Not again.

Sean Taylor, safety for the Washington Redskins, a man I never knew, died yesterday. When the horrific news got to me, shock gave way quickly to an all too familiar emotion – despair. And one relentless thought.

Dammit, not again.

You reach for words, and profanities come to mind. Some days, nothing is as eloquent.


Another player from “The U” (of Miami) dies young.

Again.

Another senseless homicide of a young black man. A daughter left fatherless.

Again.

“I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan
I shouldn’t have to run from a black man,
‘Cause that’s sel####estruction…”

- Kool Moe Dee, “Self Destruction” (1988)

It is a statistical fact that the leading cause of death for black men ages 15-24 is homicide. It is also a fact that the killer is likely to be another black male.

I am a black male. I know the numbers too well. As Jemele Hill points out, we are SIX times more likely to be killed than a white male in the same age bracket.

Like a sick, twisted, Indiana Jones movie, growing up as a young black man seems to involve avoiding death traps on a regular basis, except that all too often, if it isn’t the big, huge boulder (gang-life) running you down, or the poison-tipped darts (drugs), or a broken education system (over 65% of all black college students are female), it is the guns. There are even more reasons and factors, but that is a discussion for another day.

Worst of all, your friends – yes, your friends can drag you down.

“Friends” who are jealous of your success, or demand that you keep it real by being involved in their foolishness. The road to hell is an 8-lane highway paved with best intentions of proving that you haven’t forgotten your homies.

After all of that, institutional racism – in all it’s forms - doesn’t have to pick off many men.

I can’t pass judgment on what happened Sunday night in the Taylor home. And you know something? It’s really immaterial.

Sean Taylor was 24, and had by all accounts had truly turned his life around from a rocky start, which makes this all even more painful. Sadly, he probably should have moved out of Miami, as there is a fairly good case that can be made that he knew his assailant.

Already, much has been made about Taylor’s past somehow still catching up to him, but it really doesn’t matter. Ask the late Broncos cornerback Darrant Williams who had the misfortune of getting killed by a bullet meant for someone else. Case still unsolved.

Ask the Timberwolves’ Antoine Walker, or the Knicks Eddie Curry. Both men were the victim of savage home invasions, like the one that killed Sean Taylor. Neither man has been in any trouble whatsoever with the law.

Neither story got more than a brief mention when it happened. Somehow, I have to believe that if Brett Favre was the victim of a home invasion, if Deanna Favre had a gun shoved in her face and terrorized, the story would have rated slightly more press no?

Clearly, judging by the overkill of the Michael Vick scandal, we know what would have happened if, heaven forbid, that Curry and Walker were holding guns, rather than facing one.

Our media has a much easier time (and makes more money) envisioning black men as perps rather than victims of violent crime.

We live in a society that is increasingly violent. We also live in a society where even wealth and success guarantees no real escape for some unless they are willing to make real changes in associates and even geography. Perhaps if Taylor had made his full-time home in D.C. instead of near his old haunts in Miami, life would have been different. It is tragic that that would even have to be an option. But it is fact.

The deepest feeling I have today is pain. I feel his loss the same way I felt the fall of Maurice Clarett. The same way I may feel when I hear about the senseless loss of a young brother locally. We can't afford to lose any black men. It is hard enough already.

It is the reason why I have contempt for writers and talking heads that wallow in barely concealed schadenfreude when a Vick or Clarett blow their chances to escape their environments.

Yes, I know it is good business, low hanging fruit, and easy copy, but there is a bigger story and far bigger issues.

It is far, far too personal for me. Today, yet another young black man lies dead at 24.

A father, a soon-to-be husband.

A friend and a teammate.

Another luminous life, a world of potential snuffed out too soon.
Again.

Damn.

OK, listen up people: The prohibitive favorite to win the NFL MVP plays for the New England Patriots.

His name should be Randy Moss.

Yes, Randy Moss.

Yes, I know, I know. Tom Brady is allegedly playing at an “elevated level” (love those cliché’s that seems to proliferate among announcers). Brady is on a pace to shatter the NFL record for completion percentage (74%), rating (134.0!), and touchdown passes. In fact, if Brady maintains his pace of 60 TD passes, it will rank with the home run record or Wilt's 50 pomts a game - stupefying and next to unbreakable.

