"Number four, Bobby Orr." Orr was the greatest hockey player to ever live. He revolutionized the way to play defense, making it a two way position. Orr joined the Bruins in 1966 as a teenager at the age of 18. In 1967 Orr was the youngest player to ever win the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. Starting in 1968 he went to eight straight All-Star games and won eight straight Norris trophies for defenseman of the year. He scored 915 points in 657 games and had 92 points in 74 playoff games. Orr was also awarded two Art Ross trophies and won three straight Hart trophies. In 1970 Orr lead the Bruins to their first champhionship since 1949, winning the Conn Smythe tropy for playoff MVP. In 1972 Orr lead the Bruins to their second Stanley Cup in three years. He was the first player to win two Conn Smythe trophys. Orr retired in 1976, a little eary because of injuries. He was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1979 and had his number 4 retired by the Bruins in the same year.
Ted Williams was the greatest Red Sox player in our very storied history. Williams played with the Sox from 1939-1942 and 1946-1960. He took a four year break to serve as a pilot in World War II for the United States. In his 21 year career, all with the Sox, he played in 2,292 games, had 2,654 hits, 521 home runs, 1,839 rbi and a .344 career average. Williams hit the triple crown twice, including being the last to do it, leading the AL in average, home runs, and rbi. In 1941 he was batting .400 going into the final game of the year, he told his manager he was going to play rather than skip the game to hit .400. He ended up batting .406 on the year. Along with two triple crowns, Williams won two AL MVP's, the batting title six times, and went to 19 all star games. Williams went to the MLB Hall of Fame in 1966 and his number 9 was retired in 1984 by the Red Sox in the first year numbers were retired. He and Joe Cronin were the first two to have their numbers retired.
Bill Russell, like most people, has ten fingers. Russell also has 11 NBA championship rings. Clearly, the toughest decision for him everyday is which ring not to wear. Russell played 14 years with the Celtics, his entire career. Starting in 1958 he played in 12 straight All Star Games, being MVP in 1963. Russell was elected to be on the NBA All-First Team three times, in 1958, 1963, 1965. He averaged 15.1 points per game, 22.5 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game throughtout his Celtic career. Russell won the NBA MVP nearly half his career, 5 times in 1958, 1961-1963, and 1965. Russell was also on the 25th, 35th, and 50th Anniversary Teams. Clearly the most amazing thing about Bill Russell was how he lead the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959-1966. He is the only player to have 11 rings, Phil Jackson has 11 as a coach. In 1965 he was inducted to the Hall of Fame, three years after his number 6 was retired by the Celtics.
Larry Bird apparently hit on my girlfriend's mom years ago, or so she says. Apparently he wasnt very good at it, but he was a damn good basketball player. Bird began his career 14 year career with the Celtics in 1979. In 1980 he won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. 1980 was the first of eight straight years he went to the All Star game and was a part of the All-NBA First Team. Bird finished with 12 All Star games. He was also awarded three straight NBA MVP's. Bird was a part of a big rivalry between the Celtics and Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird defeated Johnson three times in the NBA Finals and finished his career with three rings, and two NBA Finals MVP's. Bird finished his career with 24.3 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and 6.3 assists per game. He was also a part of the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1998 and his number 33 was retired in 1992.
Tom Brady is the only active player on this list, but he certainly deserves it. After being drafted 199th overall in 2000, he sat on the bench behind Drew Bledsoe, but only for one year. Bledsoe got hurt early in the 2001 season and Brady stepped in and lead the Pats to their first ever NFL Championship. The combination of Brady and coach Bill Belichick is the most impressive in the 2000-2010 decade, winning three championships and only missing the playoffs once. Brady has gone to six Pro Bowls, won NFL MVP twice, has been the Offensive Player of the Year twice, as well as being on the 2000's all decade team. To date, he has 34,744 yards, 261 touchdowns to only 103 interceptions, and a 95.2 quarterback rating. Brady's most impressive season came 2007 when he lead the Pats to a perfect 16-0 regular season while throwing a record breaking the touchdown record by throwing 50 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions. Brady is ranked as the 21st player of all time by NFL.com as of the 2009 season, and he won the 2010 NFL MVP so I'm sure he only went up. Brady is the best quarterback the Pats have ever had, and by the end of his career could be the best who ever played the game.
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