Challenge 2 – Who am I?

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Please number your answers.

And awaaaaaaay we go!!!!!!

<!1. I never minded living in the shadow of my older brother. I enjoyed making all those left hand turns on the ovals. What many don’t know is that I also won a NCAA championship for cross-country skiing. In fact my feats on the snow earned me a selection into the UVM Hall of Fame. I am also in the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. Furthermore, I took up bike racing as a means of out-of-season training for my first sport – eventually I won both the U.S. Road Race and World Road Race Championships. Still you probably know me best for my work on the oval. I won the World Championships at all four distances. Unfortunately, an ankle injury prevented me from getting as much precious metal as possible. Nonetheless my brother and I combined for six medals. I am in three different halls of fame.

Who am I?

2. I  2.    It’s hard to imagine that I lived in anyone’s shadow. What with numbers like 31,419 – 23,924 – 4,643 and of course 100, I cut a swath through the NBA record books. So dominating was my play that the league was forced to make more than one rule change to neutralize my abilities. I don’t have just one trophy case; I have several filled with MVPs, All-Americans, and All-Defensive awards to name a few. The list goes on and on. Yet with all those accolades I spent much of my career watching as another dominant force at my position won championship after championship. Yeah even with all those numbers I only won two titles, and for the second of which I played a diminished role in comparison to the rest of my career.

Who am I?

3. I 3. I wasn’t the first draft pick in an organization’s history like my hall-of-fame line mate. Also, I wasn’t able to score 50 goals in a season like my other line mate, the guy on the opposite wing. Yeah I lived in their shadow, but man together we all made Gene Hackman proud. I don’t think the 250 goal and 400 assist plateau is good enough for HOF induction. It doesn’t matter. I reached cult status years after my retirement when a group of three inch figurines tried unsuccessfully to gain membership in the NHL.

Who am I?

4. 4.  After being taken in the first round by the Brewers I compiled some less than memorable stats – .230, 25 hrs, and 109 RBI. Believe it or not those numbers represent an eleven-year career in the majors. I kinda have something in common with ‘Moonlight’ Graham. The Doc had one appearance in the majors. I had one at bat in the World Series. I also have something in common with Wally Pipp. I was the conduit between two greats who each won more than one Gold Glove at my position. The second of which cast a shadow that lasted for parts of sixteen seasons.

Who am I?

5. 5. My coaching career could be best described as a ‘Storm’. Unfortunately, allegations of recruiting violations clouded my last two stints. Nonetheless, I retired with the most victories at one school and second at another – my alma mater. My most famous accomplishment came when I led my alma mater to the title. The rest of the schools in men’s college basketball lived in a shadow. That is until my team stopped THE streak at seven. Many know the two legends that I bridged. The first won the most games in school history. The latter just wanted a hug after he won the school’s second title.

Who am I?

6. I 6.  I don’t know if I ever adjusted to playing in the shadow of someone considered to be the greatest. I scored over 18,000 points – grabbed 7,400+ rebounds and more than 2,000 steals. For a decade I lived on the 1^st team All-Defensive. I was also 1^st All-NBA a few times. With that resume why would anyone use me as a decoy when the shadow is removed? Why would someone use one of the fifty greatest players in league history as a decoy? I don’t know why, and that’s why I wouldn’t accept that role.

Who am I?

7. 7.  When you think of me, think of Emily Dickinson’s words – “Success is counted
sweetest by those who ne’er succeed.”  Seven seasons gaining 1,000 yards
or more and only one trip to the Pro Bowl?  What does a guy have to do? I
don’t know whose shadow I am in, but I wish they would leave me alone. I
even averaged over 100 yards per game one season.  Still I had to pay if I
wanted to go to Honolulu that year.  I even have over two touchdowns to
every fumble for my entire career.  Yet I had to wait until my tenth
season to get selected All-Pro and get a ticket to Hawaii.  My rushing
touchdowns, yards from scrimmage, and rushing all rank in the top 35
all-time.

Who am I?

8. 8.  My career was spent living in the shadow of some of the greatest
quarterbacks of all time.  I wasn’t known for leading a dynasty like the
one Bart Starr led.  I didn’t make any bold predictions like Joe Namath.
I didn’t have the catchy nickname like Roger ‘the Dodger’. And I didn’t
have the distinction of leading an undefeated team like Bob Griese.  No, I
didn’t grab many headlines; I just passed …and won.  Even though I
played during an era that was less conducive to passing than it is
currently, some of my numbers remain with the best.  I still rank in the
top 20 all-time for passing touchdowns, in the top 50 for passes completed
and passer rating.  My career yards per pass attempt is holding firm in
the top 15.  But I wasn’t just a bunch of numbers. My teams won – three
AFL titles and one Super Bowl.

Who am I?

9. 9.  Since my playing days I have founded an institute that helps athletes
balance sports with studies.  That institute also helps former athletes
develop the management skills necessary to become leaders.  As a player I
never garnered the acclaim heaped upon Pele, Maradona, or Paolo
Rossi although I did score 33 goals in 48 caps.   In my lone World Cup
finals appearance my Oranje lost to the host team, West Germany.
Nonetheless I am well-respected amongst my peers.   I began club play at
the age of 17 with Ajax and eventually led the team to nine Dutch titles –
six in my first stint and three later on in the 80s.  In between time I
spent six seasons in the Spanish league playing with Barcelona and three
years in the NASL – one with the Los Angeles Aztecs and two with the
Washington Diplomats.

Who am I?

10  10. Had I come along at any other time I might have been known as the best defenseman of my era. Instead I played the prime of my 18-year career in the shadow of #4. At one point I saw action in nine consecutive all-star games. Five times I was a first-team all-star and, twice I earned second team honors. Still it was never enough to be called the best. Six times I finished second in the Norris Trophy balloting. When #4 left Bean Town, I was acquired in one of the more famous trades in league history. My 200+ goals and nearly 700 assists were good enough for the Hall of Fame.

Who am I?