Utahs Mt. Rushmore of Sports......

[cougjunkie]

Espn is doing a feature on who belongs on each stats Mt. Rushmore of sports. The candidates for Utah are:

Danny Ainge (BYU Cougars) - 1981 Wooden Award Winner, set NCAA record with 112 consecutive games scoring in double digits, broke BYU and WAC all-time scoring records

Ty Detmer (BYU Cougars) - 1990 Heisman Trophy winner, holds Cougars record for most career passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense

LaVell Edwards (Orem, Utah State Aggies, BYU Cougars) - 2-time National Coach OTY, led the Cougars to 257 wins, 19 conference titles and 1984 National Championship

Arnie Ferrin (Salt Lake City, Utah Utes) - Led Utes to 1944 NCAA title as a freshman; Only 4-time All-American in Utes history; Won '59 & 50 NBA titles with Lakers

Gene Fullmer (West Jordan) - Won middleweight title in 1957 over Sugar Ray Robinson

Karl Malone (Utah Jazz) - One of NBA's 50 greatest players, 2-time MVP (1997, 1999), Jazz all-time leading scorer and rebounder

Rick Majerus (Utah Utes) - Led Utes to 10 regular-season conference titles and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 1998 National Champ. game

Jim McMahon (Roy, BYU Cougars) - Set 71 NCAA passing records, became the Bears' third-leading all-time passer, led team to a Super Bowl XX win

Andre Miller (Utah Utes) - Had triple-double while leading Utes to 1998 Championship Game

Larry H. Miller (Salt Lake City, Utah Jazz) - Owner of Jazz since 1985, team has made the playoffs 19 times and won 8 division titles in his 23 seasons

Dick Motta (Midvale) - 1970-71 Coach of the Year in the NBA, won 1977-78 NBA title with Bullets

Merlin Olsen (Logan, Utah State Aggies) - A 2-time All American, Outland Trophy winner in 1961, 14-time Pro Bowler

John Stockton (Utah Jazz) - NBA all-time leader in assists and steals, 10-time all-star, played all 19 seasons in Utah

Jerry Sloan (Utah Jazz) - One of the winningest coaches in NBA history, led the Jazz to NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998.

Keith Van Horn (Utah Utes) - 3-time Conference POY, Utes' all-time leading scorer, led Utah in scoring and rebounding all four years

Steve Young (BYU Cougars) - 1983 Davey O'Brien winner, set 13 NCAA records. Pro Football Hall of Famer, 2-time NFL MVP, led the 49ers to Super Bowl title

Who would you vote for and would you add anyone to the list?

[TripletDaddy]

I remember back in the 90s when SI did the 50 Greatest Athletes from each state. This also happened to be the issue that contained the infamous John Rocker "7 Train" interview, but I digress.

Anyway, LHM was listed as one of Utah's 50 Greatest because apparently he was really into playing softball in his early years.

So I would vote for LHM, but not as Jazz owner, but as a softball player.

[jay santos]

Espn is doing a feature on who belongs on each stats Mt. Rushmore of sports. The candidates for Utah are:

Danny Ainge (BYU Cougars) - 1981 Wooden Award Winner, set NCAA record with 112 consecutive games scoring in double digits, broke BYU and WAC all-time scoring records

Ty Detmer (BYU Cougars) - 1990 Heisman Trophy winner, holds Cougars record for most career passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense

LaVell Edwards (Orem, Utah State Aggies, BYU Cougars) - 2-time National Coach OTY, led the Cougars to 257 wins, 19 conference titles and 1984 National Championship

Arnie Ferrin (Salt Lake City, Utah Utes) - Led Utes to 1944 NCAA title as a freshman; Only 4-time All-American in Utes history; Won '59 & 50 NBA titles with Lakers

Gene Fullmer (West Jordan) - Won middleweight title in 1957 over Sugar Ray Robinson

Karl Malone (Utah Jazz) - One of NBA's 50 greatest players, 2-time MVP (1997, 1999), Jazz all-time leading scorer and rebounder

Rick Majerus (Utah Utes) - Led Utes to 10 regular-season conference titles and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 1998 National Champ. game

Jim McMahon (Roy, BYU Cougars) - Set 71 NCAA passing records, became the Bears' third-leading all-time passer, led team to a Super Bowl XX win

Andre Miller (Utah Utes) - Had triple-double while leading Utes to 1998 Championship Game

Larry H. Miller (Salt Lake City, Utah Jazz) - Owner of Jazz since 1985, team has made the playoffs 19 times and won 8 division titles in his 23 seasons

Dick Motta (Midvale) - 1970-71 Coach of the Year in the NBA, won 1977-78 NBA title with Bullets

Merlin Olsen (Logan, Utah State Aggies) - A 2-time All American, Outland Trophy winner in 1961, 14-time Pro Bowler

John Stockton (Utah Jazz) - NBA all-time leader in assists and steals, 10-time all-star, played all 19 seasons in Utah

Jerry Sloan (Utah Jazz) - One of the winningest coaches in NBA history, led the Jazz to NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998.

Keith Van Horn (Utah Utes) - 3-time Conference POY, Utes' all-time leading scorer, led Utah in scoring and rebounding all four years

Steve Young (BYU Cougars) - 1983 Davey O'Brien winner, set 13 NCAA records. Pro Football Hall of Famer, 2-time NFL MVP, led the 49ers to Super Bowl title

Who would you vote for and would you add anyone to the list?

Probably Karl Malone, maybe Steve Young a close second. Not a real impressive list.

[TripletDaddy]

So it isn't people from Utah? Just anyone that has been associated with the State of Utah?

For example, Steve Young as Utah athlete? That makes little sense. By that logic, Joe montana's greatness should be enshrined on the Indiana Mt Rushmore.

[RockyBalboa]

Since it's the Mt. Rushmore of Utah Sports I'm gonna choose 4.

Karl Malone
John Stockton
LaVell Edwards
Larry H. Miller

[SeattleUte]

Don't vote. It's a push poll.

[LiveCoug]

Karl Malone
John Stockton
Lavell
Ty

[beelzebabette]

Karl Malone
John Stockton
Lavell
Ty

Can we claim a Texan like Ty because he, like Malone, accomplished little in the world of sports outside of the state of Utah?

[UtahDan]

We are seeing a BYU bias here but Edwards, Majerus and Malone are miles ahead of any of the other choices. I reluctantly added Stockton as a fourth though it could have been Miller. College players just aren't here long enough to have the impact that the others did.

I should note that I voted purely on what they accomplished in Utah.

[LiveCoug]

Yeah, there is a BYU bias. But then there is your Utah bias too. Miller?

[UtahDan]

Yeah, there is a BYU bias. But then there is your Utah bias too. Miller?

Larry Miller.

[LiveCoug]

LOL.. ooops.

[TripletDaddy]

Truthfully, why would Larry Miller be on this list? He just owned the team. Why Miller and not Sloan? What exactly did Miller do?

[UtahDan]

In my arrogance I think I am so clearly right about what I have already said that I think a more interesting poll question would be who among college athletes, if that is all you have to choose from, belong there. That is much tougher in my opinion.

On the choices given I would probably say Detmer, Young, McMahon and Ferrin.

[UtahDan]

Truthfully, why would Larry Miller be on this list? He just owned the team. Why Miller and not Sloan? What exactly did Miller do?

He did more than just own it, he did what most owners fail to do by building a high caliber team over many, many years. Whatever he did, even if just hire the right people, it worked. I agree with you though, Sloan is a massive oversight.