I Watch Every NBA Slam Dunk Contest, 1976-89

NBA TV marathons are among my favorite sensual pleasures (this is where I smack my lips and talk about my pyloric valve).

They've cut up every Slam Dunk Championship into a half hour program; that's maybe the ideal length for a dunk contest; it's maybe the ideal length for a Super Bowl.  Let's see if we can get to work on transforming every event in the culture into 30 minute packages.  I'd watch if CSPAN ran a marathon of Presidential election nights in 30 minute episodes.  Or national calamities.  The full coverage of the Kennedy assassination in 30 minutes.  As long as Bob Neal anchors.

1976
They had a compulsory round in '76, like figure skating.  Artis Gilmore's double axel brought tears to my eyes.  Steve Albert (I think it was Steve) announces the players before the contest, including Larry Kenon, nicknamed "Mr. K", which would have been a good nickname for Dwight Gooden near the end of his career after his license to practice medicine was stripped away; and George Gervin, who Albert called a "guard".  I don't mean Albert just called him a guard - I mean Albert said he was a "quote, guard."  That's maybe how to refer to a guard who doesn't guard anyone.  "Here's your 2011 Golden St. Warriors starting backcourt, "from Davidson College, the Point Guard, Stephen Curry; from Lanier High School in Jackson, Mississippi, the Quote Guard, Monta Ellis!..."

Erving wins, and rightly so, with the foul line dunk.

1984
I didn't catch who the analyst was.  Let's say it was Hot Rod Hundley, "You know what I smelled?  A lot of stickem around a circle of guys."


Yeah, that's not what I smelled, chief.

That's going to allow for one of my favorite games when watching old sportscasts, Homoerotic Double Entendre Theater.

From '85: You know he's got a deep bag!
From '86: I like Roy Hinson....He's got an unbelievable stretch."


When the dunks returned in '84, it was with new judging criteria - back in '76, dunks were rated based on (1) artistic ability, (2) imagination, (3) body flow (4) fan response - but now changed to a more corporatized (1) creativity (2) style (3) athleticism - somewhere around '87 they stopped referencing judging criteria altogether "just watch the dunks, okay - put numbers in the air and move on with our lives."

Body flow is awesome.  Someone in the ABA offices was listening to some Doobie Brothers when he came up with body flow as an official judging standard for the dunk contest.  It Keeps You Runnin.  Yeah, it keeps you runnin'.  Hey guys, you know what I love about David Thompson?  The way his body flows.  You know he has a deep bag.


Nance wins, and deserved to - like the early era dunkers, he was a version of Erving, much more finesse than power - they were stylish dunkers; his reverse righthand windmill was the best dunk of the night.

1985
Do you want to know the ideal height to win a dunk contest?  6 foot 7.  That's from, again, I'll say Rod Hundley.  Imagine all the stickem!

In '85 we get the debut of the forgotten dunker of the era, Terence Stansbury (replacing Barkley, who we are told was missing the dunk contest due to "personal reasons".  He never winds up competing in one, so whatever those reasons were apparently are ongoing.  Here's hoping he gets the help he needs soon.).  Stansbury hits a 360 degree Statue of Liberty dunk that becomes the best dunk to that date in a performance overlooked due to the arrival of the game changing Dominique Wilkins.  Whereas Dr. J and his progeny were finesse dunkers - 'Nique was all power, just rocketing his way through the mid '80s and really forcing Jordan, who also debuted in '85, to transform his dunk contest game from a more gentle showing in '85, to the heights he'd reach in '87/'88 where he brilliantly became a combination of both styles; Jordan essentially taking the best of what Wilkins could do, adding height and body flow, and building his dunk legacy.

Wilkins wins - taking 12 grand for his troubles, but Stansbury had the best dunk.

1986
Hey, we meet the judges.  Martina!  Staubach!  This was the Spud Webb year, and maybe the year that caused the dunk contest to penetrate the culture when one considers its historical arc.  'Nique had the dunk of the night, a double clutch behind the back thunderslam from the preliminary rounds; I'll call it the third best dunk to date, and it really was just one among another dozen similar powerdunks that marked Dominique the best contest dunker through '86.  But the thing is - Webb was better in the final round; his 1 handed dunk the 4th best to that date; it's tempting to say Wilkins got jobbed by the Spudtastic frenzy "aw, he thinks he's people", a 2011 analogue our national acceptance of special needs reality star Snooki.  Girl got hops.  Can't take that away from her.  But the truth is, Webb was better at the end even though Wilkins dominated the competition..

1987

Once the evening ended in 1987, this had become the best dunk ever.

And that was the second.

And that was the third.

Michael Jordan's 1987 dunk contest performance was the great leap forward for the art form; it was Gutenberg creating movable type.  Sports analysts have spent the last 20 years giving some variation of the "dunk contest is dead" post mortem after every All-Star weekend.  They're wrong - the dunks are more often fun than not, it's just that it can't always be the 1440's.

1988
1988 was Ali/Frazier - but the one we didn't see; it's Ali from '65, all athleticism and body flow - against the ferocity, the thump/thump/thump of the best of Frazier.  The best heavyweight title fight of the 1980s?  It was Jordan/'Nique in the '88 Dunk Contest.

Jordan in '88 was Jordan in '87, he returned with the same repertoire, the same level of excellence, he returned for his coronation; he knew Dominique, he had already absorbed his sexy.  But he didn't know this Wilkins - it wasn't that suddenly Dominique found his inner Erving - instead, in '88, 'Nique's mean got meaner.   He hit Jordan with a reverse two hander in round one (BAM!) then a one armed windmill in the semis (WHAM!) MJ hit his own two handed reverse to slide his way into the finals and then got punched dead in the mouth with Nique's best contest dunk yet, a two hand windmill that you can see, albeit in slow motion, at 2:30 in here.

By all rights, that should have been the knockout.

But it wasn't - Jordan rose, hit his foul line dunk, and took the judge's decision.  If Wilkins, Marvin Hagler-like, had chosen to quit hoops right then and move to Italy, we all would have understood.

1989
Kenny Walker hit a one hand 360 and obliterated the field.  Inspired, as Bob Neal and Rick Barry told us on multiple occasions, by his dead father.

You see that episode of the behind the scenes documentary about Oprah's show (it's terrific, honest) where she really wanted to put the IPad in her last "Oprah's favorite things" episode and said that it was too small a thing to pray for?

This was that - I don't know if you want to play the dead parent card on a dunk contest, especially post-Jordan.  If Kenny Walker was visited by a magical genie and given three wishes, my concern is he spent them all in 1989.

Top 5 Dunks of the 80s:
1. Jordan's one handed under the basket swooping dunk from round 1, 1987
2. Jordan's one handed dunk from the baseline, semifinals, 1987
3. Nique's two hand windmill, finals, 1988
4. Walker's one hand 360 cradle, 1989
5. Jordan's foul line dunk, 1987 (tie)
5. Stansbury's 360 statue of liberty, 1985


Maybe next year I'll come back and do the 90s.  Enjoy All-Star Saturday Night.

