So, with the NFL season soon to start, I've decided to put out my all-time football team. Like the previous baseball team posting, I'll limit myself to players whose rookie seasons were on or after my birth year. I'll be running this like the Pro Bowl rosters - starters and reserves, offense and defense. Here we go:
Offense:
Wide Receivers: Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers, Steve Largent, Seattle Seahawks. Rice is, of course, a no-brainer, as he's the most dominant wide receiver to ever play the game. Largent may seem to be an odd choice, given the other wideouts I could have here. But, the main reason why I chose Largent is that he's arguably the greatest possession receiver in the history of the NFL. He wasn't fast, and he didn't have great jumping ability. Rather, what he had was great hands and very precise routes. Reserves: Cris Carter, Minnesota Vikings, Art Monk, Washington Redskins.
Tight End: Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs. There may be a general outcry from people my age who remember Kellen Winslow. But, like Winslow, Gonzalez redefined the tight end position. Gonzalez is a great blocker (as evidenced by the rushing seasons both Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson have had), and is a great receiver. This is the same thing often said about Winslow, but the distinction between Gonzalez and Winslow is that Gonzo has done it better for longer. Reserve: Kellen Winslow, San Diego Chargers.
Tackles: Anthony Munoz, Cincinnati Bengals, Jonathan Ogden, Baltimore Ravens. Munoz is considered to be the best tackle ever to play the game, and Ogden is a current player who's beenm dominant at the position for several years. Reserve: Gary Zimmerman, Minnesota Vikings/Denver Broncos.
Guards: John Hannah, New England Patriots, Mike Munchak, Houston Oilers. Hannah is probably the best guard to play in the 1980s, and Munchak is probably the best all-around O-lineman of the 1990s. O-linemen aren't exactly the most glamorous of folks, so let's just say that these two were the best. Reserve: Randall McDaniel, Minnesota Vikings.
Center: Mike Webster, Pittsburgh Steelers. The late great Webster of Steel Curtain fame gets the nod over Dwight Stephenson of the fish. Reserve: Dwight Stephenson, Miami Dolphins.
Quarterback: Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers. I'm of the opinion that QBs need more brains than guts, so this is why Montana is at the top (and why dim-witted gunslingers like Favre and Marino aren't even listed as reserves). I'll grant that you do need the stats - passer rating, career touchdowns and yards - to make the list as a very good quarterback. But, to make the list as a great quarterback, you also need moxy, drive, strategy, and grace under pressure. Montana had that in spades. Reserves: John Elway, Denver Broncos, Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts.
Running Backs: Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions, Walter Payton, Chicago Bears. There have been a lot of great running backs over the past 36 years, but these two are the best. Sanders had the best vision and cut of any back, and Payton had the mix of speed and power. Reserves: Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys, Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers.
Kicker: Morten Andersen, New Orleans Saints. Did I have to really talk about a kicker? I don't think so.
Defense:
Defensive End: Bruce Smith, Buffalo Bills, Reggie White, Philadelphia Eagles/Green Bay Packers. The two best DEs of the late 80s to mid 90s. Smith was pure brutuality, and White had speed and strength. Reserves: Michael Strahan, New York Giants, Lee Roy Selmon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Defensive Tackles: Randy White, Dallas Cowboys, Dan Hampton, Chicago Bears. I'm cheating a little, as Hampton played both DE and DT, but these two were the best I've seen at the position. Reserve: Kevin Williams, Minnesota Vikings.
Linebackers: Junior Seau, San Diego Chargers, Mike Singletary, Chicago Bears, Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants. Like running backs, there are a lot of great linbackers to consider, but these three stand out. Seau's probably the best all-around linebacker of the group, Singletary's the best run stopper and defensive captain, and LT redefined the outside linbacker position. Reserves: Harry Carson, New York Giants, Jack Lambert, Pittsburgh Steelers, Andre Tippett, New England Patriots.
