Top 30 Christmas Songs of All Time

Christmas has always been very meaningful to me.  From my earliest memories of our family gatherings to more recent times watching Rachel cut a balsam tree down and dragging it through the snow for the family to decorate and every memory in between -- this is my favorite time of the year.  

For a few years I have been contemplating building a list of my favorite Christmas songs but it was not until this year that I took the time to put pen to paper.  What better than a global pandemic to conduct research for such an endeavor!  And thus my project of listing out the top Christmas songs of all time was born.  

But what defines a Christmas song?  It is not merely a religious song that you could hear on any given Sunday in a Catholic church.  For this list, it is defined as any song that features the word Christmas, appears in a Christmas movie, makes reference to Santa Claus or is about the a true meaning a Christmas -- the birth of Jesus!

Once I had the definition clear in my head, then I needed to figure out which Christmas songs appealed to me the most.  The basic question I kept asking myself was 'which songs could I listen to on repeat if I were 16 years old again bagging groceries at Econo Foods for a 9 hour shift in December and Christmas songs were on endless repeat?'  

That doesn't mean that the list only contains classical Christmas songs, or even those created before my grocery bagging career started in 1991.  This is an all encompassing list ranging from the 16th century until present day. 

Here is what I what I came up with.  Read on and see if you agree. 

30. Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano - This festive song is a Christmas mainstay but had it's ranking hurt by its repetitive nature.  There are only 20 unique words sang over and over for 3 minutes.  

29. Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid - An often forgotten collaboration from 1984 included such stars as Phil Collins, Boy George, Sting, George Michael and others raised $24 million for starving children in Ethiopia.

28. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town by Bruce Springsteen - The Boss recorded the live version of this Haven Gillespie song just 17 days after I was born in 1975 and still today it receives the most airplay of all renditions.

27. Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney - This original Christmas song was recorded by McCartney as part of his solo career in 1979 after the final album from Wings was released but the synthesizer 

26. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by MercyMe - Dating back to the 1700's, this song is also known as Tidings of Comfort and Joy and makes the list with a version by MercyMe from their 2005 album The Christmas Sessions, 

25. Blue Christmas by Elvis - First rerecorded in 1948, this song was made famous in 1957 when the King recorded it for his 1957 Christmas album. 

24. I'll Be Home for Christmas by Bing Crosby - Recorded in 1943, this classic Christmas song features a soldier writing a letter to his family from overseas during World War II that he will be home for Christmas, if only in his dreams.

23. Believe by Josh Groban - From the Polar Express soundtrack, this song reached the top of the Billboard adult contemporary chart and received a Grammy in 2006 for best song written for a motion picture

22. Hark the Herald Sing by Rebecca St. James - This is modern take of the song from the early 18th century appears on the Unexpected Gifts: 12 New Sounds Of Christmas album from 2006.

21. A Mad Russian's Christmas by Trans-Siberian Orchestra - This song is literally impossible to describe as it includes everything from a soft intro to a crazed paced piano and rock guitar riff with everything in between. 

The Top 20

20. Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi - This song from the American jazz pianist gained popularity in 1965 as part of the Charlie Brown Christmas special. 

19. This Christmas Time by Samantha Hooey - This song was featured in a 2017 Hallmark Christmas movie entitled Christmas Next Door.

18. Mele Kalikimaka by Bing Crosby - From the Hawaiian phrase meaning "Merry Christmas," this song was recorded in 1949 and was featured prominently in a Clark Griswold dream sequence during the 1989 movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

17. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee - Recorded in 1958 by Lee when she was only 13 years old, most people today associate this song with the 1990 movie Home Alone during a scene when Kevin (McCallister) stages a holiday party to help ward off burglars. 

16. Please Come Home for Christmas by Eagles - This song from 1960 has been covered by many artists including Bon Jovi and Martina McBride but the best version was the Eagles cover in 1978,

15. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland - This song was written for the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis and made the American Film Institute top 100 songs of the last 100 years.

14. A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives - This song appeared in the 1964 Christmas special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer that also featured Burl Ives as the narrator.

13. Mary, Did You Know? by Cimorelli - Written in 1984, this modern a cappella version is best described as haunting.

12. Christmas Eve / Sarajevo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra - This powerful and fast paced acoustic Christmas song features their take on 1914 Ukrainian folk song Carol of the Bells.

11. Joy to the World by Faith Hill - First published over 300 years ago, this song has many versions with the best coming from Faith Hill in 2008.

The Top 10

10. Angels We Have Heard on High by Chris Tomlin - This Christmas song about the birth of Jesus is sung to the hymn Gloria, with this version recorded for the 2009 album Glory in the Highest.

9. White Christmas by Bing Crosby - Released in 1942, this is the best selling single of all time (50 million), which is ahead of Elton John's Candle in the Wind 1997 by a whopping 17 million!

8. Boughs of Holly by Trans-Siberian Orchestra - This is a modern rock take of the 16th century Welsh song Deck the Halls.

7. Silent Night by Michael Bublé - Witten in the early 1800's in Austria, this song was made most popular by Bing Crosby as the 4th best selling single of all time, but the Bublé version is the rendition that makes this list. 

6. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year by Andy Williams - From 1964, this song about typical Christmas traditions makes reference to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol with the lyrics "telling of scary ghost stories."

5. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow by Dean Martin - Though first released in 1957 by Frank Sinatra, the (better) version that makes this list is by Dean Martin from 1959.

4. O Come, All Ye Faithful - Chris Tomlin - This song was translated into English from the original Latin lyrics in the mid 1700's and has been covered many times. 

3. Christmas Canon by Trans-Siberian Orchestra - From their 1998 album The Christmas Attic, this song features a children's choir and is one of the best selling Christmas songs of all time.  

2. Let it be Christmas by Alan Jackson - From the 2002 album of the same name, this song features lyrics promoting the notion that the feeling of the Christmas season should continue throughout the entire year. 

And the #1 Christmas Song of all Time is... 

1. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Perry Como - This song from 1951 celebrates a simpler time when Christmas decorations appeared in front windows of department stores.

Missed: 

Do You Hear What I Hear? - Bing Crosby

2020 Christmas Movie Challenge

Last year I watched a Christmas movie on November 6th.  

I immediately felt full of the Christmas spirit and wanted that feeling of joy and hope to continue.  So I watched another Christmas movie.  And another and another and so on and so forth.  Thus the 50 Christmas Movies in 50 Days Challenge was born!  The plan was to average watching a Christmas movie once a day for a span of 50 days that would culminate with watching A Christmas Story on Christmas Day.  

2020 has been a year where normal is not normal as we are living during a time of pandemic.  So many people started putting up Christmas decorations earlier than ever before because they were looking to embrace that same joyous holiday feeling during a year that has been filled mostly with despair. 

So how could I improve upon last years challenge?  Not that bigger is always better, but the definition of a challenge is that it should be, well, challenging.  Without a notion of a plan, I watched my first Christmas movie on October 27th.  Quickly I realized that it was exactly 60 days until Christmas.  And thus the 60 Christmas Movies in 60 Days challenge was born.

Last year I just one simple rule -- that I had to watch 50 Christmas movies in 50 days -- no more, no less.  This year I expanded on that with just one more rule, which is more of a guideline.  I want to try to not be more than 2 movies ahead (or behind) schedule.  The rationale was that this was not about binge watching eight or 10 movies in a weekend and lapsing until the following weekend.  This is because I want to embody the season on a daily basis, not in mass quantities and then lapse back into despondency or gloom for days at a time.

