You know the phrase “you’re not the boss of me”? That doesn’t apply to me at ACU.
Here are my bosses:
Rodney Ashlock (associate chairman of undergrad Bible)
Glenn Pemberton (chairman of undergrad Bible)
Ken Cukrowski (associate dean of College of Biblical Studies)
Jack Reese (dean of College of Biblical Studies)
Dwayne Van Rheenan (Provost)
Royce Money (President)
I’m sure I’ve missed some others.
Having said that, I love teaching there. I love the direction of the university. I love the way there is an openness to a larger Christian world while still valuing the heritage of Churches of Christ. I love the variety of the student body. I love the sense that we are both participating in and calling people to the mission of Jesus.
- - - -
In front of a bunch of my buddies, I lost a bet to my friend Chris Flanders. The loser had to make a public confession.
SO . . . let me say this. Flanders was right; I was wrong. Our question was, Who had the most hits in the major leagues in the 1990s. I felt sure I knew. I was wrong. Do you know? Leave your guess here. Don’t google first. Don’t say something like “I know this because I just saw it the other day.” And don’t come back commenting on it. Let’s just see who knows.
What major league player had the most hits in the ’90s?
“…And here’s another thing, I have eight different bosses right now. Eight, Bob. So that means when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That’s my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.”
/Be sure to get cover sheets on your TPS reports, Mike.
Having said that,(is that a mantra?) let’s hope ACU is not going too far in the wrong direction.
My first guess was wrong.
Barry Bonds
hhhmmm not sure but could it be Craig Biggio?
I would join Tommy with the guess “Barry Bonds”, although I wish it were Cal Ripken.
Can elders count as “Bosses?”
Peace.
Ha! Craig, nice cultural reference. Love it. The difference for me is, I don’t mind. As Randy Harris says, “If you’re not my boss at ACU, your career is in the tank.”
Has to be Tony Gwynn.
I was thinking Barry Bonds, too. But, I’m a girl who rarely watches baseball, and he is probably too obvious a choice to be correct!
Jack Reese would be a fun boss.
I just have all these bad memories of Bonds whooping up on my Braves in playoffs in the early 90’s.
This is difficult…..I’d go with Tony Gwynn.
Tony Gwynn
Honus Wagner. Or was that the 1890’s?
My guess would be Tony Gwynn.
Wild guess? Pudge Rodriguez?
Okay. I looked it up. I feel dumb. I should have thought more. Great trivia question!
Ha! OK, Brett you’ve eliminated Pudge. But I like the way you’re thinking. Greatest catcher in the history of baseball? My answer: Pudge Rodriguez. Now . . . no more comments AFTER looking up the answer.
Mark Grace, who also finished 16 years of baseball as a 303 hitter with 2445 hits while mostly playing on some very poor Chicago Cubs teams (as a Cubs fan, I hate saying that). I’m not sure if his numbers will get him into Cooperstown or not but if they don’t, they surely are knocking at the door. He played the game right and in the later years of his career when his bat speed began to slow down, he never sought rememdy in the form of “the juice.”
I’m going with Gwynn. If it aint, then I’m a monkey’s uncle.
(it’s probably someone like Carlos Baerga or John Olerud or Wade Boggs, though)
on baseball - I don’t know the answer, but Tony Gwynn sounds wrong to me - didn’t he have his best years in the last 80’s?
On ACU - word on the street is Mike now wants his salary to be tied to head count - surely that can’t be?
If so, Paul Faulkner should be awarded some back pay!
Hope you have a great semester Mike - the kids love you.
Keith Hernandez. When not starring on Seinfeld.
Mark Grace. Besides Gwynn and Griffey, the pretties swing in the game during the 90s.
Make that prettiest.
Seems like it’s got to be Tony Gwynn. But that’s what everyone is saying. How about Paul Molitor?
I like the question, “Who has had the most hits in the past 10 years?” because it puts Garret Anderson right up there with Derek Jeter.
But I’m pretty sure the 90’s belonged to Grace. Appropos for this blog.
Willie McGee!
Got me stumped on this one. How long did Boggs play in the 90’s? He had to have been one of the top hitters on the list.
DU
I don’t know the baseball answer.
I do know my daughter loves ACU. This is her second year. On move in day she actually said ” it’s just sad that I’m not a freshman anymore, I kinda wish I was living in Gardner and had Randy Harris and Mike Cope for Bible again.”
Being an Astros fan, I am going to say Biggio, since he reached that magical number of 3000, and he was in his prime during the 1990’s
A past coworker and friend, Wendell Willis teaches NT and is a fine man and teacher, with many others there. I have one son at ACU who had Mike for his first NT class, and he loved it. I also have 1 son and 1 daughter at HU…so I love both places.
