 2

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Projecting How To Join The 700 Home Run Club

Posted on October 28, 2022 by scatty

Only four men in the history of Major League Baseball have been able to reach the 700 career home run milestone, showing just how rare of an achievement it is. For context, the fourth-ever perfect game, which is considered to be one of the rarest feats in Major League Baseball, happened all the way back in 1956.

Babe Ruth was the first to hit 700 home runs, finishing his career with 714. He was surpassed by Hank Aaron, who hit his 700th in 1973 and finished with 755. Barry Bonds became the third member in September 2004, finishing as the all-time leader with 762. In 2022, Albert Pujols became the fourth member, finishing his career with 703.

Before Pujols’s 700th home run left the playing field, many were wondering when the next 700 home run hitter would come around. People turned their attention to the young stars while also seeing if veterans were on pace to even get close. The truth is, we may not see another 700-home run hitter for several decades. That’s because there are some major factors that come into play, and let’s take a look at how a player can project into the 700 club.

Longevity

There’s one thing that the four members of the 700 home run club all have in common. All of them played 22 seasons with the exception of Hank Aaron…who played 23. With that in mind, it seems to be a requirement to play 22 seasons, because even the top eight all-time spots all belong to players with 22 or 23 seasons under their belts. Sammy Sosa sits in ninth place and had 18 seasons.

It’s not enough to just play all of those seasons, as players also have to stay healthy. Bonds only had one season where he played in fewer than 102 games. Even then, he was already 40 years old. Aaron didn’t miss significant time until his final season at 42 years old. Pujols and Ruth struggled multiple times with playing in full seasons but also had seasons where they missed almost no games.

Consistency

A player can play for 22 seasons, but even averaging 30 home runs per year (which is amazing), would only get a player to 660 home runs instead of 700. Since we’ve set the requirement of playing 22 seasons, a batter would have to slug an average of 31.8 home runs.

That means a player that has an injury-filled season and only hit 12 home runs would have to cancel it out by hitting 52 home runs in a healthy season. A more realistic pace would be 32 home runs over the course of 20 seasons as long as they’re healthy. The more 50+ home run seasons a player can rack up at a young age, the better their chances are. Someone with a great chance for 700 would already have needed at least 200 by the time they finish their age-25 season.

Outside Factors

Let’s say that a player stays healthy for 22 seasons and is averaging over 30 home runs per year. Unfortunately, there are some other factors that can come into play that knocks players off of their pace. There could be a labor stoppage like we saw in 1994, a global war (which took the primes of several legendary players), or even a pandemic like in 2020. After all, many thought Pujols wouldn’t get to 700 because of the shortened season in 2020.

So Who’s Next?

With all of these factors in mind, is there anybody that has a realistic chance of getting to 700 career home runs again? There were many that pointed to the likes of Aaron Judge, especially following his 62 home run season. However, Judge had already hit 30 years old at that point, essentially making him a massive long shot. If the next member of the 700 club isn’t Mike Trout, Juan Soto or Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., it could be a very, very long time until there’s a new member.