Last year I was scouring Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu and toward the end of the challenge the quality of movies was very poor.  This year the quality of movies vastly improved as I invested in the frndly app which includes the Hallmark family of channels. 

What are some observations for what comprises a Hallmark Christmas movie?  It will contain 3 or more of the following scenarios.

• A successful business person working in the big city returns home and stays there to work
• Someone rediscovers the Christmas spirit after having a reason to be swear it off 
• A single parent who had shied away from love, finds it again
• A famous country movie star returns to their home town incognito 
• Some sort of festival, parade, fund raiser or holiday event needs to be planned and there is likely only a matter of weeks to pull it all off
• A kiss happens between the two main characters in the final 30 seconds of the movie, though they may have attempted to kiss earlier only to be interrupted 
• A struggling small business in financial hardship is saved just in time for Christmas
• A young 30 something person is up for a promotion that they are far from qualified for at that age
• There is a snow storm that forces people to remain in town for longer than planned
• Will be filmed in Canada, but have a plot that includes New York City + (Vermont, Tennessee or Montana)
• Will feature a former child star, a soap opera actress or someone who has appeared on How I Met Your Mother or an extra on CSI including Candace Cameron-Bure, Lacy Chabert, Sarah Lancaster, Erin Cahill, Brooke D'Orsay, Ashley Williams, Brooke Nevin, Erin Krakow,  or Rachel Boston
• There will be plenty of hot cocoa drank and seldom will there be alcohol 
• It will only take (as many as) 12 days to fall in love, spanning the 12 days of Christmas
• Either a snow man or a snow angel will be made
• There will be a Christmas tree lighting ceremony
• There will be an inn or lodge that may be in financial hardship, be passed down in the family or have other sentimental value
• There will be a man who looks just like Santa Claus and may even serve as Santa for the town this season and you are lead to believe he is the real Santa but will mysteriously vanish on Christmas Eve, assumedly heading back to the North Pole to deliver presents
• Son inherits fathers company and either struggles to find himself in his fathers successful shadow or must pass a series of challenges to prove he is worthy of taking over.
• With their relationship in the budding stage, the lead female will uncharacteristically become clumsy and fall into the arms of the lead male and create an awkward moment in which they both realize that they are falling in love with each other and should kiss, but are preempted by the females former love interest.  

Additions from collaboration with Gina DeMuro Zeafla

• There will be a misunderstanding approximately 20 minutes before the end of the movie which pulls the two love interests apart, leaving little time for the reconciliation and falling in love at the final scene.
• The frequent “impossibly beautiful but stubborn daughter trying to save her family’s farm or small shop from bankruptcy, only to be annoyed by the rich business man who came to most-likely develop the land.”
• Handsome widower with permanent 5-o’clock shadow and one bitter 11 year old daughter learns to love again after perky corporate climber is forced to come to small town to sell the family bed and breakfast after the death of her estranged father.

List of Movies Watched (so far)

1. Day 1: Oct-27 Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy
2. Day 2: Oct-28 Christmas in Evergreen
3. Day 3: Oct-29 Chateau Christmas
4. Day 4: Oct-30 'Tis the Season for Love
5. Day 5: Oct-31 Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa
6. Day 5: Oct-31 Christmas Scavenger Hunt
7. Day 6: Nov-01 Christmas Tree Lane
8. Day 8: Nov-03 Nostalgic Christmas
9. Day 8: Nov-03 A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas
10. Day 10: Nov-05 Rocky Mountain Christmas
11. Day 11: Nov-06 Fir Crazy
12. Day 11: Nov-06 On the Twelfth Day of Christmas
13. Day 12: Nov-07 It’s Christmas, Eve
14. Day 12: Nov-07 Small Town Christmas
15. Day 13: Nov-08 A Merry Christmas Match
16. Day 13: Nov-08 Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater
17. Day 14: Nov-09 Christmas in Love
18. Day 15: Nov-10 Most Wonderful Time of the Year
19. Day 17: Nov-12 Christmas at the Plaza
20. Day 18: Nov-13 Christmas Connection
21. Day 18: Nov-13 A Cookie Cutter Christmas
22. Day 20: Nov-15 Miss Christmas
23. Day 23: Nov-18 A Timeless Christmas
24. Day 24: Nov-19 A Godwink Christmas
25. Day 25: Nov-20 A Wish for Christmas
26. Day 25: Nov-20 A Christmas in Tennessee
27. Day 26: Nov-21 Christmas On Ice
28. Day 26: Nov-21 Feliz NaviDAD
29. Day 27: Nov-22 A Royal Christmas
30. Day 27: Nov-22 Let it Snow
31. Day 28: Nov-23 Christmas In Vienna
32. Day 31: Nov-26 The Christmas Cure
33. Day 33: Nov-28: Just in Time for Christmas
34. Day 34: Nov-29: With Love, Christmas
35. Day 34: Nov-29: Return to Christmas Creek
36. Day 34: Nov-29: Holidate
37. Day 35: Nov-30: Christmas Made to Order
38. Day 37: Dec-2: Christmas Homecoming
39. Day 38: Dec-3: Check Inn to Christmas
40. Day 39: Dec-4: Northern Lights of Christmas
41. Day 40: Dec-5: Sharing Christmas
42. Day 41: Dec-6: Sleigh Bells Ring
43. Day 42: Dec-7: Two Turtle Doves
44. Day 44: Dec-9: A Godwink Christmas: Second Chance, First Love
45. Day 45: Dec-10: Enchanted Christmas 
46. Day 47: Dec-12: A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love
47. Day 47: Dec-12: Christmas Next Door
48. Day 48: Dec-13: Christmas On My Mind
49. Day 48: Dec-13: Christmas Incorporated
50. Day 48: Dec-13: Time For Us to Come Home for Christmas 
51. Day 51: Dec-16: Unlocking Christmas 
52. Day 52: Dec-17: Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen
53. Day 53: Dec-18: The Sweetest Christmas 
54. Day 54: Dec-19: Christmas Waltz
55. Day 55: Dec-20: Christmas Land
56. Day 57: Dec 22: The Mistletoe Secret
57. Day 58: Dec 23: Christmas Under the Stars
58. Day 59: Dec 24: Project Christmas Wish
59. Day 59: Dec 24: The Family Stone
60. Day 60: Dec-25: A Christmas Story

Topps Living Set Chicago Cubs Team

UPDATED June 1, 2023

I will be the first to admit that when they initially rolled out in 2018, I was not a fan of the Topps Living Set.  I think that stems from my overall dislike of baseball card companies these days that print cards of former (non active) players mixed into the regular issue sets.  I guess I am more of a traditionalist where the checklist was comprised of active players and maybe a  manager card from the 80's.  

While my opinion has not changed on current cards, I do also understand that the purpose of the Living Set IS to have a mix of players from all generations.  So I decided to start a PSA 10 set of my favorite team, the Chicago Cubs especially since the rookie card of Nico Hoerner was in the set and he is one of my two favorite current Cubs.

Building this set is not to get rich or to turn a profit.  It’s purely for the love of the sport and my team.  And to remind myself that collecting cards should be fun and bring joy to my life which I’ve noticed that waiting for the next Cubs player to be released has done. 

