1994 College Basketball

1. Corliss Williamson: Was the MVP of the Final Four and All-Tournament Team. He was the SEC Player of the Year and 2^nd team All-American.

Overall for the season “Big Nasty” put up 20.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and shot over 62% from the field in just 29 minutes of actions per game.

In the Tournament (six games) Williamson scored 21.7 points grabbed 8.2 rebounds and blocked 2.3 shot per game and maintained his 62% from the field.

In the national Semis vs #9 ranked Arizona he was 11-18 from the field. He tallied 29-13 and five assists.

In the title game (played in Charlotte, NC) he put up 23 and 8 in Arkansas’ 76-72 victory over #6 Duke.

Arkansas won the national championship over Duke. They finished 31-3 over including 14-2 (SEC West champs). In the final poll they were #2 and were the top seed in the Midwest. The Hogs averaged over 92 points per game (3^rd in the NCAA) and outscored their opponents by 18 a game.

2. Glenn Robinson: Was the unanimous Player of the Year. He was the Big Ten Player of the Year (also named Big Ten Male Athlete of the year) after leading the conference in scoring and rebounds (10.1). He earned many other awards.

He led the nation with 30.3 per game. He shot over 48%, (including 38 on threes) and nearly 80% from the line.

The Big Dog guided Purdue to the Big Ten title with 37 points including the game-winner over then #3 Michigan.

Then he followed that up with 49 in the season finale win over Illinois to clinch the conference crown.

In the NCAAs, he dropped 44 on #13 Kansas in the sweet 16.

Purdue won a competitive Big Ten (14-4) and went 29-5 (3^rd in the final poll). They were the top seed in the Southeast Region and advanced to the Regional Final, losing to Duke. The Boilermakers, sparked by Robinson, scored over 84 points per game.

3. Grant Hill: Was a consensus first team All-American, and the ACC Player of the Year.

He was also named All-Tournament team and the Southeast Regional MVP.

He averaged 17.4 points, 6.9 rebs, 5.2 ast, and 1.9 steals while shooting 39% on 3s.

In the NCAA tournament Hill put up 17.7 points, 8.3 rebs, 5.7 asts and shot 50% (40-80) from the field.

It was Hill’s defense that shut down Glenn Robinson and held him to a season low 13 points and forced 6 turnovers.

In the Final Four vs #14 ranked Florida Hill went all 40 minutes, and had 25-6-5 in Duke’s 70-65 comeback win.

In the championship game vs Arkansas he has 12-14(career high), 6 assists and three blocks. His game three tied the game at 70 with just over a minute to go.

Duke finished the season 28-6 and was #6 in the final poll. They advanced to their 4^th title game in five years. They won the ACC regular season with a 12-4 record.

NFL 1993

1. Emmitt Smith: Was the MVP and Super Bowl MVP.

He led the NFL in rushing (1486) for the third straight season. (He missed the first two games of the season due to a contract holdout).

He also had a league best 5.3 yards per carry and 1900 yards from scrimmage. Emmitt added 10 TDs.

He was consensus All-NFL and a Pro Bowler.

In two wins over the Eagles Smith totaled 409 yards rushing and averaged 7.71 yards per carry.

Smith carried Dallas to a division title. In the final game of the regular season Dallas broke a tie in the standings with New York with an overtime victory over the Giants. Smith separated his shoulder, but still managed 168 yards on the ground, 61 yards receiving, including Dallas’ lone TD on a pass from Troy Aikman.

Smith’s dominance continued in the postseason with 173 total yards and two first half TDs to aid Dallas to a 28-7 halftime lead in their 38-21 rout of the San

Francisco.

In the Super Bowl against Buffalo he methodically pushed the Cowboys to their second straight title. With the score tied at 13-13 in the 3^rd quarter, Smith accounted for 61 of 64 yards on the go ahead drive including the last 15 to the end zone.

Smith finished with 132 yards and two scores, both in the second half.

Dallas went 12-4 to win the NFC East. They finished second the NFL scoring 23.5 per game. They beat Green Bay by 10 and San Fran by 17 to win the NFC. They won their 2^nd straight Super Bowl 30-13 over the Bills.

2. Steve Young: Was first team All-NFL and the starting QB for the NFC Pro Bowl team.

Led the NFL in passing (101.5 rating), and TDs (29). He was second in the league in yards (4023), and completion percentage (68). He was third with 314 completions.

He added 407 yards 2 TDs rushing.

He set a career high with 465 yards, and added 4 TDs against the Rams.

He was 17-23 for 226 yards and a TD in the

Niners

44-3 beat down of New York in the Division Playoffs.

He threw for 287 and a score while running in a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game loss to the Cowboys.

Young directed the NFL’s top offense (29.6 points per game). The 10-6 NFC West champs 49ers outscored their opponents by a league leading 144 points.

3. Sterling Sharpe: Broke his own NFL record with 112 receptions in the 1993 season. He was a consensus All-Pro and Pro Bowl starter.

He became the 1^st player in NFL history with back to back 100 catch seasons.

He finished 3^rd in the league with 1274 yards and 11 TDs.

He show amazing consistency with at least six catches in his final 11 games (Green Bay went 7-4).

He hauled in 11 of Brett Favre’s 19 TDs pass this season.