Defensive Backs: Mike Haynes, Oakland Raiders, Deion Sanders, Atlanta/Dallas/San Fran. Haynes was quiet, steady, and dominant; Sanders was flashy and quick. But, both were able to control their half of the field for several years. Reserve: Darrell Green, Washington Redskins.
Safeties: Ronnie Lott, San Francisco 49ers, John Lynch, Denver Broncos. Safeties have to be able to cover a considerable amount of ground, break up pass plays, come up to help with the pass rush, and, most importantly, put the fear of God into offensive skill players. Lott was the best to do that - knocking down and knocking out wide outs, backs, and tight ends. Lynch comes in at a close second. Reserve: Jack Tatum, Oakland Raiders.
Punter: Ray Guy, Oakland Raiders.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Best bars in Saint Paul
Ok, so I've been back in town for over a year now, and decided to put together a top ten of my favorite bars in the StP. These are based pretty much on bars being bars - I'm not really factoring any other things, such as live music (as I'm too old for that - the Turf Club on University just off of Snelling is the best for that, though) and good food (still gotta say that Dixie's, on Grand inbetween Victoria and Dale, still has the best food for a bar in the Twin Cities, not just Saint Paul). Why no Minneapolis bars? Well, why the hell would you want to go to Minneapolis? That city sucks - depending on the bar, you could find yourself in the middle of a throng of hipsters trying really, really hard to be something they're clearly not (like special, important, or artistic - they have pretentious down to an exact science, though) or in the middle of some really dicey and scary establishments. That, and I can't say that I've ever been fond of the prices at Minneapolis bars - a bit too high for the exact same thing. Why pay $5.50 for a pint of domestic beer in Shittyapolis when you could spend $3.00 for the same size and flavor in Saint Paul? I will give Minneapolis credit for one thing, though - one of my all-time favorite bars is in Minneapolis. Bullwinkle's in the seven corners area of Minneapolis (aka, near Dinkytown) is great - low key, good prices, and lots and lots of wood paneling. Tacky, yes, but also fun. Also, Stub and Herb's, in the heart of Dinkytown, nearby Marucci arena, is great fun as well. As you can tell, the best bars in Mpls. are near the University of Minnesota.
Anyhow, here's the list of the best bars, in my opinion, in Saint Paul. Semi-exact locations and parts of the city in which they can be found are also included.
10) Sweeney's (Dale Street, inbetween Grand and Selby, Mac-Groveland). College bar that I frequented numerous times as undergrad and grad student. It can be a bit packed during the school year, but during the breaks, it's a fun place to go to. Great back rooms in that place - a great outdoor deck for the spring and summer, and a good back room, complete with fireplace, for the winter. I'll concede that it can get a bit stuffy in there - that part of Saint Paul was extensively redone in the 80s, and there are million dollar townhouses down the street from Sweeney's on Cathedral Hill, so it can be bobo central at times. But, the owners of the place try to keep at as much of a traditional neighborhood bar feel as possible.
9) Dubliner Cafe (Vandalia and University). There are tons of Irish in Saint Paul, so there are bound to be Irish pubs - or pubs that try to be Irish - in the city. The Dubliner is about as genuinely Irish as you can get. Great live music, cheap beer, and a fun atmosphere - the only issue is that it's in kind of a dicey neighborhood. Lots of patrons, though, so there are very few problems there.
8) Eagle Street Cafe (Seventh and Kellogg, right across from the Xcel Energy Center). Love the Eagle Street - cozy little bar, its location makes for good people watching, good prices for a bar so close to the X, and one of the best wait staffs in Saint Paul (except for the bar at the number one spot) - they're fast, and they remember drink orders. I've never had a waitress or waiter give me the wrong beer if all they ask is if I'd like another. The only problems with the Eagle Street is its location and size - it's directly across the street from the X, so parking is a nightmare. That, and it's so small that if there's an event going on at the X (concert, circus, Wild game, etc), that place will be packed.
