The FDH Lounge Pantheon: Third Inductees

By Rick Morris

The FDH Lounge added its third class of inductees to The FDH Lounge Pantheon during the 91st edition of the webcast on February 17, 2010. Previous inductees can be found on The FDH Lounge home page.

We wish to thank all of the members of The FDH Academy of Arts & Sciences who participated in the balloting to determine the best of the best of all time in various categories: Paul Belfi, Buck Woodward, Mike Morris, Ron Glasenapp, Bob Glassman, Tim Dustin, Nick Despones, Jonny Adams, Russ Cohen, Samantha Jones, Lloyd Carroll, Mike Ptak, Alex Slemc, Brett Stalnaker, Tony Mazur, Paul Pasek, Bob Benak, Kendra Morris, Dave Adams, Steve Kallas, Mike LaGuardia, Tim Foust, Ben Chew, Steve Cirvello, Raymond Smalley, Simon Applebaum, Sean Trench, Phil Basiewicz, Jason Jones, Mike Vili, Tom Denk, Kyle O'Rourke, Nate Noy and Walter Payton. It's worth noting that clearly not all votes were meant to be taken 100% seriously, as you will see. Paul Belfi and Mike Ptak both voted for the most winners, eight in all.

BEST SPORTSWRITER: Terry Pluto (4 votes, winner of on-air tiebreaker settled by Walter Payton and myself).

Other Candidates: Mike Lupica (4 votes), Bob Ryan (3 votes), Rick Reilly (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Dr. Z Paul Zimmerman, Jim Ingraham, Joe Posnanski, Buster Olney, Kevin Allen, Rick Morris (joke vote, thanks Samantha!), Bill Conlin, Hal Lebovitz, ClubTrillion.com blogger, TNT fantasy football writers (???), Graeme "Foxy" Fowler (???), Bill Simmons, David Halberstam, Mitch Albom, Les Levine, Chris Berman, Jason Sobel and Michael Wilbon.

BEST UNDER-APPRECIATED ATHLETE: Kenny Lofton (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Bob Griese, Aaron Rodgers, Jeff Feagles, Brandon Roy, Jerry Sherk, Fred McGriff, Moose Johnston, Tim Tebow, Henrik Lundqvist, Troy Polamalu, Bernard Lagat, Bert Blyleven, Ron Karkovice, Cliff Lee, Bernie Kosar, Walter Payton (who did NOT receive a vote from his namesake!), "Lil" Penny Hardaway, Hank Aaron, Joe Johnson, Josh Cribbs, Josh Gibson, Ken Riley, Derek Jeter, Steve Yzerman, Martin Brodeur, Bo Jackson, Barry Sanders, Al Orter, Ryan Malone, Marvin Harrison and Donovan McNabb.

BEST HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER: Muhammad Ali (22 votes).

Other Candidates: Mike Tyson (3 votes) and Joe Frazier (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Joe Louis, George Foreman and Lennox Lewis.

BEST NON-HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER: Sugar Ray Leonard (9 votes).

Other Candidates: Floyd Mayweather (6 votes), Marvin Hagler (3 votes), Sugar Ray Robinson, Ray Mancini and Kelly Pavlik (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Oscar De La Hoya, Aaron Pryor, Andy Kaufmann (???), Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya in his prime.

BEST MMA COMPETITOR: Chuck Liddell (4 votes).

Other Candidates: Randy Couture, Georges St.-Pierre and Fedor Emelianenko (3 votes), Tito Ortiz, Herschel Walker (???), Rampage Jackson, Anderson Silva and Kimbo Slice (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Lisa Marie from TNA Wrestling, Bruce Lee, Brock Lesnar and Chuck Norris.

BEST SINGLE SPORTING EVENT OR GAME: Miracle on Ice (9 votes).

Other Candidates: Super Bowl 3 and 1988 World Series Game 1 (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: 1993 NBA Finals Game 5, Super Bowl 42, 1964 NFL Championship Game, Super Bowl 36, 2003 Fiesta Bowl, Bill Buckner World Series Game, NBA Championship Game generically (???), 1971 Dolphins/Chiefs playoff game, 1988 World Series, Super Bowl 34, 1993 Notre Dame/Florida State football game, 2009 UConn/Syracuse 6-OT hoops game, 1998 NBA Finals Game 6, Red Wings/Blues playoff game from May 16, 1996, 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, 2007 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 6, Wimbledon (???), tennis (???) and 2007 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 5.

BEST SPORTS GENERAL MANAGER OR EXECUTIVE: Bill Polian (4 votes).

Other Candidates: RC Buford, Brian Cashman and Lou Lamoriello (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Pat Gillick, Jerry West, anyone except Jerry Jones (???), Branch Rickey, Bill Veeck, Larry Beinfest, Bill Walsh, Ozzie Newsome, John Schuerholz, Red Auerbach, Tony Reagins, Ron Wolf, Tommy Lasorda, George Kokinis (???), Al Davis, George Steinbrenner, Wellington Mara, Paul Brown, Marvin Miller, Pat Quinn circa turn of the century, Jerry Jones and Jerry Buss.

BEST SPORTS STADIUM OR ARENA: Wrigley Field (6 1/3 votes -- NOTE: one ballot was split three ways).

Other Candidates: Cowboys Stadium and Madison Square Garden (3 1/3 votes), Fenway Park (3 votes), old Cleveland Stadium (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Giants Stadium (???), Nationwide Arena, Quicken Loans Arena, Connie Mack Stadium, PNC Park, Progressive Field, Beijing Olympic Bird's Nest, Colosseum in Rome, Safeco Field, Yankee Stadium, Boston Garden, Tiger Stadium, Ford Field, Lambeau Field and Lakewood Stadium.

BEST SPORTS VIDEO GAME: Madden (19 votes).

Other Candidates: Tecmo Super Bowl (3 votes).

One vote apiece for: Madden 2004, NHL Open Ice, NHL Hockey on Genesis, MLB '06: The Show, Madden 2009, NFL Blitz, NBA Jam, RBI Baseball NES, NHL '06 on PS2 and NBA Live for Sega.

BEST PRO WRESTLING TAG TEAM: Road Warriors (8 votes).

Other Candidates: Hart Foundation (3 votes), Tully Blanchard/Arn Anderson, Midnight Express (Stan Lane/Bobby Eaton version), The Rockers and The Iron Shiek/Nikolai Volkoff (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Money, Inc, Hardy Boyz, Wild Samoans, Tito Santana/Junkyard Dog, Steve Austin/Shawn Michaels, Fletcher & Piper Morris (???), Bushwackers, MegaPowers, Edge/Rey Mysterio, British Bulldogs, Steiner Brothers, DeGeneration X, Rock'n'Sock Connection and Dudley Boyz.

BEST LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOST: Johnny Carson (10 votes).

Other Candidates: David Letterman (9 votes), Conan O'Brien (7 votes) and Craig Ferguson (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: David Letterman at 12:30, Uncle Floyd, Dick Cavett, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel and Arsenio Hall.

BEST TV DRAMA OR COMEDY CHARACTER: Cosmo Kramer (4 votes).

Other Candidates: JR Ewing, Dr. House and George Costanza (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Charlie Kelly, Homer Simpson, Fred Sanford, Pam Beesly, Dr. Cox, Chuck Bartowski, Felix Unger, Dexter Morgan, Jack Bauer, Sam Malone, Stewie Griffin, Sheldon Cooper, Michael Scott, Gilligan, Barney Stinson, Fonzie, Mark Greene, Frank Furillo, Josh Lyman, Al Swearingen, Martin and Shark/James Woods (1/2 vote), Kotter/Gabe Kaplan (1/2 vote), Rod Serling (1/2 vote) and Archie Bunker (1/2 vote).

BEST FOREIGN CUISINE: Italian (13 votes).

Other Candidates: Thai (4 votes), Japanese (3 votes), Chinese (2 votes)

One vote apiece for: Chinese (sweet'n'sour chicken), Indian, Greek, Mexican, gefilte fish, chicken paprikash, Chinese (Kung Pow chicken), Italian (fettucine alfredo), Cevapi, Canadian Chinese and Italian (pizza).

BEST COMEDIAN: Richard Pryor (6 votes).

Other Candidates: George Carlin (4 votes), Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Richard Jeni, Daniel Tosh, Mike Birbiglia, Jerry Seinfeld, Tommy Tieman, Robert Klein, Sam Kinison, Chris Rock, Jim Norton, Dane Cook, Aziz Ansari, Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Maher, Bill Cosby, Lewis Black, Steven Wright, Ralphie May, Russell Peters and Carrot Top.

BEST LIVE MUSICAL PERFORMER: Bruce Springsteen (8 votes).

Other Candidates: Pearl Jam (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: Metallica, Keith Urban, The Decemberists, Godsmack, Linkin Park, Johnny Rivers, Garth Books, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, The Eagles, Ted Nugent, Harry Connick, Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Madonna, Rush, U2, Dave Matthews Band, The Ramones, Josh Groban, Blink 182, The Police and Jay-Z.

BEST SANDWICH: Corned beef sandwich from Goodman's Sandwich Inn in Cleveland (5 votes).

Other Candidates: Reuben (3 votes), Big Mac and Philly cheesesteak (2 votes).

One vote apiece for: bacon/egg/cheese on Texas Toast from Waffle House, chicken cheesesteak hoagie from Tony Luke's in South Philadelphia, turkey breast sandwich from York Avenue Deli in Manhattan, Reuben at Penn Station with Thousand Island sauce, steak & egg Panini, chopped chicken liver with tomato on New York rye bread, The Don from Billy Jack's Sub Shop on Evans & University in Denver, extra lean kosher brisket from Ben's Deli in New York, Big Boy Sandwich from Bob's Big Boy, Yo! Burger at B Spot, teriyaki chicken from Penn Station, the Romanburger from Mr. Hero, Big'N'Messy at Mr. Divot's in North Royalton, OH, Reuben from Joe's Deli in Cleveland, grilled cheese, sweet onion chicken teriyaki from Subway, pastrami on rye, chicken bacon ranch from Subway, turkey, steak & gyro with two beef patties/gyro meat/Swiss cheese/American cheese at Best Steak & Gyro in Cleveland and The Ogre (FDH Senior Editor Jason Jones' personal creation: real authentic slightly-warmed Italian bread with double roast beef, double pastrami, turkey, bacon, American cheese, Muenster cheese, chipotle mayo, Stadium mustard, lettace and raw onions).