Blog

Briefly. 

I forgot my phone at home today. It’s a beautiful day! 

Trivia #1: What is Wolof?

Trivia #2: Name the three MLB pitchers with 20-win seasons in three different decades. 

On June 21^st, MLB celebrated the 113^thMidnight Sun Game by organizing an unprecedented 24 hours of “Play Ball” events around this year’s game in Fairbanks, Alaska. Throughout the 24-hour period of daylight during the summer solstice, MLB and its partners – the American Legion, PONY Baseball and Softball, USA Baseball and USA Softball – hosted a number of baseball and softball activities for both adults and kids. The Midnight Sun Game was between two collegiate summer baseball teams, the Alaska Goldpanners and the Orange County Surf at Fairbank’s Growden Park. The game, first played in 1906, started at 10pm and used no artificial light. 

If you have the perfect sandwich, you add bacon to it. Arbys, we have the meats! 

Sox/Yankees, again. This is the first time since 1978 that the Sox/Yanks have met and had the best and second-best record in baseball. The two have never met this late in the season when both teams have had a winning percentage of better than .650. This is the first year since 1901 that the two best teams in baseball have been led by first-year managers. Rafael Devers and the yankees’ Gelber Torres, both 21, are regular starts for their teams. The last time the two teams met with two 21-year old starters was 1970 (Ken Brett, Sox and Johnny Ellis, Yankees). Bring it on! 

Xander Bogaerts leads all of baseball with 280 2-strike hits since the 2015 season. 

Tom Brady was voted, by his peers, the best player in the NFL for the second consecutive year. That to me, by his peers, is the highest honor. 

There are a lot of good apps out there but the garlic bread with side of marinara at Butch’s Uptown is becoming one of my favorites. 

The Anaheim Angels’ Shohei Oshanti, phenom from Japan who can hit/pitch like The Babe, has a bad elbow. I hope he gets healthy. 

John Daly will not play in a tournament run by the USGA after the organization denied his request for use of a golf cart in the U.S. Senior Open. The 52-year old Daly next plans to play (and use a golf cart) at the Greenbrier Classic, a PGA tour event, beginning July 5, provided his knee is OK. He injured it last April when his RV was hit by a car in a Hooters parking lot. Go figure. 

The PawSox’ Rusney Castillo, remember him? He was named to the International League All-Star team. The problem is we may never see him back with the big league team due to his annual salary of $10.38 million salary, which would have huge implications on taxes, their 2019 draft pick and overall financial flexibility. 

Researchers at Northwestern University, Chicago, and Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, have developed a small-molecule drug that can stop the movement of cancer cells and so prevent their spread to other areas of the body. Early tests in mouse models of different human cancers showed that the orally administered compound KBU2046 inhibited metastasis, reduced bone destruction, prolonged survival, without any evident toxicity. 

What is a hotdog without celery salt? 

Trivia #1 answer: What is Wolof? Wolof is a language of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania, and the native language of Wolof people. The official language of Senegal is French though about 40% (approximately 5 million people) of Senegal’s population speak Wolof as their native language.

Trivia #2: Name the three MLB pitchers with 20-win seasons in three different decades. – Bob Feller, Warren Spahn and Roger Clemens 

“Touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I’m not a hopeless case

It’s a beautiful day”

Briefly. 

Cal Ripken Jr. played 21 seasons and 3,001 games with the Baltimore Orioles. He struck out 1,305 times (once every 2.3 games). Chris Davis has played “almost” 9 seasons with Baltimore and as of last Saturday has played in 1,018 games. He has struck out 1,351 times (1.3 times per game). 

Trivia #1: Hanley Ramirez once made a 7^thinning throwing error resulting in the only batter from the opposing team to reach base. Who’s perfect game did he ruin?

Trivia #2: The no-hitter that the pitcher above threw came just 24 days after his teammate had thrown a no-hitter. Who was the other pitcher? 

Back to last weekend’s US Open. In the 2017 US Open there were 90 rounds played under par in the first two rounds. This year, 18. 4 of the top 10 players in the world missed the cut. It was the first ever PGA tournament where Spieth, Tiger and McIlroy all missed the cut.

