Month: December 2022

In the case of most running backs in fantasy football, we’re more than satisfied with our RBs scoring one touchdown and rushing for 100 yards. There are days, though, when we see a running back explode and find the end zone several times while also padding on the yardage.

There have been some weeks in fantasy football in which a running back put up enough points to beat an entire team along the way. Throughout NFL history, though, these five running backs had the best single-day fantasy points total, leaving owners crying with joy and their opponents wondering how unlucky they could be.

Note: For this list, we used standard scoring instead of PPR (points-per-reception).

5. Doug Martin (51.2)

There are some big-time names on this list, but the “Muscle Hamster” had one of the shorter careers for a fantasy stud. Martin had some fine performances in his brief window, but none finer than his one against the Raiders in 2012. Martin received 25 carries, rushing for 251 yards and four touchdowns.

Meanwhile, he added four catches for 21 yards, bringing his total scoring to 51.2 points. Surprisingly enough, Martin’s rushing yardage total was the highest in the top five of scoring, and he would have been number one on the list had he scored just one more time.

4. Jamaal Charles (51.5)

At one time, Jamaal Charles was a fantasy running back stud who was routinely putting up huge numbers. In 2013, the Chiefs were well on their way to the playoffs thanks in large part to Charles, and they were taking on a Raiders team looking forward to the season coming to an end.

Charles lit up the Raiders in what would end up being a 56-31 shootout. The rushing stats don’t sound great, as he had just 20 yards on only eight carries. However, Charles had eight catches for 195 yards and four touchdowns, including a 71-yard scamper. Charles ended the day with 51.5 points and was the season’s top fantasy running back.

3. Shaun Alexander (53.1)

In a very unexciting game on paper, the 0-3 Minnesota Vikings visited the 0-3 Seattle Seahawks early on in the 2002 season. The game would be a must-watch for fantasy owners, though, especially those with Shaun Alexander. Alexander finished with 139 yards on the ground, which doesn’t sound that great, but there was much more.

Alexander had four rushing touchdowns and would have had a solid day for a WR1. He finished with 92 receiving yards and scored one more touchdown through the air. In total, Alexander ended the day with 231 yards and five touchdowns, good enough for 53.1 fantasy points.

2. Alvin Kamara (53.2)

Alvin Kamara had an absolute field day on Christmas against the Minnesota Vikings, and it could have been even better. Kamara started off the first quarter with touchdown runs of 40 yards and 1 yard, and he didn’t slow down from there. All in all, Kamara found the end zone six times.

Kamara didn’t have that many yards, totaling 155 on the ground and 17 through the air, but the touchdowns more than made up for that. Many fantasy owners were upset when there was another one-yard touchdown, but it went to Taysom Hill instead of Kamara.

1. Clinton Portis (55.4 Points)

In what was one of the biggest games of 2003, the 11-1 Kansas City Chiefs headed to Denver to take on the 7-5 Broncos who were fighting for a playoff spot. Running back Clinton Portis fought harder than anybody, and he had one of the best fantasy days ever for an NFL running back. On 22 carries, Portis was able to rush for 218 yards and a whopping five touchdowns.

He added another 36 yards through the air to pad on to his points total. All in all, Portis scored 55.4 points on the fantasy scoreboard. Strangely enough, he still finished nearly 80 yards behind the all-time single-game record, but the touchdowns gave him a legendary fantasy total.

It’s always interesting to see a wide receiver go off in fantasy football as they can be a huge variable. Very few times do you see a player consistently get the ball and break off long touchdowns, but it does happen from time to time. 

Then, there are cases where it happens three or more times per game and a receiver adds enough yardage to score well over 40 fantasy points. Here are the five best single-game fantasy football performances ever from a wide receiver where that exact situation happened.

Note: For this list, we used standard scoring instead of PPR (points-per-reception).

5. Jimmy Smith (47.1)

In just about every record-setting fantasy performance, the player that’s breaking new milestones is on the winning team. That wasn’t the case for wide receiver Jimmy Smith in 2000, however, as his Jacksonville Jaguars lost 39-36 to the Baltimore Ravens. It was not Smith’s fault the Jags lost, though, especially in the first half.