Every NBA Champion Ranked by Pythagorean Record+Strength of Schedule

Updated through 2019.

Thursday's pythagorean day, you can get to the previous lists here.

This is a ranking of every NBA Champ by regular season pythagorean wins (normalized for an 82 game season) if you click that above link you can work your way to the methodology.  Included with each team is a list of its players who had Win Shares of 10 or over (Win Shares is an aggregate performance metric).  I combined regular season and playoff performance for that number. I'm now adding strength of schedule as well, the combination of those two numbers is reflected in the simple rating system from pro-basketball-reference.

So - what's the best team in NBA history?

1. 1971 Bucks 11.91
Abdul-Jabbar 25.6, Robertson 14.7, Dandridge 11.3, McGlocklin 10.7, (d. Bullets .91 let’s see how far we go to find another team this bad)

2. 1996 Bulls 11.8
Jordan 25.1, Pippen 15.3, Kukoc 11.4 (d. Sonics 7.4)

3. 1972 Lakers 11.65
Chamberlain 18.8, West 14.3, Goodrich 14.3, Hairston 11, (d. Knicks 2.28, in the Western Finals they beat the defending champ Bucks, with a 10.7 SRS, before that they beat the 7.91 Bulls, this Laker team was tremendous)

4. 2017 Warriors 11.35 
 Curry 16, Durant 15.1, Green 10.6 (d. Cavs 2.87)

5. 1997 Bulls 10.7
Jordan 22.2, Pippen 15.4, (d. Jazz 7.97)

6. 1992 Bulls 10.07
Jordan 21.8, Grant 17.4, Pippen 15.8, (d. Blazers 6.94). 3 Bulls teams in the top 5.

7. 2015 Warriors 10.01
Curry 19.8, Green 11.1, Thompson 10.7 (d. Cavs 4.08) How about that?

8. 2008 Celtics 9.31
Garnett 17, Pierce 15.4, Allen 12.8, (d. Lakers 7.34). Would you have guessed this as the best regular season Celtics team of all time?

9. 1986 Celtics 9.06
Bird 20, McHale 14.2, Parish 10.2 (d. Rockets 2.1, they beat the 8.69 Bucks in the Eastern Finals)

10. 1991 Bulls 8.57
Jordan 25.1, Pippen 14.1, Grant 12.9, (d. Lakers 6.73, the Lakers knocked off the 8.47 Blazers in the Western Finals). 4th MJ team.

11. 1967 Sixers 8.5
Chamberlain 25.7, Walker 12.4, (d. Warriors 2.58)

12. 1970 Knicks 8.42
Frazier 17.8, Reed 17.4, (d. Lakers 1.76)

13. 2000 Lakers 8.41
O’Neal 23.3, Bryant 12.7, Rice 10.1, (d. Pacers 4.15).

14. 2007 Spurs 8.35
Duncan 16.3, Ginobli 13.2, Parker 11.2, (d. Cavs 3.33)

15. 1987 Lakers 8.32
Johnson 19.6, Worthy 12 (d. Celtics 6.57)

16. 1950 Lakers 8.25
Mikan (21.1) (d. Nationals 6.48)

17. 1962 Celtics 8.25
Russell 19.1, SJones 11.1, Heinsohn 10.3, (d. Lakers 1.8)

18. 2014 Spurs 8.0
Duncan 10.6 (d. Heat 4.15)

19. 2005 Spurs 7.83
Ginobli 15.2, Duncan 14.7, (d. Pistons 3.31).

20. 1960 Celtics 7.62
Russell 16.8, (d. Lakers 1.77)

21. 1983 Sixers 7.53
Malone 17.9, Erving 12.1, Cheeks 11, (d. Lakers 5.06)

22. 1965 Celtics 7.47
Russell 14.9, SJones 12.2, (d. Lakers 1.7)

23. 1998 Bulls 7.24
Jordan 20.6, (d. Jazz 5.73)

24. 2002 Lakers 7.14
O’Neal 17, Bryant 15.3, (d. Nets 3.67)

25. 1999 Spurs 7.12
Duncan 12.4, Robinson 11.4, (d. Knicks 1.45)

26. 2009 Lakers 7.11
Gasol 18.2, Bryant 17.6, (d. Magic 6.48, the 8.68 Cavs lost to Orlando in the Eastern Finals)

27. 2013 Heat 7.03
James 24.5, Wade 11.4, Bosh 11.2 (d.Spurs 6.67, the best team, to that date, in NBA history to not make even the conference finals were the Thunder 9.15)

28. 1964 Celtics 6.93
Russell 19.2, SJones 11 (d. Warriors 4.41)

29. 1949 Lakers 6.80
Mikan 25.1 (d.Capitols 2.11)

30. 1985 Lakers 6.48
Johnson 15.7, Abdul-Jabbar 13.7, Worthy 10.1, (d. Celtics 6.46)

31. 1984 Celtics 6.42
Bird 18.3, McHale 12.6, Parish 12.4, (d. Lakers 3.32)

32. 1963 Celtics 6.38
Russell 16, SJones 11.5, (d. Lakers 2.67)

33. 1989 Pistons 6.24
Laimbeer 10.6, (d. Lakers 6.38, that's the first upset, albeit as small as one could be, the 7.95 Cavs lost in the first round to Jordan)

34. 1993 Bulls 6.19
Jordan 21.6, Grant 11.5, Pippen 10.2, (d. Suns 6.27, upset, but barely so)

35. 1973 Knicks 6.07
Frazier 16, (d. Lakers 8.16, that's a healthy upset, this Laker team would be in the top 20 of championship teams; only team with an 8+ SRS to lose a title to an inferior team in the Finals, the Bucks were 7.84 and lost in the first round)

36. 1981 Celtics 6.05
Bird 13.9, Maxwell 13.5, Parish 12.3, (d. Rockets -.2 – the Celtics played some bad Rockets teams in the 80s, the Celtics beat the 7.76 Sixers in the Eastern Finals)

37. 1959 Celtics 5.84
Russell 14.8, (d. Lakers -1.42, okay, this will almost certainly be the worst team ever to make an NBA Final – and since I’ve already done the SB, I know it’s worse than any team ever to win the SB. I’ve done WS winners already, one team, out of 106 WS champs, was under .500 – the ’87 Twins – I haven’t done losers yet, but right now, this Lakers team is the worst team ever in a title game. Note, I didn’t do NFL Champs before SB era.)

