2020 Best Television Shows (Jan-Mar)

2019 is here.

I watch television; each quarter I list the ten best shows, culminating in a year end top 20.

Here's the first quarter of the new decade (eligible next quarter, Better Call Saul, Better Things, Last Week Tonight)

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
2. Cheer (Netflix)
3. High Maintenance (HBO)
4. Survivor (CBS)
5. Desus &Mero (Showtime)
6. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
7. Superstore (NBC)
8. High Fidelity (Hulu)
9. Looking for Alaska (Hulu)
10. The Good Place (NBC)

Curb is not a reboot taking a victory lap; it is as good, right now, today as it has ever been. 2020 Larry David is as funny as 1990 Larry David. I know I am not as funny as I was in 1990 (and I wasn't all that funny then either). Survivor's the best reality competition ever and its all winners season is hitting the right notes.  Netflix had a strong quarter for reality with The Circle and Love is Blind; the best of its efforts was Cheer.  High Maintenance always gets big marks on my lists; I'm a middle aged straight white male; diversity for the sake of diversity is often lost on me - but there is just something genuinely exciting about the way this show moves it main character out of the center and allows actors who would largely be background in other venues carry the ball.  The funniest late night show in 2020 is Desus & Mero which just drips authenticity. The best network sitcoms are next, NBCs Thursday combo of Nine-Nine and Superstore.  I couldn't be called a Zoe Kravitz completionist, but High Fidelity sure seems like her most accessible performance; she carries virtually every scene. I've aged out (finally) of most teen drama, but Looking for Alaska was a real page turner (if you haven't watched but are considering it, there's a significant plot twist, so you want to get to it) and I found the Good Place conclusion heavy handed, but well made (particularly Ted Danson's impeccable performance) enough to slide in.

The 128 Greatest Basketball Teams of All Time

Here's what this is - I took Simple Rating System from Baseball Reference; ELO from FiveThirtyEight and smashed them together, with a bent toward valuing contemporary teams given a constant improvement of basketball as a system.

It ain't bad.  Here are the top 128 teams in professional basketball History. Why 128? Brackets, makes it easy to do a tournament.

Here we go (through 2021)

