While winning championships is the ultimate goal in any sport, what often drives that desire are the people beside you. Through the struggles and turmoil of the playing field, a bond is forged that is, hopefully, sturdier than steel. The NFL has had countless star-crossed friendships over the years. One of its earliest was that of Bobby Layne and Doak Walker. But their story doesn't begin in Detroit. It begins under the Friday night lights of Texas high school football. The E

Rookie running backs in the NFL have a way of showing either what they could be or what they will be in the league. While the promise of some ends up being prophetic, there are so many others who never realize their full potential. All they have to their name was that one great run that made them a household name for a night or two. Below is a list of the five longest runs by a rookie in NFL history. While some runs proved prophetic, many more were just a tease of what could

The Dodgers won the World Series today, beating the New York Yankees in thrilling fashion. Coincidentally, they sold Ebbetts Field exactly 68 years earlier. Wanting a bigger, better stadium with a cleaner environment, Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley sold his 43-year old ballpark to real estate developer Marvin Kratter. With the stipulation that the Dodgers would stay there through 1961. Of course, the Dodgers found their home in Los Angeles much sooner and moved there in 1958.

Terry Donahue was one of the most successful football coaches in UCLA's history. In 20 years, he amassed a 151-74-8 record, winning five conference championships. Let's take a look at each of those titles. 1982 Coming off a loss to Michigan in the 1981 Blue Bonnet Bowl, Terry Donahue knew that he had a roster to compete in the stacked Pac-10. They began 1982 ranked 18th in the nation and made quick work of Long Beach State (41-10) and Wisconsin (51-26) before running into t

Jim Zorn had the unique opportunity to be the very first quarterback in the Seattle Seahawks' history. While the expansion team struggled to thrive in the NFL, he led by example, always showing up to work with a smile on his face and a relentless determination within his soul. But while he displayed a fierce love for the game, the game did not always love him back. This is his story. The Early Years Jim Zorn was born on May 10, 1953 in Whittier, California. He excelled in

Many times, the best coaches were never the best player. Despite their dedication to the game, they can never get past their own physical limitations. As the old saying goes: Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. That's the case with Jerry Rhome. The longtime quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator spent 25 years navigating the NFL, teaching gunslingers young and old the intricate details of the position that could boost their own ability. In many ways, Rhome was wa

The Cy Young Award is one of the most prestigious individual honors in all of sports. Those who win the annual award belong to a very exclusive fraternity that includes just 84 unique individuals. To date, 22 pitchers have won multiple Cy Youngs. On October 26, 1982, Philadelphia Phillies ace Steve Carlton became the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards. It was a special year for him. That year he led both leagues with 295.2 innings, 23 wins, 19 complete games, six shut

Seattle craved for a professional sports team but lacked a stadium big enough to hold the kinds of crowds that NFL and MLB games typically attract. The battle for the stadium and its tenants raged on for years but gradually Seattle began to come around on the subject. In one fell swoop, Seattle gained a baseball team, a football team and a stadium to call its own: the Kingdome. Conception and Construction It all began with David L. Cohn. In 1959, the President of Barb Restau

In the world of athletics, there are certain players that belong with one team, nowhere else, and when they do move on it just feels different, like they're losing a limb. Like Michael Jordan playing for the Wizards and Joe Montana with the Chiefs, while they may have had something left in the tank, most of the public just never accepted them in another jersey. By 1973 and 1977, Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath were two has-beens that had yet to give up the sport that had define

Few in baseball could compare to Don Drysdale in the 1960s. From his record five All-Star Game starts to his 58.2 consecutive scoreless innings late in his career, he aged like fine wine. But perhaps his greatest accomplishment, aside from his three World Series rings and a near record-setting contract, was the fact that he was the first California-born player to win the Cy Young. This is his story. Early Years Don Drysdale was born on July 3, 1936 in Van Nuys, California