I don't have numbers for percentages of how frequently modern cards get graded as Gem Mint 10.  But for the Topps Baseball Living Set from 2018 to 2020, of the 84,716 (61,948 + 19,826 + 2,942) cards received by PSA for grading, 57,042 (40,755 + 14,064 + 2,223) have come back as PSA 10.  That is 67.33% or 2 out of every 3 cards subbed on average have graded Gem Mint 10.  So building a PSA 10 run should not be that difficult but it will still be a fun project with no end. 

My only suggestion would be that I would like to see a voting process where fans could determine that players from each team who would get a card.  That would help to avoid the Brandon Morrow's of the world being included before Mark Grace and Ron Santos. 

Chicago Cubs Checklist (with print runs) last updated January 26, 2023

2018

• ✓ 5 Ian Happ (PR=3,042) 
• ✓ 30 Brandon Morrow (PR=5,585) 
• ✓ 64 Ryne Sandberg (PR=7,212)
• ✓ 67 Anthony Rizzo (PR=5,568) 
• ✓ 83 David Bote RC (PR=5,345) 
• ✓ 103 Javier Baez (PR=4,499) 

2019

• ✓ 127 Kris Bryant (PR=5,361)
• ✓ 210 Jason Heyward (PR=2,573)
• ✓ 217 Ernie Banks (PR=5,406)
• ✓ 266 Kyle Hendricks (PR=2,074) 

2020

• ✓ 310 Nico Hoerner RC (PR=3,523)
• ✓ 323 Willson Contreras (PR=2,052) 
• 352 Alec Mills (PR=1,886)  

2021

• ✓ 429 Craig Kimbrel  (PR=1,780)
• 453 Patrick Wisdom (PR=1,547)
• ✓ 473 Frank Schwindel (PR=1,764)

2022

• ✓ 516 Marcus Stroman (PR=1,686)
• 519 Fergie Jenkins (PR= 2,589)
• 547 Seiya Suzuki (PR=3,340)

My current PSA 10 collection.

    

    

 

   

Best Rock Band

Let's talk about what this is, and what it is not. 

This is an effort to mathematically determine the "best" rock band of my early childhood, which spans from the late 1970's through the entire decade of the 1980's. 

For this challenge, I selected 15 top mainstream bands, and each were allowed to submit their 10 best songs.  All 150 songs were then ranked best to worst through a process of continuing to split the segmented list into halves.  Note that rock bands are allowed to sing (love) ballads and some have been included in their top 10 songs and are judged by their overall quality, not as a pure rock song.

Exclusions (not meeting the inclusion guidelines)

1. Excluded from this list are bands that were more pop than rock.
2. Single artists are omitted who fail to meet the criteria of being a band
3. Bands that could not compile a list of 10 competitive songs were excluded, even if they had several power anthems.

An included band then received two scores:

• Total score for all of their songs which represents the overall dominance of the band to have multiple hits
• Total score for a bands top 3 songs which represents the power of band to have mega hits 

Scores for each category were ranked and summed to produce the overall order of best rock band. Yes, I understand that these two categories are mathematically correlated (the top 3 is part of the top 10) but this is how I chose to represent longevity while giving points for substantially big hits.  I understand that this was a mathematical effort but that it still contains a large amount of subjectivity with how I selected the bands, the songs and ranking of the songs.  Life is not perfect. 

The best part about my list, is that it is my list.  While you may appreciate what I have assembled, you will likely disagree somewhere along the way.  The uniqueness of each person in this world is one of the many things that fascinates me. It's what makes lists of this nature, so much fun.

Going into this project I also had speculated how the results may look and have noted that as a preblog ranking.  So, enjoy the results and feel free to debate.

15. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - A Detroit based artist, Bob Seger was part of several groups before putting together the Silver Bullet Band in 1973.  Their songs deal with things that the everyday, blue collar worker can relate to.  Most of their mega fame came in a 4-record span from 1976 to 1982 with ten top 25 hits.  In total, Seger would have 7 studio albums with the Silver Bullet Band, with the most recent release coming in 2017.  Their last big hit would be a chart topper as Shakedown from Beverly Hills Cop would peak at #1.  Seger is one of the world's best selling artists of all time, with record sales in excess of 75 million and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.  Preblog rank: 15

14. Chicago - Chicago was formed fittingly in Chicago in 1967, originally going by the Chicago Transit Authority.  With a wide range of members over the years, they have released 37 albums over the last 6 decades.  Of this total, 11 would reach the top 10 in the US and amazingly four #1 albums in a row in the mid 1970's.  Along with album success, they have had 31 singles that reached the top 10 in the US and three that reached the top.  While they did have success before my childhood, they still reigned supreme well throughout the entire decade of the 1980's.  They have sold 40 million albums and were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.   They are second only to The Beach Boys in Billboard singles among American bands and have had 20 top ten hits, including 3 number ones.  Preblog rank: 7

13. Aerosmith - Formed in Boston in 1970, this band would grow into enormous fame, being billed as the America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band.   Lead vocalist Steven Tyler is pop icon for his energy on stage as well as his sense of fashion. Along with Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford, Aerosmith have released 15 albums between 1973 and 2012 and own two number one albums with Get and Grip in 1993 and Nine Lives in 1997.  With eight top 10 singles, it took them until 1998 to reach their only US #1 single with I Don't Want to Miss a Thing from the Armageddon soundtrack.  Pump stands as their most successful album with three top 10's with Love in an Elevator, Janie's Got a Gun and What It Takes.  They have been on 34 tours including a current residency in Las Vegas. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Preblog rank: 9

12. Motley Crue - Formed in Los Angeles in 1981, the peak of the Crue coincided with the big-hair-glam-rock-era of the latter part of the decade.  With 9 studio albums and 34 tours, they are part of the 100 million album sales club.  They may only have had 4 hits in the US top 25, they had more success with nine top 10 Billboard albums.  Their biggest hit song would come in 1989 with Dr. Feelgood, which was certified as gold.  They would put on an amazing live show, featuring such firsts as an elevated, rotating drum set where drummer Tommy Lee would play upside down.  They have had several break up and reunions with the most recent reunion coming in 2018. The band recently recorded new material for the Netflix rockumentary The Dirt.  They were set to co-headline a tour with Def Leppard in 2020 before COVID-19.  Preblog rank: 3

11. Queen - A British rock band formed in 1970, Queen was fronted by Freddie Mercury.   With some initial success in the late 70's, they would go on to be one of the biggest stadium rock bands of the 1980s, which was highlighted by an epic performance at Live Aid in 1985.  Queen has over 200 million record sales and where inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.  All 15 of their studio albums have gone gold or platinum with 7 of them reaching number 1 in the UK.   They have had 21 top 10 singles in the UK, including three number ones. Their biggest hit was Bohemian Rhapsody which went to number one twice; 1975 and 1991.  Sadly, the band lost their lead singer Mercury in 1991 at age 45 due to complications from AIDS.  Preblog rank: 10

10. Journey - Formed in San Francisco in 1973, this band would go on to be ultra successful after hiring lead vocalist Steve Perry in 1978.  They would take a hiatus from 1987 to the mid 90's before making a comeback with their last album featuring Perry in 1995, who would have to leave the band a few years later with health issues.  Journey would produce 14 studio albums, including 3 albums that made the US top 10 and have a single chart topper with Escape in 1981.  With 14 top 25 hits, they never had a #1 single, finishing as high as #2 with Open Arms that held that position in the charts for six weeks. Journey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the class of 2017.  The current version of Journey still tours and features a front font man Filipino singer Arnel Pineda, who was found on YouTube and sounds amazingly like Perry.  Preblog rank: 4