1. 2017 Golden St Warriors-NBA Champions

2. 1996 Chicago Bulls-NBA Champions

3. 2015 Golden St Warriors-NBA Champions

4. 1997 Chicago Bulls-NBA Champions

5. 1986 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

6. 1992 Chicago Bulls-NBA Champions

7. 2016 San Antonio Spurs

8. 1991 Chicago Bulls-NBA Champions

9. 2016 Golden St Warriors

10. 2014 San Antonio Spurs-NBA Champions

11. 1972 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

12. 1971 Milwaukee Bucks -NBA Champions

13. 2009 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

14. 1998 Chicago Bulls-NBA Champions

15. 1987 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

16. 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers

17. 2008 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

18. 1967 Philadelphia 76ers-NBA Champions

19. 2007 San Antonio Spurs-NBA Champions

20. 1997 Utah Jazz

21. 1972 Milwaukee Bucks

22. 1999 San Antonio Spurs-NBA Champions

23. 2013 Miami Heat-NBA Champions

24. 1983 Philadelphia 76ers-NBA Champions

25. 2002 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

26. 1950 Minneapolis Lakers-NBA Champions

27. 1985 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

28. 2005 San Antonio Spurs-NBA Champions

29. 1989 Detroit Pistons-NBA Champions

30. 2018 Houston Rockets

31. 2000 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

32. 2004 San Antonio Spurs

33. 2012 San Antonio Spurs

34. 2016 Oklahoma City Thunder

35. 1996 Seattle SuperSonics

36. 2013 Oklahoma City Thunder

37. 2010 Orlando Magic

38. 2008 Los Angeles Lakers

39. 1993 Chicago Bulls-NBA Champions

40. 2019 Milwaukee Bucks

41. 2002 Sacramento Kings

42. 2018 Golden St Warriors-NBA Champions

43. 1991 Portland TrailBlazers

44. 1994 Seattle Super Sonics

45. 1960 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

46. 2013 San Antonio Spurs

47. 2011 Miami Heat

48. 2003 San Antonio Spurs-NBA Champions

49. 1962 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

50. 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers-NBA Champions

51. 1984 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

52. 2020 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

53. 2001 San Antonio Spurs

54. 1965 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

55. 1998 Los Angeles Lakers

56. 2005 Phoenix Suns

57. 2019 Toronto Raptors-NBA Champions

58. 1964 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

59. 2012 Miami Heat-NBA Champions

60. 1981 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

61. 1995 Seattle Super Sonics

62. 1992 Portland Trail Blazers

63. 2003 Dallas Mavericks

64. 1980 Los Angeles Lakers

65. 2015 Los Angeles Clippers

66. 1973 Milwaukee Bucks

67. 1981 Philadelphia 76ers

68. 2019 Golden St Warriors

69. 2021 Milwaukee Bucks-NBA Champions

70. 2007 Phoenix Suns

71. 2014 Los Angeles Clippers

72. 1990 Detroit Pistons-NBA Champions

73. 2015 San Antonio Spurs

74. 1981 Milwaukee Bucks

75. 1998 Utah Jazz

76. 2021 Utah Jazz

77. 1980 Boston Celtics

78. 1985 Boston Celtics

79. 1982 Boston Celtics

80. 1973 New York Knicks-NBA Champions

81. 2008 Utah Jazz

82. 1986 Milwaukee Bucks

83. 2006 Dallas Mavericks

84. 2009 Orlando Magic

85. 1974 Milwaukee Bucks

86. 2000 Portland Trail Blazers

87. 2003 Sacramento Kings

88. 2004 Detroit Pistons-NBA Champions

89. 2020 Milwaukee Bucks

90. 1989 Los Angeles Lakers

91. 2007 Dallas Mavericks

92. 1973 Boston Celtics

93. 2021 Phoenix Suns

94. 2020 Toronto Raptors

95. 1991 Los Angeles Lakers

96. 2009 Boston Celtics

97. 2006 San Antonio Spurs

98. 1975 Kentucky Colonels-ABA Champions

99. 1963 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

100. 1973 Los Angeles Lakers

101. 2011 Dallas Mavericks-NBA Champions

102. 2011 Chicago Bulls

103. 1996 Utah Jazz

104. 2002 San Antonio Spurs

105. 2017 San Antonio Spurs

106. 1987 Boston Celtics

107. 2020 Boston Celtics

108. 1959 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

109. 1982 Philadelphia 76ers

110. 1998 Indiana Pacers

111. 1961 Boston Celtics-NBA Champions

112. 1987 Atlanta Hawks

113. 1950 Rochester Royals

114. 1994 New York Knicks

115. 1990 Phoenix Suns

116. 2010 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

117. 1995 Utah Jazz

118. 1988 Detroit Pistons

119. 2014 Oklahoma City Thunder

120. 1990 Los Angeles Lakers

121. 1993 New York Knicks

122. 1989 Phoenix Suns

123. 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder

124. 1982 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

125. 1968 Philadelphia 76ers

126. 2001 Los Angeles Lakers-NBA Champions

127. 1953 Minneapolis Lakers-NBA Champions

128. 1995 San Antonio Spurs

2020 NBA - Top 38 Players 3/4 Pole

3/4 of the way through the 2020 NBA season.  Here are the 50 best players of the season so far.  Inputs are PER, RPM, VORP, Win Shares

First Team All NBA

1. J.Harden SG Hou  (MVP)
2. G. Antetokounmpo PF Mil
3. L.James SF LAL
4. N.Jokic C Den

5. D.Lillard PG Por 

Second Team All NBA

6. A.Davis PF LAL
7. L.Doncic SG Dall
8. K.Leonard SF LAC
9. R.Gobert C Utah
10. J.Butler Mia SF

Third Team All NBA

11. T.Young PG Atl  (Young replaces Butler on second team)
12. C.Paul PG OKC
13. B.Simmons PG Phi
14. H.Whiteside C Por
15. B.Adebayo PF Mia

