NBA coaches with the lowest winning percentage
The revolving door that is professional sports coaching has many stars and many victims. Take the NBA, for example… for every Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach, there are many NBA coaches who realized their life-long dream to be a head coach in the NBA but success did not come in the form of winning seasons or championships.
Following are the NBA coaches who have had the worst winning percentages in their coaching careers.
(Note: A minimum of 300 NBA games coached to qualify for the list)
NBA coach, years NBA games coached Win pct
Sidney Lowe, 1993-2003 307 .257
Tim Floyd, 1999-2004 321 .280
Ron Rothstein, 1989-93 328 .296
Randy Wittman, 2000-2009 307 .326
Richie Adubato, 1980-97 367 .346
Wes Unseld, 1988-94 547 .369
Garry St. Jean, 1993-2000 450 .382
Jack McKinney, 1980-85 351 .387
Tom Nissalke, 1973-84 639 .388
John Lucas, 1993-2003 431 .410
Major Leaguers with All-Star Game success but no Hall of Fame
Pete Rose...Image via Wikipedia
This year’s MLB All-Star Game will be played July 12. Over the years, this game has showcased some of the all-time greats in the game, including many Hall of Famers.
But in taking a look at those players who have been members of the AL or NL all-star teams in the most seasons, there are several players who have not been voted into the baseball Hall of Fame. In some cases, controversy may keep a few of these players out of the Hall for a long time. In other cases, many all-star game appearances does not seem to warrant a place in the Hall. As you look at the following lists, ask yourself, which of these players deserve Hall of Fame selection?
Following are those players not currently in the baseball Hall of Fame who have had the most seasons on an all-star team roster. (Active players listed in a separate list below.)
Player, last season All-Star Game seasons
Pete Rose, 1986 17
Barry Bonds, 2007 14
Ken Griffey, 2010 13
Barry Larkin, 2004 12
Mark McGwire, 2001 12
Mike Piazza, 2007 12
Roger Clemens, 2007 11
Bill Freehan, 1976 11
Steve Garvey, 1987 10
Tom Glavine, 2008 10
Randy Johnson, 2009 10
(Seven players were on nine all-star team rosters: Elston Howard (1968), Davey Concepcion (1988), Fred Lynn (1990), Frank McCormick (1948), Ron Santo (1974), Gary Sheffield (2009) and Joe Torre (1977).
Active players with most All-Star Game seasons: Ivan Rodriquez (14), Alex Rodriquez (13), *Manny Ramirez (12), Derek Jeter (11), Mariano Rivera (11), Ichiro Suzuki (10).
* Ramirez was active at the beginning of the 2011 season
Most games played with no World Series appearance
Rafael Palmeiro...via Wikipedia
Rafael Palmeiro is one of only four major league players in history to have more than 500 career home runs and 3,000 career hits. But Palmeiro’s suspension after the 2005 season for steroid use has severely hampered his Hall of Fame quest. In fact, in his first year of eligibility last year he garnered only 11% of the vote.
But another disappointment in Palmeiro’s career is that he tops the list of players who played the most games in the majors, 2,831, without an appearance in the World Series. His 20-year MLB career began with the Cubs and included two stints each with Texas and Baltimore. He did, however, in three seasons play in the post season, but his teams never advanced to the Fall Classic.
Here’s a look at the ten players who played the most career games without a World Series appearance.
Player Most games played without World Series appearance
Rafael Palmeiro 2,831
Ken Griffey, Jr. 2,671
Andre Dawson 2,627
Ernie Banks 2,528
Julio Franco 2,527
Billy Williams 2, 488
Rod Carew 2,469
Luke Appling 2,422
Mickey Vernon 2,409
Buddy Bell 2,405
Note: Palmeiro, Griffey, Dawson, Franco, Williams and Carew all played in post-season games but their teams lost before the World Series. Banks leads the list of players who never played in a post-season game. Following Banks are Appling, Vernon, Bell and another Cub, Ron Santo (2,243).
Looking at active players, Bobby Abreu tops the list of active players with the most games played without a World Series appearance with 2,179. Adam Dunn tops the list of active players with the most games played who have never even played in a post season game with 1,514. (Through games of June 25)
Hey Tiki! Successful 36-year-old running backs in the NFL are rare!
Tiki Barber...Image via Wikipedia
At age 36, former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber is considering a return to the NFL after a four-year retirement. The merits of whether or not he should return can be debated and ultimately the decision will come down to Tiki and his team determining whether or not he is capable of doing the job and if he can be a productive player.