Toss in the relentless John Madden man-crush on Tom Terrific (transferred from Brett Favre) that has been copied by every damn announcer (and you thought Favregasms were bad), and Brady looks like a lock.

Except that it would be wrong.

Go beyond the raw numbers, as impressive as they are for Randy: 66 catches for 1,052 yards and 16 touchdowns, a pace that will threaten the single season yardage record, and obliterate Jerry Rice’s TD record of 22 TD catches in a season. It is even beyond the freakish combination of 4.3 speed, the greatest ball skills in NFL history, and his superb hands that have terrorized every secondary he has faced.

Moss is the only receiver in football that can actually out run a Cover Two. Just ask his former coach Dennis Green as he says here.

"Teams might be in a two-deep [zone, with safeties splitting the back half of the field] but I always said Randy would run through the two-deep. To stop Randy Moss, you needed a deep two-deep."

The normal rules don’t apply to Randy Moss, because even when he’s covered, he’s dangerous, and a bad ball is still catchable.

Not since Bob Hayes frightened the NFL into developing zone defenses has any receiver impacted the league to this magnitude. And the lengths defenses go to contain him open the field for the entire Pats offense.

I know, you still want the MVP to go to Brady. After all, if Troy Aikman says it, it must be true, right? And a receiver is only as good as his quarterback after all.

Ok, try this on:

Exhibit A: Pats at Miami: These two TD catches against the Dolphins. Who else could come down with these balls? Does Brady even throw this pass before this season?

Exhibit B: Pats v. Colts. Colts lead 20-10, Brady is struggling. Brady tosses one deep, Moss beats the Cover Two for a momentum-changing 55 yard play. Pats score soon after to cut it to three, and then score again to preserve their undefeated season.

Exhibit C: These numbers: 92.6, 63.8, and 7.9.

Those are Tom Brady’s previous career highs in passer rating, completion percentage and yards per attempt.

This year those numbers are 134.0, 74.0, and 9.1

Coincidence?

The Pats are on a pace to destroy the season record for points set by the 1998 Vikings led by… Randy Moss.

More coincidence? Come on; say it is, I dare you.

Yes, Brady has Wes Welker, who is having a career season of his own. But Brady has had a Welker in the past – Troy Brown. Nice receiver, but neither he nor Donte Stallworth (2007’s Deion Branch) give cornerbacks and defensive coordinators night sweats.

And Tom Terrific has never had a year like this with Brown and Branch.

As to why Moss is not getting enough love from the press, well, he isn’t loved. Some of that he’s brought on himself. He didn’t cover himself in glory last year in Oakland, but frankly, that was not a professionally run franchise last year. Sorry, but I can’t drop all of the blame at Moss’ feet.

Besides that, many of the same people voting for the MVP love Brady and trashed the trade (including Pats Cheerleader Peter King). It may be too much to ask humbled Moss critics to see the light.

First, they’d have to wipe the egg off their faces.

This is why I don’t waste my time screwing around with mock drafts.

The Houston Texans signed Mario Williams in advance of the NFL draft last night, setting themselves up to be the most savvy or stupid team of the modern draft era. In doing so, they passed up Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, the most explosive player in college football in the last 20 years whose incredible speed and moves had scouts comparing him to Marshall Faulk and Gale Sayers. Heady company to be sure.

You have to give the Texans credit for testicular fortitude though. Either Super Mario had better be the second coming of Reggie White or Deacon Jones – or Reggie B. had better fall horribly flat on his face. That is almost the only way you can justify this pick, right?

The case for Williams: You had the 31^st ranked defense in the NFL. You’re switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4. There is a DE available whom scouts are comparing to Julius Peppers. Mario Williams fits the bill. He’s a wrecking crew that can almost immediately push your D into the Top half of the league. Moreover, he’ll play every down, you aren’t sure that Reggie Bush can. After all, you have David Carr, a solid QB who has played behind awful offensive lines. You signed a Pro Bowl wideout in Eric Moulds, who would go nicely with Andre Johnson, who seemed as affected by the general malaise as Carr. Do remember that Domanick Davis is a 1,100 yard back behind this sorry excuse for an O-line line. Give him a better offensive scheme, which coach Gary Kubiak should provide and what can he do then? Who needs to pay big bucks for a back that can't carry the ball 20 times a game, who isn't even on the field on short yardage?