16. K.Middleton SF Mil
17. J.Tatum PF Bos
18. M.Harrell PF LAC
19. R.Westbrook PG Hou
20. D.Booker SG
21. Z.LaVine PG Chi
22. B.Beal SG Wash
23. D.Sabonis PF Ind
24. J.Embiid C Phi
25. K.A.Towns C Min
26. D.Mitchell SG Utah
27. K.Lowry PG Tor

28. D.DeRozan SF SA 

29. K.Walker PG Bos 

30. S.Adams C OKC 

31. P.Siakam PF Tor 

32. J.Allen C Brook 

33. M.Robinson C NY 

34. D.Gallinari PF OKC 

35. J.Valanciunas C Mem 

36. T.Harris SF Phil 

37. A.Drummond C Cle/Det
38. CJ McCollum SG Por
   
   
   
 
   

   
   
   

Every Giants (MLB) Team Ranked

Here's what this is - I took Simple Rating System from Baseball Reference; ELO from FiveThirtyEight and smashed them together, with a bent toward valuing contemporary teams given a constant improvement of baseball as a system. WAR numbers are B-Ref only. Through 2019


1. 1905 World Series Champions (Best Player: Mathewson 9.9)
2. 1885 2nd in NL (Best Players: Welch 10.6, Connor 8.2)
3. 1904 NL Champs (Best Player: McGinnity 9.1)
4. 1912 NL Champs (Best Player: Mathewson 8.2)
5. 1954 World Series Champions (Best Player: Mays 10.6)
6. 1921 World Series Champions (Best Player: Bancroft 7.4)
7. 1911 NL Champs (Mathewson 7.9)
8. 1889 World Champions (Welch 6.2)
9. 1888 World Champions (Keefe 9.1)
10. 2002 NL Champs (Bonds 11.8)
11. 1908 2nd in NL (Mathewson 11.8)
12. 1922 World Series Champions (Bancroft 6)
13. 2010 World Series Champions (Huff 5.7)
14. 1913 NL Champs (Mathewson 11.1)
15. 1917 NL Champs (Fletcher 7.4)
16. 1951 NL Champs (Irvin 6.9)
17. 1924 NL Champs (Frisch 7.5)
18. 1897 3rd in NL (Rusie 8.3)
19. 1934 2nd in NL (Hubbell 7.4)
20. 2012 World Series Champions (Posey 7.6)
21. 1962 NL Champs (Mays 10.5)
22. 2000 NL West Champs (Bonds 7.7)
23. 1937 NL Champs (Bartell 6.6)
24. 1906 2nd in NL (Devlin 8)
25. 1933 World Series Champions (Hubbell 9)
26. 1928 2nd in NL (Benton 6.5)
27. 1923 NL Champs (Frisch 7.1)
28. 1929 3rd in NL (Ott 7.4)
29. 1894 2nd in NL (Rusie 13.7, Meekin 11.1)
30. 2003 NL West Champs (Bonds 9.2)
31. 1920 2nd in NL (Youngs 6.4)
32. 1919 2nd in NL (Fletcher 5.3)
33. 1910 2nd in NL (Mathewson 8.9)
34. 1886 3rd in NL (Keefe 9.4)
35. 1993 2nd in NL West (Bonds 9.9)
36. 1931 2nd in NL (Terry 6.1)
37. 1903 2nd in NL (McGinnity 11.4, Mathewson 10.3)
38. 1936 NL Champs (Hubbell 9.9)
39. 2014 World Series Champions (Posey 5.4)
40. 1930 3rd in NL (Terry 7.6)
41. 1967 2nd in NL (Hart 5.8)
42. 1916 4th in NL (Fletcher 6.3)
43. 1927 3rd in NL (Hornsby 10.1)
44. 1987 NL West Champs (Clark 4.2)
45. 1950 3rd in NL (Stanky 8)
46. 1965 2nd in NL (Mays 11.2, Marichal 10.5)
47. 1961 3rd in NL (Mays 8.7)
48. 1909 3rd in NL (Mathewson 10.6)
49. 1989 NL Champs (Clark 8.6)
50. 2004 2nd in NL West (Bonds 10.6)
51. 1998 2nd in NL West (Bonds 8.1)
52. 1968 2nd in NL (McCovey 7)
53. 1918 2nd in NL (Fletcher 4.6)
54. 1914 2nd in NL (Burns 6.5)
55. 1935 3rd in NL (Ott 7.1)
56. 1887 4th in NL (Keefe 7.5)
57. 1952 2nd in NL (Dark 5.8)
58. 2001 2nd in NL West (Bonds 11.9)
59. 2016 2nd in NL West (Bumgarner 5.7)
60. 1942 3rd in NL (Ott 6.3)
61. 1963 3rd in NL (Mays 10.6, Marichal 8.1)
62. 1959 3rd in NL (Mays 7.8)
63. 1969 2nd in NL West (McCovey 8.1)
64. 1966 2nd in NL (Marichal 9.7, Mays 9)
65. 1964 4th in NL (Mays 11)
66. 2015 2nd in NL West (Bumgarner 6.1)
67. 1893 5th in NL (Rusie 11.2)
68. 1938 3rd in NL (Ott 8.9)
69. 1907 4th in NL (Mathewson 7.9)
70. 1955 3rd in NL (Mays 9.1)
71. 1988 4th in NL West (Butler 6.8)
72. 1986 3rd in NL West (Davis 4.1)
73. 1925 2nd in NL (Scott 5.9)
74. 1947 4th in NL (Mize 7.1)
75. 1891 3rd in NL (Rusie 8.7)
76. 2009 3rd in NL West (Lincecum 7.4)
77. 1960 5th in NL (Mays 9.5)
78. 1890 6th in NL (Rusie 8.2)
79. 1999 2nd in NL West (Bonds 3.8)
80. 1948 5th in NL (Mize 6.5)
81. 1932 6th in NL (Ott 7.9)
82. 1971 NL West Champs (Bonds 6.7)
83. 1970 3rd in NL West (Perry 7.1)
84. 1884 4th in NL (Welch 12.3)
85. 1973 3rd in NL West (Bonds 7.8)
86. 1982 3rd in NL West (Minton 5.5)
87. 1981 4th in NL West (Alexander 3.5)
88. 1898 7th in NL (Joyce 4.3)
89. 1939 5th in NL (Ott 5.7)
90. 1994 2nd in NL West (Bonds 6.2)
91. 1990 3rd in NL West (Butler 5, Williams 5)
92. 1896 7th in NL (Meekin 5.8)
93. 1958 3rd in NL (Mays 10.3)
94. 2011 2nd in NL West (Sandoval 6)
95. 1895 9th in NL (Rusie 6)
96. 1949 5th in NL (Thomson 6.2)
97. 1978 3rd in NL West (Blue 6.2)
98. 1972 5th in NL West (Speier 6.1)
99. 1983 5th in NL West (Hammaker 4.4)
100. 1953 5th in NL (Dark 4.7, Thompson 4.7)
101. 1997 NL West Champs (Bonds 8.2)
102. 1926 5th in NL (Frisch 4.6)
103. 1975 3rd in NL West (Montefusco 6.4)
104. 1892 8th in NL (Rusie 7.2)
105. 2013 3rd in NL West (Posey 5.3)
106. 1977 4th in NL West (Halicki 5.7)
107. 1940 6th in NL (Ott 5.2)
108. 1999 2nd in NL West (Bonds 3.8)
109. 1945 5th in NL (Ott 4.5)
110. 2007 5th in NL West (Cain 4.3)
111. 1941 5th in NL (Ott 4.6)
112. 1915 8th in NL (Tesreau 5.9)
113. 2006 3rd in NL West (Bonds 4, Schmidt 4)
114. 1976 4th in NL West (Montefusco 6.4)
115. 1957 6th in NL (Mays 8.3)
116. 2019 3rd in NL West (Samardzija 2.9)
117. 2005 3rd in NL West (Lowry 4.8)
118. 1992 5th in NL West (Swift 4.6)
119. 1980 5th in NL West (Clark 4.7)
120. 1974 5th in NL West (Barr 6.8)
121. 1979 4th in NL West (Clark 3.5)
122. 1956 6th in NL (Mays 7.6)
123. 1900 8th in NL (Selbach 5.1)
124. 1883 6th in NL (Connor 4.9)
125. 2018 4th in NL West (Posey 2.9)
126. 1946 8th in NL (Mize 6.3)
127. 1996 4th in NL West (Bonds 9.7)
128. 1995 4th in NL West (Bonds 7.5)
129. 2017 5th in NL West (Posey 3.9)
130. 1944 5th in NL (Ott 5.2)
131. 2008 4th in NL West (Lincecum 8)
132. 1984 6th in NL West (Davis 5.1)
133. 1899 10th in NL (Seymour 5.4)
134. 1985 6th in NL West (Krukow 3.5)
135. 1943 8th in NL (Adams 2.9)
136. 1902 8th in NL (Mathewson 4.2)
137. 1901 7th in NL (Mathewson 8.9)

