Garden State Greatness in the World of Sports

New Jersey is known for many things including the iconic Atlantic City and its fabulous hotel and casino operations, world-famous sports teams, and NJs mind-boggling population density. From an sports and entertainment perspective, the Garden State stands proud. It is home to New York's finest – not the police officers – the New York Jets and the New York Giants – NFL titans. These teams play for the Empire State, but their stadium is located in East Rutherford New Jersey, at MetLife Stadium. Interestingly enough, according to 888sport’s Brett Chatz, the New York Jets and the New York Giants are the only NFL teams to share a stadium since 1984. Granted, the LA Chargers will be sharing a stadium with the LA Rams from 2020 onwards, at the SoFi stadium in California.

The New Jersey Devils Stun the Crowds at the NHL 

The best New Jersey Devils Teams of all time are pretty easy to identify. They're the ones who won the Stanley Cup, back in 1994/5, 1999/2000, and again in 2002/3. As the quintessential picture of perfection, these New Jersey Devils teams went hell for leather and brought home the ultimate prize in the NHL. Their first Stanley Cup victory took place under the management of coach J. Lemaire. Fast forward to 1999/2000. The New Jersey Devils again performed superbly under coaches L. Robinson and R. Ftorek, winning their second cup. The last time the New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup was back in 2002/3. That year, it was coach P. Burns who led the team to victory in a spectacular way. The New Jersey Devils are without doubt one of the best exports to emerge from the state. They are currently ranked at #14 in the Eastern Conference (2019/2020) with plenty of opportunities to move up the ranks in coming seasons.

The New York Giants and the New York Jets Playing Out of Jersey

No sport captivates the attention of fans more than the NFL. The other 3 major sports in the US include MLB, NBA, and NHL, in that order. True to form, New York's NFL prospects – the Giants and the Jets have cemented their place in history among fans. What many folks outside of New York and New Jersey don't know is that both these NFL teams are based in the Garden State. According to NFL power rankings (2019 regular season), the New York Giants in the NFC East are in third place, and the New York Jets in the AFC East are also in third place. Both of these teams have their home base at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants have won 4 NFL Championships, in 1956, 1938, 1934, 1927. They also won 4 Super Bowls, in 2012, 2008, 1991, and 1987. The New York Jets have just 1 NFL Championship to their credit, when they beat the Baltimore Colts 16-7, back in 1969.

The Brooklyn Nets Playing Out of New Jersey

The Brooklyn Nets were once known as the New Jersey Nets, and this NBA team certainly made waves in the basketball arena. The best Brooklyn Nets players include the likes of: Jason Kidd, Julius Erving, Buck Williams, Drazen Petrovic, Brook Lopez, Richard Jefferson, Rick Barry, John Williamson, Keith Van Horn, Kerry Kittles, andKenyon Martin, among others. Some of their best performances ever took place in the following years:

• 1973/4– the Brooklyn Nets delivered a 55-29 win/loss performance in the ABA. Legendary players, Larry Kenon and Julius Erving starred.
• 1975/6- the 1976 Slam Dunk contest with none other than Julius Irving a.k.a. Dr J won the hearts of fans the world over. He was named the ABA Most Valuable Player, and was appointed to the ABA First Team. In that year, the Brooklyn S came in second with a 55-29 record in the ABA.
• 2002/3– during the season, the Brooklyn Nets had the best defensive rating in the league. Richard Jefferson stepped in, replacing Van Horn. Just two games were lost during the play-offs in the Eastern conference, as the Brooklyn Nets made it to the NBA Finals. In 2002, their win percentage was .634, and in 2003 their win percentage was .598.
• 2001/2– in this year, Jason Kidd spearheaded the Nets towards greatness as they reached the NBA finals. While the Lakers dominated, the Nets showed their grit. The Eastern conference team could not possibly hope to compete with the Western Conference team, but their regular-season winnings got them to the finals.

These New Jersey teams have left an indelible impression on the sports world. Many of these teams are etched into the annals of history in the NHL Hall of Fame, the NBA Hall of Fame, and the NFL Hall of Fame. It's been some time since a team from New Jersey lifted a championship trophy, but they've done it before and they can certainly do it again!

Joe Burrow was the No.1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft when he was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals but can the former LSU quarterback follow his top pick in the draft with a 'Hall of Fame' career amongst the pros...?