7) Cab's Pub and Eatery (on Arcade Street, east side). Cab's is just good plain fun - tons of 80s arcade games, pool tables, dart boards. Cheap beer, too - usually $3 for a domestic tap. The problem, though, is the location - the East Side is the rough and tumble part of the StP, and although most people will leave you be if you leave them be, there's still a chance that a fight (or something worse) could break out.
6) Mancini's (West 7th Street, near downtown). Mancini's is principally known as a great restaurant - and it is, with the best steak, fish, seafood, and Italian food in the city. But it's also got a great bar and lounge area. It's your classic, high-end Italian restuarant look - lots of red velvet, thick red shag carpet, strings of lights everywhere. While Mancini's is a high-end restuarant, the prices inside their bar/lounge aren't - great prices all on kinds of drinks, and their appetizers are the best in town (the garlic bread, which clocks in at $6 per order, is awesome). That, and they've got one of the friendiest staffs in town - nice, polite, and outgoing.
5) Shamrock's (West 7th Street and Randolph - on the fringes of Highland Park). Starting to like Shamrock's more and more. Most StP ers and Twin Cities residents are more aware of the smaller bar down 2 1/2 miles on Randolph from Shamrocks - the Nook. Both bars are owned by the same people, though - mainly, the third generations of the Caspers, known for their Cherokee sirolin rooms in the Saint Paul area (I know Dan Casper, one of the owners. That woun't get you a free drink, though). Take the same fun atmopshere of the Nook and multiply the size of the Nook by 10 times, and you've got Shamrock's. Shamrock's is a huge bar, great customers, fast and efficient bartenders, and just a fun place to go to have a beer. Just remember to watch out for the cops on 7th street, though - behave yourselves if you go.
4) Tavern on Grand (or, the Grand Tavern. On Grand, near Dale, Mac-Groveland). I don't know if they now call it Grand Tavern, or if it's still Tavern on Grand, but either way, this place is awesome. There's a lot of competition for bar business on Grand and near Grand - Muddy Pig, Sweeney's, Dixie's, Billy's, the Wild Onion - but this is by far my favorite Grand Ave. bar. The clientle is pretty mixed, so it's a pretty fun and energetic atmosphere. Great drink prices, and if you're hungry, some of the best food in town.
3) Half-Time Rec (on Front Street, just off of Lexington, Como area - which is the part of Saint Paul I grew up in). I grew up near the Rec, which underwent major renovations in the late 80s. Before the renovations, it was a crappy, run-down hole in the wall that from all accounts was a scary place to be, regardless of the time of day. Now, it's still a little run-down, but the seediness is gone. The Como area was a huge melting pot of Irish, Italian, French, and Polish immigrants, and you can get that feel walking into that bar. It's an odd mix inside the bar as well - it's a mix of white and blue collar patrons, locals and people who travel 10+ miles to get there, and it's a fun, welcoming atmosphere. It's predominantly an Irish bar, and of the times I've been there, the only incidents I've seen come from when people express anti-Irish sentiments or are wearing orange (which isn't the smartest idea to do in an Irish pub - orange is typically associated with Irish protestants, which is a no-no in an Irish Catholic area like Saint Paul). But, you can't put a price on atmosphere, which is why the Rec is so high on the list.
2) Patrick McGovern's (West Seventh Street, right before downtown). The downtown Saint Paul area is known for keeping up turn of the 20th century buildings and keeping them in good shape - huge buildings with great architecture, old, elaborate Victorian designs, and so on. McGovern's is located in a building like this, and is quite possibly the most fun bar to go to in Saint Paul (but, not quite, in my opinion - more below). Three stories of fun plus a patio that's open from spring through fall. Great location just outside of downtown Saint Paul, great drink prices, friendly patrons and wait staff, lots of wide screen TVs, and just a friendly and fun atmosphere. Parking can be a bit of a pain, but overall, the difficulty in finding a parking spot is more than made up for once you hit the bar.