Smith had touchdowns of 45 yards and 43 years in the first quarter alone. With less than two minutes left, Smith added a third to put the Jaguars ahead before Shannon Sharpe won the game for Baltimore. Still, Smith finished with 291 yards on 15 catches and three touchdowns, giving him 47.1 fantasy points.

4. Jerry Rice (47.9)

Of course, the greatest wide receiver of all time is on the single-game fantasy football list, and this isn’t the only time he’s on the list. The first time comes from his performance against the visiting Minnesota Vikings. The 49ers were rolling in with a 10-4 record and headed to the playoffs, and Rice made sure they got in.

During the 37-30 shootout, Rice exploded for 289 yards on 14 catches, missing on just two targets. Rice also found the end zone three times, putting up a long of 52 yards. Rice even had 10 rushing yards during the game, bringing his fantasy total to 47.9 points. Quarterback Steve Young also had himself a fine day with 425 yards, three touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown.

3. Harold Jackson (47.8)

The Los Angeles Rams were on a roll to start the 1973 NFL season, and they extended their record to 5-0 thanks to a massive first half against the visiting Dallas Cowboys. Wide receiver Harold Jackson dominated early on, scoring touchdowns of 63 and 16 yards in the first quarter. He then added a 67-yarder and a 36-yarder in the second quarter.

All four of Jackson’s touchdowns came in the first half, as did most of his yardage. Jackson finished the day with 238 yards total, giving him a final fantasy tally of 47.8 points. His quarterback John Hadl had just 41 yards throwing to receivers that weren’t Jackson that day.

2. Jerry Butler (50.7)

Early on in the 1979 season, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets were going head-to-head in an AFC East matchup. The Jets struggled through the air, but that wasn’t the case for the home team. The Bills threw early and often, mostly to Jerry Butler. Out of quarterback Joe Ferguson’s 19 completions, more than half (10) went to Butler.

Butler would rack up 255 yards on those 10 catches, including a 75-yard touchdown. That was one of the four touchdowns that Butler scored during the game. The Bills would ultimately win 46-31, getting back to .500 at 2-2 while Butler added another 12 yards rushing to bring his total to 50.7 fantasy points.

1. Jerry Rice (52.5)

Earlier we mentioned that Jerry Rice would make another appearance on the list, and naturally, it’s at the very top. The 49ers were looking to improve their perfect record against the Atlanta Falcons in 1990 and would wind up winning the game in a shootout, 45-35. Rich would be the biggest piece of that puzzle for the 49ers’ offense, too.

Rice hauled in 13 catches that day against the Atlanta defense, which was good for 225 yards and a whopping five touchdowns. Overall that would give him 52.5 points, all without having a single carry or a reception of at least 30 yards. As for his quarterback, Joe Montana had one of the greatest fantasy days for a QB with 476 yards and six touchdowns.

The Chicago Cubs were once known for making some puzzling moves with their roster, but there have also been some times when the front office has looked like a collective of geniuses. Trades happen for every team, but it’s easy to get burned, especially when you’re relying on prospects to turn your franchise around. Throughout Cubs history, there are a few trades that benefitted the franchises for years after they happened. Here are the five best trades in Chicago Cubs history.

Third Base Staple

Dominican Republic native Aramis Ramirez, believe it or not, signed all the way back in 1994 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Four years later, he made his debut as the youngest player in the MLB and was solid with the Pirates for his first couple of seasons as the Cubs were gearing up for a postseason run, the team aimed at the present and future, making a big deal with the Pirates.

The Cubs traded away Matt Bruback and Bobby Hill to Pittsburgh in exchange for Ramirez to be the cornerstone of their franchise at third base for years to come. To help immediately, the Cubs also acquired Jose Hernandez and Kenny Lofton. Ramirez played nine seasons for the Cubs and batted .294 with 239 home runs.

