NFL 1991

1. Mark Rypien: Threw for 3564 yards (4th in NFL) and for 28 touchdowns (2nd) and posted the league’s second best passer rating (97.9).

Those numbers in 16 games, earned him 2nd team All-NFL by the AP and 1st Team All-NFC by Pro Football Weekly.

Rypien also led the NFL by averaging 14.3 yard per completion.

He was a Pro Bowler following the season.

On Nov. 10th he set a team record with six TD tosses in a 56-17 rout of Atlanta.


In the NFC Championship game against Detroit he was 12-17 for 226 yards and two second half TDs, as the Redskins strolled to the Super Bowl 41-10.

In Super Bowl XXVI against Buffalo, Rypien ripped through the Bills defensive. He threw for 292 yards and 2 more TDs. Rypien propelled Washington to a 37-10 4th quarter lead in a 37-24 win.

The Redskins went 14-2 in regular season and won the NFC East. They led the NFL with 30.3 points per game, and started the season 11-0.


2. Thurman Thomas: Was the NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. Was also named first team All-NFL and a Pro Bowler.

He led the NFL in yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving) with 2038 and yards per carry.

In 15 games, Thomas ran for an AFC best 1407 yards (3rd in the NFL). He scored 12 total TDs, 4th in the NFL. Thomas added 62 receptions for 631 yards.

He started his MVP season with a bang. He ran for 165 yards and hauled in eight passes for 103 yards and scored 2 TDs, in a 35-31 win over Miami.

In the divisional playoffs vs. Kansas City Thomas ran for an even 100 yards and added 21 more in the air in the Bills 37-14 rout.

Buffalo went on to beat Denver to go to the Super Bowl, where they lost to Washington. The Bills went 13-3 and won the AFC East by five games. Thomas helped Buffalo to the league’s top rush offense and second best total offense that average 28.6 points per game.

3. Barry Sanders: He was named first team All-NFL and to the Pro Bowl. He was awarded the Bert Bell award, as player of the year. Sanders finished second in the NFL with 1536 rush yards. He topped the league with 103.2 yards per game (15 games) and 17 total touchdowns, the most in Lions history.

He was second in the league with 342 carries and 1855 yards from scrimmage.

Scampered for team records 220 yards and 4 TDs on just 23 carries in the Metrodome vs. Minnesota on Nov. 24. It one of eight 100 yard games.

His 47 yard burst sealed a 38-6 divisional playoff win over Dallas, thie first playoff win since 1957.

Detroit was 12-4 and won the NFC Central. The advanced to the NFC title game, where they lost to eventual Super Bowl champion Washington.

College Football 1991

1. Steve Emtman: Won several defensive awards in 1991. Won Lombardi Trophy (best lineman or linebacker), the Outland Trophy (interior lineman), Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year, and was a consensus All-American.

Emtman finished 4^th in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He was the Co-MVP of the Rose Bowl as his Huskies routed then #4 Michigan 34-14.

The Huskies’ defense allowed 9.5 points per game in their 12 games and allowed nation’s best 237.1 yards per game.

Washington captured a co-National Championship with Miami after finishing the season 12-0. Washington was #1 in the coaches poll.

2. Desmond Howard: Had 63 receptions for 985 yards and a nation’s leading

19 TDs receiving. He scored four more TDs rushing, and returning.

He totaled 1895 All-Purpose yards in 12 games for the Wolverines.

He convincingly won the Heisman Trophy by the second largest margin of votes. He also won the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards as

College Football Player of Year. Howard received Big Ten Athlete and Offensive Player of the Year.

Howard’s most famous moments came against Notre Dame and his defining moment against arch rival Ohio State.

Michigan won the Big Ten and finished #6 in the final poll after a 10-1 regular season and losing 34-14 to Washington in the Rose Bowl.

3. Gino Torretta: He threw for 3095 yards and 20 TDs with just eight Ints.

He threw for 6 TDs in two wins over top 10 opponents Houston and Penn State.

He directed the Hurricanes to a fourth quarter comeback win over then #1 Florida State 17-16.

Torretta threw for 257 yards and a TD in Miami’s 22-0 Orange Bowl pounding of #11 Nebraska.

He was the Big East Offensive Player of the Year.

Miami went 12-0 and was co-National Champions along with Washington. They were Big East and Orange Bowl Champions as well.

Baseball 1991

1. Jack Morris: Fourth in the AL with 18 Wins. Was 3^rd in the league with over 246 innings pitched and 10 complete games pitched. He had a 3.43 ERA and struck out 163.

Morris won Game 1 and 4 of the ALCS against Toronto. In the Game 4 win he went eight innings and gave up just two runs.

Morris gave up 3 runs in seven IP in a Game 1 win of the World Series vs. Atlanta. In Game 4, the right hander went six strong innings, but did not factor into the decision.