9. Heart - Formed in 1970 in Seattle as White Heart, this band would turn into the one we know in 1973 when sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson took center stage sharing lead vocals.  The band has had 16 studio albums including 4 that would be top 5 in the US from 1980 to 1990.  They did have a string of three albums in a row that peaked at #1 (Heart in 1985), #2 (Bad Animals in 1987) and #3 Brigade combining to be 15x platinum in sales.  They never really had that much singles success as they only had eight top 10 singles, but did have two 1's in 1986 (These Dreams) and 1987 (Alone).  With over 35 million records sold worldwide, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.  Preblog rank: 14

8. Van Halen - Formed in California in 1972, Van Halen would go on to have success with two different lead singers from David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar and back to David Lee Roth.  The Roth Years had a little more pop to their sound while with Hagar on lead vocals it would be more true rock.  Overall they have 12 studio albums which have sold 56 million copies in the US, which ranks them in the top 20 of all time.  Amazingly their last 11 albums have reached the top 6 in the US, with four in a row going to the top from 1986 to 1995 with Sammy Hagar. Like Heart, Van Halen had more album success than single success as they only had two top 5 hits, one with David Lee Roth (#1 Jump in 1983) and one with Sammy Hagar (#3 Why Can't This be Love in 1986).  Anecdotally, most people consider their best album to be 1984 which went diamond, but only peaked at #2 on the charts because it was up against Michael Jackson's Thriller which spent a record 37 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200.  The world lost a great guitarist -- maybe one of the best ever -- recently with the passing of Eddie Van Halen.  He was only 65 years old and fought a long battle with throat cancer.  The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.  Preblog rank: 13

7. Bon Jovi - With their famous roots in New Jersey, Bon Jovi was officially formed in 1983 and rose to fame during the MTV generation.  They would go on to sell 100 million albums and continue to be a household name today.  Their 15th studio album is expected to be released later this year, of which 11 reached the top 10 and six were chart toppers.   They have had equal success singles with 10 top 10's and four #1's ("You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer" in 1986, "Bad Medicine" in 1988 and "I'll Be There for You" in 1989).  They have not had a top 100 charted hit since 2009 but their popularity is still there as proven by the $250M their 2013 tour grossed.  They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.  Preblog rank: 5

6. Metallica - Labeled as a heavy metal band, Metallica was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by James Hetfield Lars Ulrich.  With 10 studio albums over the last 40 years, they have sold over 125 million albums worldwide.  Their last six albums have all gone to number one and are all platinum or multi-platinum in sales.  They are 35th on the list of best selling music artists of all time.  Being heavy metal, they never had any luck on the Billboard Hot 100 list but did have 10 number ones on the Mainstream Rock chart.  They have won nine Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.  Preblog rank: 6

5. Poison - Formed in 1983 in Pennsylvania by Brett Michaels, Bobby Dall and Rikki Rocket, Poison would rise to immediate stardom with their first studio album in August of 1986.  Though releasing 7 total studio albums, it was on the power of their first three (Look What the Cat Dragged, Open Up and Say... Ahh! and Flesh & Blood) that they would have most of their success over a four year period.  All three albums reached at least 3× Platinum in the US and were all in the top 3 of the US charts.  Based mostly on the strength of those three albums, the band has managed to sell 45 million records worldwide.  They also had major success with singles, posting eight top 15 marks in the charts, including a single number one in 1988 with Every Rose Has Its Thorn.  They reach this level in our ranking on the pure strength of a small number of monster hits that carried the rest of their entries.  Ironically their second highest chart placing single, Unskinny Bop (#3 in 1990) is considered one the bands worst songs.  Little known tidbit that when looking for a guitarist in 1985, Poison auditioned Slash (Guns 'N Roses) but selected C.C. DeVille instead.  Preblog rank: 11

4. AC/DC - Formed in Sydney Australia in 1973 by two Scottish-born brothers, AC/DC has been rocking for almost 50 years with new material currently underway.  Though they have had several lineup changes, including a brief period where Axl Rose replaced Malcolm Young who was forced into retirement due to early-onset dementia, the AC/DC heavy metal brand remains strong.  They have sold more than 200 million records worldwide with 17 studio albums, scoring 8 US top 10's and two number one albums (For Those About to Rock We Salute You in 1981 and Black Ice 37 years later).  Back in Black has sold 50 million copies worldwide, making it the highest-selling album by any band. They have also had success with singles, posting 14 top 10's and four times their singles have topped the charts in the US.  AC/DC was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.  Preblog rank: 8.

3. Foreigner - This British–American rock band was originally formed in 1976 between London and New York City.  Another band that has had changing members over time, only Mick Jones remains from the original Foreigner lineup.  They have released 9 studio albums between 1979 and 2009, with their first five albums reaching the Billboard top 5.  Their 4th album, named 4, was their only LP to reach number 1, but at 6x platinum, ranks only behind Double Vision which is 7x platinum.  Worldwide they have sold more than 80 million records.  They have had 13 top 25 singles and reached #1 in the US with "I Want to Know What Love Is" in 1984.  They still have not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, something that seems to baffle a lot of people.  Preblog rank: 12

2. Guns N' Roses - The newest of all bands making the list, Guns N' Roses was formed in 1985 as a hard rock band from Los Angeles.  They hit the ground running with their debut album, Appetite for Destruction (1987) that would go on to sell 18 million copies (18x platinum) and still rank as the 7th most sales of a single album in history.  With only 6 studio albums (2 of which were released simultaneously) they don't have the most content, but all their albums have reached at least the top 4.  They have topped the charts twice (Use Your Illusion II was at #2 because Use Your Illusion I was #1).  Overall they have over 100 million in album sales.  Being hard rock, their singles did not have the same success as their album sales, but they still have six top 10 singles.  People argue that if they had released Welcome to the Jungle first, that they would have had two more top singles as "It's So Easy" and "Mr. Brownstone" (UK Only) were released first.  "Sweet Child o' Mine" would be the bands only #1 hit, coming in 1988.   GNR was the ultimate stadium rock concert band as they played hundreds of shows with their album tours.   The light shined very brightly for this band, but was short lived as they could never reproduce the success of Illusion and Slash would leave the band in the mid 90's.  Fans thought that the differences were too great to ever see GNR together again but were rewarded as GNR got back together for the Not in this Lifetime tour in 2016.  The tour wrapped as the third-highest-grossing tour of all time with sales over $500 million dollars.  They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 in their first year of eligibility.  Preblog rank: 1