       

The case for Bush: Back in 1983, the Houston Rockets had the 1^st and 3^rd pick in the NBA draft. The first pick was a no-brainer, Ralph Sampson of Virginia. With the 3^rd, the Rockets felt the pressure – tons of it - to take a hometown boy from University of Houston, Clyde Drexler. Bill Fitch had other ideas. A defensive minded small forward from Louisville caught his eye nice fella named Rodney McCray. And the Rockets drafted Rodney Mac. And he was a solid, hardworking forward for over a decade in the NBA.

Alas, Rodney was no Clyde. Drexler finally wound up with Houston in 1995, just in time to help them win their second consecutive title. But imagine a Houston team with Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde, and a healthy Ralph in the second half of the 1980s. Bling bling baby. 

The Texans drafted Rodney McCray in cleats.They went safe. Why take Michael Jordan when you have Clyde already? Except that Domanick Davis isn't that good.

Hey, I know Reggie Bush carried the ball 20 times just twice in a game his career. I know he goes 200 pounds. I know he doesn’t move the pile.

No, what Reggie Bush does is that he moves the ball. In huge chunks at a pop. I’ve heard wonderful things about Mario Williams, but no one – I mean no-body has claimed that this guy reminded them of Bruce Smith. Or Deacon Jones. When is the last time that a college player was ranked this high and compared to ####le Sayers, and did not deliver? Exactly.

Overall, this works for both men. New Orleans with the second pick has the ability to trade out to a team that could use Bush (and the list is longer than one might think), and that team is likely to have a solid offensive line. The worst thing for Reggie is to play for a bad team and a bad line that will give him few creases. Bush in a Raider, Eagle, or Bronco uniform? Think Tony Dorsett with the Cowboys. Would he have had as much success had he started his career in Seattle or Tampa Bay? And remember, Dallas had their Domanick Davis, a nice solid running back named Robert Newhouse.

Of course, things get really interesting if New Orleans takes him, especially given that they have a gimpy Deuce McAllister and holes elsewhere. More than anything, Reggie needs to be with a coach who has offensive imagination. Is that present in Nawlins? Sean Payton does have experience with Tiki Barber (a similar style back) in New York. But if you buy the hype, Bush is a level beyond Tiki.

And if you think today is strange, what happens if the Saints pass on Reggie for D’Brickashaw Ferguson? Or take Matt Leinart? Even though the Jets have issues elsewhere, can they pass on Bush? If they do, will the Titans deviate from drafting Vince Young or Matt Leinart? Hard to believe, but possible. Expect one other player to free fall out of the Top 10.

All because the Texans went safe. Good luck.

I'll admit that I did not see much of Mario Williams. However, I saw a ton of Reggie Bush. If Pete Carroll played him at wide receiver, he'd been All-American. He has the fluid moves of Gale Sayers, and no one - NO ONE hit him flush. He takes kicks back to the house.

Every time Reggie carries the ball, it was like Gale himself said once, "18 inches - that's all I need". Get Reggie to the second level, and you might as well get the extra point team up. If Mario racks up 11-15 sacks a year, and Reggie winds up being Blair Thomas, then the Texans win big.

Now, who REALLY believes that?

A number one overall pick.

A tenth-round selection.

A guy who went to Canada to play quarterback for six years because one look at his skin made teams think “defensive back”.

Toss in a running back that had a chip on his shoulder because he was picked number 40 in the draft, an offensive lineman who was cut by two different teams before finding his All-Pro niche in Miami. A converted center who went on to be a dominating guard.

The roads to the Hall of Fame are many, and later today the NFL will announce their Hall Of Fame selections. 15 finalists. Anywhere from four to seven players and contributors will be selected. For some unknown reason, no one from the NFL called me and asked to submit a ballot. The nerve of some people.