The Iowa native enjoyed a stellar college career and is an enormous talent, having won the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award during his final year with LSU.

The signal caller has all the attributes to succeed in the NFL but history doesn't dictate that he'll transition from being first pick amongst the class of 2020 to becoming a hall of famer in the future.

Having grabbed its first College Football Championship since 2007, the LSU that Burrow leaves behind is +650 in the American football odds for NCAAF glory in 2021.

Burrow meanwhile starts out into the rest of his career with the weight of being No.1 draftee on his back. 

Of the 14 previous No.1 picks to make it into the Hall of Fame, here's a reminder of the three most recent inductees.

Orlando Pace – No.1 pick in 1997

The St Louis Rams took Pace as the top pick in the '97 Draft following his promising time at Ohio State. On his induction to the HOF, it was recorded that Pace had become "one finest offensive linemen of his era" during his NFL career.

His Rams team shattered NFL scoring records with their outstanding offensive play and their thrilling 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV marked the end of almost a half-century waitfor ultimate success for the St Louis franchise on the biggest stage. 

Pace would also line out in the Super Bowl against New England at the end of the 2001 season but his side lost out in a knife-edge contest. 

He was selected in seven consecutive Pro Bowls and made 169 NFL appearances, making the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

Troy Aikman – No.1 pick in 198

After switching to UCLA from Oklahoma, Aikman finished his college career as the third highest rated passer in NCAA history at that time. 

He was drafted by a struggling Dallas Cowboys outfit coming off their worst record since going 0-11-1 in its 1960 inaugural season.

In his dozen NFL season he made six Pro Bowls and led Dallas to three Super Bowl wins ('92, '93 and '95) as well as recording more NFL wins during the 1990s than any other quarterback.

In his career, Aikman threw a stunning tally of 32,942 yards and 165 touchdowns, giving him a passer rating of 81.6 on his retirement.

Bruce Smith – No.1 pick in 1989

Blessed with raw speed and acceleration, Smith impressed anyone who watched him at Virginia Tech and he attracted top pick from the Buffalo Bills in 1989.

He enjoyed an NFL career that spanned close to two decades and was selected on 11 Pro Bowls during his run. 

At the end of 1990 season, his Bills side lost 20-19 to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXI in Florida. That was as close as Smith got to a ring, with the Bills well beaten in future appearances against the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys (twice). Smith started in all four of those Super Bowls.

With 200 career sacks, he's recognized as an all-time leader in defensive play and holds the NFL record for most sacks. 

Rock n roll is always considered to be more of a lifestyle than a form of music. Rock stars are known to live in excesses. It's popularly romanticized as a life of excess drugs, sex and hedonism. Many rockers bend the rules and stretch it to the limit. Some survive, some become casualties. The golden era of rock n roll was probably the 60s with legendary bands like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and The Doors pushing the limits both musically as well as in their own personal lives. 

There are several sordid stories of overdosing on drugs and sometimes even endangering the lives of those around them. This kind of a lifestyle is something you can probably taste a slice of in Las Vegas with all its casinos and clubs. Although it's true that Las Vegas now does offer more than just gambling like this article says. But as we enter the era of hip hop and electronic music, it would be a good idea to look back and go through some of the greatest tragedies of rock n roll history. 

Death of John Bonham

There is absolutely no doubt that Led Zeppelin was one of the greatest bands on the planet and that John Bonham was one of the greatest drummers who ever lived. His unique style of drumming remains unparalleled and still inspires a whole new generation of drummers. Bonham was known for his excessive drinking which is what led to his death in 1980 when he was only 32 years old. The band decided not to carry on without him and that was the end of Led Zeppelin. His death is considered to be one of the greatest losses to the world of rock.

Death of John Lennon

There has probably never been a more famous band in the history of the world than The Beatles. It's a remarkable story how four young lads from Liverpool went on to confquer the world with their brilliant tunes and sharp songwriting. John Lennon was at one point considered to be almost god like. After quitting the The Beatles, Lennon pursued a solo career and went through a series of personal awakenings and changes. His wife Yoko Ono and he became activists and protested against a lot of decisions that the government was taking at that time. In 1980, John Lennon was shot dead outside his home by a crazed Beatles fan by the name of Mark Chapman. Chapman claims he was upset by claims that Lennon had made about The Beatles being more famous than Jesus. Chapman is still in jail and seeking parole according to this article. 