38. 2018 Warriors 5.79
Durant 14.4, Curry 12.9 (d Cavs .59) The Warriors won 3 titles in 4 years, this was easily the weakest team of that stretch

39. 2012 Heat 5.72
James 20.3 (d. OKC 6.44, another upset)

40. 2003 Spurs 5.65
Duncan 22.4, (d. Nets 4.42, the Spurs also beat the 7.90 Mavs in round one)

41. 1953 Lakers 5.53
Mikan 16.6, Mikkelsen 13.2, (d. Knicks 4.39)

42. 2019 Raptors 5.49
Leonard 14.4, Siakam 11.7 (d. GSW 6.42)

43. 2016 Cavs 5.45
James 18.3, Thompson 10.7, Love 10.5 (d. Warriors 10.38, first 10 SRS team to lose the NBA Finals, another 10+ team, the Spurs lost earlier in playoffs)

44. 1990 Pistons 5.41
Laimbeer 13.7, Dumars 10.8, (d.Blazers 6.48)

45. 1980 Lakers 5.39
Abdul-Jabbar 18.1, Johnson 13.3, Wilkes 11.7, (d. Sixers 4.04)

46. 1969 Celtics 5.35
Howell 12.9, Russell 12.3, Havlicek 10.1 (d. Lakers 3.84)

47. 1977 Blazers 5.39
Walton 12.7, Lucas 11.3, (d. Sixers 3.78)

48. 1952 Lakers 5.28
Mikan 16.8, Mikkelsen 15.1, (d. Knicks .67)

49. 2004 Pistons 5.04
Billups 15, Wallace 13.8, Hamilton 11.6, Prince 10.3 (d. Lakers 4.35)

50. 1961 Celtics 4.93 
Russell 14.9, (d. Hawks 2.99)

51. 1988 Lakers 4.81
Johnson 14.9, Scott 13, Worthy 10.7, (d. Pistons 5.46)

52. 1957 Celtics 4.79
Sharman 11.7, (d. Hawks -.27)

53. 2010 Lakers 4.78
Gasol 15.3, Bryant 13, (d. Celtics 3.37)

54. 2011 Mavericks 4.41
Nowitzki 14.8 (d. Heat 6.76, that's a good upset a sub 5 SRS team beating a 6+ team)

55. 1982 Lakers 4.37
Johnson 15.6, Abdul-Jabbar 12.6, (d. Sixers 5.74)

56. 1966 Celtics 4.34
Russell 14.9, SJones 12.2, (d. Lakers 2.76)

57. 1994 Rockets 4.19
Olajuwon 18.6, Thorpe 12.2, (d. Knicks 6.48, see 2011, the 8.68 Sonics got bounced in the first round)

58. 1968 Celtics 3.87
Howell 12.3, (d. Lakers 4.99, the Celtics took out the 7.96 Sixers in the Eastern finals)

59. 1956 Warriors 3.82
Johnston 15.5, Arizin 14.4, (d. Pistons .45)

60. 2001 Lakers 3.74
O’Neal 18.6, Bryant 15.1, (d. Sixers 3.63, LA also beat the 7.92 Spurs in the Western Finals)

61. 1948 Bullets 3.69
Jeannette 10.3 (d.Warriors .69)

62. 2006 Heat 3.59
Wade 19.6 (d. Mavs 5.96)

63. 1974 Celtics 3.42
Havlicek 13.2, Cowens 11.4, (d. Bucks 7.61, now that's an upset)

64. 1947 Warriors 3.16
Fulks 18.6 (d. Stags 3.34, Washington was 8.99, an all time top non NBA Finalist)

65. 1975 GSW 2.86
Warriors! Sure, I was 4 and therefore have not a single memory of it. But it’s GSW! GSW! GSW!! Barry 15.8, (d. Bullets 6.53 – and a significant upset to boot)

66. 1954 Lakers 2.7
Mikan 16.2, (d. Nationals 4.27)

67. 1979 Sonics 2.69
Williams 11, Sikma 10.6, (d. Bullets 4.75)

68. 1951 Royals 2.54
Risen (9.3, this is the first team on the list without a 10 WS player) (d. Knicks .49– The Knicks have had some really bad finals teams)

69. 1995 Rockets 2.32
Olajuwon 14, (d. Magic 59 6.44, that's a nice upset, the 7.91 Sonics lost in the first round, the Rockets knocked off the 7.75 Jazz in the first round)

70. 1976 Celtics 2.24
Cowens 13.4, (d Suns .59, xtra bad matchup)

71. 1955 Nationals 1.23
Schayes 13.8, (d. Pistons 2.01)

72. 1958 Hawks .82
Pettit 12.2, Hagan 12.7 (d. Celtics 5.01, that's a bad Hawks title team)

73. 1978 Bullets .82
Hayes 11.4, (d. Sonics 1.48).  This is the first NBA Finals of my memory; I was 7 - it's a wonder I kept watching.

The 200 Greatest Major League Baseball Players Ever 2011 Ed. #80-71

The previous ten is here.

I'm keeping two running rosters, which you probably know if you're reading the post.  The first is just based on this Top 200 list; here's where we currently stand.

C Berra (Fisk)
1B Mize (Thome)
2B Alomar (Biggio)
SS Appling (Yount)
3B Rolen (Santo)
LF Ramirez (Clarke)
CF Edmonds (Hamilton)
RF Sheffield (Walker)
RHP Clarkson (Martinez, Drysdale, Rivera, Smoltz, Eckersley, Keefe,)
LHP Hubbell (Newhouser)


The second is more "who would you pick if you were picking sides" - trying to look more at peak value than a career total.  


C Berra (Piazza)
1B Mize (McGwire)
2B Robinson (Kent)
SS Banks (Jeter)
3B Rolen (Santo)
LF Jackson (Ramirez)
CF Hamilton (Snider)
RF Flick (Sheffield)
RHP Rivera (Martinez, Walsh, Feller, Clarkson, Marichal, Halladay, )
LHP Hubbell (Newhouser)


So - here we go.  

80. Lou Whitaker 2B WARP+WAR=145.6

Tigers

1977-95

OPS+ 116

Translated BA/OBP/SLG  .291/.378/.473

MVPQ none, Best season 1983 (13.6)

Trammell was in the previous ten; they should both be in the HOF and they should go in together.  Whitaker bumps Alomar to the backup spot on the career roster and takes Biggio off the list.  The peak list remains unchanged - Jackie's the best 2B, Kent's the backup.  

79. Gary Carter C 146

1974-92

Expos

OPS+ 115

.277/.347/.488

MVPQ 1982 17.1

Carter's now the starting catcher on the all-time career roster, moving Berra to backup.  Now, what to do about the Berra/Piazza tandem on the other roster.  Berra just edges Carter, his bat was a little better as reflected in translated slugging.  Piazza's bat was significantly better - and for the same reasons I've kept Piazza in this slot, he continues through Carter.  

78. Bobby Grich 2B 146.1

1970-86

Angels/Orioles

OPS+125

.283/.387/.495

MVPQ none Best season 1973 (15.2)

Above average glove and an OPS+ of 125, hopefully somewhere in the closing credits of Moneyball will be a  photographic montage of the forgotten greats in MLB history whose contributions weren't noticed by the prevailing wisdom of the time.  So - once again, we have the Jackie/Kent 2B combo putting their roster spots on the line.  Robinson keeps the spot - better at every phase than Grich.  Then we get to my guy Kent; essentially identical bats, Kent with a tick more power, Grich better at getting on base.  Their careers of comparable lengths - Grich takes the spot on the strength of the glove disparity.  Yeah - Grich was better, not by a lot - but better, absolutely. 