1. Def Leppard - Sitting on top of the list as Best Rock Band is Def Leppard.  This British band was formed in 1977 in Sheffield, England.  With only moderate success of their first two albums in the UK, it was High 'n' Dry,  their third album and hit "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" that gave them a presence in the United States to the MTV generation.  But the explosion of popularity for Def Leppard came with the release of Pyromania in 1983.  The album would peak at #2 (behind Thriller) but would sell ten million copies.  The album would have four top 10 singles including two charter toppers in a row with rock anthems Photograph and Rock of Ages.  Their follow up release, Hysteria, would have even more success as it did reach #1 and would go 12x Platinum in sales.  The album took three years to hit stores as the band was also dealing with Rick Allen’s accident that resulted in the loss of his left arm.  Woman, Animal, Love Bites, Rocket, Armageddon It and the title track Hysteria all charted in the top 10, but it was Pour Some Sugar On Me that would become the hit that most people would remember them by.  Their 5th album Adrenalize would also rise to the top of the charts in 1992 proving their sustained success.  To date, they have five #1 singles, two #1 albums and have sold more than 100 million records worldwide.  They are one of only five rock bands with two  studio albums selling more than ten million copies each in the US.  They were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.  Preblog rank: 2

Post script

• After compiling the list I realize that I overlooked Huey Lewis and the News and Duran Duran.  
• I did miss a few Aerosmith singles in my research that may have made their top 10 but would not have moved the needle on their overall ranking, which included Livin' on the Edge and Amazing
• You will see that I have omitted The Eagles and Kiss, who had the majority of their popularity prior to 1980.
• The Police probably should have been considered.  
• My perception was that U2 had more success in the 90's and were not included in this research, even though later realizing that Joshua Tree was released in 1987 and Rattle and Hum in 1988.  This does not change the fact that I don't like U2.  Remember it is my list.   
• Only a single band was removed after the initial analysis as their score was so far below the nearest band and that was REO Speedwagon.

Individual Song Rankings 

1. Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

2. You Could Be Mine - Guns N’ Roses

3. Wherever I May Roam - Metallica

4. You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi

5. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC

6. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

7. Nothin' But A Good Time - Poison

8. Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crue

9. Jump - Van Halen

10. Juke Box Hero - Foreigner

11. Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi

12. Thunderstruck - AC/DC

13. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N’ Roses

14. Rock of Ages - Def Leppard

15. Dude (Looks Like A Lady) - Aerosmith

16. Urgent - Foreigner

17. Talk Dirty To Me - Poison

18. Dr. Feelgood - Motley Crue

19. Enter Sandman - Metallica

20. Never - Heart

21. Photograph - Def Leppard

22. Head Games - Foreigner

23. Foolin' - Def Leppard

24. Nightrain - Guns N’ Roses

25. Back in Black - AC/DC

26. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

27. Stranded - Heart

28. Ride The Wind - Poison

29. Separate Ways - Journey

30. Hot for Teacher - Van Halen

31. Cold As Ice - Foreigner

32. Mr. Brownstone - Guns N’ Roses

33. Look Away - Chicago

34. Rocket - Def Leppard

35. Radio Ga Ga - Queen

36. Love In An Elevator - Aerosmith

37. Turn the Page - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

38. It’s So Easy - Guns N’ Roses

39. When It's Love - Van Halen

40. Fallen Angel - Poison

41. Bringin' On the Heartbreak - Def Leppard

42. Money Talks - AC/DC

43. Double Vision - Foreigner

44. Alone - Heart

45. Paradise City - Guns N’ Roses

46. Wanted Dead Or Alive - Bon Jovi

47. I Want it All - Queen

48. Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica

49. Any Way You Want It - Journey

50. Turn The Page - Metallica

51. Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Poison

52. Almost Paradise - Heart

53. Hells Bells - AC/DC

54. The Unforgiven - Metallica

55. We Can Last Forever - Chicago

56. Animal - Def Leppard

57. Panama - Van Halen

58. Under Pressure - Queen

59. Feels Like the First Time - Foreigner

60. You're The Inspiration - Chicago

61. Highway to Hell - AC/DC

62. Against the Wind - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

63. We Will Rock You - Queen

64. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love - Chicago

65. Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith

66. Why Can't This be Love - Van Halen

67. I Want to Know What Love Is - Foreigner

68. Wheel in the Sky - Journey

69. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith

70. Blaze Of Glory - Bon Jovi

71. I Want Action - Poison

72. Until It Sleeps - Metallica

73. Open Arms - Journey

74. You'll Accompany Me - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

75. Will You Still Love Me? - Chicago

76. Girls, Girls, Girls - Motley Crue

77. Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

78. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N’ Roses

79. Hollywood Nights - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

80. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) - AC/DC

81. Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi

82. Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue

83. Sad But True - Metallica

84. Faithfully - Journey

85. What About Love? - Heart

86. Hot Blooded - Foreigner

87. Old Time Rock And Roll - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

88. Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

89. Let It Rock - Bon Jovi

90. Shakedown - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

91. We are the Champions - Queen

92. Wild Side - Motley Crue

93. Janie's Got A Gun - Aerosmith

94. I'll Be There For You - Bon Jovi

95. These Dreams - Heart

96. Mainstreet - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

97. Without You - Motley Crue

98. Women - Def Leppard

99. For Whom The Bell Tolls - Metallica

100. Dream On - Aerosmith

101. Rock and Roll Never Forgets - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

102. Say You Will - Foreigner

103. November Rain - Guns N’ Roses

104. Barracuda - Heart

105. Poundcake - Van Halen

106. I Won't Forget You - Poison

107. Who Will You Run To - Heart

108. Raise Your Hands - Bon Jovi

109. Hard Habit To Break - Chicago

110. Dreams - Van Halen

111. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.) - Motley Crue

112. Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner

113. What It Takes - Aerosmith

114. Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC

115. My Michelle - Guns N’ Roses

116. Right Now - Van Halen

117. Hysteria - Def Leppard

118. You Really Got Me - Van Halen

119. One - Metallica

120. Smokin' in the Boys Room - Motley Crue

121. Runnin' With the Devil - Van Halen

122. Rocket Queen - Guns N’ Roses

123. Living in Sin - Bon Jovi

124. Let There be Rock - AC/DC

125. Walk This Way - Aerosmith

126. Love Bites - Def Leppard

127. Home Sweet Home - Motley Crue

128. Stay The Night - Chicago

129. I'll Be Alright Without You - Journey

130. Something To Believe In - Poison

131. Nothin' At All - Heart

132. Love Me Tomorrow - Chicago

133. Send Her My Love - Journey

134. Like a Rock - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

135. Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) - Motley Crue

136. Hard To Say I'm Sorry - Chicago

137. Jaded - Aerosmith

138. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap - AC/DC

139. Amazing - Aerosmith

140. Look What the Cat Dragged In - Poison

141. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen

142. Night Moves - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

143. Always - Bon Jovi

144. All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You - Heart

145. Who's Crying Now - Journey

146. Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen

147. Life Goes On - Poison

148. Along Comes A Woman - Chicago

149. Feeling That Way - Journey

150. Somebody to Love - Queen

My Uncle Chuck

To most, you were Charles Mitchem. 

To some, you were Charlie.

To me, you were my Uncle Chuck.

As my Mom's brother, you married my Dad's sister which meant that it always felt like we had a special bond even tighter than just regular family.  I am sure it was the way you treated all the nieces and nephews but you made me feel like I was your favorite.  

Some of my first memories in this world were with you.  I remember that you always had a bag of M&Ms in your pocket for me.  And apparently I had a proclivity of chewing your "coddar."  You see, flannel shirts used to have a plastic piece in the "collar" and apparently when people would pick me up, I would start to chew on the collar of their shirt.  Of course they didn't realize until they put me down that they had a wet collar!  I am sure that I chewed my fair share of your "coddars."