Useless information, supposed to fire my imagination: Alex Rodriguez Reveals ‘All A-Rod Team,’ With Notable Red Sox Omission 

The Bruins open next season at Washington where they will watch the Caps raise their championship banner. What a kick in the balls. 

Mookie Betts, it’s time to shave. Your beard is in patches and it looks like one of Paul Pierce’s best efforts. Hit the ball, shave the beard. 

An inexpensive, generic drug used around the world to prevent tuberculosis can also reverse type 1 diabetes, long-term, says a study by MGH. Big news! 

In case you missed it, with two outs in Tuesday’s Sox/Twinkies games, Jackie Bradley Jr. threw out a runner at the plate on a fly ball to end the 8^th inning? Why the mention? Stat Cast reported he threw the ball 290 ft in the air at 103.4 MPH! Like I wish Marcus Smart could shoot, I wish JBJ could hit. 

The Celtics last night drafted Robert Williams of Texas A&M with the 27^th overall pick. Williams, a sophomore, led the SEC in rebounding last year and is known for his defense and getting up and down the floor. On the offensive side, no pun intended, he didn’t hit a single three-point shot and shot 47.1 from the free throw line. 

Quote of the week: “What right isn’t always popular and what’s popular isn’t always right.” – Unknown 

Trivia #1 answer: Hanley Ramirez once made a 7^th inning throwing error resulting in the only batter from the opposing team to reach base. Who’s perfect game did he ruin? – Clayton Kershaw

Trivia #2 answer : The no-hitter that the pitcher above threw came just 24 days after his teammate had thrown a no-hitter. Who was the other pitcher? – John Beckett 

“The sun ain’t nearly on the rise
And we still got the moon and stars above.
Underneath the velvet skies,
Love is all that matters. Won’t you stay with me?
And don’t you ever leave.”

Briefly.

Trivia #1: Who was the first player in NHL history to play 50 (or more) playoff games with three different teams? Wayne Gretzky, Bill Guerin, Claude Lemieux, Mark Messier, Gary Doak

Trivia #2: Who was the first NBA player to win two NBA Finals MVP awards? Bill Russell, Willis Reed, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy 

Say what you about the Celtics season. They exceeded expectations. They are so young and have a great future. Wait until Kyrie and Hayward are healthy. Blah, blah, blah. They blew an opportunity! Up 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Up in the 4^th quarter of game 7. I can’t wait until next season too, but they blew it. 

In 1994, Boston Duck Tours was a 15-employee business that carried 600 passengers in four duck boats in its first year of operation. Since then, the company has grown into a 200-employee business that last year transported over a half-million passengers around Boston in their Word War II replica amphibious vehicles. 

Yale won the NCAA Division 1 men’s lacrosse championship. In a related story, San Diego State is the #3 seed in the Corvallis Region of the NCAA Baseball Tournament. 

Stop complaining about your everyday aches and pains. Get this, a man complaining of severe abdominal pain ended up going through 2 ½ hours of surgery to remove 4,100 gallstones. 

So how was the game? Rudy Giuliani, longtime Yankees fan, was in attendance at Yankee Stadium last Monday with his son when the announcer wished him a happy birthday (74) over the loudspeaker. Not only did the crowd boo him, the Yankees lost the game 5-1. 

Yankees suck! 

I am so not following anything Patriots right now. Nothing, really. 

From my Aunt: If you had to choose between drinking wine every day or being skinny, which would you choose? Red or white? 

LeBron has now played in 1,379 games, regular season and playoffs. Last night was the first time one of his teams was an underdog of more than 12 points (-13.5). BTW, they covered.

Some people are pretty excited about this weekend’s Sox/Astros series. It’s early June. I get it but it’s early June. 

Quote of the week: From former Fox and NBC exec Preston Beckman regarding Roseanne Barr; “She’s a pimple on the tushy of  The Walt Disney Co., and they lanced it.” 

The Houston Rockets missed 27 straight three-pointers in their game 7 loss to Golden State. You might say the shots were “rockets!” 

Trivia #1: Who was the first player to play 50 (or more) playoff games with three different teams? – Claude Lemieux

Trivia #2: Who was the first NBA player to win two NBA Finals MVP awards? – Willis Reed 

Au Revoir, Go-pher! 

“Fill me heart with song
And let me sing for ever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore”

BTW, off next Friday for The Penta (23rd). Hope to see you there.