But let’s take a quick look at the possibility of Barber making a “successful” return from a statistical viewpoint. Simply asked, how many successful 36-year-old running backs have played in the NFL? First, consider that Barber rushed for 1,662 yards and five touchdowns in his “final” season of 2006. Can Barber match that total in a comeback?
Here’s a look at the NFL running backs 36 years of age or older who have gained the most yards in a season:
Marcus Allen (age 36) 830 (1996)
John Riggins (age 36) 677 (1985)
Marcus Allen (age 37) 505 (1997)
MacArthur Lane (age 36) 277 (1978)
John Henry Johnson (age 37) 226 (1966)
Lorenzo Neal (age 36) 140 (2006)
Ollie Matson (age 36) 101 (1966)
So only six running backs gained over 100 yards in a season (Allen did it twice). That’s not 100 yards in a game, that’s in a season!
How about touchdowns? Only six running backs scored a rushing touchdown at age 36 or older. Allen scored 20 over two years, Riggins scored eight in one season, and John Henry Johnson scored three rushing TDs in one season. Three other running backs scored one TD each at age 36 or older: Ollie Matson, Fred McAfee and Lorenzo Neal.
Can Tiki Barber make a successful return to the NFL? Time will tell. But based on the numbers, a successful 36-year-old running back is pretty rare. If Barber can find some of those skills that propelled him to 1,662 yards and five TDs in 2006, he will join Marcus Allen and John Riggins as those rare running backs who had success at age 36 and beyond.
(Thanks, Chips, for the idea)
NBA Draft: First overall pick doesn’t stay entire career with team
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published daily that focuses on stats that go beyond the numbers.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It appears that Kentucky’s Anthony Davis will be the first overall pick in tonight’s NBA draft, taken by the New Orleans Hornets.
Before Hornets fans get too excited and think that they will have a front-row seat to watching Davis develop into an NBA star and then retire as a Hornet, the reality is that not all number one overall picks stay with the team that drafted them.
From 1950-99, there were 50 NBA drafts and 50 different overall first picks in the draft. Of those 50, only eight players (16%) who were the number one pick in the draft stayed with the team that drafted them their entire career. Of the 12 players who were the number one overall pick from 2000-2011, four of those players (Kenyon Martin, Kwame Brown, LeBron James and Andrew Bogut) are already with different teams than the team that drafted them.
Following are the eight overall number one draft picks (1950-99) who played their entire careers with the team that drafted them.
1958: Elgin Baylor, Minnesota/L.A. Lakers
1972: LaRue Martin, Portland
1973: Doug Collins, Philadelphia
1979: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1982: James Worthy, Los Angeles Lakers
1986: Brad Daugherty, Cleveland
1987: David Robinson, San Antonio
1997: Tim Duncan, San Antonio*
* Active
It looks like a player drafted number one in the 2000’s will join the above list. Houston’s Yao Ming, citing foot and ankle injuries, retired from the NBA on July 20, 2011 after eight seasons in the league, all with the Rockets.
Greg Oden, selected first overall in the 2007 draft by Portland, was waived by the Trailblazers in March 2012 after playing only 82 games in the NBA, all with Portland. He has already announced his intention to sit out the 2012-13 season due to injuries. Whether or not he ever plays again in the league is still up in the air.
Of the 12 players drafted number one overall since 2000, six are still with the team that drafted them: Dwight Howard (2004 by Orlando), Andrea Bargnani (2006 by Toronto), Derrick Rose (2008 by Chicago), Blake Griffin (2009 by the L.A. Clippers), John Wall (2010 by Washington) and Kyrie Irving (2011 by Cleveland).
Looking at the overall number ones drafted since 1994 who are no longer with the team that drafted them, Elton Brand spent the shortest time with the team that drafted him. Brand was drafted number by the Bulls in 1999 and played only 155 games with the Bulls. The number one overall picks (since 1994) who have left the team that drafted them (and the number of games they played with that team):
Player, Year, Team, Career Games with that Team
Elton Brand, 1999, Chicago, 155
Joe Smith, 1995, Golden State Warriors, 211
Kame Brown, 2001, Washington, 253
Kenyon Martin, 2000, N.J. Nets, 283
Michael Olowokandi, 1998, L.A. Clippers, 323
Andrew Bogut, 2005, Milwaukee, 408
LeBron James, 2003, Cleveland, 548
Glenn Robinson, 1994, Milwaukee, 568
Allen Iverson, 1996, Philadelphia, 697
Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp
Sports Stats 'on Tapp' 