77. Tim Raines LF 146.3

1979-02

Expos

OPS+ 123

.315/.406/.488

MVPQ 1985 (17)

I love me some Tim Raines.  If there had been no Rickey Henderson, the Rock might be my favorite non-Giant ever.  There's something about that type of OBP weapon right there at the top of the order that makes me feel good as a fan.  Or would - 'cause SFG has been historically disinclined to care about leadoff hitters who get on base.  Now to the subjective lineup - the left fielders are Joe Jackson and Manny Ramirez.  He can't get by Jackson - that 170 OPS+ and translated .300/.400/.600 career line is impenetrable.  And, sadly, Manny gets him too - a 155 OPS+ and a 3/4/5 slashline beats out Raines.

76. Sam Crawford RF 146.3

1899-17

Tigers

OPS+ 144

.310/.369/.545

MVPQ none, Best season 11.9

Crawford loses out to Flick and Sheffield on the OBP disparity and can't quite crack the subjective roster.

75. Tony Gwynn RF 146.9

1982-01

Padres

OPS+ 132

.356/.408/.498

MVPQ 1987 (17.5)

And Gwynn can't crack that RF roster either, his OBP matches (but doesn't really exceed, despite the huge BA advantage) Flick/Sheff, but he isn't within 50 points of their SLG.  Gwynn had more career value than Gary Sheffield - but if I'm picking, I'm taking Sheff.  Hey, we've hit the 75 best baseball players of all time.

74. Paul Waner RF 147.8

1926-45

Pirates

OPS+ 134

.333/.404/.473

MVPQ (none), Best season 1936 (15.5)

Quite a run of right fielders.  Waner = Gwynn.  20 years with the same club, high BA that drove the OBP, good slugging, good enough in the field.  It's the kind of guy who should make up the bulk of a more selctive HOF - but neither was the player that Flick/Sheffield was.  

73. Ed Delahanty LF 147.9

1888-03

Phillies

OPS+ 152

.320/.393/.555

MVPQ 1893 (17.2), 1896 (16.5), 1899 (16.8)

Delahanty's sliding past Ramirez, similar numbers but more value in significantly fewer years given a solid defensive advantage (Delahanty played some second, not a position you would often find Ramirez) into the backup LF spot behind Jackson.

72. Mike Mussina RHP 148.6

1991-08

Orioles/Yankees

ERA+ 123

MVPQ none, Best season 1992 (14.7)

A long, consistent career.  Never brilliant, the Moose doesn't have a year better than '92 - but he didn't acquire this career number in 25 years either.  He doesn't crack the subjective 7 (I'm carrying 7 right handers on the peak/subjective lineup) but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the HOF.

71. Reggie Jackson RF 149.5

1967-87

Athletics

OPS+ 139

.279/.371/.569

MVPQ 1969 (18.5)

Here's Mr. October in October - .278/.358/.527.  Those are untranslated numbers - but the general point is the same, Reggie wasn't better in the postseason than the regular season.  He was who he was, like almost everyone if given a representative sample.  

Jackson doesn't catch Flick - it's a photo finish between he and Sheffield; Sheff's got a higher OBP driven by batting average; Reggie's career value is slightly higher in approximately the same timeframe.  It's close - but it's Sheffield.  I know how that sounds - but the 30 points of adjusted OBP is the only real gap between them. 

Career value:

C Carter (Berra)
1B Mize (Thome)
2B Grich (Whitaker)
SS Appling (Yount)
3B Rolen (Santo)
LF Delahanty (Raines)
CF Edmonds (Hamilton)
RF Jackson (Waner)
RHP Mussina (Clarkson, Martinez, Drysdale, Rivera, Smoltz, Eckersley, )
LHP Hubbell (Newhouser)

Subjective/Peak

C Berra (Piazza)
1B Mize (McGwire)
2B Robinson (Grich)
SS Banks (Jeter)
3B Rolen (Santo)
LF Jackson (Delahanty)
CF Hamilton (Snider)
RF Flick (Sheffield)
RHP Rivera (Martinez, Walsh, Feller, Clarkson, Marichal, Halladay, )
LHP Hubbell (Newhouser)

130 down.  70 to go.  See you in a week.

The Weekly Tendown February 6 --12 2011

Dear Internet:

Sometimes the news confuses me.  Near as I can figure, this week the people of Egypt, led by the Muslim Brotherhood and Utah Jazz All-Star point guard Deron Williams drove Hosni Mubarak out of power.

Hopefully President Tyrone Corbin can help facilitate peace in the Northwest Division.  Egypt's relationship with neighbor Oklahoma City has been tenuous since the Six Days War.

Here's Tendown 64.

1. Would You Like to Make Some Money?

So, I lost against the spread picking the Super Bowl last week.  This does not bother me, as I did not invest, rooting, in fact, for the Packers.

Five years ago, however, Seattle was getting points against the Steelers, and it could have been that I felt fairly confident in that investment, given my view that they were the stronger team.

As you know, that game was fixed.

I then made a mistake.  Commitment bias is this - the tendency to throw good money after bad; so, let's say you're dating someone who you should really not be with anymore, but you say "if I leave him now, it's like I've wasted the past X years of my life.  I have to keep going."

It's what causes the Niners to cut the clearly superior Shaun Hill and keep playing Alex Smith.  If we cut him now - it's like we wasted the top overall pick."

It's important, in business, in sports, in life, in gambling to recognize the value of sunk costs.  It's what keeps a loss from bankrupting you.

So, SB 40 went the wrong way, and understanding the human tendency to chase bad money, I decided to make it all back with a Grammy investment.

Don't do that.  It's error.

I've forgotten who was favored to win both Album and Song of the Year five years ago (guessing - it was Kanye) but it wasn't U2.

Here's why that matters - investing in awards shows is not a good proposition; either there's a solid favorite (Eminem for Best Album this year) meaning there's just no play given how bad are the odds, or it's a coin flip, and that's never something you should play (unless it's the Super Bowl and you play tails).

But sometimes, analysis of past votes (and that's how you play; it's not a qualitative "here's who's best" judgment, the way you play is "who is in the position of previous winners") leads to the view that the most likely winner is mistakenly a pretty good underdog according to the sportsbooks.

And 5 years ago - I thought U2 was going to win, but they weren't favored, and having just taken a bath in a clearly fixed Super Bowl, I went in heavy.

This is a mistake.

Except that time it worked out and I cleaned up.

Leading us to tonight.

Let me direct you to Lady Antebellum this evening.  Plus another 10 picks tonight.  They are dogs for both song/record and I don't believe that's the most likely result tonight.  The metric for this isn't as strong as for sports - but it's not a shot in the dark either.  If, for whatever reason, you decided to invest tonight, think Lady Antebellum for Song and Record.  I did give you Boardwalk Empire/Steve Buscemi a month ago.

(edit - You're welcome.)