Briefly.

Trivia #1: Who holds the MLB record for having pitched in 50 different stadiums?

Trivia #2: What team played the fewest playoff games en route to the Stanley Cup championship? 

Wow! Both the Cavs and Warriors down 3-2. Both need to win two, the last one being on the road. 

Next I will either be commenting on how the Celtics blew it or, how they can beat the Rockets/Warriors. 

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ rookie phenom Willy Adames made his major league debut this past Tuesday night against the Red Sox and Chris Sale. Sales struck him out the first time but he homered in his second at bat. I can’t say I’ve seen a happier kid round the bases. Good for him! Of note: Sale struck him out on three pitches his next time up. 

If the Red Sox’ Rafael Devers was on their Triple-A affiliate Pawtucket Red Sox, he would be the youngest player on their active roster. If the Red Sox’ Rafael Devers was on their Double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs, he would be the youngest player on their active roster. He hit his 9^th homerun with the big boys earlier in the week. 

Trivia #1 hint: He was inducted into the HOF in 2015. 

Too bad NFL Eastern Conference Final game 7 the other night, Tampa/Washington, was up against the Sox and the Celtics. The game was certainly 3^rd on my dial. Sorry Spike/Arch. 

LeBron was waiting at the scorers’ table for a whistle so he could check into the game the other night, Game 5 at the Garden. Where was he? No, not sitting on the floor in front of the scorers’ table, out of the view of media and fans. Instead he was sitting on the scorers’ table not caring whose view he was blocking. You could see people trying to see around him. What a dink.

A New Zealand scientist is leading a team to Scotland’s Loch Ness next month where they will search for the DNA of “Nessie”, the Loch Ness monster. Hmmm. How will they know if they find it?? 

James Harden is 0 for his last 20 three-point attempts. 

Unless information, supposed to fire my imagination: “How the AL, NL Cy Young races are shaping up.” – Dude, it’s May.

Who do you like in the big race on Sunday? I’m not sure whether Jefferson Welch is running but watch out for sleeper Alex Wilson. 

You know that person that can never give you a straight answer to your question? They reply with information but do not answer the specific question that was asked. Ya, I work with one of them. 

Trivia #1 hint #2: He holds the MLB record for homeruns allowed. 

Neal Leier, an angler from Bismarck, ND, reeled in a 15-pound, 13-ounce walleye from the Missouri River to break the state’s 60-year old record. 

St. Cardinals’ reliever Jordan Hicks threw a pitch 105 MPH last week. The fastest ever recorded. 

Quote from the archives: “A James Cagney love scene is one where he lets the other guy live.” – Bob Hope 

Trivia #1 answer: Who holds the MLB record for having pitched in 50 different stadiums? Jamie Moyer
DYK: At the time of his retirement, Jamie Moyer had pitched to 8.9% of all MLB hitters ever!

Trivia #2 answer: What team played the fewest playoff games en route to the Stanley Cup championship? – The 1987-88 Edmonton Oilers went 16-2 beating the Bruins 4-0 in the Cup finals. 

“’Cause when a long-legged lovely walks by
Yeah you can see the look in her eye
Then you know it’s
Hot in the city, hot in the city tonight, tonight”

Briefly. 

Trivia #1: On May 11, 2005, A’s closer Octavio Dotel did something against the Red Sox that had only been done five previous times in MLB history. What did he do? 

Plan your work, work your plan. 

On May 17, 2005, Ervin Santana made his major league debut with the California Angels. The first four batters he faced hit for a collective cycle: a triple by Grady Sizemore, a double by Coco Crisp, a single by Travis Hafner and a homerun by Ben Broussard. 

How bad has the weather been in Toronto? Last Sunday for the Red Sox/Blue Jays game, the roof to the Rogers Centre was open. It was only the second time in 22 home games that the roof had been open. 

So Webb Simpson won The Players Championship using one of those stupid anchored belly putters. After his brilliant putting performance last weekend Simpson now ranks 5^th in Strokes Gained: Putting. DYK: He ranked 174^th and 177^th in 2015 & 2016 respectively. 

Speaking of which, has anyone ever seen Webb Simpson and Kevin Love in the same room at the same time? 

