Question of the Week

Roger, Canton, IL
Subj: Simply the best
In your opinion, which state has produced the best quarterbacks?

My vote goes to Pennsylvania. The Keystone State has given us some of the finest signal callers in the history of the game, including Johnny Unitas, Johnny Lujack, Joe Namath, George Blanda, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly, Tom Clements, Chuck Fusina, Arnold Galiffa, Charlie Batch, Kerry Collins, Jeff Hostetler and Terry Hanratty. So, what is it that makes Pennsylvania a cradle for quarterbacks? Unitas has gone on record crediting the state’s no-nonsense blue collar background and spirit of "Toughness, dedication, hard work and competitiveness.” Certainly, any state known for its steel mills and coal mines is bound to produce athletes infused with an unyielding resilience and a refusal to quit.

Question of the Week

Roger, Canton, IL
Subj: Simply the best
In your opinion, which state has produced the best quarterbacks?

My vote goes to Pennsylvania. The Keystone State has given us some of the finest signal callers in the history of the game, including Johnny Unitas, Johnny Lujack, Joe Namath, George Blanda, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly, Tom Clements, Chuck Fusina, Arnold Galiffa, Charlie Batch, Kerry Collins, Jeff Hostetler and Terry Hanratty.

So, what is it that makes Pennsylvania a cradle for quarterbacks? Unitas has gone on record crediting the state’s no-nonsense blue collar background and spirit of "Toughness, dedication, hard work and competitiveness.” Certainly, any state known for its steel mills and coal mines is bound to produce athletes infused with an unyielding resilience and a refusal to quit.

Question of the Week

John, Brooklyn, NY
Subj: Say it ain’t so Joe
Is it true that Joe Montana began his football career under false pretenses?

That’s correct John. By the time he was eight-years-old Montana was chomping at the bit to play organized football. There was just one problem: his town’s local peewee league didn’t allow players to suit up until they were nine, so his father lied on his registration form and enrolled his son a year earlier. Despite being younger – and smaller – than most of his teammates, Montana was named the team’s quarterback and he quickly impressed onlookers with his confidence and accuracy. His first coach, Carl Crawley, recalls watching Montana blossom into a first rate signal caller. "We ran a pro offense," Crawley says. "Joe would roll out. If the cornerback came off, he'd dump it off; if he stayed back, he'd keep going and pick up five or six yards. He was an amazingly accurate passer for a kid."

Ask Ryan - Hollywood Hoops

Welcome back for another edition of Ask Ryan, the column where sports and entertainment go together like motorcycle cops and moustaches. This week's mailbag is bursting at the seams with queries about Wilt Chamberlain's early struggles, the silver screen's best ballers and Joe Montana's shady past. Read all about it at: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7636072

Ask Ryan - Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Hi Gang,
Welcome back for another edition of Ask Ryan, the column where sports and entertainment go together like champagne showers and swimming goggles. This week's mailbag is bursting at the seams with queries about the greatest quarterback of all time, the lost art of the drop kick and the wickedly warped wisdom of Yogi Berra. Read all about it at: http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/7397364