So here is my look at the following finalists: Reggie White, Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Thurman Thomas, Derrick Thomas, Harry Carson, L.C. Greenwood, Claude Humphrey, Russ Grimm, Bob Kuechenberg, Michael Irvin, Art Monk, Gary Zimmerman, John Madden, and Rayfield Wright. The last two are special selections from the Veteran’s Committee.

      

The 15 finalists all make a great case for enshrinement. Some of this group is stone cold locks. Others make a very strong case, but perhaps not this year. Here are my picks:

The Locks

Reggie White – The late, great Minster of Defense might have been the best two-way lineman who ever played the game. An absolute beast against the run, also racked up 190 sacks in his career, as I pointed out in an earlier article. Had 21 sacks in 12 games in 1987, a record average of 1.75 sacks a game for the season. 124 of his sacks came in his 121 games with the Eagles. Had 10+ sacks in nine consecutive seasons, another NFL record. Whether lining up at tackle or defensive end, Reggie ruled. 13-time All-Pro, and 13 Pro Bowls as well. Added intangible: Reggie's signing with Green Bay was a huge turning point for that franchiese in the free agency era. The conventional wisdom held that premiere black players would never go to Green Bay, which previously had all of the appeal of Siberia in January.

Why he is a lock: You are kidding aren’t you? His bust was cast sometime during the early 1990s while he was still active. The only real regret is that this is a posthumous honor.

Troy Aikman – Won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys, which will get you in the Hall even if you ran the wishbone. As it happened Troy could throw pretty well too. Six Pro Bowls and 3 All-Pro selections attest to that. This was an offense that really centered on Emmitt Smith (in my opinion the true heart and soul of those Cowboy teams), but when the Cowboys put it up, Aikman was as accurate as they came. Career 61.7 percent passer. Try this stat: 41 times, Aikman completed 70 percent of his passes (minimum of 20 attempts) in a game.

I’ll be honest, his career numbers pale compared to many of his contemporaries, and I feel that when the Cowboys were no longer able to dominate on the ground, Aikman wasn’t a player would could put the 'Boys on his back and carry them.

Nevertheless, he was the trigger man on the winningest team of the 1990s (Aikman had a record 90 wins in the decade).

Why he is a lock: Which part of “Three Time Super Bowl Champion” didn’t you get? The man is a lock. Just don’t ask me to rate him in the top-15 of all time quarterbacks.

Thurman Thomas – I have a soft spot for Houston football players, especially ones I saw play in high school. “Thermal” was the key to the Bills K-Gun offense along with QB Jim Kelly. Led the NFL in total offense a record four consecutive seasons. Ran for more yardage in the 1990s than anyone not named Emmitt Smith or Barry Sanders. Five consecutive All-Pro selections, and should have been named MVP of Super Bowl XXV. Who cares that he was on the losing team of the closest Super Bowl ever? With career totals of 12,074 yards rushing and over 400 receptions. Besides Thomas, only Marcus Allen and Walter Payton are members of the 10,000 yard/400 catch club. Played in four Super Bowls, and is the all-time playoff record holder for touchdowns and points. He was drafted in the second round after a stellar college career at Oklahoma State (Barry Sanders sat behind him for two years), and used that snub as fuel. Sometimes, he seemed to never get over it, but can you argue with performance?

Why he is a lock: Thomas was a rare talent as double-threat runner/receiver with a high level of production.

Got to put them in…

Harry Carson – In an earlier article, I noted that Harry Carson was one of the greatest players not to be in a Hall Of Fame in his sport. The heart and soul of those great Giant defenses, the signal-caller for the best linebacking corps of the decade, Carson made 9 Pro Bowls, and six times made the All-NFL first or second team. Respected football analyst Paul Zimmerman calls Carson, “The best short yardage and goal line linebacker who ever played.” As solid in pass coverage as he was against the run, Carson maintained a high level for his entire 13 year career. Stirred a controversy last year when he told the Hall Of Fame to take him off the ballot and leave him alone. I love his style.

Chances – I think he probably helped himself last year with his comments. Harry should have been in years ago, and is probably wondering, “What in the hell happened to that advantage I was supposed to get from playing in New York?” He’s on Dr. Midnight’s ballot, and I give him a 75-25 chance of being in this year.