Captain Rizzo

First baseman Anthony Rizzo was drafted in the sixth round by the Boston Red Sox and was quickly traded to the San Diego Padres. While he was still trying to crack the Major Leagues, the Cubs traded for Rizzo by sending Andrew Cashner and Kyung-Min Na. Fans were perplexed at the time since there was still hope for Cashner to live up to his first-round draft position.

While Cashner enjoyed nearly a decade in the Major Leagues, Rizzo became a Cubs icon. He helped the team win the 2016 World Series as the captain, becoming a perennial All-Star and Gold Glover winner. In 10 seasons with the Cubs, Rizzo batted .272 with 242 home runs and 784 runs batted in. Of course, it’s the World Series that means the most.

Ryno the Afterthought

Larry Bowa had been a Philadelphia Phillie for a very long time, but in the early 1980s wanted nothing to do with the franchise anymore. He demanded a trade, and the Cubs perked up immediately. The Cubs were willing to take on the veteran but told the Phillies that they wanted a young Ryne Sandberg as part of the deal.

Bowa had a mediocre career with the Cubs, but Ryne Sandberg became a Hall of Famer over his 15 seasons in Chicago. He would end up with a .285 batting average and 282 career home runs to go along with an MVP Award and 10 trips to the All-Star Game.

Fergie Flipped

Larry Bowa isn’t the only former Phillie to end up having a Hall of Fame career with the Cubs. Fergie Jenkins started his career in Philadelphia as a relief pitcher but was quickly traded to Chicago in exchange for Larry Jackson and Bob Buhl. The trade paid off big time for the Cubbies as Jenkins made three All-Star Games and won a Cy Young in Chicago.

During the second half of the 1970s and into the 1980s, Fergie played with the Rangers and Red Sox before returning to Chicago in 1982. He ended his career with the Cubs, finishing with a 167-132 record and a 3.56 earned run average with the franchise en route to a Hall of Fame induction wearing a Cubs hat in 1991.

Slammin’ Sammy

Whether you love him or hate him, and no matter how you felt about his possible use of performance-enhancing drugs, there’s no doubt that Sammy Sosa revitalized baseball in the Northside of Chicago. After coming up with the Rangers, Sosa was actually part of the Southsiders squad, though.

The Cubs acquired a slumping Sosa along with Ken Patterson in exchange for a disgruntled George Bell in a rare crosstown trade. Sosa, of course, became one of the best sluggers in Major League history, hitting 545 home runs in a Cubs uniform while putting up a .284 batting average. He also won the MVP Award in 1998 and hit over 60 home runs in three different seasons.

It seems that every franchise has one position that they’re known for. The Green Bay Packers have quarterbacks, the Dallas Cowboys have offensive linemen, and the Chicago Bears have linebackers. Dating back to even before the “Monsters of the Midway” days, the Bears have always been known for having hardnose linebackers.

Along the way, several linebackers have made the Pro Football Hall of Fame as members of the Bears. But which ones truly stand out as the best of the best? It was tough to narrow it down to just five, but most would agree that these five men are the best linebackers in the storied history of the Chicago Bears franchise.

Honorable Mentions: Lance Briggs, Wilber Marshall, Khalil Mack, Doug Buffone, Otis Wilson, Ron Rivera, Roquan Smith.

5. Joe Fortunato

Joe Fortunato spent his entire NFL career with the Chicago Bears, playing for just over a decade between the 1950s and 1960s. Fortunato was a seventh-round pick that attended both VMI and Mississippi State and ended up playing well above his draft position. Fortunato was a Pro Bowl selection five times, as well as a four-time All-Pro from 1962 to 1965.

Still at the top of his game in 1967, Fortunato suffered an unfortunate knee injury that ended his career early. Somehow, Fortunato was not inducted into the Hall of Fame despite his accolades, which included being named to the 1950s All-Decade Team. He went on to become an assistant coach with the Bears following his playing career before leaving football in 1969. 

4. Bill George

Joe Fortunato wasn’t the only great linebacker for the Bears during the 1950s and 1960s. Bill George was also an all-time great, sharing the same defense. George was a second-round selection out of Wake Forest in 1951 and played almost every one of his 15 seasons with the Bears (he finished in 1966 with the Rams).