Album - Eminem
Best New Artist - Justin Bieber
Song - Need You Now (Cee Lo is favored, so there's an opportunity here)
Record - Need You Now (Eminem/Rihanna is favored, and Lady Antebellum is also behind Jay Z/Alicia Keys so there's an opportunity here.)
Short Form Video - Bad Romance
Male Country Vocal - Keith Urban
Female Country Vocal - Miranda Lambert
Alternative Album - Arcade Fire
Urban Alternative - Cee Lo Green
Male R&B Vocal - Usher
Pop Vocal Album - Gaga
Female Pop Vocal - Gaga
Rap Solo - Eminem

We'll see how it goes.

2. Jefferson Davis = Adlai Stevenson


If Tendown has any value, I know I have readers who otherwise would be unaware of the lengths that the right wing goes to fabricate American history.  Previously, we've seen Limbaugh and right wing congressmen discuss how it was the Republicans who were the true civil rights crusaders.  And presumably, someone who doesn't know what happened to all those southern Democrats who opposed Brown or CRA '64 (spoiler alert - they became Republicans) might get tricked.

To that end - here's Ann Coulter from CPAC this week. saying that liberals fought to keep slavery during the Civil War.

And this week, here's Michele Bachmann saying that other than Native Americans, all Americans have the same story of coming to the US by choice for a better life.  An omission?  Nah - two weeks ago she said this:


"How unique in all of the world, that one nation that was the resting point from people groups all across the world," she said. "It didn't matter the color of their skin, it didn't matter their language, it didn't matter their economic status."


"Once you got here, we were all the same. Isn't that remarkable?" 


It is remarkable.  Which explains why the National Review, the longtime right wing journal of record, wrote this in 1957.



The central question that emerges--and it is not a parliamentary question or a question that is answered by merely consulting a catalog of the rights of American citizens, born Equal--is whether the White community in the South is entitled to take such measures as are necessary to prevail, politically and culturally, in areas in which it does not predominate numerically? The sobering answer is Yes--the White community is so entitled because, for the time being, it is the advanced race. It is not easy, and it is unpleasant, to adduce statistics evidencing the median cultural superiority of White over Negro: but it is fact that obtrudes, one that cannot be hidden by ever-so-busy egalitarians and anthropologists. The question, as far as the White community is concerned, is whether the claims of civilization supersede those of universal suffrage. The British believe they do, and acted accordingly, in Kenya, where the choice was dramatically one between civilization and barbarism, and elsewhere; the South, where the conflict is by no means dramatic, as in Kenya, nevertheless perceives important qualitative differences between its culture and the Negroes', and intends to assert its own.



Note - that Kenya discussion is at the heart of today's right wing theory of Obama's hatred of the United States - he has an anti-colonial reservoir of resentment toward England for its treatment of Kenya that has manifested in his desire to destroy the United States.

No, seriously.  Here's Dinesh D'Souza in a piece that has been supported by Newt, Palin, and Simple Jack:

Incredibly, the U.S. is being ruled according to the dreams of a Luo tribesman of the 1950s. This philandering, inebriated African socialist, who raged against the world for denying him the realization of his anticolonial ambitions, is now setting the nation's agenda through the reincarnation of his dreams in his son. The son makes it happen, but he candidly admits he is only living out his father's dream. The invisible father provides the inspiration, and the son dutifully gets the job done. America today is governed by a ghost.

In a right wing history class, the earth is 6,000 years old; the founding fathers created the United States as a Christian nation as they were ending slavery.  The Progressive Era was a totalitarian power grab by the federal government; the progressive income tax, the minimum wage, and minimum health and safety standards were part of an inexorable slide to socialism, that - when coupled with the failure of the New Deal under perhaps our worst President ever, FDR, created a United States which was only saved by the coming of Ronald Reagan, whose tax cutting both decreased the deficit and created jobs, policies that if we would just return to could unleash to power of small business and return America to its late 19th century glory.  Social Security is a failed ponzi scheme.  Unemployment benefits create hobos.  Iraq has been a successful war.  Biblical law should replace the criminal justice system.   Liberals and Muslims are part of a worldwide conspiracy to impose Sharia law/gay marriage on the United States.  Your guns and Bible are in jeopardy of being taken away.  The only guardians of the liberties enshrined in the Constitution are on the right wing.  

And I don't even go after the low hanging fruit.  Read about Bryan Fischer sometime and consider why it is mainstream Republicans can go on his radio show without being required to repudiate his constant vicious bigotry.  I talk about the big guys, elected officials, the big corporately supported heavy right wing hitters.  Take a step down and you get all manner of right wing madness that just goes undiscussed by mainstream media until you look up and Rand Paul, who believes the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is unconstitutional and that businesses should be allowed to discriminate on the basis of race if they choose to becomes elected to the US Senate.

Can you be elected in South Africa in 2011 if you say "now, personally, I didn't like apartheid, but I'm not sure we should have stopped it."

Because in the US - those guys are sitting at the head of the table.

3. And While We're At It
Here's what really happened in the 1980s.

4. Meanwhile, at the home front.


I live in south Florida.  Here was our week.

The new right wing governor wants to cut corporate taxes by 700 billion.  How to pay for it?  Take 4 billion out of Medicaid.

The proposed budget is here.


In his first budget proposal, Gov. Rick Scott wants to slash more than $4.6 billion from the state's current spending of $70.5 billion by cutting services to the developmentally disabled, whacking per-pupil spending and doing away with nearly 8,700 state worker jobs while giving businesses a $1.4 billion tax break.
Scott, who rolled out his $65.9 billion spending plan at a tea party event in rural Central Florida, called his austere proposal a gimmick-free approach to governing.


"There's no sweeteners for special interests or special people or special companies," Scott told reporters in the Capitol on Monday after first releasing details to tea party supporters in Eustis.
But Scott's budget plan would lower the corporate income tax from 5.5 percent to 3 percent, a $1.4 billion savings for big businesses in the state. And his proposal includes $800 million in economic development money that he alone could dole out to businesses coming to or expanding in Florida.


And for those who are unemployed - good news - Florida businesses may soon contribute less money to the unemployment insurance fund. Here's the chairman of the Florida House panel which passed those recommendations this week:

              “The one thing that we have to do is show that Florida is a business-friendly state,” 

Yup.  That's the one thing we have to do.  Weird that language isn't included in the Preamble to the Constitution.  

We the People, in order to form a more perfect Union, have to do one thing - show the US is a business friendly nation.

And Forbes says I live in the 8th worst city in the country.  

Presumably drug testing those receiving unemployment insurance is a good step to improving that ranking.  

Another proposal from the "shrink government to the size of a postage stamp" right wing.

5. In Case You Missed it.

Here's Vanity Fair's piece on crazypants Randy Quaid.

From Esquire - the first ever perfect guess on a Showcase Showdown.

And from Details - the history of a show you never watched, but I did - Party Down.

6. Who Was Dan Pawson?

That's not a question.  That's an answer.

The question is - the longest running Jeopardy champion in 2008?

How do I know?  'Cause of this archive.

7. Here's Ebert, Dying.

As are we all. 

8. Joe Francis, People Just Don't Know How Cute and Funny You Are.

The above is a direct, verbatim quote from Melissa Rivers on her new reality show with her mother.

Yeah, it's terrible.  I watch so you don't have to.