Growing up, the Mitchem's lived on the corner of Emmet and Roseland Street, and the Charette's were just two blocks away on Emmet and Hooper.  As was in the 70's and 80's, family would just drop by and end up staying for a beer or sometimes dinner and the closer they lived the more often you saw them.  Of all my relatives, I probably saw you and Auntie Sandie the most.  

This extended to most major holidays as well.  I could count on seeing you every 4th of July as we hosted the annual backyard - grill out - pool party - badminton match at our house.  Then in late November, Thanksgiving was another mainstay with our close knit family as the Charette-Mitchem's made our way to the north side of Iron Mountain to enjoy turkey with Rocheleau's.  Just a few weeks later, we would be together again as a family for Christmas Eve at our house (well at your house when I was very small) followed by Rocheleau's on Christmas Day.  On Phil's first Christmas at our house we introduced ourselves collectively as the loud family.  

Back when you had to develop a roll of film, pictures were really only taken at major holidays or birthdays, so most of the photos that I have of my childhood, which paint the background of my memories, have you in them.  When I look at the picture of you wearing that hunter orange knit chook folded up with the black whitetail deer circular logo and your blue flannel shirt, along with your epic mustache, it puts me back into that moment of my 10th birthday like it was yesterday.  

While it is not a major holiday for the rest of the world, November 15th is a holiday in Michigan.  That is because it is the opening day of deer (rifle hunting) season.  Your camp was a stone's throw from ours and long before I was old enough to hunt, my Dad would bring me to camp during deer season.  I have so many fond memories of sitting at the table in your camp listening to your stories.  As I got older, I found that the more PBR's that we had, the taller the stories became and the more cards that were dealt off the bottom of the deck.  From the 15th to Thanksgiving, we were either at our camp or yours and while the memories are about as clear as the cigarette smoke that blanketed the ceiling, you were a key part of them. 

Your move to Kentucky while I was in high school meant that we saw less of each other.   It feels like a lot of years, maybe too many, passed in the 1990's when I don't have many memories of you.  Then as you moved to Florida in retirement, followed by my move to Alabama meant that we were no longer two blocks apart like we were once upon a time.  But that didn't mean that you still weren't my favorite uncle. 

We were together for the Christmas in July celebration on the Menominee River in 2004 and apparently had graduated from PBR up to Miller Lite according to this picture.  Your mustache was a thing of the past but your knack for the occasional inappropriate joke or comment was just as strong as ever!  That was what made you, you -- that carefree attitude of saying what was on your mind that could both make people laugh and cringe at the same time but always good natured. 

And I can only the BS that must have been flying here as two brothers shot the shit. 

The last time that we got a chance to see each other in person was in August, 2016.  It was another family gathering at my parents Tiki Bar on the Menominee River.  You never know when it will be the last time you see someone.  This would be ours.  

Eventually your heart, your mind and your spirit were let down by your body, which just could not fight the cancer any longer.  We tried valiantly to get to Florida to say goodbye in person, but it just wasn't meant to be.  From what I've heard, you were full of  stories right up until the very end.  I wouldn't have expected any less.  

If I had been there, I would have simply told you that you will always be my uncle Chuck, whether it is in this world or the next.  Then I would have pulled these out of my pocket and show you that life had come full circle.  

We will do our best to care for and watch over Auntie Sandie and Missy for you.  Come this deer season I will be wearing my hunter orange chook in your memory and as we throw down the PBRs, we will be telling stories of the many deer seasons of the past.  As the playing cards get thicker with the progression of the night, I will see if I can master dealing from the bottom of the deck in your honor.  

The Impossible Has Happened

"In the year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened." - Vin Scully calling Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit walk-off home run for national TV of game 1 of the 1988 World Series.

 

Not long after qualifying for Boston at the 2016 California International Marathon in December, I decided that I was going to focus on my health.  I needed to step away from running, not knowing the effects of the interferon treatment protocol I was about to take to address my recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.  In other words, I retired from competition not knowing if I would ever be able to return, or for that matter, ever run again.  

Then 2017 came and went.  Running got shorter and shorter, slower and slower and less frequent.  

Then 2018 arrived.  I was part of a drug trial at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Washington, DC which was prematurely cancelled.  My condition did not improve.  2018 went.  Running turned into jogging.  

In April 2019 I made it official.  I could no longer run, at any level, and was no longer going to try.  This was a very emotional revelation, when I knew that it was over and there was nothing I could do about it.  Jogging turned into walking.  The months that would follow in 2019 would only solidify the notion that running was something of the past for me.  In December I would require knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus in my right knee.  

Just about when COVID-19 was starting to be a household term in the spring of 2020, I started noticing that I was feeling fatigued more and more.  I was going to bed early, and having to take several naps during the day.  I had zero energy even for normal daily activities, which I attributed to the interferon injections.  Though I had been taking it for three full years at that point, I wondered if it was causing anemia based on my symptoms.  

In parallel, I was having some irregular heart rate issues.  Upon any activity such as going up more than a few stairs or other minor exertion, my heart would begin to beat rapidly and if I did not immediately sit down to recover, would spiral out of control at an insane rate.  In early June, I could run about 10 steps and I would be so out of breath that I would gasp for air.  

I didn't know if I had developed a new arrhythmia or worse, but I knew that I needed to seek medical attention.  When I met with the cardiologist, I knew immediately that something was seriously wrong.  The scale reading showed I was 157 pounds, a weight I had not seen since I was at the height of ultra running in 2014.  Post retirement and as recently as Christmas I had been stable around 172 pounds, so without an increase of exercise or change in diet, there was no GOOD reason why I should drop nearly 10% of my body weight.  My mind raced immediately to some form of aggressive cancer.  Deep sigh. 

After a months worth of tests, I was finally diagnosed with Graves' disease.  The fast and irregular heartbeat, heat intolerance, fatigue, weight loss, light sensitivity and double vision could all be attributed to an autoimmune disorder stemming from the interferon which resulted in my thyroid being hyperactive and accelerating my body's metabolism at an alarming rate.  My TSH was <0.01 mU/L with the normal range being 0.40 - 4.00 mU/L while my T4 was 3.25 ng/dL with a normal range of 0.76 - 1.46 ng/dL.  

But, I had never been so happy to get such bad news.  Though mildly common (about 1 in every 200 people have it) it would be treatable with a single radioiodine therapy that would shock my thyroid into stop producing so much hormone.  It likely would swing too far the other way, and eventually I will have to take daily medication to regulate it back up to normal.  So on July 30, I took the radioactive iodine pill and for 5 days following, was mostly isolated from Rachel and Fiina to limit their radiation exposure.  And I felt REALLY BAD.  The symptoms typically magnify for a few days before they get better and I had a hard time getting out of bed until through the weekend.  I was skeptical if this was actually working for me. 

Then on Sunday August 16, I took Fiina Beagle for our typical weekend long walk -- Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles.  But something felt, different.  The normal 17-18 minute walking pace was replaced by small sections of running.  It was not very far or very fast, but Fiina and I were jogging toward the end and we averaged under 15 minute miles for the 8 mile three lake loop.

"I don't believe what I just saw!" - Jack Buck calling Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit walk-off home run on national radio for game 1 of the 1988 World Series 

 

And if you saw me, I was running.  