 

Warren Moon – He didn’t throw his first NFL pass until he was almost 28 years old. Coming out of U-Dub, scouts saw the strong arm, the mobility, and thought, "There goes a safety...". So off Moon went to the Edmonton Eskimos, where he won five titles in six seasons. Moon reminds me of the great black baseball players of the 1930's and 40's who spent their best years in the #### Leagues, then got a late start in the so-called majors and dominated.

Even now, some scouts from the late 1970s will say that he would have been drafted as a quarterback. Sure you did. Moon and Steve Young are the two most underrated quarterbacks in NFL history.

Consider that despite the late start, he finished his career third all-time in attempts, completions, and yardage, and fourth in touchdown passes. If he had had those six years in the NFL instead of Canada, Dan Marino (and everyone else) would be chasing Moon in the record books.

As it happens, over his 23 seasons in two leagues, Moon threw for 70,325 yards and 425 touchdowns. But let’s just stick to the NFL numbers no? His 527 yards in a 1990 game versus Kansas City is second in NFL history, and the most since the AFL-NFL merger. A record eight straight Pro Bowls, and nine total (the last appearance an MVP one at 40!). 49 300-yard games in his career, only behind Marino and Dan Fouts. Nearly 50,000 NFL passing yards and 292 touchdown passes. Strictly on an aesthetic level, Moon threw the prettiest, most effortless ball ever.

Chances – I say he is a lock. However some critics have tried to diminish his numbers as a product of his offense (overrated nonsense), and the fact that his teams never went to a Super Bowl (didn’t stop Dan Fouts and Sonny Jurgensen to name two) will hurt him in the eyes of some. Rate him as an 85% chance of induction this year.

Claude Humphrey – I’m always on the lookout for guys who were overlooked by the general public. Humphrey is already forgotten by many, but this was one of the great pass rushers of all-time. In an earlier blog on great pass rushers, I left him off my list as well. Shame on me.

Part of the problem is that most of his best years were on some bad – really bad – Atlanta Falcon teams. Yet he still had 122 career sacks in 14 seasons, and he missed all of one season due to an injury. In his second-to-last season, he had 14.5 sacks for the Eagles, helping them reach the Super Bowl. Seven times he was selected to the All-Pro team, all while with Atlanta. In the 13 seasons he played, he led his team in sacks nine of those seasons.

Chances – Playing on mostly mediocre teams, where opponents could scheme him out o####ame plan without penalty, he still averaged nearly 9.5 sacks a season. L.C. Greenwood played in the same era and did not approach his pass rushing numbers (although Atlanta was usually bad enough where Humphrey probably got considerably more snaps to sack a passer). Humphrey gets my vote, but I think his chances are 30% of getting in this year.

John Madden –  I have more on Big John in my earlier column on the Top 10 players/coaches not in the Hall Of Fame. Madden has the highest winning percentage (an incredible .739) in NFL history for coaches with 100+ wins. I can’t ignore a raw number that impressive, and let us not forget that the Raiders played in seven conference championship games during his tenure. Six times, the Raiders fell to the eventual Super Bowl champions, including twice each to the great Steeler and Dolphin dynasties.

Chances – Being a Senior’s selection is a great booster. Big John is in on my ballot. My regret is that I have to sacrifice a spot for a player, and an offensive lineman paid for that. Another factoid I heard driving yesterday:

Madden's record against 10 other Hall Of Fame coaches? 33-12-1. Not bad at all...

In case you haven’t noticed by now. I’ve got seven on my ballot: Aikman, T. Thomas, White, Moon, Madden, Humphries, and Carson. The dance card is full.

With deep regrets, here are the guys who have to "Wait ‘til Next Year:

Michael Irvin – Ironic that his nickname “The Playmaker”, while being accurate, also eerily recalls the short-lived and controversial TV show on that Other Sports Network. Irvin certainly was a magnet for off the field drama, but on the field, he was a beast. Specialized in pushing off and shielding defenders from the ball. Worked the deep routes, short routes and everything in between. Averaged an outstanding 15.9 yards a catch in his career.

