So Cal's All-Time Roster: No. 46
No. 46:
Our pick:
==Todd Christensen, Raiders (1982-'88, started wearing it in Oakland in '79)
An accomplished operatic tenor, Christensen has sung at numerous events including an audition of Turandots "Nessun Donna" with David Letterman. There's a sentence you don't see every day, but it's included in his bio on Patterson and Associates, which hooks up groups with after-dinner speakers.
Christensen loved himself as much as he did performing for the public, whether it's singing opera or quoting Shakespeare to the media during post-game critiques.
"Too often, his intellectual persona has overshadowed what was a Hall of Fame career," the bio continues. Hall of Famer? Check that again. Maybe they're confusing him with Howie Long. Or Jack Christiansen. He was with the L.A. Raiders' Super Bowl title team in '83, following the one he won in '80. He was All-Pro as a tight end five teams, catching 349 passes between '83 and '86 (an NFL record for the position at the time). Twice, Christensen led the league in receptions (92 in '83 and 95 in '86).
For his career, the BYU grad caught 461 passes for 5,872 yards and 41 touchdowns. In eight postseason games, he caught 31 balls for 358 yards and only one touchdown.
Then he started broadcasting and last he was heard bellowing was on the Mountain West Conference Network, after a run at NBC, ESPN and other places that could handle his enormous ego.
And talents.
Runner up:
==Burt Hooton, Dodgers ('75-'84)
The 1981 NLCS MVP, won the decisive Game 6 of the 1981 World Series.
==Juan Marichal, Dodgers (1975)
Sports Illustrated's pick for the all-time No. 46: Lee Smith, over Andy Pettitte, Christensen and Chuck Muncie.
Did we miss anyone?
You've got our vote, now let's see yours: