In a month, the annual MLB postseason awards will be handed out.
While some of them are locks (AL Manager of the year, AL Cy Young), there are some that are up in the air.
There have been plenty of instances where a player/coach who got an end-of-the-year award was considered undeserving.
(The 1995 AL MVP award, for instance- the debate of 'Albert Belle or Mo Vaughn?' would have HD MM and BillD launching a firestorm of answers towards each other)
Can you recall any?
I have some that will surprise you.
1. Thurman Thomas. I'll bet you're thinking, "A Bills fan questioning the MVP status of one of his favorite players?"
Honestly, I think his 1991 MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Award was a bit questionable. Yes, he had 1,407 yards, but only 7 touchdowns and his longest run from scrimmage was only 33 yards.
33 yards was his longest play from scrimmage. 33? When other RB's win the MVP/Offensive Player of the Year, consider their longest run from scrimmage:
L.T. in 2006- 85 yards.
Shaun Alexander in 2005- 88 yards
Terrell Davis in 1998- 70 yards
Barry Sanders in 1997- 82 yards
Emmitt Smith in 1993- 62 yards
Marcus Allen in 1985- 61 yards
Walter Payton in 1977- 73 yards
O.J. Simpson in 1973 (No prison jokes, please- this is solely about his playing ability)- 80 yards
Jim Taylor in 1962- 51 yards
Paul Hornung in 1961- 54 yards
Jim Brown, in his three MVP years (1957, 58, 65), had a longest play from scrimmage of 69, 65, and 67, respectively
I know Thurman's a HOF, but those RB's averaged of 70 yards as their longest play from scrimmage in their MVP years compared to Thurman's 33 in 1991.
I honestly thought a different Bills player should have recieved both awards- personally, Jim Kelly should have been league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year- that was his best season ever, IMO.
2. Tim Duncan, 2002 MVP. Jason Kidd literally turned the Nets from pathetic into a contender that made the NBA Finals. The Spurs weren't even THAT good and Duncan has had better reasons. He did deserve it a year later, though. Most of you know me as a Spur basher, but I thought for feel-good reasons, franchise reasons, and stats, Kidd should have ran away with this award.
I was thinking about adding last year's NFL Coach of the Year tossup, for Mike McCarthy, Wade Phillips, and Romeo Crennel were also worthy contenders. But, I don't want to touch off another Patriots firestorm, so I won't get into that.
While some of them are locks (AL Manager of the year, AL Cy Young), there are some that are up in the air.
There have been plenty of instances where a player/coach who got an end-of-the-year award was considered undeserving.
(The 1995 AL MVP award, for instance- the debate of 'Albert Belle or Mo Vaughn?' would have HD MM and BillD launching a firestorm of answers towards each other)
Can you recall any?
I have some that will surprise you.
1. Thurman Thomas. I'll bet you're thinking, "A Bills fan questioning the MVP status of one of his favorite players?"
Honestly, I think his 1991 MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Award was a bit questionable. Yes, he had 1,407 yards, but only 7 touchdowns and his longest run from scrimmage was only 33 yards.
33 yards was his longest play from scrimmage. 33? When other RB's win the MVP/Offensive Player of the Year, consider their longest run from scrimmage:
L.T. in 2006- 85 yards.
Shaun Alexander in 2005- 88 yards
Terrell Davis in 1998- 70 yards
Barry Sanders in 1997- 82 yards
Emmitt Smith in 1993- 62 yards
Marcus Allen in 1985- 61 yards
Walter Payton in 1977- 73 yards
O.J. Simpson in 1973 (No prison jokes, please- this is solely about his playing ability)- 80 yards
Jim Taylor in 1962- 51 yards
Paul Hornung in 1961- 54 yards
Jim Brown, in his three MVP years (1957, 58, 65), had a longest play from scrimmage of 69, 65, and 67, respectively
I know Thurman's a HOF, but those RB's averaged of 70 yards as their longest play from scrimmage in their MVP years compared to Thurman's 33 in 1991.
I honestly thought a different Bills player should have recieved both awards- personally, Jim Kelly should have been league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year- that was his best season ever, IMO.
2. Tim Duncan, 2002 MVP. Jason Kidd literally turned the Nets from pathetic into a contender that made the NBA Finals. The Spurs weren't even THAT good and Duncan has had better reasons. He did deserve it a year later, though. Most of you know me as a Spur basher, but I thought for feel-good reasons, franchise reasons, and stats, Kidd should have ran away with this award.
I was thinking about adding last year's NFL Coach of the Year tossup, for Mike McCarthy, Wade Phillips, and Romeo Crennel were also worthy contenders. But, I don't want to touch off another Patriots firestorm, so I won't get into that.
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