During that time, George helped the Bears win the NFL Championship while also being named to the Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro squad eight times. He was named with Fortunato to the All-Decade Team of the 1950s, except George was enshrined in Canton as part of the 1974 class and had his number 61 retired by the Bears.

3. Brian Urlacher

There’s only one linebacker on the list that played after 1992, and that’s Brian Urlacher. The modern-era pick of the list, Urlacher was drafted out of New Mexico with the ninth overall selection at the 2000 NFL Draft by the Bears and became the Rookie of the Year. Urlacher went on to be the Defensive Player of the Year five years later and was a five-time All-Pro.

Urlacher was an easy selection for the 2000s All-Decade Team for voters, and he finished his 13-season career (all with the Bears) with 1,361 tackles, 41.5 sacks, and 22 interceptions. 

2. Mike Singletary

Some younger NFL fans might only know “Samurai” from his coaching days, Mike Singletary was a force as a linebacker for the Bears during almost the entirety of the 1980s. Singletary was an early second-round pick from Baylor, hopping from one Bears team to another in 1981. Singletary made the All-Rookie Team and was one of the decade’s top linebackers alongside the likes of Lawrence Taylor.

Singletary won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award twice and was named to eight All-Pro Teams thanks to his 1,4899 career tackles and 19 sacks. The 1990 NFL Man of the Year was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998, three years after he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

1. Dick Butkus

Of course, nobody embodies Chicago Bears football quite like Dick Butkus, and many consider him to be the greatest linebacker of all time, period. Butkus was the third overall pick, and the Chicago native got to stay home and spend his entire career with the Bears which spanned from 1965 to 1973.

During that time, Butkus was an All-Pro in every season except his final one and made two different All-Decade Teams. The Bears obviously have retired Butkus’ number 51, and he became one of the faces of the league for many years. In 1979, he was rightfully inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

There was a time in sports when a stadium would be in use for more than half a century. Now, it seems that these days, sporting venues are demolished or left to rot after just a couple of decades. Hockey is no exception as teams move into billion-dollar complexes in their cities, leaving their old historic barns behind.

Over the years, there have been some amazing venues that closed their doors for the final time, with most of them being demolished in favor of either a new arena or an entirely different project. This has meant that some classic arenas are long gone, but that doesn’t mean we don’t miss them. Here are the five best NHL venues that were shut down, what made them great, and what happened to them.

5. Boston Garden

While New York City has Madison Square Garden, Boston got their own version with what was then known as Boston Madison Square Garden. Not only that but the venue was built with boxing in mind, so it was interesting that it became such a beloved home of the Bruins and Celtics. The Bruins called Boston Garden home from 1928 to 1995, and while it had its flaws with the benches and penalty boxes, it had a lot of character.

The Bruins and Celtics moved to the TD Garden while the old Boston Garden was torn down. The lot was put to good use, though, as it is now a commercial hub that has some of Boston’s tallest buildings. 

4. Chicago Stadium

On West Madison Street in Chicago, you could find the old Chicago Stadium that was truly the original Madhouse on Madison. Opened in 1929, the Chicago Blackhawks moved their operations to the new building after starting off the franchise at the Chicago Coliseum. Chicago Stadium was known for having an analog game clock longer than any other team, switching to digital in 1975.

The Blackhawks and Bulls headed down the street to the new United Center while Chicago Stadium was torn down in March 1995 it now simply serves as a parking lot for the UC with a commemorative plaque. As for the center of the basketball court, Michael Jordan has it in his house.

3. Maple Leaf Gardens

There are only two buildings that didn’t get demolished on the list, and the first one is known as The Church of Hockey for good reason. Maple Leaf Gardens was first opened in 1931 after the Toronto Maple Leafs had been playing at Arena Gardens and needed a new building to house their fans with the NHL surging in popularity. The stadium was home to the Leafs until 1999 and became a Mecca for hockey fans.

After nobody was really sure what to do with MLG for a few years, it was purchased and turned into a multi-purpose facility that includes a shopping center. Much of the hockey history is still preserved in the building, as well, including the center faceoff dot.

