Draft Szn: SD Favorites Version

Draft Szn is upon us. Some professional futbol americano league drafts this week so I am going to have some fun. So here are my top 3 favorites for each of the following categories/sub-categories that would be "drafted" by me. Feel free to comment your favorites below!

PADRES

Current Padres

1. Manny Margot - I'm not giving up on Manny just yet. I mean I said he was going to start moving towards Superstar status this year so I can't bail on him after a poor start to the year. He's still my favorite current Padre mostly because I know he's a guy that isn't going anywhere.

You don't find center fielders who can be the backbone of a franchise for a decade walking down Park Ave everyday. Hopefully Manny can snap out of this mini slump soon and remind us what he can do with the bat.

2. Tyson Ross - Missed it by that much last Friday. I'm glad he came out of the start yesterday healthy after throwing 2987 pitches trying to get a No No last week. I was genuinely happy when I heard the news we had signed him for this season. It was such a damn shame how his first go round in SD ended.

One year an All Star, the next a ghost. If you have read or listened to anything I've done before you know I'm a big Tyson guy, more so than MiserableSDfan no matter what he claims he whispered in Tyson's ear. I hope Ross can keep it going because it's such an awesome story. The only downside is that if he keeps crushing it while staying healthy, he'll probably be traded.

3. Joey Lucchesi - Joey F'n Fuegs. We're blessed. This kid is a STUD. Where's all the people who said he projected to be a 5th starter? If he's a 5th SP in our rotation we better be winning multiple WS.

F*ck projections. Projections are for dweebs. AJ gave the guy an opportunity to show what he's made of, and he's rocked it ever since. He's just a man with a mind for victory and an arm like a f'n cannon.


2000s Padres (2000-2009)

1. Khalil Greene (2003-08) - The Real Deal. I grew up playing SS as a little leaguer so I've always been biased towards the position. So when the Padres got a goofy looking blonde hair kid who hit bombs I was all about it. Sure he had some issues, more so than others, but he was arguably the most exciting player we had to watch this decade night in and night out. The plays he made at short we spectacular.


His defense was always a big plus, but when he figured it out at the plate back in 2007 when he hit 27 HR and 97 RBI it felt like we were on the verge of having a special player. But his Padres tenure ended after the next season and his career was over just one more year after that. Just a sad story. Loved Khalil the Real Deal.

2. Jake Peavy (2002 -09) - That was a tough choice for number one. The Snake could have easily claimed the top spot, but like I said I was a SS and a shit pitcher. My favorite thing about Peavy wasn't his wicked 2 seamer, or the monster chaw he had in at all times. My favorite thing about him by far was the way he was always yelling at himself while on the mound.

Sorry for the Giants video but it was a perfect example for my previous sentence. I lovethat fire and that passion. Baseball gets pretty damn boring after awhile so any sort of secondary entertainment is more than welcomed. Peavy brought the Cy Young back to SD for the first time since '89 and it could be awhile until we get another one (I'm thinking Gore in 2023).

3. Tim Stauffer (2005-14) - I guess he goes here. The guy who was highly touted but couldn't stay healthy enough to really do much. I know people have an affinity for Tim like teenage girls do about vampire sci-fi but call a spade a spade. The guy pitched more than 83 innings once in his career. It's hard to believe he was on the roster for nine years because I feel like I saw him pitch 10 times total. Why is he even here if I'm just talking shit? Because of that longevity. Have to respect a man who slipped through the cracks for 9 years bringing in over 11 million while receiving the best health care possible.

1998 Padres

1. Tony Gwynn  - DUH. I'll leave this here for those with time to kill.



2. Chris Gomez - GO GO GOMEZ!!!! Favorite Padres chant of all time, I don't care if it was only Brown Padres, me, and a couple other guys who knew it. I mentioned my thing for SS and that's the big reasoning behind this selection. I know Gomez wasn't anything special and that there are better players out there but he was a solid role player on one of the best teams in franchise history. In '98 Gomez had his best year as a Padre, posting a staggering 1.7 WAR with the bat while finishing first in the NL in fielding (98%) for all SS. Jeter who?!?!?!?!?


3.  Ken Caminiti - Maybe the most badass Padre of all time. His last season with the Padres was his worst with his BA taking a big dip, but he still slashed .282/.353/.509 with 27 HR, 82 RBI, and a OPS+ of 132. The only Padre to win NL MVP (1996) made highlights with the glove and the bat everyday in the uniform while playing through some gruesome injuries. Sadly we haven't had a 3B who can hold a candle to Cam in the last 20 years, hopefully something to change in the not so distant future by either Hudson Potts or Fernando Tatis Jr. Any Padres fan alive at the time will never forget that play he made from his ass.

Aztecs Basketball

Current Aztecs Basketball Players

1. Jalen McDaniels - We have one more year of this kid so we must enjoy. If this team makes a run at any postseason glory next year he will be the biggest reason why. He literally filled the shoes of the departed Zylan Cheatham with the same bounce and hustle, except imho he's a better version, certainly on the offensive end. If he learns how to shoot the three this offseason while adding some weight to his frame, he could be a 1st rounder in next year's draft.