Red Sox radio play-by-play man Joe Castiglione, great as he is, has sometimes been known to provide some pretty useless information. Here’s a gem from last Sunday: Did you know there are 156 languages spoken in Toronto? 

The wife of former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover is facing a domestic violence charge stemming from a reported fight earlier this month with the golfer – and his mother. Lucas told deputies how “when he plays a bad round of golf, Krista proceeds to start an altercation with him and telling him how he is a loser and a pussy, how he needs to fire everyone, and how he’d better win or her and the kids would leave him and he would never see the kids again.” I’m thinking, holy shit, she’d really hate me! 

Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories… 

Why, and you don’t have an answer, is there a 4-day break between games 2 & 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals? 

Oxymoron: Royal wedding, my interest. 

Trivia #1 answer: On May 11, 2005, A’s closer Octavio Dotel did something against the Red Sox that had only been done five previous times in MLB history. What did he do? He let up walk-off homeruns in consecutive days. 

That’s all I got. 

“They are one person
They are two alone
They are three together
They are for each other”

Briefly. 

Trivia #1: I’ll put this in the “difficult” category: There is a small group of MLB players who have hit at least one homerun in 40 stadiums. Two are former Red Sox. Name them.

Trivia #2: Which pair of brothers combined to score the most career playoff goals (131?). Wayne & Brent Gretzky, Maurice & Henri Richard, Peter & Anton Stastny, Bobby & Brett Hull, Tony & Phil Esposito?

Trivia #3: (I HAD to add this in, though not exactly trivia) – Wednesday night the Mets became the first team to bat out or order in over two years. Asdrubal Cabrera batted in the 1^st inning and doubled with two outs. As Jay Bruce came to the plate, the Reds manager alerted the ump to the lineup card Jay Bruce was called out automatically to end the inning. The question: How do you score it? 

Proud parents? Calgary police say a man in his 20’s died after climbing inside the wall of a women’s mall bathroom and becoming stuck. 

If, after Kyrie went down, you told me the Celtics were going to the Eastern Conference Finals… whoddathunk? Again, Brad Stevens. Can’t say enough. 

St. Louis Cardinals’ second baseman, and Hawaiian native, Kolten Wong has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for families affected by the Kilauea volcano. Said Wong; “… the Hawaiian way and the way we look at it is that the goddess Pele, who is the creator of lava and the creator of the Hawaiian islands, she is the ruler of all. She decides where she wants to go.” 

Headline: “Warren Buffet says $10,000 invested in an index fund in 1942 would be worth $51 million today.” Great! So if you were 20 years old in 1942 and happened to have $10,000 to invest (big money for a 20-year old in 1942), you would have $51 million now… and be 96 years old! 

You really can’t beat Red Sox/yankees baseball. 

Useless information, supposed to fire my imagination: Headline: “Here’s how Red Sox’ Mookie Betts could be related to Meghan Markle” 

I’m rooting for the Golden Knights and against the Caps. Rooting for the Celtics (of course) and against all things LeBron. Rooting against Golden State too though Harden is a punk. 

I went shopping for a new wallet last weekend. There was a sale going on; buy two wallets, get the second one at ½ price. Who buys two wallets?! 

Quote of the week: “They used every inch of the 24-second clock.” NBA analyst Reggie Miller during a game the other night. 

Hey, that’s my truck! With key components about to run out, Ford will halt production of its most profitable and popular F-150 series pickup. Over 7,600 workers in Dearborn and Kansas City were told to stay home last week. 

Trivia #1 answer: There is a small group of MLB players who have hit at least one homerun in 40 stadiums. Two are former Red Sox. Name them. Ellis Burkes (41) and Adrian Beltre (40, and still going)

Trivia #2 answer: Which pair of brothers combined to score the most career playoff goals (131?). Wayne & Brent Gretzky, Maurice & Henri Richard, Peter & Anton Stastny, Bobby & Brett Hull, Tony & Phil Esposito? – Maurice & Henri Richard

Trivia #3 answer: Wednesday night the Mets became the first team to bat out or order in over two years. Asdrubal Cabrera batted in the 1^st inning and doubled with two outs. As Jay Bruce came to the plate, the Reds manager alerted the ump to the lineup card Jay Bruce was called out automatically to end the inning. The question: How do you score it? – Jay Bruce was officially put out by the catcher, unassisted. And, Cabrera’s doubled stands in the record books. Interesting. 