• Aug 17: The very next day I thought I would try to just run.  And I did, sort of.  4 miles in 43 minutes but stopped to walk 22 times.  At 10:44 pace I still declared it a victory as the last mile was under 10 minutes per mile.  
• Aug 19 (+2 days): At 6:44am I stepped out the front door and ran 5 kilometers, steady state, no walking.  The benchmark had been set at 31:40 (10:05 pace).  
• Aug 25 (+8 days) : After a failed steady state run over the weekend that turned into repeats and fartleks, I had my longest stated state run with NO STOPS.  Back to the 4-mile loop fro the previous week, I was a touch slower at 10:50 pace, but was able to hold pace and not walk until the run was over.  This was encouraging as it was 75 degrees and 84% humidity for the 6am start.
• Aug 27 (+10 days): Back to the 5km time trial, this time breaking the 30-minute mark, running 29:16 on another muggy and warm morning run.  No warm up, just 9's out the door.  
• Aug 29 (+12 days): With ideal temperatures, I was ready to run in public and headed to Lake Harriet.  I hadn't intended to time trial again so quickly, but in the first mile I was out waaaay to fast and realized that it was on.  I would have splits of 8:13, 8:32, 8:38 and a slow kick for a new TT benchmark of 26:21.  
• Aug 30 (+13 days): Having gone back and read some of my old books I training, I was ready to try the track again to see what it felt like to run a perceived hard effort, one lap at a time.  So on a Sunday morning, I was out the door by 7am and warmed up over to Minnehaha Academy.  Only recently had I learned how the public gained access to the rubberized track and was excited to try some 400s.  The goal pace based on my 5km time from the day before was around 1:55 per lap (or just over 7:40 pace).  It was harder than I thought it would be for an 8x400m session, but managed splits of 1:55, 1:53, 1:52, 1:51, 1:50, 1:51, 1:49, 1:47 for an average pace of 7:25.  It was a slow cool down back home, but I was beaming with excitement from moderate success on the track, a place I loved to train from back when I used to train.  
• Sept 3 (+17 days): After a two-day trip back to Huntsville for work which featured some lackluster jogging in soupy 90% humidity, I was back home in Minnesota and ready to stretch out my legs.  Just a short run, but looking for steady state at a pace that felt comfortable.  This turned out to be just over 9 minute miles for 3.5 miles but with only a stop to stretch at the turn, I was left not feeling as gassed as I had been on similar runs.  My legs felt a little heavy but breathing and heart rate were under control.  
• Sept 4 (+18 days): I went back to the track at Minnehaha Academy with a plan to run the same pace as the week prior, but for slightly longer repeats, 6x600m to be exact.  The temperature was to my liking as I had to put on arm sleeves and gloves in the warm up for the 6:30am start.  I found that right from the start, my 400m splits were faster than last time and I was able to finish up at 2:48, 2:46, 2:44, 2:43, 2:42, 2:40 for a 7:19 average pace.  So in just a week, I was running faster, for longer repeat distances.  I could tell that I had a little bit of acid build up when trying to kick, but overall my legs felt like the turnover was there.  Still in comparison, I once ran a trail 50km race just a tad slower pace, so I am still keeping all of this in perspective.  
• Sept 5 (+19 days): The next test would be to stretch out the distance a little and slow the pace.  The running paths around Medicine Lake in the northwestern suburbs of the Twin Cities are very quiet, and apparently featured far more rolling hills than I remembered!  Regardless, after a slow warm up mile, I was able to sustain 9:15 pace for the next 7 miles.  I definitely started to feel leg fatigue in the second half and had a few more stops to rest than hoped.  I realize that I bit off more than I could chew as if I was looking for a steady state run I should have targeted a route more in the 5-6 mile range based on my fitness.  
• Sept 7 (+21 days): On another cool morning, I was out early to run a loop around Bush Lake in the southwestern suburbs.  I had a pace of something in the low 9's in my mind but with an 8:47 first mile I knew that it was ON again!  Mile two was flat, and I cranked out an 8:33 without laboring.  The rollers started next which slowed the pace to 8:40/8:36 for miles 3 and 4 before a steady drop back down to the beach in the 5th mile which I clocked an 8:25.  Total time 43:02 for 8:36 average pace.  

So in the year that was so improbable, the impossible has happened.  I started running again!

I don't know where this goes from here.  All I know is that I am going to enjoy running again and take it day by day.   I am just happy to be able to explore my city or in my travels, afoot at a decent clip.

Maybe there is a race or an ultra run in my distant future.  Maybe.  But not right now.

Donruss Rated Rookies 1984-1989

Being 9 years old in 1984, I was playing Little League and living and breathing baseball.  My Chicago Cubs were enroute to the NLCS and Donruss had introduced a new subset, the Rated Rookie.  I started baseball cards heavily in 1986 and the Jose Canseco was card every kid chased.  As a member of the bash brothers, Canseco and McGwire were at the core of my colelctions.



Recently I was thinking about the Donruss Rated Rookies from the 80's.   I am sure that there is a future blog of Rated Rookies that should have been like Will Clark, Barry Bonds, Barry Larkin and even Don Mattingky.  But for this blog, I focised on the 118 players who were Rated Rookies from 1984-1989.

Here are some stats of these cards/players.

• 118 Rated Rookies (not counting Danny Tartabull twice)
• Career WAR 1633.8 (13.84 average per player)
• 43 players with a career WAR 10 or higher
• 43 players with a career WAR of less than 1 (26 are negative WAR)
• Greg Maddux had the highest WAR with 106.6 (27th all time)
• Gary Thurman had the worst WAR with a -2.4
• Only 4 Hall of Famers

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What was the best crop of Rated Rookies?  1987 which has the highest total WAR, highest individual player WAR and most players with WAR of 10 or higher.  1985 was the worst.

Year	Player	WAR	Total War	# over 10 WAR
1987	Greg Maddux	106.6	459.3	11
1989	Randy Johnson	101.1	427.1	9
1988	Roberto Alomar	67	250.9	6
1986	Fred McGriff	52.6	226.3	7
1984	Tony Fernandez	45.8	215.8	7
1985	Danny Tartabull	23.3	54.4	2

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Considering only those players with a career WAR of 10 or higher

The Cubs lead  with the most players finishing with a career WAR of 10+ as well as the highest combined WAR.

# Of Players	Team	Combined WAR
5	Cubs	256
4	Padres	138.2
2	Expos	132.8
3	A's	132.6
3	Blue Jays	108
2	Mariners	105.9
2	Brewers	94.9
3	Angels	83.5
3	Cardinals	71.5
2	Royals	58.3
3	Mets	54.5
2	Twins	41.6
2	Rangers	26.6

The Tigers, Pirates, Phillies, Giants, Astros and the Braves did not have any Rated Rookies from 1984-1989 with a career WAR of 10 or higher.

Looking by position of the players with a career WAR of 10 or more, most of them were infielders and they had the highest combined and average WAR.  But considering that 44% of players on the field are infielders, there were a higher percentage of pitchers, given there is only 1 on the field at t time.

#	Position	Combined WAR	Average
16	Infield	571.8	35.7375
15	Pitchers	523.2	34.88
8	Outfielders	311.7	38.9625
4	Catchers	103.5	25.875

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Was there a certain card number that had more success than others?  Given there were roughly 6 Rated Rookies for card numbers 28-47 (3 for 47 and 2 for 27) there were 8 card numbers that had a total WAR of 100+.  Card #34 ranked the highest with a 134.4.