2. Detroit Olympia

The Detroit Red Wings used to call one of the most unique-looking buildings in the NHL their home from 1927 until 1979, and at the time of its opening, it was one of the largest indoor venues in all of sports. The Olympia had a capacity of 15,000 Red Wings fans while playing host to the biggest concerts in the Motor City. The neighborhood surrounding it had become rundown, though, prompting the Wings to move.

The Red Wings headed to the Joe Louis Arena downtown next to Cobo Hall before it was demolished, leaving the Olympia on its own. The Olympia would be torn down in 1986, while the Red Wings moved to Little Caesars Arena near midtown in 2017.

1. Montreal Forum

The final arena on the list is the only other one beside Maple Leaf Gardens to not be demolished. The Montreal Forum opened in 1924 and was originally home to the Montreal Maroons of the NHL before the Canadiens also joined in 1926. The Canadiens, obviously, would last longer and play at the Forum until 1996. The Forum was a beloved arena that was expanded and renovated until the Habs looked for a new building.

The Montreal Forum has had a massive interior renovation, while the exterior mostly remains the same. The building remains as a movie theater that’s owned and operated by AMC while the Canadiens moved to the Bell Centre (or still Molson Centre to some) where they continue to play to this day.

While baseball might get most of the love in terms of trading card popularity, the other sports of the world certainly have their fair share of valuable cards, and that includes soccer. Over the years, there have been some cards that are worth hundreds of thousands to collectors at auction. From current players to former legends, there are some cards that are incredibly rare and worth a small fortune.

Which cards are the most expensive, though? There were some cards that have sold for $10,000, $25,000, or even $50,000 that didn’t quite make the cut. Instead, we want to focus on just the cream of the crop and highlight the five most valuable soccer trading cards ever sold. For this list, we used just the top-selling card for a single player.

5. Kylian Mbappe ($161,130)

Kylian Mbappe came up through the French soccer ranks quickly, earning himself a spot on the 2018 World Cup team at just 19 years old. During that World Cup in Russia, there were multiple cards made of Mbappe, with the most rare being the Panini Prizm Gold.

There have been a few of these that made their way to auction, though it was hard to find one that was in perfect condition. One of the near-mint copies of the card sold for $161,130 with an 8.5 grade, showing just how rare the card was upon release.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo ($312,000)

Cristiano Ronaldo may be a mainstream megastar across the world, but one time he was just a kid trying to play soccer. His rookie card released as part of the 2003 Panini Sports Mega Cracks (or Craques) collection featured a much different-looking Ronaldo playing for Sporting Clube de Portugal as a teenager.

The Portuguese forward would end up becoming a star with Manchester United and Real Madrid, boosting the value of his rookie card. Someone was able to keep it in mint condition, and the card was sold at auction for $312,000 while other copies of the card in similar condition have sold for slightly lower.

3. Lionel Messi ($336,000)

Lionel Messi has been named the best player in the world as the Ballon d’Or winner six times, cementing himself as one of the greatest legends in soccer history. In terms of cards that were made for Messi, you have to go back to the 2004 Panini Sports Mega Cracks collection to find his rookie card. In near-mint condition, this card is worth $7,000.

One of the cards, though, was kept in pristine condition and was sold for $336,000. Previous high-graded Messi cards had been evaluated at around $250,000. To see one in the shape that this particular one was in, though, had been extremely rare as he was never expected to become what he was.

2. Pele ($372,000)

If you were to ask the most casual fan of soccer to name a player before the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi came along, there’s a solid chance that they would have said Pele. The Brazilian star helped bring soccer to countries where it wasn’t quite as popular before, and he’s considered the sport’s all-time biggest legend.

His rookie card dates back all the way to 1958 and was created by Alifabolaget. It’s a very unassuming card as it simply has Pele’s photo with a white bar featuring his name in light blue lettering at the bottom. It might be simplistic, but the Pele rookie card was sold for $372,000 at a 2021 auction.