1) Alary's (West Seventh Street, in between Jackson and Robert, downtown Saint Paul). Hands down, the best bar in Saint Paul. Now, I'll concede that they do cater to a specific group of people - cops and firefighters, specifically - but everyone is welcome there (that, and I've never seen a single altercation there, either - go figure, with all the cops and firefighters around). It's a bar like McGovern's, in that it's located in a well preserved late 19th/early 20th century bullding, but it's got much more to offer than McGoverns. Cheap beer ($3 a pint), friendly people, and what I can only describe as an interesting way to watch TV. Any bar, of course, will be packed during a football, baseball, or hockey game, and Alary's is no different - cheering, yelling, screaming, etc. But, what's really interesting in that bar is people do the same for Deal or No Deal and the primetime versions of The Price is Right - what's more, I was in there the night of the last Miss America pagaent, and people were doing the same. Fun, laid-back atmosphere, and the prices are great - all of these primarly come from the bartenders, who are located behind a huge, old-fashioned wood bar (designed in a square, can probably seat a good 50 people, if not more). That, and there's ample parking.
Anyhow, here's the list of the best bars, in my opinion, in Saint Paul. Semi-exact locations and parts of the city in which they can be found are also included.
10) Sweeney's (Dale Street, inbetween Grand and Selby, Mac-Groveland). College bar that I frequented numerous times as undergrad and grad student. It can be a bit packed during the school year, but during the breaks, it's a fun place to go to. Great back rooms in that place - a great outdoor deck for the spring and summer, and a good back room, complete with fireplace, for the winter. I'll concede that it can get a bit stuffy in there - that part of Saint Paul was extensively redone in the 80s, and there are million dollar townhouses down the street from Sweeney's on Cathedral Hill, so it can be bobo central at times. But, the owners of the place try to keep at as much of a traditional neighborhood bar feel as possible.
9) Dubliner Cafe (Vandalia and University). There are tons of Irish in Saint Paul, so there are bound to be Irish pubs - or pubs that try to be Irish - in the city. The Dubliner is about as genuinely Irish as you can get. Great live music, cheap beer, and a fun atmosphere - the only issue is that it's in kind of a dicey neighborhood. Lots of patrons, though, so there are very few problems there.
8) Eagle Street Cafe (Seventh and Kellogg, right across from the Xcel Energy Center). Love the Eagle Street - cozy little bar, its location makes for good people watching, good prices for a bar so close to the X, and one of the best wait staffs in Saint Paul (except for the bar at the number one spot) - they're fast, and they remember drink orders. I've never had a waitress or waiter give me the wrong beer if all they ask is if I'd like another. The only problems with the Eagle Street is its location and size - it's directly across the street from the X, so parking is a nightmare. That, and it's so small that if there's an event going on at the X (concert, circus, Wild game, etc), that place will be packed.
7) Cab's Pub and Eatery (on Arcade Street, east side). Cab's is just good plain fun - tons of 80s arcade games, pool tables, dart boards. Cheap beer, too - usually $3 for a domestic tap. The problem, though, is the location - the East Side is the rough and tumble part of the StP, and although most people will leave you be if you leave them be, there's still a chance that a fight (or something worse) could break out.
6) Mancini's (West 7th Street, near downtown). Mancini's is principally known as a great restaurant - and it is, with the best steak, fish, seafood, and Italian food in the city. But it's also got a great bar and lounge area. It's your classic, high-end Italian restuarant look - lots of red velvet, thick red shag carpet, strings of lights everywhere. While Mancini's is a high-end restuarant, the prices inside their bar/lounge aren't - great prices all on kinds of drinks, and their appetizers are the best in town (the garlic bread, which clocks in at $6 per order, is awesome). That, and they've got one of the friendiest staffs in town - nice, polite, and outgoing.
