Welcome to the future
Were we actually promised jetpacks or did we make that up?
As this is the first Oddball issue of 2021, here are our resolutions:
Watch more handegg. — Jonathan
Get more people to say “handegg” instead of “football.” — Dave
Answers from last week’s issue
With 539 wins, the Niekro brothers have the highest combined win total of any pair of MLB brothers. Which brothers have the most combined wins for pitchers born outside the U.S.?
Ramón and Pedro Martínez combined for 352 wins, the sixth highest total by a pair of pitching brothers.
Who has led the NHL in shots the most times (eleven), averaging 395 shots per 82 games in his career?
Alexander Ovechkin currently sits third overall on the all-time shots list. He will likely pass Jaromír Jágr this season, and could potentially overtake Ray Bourque for first place by the end of the 2021-22 season.
Among the NBA players collecting the ten highest salaries for the 2020-21 season, who had the lowest draft position? (Hint: there are three #1 picks on that list, so it’s not them.)
The three first-overall picks are John Wall, LeBron James, and Blake Griffin. The seven remaining players are Steph Curry (7th), Chris Paul (4th), Russell Westbrook (4th), James Harden (3rd), Kevin Durant (2nd), Paul George (10th), and Klay Thompson, who was drafted 11th overall in 2011 and is the correct answer. Check out the list here.
Of the 20 NFL players who have rushed for the most touchdowns this season, how many are quarterbacks?
When we wrote the question, the answer was five: Cam Newton, Kyler Murray, Taysom Hill, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson. After last weekend’s action, the answer is six, because Ryan Tannehill scored two rushing TDs against Houston.
#marylouquestion
With a win this past Sunday, Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns broke the NFL’s longest postseason drought. Who started at QB the last time the Browns played a playoff game? (Hint: he was undrafted.)
After Dodger Stadium (56,000) and (new) Yankee Stadium (52,325), what MLB park has the largest seating capacity?
What player has the most 20-point, 20-assist games in NBA history?
On two occasions, an NHL team has had three players register 20+ power-play goals in the same season — the 1987-88 Winnipeg Jets and the 1992-93 Buffalo Sabres. What player was on the roster of both teams?
#postscript
RIP Paul Westphal.
Thanks to Mary Lou Retton for being named her name and to you for being named your name, unless your name is Dr. Colossus, because your parents should have named you something different. Maybe you wouldn’t have turned out like you did.
Want to help Oddball out? Click the heart and share this issue with likeminded friends, enemies, and frenemies you think may enjoy the challenge.
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DJ/JY