Death of Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly was an American singer-songwriter known for being an influential figure in the rock n roll scene of the 50s. He is known to be the first musician to come up with the traditional band format of two guitars, drums and bass. He had a very short career and yet his work managed to influence legends like Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. In 1959, Buddy Holly died in a plane crash along with the rest of his band mates. The event was considered to be so tragic that Don McLean refers to it in his song American Pie saying it was the day that music died. 

There are many more events that could make the list like the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash and Elvis Presley's death that changed the course of rock n roll forever. 

Six NBA players that retired too soon

NBA fans waiting for the resumption of the season can get the best deals for casino games at live dealer roulette NJ. In addition to enjoying digital experiences, fans also continue to debate who are some of the greatest basketball players to have exited stage right before their time. 

Yao Ming

The first pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, Yao Ming came to the league with a stellar reputation after five years with the Shanghai Sharks in the CBA. The Chinese star lived up to the hype during his nine-year stint at the Houston Rockets, where he was named Rookie of the Year and helped the franchise to the NBA Play-offs on four occasions.

Ming’s exceptional rebounding and blocking ability saw him become an eight-time NBA All-Star. Still, after playing all 164 games in his first two seasons, injuries started to regularly hamper his game time. After suffering a fractured left ankle in the 2010/11 season, Ming decided to retire at just 30-years of age. 

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson was one of the three best NBA players in the 1980s alongside Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, but his career came to an abrupt end in 1991 when he was diagnosed with HIV. Johnson is still regarded as the best point guard to have played the game, and he backed up his talent with five NBA Championships between 1980 and 1989.

After twelve years with the Los Angeles Lakers, the then 31-year-old retired to become an advocate for HIV and AIDS prevention, though he did win an Olympic gold medal for the US as part of “The Dream Team” in 1992. Johnson briefly returned in 1996 for a 32-game stint with the Lakers, but fans are still left wondering what might have been if he had been able to continue playing in his prime.

Michael Jordan

Still regarded as the greatest player to ever play basketball, Michael Jordan retired twice in his career after securing infamous “three-peats” with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan started a new career in Minor League Baseball in late 1993 before returning to the Bulls in 1995, where he went on to secure NBA Championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998 before retiring for a second time at 35 years of age.

With the Bulls still in the ascendency at that time, commentators have speculated that Jordan and the Bulls could have continued its dynasty and dominated the Eastern Conference for a few more years if he and teammates Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman had stayed together. ‘Air Jordan’ returned for a third and final stint with the Washington Wizards before retiring for good in 2003.

Brandon Roy

Shooting guard Brandon Roy was the sixth pick in the 2006 NBA Draft and was named Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, he was never able to fulfill his potential due to an ongoing knee problem. Roy averaged 19 points a game with the Blazers over five seasons before joining the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The then 27-year-old had already undergone six surgeries in an attempt to fix the problem, but he was unable to hold out any longer and eventually retired in 2011. A brief comeback in 2012/13 also ended after five regular-season games as Roy succumbed to another knee injury.

Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas is still considered to be one of the best second-round draft picks. After joining the Golden State Warriors in 2001, ‘Agent Zero’ was named the most improved player in the league after the 2002/03 season and continued to make a name for himself as a leading point guard after being traded to the Washington Wizards.

A career-high record of 29.3 points followed soon after. Unfortunately, things took a turn in the late 2000s when a knee injury and a controversial incident involving a handgun resulted in an indefinite suspension from the NBA. Arenas was never quite the same again, and he retired at 30-years of age in 2012.

Tracy McGrady

Florida-native Tracy McGrady can be considered an NBA journeyman after playing for seven teams during his 16-year career, but many still believe he may have left the game too soon. McGrady, the ninth pick for the Toronto Raptors in the 1997 NBA Draft, really came into his own during a four-year stint with the Orlando Magic in the early 2000s, where he was a two-time NBA scoring champion.

McGrady was a seven-time NBA All Star between 2001 and 2007 before back and knee injuries started to eat into his natural talent and dull the shooting streaks for which he was renowned. He eventually retired at 32 years of age.