Every World Series Winner Ranked

Here's what this is - I took Simple Rating System from Baseball Reference; ELO from FiveThirtyEight and smashed them together, with a bent toward valuing contemporary teams given a constant improvement of baseball as a system. WAR numbers are B-Ref only. Through 2019

1. 1939 Yankees (DiMaggio 8.1)
2. 1927 Yankees (Ruth 12.4, Gehrig 11.8)
3. 1942 Cardinals (Cooper 8.2)
4. 1998 Yankees (Jeter 7.5)
5. 1909 Pirates (Wagner 9.2)
6. 1910 A’s (Collins 10.5, Coombs 9.9)
7. 1905 Giants (Mathewson 9.9)
8. 1907 Cubs (Overall 6)
9. 1911 A’s (Collins 6.6)
10. 1970 Orioles (Palmer 6.4)
11. 1937 Yankees (Gomez 9, DiMaggio 8.2)
12. 1929 A’s (Foxx 7.9, Simmons 7.9)
13. 2018 Red Sox (Betts 10.9)
14. 1936 Yankees (Gehrig 9.1)
15. 1932 Yankees (Ruth 8.3)
16. 1975 Reds (Morgan 11)
17. 1944 Cardinals (Musial 8.8)
18. 1953 Yankees (Mantle 5.8)
19. 1976 Reds (Morgan 9.6)
20. 1912 Red Sox (Wood 11.4, Speaker 10.1)
21. 1919 Reds (Groh 5.1)
22. 1938 Yankees (Ruffing 6.1)
23. 1908 Cubs (Brown 9.1)
24. 2016 Cubs (Bryant 7.4)
25. 1961 Yankees (Mantle 10.5)
26. 1950 Yankees (Rizzuto 6.7)
27. 1948 Indians (Boudreau 10.4)
28. 2007 Red Sox (Beckett 6.4)
29. 1917 White Sox (Cicotte 11.5)
30. 2002 Angels (Erstad 6.4)
31. 1935 Tigers (Gehringer 7.8)
32. 1915 Red Sox (Speaker 7.1)
33. 1986 Mets (Hernandez 5.5)
34. 1947 Yankees (DiMaggio 4.9)
35. 1956 Yankees (Mantle 11.3)
36. 1941 Yankees (DiMaggio 9.1)
37. 2013 Red Sox (Pedroia 6.3)
38. 1928 Yankees (Ruth 10.1, Gehrig 9.4)
39. 1968 Tigers (McLain 7.4)
40. 2009 Yankees (Jeter 6.6)
41. 2004 Red Sox (Schilling 7.8)
42. 1920 Indians (Bagby 9, Coveleski 8.8, Speaker 8.5)
43. 1903 Americans (Young 8.3)
44. 1999 Yankees (Jeter 8)
45. 1931 Cardinals (Hafey 4.3)
46. 1921 Giants (Bancroft 7.4)
47. 1930 A’s (Grove 10.4)
48. 1954 Giants (Mays 10.6)
49. 1952 Yankees (Mantle 6.5)
50. 1923 Yankees (Ruth 14.1)
51. 2019 Nationals (Strasburg 6.5)
52. 1989 A’s (Moore 5.4)