Card #	WAR	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3
34	134.4	Roberto Alomar	Kevin McReynolds	Terry Steinbach
43	129.4	Rafael Palmeiro	Al Leiter	Todd Worrell
33	120.8	Ken Griffey Jr.	Andres Galarraga	Daryl Boston
39	120.3	Jose Canseco	Cris Carpenter	Greg Gagne
31	119.9	Gary Sheffield	Benito Santiago	Lance Johnson
36	112.7	Greg Maddux	Brad Komminsk	Larry Sheets
42	112.1	Randy Johnson	John Farrell	Chris James
28	105.2	Fred McGriff	B.J. Surhoff	Sandy Alomar Jr.

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Who were the biggest surprises on the list?  Clearly I had not been paying attention to Angels or Cardinals baseball because I had no idea these 5 guys had such productive careers.

9 - Devon White 47.3
17 - Cris Carpenter 34.2
25 - Lance Johnson 26.4
33 - Dick Schofield 18.8
34 - Mark McLemore 17.4




Note that stats for Cris Carpenter are actually for Chris Carpenter.  This changes rankings throughout the blog. 

Who were the guys that I knew were sneaky good that most people would forget about because they did not have flashy careers? Lead by Sid Fernandez, this list of low key guys amassed solid careers after starting off as Rated Rookies.

18 - Sid Fernandez 32.8
20 - Greg Swindell 30.5
21 - Kevin McReynolds 30.1
23 - Jack McDowell 27.8
26 - Greg Gagne 26.3

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Here is the full list of every Rated Rookie from 1984-1989 ranked by career WAR.

Rank	Year	Card #	Player	WAR
1	1987	36	Greg Maddux	106.6
2	1989	42	Randy Johnson	101.1
3	1989	33	Ken Griffey Jr.	83.8
4	1987	43	Rafael Palmeiro	71.9
5	1988	34	Roberto Alomar	67
6	1987	46	Mark McGwire	62.2
7	1989	31	Gary Sheffield	60.5
8	1986	28	Fred McGriff	52.6
9	1987	38	Devon White	47.3
10	1988	40	Mark Grace	46.4
11	1984	32	Tony Fernandez	45.3
12	1986	39	Jose Canseco	42.4
13	1988	43	Al Leiter	40
14	1986	37	Paul O'Neill	38.8
15	1989	45	Tom Gordon	35
16	1987	28	B.J. Surhoff	34.4
17	1989	39	Cris Carpenter	34.2
18	1984	44	Sid Fernandez	32.8
19	1986	33	Andres Galarraga	31.7
20	1987	32	Greg Swindell	30.5
21	1984	34	Kevin McReynolds	30.1
22	1987	34	Terry Steinbach	28
23	1988	47	Jack McDowell	27.8
24	1987	31	Benito Santiago	27.4
25	1988	31	Lance Johnson	26.4
26	1984	39	Greg Gagne	26.3
27	1985	27	Danny Tartabull	23.3
28	1989	32	Erik Hanson	22.1
29	1989	44	Pete Harnisch	20.6
30	1984	30	Ron Darling	19.6
31	1984	41	Joe Carter	19.6
32	1989	35	Gregg Jefferies	19.6
33	1984	35	Dick Schofield	18.8
34	1986	35	Mark McLemore	17.4
35	1986	30	Jose Guzman	16.6
36	1984	37	Tim Teufel	15.3
37	1987	29	Randy Myers	15.3
38	1988	41	Jody Reed	15
39	1989	28	Sandy Alomar Jr.	13.7
40	1985	39	Shawon Dunston	11.5
41	1986	43	Todd Worrell	10.9
42	1987	41	Jerry Browne	10.3
43	1987	45	Duane Ward	10.1
44	1989	46	Gregg Olson	9.8
45	1989	34	Greg Harris	9
46	1987	35	Bo Jackson	8.3
47	1989	38	Felix Jose	7.1
48	1988	42	John Farrell	6.3
49	1984	31	Dion James	6.2
50	1988	37	Kevin Elster	6.2
51	1986	45	John Habyan	6.1
52	1988	29	Jeff Treadway	6.1
53	1985	28	Mike Bielecki	5.9
54	1986	40	Juan Nieves	5.4
55	1988	39	Kirt Manwaring	5.2
56	1989	43	Mike Harkey	4.8
57	1985	30	Jeff Reed	4.4
58	1985	33	Daryl Boston	4.3
59	1985	41	Billy Hatcher	3.9
60	1988	38	Jose Lind	3.9
61	1987	42	Chris James	3.8
62	1985	38	Calvin Schiraldi	3.5
63	1986	41	Lance McCullers	3
64	1987	33	Mike Birkbeck	3
65	1984	43	Mike Jeffcoat	2.8
66	1989	37	Carlos Quintana	2.8
67	1984	36	Brad Komminsk	2.2
68	1989	41	David West	2.1
69	1985	29	Steve Lyons	1.9
70	1985	36	Larry Sheets	1.9
71	1986	36	Marty Clary	1.8
72	1988	35	Shawn Hillegas	1.7
73	1989	40	Ron Jones	1.5
74	1988	32	Nelson Liriano	1.4
75	1988	45	Vicente Palacios	1.1
76	1984	42	Mike C. Brown	0.9
77	1986	29	Cory Snyder	0.7
78	1987	39	Eric Bell	0.7
79	1984	45	Brian Dayett	0.6
80	1985	46	Doug Loman	0.4
81	1986	34	Dave Shipanoff	0.4
82	1987	37	Jim Lindeman	0.4
83	1987	40	Willie Fraser	0.4
84	1988	28	Mackey Sasser	0.2
85	1988	36	Joey Meyer	0.2
86	1984	40	Mike Fuentes	0.1
87	1984	46	Chris Smith	0.1
88	1986	32	Johnny Abrego	0.1
89	1984	27	Joel Skinner	0
90	1985	42	Russ Stephans	0
91	1986	42	Rick Surhoff	0
92	1989	30	Cameron Drew	0
93	1989	36	Luis Medina	0
94	1985	34	Alfonso Pulido	-0.1
95	1985	40	Charlie Mitchell	-0.1
96	1986	31	Ty Gainey	-0.1
97	1988	30	Mike Campbell	-0.1
98	1987	47	Bruce Fields	-0.2
99	1989	47	Alex Sanchez	-0.2
100	1985	44	Steve Jeltz	-0.3
101	1988	46	Eddie Williams	-0.3
102	1989	29	Steve Searcy	-0.4
103	1985	31	Tony Brewer	-0.5
104	1987	44	Pat Dodson	-0.5
105	1985	32	John Morris	-0.6
106	1986	46	Mike Woodard	-0.6
107	1987	30	Ken Gerhart	-0.6
108	1984	33	Angel Salazar	-0.8
109	1985	45	Jim Traber	-0.9
110	1986	44	Bob Kipper	-0.9
111	1985	43	Alejandro Sanchez	-1
112	1984	38	Doug Frobel	-1.1
113	1988	33	Shawn Abner	-1.2
114	1984	29	Mike Stenhouse	-1.4
115	1985	37	Scott Bradley	-1.5
116	1984	28	Tommy Dunbar	-1.6
117	1985	35	Steve Kiefer	-1.6
118	1988	44	Gary Thurman	-2.4