5) Shamrock's (West 7th Street and Randolph - on the fringes of Highland Park). Starting to like Shamrock's more and more. Most StP ers and Twin Cities residents are more aware of the smaller bar down 2 1/2 miles on Randolph from Shamrocks - the Nook. Both bars are owned by the same people, though - mainly, the third generations of the Caspers, known for their Cherokee sirolin rooms in the Saint Paul area (I know Dan Casper, one of the owners. That woun't get you a free drink, though). Take the same fun atmopshere of the Nook and multiply the size of the Nook by 10 times, and you've got Shamrock's. Shamrock's is a huge bar, great customers, fast and efficient bartenders, and just a fun place to go to have a beer. Just remember to watch out for the cops on 7th street, though - behave yourselves if you go.
4) Tavern on Grand (or, the Grand Tavern. On Grand, near Dale, Mac-Groveland). I don't know if they now call it Grand Tavern, or if it's still Tavern on Grand, but either way, this place is awesome. There's a lot of competition for bar business on Grand and near Grand - Muddy Pig, Sweeney's, Dixie's, Billy's, the Wild Onion - but this is by far my favorite Grand Ave. bar. The clientle is pretty mixed, so it's a pretty fun and energetic atmosphere. Great drink prices, and if you're hungry, some of the best food in town.
3) Half-Time Rec (on Front Street, just off of Lexington, Como area - which is the part of Saint Paul I grew up in). I grew up near the Rec, which underwent major renovations in the late 80s. Before the renovations, it was a crappy, run-down hole in the wall that from all accounts was a scary place to be, regardless of the time of day. Now, it's still a little run-down, but the seediness is gone. The Como area was a huge melting pot of Irish, Italian, French, and Polish immigrants, and you can get that feel walking into that bar. It's an odd mix inside the bar as well - it's a mix of white and blue collar patrons, locals and people who travel 10+ miles to get there, and it's a fun, welcoming atmosphere. It's predominantly an Irish bar, and of the times I've been there, the only incidents I've seen come from when people express anti-Irish sentiments or are wearing orange (which isn't the smartest idea to do in an Irish pub - orange is typically associated with Irish protestants, which is a no-no in an Irish Catholic area like Saint Paul). But, you can't put a price on atmosphere, which is why the Rec is so high on the list.
2) Patrick McGovern's (West Seventh Street, right before downtown). The downtown Saint Paul area is known for keeping up turn of the 20th century buildings and keeping them in good shape - huge buildings with great architecture, old, elaborate Victorian designs, and so on. McGovern's is located in a building like this, and is quite possibly the most fun bar to go to in Saint Paul (but, not quite, in my opinion - more below). Three stories of fun plus a patio that's open from spring through fall. Great location just outside of downtown Saint Paul, great drink prices, friendly patrons and wait staff, lots of wide screen TVs, and just a friendly and fun atmosphere. Parking can be a bit of a pain, but overall, the difficulty in finding a parking spot is more than made up for once you hit the bar.
1) Alary's (West Seventh Street, in between Jackson and Robert, downtown Saint Paul). Hands down, the best bar in Saint Paul. Now, I'll concede that they do cater to a specific group of people - cops and firefighters, specifically - but everyone is welcome there (that, and I've never seen a single altercation there, either - go figure, with all the cops and firefighters around). It's a bar like McGovern's, in that it's located in a well preserved late 19th/early 20th century bullding, but it's got much more to offer than McGoverns. Cheap beer ($3 a pint), friendly people, and what I can only describe as an interesting way to watch TV. Any bar, of course, will be packed during a football, baseball, or hockey game, and Alary's is no different - cheering, yelling, screaming, etc. But, what's really interesting in that bar is people do the same for Deal or No Deal and the primetime versions of The Price is Right - what's more, I was in there the night of the last Miss America pagaent, and people were doing the same. Fun, laid-back atmosphere, and the prices are great - all of these primarly come from the bartenders, who are located behind a huge, old-fashioned wood bar (designed in a square, can probably seat a good 50 people, if not more). That, and there's ample parking.
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