“Ain’t talking ‘bout Monday
Ain’t talking ‘bout Tuesday
Ain’t talking ‘bout Wednesday
Ain’t talking ‘bout Thursday
I’m talking ‘bout…

She don’t care no more
She don’t need to fight it
She don’t care no more
She gets paid on Friday”

Briefly. 

DYK: There are more than 14,000 types of mushrooms. 

Trivia #1: What is it called when a player strikes out 3 times in one game? 4 times? 5 times?

Trivia #2: What player holds the single-season record for grand slams? 

It is now apparent why the Pablo Sandoval experiment didn’t work in Boston. The Red Sox weren’t using him effectively. Last Saturday he pitched a 1-2-3 inning (three groundouts) mixing his 80+ MPH heat with a 70’s curveball for the Giants. Whoddathunk?! 

On April 29, 1930, there were 7 major league baseball games played and the average runs scored per game was more than 17! 

Down on the farm: The PawSox have been shut-out 4 times already this season. 

Think about it. Stormy Daniels is not a good porn name. 

If the Bruins lose this series, can we call it a successful season?

Playoff hockey is the best! Except, of course, when the Bruins aren’t winning… 

Why is it called a sleeve of golf balls? Even “short sleeve” is more appropriate .

Things you are not allowed to complain about. A bad round of golf. Lousy sex. Go fishing and not catching anything. Things you cancomplain about. Warm beer. A bad round of golf. Wait a minute…. 

Early season note: JD Martinez can hit. 

I can’t wait for the Patriots season to begin… just so that people will talk about Patriots football and not about everything else to do with the Patriots. 

It’s official, Amazon announced that it will hire for 2,000 new tech jobs in the Seaport once it takes over 430,000 ft. of office space at the next phase of office development in Boston’s Seaport Square, set to complete by 2021. In a related story, Notre Dame Football is scheduled to play at Alabama on Sept 1^st, 2029. Really. 

Shaquem Griffin had his left hand amputated at age 4 after being born with a rare syndrome. Shaquem, out of Central Florida, was drafted in the 5^th round last week by the Seattle Seahawks. At the scouting combine he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, the fastest by a linebacker in more than 10 years. 

And it continues… Remember that the Red Sox hit zero grand slams last season. They just became only the second team to ever hit 6 before May 1^st. 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: A Philadelphia Eagles fan has started a GoFundMe page to raise money in hopes that the team’s new rookie will change his name (Dallas Goedert) because of the team’s intense rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys. 

How many of you checked to see whether Sept 1^st, 2029 falls on a Saturday??? 

Trivia #1 answer: What is it called when a player strikes out 3 times in one game? 4 times? 5 times? When a batter strikes out three times in one game it is called a hat trick. Four times, a golden sombrero. Five times, a platinum sombrero. This dishonor is also known as the Olympic Rings.

Trivia #2 answer: What player holds the single-season record for grand slams? Don Mattingly hit 6 grand slams in 1987. DYK: Those were the only grand slams Mattingly hit in his entire career!

2 years. May the Fourth be with you all! 

“Trying to make some sense of it all
But I can see it makes no sense at all
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor?
Well, I don’t think I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you”

Briefly. 

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen looks terrible as he continues his fight against cancer. Poor guy. 

Great theatre last night with the Celtics, Sox and the NFL draft going on at the same time. Really, what do fans in other areas of our Nation do?? 

For the first time in history, 4 quarterbacks were selected out of the top 10 picks of the NFL draft. Guaranteed, at least two of those teams will regret that pick. 

Speaking of which: Trivia #1: Which NFL team had the most top 3 picks in the last 15 years?
Trivia #2: Who was last the last player chosen in the top 5 of the NFL draft who did not come from an FBS school (Football Bowl Subdivision) and what school did he play for? 

Obviously, I haven’t been paying attention. The Baltimore Ravens drafted, with the 25^th pick overall, stud tight end Hayden Hurst out of South Carolina. Hurst joins a receiving corps of, here’s where I’m not paying attention, Michael Crabtree (Oakland), John Brown (Arizona) and Willie Snead (New Orleans). 