In the playoffs at Detroit, his first quarter TD put GB up 7-3. He scored again from 28 yards out in the third quarter. With the Packers trailing late in the 4^th quarter, Sharpe blew past the Lions’ secondary for the winning TD with 55 seconds to play.

Sharpe finished the day with five catches for three touchdowns and 101 yards. In the divisional round against the Cowboys he had 6-128 and a TD. He averaged over 20 yards catch in the postseason.

Green Bay went 9-7 to earn a wild card berth. They beat Detroit 28-24 but fell to Dallas 27-17 in round two.

College Football 1993

1. Charlie Ward: Won Heisman Trophy. Won by the second widest margin ever at the time. He was a consensus All-American.

His won the awards for Player of the Year (Camp and Maxwell), and QB of the year (Unitas and O’Brien). He won the Sullivan award given to the “best amateur athlete” in the US.

He passed for 3032 yards, completed 69% of his passes including 27 TDs and just 4 Ints.

He was ACC Player of the Year.

He torched #15 Miami for 256 yards and a rushing and passing TD in 28-10 win. He finished the regular season in stomping rival #5 Florida 33-21. In Gainesville Ward smoked the Gators for 38-53 446 yards and 4TD tosses.

In the National title game in the Orange Bowl, he passed 286 yards.

Florida State won the National Championship 18-16 over Nebraska and finished the season 12-1, 8-0 as ACC Champs. Their only loss was 31-24 at #2 Notre Dame.

He directed and offense that scored over 41 points per contest.

Ward was also a basketball standout for the Seminoles.

2. Trev Alberts: Was a consensus All-American and the top defensive player in the nation.

He won numerous awards including Big 8 Male Athlete of the Year. Football News National Defensive Player of Year. He was the Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year.

He was the NCAA’s top linebacker garnering the Butkus and Lambert awards.

He put up staggering numbers with 96 tackles, and 21 of those behind the line. He had 15 sacks in 11 games.

In the National Title, Albert broke loose with three sacks while being named Orange Bowl defensive MVP.

Nebraska started the season 11-0 and won the Big 8. They lost 18-16 to #1 Florida St. and finished #3 in the final polls.

3. Heath Shuler: Was the runner-up in the Heisman voting. He was the SEC Player of the Year and a finalist for the QB of the Year.

He threw for 2353 yards 25 TDs and completed over 64% of his passes.

He passed for 355 yards and five TDs in a loss to #5 Florida.

Shuler threw for 215 and a score in a 45-10 route of then #13 Louisville.

He set a school record with 18 straight games with a TD pass, including all 12 in 1993.

Tennessee went 10-2, including 7-1 in the SEC (East co-champs). They lost to eventual #8 Penn St. in the Citrus Bowl. The Vols, who scored 40.3 points per game, finished #12 in the final poll.

MLB 1993

1. Paul Molitor: Was the World Series MVP for the Blue Jays. He was 12-24 in the six games with 10 runs scored and eight RBIs.

His two-run triple and solo HR sparked Toronto to a 10-3 Game 3 win and a 2-1 series lead

Molitor’s RBI double started the Blue Jays’ six run eighth inning rally in their epic 15-14 win in Game 4.

In Game 6 Molitor again started off the scoring in the 1^st with a triple, homered for the second time in the series in the 5^th, and singled in the bottom of the ninth, which set up Joe Carter’s Series winning walk-off, 3R-HR.

Against Chicago in the ALCS he was 9-23 (.391), with 7 runs and 5 RBIs. He had a 4-5, 3 RBI, 2 R Game 1 performance, as Toronto won 7-3.

In the regular season he was second in the MVP voting. He was an All-Star and Silver Slugger as a DH. He earned that status by leading the league with 211 hits, and finishing second in the AL in batting at .332, runs (121) and at bats (636).

At age 36 he had a career high 22 HRs, 111 RBIs (surpassed in 1996) along with 22 steals.

The Blue Jays had the best record in the AL with 95 wins and won the East by seven games over New York. They beat the White Sox in six games to win the pennant. Toronto won their 2^nd straight World Series 4-2 over the Phillies.

2. Barry Bonds: National League MVP for the third time in four years.

He was close to a triple crown. He led the NL with 46 home runs and 123 RBIs. He was 4^th in the league with .336 averages.

Barry topped the senior circuit in on base, and slugging percentage as well as walks and total bases (365). He was second in the league scoring 129 runs. Bonds swiped 29 bases.

He was the starting leftfielder for the NL in the All-Star game (2-3, 2 R), a Gold Glover and Silver Slugger.

The 1993 Giants won 103 games and finished a game behind Atlanta in the NL West. That was 31 more than 1992 when Bonds was not in San Francisco. The Giants finished six games ahead of East champion Philadelphia.

3. Frank Thomas: He won the American League MVP. He was ML Player of the Year, named by the Sporting News. He was a All-Star and Silver Slugger as a first baseman.

He posted a .311 average (6^th), 41 HR (3^rd), 128 RBI (2^nd), and 106 runs.

He finished in the top five in the AL in on-base and slugging %, OPS, total bases and walks.

In Game 4 of the ALCS Thomas helped Chicago tie the series at 2-2 with his game-tying home run in the sixth. The White Sox won 7-4. He was 6-17 in the series (.353) and walked 10 times (.593 OBP).

The White Sox won 94 games (eight more than 1992) and the AL West by eight games over Texas. They went to their first playoffs in a decade and lost in six games to Toronto.