TOP 10 SPORTS FIGURES WHO COULD FILABUST

Senator Rand Paul took the floor on Wednesday to challenge President Obama's drone program.
He didn't stop until nearly 13 hours later. That was well short (by 11 hours) of Strom Thurmond's
record for filabusting, but still goes down as a great effort, not to mention ridiculously boring.
The filibuster by Paul got me thinking about who from the sports world could talk forever about
a certain subject. Here is my Top 10 list:

10. MANTI TE'O The former Notre Dame linebacker can talk on the phone like the biggest
gossip queen in junior high school: forever. Records showed than Te'o talked with his imaginary girlfriend who didn't exist for a period of four months. During that time, he made or received
more than 1,000 calls totaling 500 hours! First of all, in this day and age of texting, Twitter, and Facebook, nobody talks on the phone for more than five minutes, not even to family members. 500 hours with a person you've never met is absurd. 110 of those calls were for more than 60 minutes
and a few of them lasted several hundred minutes.

Filabusting topic: The sexuality of Manti Te'o

 9. CURT SCHILLING The former major league picture and ESPN analyst is an expert on just
about anything and everything. The Big Schill has some big lungs and it takes a lot for him
to get winded. He's articulate and very good when it comes to passing on his knowledge of the
game that made him famous.

Filabusting topic: How he despises Bobby Valentine.

 8. RICK PITINO The coach of the Louisville Cardinals just loves to hear himself speak. He
usually does it in the off-season as a motivational speaker where he's been know to go on, and
on, and on some more. There's no doubting his camera presence, fluidity, and knowledge for
the game and when he retires, Pitino will make a seamless transition to the broadcast booth for
a major sports network.

 

Filabusting topic: How to avoid extortion plots from woman obsessed with you.

 7. CHAD OCHOCINCO The former NFL receiver is one person I might just sit around
for hours on end to listen to. The guy is wildly entertaining and doesn't come off across as
obnoxious and unlikable. He has a quick wit and appears to be up on pop culture.

Fiabusting topic: The origin of the River Dance and the most effective ways to Tweet and
gain more than 2 million followers.

6. RAY LEWIS I'm not sure what got into Ray Lewis during the final two months of his
career, but the Baltimore Ravens linebacker would not shut up. God is god, good is great,
blessed is the man who doesn't fear the lord, yada, yada, yada. Gimme a break. He was
spitting out Psalms like he used to chew up running backs. I'm sure he'll do just fine next to Keyshawn Johnson next year on ESPN's  "NFL Countdown."

Filabusting topic: Positive growth from Deer Antler Spray.


5. KEVIN MILLAR The former baseball player knew after his stint in Boston that television
would be his post-career vocation. He not only loves the camera, but is addicted to the
microphone. Millar is knowledgeable, entertaining, and pretty funny.

Filabusting topic: How he invented "Cowboy Up"

4. BOBBY VALENTINE Bobby V was a shoo-in to make this list. The man can flat-out
talk about anything and when it comes to himself, well, let's just say he probably could break
Strom Thurmond's all-time record for a filibuster. Bobby made a living for a while on ESPN
talking baseball and reportedly has never turned down an interview with anyone in his life.

Filabusting topic: How he invented the sandwich wrap.

3. JOE BUCK The Fox broadcaster once hosted a NFL playoff game and the World Series
in the same city on the same day, back-to-back. Now that is talent, not to mention strong pipes.
Buck certainly has them. He's as good as it gets in sports today. Not sure though, how many people could stand his act for nearly 13 hours like Senator Paul

Filabusting topic: How hair plugs really worked for him.

2. MIKE FRANCESSA The grand poo-bah of sports talk radio gabs about the games for nearly
six hours a day, so he'd had no problem excelling at filabusters. Football, baseball, horses, you
name it, Francessa can talk about it---and forever. He can not only put viewers to sleep, but himself, too. Check it out on YouTube. Classic.

 

.Filabusting topic: How he's better off without Chris "Mad Dog" Russo

1.  DICK VITALE A no-brainer. Give him the floor and the microphone, and Dickie V just
won't stop. Ever. Thurmond's record would be smashed tomorrow if the ESPN basketball became
a politician and decided to execute his own filibuster. If you like obnoxious and loud, Vitale is
for you, baby!

Filabusting topic: How I became a PTP-er. (Prime Time Player)