Hilariously, last week included a cameo by Joe Francis, presented totally uncritically as a just a good, regular, successful guy.

Undiscussed was his indictment and six figure tax lien.  His attack on multiple women. One of whom was pregnant.  His guilty plea to filing false tax records. 

But, he's cute and funny.  So there's that.

9. I Make Mistakes

I don't necessarily like referring to people or places by their actual names.  For example, there's a bar in town called the Brass Something Or Other, I'm Not Really Sure.  

I call it the Brass Monkey.  'Cause of the Beastie Boys.  We got the bottle.  You got the cup.

And this week, when some package of direct mail coupons arrived, and one of them was for a bar in a nearby town called the Brass Monkey, I wondered (out loud, unfortunately) if our local Brass Monkey would also be included in that discount.  'Cause they advertise having the "best hamburgers, coldest beer" - and if a bar in your town not only has the "best hamburgers" but also the "coldest beer" it just seems foolish not to try all of that.  It would be like living in Manhattan and never once going to the Empire State Building - sure, it might be for tourists - but you gotta go once, it's right there.  

It took me 2 days to realize that just because I call the Brass Something Or Other, I'm Not Really Sure the "Brass Monkey" does not mean that it would take a coupon for a place actually called Brass Monkey.

2 days.  2 days to figure that out.  I'm a professor of higher learning.  

10. The World Champion San Francisco Giants

It takes 11 playoff wins to be World Champions.  This was our seventh.  NLCS Game 6.  

Sanchez met Oswalt in Game 6 - and given Oswalt's dominance in Game 2 and the series shifting to Philadelphia, you could forgive the nervousness.  Or worse - the creeping panic after 3 hits and a wild pitch in the first inning gave them a two run lead just as we got off the plane.  

We got two singles in the second - but didn't score, and still down 2-0 the concern rose another notch.

Calm down, Jividen - we're about to get them back in the third.  Look!

Sanchez (the pitching version) and Torres led off the third with singles, were bunted over, then both scored on a single by Huff and a Polanco throwing error.  

2-2!  2-2!  Now let's keep the goddamn Phillies off the bases.

Sanchez put the first two on in the third and that was the end of his night.

Then the bullpen won the pennant.  Affledt threw two perfect innings; we went to the 5th still tied at 2.

Singles by Fontenot and Sanchez (the Freddy version) gave us 2 on with one out in the fifth - but we did not score.

Bumgarner came on for the bottom and loaded the bases.  But he got Victorino to ground out to end the inning.

2-2.  2-2.  2-2.

We got two more on, again with one out in the 6th.  A Renteria double play ended the inning.  

They had a runner at 3rd with one out in the 6th.  Bumgarner got Ben Francisco looking and then a Rollins fly ball to end the inning.

2-2.  2-2.  2-2.

Again - again 2 more on in our 7th.  Again, nothing.  

But in the 8th we got them.  Juan Uribe homered off Ryan Madson - putting us up 3-2 - and setting the stage for a 5 out Wilson save; a Carlos Ruiz double play ended the 8th - and after we loaded the bases but did not score in the 9th, Wilson walked two - but got groundballs from Gload and Polanco - and then struck Ryan Howard out looking to end the game and win the pennant.  I cried and cried and cried.  

For the fourth time in SFG history, the third time in my life, onto the WS we went.

That's all for this time.  I'll see you next time.  If there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

Every World Series Winner Ranked by Pythagorean Record.

Here, every WS winner ranked by regular season pythagorean record, normalized for a 162 game season, every player from each team with a WAR (baseball reference version) over 5 is listed.    The team each beat, with its pythag, is also listed.

With that - every WS winner ranked.  Updated through 2019.

1. 1939 Yankees 119 (111) (MLB Network says this is the second greatest team ever)

-Gehrig’s last year, but it was DiMaggio’s team the best team in baseball history swept the World Series.  Yanks were 23 pythag wins ahead of the next best team in the AL. Dimaggio, Dickey, Gordon, Keller, Rolfe, Selkirk, Ruffing  (d. Reds 99)

2.  1927 Yankees 114 (109) (MLB added a countdown of the 5 greatest teams ever, it said these Yankees were #1)

-Maybe the most famous team ever; There might be a better 1-2 combo someplace in sports history than Ruth/Gehrig in ’27, but it wouldn’t be by much.  They swept the Series and finished 22 pythag wins ahead of the next best AL team. WAR Above 5.0: Combs, Gehrig, Lazzeri, Ruth, Hoyt, Moore (d. Pirates 96)

3. 1942 Cardinals 113 (107)

-Two Cardinals teams battle for the title of best NL team of all time; note both are in the WWII era; Enos Slaughter had his best season in ’42 and was the best player on the club; The Dodgers were also over a hundred pythag wins in ’42, so the distance between they and the Cards was just four games.  The Yanks had a monster pythag also (the Cards beat them in 5) and that might make the ’42 Series the best matchup ever. Musial, Slaughter, Cooper (d. Yankees 112, yeah, this is going to be the best Series ever)

4. 1944 Cardinals 113 (107)

-’44 was Musial and everyone else; the Cards took advantage of the downturn in talent to hold a 23 pythag win advantage in the NL and beat an overmatched Browns in a 6 game WS.  Hopp, Musial, (d. Browns 92)

5. 1909 Pirates 111 (105)

-35 year old Honus Wagner was easily the pacesetter for the ’09 Pirates This is the first team on the list which wasn’t the best in its league during the regular season (the Cubs had 109 pythag wins, same as the ’27 Yanks, but finished 6 and a half games out).  Also the first team on the list who had to go to a seventh game to win the WS.  Clarke, Wagner, Camnitz, Willis (d. Tigers 102, the second series where both clubs were 100 win teams)

6. 1905 NYGiants 111 (105)

-The Giants refused to play the AL Champ in ’04, but gave in here to crack the top 10; this is the first team whose best player was a pitcher (Mathewson, obviously).  New York was only 1 pythag game better than the Cubs, who were extra unlucky, as they finished in 3^rd overall 13 games out.  The Giants beat the A’s in the Series; imagine being able to show the fans of each club that 84 years later there would be a rematch with both clubs residing in Northern California.  What would I have to tell you about two current teams playing in 2094 to equal that? Donlin, McGann, Mathewson (d. Athletics 98)

7. 1910 Athletics 111 (103)

- 14 game pythag advantage in the AL and beat a 101 pythag win Cub team in 5 in the WS. Collins, Bender, Coombs,  (d. Cubs 106)

8. 1998 Yankees 108 (MLB agrees with the pythag.  Best team since '61.)