The Philadelphia Sports Complex has held countless sporting events since its birth in 1926, but it was one venue that drew crowds beyond the realm of athletics: Philadelphia Municipal Stadium.. Later known as John F. Kennedy Stadium, it held numerous events in its 73 years of existence. From boxing matches and concerts to countless football games, it had a way of bringing the entire City of Brotherly Love together and drawing the attention of America on any given night. From

For nearly a decade, the city of Cleveland enjoyed the rare privilege of having three future Hall of Famers taking the pitcher's mound. With Bob Feller, Bob Lemon and Early Wynn pitching, the Indians enjoyed an era of success that they have rarely seen since. The Build-Up Bob Feller was born on November 3, 1918 in Van Meter, Iowa. As a shortstop and outfield as a youth, he mimicked Rogers Hornsby's batting stance, dreaming of the day that he would be able to bash a mighty

The list of men who have won both the World Series and an NBA championship is short. Very short. But in the annals of great athletic achievements, Gene Conley is one of only two men to win both in baseball and basketball, enjoying a thrilling World Series triumph with the 1957 Milwaukee Braves and a trifecta of good fortune with the Boston Celtics. This is his story. The Early Years Gene Conley was born on November 10, 1930 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. After his family moved to

"I was no hero. There were maybe 75 pilots in our two squadrons and 99% of them did a better job than I did" - Ted Williams While the Splendid Splinter is known more for his batting average, he also served in both World War II and the Korean War. Each of those wars brought life experiences that would impact his life in very powerful ways. This is his story. World War II It was late in 1942 and the world was at war. Meanwhile in Boston, Ted Williams was enjoying one of his

Few fielders could compare to Bobby Doerr in the 1940's. In 14 years with the Boston Red Sox, the second baseman from Los Angeles, California led the A.L. in fielding percentage among second baseman four times. But his legacy went beyond simply catching grounders. Over the years, he built a reputation as an intelligent player, as well as a leader and a gentleman. This is his story. The Early Years Robert "Bobby" Pershing Doerr was born to a telephone company supervisor and h

The Res Sox were in a chaotic state. Years after selling off Babe Ruth and the rest of a championship roster, the team's books were in dire straights. It took the financial might of one man's inheritance to pull them out of the doldrums of the majors and into regular contenders that just couldn't win the big one. That man was Tom Yawkey and this is his story. The Early Years Thomas Yawkey Austin was born on February 21,1903 in Detroit, Michigan. His father, Thomas J. Austin,

Few things in sports compare to a massive home run, the kind that can either ignite a stadium ablaze or take the air out of the facility. There's just something about the power of the swing, the crack of the bat and the velocity of the ball that attracts everyone near and far. The longer the ball travels, the bigger the moment. Let's take a look at 10 of baseball's longest home runs. 10. Mo Vaughn, 505 ft. (2008) On June 26, 2002, the Mets hosted the Atlanta Braves at the ca

Few people have begun their athletic careers as impressively as Fernando Valenzuela. In 1981, the rookie from Mexico took Los Angeles and the rest of the baseball world by storm. Incredibly, the precocious pitcher won both the National League's Rookie of the Year Award and the Cy Young Award, a rare feat that has yet to be duplicated. Let's take a look back at that memorable year. Prelude The Dodgers were in a pickle. When Dodger Stadium was first constructed, it was done s

Necessity is the mother of all invention. In the early days of baseball, catchers didn't wear a chest guard, shin guards, glove or mask. The only form of protection the most dangerous position in baseball was granted was a simple rubber mouth guard. It took a Harvard man to invent one of the most important pieces of equipment in all of sports. The Inventor Fred Thayer was born on August 14, 1854 in Boston, Massachusetts. He enrolled in Harvard in 1875 where he played footbal

Mascots have carved their own niché in the world of sports. From the Philly Phanatic to Steely Steeler, each hold a special place in the hearts of their fans. One of the more unique mascots is the San Diego Chicken. The Conception In 1974, San Diego's KGB-FM Radio decided to produce a television commercial. Cartoonist Brian Narelle drew the image of an acrobatic chicken which subsequently drew interest from viewers. A short while later, the station was doing a promotion at