2. Matt Mitchell - He's the guy moving forward. Going to be one of the best Aztecs ever when it's said and done. He appears to be a 4 year player which means a 4 year starter which means watch out Aztecs record books. The fact that he only got two shots up vs Houston in the tournament must be eating Dutcher alive. The dude can score inside and out. As you'll see in the video below, he uses his body extremely well creating shots inside for himself. He should continue to dominate the smaller guards he will face the rest of his career on The Mesa.



3. Jordan Schakel - The next Tim Shelton/JJ O'Brien. A blue collar type player who looks to take the charge and make the extra pass. He does all the dirty work and is capable of of knocking down the three. His role will continue to expand and he will be a very important piece of the future. Every team needs a player like Jordan and the Aztecs have one locked up for three more years.


All Time Aztecs Basketball Players

NOTE: Players that I watched with my own two eyeballs (negates TG/Cage/etc.)

1.  Xaiver Thames (2011-14) -X Gon Give It To Ya. And he gave it to MWC foes for three straight seasons for the Tekkies. Once DJ Gay graduated as one of the more decorated played in Aztecs history, he left a huge void at PG -- the most important position in college basketball. Thames stepped right in without skipping a beat. In his first season he avg 10.1 pts (3rd on team) and 4.1 apg (1st). In his senior season he led the team to its 2nd Sweet 16 appearance in 2014, the same year he won the MWC Player of the Year award. Here's his highlights from that season:



2. Brandon Heath (2004-07) - Baller. Click on that link to see all of the ridiculous stats/records he had and holds as an Aztec.


My favorite memory of Brandon Heath was not in Cox/Viejas Arena, but actually in the Peterson Gym back in 2005. I played in an High School All Star Game there and then that featured San Diego players [ incl. HS Legends like Richie Williams, Lance Hurdle, & Luke Kelley ;) ] vs Los Angeles players. The day before the game I was on campus with a couple other SD reps and we found ourselves in the gym shooting around. Well Heath was there too, and for about 5 minutes we started playing a pickup game before the Game Director shut it down because "we couldn't get hurt." Thanks for ruining a memory guy. It was an awesome five minutes though.

3. Al Faux (2000-02) - The former walk on was a huge reason the Aztecs made the tournament for the first time since 1985 back in 2002. Randy Holcomb or Tony Bland might be the more recognizable names from that team, but Faux led the team in scoring with 17 ppg while shooting 41% from 3pt land. This team featuring Faux created the excitement and laid down the foundation for where the Program is today.

Aztecs FB in the NFL

Aztecs in the NFL - All Time

NOTE: Players that I watched with my own two eyeballs

1. Marshall Faulk (1994-2005) - Watching Faulk at SDSU is one of my favorite San Diego sports memories. My family had season tickets so every fall for three years we would go watch Marshall terrorize the WAC. At SDSU he averaged 6.0 YPC, 1,530 yards per season, and 19 TDs. And that's just RUSHING stats. My once prized possession was a 1992 Aztecs Football VHS Highlight Tape which I can still picture in my mind if I close my mind hard enough. OF course he went on to be a NFL HOFer and one of the best RBs to ever play the game. So many videos our there I could only choose one. God Damn I miss those Classic all black uniforms. One of the best ever in CFB:



2. Az-Zahir Hakim (1998 - 2006) Devin Hester before Devin Hester, Az was a highlight reel as a returner AND he could actually play WR (unlike Hester). He was of course was apart of the Greatest Show on Turf along with Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt among others. Just look at that man wiggle:



Talk about taking HD for granted. Can't believe that's how we used to watch sports.

3. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (2000-08) May have had more fun saying/hearing this guy's name than actually watching what he did on the field. Okay that was just nonsense, my apologies. KGB was drafted by the Packers in 2000 and went on to wreak havoc in the NFC North for almost a decade.

KGB: Fear the Collar

In 2003 he became the 1st player in Packers history to record 10 or more sacks in three consecutive seasons. In 2007, he also surpassed the HOF Reggie White as the all time Packers sacks leader  with 69 sacks (nice), which is quite an accomplishment. In 2013, Kabeer was selected to the Green Bay Packers HOF.


Aztecs in the NFL - Current

1. Rashaad Penny (2018 - ?) Not even drafted yet but he's #1. Everyone knew back in the 2016-17 season that Penny, not Donnel Pumphrey, was the more legit option as a NFL RB. He has the size that Pumphrey lacks and still has that breakaway speed. He is a 2nd round hopeful in a stacked RB class. On Tuesday I mentioned that I would love for him to be taken by the Browns in round 2 so I can hop on that bandwagon.

2. Damontae Kazee (2017 - ?) A 5th round selection in last year's draft, the former MWC lockdwon corner will have a chance to earn some Nickel reps this season in a loaded Falcons secondary. We saw what this guy can do at The Murph: all he needs is an opportunity.

3. Gavin Escobar (2013 - ?) Tough list to compile. Escobar recently signed with the Dolphins after playing in 2 games for Baltimore last season. He was drafted by the Cowboys in 2013 and never quite broke through, most likely because that dinosaur Jason Witten is still around and contributing. Escobar highest catch total in 9 in his rookie season, so hopefully he can actually get some snaps and surpass that total. Good luck Gavin.