Here’s one that hasn’t been mentioned… how about Rafael Palmeiro? I’d bet he’s up there if not the right guess. He seemed to always get a hit.
So far for 2000-present it’s got to be Ichiro. Right?
In keeping with the traditional approach of this site, I say GRACE wins over BONDage.
Tony Gwynn.
Mark Grace also led the majors in doubles during that same period. Pretty good for a guy not recruited, had to attend po-dunk JC (Saddelback or something like that), and barely drafted the second time around…
I believe the answer is former Ranger great Rafael Palmeiro
Grace is the answer… really…
My guess is Tony Gwynn, but that seems too obvious. I’m guessing that was what Mike thought and was wrong.
All right. It began with me (a Cards fan) telling Flanders (a Cubs fan) that I really liked Mark Grace. He said, “Wasn’t he great? It’s hard to believe he led the majors in hits in the ’90s.” To which I responded, “There’s no way Mark Grace had more hits than Tony Gwynn in the ’90s.”
Apparently there is a way. The answer: Mark Grace. I’m sitting on six Grace rookie cards, hoping he makes the Hall someday. But it’s no guarantee. Hard to play for a team that bad and make it, no matter how consistent you were. No unprecedented; just difficult.
I’m going with Paul Molitor.
I think you should ‘fess up in the pulpit on Sunday.
I saw Palmeiro’s name up there which brought back memories of watching him play for Miss. State years ago. He married a good ole CoC girl, so he obviously has great taste. How’s that for an obscure statistic?
Tony Gwynn is my guess. Now to see if anyone has already guessed that.
Wow. I feel real unintelligent for guessing AFTER the answer was posted. Oops.
No bets on baseball, but I bet everyone of your bosses is very glad to have you at ACU!
Since the answer has been given, here is a link to the top hitters of the 90s:
http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/HBxq
I believe it was Mark Grace
Oh well, now I see the answer was posted. I swear I didn’t see before. Any true Cub fan would know that he led the major leagues in hits in 1990s. Truly one of the most underrated gamers of the last generation.
Paul - That’s funny! Yeah, guessing wrong AFTER the answer is posted is problematic. Ha!
I’ll say this: the best hitter of the 90s was Tony Gwynn. Look at the Batting Averages on the site Brett linked to.
But still, Flanders, you were right.
My first thought was Tony Gwynn. I would also consider Cal Ripken with all those games played - but his overall average may not make him a good candidate.
Ahh….and Mark Grace looked so good swinging too! Go Cubbies!
My first guess which was wrong was of course; Tony Gwinn.
Why wouldn’t I think my Padres’ finest hitter and member of the 4000 club wouldn’t be the hottest hitter in the 90s? But nope, Grace wins it all.
Good question, Mike! btw-do you welcome senior citizens to monitor your ACU classes? Hmmmm? How about an invite.
I think Susan Faver’s daughter should receive a tuition rebate for those kind comments about Harris and Cope. You can’t put a dollar figure on publicity like that.
Geoff said it was Mark Grace. He played for the Cubs. Is he right?
Guess I should have read the comments before I posted, too. But at least Geoff’s guess was right!
tony Gwynn. Just a guess not sure
Mike,
When I interned for Lynn years ago, he taught Theology of Ministry, a graduate class for ACU (which I took) at Preston Road. I think out of all the things he was doing at the time, this energized him more than anything. He was a great university professor as I am sure you are.
David
No idea. ACU is a wonderful University! I have read the first four books in ACU’s Heart of The Restoration serese (how do you spell that?) and love them! Also read Jack Resses’s (how do you spell his name?) The Body Broken. Great books! Great people there and I think the world of the people there! Be blessed!
Zack (zack-blaisdell.blogspot.com)
Do you see more of the Christians Universities going down the direction of ACU, except Harding? If so, why is it so hard for Harding to change? I see some really good changes taking place at Lubbock Christian University is going.
I believe change with any Univsersity take time and right leadership. Dr. Steve Joiner is doing a fantastic job the leadership the he is taking the department.
Mike, how did you cleverly tie in the Cubbies Mark Grace with your previous bit on Galatians? Of course you remember when Vance Law (son of Vernon Law) played third for the Cubbies and Mark Grace was at first. Still don’t get it? Heh, heh. Every time a batter grounded out to third it went from Law to Grace!
Mark Grace w/ 1,754 hits. Tony Gwynn had 1,713.