1. Erling Haaland ($432,000)

While the other cards on the list were for players that have either long since retired or were in the back half of their legendary careers when their cards sold, Erling Haaland is a case of someone trying to plan ahead. The Norwegian star made his senior debut in 2019, and he quickly showed why he was one of the fastest-rising players in the sport.

His rookie card in 2019 for Topps was kept by one owner in perfect condition as Haaland played in the German Bundesliga, and it was even autographed by the star. Two years later, the card was placed for auction by Goldin Co. and sold for a whopping $432,000. Time will tell if the card will end up being worth that much, but Haaland made it look like a sound investment for the buyer almost immediately.

Every four years, the World Cup captures every nation’s attention whether their team is participating or not. Heading into each World Cup, there are usually one or two teams that are expected to meet up in the finals, but it doesn’t always go that way. Here’s a look at who the favorite to win was for each World Cup and how they ended up finishing since odds were introduced for the first time in 1978:

1978 (Argentina)

There have been six countries that have won the World Cup while hosting, and Argentina did it in their only hosting duty in 1978. The country came in as a 2:1 favorite in the betting odds, taking down the Netherlands in the finals 3-1, with the Dutch having a solid 5:1 odds, as well.

1982 (Brazil): 

Spain hosted the 1982 World Cup, which turned out ot be one of the most exciting tournaments of all time. Brazil had been a runaway favorite to win it all, and made it to the second round before being taken out by Italy, who would go on to win the title over West Germany.

1986 (Brazil):

Once again, Brazil was favored to win the World Cup as it came to Mexico in 1986, but Argentina would end up winning their second title in three World Cups. It wasn’t as if Argentina was a longshot, though, as they were second in odds at 4:1 compared to Brazil’s 11:4.

1990 (Italy): 

There were a few teams that were expected to compete for the title at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, with the home country getting a slight boost to become the favorites due to playing at home. However, they would be knocked out in the semifinals by Argentina. Italy would win the third place game against England while Argentina lost to West Germany in the title game.

1994 (Brazil and Germany): 

The United States played home to the 1994 World Cup, and bettors were torn between Brazil and Germany as the co-7:2 favorites. Italy and Holland weren’t far behind, but the Germany didn’t even make the semifinals. Brazil did, though, and won the World Cup by defeating Italy in the championship.

1998 (Brazil): 

There’s a common theme of Brazil being favored, and 1998 was no exception when the event was held in France. Brazil did indeed end up making to the finals where they took on the host country who had the second best odds. France would prevail as the winner in front of their home crowd.

2002 (France): 

Argentina was favored to win the World Cup in 2002 before the groups were announced, but France became the favorite to repeat prior to the tournament that took place in South Korea and Japan. However, France didn’t even make it to the knockout stage as they went 0-1-2 and had to watch Denmark and Senegal advance.

2006 (Brazil): 

Despite Germany hosting the 2006 World Cup, the Brazilians came into the event as favorites and disappointed with their performance. Brazil made it to the knockout stage, but were ousted by France in the quarterfinals, with Italy defeating the French in the championship via shootout.

2010 (Spain): 

For the first time, Spain was favored to win the World Cup in the first time that South Africa played host. The Spainiards lived up to the hype as they defeated Portugal, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands in the knockout stage to win the World Cup.

2014 (Brazil): 

Brazil got to host the 2014 World Cup, and thus came into the event as the overwhelming favorites, and their exit from the tournament is one of the most memorable matches in World Cup history. Germany defeated Argentina in the finals, but not before they dismantled Brazil 7-1 in the semis in Belo Horizonte. The Brazilians then turned around and got shutout 3-0 by the Netherlands in the third place game.

2018 (Brazil): 

Surely Brazil would correct the ship and get their redemption in Russia in 2018, right? Not only did they not win the 2018 World Cup, but they didn’t even advance as far as the favorite, getting knocked out in the quarterfinals by Belgium. France, the fourth-highest favorite, would end up beating 33:1 underdog Croatia in the finals.

2022 (Brazil):

The 2022 World Cup proved to be anybody’s to win, but Brazil was considered the favorite at 9:2 to win it all. Brazil coasted into the knockout stage, but was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Croatia when the two squads went to a shootout.