1995 St. Louis Rams: The 1st Year In A New Town
The excitement of relocation and a 4-0 start gave way to collapse and foreshadowed hard times. Read the game-by-game narrative of the Rams’ first year in St. Louis.
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1995 Philadelphia Eagles: A Fresh Start & A Playoff Trip
The four years since Buddy Ryan’s dismissal following the 1990 season had been frustrating ones in Philadelphia. The Eagles played competitive football, going 36-28 in that span, but they had missed the playoffs three of the four years. Ray Rhodes was hired as the new head coach and the 1995 Philadelphia Eagles returned the postseason, […]
Revisiting The 1976 NL MVP Ballot
To the victors go the spoils. That adage always rings true in the Most Valuable Player voting, and it certainly did so in the final tally for the 1976 NL MVP. The Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies were the National League’s best two teams, and they filled out the top five of the results. Here’s […]
Revisiting The 1976 AL MVP Ballot
The New York Yankees returned to prominence in 1976, capturing their first AL East title of the divisional play era that began in 1969. That success was reflected in the 1976 AL MVP ballot. Thurman Munson, catcher and team captain, won the award in a decisive vote. Here’s a look at the top 5 finishers, […]
Revisiting The 1975 NL MVP Ballot
The Cincinnati Reds had a dominating 108-win season in 1975, one that set the table for a breakthrough World Series championship in the postseason. Their regular season excellence was reflected in the 1975 NL MVP voting, and second baseman Joe Morgan was a landslide winner of the award. Here’s a look at the top 5 […]
1995 San Francisco 49ers: A Repeat Bid Runs Out Of Steam
The 1995 San Francisco 49ers were coming off a breakthrough Super Bowl championship for quarterback Steve Young. Big personnel losses and an injury to Young represented some significant adversity, but the 49ers reached the season’s stretch drive in prime position to repeat. But disappointing losses ended those hopes and ushered in an era where the […]
Revisiting The 1975 AL MVP Ballot
The 1975 AL MVP vote was historic—the award went to Boston Red Sox centerfielder Fred Lynn in a landslide, but that wasn’t the historic part. Lynn also became the first rookie in either league to win the MVP. And, nearly a half-century later at this writing, he remains the last. Here’s a look at the […]
2006 Boston Celtics: The End Of A Playoff Streak
A trip to the conference finals in 2002 started a run of four straight playoff years for the Celtics during an otherwise dry period of professional basketball in Boston. But the Celts had been progressively moving backward—a second-round loss in 2003, and then first-round exits in 2004 and 2005. The 2006 Boston Celtics continued the […]
Reviewing The 2006 NBA MVP Ballot
The 2006 NBA MVP award went to Steve Nash. It marked the second consecutive year the dynamic point guard from the Phoenix Suns brought home the honor. Who were the other contenders? Did the voters get it right? Here’s a look at the seasons produced by Nash, the rest of the top 5, and some […]
2006 Phoenix Suns: A High-Octane Run To The Conference Finals
Change had come to the desert in 2005. The Suns signed point guard Steve Nash as a free agent. They hired Mike D’Antoni as a head coach. The creative point guard and the coach who believed in a fast-tempo offense made a perfect match. Nash won the MVP award, and Phoenix reached the conference finals. […]
The Finals Run Of The 2006 Dallas Mavericks
The 2006 Dallas Mavericks were a team on the ascent. After drafting Dirk Nowitzki in 1999, the Mavericks had made the playoffs for five straight years. Head coach Don Nelson stepped down and handed the reins over to Avery Johnson. Dallas reached what was then their greatest heights, reaching the NBA Finals. Dirk had a […]
2006 Detroit Pistons: A Disappointing Conference Finals Loss
The 2006 Detroit Pistons came into the season as the power of the Eastern Conference. They had won the NBA title in 2004 and reached Game 7 of the Finals a year earlier. They had another fantastic season in ’06. But this was also the start of a three-year stretch where they consistently looked like […]