-The best team in modern baseball history, you ask?  The best regular season post WWII WS champion was the ’98 Yankees. The Yanks finished 12 pythag wins up in the AL and swept the Padres in the WS. Brosius, Jeter, O’Neill, Williams, (d. Padres 93)

9. 1948 Indians 108 (104)

-Lou Boudreau’s career season and the best season by anyone on the list so far not named Ruth or Gehrig; they were 7 pythag wins best in the AL and won the WS in 6. Boudreau, Gordon, Keltner, Bearden, Lemon (d. Braves 98)

10. 1937 Yankees 108 (103)

 Gehrig played on 3 of the ten best teams in baseball history.  Dickey, Dimaggio, Gehrig, Gomez, Ruffing (d. Giants 94)

11. 1912 Red Sox 108 (102)

 Gardner, Speaker, Collins, O’Brien, Wood (d. Giants 107)

12. 1907 Cubs 108 (102) (MLB says this is the third greatest team ever)

It’s Tinker to Evers to Chance –  (Orvall Overall was their best player).  Brown, Lungren, Overall   (d. Tigers 101)

13. 1936 Yankees 108 (102)

 4 Gehrigs out of 13 teams.  Dickey, Gehrig, Rolfe (d. Giants 93)

14. 1953 Yankees 108 (101)

-A half dozen Yankee teams in the top 15 of all time.  Mantle, (d. Dodgers 110 – the first upset, at 110 real wins that Dodger team is their best team ever and one of the great WS losers ever)  

15. 1917 White Sox 108 (101)

Eddie Cicotte  had the best pitching season on the list thusfar, disgrace still a couple years away.  Collins, Felsch, Jackson, Cicotte (d. Giants 105)

16. 1929 Athletics 108 (100)

Foxx, Grove, Walberg (d. Cubs 100)

17. 2016 Cubs 107 (second best pythag for a WS winner since WW2)
Bryant, Rizzo, Lester, Hendricks (d. Indians 91)

18. 1975 Reds 107 (MLB and me had them second for the half century)

-The best season by any player on the list so far – Joe Morgan’s 1975.  Bench, Morgan, Rose (d. Red Sox 90)

19. 1911 Athletics 106 (99)

-3 A’s teams make the top 20.  Baker, Collins, Bender, Plank (d. Giants 104)

20. 1903 Red Sox 105 (90)

-the first ever WS winner cracks the top 20 of all time. Collins, Dougherty,Parent, Dineen, Young (d. Pirates 92)

21. 1970 Orioles 104 (4th best by MLB, I'd have them 3rd)

-Blair, Powell, Palmer (d. Reds 91)

22. 1947 Yankees 104 (100)

-DiMaggio, Henrich, (d. Dodgers 98)

23. 1932 Yankees 104 (99) (MLB said this was the fifth best team pre 1961)

 8^th Yankee team on the list and the fifth Gehrig. Combs, Gehrig, Lazzeri, Ruth, Ruffing (d. Cubs 90)

24. 1976 Reds 103 (8th by MLB, I'd have them as 4th best after '61)
 Foster, Morgan, Rose (d. Yankees 98) 

25. 1968 Tigers 103 (7th by MLB, I'd have them 5th best after '61)

Freehan, Horton, McAuliffe, Northrup, McLain (d. Cards 96)

26. 2018 Red Sox 103 (the Astros team they beat in the ALCS had a 109 win pythag, they would have been the best WS winner since '44)
Betts, Martinez, Sale (d. Dodgers 92)

27. 1986 Mets 103 (5th by MLB, I'd have them 6th)

The top 25 ends with the ’86 Mets.  Hernandez, (d. Red Sox 90)

28. 1961 Yankees 103 (3rd best by MLB, I'd have them 7th)

 Howard, Mantle, Maris, (d. Reds 87 – the first sub 90 WS team on the list)

29. 1956 Yankees 103 (98)

-10 Yankee teams make the Top 30.   Berra, Mantle, McDougald, Ford (d. Dodgers 94)

30. 1908 Cubs 103 (98)

-Three Finger Brown’s (18.4) best season. Evers, Tinker, Brown, (d. Tigers 92)

31. 1935 Tigers 102 (97)

Cochrane, Gehringer, Greenberg, Rogell, (d. Cubs 106 – the second upset on the list and the tenth WS where each team had a hundred real wins)

32. 1954 NYGiants 102 (97)

-The last ever Giants team to win the World Series.  Hah!  Totally untrue!  Totally untrue! (d. Indians 109, a good sized upset for not quite my Giants)  Mays.  Antonelli

33. 1931 Cardinals 102 (97)

Hafey (d. Athletics 103)

34. 1913 Athletics 102 (97)

 Collins;  Home Run Baker.  McInnis, (d. Giants 101)

35. 1920 Indians 102 (97)

 for Speaker Jim Bagby. Coveleski (d. Dodgers 97)

36. 1938 Yankees 102 (97)

Dickey, DiMaggio, Ruffing (d. Cubs 93)

37. 1915 Red Sox 102 (95)

Speaker, (d. Phillies 98)

38. 1971 Pirates 101 (MLB rank #33)

-They beat SFG in the NLDS. Clemente, Stargell, (d. Orioles 105)

39. 2013 Cardinals 101
-Carpenter, Molina, Wainwright.  (d. Red Sox 100)

40. 2002 Angels 101 (MLB rank #26.  Booooo.  Boooooo)

-And they beat SFG in 7 games in the WS. Anderson, Eckstein, Erstad, (d. SFG 98)

41. 2007 Red Sox 101 (MLB picked them #21 post '61)

-Lowell, Ortiz, (d. Rockies 90)

42. 1972 A’s 101 (97) (14th by MLB)

Epstein, Jackson, Rudi, Hunter (d. Reds 98)

43. 1941 Yankees 101 (96)

-DiMaggio’s best season, Gordon, Keller, (d. Dodgers 104)

44. 1958 Yankees 101 (96)

-Mantle. Siebern (d. Braves 96)

45. 1950 Yankees 101 (96)

-3 straight Yankee teams gives them 13 overall thusfar.  Berra, DiMaggio, Rizzuto,   (d. Phillies 91)

46. 1940 Reds 101 (96)

-Frey, McCormick, Werber, Walters (d. Tigers 96)

47. 1921 NYGiants 101 (95)

Bancroft, Frisch, (d. Yankees 101 – the first dead even matchup on the list, the 16^th matchup of 2 100 win teams)

48. 1923 Yankees 101 (95)

Ruth’s best year nearly a double MVP season. Pennock (d. Giants 97)

49. 1946 Cardinals 100 (97)

Musial.  Breechen, Kurowski, Slaughter (d. Red Sox 102)

50. 1949 Yankees 100 (95)

DiMaggio, (d. Dodgers 103)

51. 1955 Dodgers 100 (95)

Campanella, Furillo, Snider, (d. Yankees 102, that’s 19 double 100 matchups, can we get one more?)

52. 1928 Yankees 100 (95) (third tiebreak)

Ruth; Gehrig. Pennock (d. Cardinals 98)

53. 1952 Yankees 100 (95)

17 of the top 50 of all time – Yankees. Berra, Mantle, Reynolds (d. Dodgers 99)

54. 1922 NYGiants 100 (95)

Bancroft (d. Yankees 95, that’s it for the 100 win champs – we stick at 19 double 100 win WS)

55. 1977 Yankees 99 (MLB picked them at #25 post 1961)

None (d. Dodgers 101)

56. 1978 Yankees 99 (15th by MLB)

Randolph, Guidry – check out the Yankees, going back-to-back on this all time list. (d. Dodgers 98)

57. 2017 Astros 99
Altuve, Correa, Springer (d. Red Sox 93)

58. 1984 Tigers 99 (6th by MLB)

Gibson, Lemon, (d. Padres 87 – so, how’s this, through these first 53 WS, only two teams have sub 90 win pythags – both Padres teams.)