Florida fisherman, Joel Singletary, pulled a record-setting 120 lb. catfish from the Choctawhatchee River. The previous record was just under 70 pounds! But hold on! Because he caught the beast on his trotline the catch does not qualify and the record does not stand. Doh! 

If spring has sprung, are we now to go out and enjoy the sprang? 

Rene Rancourt has been singing the National Anthem at Bruins games for 41 years and is (finally) retiring. DYK: Rene got his big break in 1977 when the singer for the day at Fenway Park called in sick and Rene was called upon. He did such a good job that the Bruins called the next day. 

BTW, Rene said part of the reason he is retiring is to spend more time with his wife. Dude! You sing a couple few times a week for what, two and a half minutes!?!? 

For those of you who let yourselves follow and suffer through the entire Gronk saga, you are never getting that time back… 

Sometimes, like last night, teams are so overmatched by Craig Kimbrel it’s comical. 

Because you’re dying to know… A trotline is a heavy fishing line with baited hooks in intervals by means of branch lines called snoods. (You’re welcome, Wilbur) 

Trivia #1 answer: Which NFKL team had the most top 3 picks in the last 15 years? The Cleveland Browns had 6 top 3 picks (the Lions had 5). And look at them now…

Trivia #2 answer: Who was last the last player chosen in the top 5 of the NFL draft that did not come from an FBS school (Football Bowl Subdivision) and what school did he play for? Steve McNair (#3 overall) out of Alcorn State. 

“You been tellin’ me you’re a genius
Since you were seventeen
In all the time I’ve known you
I still don’t know what you mean
The weekend at the college
Didn’t turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I can’t understand”

Briefly. 

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen looks terrible as he continues his fight against cancer. Poor guy. 

Great theatre last night with the Celtics, Sox and the NFL draft going on at the same time. Really, what do fans in other areas of our Nation do?? 

For the first time in history, 4 quarterbacks were selected out of the top 10 picks of the NFL draft. Guaranteed, at least two of those teams will regret that pick. 

Speaking of which: Trivia #1: Which NFL team had the most top 3 picks in the last 15 years?
Trivia #2: Who was last the last player chosen in the top 5 of the NFL draft who did not come from an FBS school (Football Bowl Subdivision) and what school did he play for? 

Obviously, I haven’t been paying attention. The Baltimore Ravens drafted, with the 25^th pick overall, stud tight end Hayden Hurst out of South Carolina. Hurst joins a receiving corps of, here’s where I’m not paying attention, Michael Crabtree (Oakland), John Brown (Arizona) and Willie Snead (New Orleans). 

Florida fisherman, Joel Singletary, pulled a record-setting 120 lb. catfish from the Choctawhatchee River. The previous record was just under 70 pounds! But hold on! Because he caught the beast on his trotline the catch does not qualify and the record does not stand. Doh! 

If spring has sprung, are we now to go out and enjoy the sprang? 

Rene Rancourt has been singing the National Anthem at Bruins games for 41 years and is (finally) retiring. DYK: Rene got his big break in 1977 when the singer for the day at Fenway Park called in sick and Rene was called upon. He did such a good job that the Bruins called the next day. 

BTW, Rene said part of the reason he is retiring is to spend more time with his wife. Dude! You sing a couple few times a week for what, two and a half minutes!?!? 

For those of you who let yourselves follow and suffer through the entire Gronk saga, you are never getting that time back… 

Sometimes, like last night, teams are so overmatched by Craig Kimbrel it’s comical. 

Because you’re dying to know… A trotline is a heavy fishing line with baited hooks in intervals by means of branch lines called snoods. (You’re welcome, Wilbur) 

Trivia #1 answer: Which NFKL team had the most top 3 picks in the last 15 years? The Cleveland Browns had 6 top 3 picks (the Lions had 5). And look at them now…

Trivia #2 answer: Who was last the last player chosen in the top 5 of the NFL draft that did not come from an FBS school (Football Bowl Subdivision) and what school did he play for? Steve McNair (#3 overall) out of Alcorn State. 

“You been tellin’ me you’re a genius
Since you were seventeen
In all the time I’ve known you
I still don’t know what you mean
The weekend at the college
Didn’t turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I can’t understand”