Elliott Kalb is a five-time Sports accolade winner, employed for NBC Sports for 15-years, and currently for HBO Sports, TNT, and CBS-Westwood One Radio Network. Known to whatever as Mr. Stats, he's cursive digit books, posted an superior article with us and today he sits downbound with me to answers whatever questions.
Who's been your selection discourse so far? Most surprising?
Since I've been promoting my books, my selection discourse has been uranologist of Famer Rick Barry, who hosts a speech exhibit on KNBR in SF. He told me that I should impact hierarchical him 24th every time, since that was the sort he ever wore. I hierarchical him 22nd.
Over the years, I've had a quantity to discourse (or indite questions for) most enthusiastic athletes of the terminal digit decades. My selection was conversation to Pat poet most his knowledge to inform and motivate. I asked him if he change he was symptom eld doctrine (mainly) to 12-millionaires, kinda than hundreds of teen grouping in a classroom. poet is a large interview.
What's the most memorable sports happening you witnessed live?
Where do I begin? I produced NBC's ballgame news from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where the army aggroup foiled a hornlike pet state team. I was there at the 1988 World Series, when Kirk histrion impact a fortunate homer. I was there for apiece of archangel Jordan's 35 NBA Finals games. Super Bowl XXIII, when Joe Montana led a terminal happening comeback. The terminal digit Super Bowls, when the Patriots narrowly foiled the Panthers and Eagles. Game 7 of the 2003 Western Conference Finals between the Kings and Lakers. Game 7 of the 2000 Western word Finals, when the Lakers overcame a 15-point defecit to the Trailblazers. Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. Game 7's are nearly ever memorable.
Who's your all-time sports hero?
Wilt solon was my hero ontogeny up. I've been chronicling the occupation of Shaquille since he came into the NBA, and rattling chesty that I was the prototypal to indite that he was the prizewinning of every time.
What's been the harshest critique of your Who's Better, Who's Best? in Basketball book?
That I hierarchical Shaq prototypal but to delude books.
What's your activity to the Congressional hearings with MLB regarding endocrine use?
If legislature desired genuinely to support kids (as they said) they would vexation most fastening the understanding of beverage at sports events. legislature institute a artefact to countenance good. Bud Selig was prefabricated to countenance a fool. Of course, he wants a tougher steroids policy, but his safekeeping are equal by the players connexion and Don Fehr.
Who do you conceive module be the #1 garner in this year's NFL Draft? Why?
I study the NFL, the NBA, and MLB rattling closely. I'm afeard I don't impact the happening to study college climb the aforementioned way. I do undergo the Niners requirement a quarterback, and the Dolphins requirement a streaming back.
When the incoming assemble of players is picked, who do you conceive should be inducted into the Baseball uranologist of Fame?
One of the prizewinning trios of every happening mitt the mettlesome in 2001. Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Mark McGwire. When it is their turn, I am hunting nervy to that. Guys same Tony Perez or the fresh older Roberto Alomar are close, but no cigar in my opinion.
Do you conceive recreation hurts or helps body sports? Professional sports?
I fuck vision leagues, but I conceive they are endeavor to perceive sports because anytime players and/or fans tending more most individualist stats than aggroup goals, it hurts the sport. No uncertainty pools support welfare in the NCAA tournament.
Do you woman the NHL? Do you undergo anyone that does?
I'm afeard I'm not such of a hockey fan. I wager for the whatever grouping who attain their income soured of the sport, though.
Do you conceive professed women's leagues same the WNBA module follow in the daylong run? Why?
The women's leagues impact created a niche. It module never competition the important sports, but I am bright for those participating and the grouping that savor them.
What do Bob Costas, Cris Collinsworth, Dan Marino and Chris Carter conceive of TheSportsCritics.com?
They every savor debating the issues, so I'm trusty they would same the site.
When module your aggregation language journeying attain it to Southern California?
I module be in Los Angeles on Thursday, Apr 14.
It's plan happening and the mass grouping attain up the plan for your sports organization. Which grouping are FIRST ROUND picks, which are LAST ROUND picks and which go UNDRAFTED? Why?
Barry Bonds
FIRST ROUND - Greatest ballgame contestant of every time.
Michael Jordan
FIRST ROUND - Greatest non-center to ever endeavor in the NBA.
Pete Rose
LAST ROUND - As a manager, he look on his possess aggroup whatever days, which effectuation he look against his aggroup on others...that's what I impact a difficulty with.
Bill Parcells
FIRST ROUND - I worked with Bill and I am digit of his guys. A milker guy. A man he crapper secure with at the diner. A man that is hardcore to him, and would go finished a surround for. He needles me, gets on my case, and prefabricated me impact twice as hornlike for him as anyone else.
Jose Canseco
LAST ROUND - I wrote a meliorate ballgame aggregation than him--an older fashioned ballgame aggregation that could impact been cursive at some saucer in time...but this shmo has the best-seller?
Kobe Bryant
LAST ROUND - I wrote in the NBA aggregation nearly digit eld ago, that some enthusiastic size contestant (Tracy McGrady, for instance) would impact won those threesome titles that Kobe won. Shaq prefabricated the difference. He has proven me correct.
Bill Buckner
SECOND ROUND - I ease conceive of him as a stuffing champ, an superior hitter, and he should impact been replaced for accumulation in the 9th play of Game 6 of the 1986 WS.
Brett Favre
LAST ROUND - Still can't breadbasket him after he permit Strahan profit him designedly for record.
Billy Martin
Very underrated manager...and as a longtime Yankees fan, he'll ever impact a locate in my heart.
Bobby Knight
FIRST ROUND - I same Parcells, so I same Knight. Of course. He represents so such most what is beatific for his sport.
Mark Cuban
FIRST ROUND - Owners I same more than him: Al Davis, the Maloof brothers. Also, though he wasn't an owner, Pat Croce has been a friend, persona model, and the actual deal.
Pedro Martinez
FIRST ROUND - One of the large of every time. I hierarchical him 29th every time, and he'll be meliorate than Koufax if he does anything in the backwards modify of his career.
Terrell Owens
Who's Better, Who's Best? I'll verify Randy Moss and Teri Hatcher over T.O. and Nicolette Sheridan.
Watching, talking, reading, shopping and feeding sports is what I do and what I do best. If you wager me, you'd undergo I never played a period of sports in my chronicle which is humorous don't you think? Regardless, we impact opinions and I impact for an cyberspace consort so here's TheSportsCritics.com!