59. 1951 Yankees 99 (94)

Berra, (d. NYG 96)

60. 1919 Reds 99 (92)

Groh, Roush, (d. White Sox 90)

61. 1981 Dodgers 98 (67)

Valenzuela (d. Yankees 95)

62. 1974 A’s 97 (MLB picked them #24 post '61)

Bando, Campaneris, Jackson, Rudi, Hunter (d. Dodgers 106 – that’s a pretty good sized upset)

63. 1967 Cards 97 (9th by MLB)

Brock, Cepeda, Flood, McCarver, (d. Red Sox 93)

64. 1989 A’s 97 (#16 on MLB Net countdown)

The Earthquake A’s.  The first SFG WS of my lifetime.  It could have gone better.  Henderson, Moore (d. SFG 92)

65. 1925 Pirates 97 (93)

Cuyler, (d. Senators 96)

66. 1957 Braves 97 (93)

Aaron, Mathews, (d. Yankees 103)

67. 1930 A’s 97 (93)

Cochrane, Foxx, Simmons, Grove, (d. Cardinals 98)

68. 1918 Red Sox 97 (76)

Hooper, Ruth, (d. Cubs 104)

69. 2004 Red Sox 96 (MLB took them #19)

Schilling –  two Red Sox teams go back to back on the list.  How about that? (d. Cards 100) 

70. 1999 NYY 96 (11th by MLB).

Jeter, Williams, (d. Braves 98)

71. 1966 Orioles 96

FRobinson (d. Dodgers 97)(#35 on the MLB Countdown)

72. 1983 Orioles 96

Murray, Ripken, McGregor (d. Phillies 88)(#36 on the MLB Countdown)

73. 1973 A’s 96 (MLB took them at #18)

Bando, Jackson, North, Tenace, (d. Mets 83 – the worst WS team yet on the list)

74. 1943 NYY 96 (92)

Gordon, Keller, Chandler (d. Cardinals 106 – a sizeable upset)

75. 1924 Senators 96 (92)

Goslin, Johnson (d. Giants 101)

76. 1960 Pirates 96 (92)

Groat, Hoak, Friend (d. Yankees 93)

77. 1906 White Sox 96 (90, they beat the Cubs – who had a translated pythag of 122 wins; that Cub team is the best team who didn’t win and might be the best team in baseball history.)

Davis, White

78. 1933 NYG 96 (90)

Ott, Hubbell, Schumacher (d. Senators 99)

79. 2019 Nationals 95 
Strasburg, Rendon, Scherzer, Corbin (d. Astros 107)

80. 1979 Pirates 95 (MLB named them #27)

Parker, (d. Orioles 99)

81. 2009 NYY 95 (13th by MLB)

Cano, Jeter, Teixeira,  (d. Phillies 92)   

82. 2001 Arizona 95 (MLB picked them #23 post '61, they picked the Mariners #20)

Gonzalez, Johnson, Schilling  (d. Yankees 90)

83. 1934 Cardinals 95 (90)

Collins, Dean (d. Tigers 103)

84. 1926 Cardinals 95 (90)

None    (d. Yankees 94)                     

85. 1962 NYY 94 (MLB picked them #22 post '61)

Mantle (d. SFG 100 – the greatest SFG team ever; we should have won this one)

86. 1991 Minn 94 (#38 on the MLB list)

Tapani (d. Braves 92)

87. 2010 SFG 94

-We’re Number 83!!  Huff (d. Rangers 91)

88. 1914 Braves 94 (89)

Evers, James, Rudolph (d. Athletics 105, super big upset)

89. 1995 Atlanta 94 (84) (10th by MLB)

Maddux, Glavine (d. Indians 104 MLB named them the 28th best team of the expansion era) 

90. 2008 Phils 93 (#37 on the MLB countdown)

Utley (d. Rays 92 – the worst WS matchup yet)

91. 1990 Reds 92

Rijo (d. A’s 99)

92. 1965 Dodgers 92 (second tiebreak)

Koufax (d. Twins 100)

93. 1963 Dodgers 92 (#31 on MLB list)

Gilliam, Drysdale, Koufax (d. NYY 100)

94. 1969 Mets 92 (12th by MLB with their 92 real wins.  Stupid)

Agee, Jones, Koosman, Seaver (d. Orioles 110, just a startling upset MLB named them #29 of the expansion era)

95. 1988 Dodgers 91

Gibson, Hershiser (d. A’s 100 MLB named this Oakland team the 34th best all time)

96. 1992 Toronto 91 (MLB ranks #32)

Alomar, White, Guzman (d. Braves 94)

97. 1980 Phils 91

Schmidt, Carlton (d. Royals 92)(ranked, pretty ridiculously, #40 on the MLB Net list)

98. 1993 Toronto 91 (MLB took them 17th)

Alomar, Molitor, Olerud, White  (d. Phillies 93)

99. 2005 CWW 91

Buehrle, Garland (d. Astros 91) (MLB #39; they can't mean the 40 best teams of all time, this has to just be of the TV era, maybe after 1950, this is nuts. As it turns out, it's post '61 teams only).

100. 1916 Red Sox 91 (87)

Ruth (d. Dodgers 96)

101. 1982 Cards 90

Smith, Andujar (d. Brewers 97)

102. 2015 Royals 90
Cain (d. Mets 89)

103. 1945 Tigers 89 (84)

Newhouser (d. Cubs 103 – the first sub 90 win WS winner – and they beat a 100+ winner)

104. 1964 Cards 88

Boyer, Brock, Gibson (d. NYY 98)

105. 2011 Cards 88
Berkman, Pujols (d. Texas 98)

106. 1996 NYY 88

Pettitte, Rivera (d. Atlanta 94)

107. 2012 SFG88
Posey (d. Detroit 87)

108. 1997 Marlins 88

Brown – the Fish are back to back near at the bottom of the list (d. Indians 85 – this is like a SB where both teams are 9-7, just an all time bad matchup for any sport)

109. 2003 Marlins 87

Castillo (d. NYY 96)

110. 2014 Giants 87
Posey (d. KC 84)

111. 1985 Royals 86

Brett, Leibrandt, Saberhagen (d. Cardinals 100, look at the size of that upset)

112. 1959 Dodgers 86 (82)

Moon, Drysdale (d. White Sox 90)

113. 2000 NYY 85

Posada, Williams (d. Mets 88, the only two WS in over a hundred years to match 2 sub 90 win teams, just a few years apart)

114. 2006 StL 82

Pujols, Carpenter (d. Tigers 95)

115. 1987 Minn 79

Viola The only sub .500 winner – of a WS, a SB, or an NBA Title (d. Cardinals 91)