53. 1940 Reds (Walters 6.8)
54. 1913 A’s (Collins 9)
55. 1978 Yankees (Guidry 9.6)
56. 1984 Tigers (Trammell 6.7)
57. 1946 Cardinals (Newhouser 9.4)
58. 1943 Yankees (Chandler 7.2)
59. 1949 Yankees (DiMaggio 4.4)
60. 1951 Yankees (Berra 5.3)
61. 2017 Astros (Altuve 8.1)
62. 1971 Pirates (Stargell 7.9)
63. 1979 Pirates (Parker 6.7)
64. 1983 Orioles (Ripken 8.2)
65. 1955 Dodgers (Snider 8.6)
66. 1977 Yankees (Nettles 5.5)
67. 1925 Pirates (Cuyler 6.7)
68. 1957 Braves (Aaron 8)
69. 1922 Giants (Bancroft 6)
70. 1914 Braves (James 8.3)
71. 1972 A’s (Rudi 6.1)
72. 1906 White Sox  (White 6.5)
73. 1995 Braves (Maddux 9.6)
74. 1958 Yankees (Mantle 8.7)
75. 1967 Cardinals (Cepeda 6.7)
76. 1934 Cardinals (Dean 9.5)
77. 2001 Diamondbacks (Johnson 9.5, Schilling 8.5)
78. 1966 Orioles (F Robinson 7.7)
79. 1974 A’s (Hunter 6.9)
80. 1981 Dodgers (Valenzuela 5.3)
81. 2005 White Sox (Buehrle 4.8)
82. 2010 Giants (Huff 5.7)
83. 2008 Phillies (Utley 9)
84. 1969 Mets (Seaver 7.2)
85. 1973 A’s (Jackson 7.8)
86. 1962 Yankees (Mantle 5.9)
87. 1926 Cardinals (Bell 4.4)
88. 1993 Jays (Olerud 7.8)
89. 1918 Red Sox (Ruth 7)
90. 1916 Red Sox (Ruth 10.4)
91. 1963 Dodgers (Koufax 9.9)
92. 1933 Giants (Hubbell 9)
93. 2015 Royals (Cain 7.2)
94. 1960 Pirates (Groat 6.2)
95. 2012 Giants (Posey 7.6)
96. 1965 Dodgers (Koufax 8.6)
97. 1991 Twins (Tapani 6.8)
98. 1988 Dodgers (Hershiser 7.1)
99. 1992 Jays (Alomar 6.6)
100. 1980 Phillies (Carlton 10.1, Schmidt 8.9)
101. 1982 Cardinals (L Smith 6.2)
102. 2011 Cardinals (Pujols 5.3)
103. 1990 Reds (Rijo 5.8)
104. 1996 Yankees (Pettitte 5.6)
105. 1945 Tigers (Newhouser 12)
106. 1924 Senators (Johnson 6.5)
107. 2003 Marlins (Rodriguez 4.5)
108. 2014 Giants (Posey 5.4)
109. 1964 Cardinals (Boyer 6.1)
110. 1997 Marlins (Brown 6.8)
111. 1985 Royals (Brett 8.3)
112. 2000 Yankees (Posada 5.5)
113. 2006 Cardinals Pujols (8.5)
114. 1959 Dodgers (Drysdale 6.3)
115. 1987 Twins (Viola 8.1)