In Game 7 of the World Series, he carried the Twins to their 2^nd World Title in five years. Morris shutdown the Braves, with the first and only 10 inning shutout in a World Series game, as Minnesota won 1-0.

The 36 year old, was named World Series MVP and

finished the series two wins and allowed just three runs in 23 IP.

Morris also started the All-Star game for the American League.

The Twins finished season with 95 wins and won American League West by eight games.

2. Barry Bonds: Hit 25 HRs and drove in 116 runs, which was second in the National League. Hit .292 and scored 95 runs. He finished with 43 stolen bases, which was fifth in the league.

Bonds led the league with a .410 on base % and was 4^th in the NL with .514 slugging percentage.

He finished second the MVP voting. Won the Gold Glove in left field and silver slugger award for the OF.

The Pirates won 98 games and the National League East by 14 games. They had the best record in MLB by three games but lost to Atlanta in the NLCS in seven games.

3. Kirby Puckett: Hit .319 and had 195 hits. He scored 92 runs and drove in 89 more. He hit 15 home runs.

Puckett won the Gold Glove, and was named anAll-Star.

He was the 1991 ALCS MVP as the Twins defeated in the Blue Jays.

In that series he was 9-21 (.429) in five games. In the clinching Game 5 he drilled a solo HR in the 1^st, and hit the go ahead single in the 8^th inning. He had two HRs, five RBIs and four runs in the ALCS.

In the World Series vs. Atlanta, Puckett drove in four runs and scored four times.

In Game 6 Puckett’s run scoring triple opened the scoring for the Twins. His sac fly broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the 5^th. In the bottom of the 11^th inning, he forced a game 7 with a walk off home run.

The Twins won the World Series in seven games over Atlanta, after finishing the regular season with 95 wins and the American League West crown.

NCAA Basketball 1991

1. Larry Johnson: Played in 35 games. Scored 22.7 points and grabbed 11 rebounds per game while converting 2 of every 3 shots from the field. He shot 81.8% on free throws.
   

Won three different major national Player of Year awards. Was Big West regular season and conference tournament MVP.

Scored nearly 22 points per game in his five NCAA tournament contests, including 30 in the West Regional Final against Seton Hall. He added over ten rebounds and two steals a game in postseason play.

UNLV went undefeated in the regular season (30-0) and finished the 34-1 after losing to Duke in the Final Four. Runnin’ Rebels won the West Region as the top seed and the #1 ranked team in the country.

2. Christian Laettner: Played in 39 games. He averaged almost 20 points, nine rebounds per game. He also averaged 1.92 steals per game and shot 57.5% from the field and 80% from the line.

He was the Most Outstanding Player in 1991 Final Four as he led the Blue Devils to their first national championship. He scored 28 points in the stunning upset of #1 UNLV in the semis and put in 18 points and had 10 rebounds in the final against Kansas.

Duke finished the season 32-7 and was #6 in the final rankings before the postseason, as they were ACC regular season champions.

Laettner was was a consensus 2^nd team All-American. He also named All-Final Four, All-ACC Tournament and All-MidWest Region in the NCAAs.

3. Shaquille O’Neal: Played in 28 games and averaged 27.6 points 14.7 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 1.46 steals per game. He set an NCAA record with 17 rejections against Mississippi St. He shot 62.8% from the field.

O’Neal was the SEC Player of the Year for the regular season champions. LSU finished 20-10, but lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

O’Neal earned first team All-American and won the Rupp trophy (Player of the Year).

1991 NBA

#1.

Michael Jordan: Lead League with 31.5 points per game, 3rd in the league with 2.7 steals per game. Averaged six rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. Shot 53.9% on field goals and 85.1% on free throws.

Played in all 82 games. Averaged over 31 points and 8 assist per game in 17 playoff games.

1^st team All-NBA and 1^st team All-Defensive.

Regular Season and Finals MVP.

Bulls went 61-21 in the regular season and 15-2 in playoffs, including defeating the Lakers in five games to win the NBA title.

#2.

Magic Johnson: Scored 19.4 points per game and finished second in the league with 12.4 assists per game. Grabbed seven rebounds per game. Shot 90.6% on free throws.

1^st team All-NBA and finished 2^nd in MVP voting.

Averaged 21.8 points, 12.8 assists, and 8.1 rebounds in 19 playoffs games.

Lakers went 58-24 and advanced to the NBA Finals.

#3.

David Robinson: Played in all 82 games and averaged 25.6 points, a league leading 13 rebounds. Was second the NBA with 3.9 blocks per game. Shot 55.2% from the field.

1^st team All-NBA and All-Defensive. 3^rd in MVP voting.

Spurs won Midwest Division with a 55-27 record and lost in the 1st round of the playoffs.