      

There is a temptation to compare Irvin to Art Monk because of their size, but Irvin was faster and more explosive, and an equally tenacious blocker. Despite playing in a run-oriented offense, and having his career end early due to a neck injury, Irvin still put up impressive numbers with 750 catches in 12 seasons, despite losing most of two seasons to injury. Five Pro Bowls, three Super Bowl rings as part of the “The Trinity” (Irvin, Aikman, and Smith), and 47 100 yard receiving games.

Chances – Most years, an absolute lock. But given his occasional off-field issues, including the incident that got him in hot water a month ago, he may get bumped for a year especially given the depth of the candidates this year. He gets in next year on my ballot, but only because I have no room for him this year. I think Da Hall selects him this year at the expense of Moon and Grimm.

Derrick Thomas – I suggest you read my Great Pass Rushers blog for more stats on Derrick. Another nominee that will sadly be a posthumous one, Derrick was a devastating edge rusher who still had some good football left in him when an auto accident paralyzed him and eventually ended his life far too early. Based on his body of work, while impressive, I can’t put him in ahead of someone as deserving (and long-suffering) as Harry Carson, who was a steadier player who was a shutdown defender against the run, an area while DT was sometimes indifferent to.

Bob Kuechenberg – It pains me to say nice things about anyone who went to Notre Dame. But how can I not sing the praises about a player who got cut twice, played semipro ball for seven games (and only got paid for two of them) before getting signed by the team where he found fame? Miami signed a free agent salesman. They got a six-time Pro Bowler who was durable, tough, and versatile enough to be named an All-Pro at two different positions in the same season. In 1978 he spilt the season between guard and tackle. He made the Pro Bowl at guard and was named All-AFC at tackle. Was a key part of the Dolphins’ offensive line that set an NFL record for rushing yardage in 1972, and made three straight Super Bowl appearances.

Chances – Great story, great player. Not enough offensive linemen get in as far as I’m concerned. But, the competition is a bit too stiff this year. I count three locks (White, Aikman, and T. Thomas), and at least one of the senior’s selections will make it. The Hall Of Fame almost never takes more than four to five selections, and even with me maxing out my seven slots, I can’t fit him in. This year.

     

Art Monk – Like Chris Noth on “Sex in the City”, “Big” is usually the adjective that is used to describe Art Monk. And in his case, no Hollywood embellishment is needed. 6-3 and a solid 210 pounds, Monk was the prototype of a trend away from small, quick receivers to the type of player who could muscle through jam coverage and go across the middle and operate between the hashmarks. Caught an NFL record 940 passes at the time of his retirement. Set a single season record of 106 catches, both marks have been surpassed since. As tough blocking as he was going over the middle. As devoid of ego as they come. Twice made All-Pro, and selected to three Pro Bowls.

Chances – Not all that good. I know, I rated him as highly deserving previously, but when going into the “Upon Further Review” mode, Art Monk has some flaws that put him behind some of his peers. While he has three Super Bowl rings, which should count for something, his lack of a downfield game and only three Pro Bowls in a long career will hurt him. Career average of just 13.5 yards a catch (Irvin averaged 15.9 by comparison), and never scored in double figures in touchdowns. My feeling is that Art will need some help from the Senior's Committee down the road if he doesn’t get voted in within the next 3-5 years.

Russ Grimm – Oink oink baby. The last thing a hapless defender often saw in the 1980’s was number 66 pulling on the famed Washington “Counter Gap”. Russ Grimm and Joe Jacoby were the Gene Upshaw and Art Shell of the 1980’s – in other words, a utterly devastating left side on offense. Grimm was a charter member of “The Hogs”, the premiere offensive line of the 1980’s. When the Hogs ran left it was behind Grimm and Jacoby. In the clutch, Washington went left, and usually they got the job done. Grimm‘s excellence was rewarded with four straight Pro Bowls and All-Pro selections. He topped it off by being voted to the All-Decade Team of the 1980s.

Chances – Grimm is worthy. But more worthy than Gary Zimmerman, who was first or second team All-NFL eight times? You can’t beat the marketing edge that being A Hog gives you. But fairness says that Russ waits another year or two.

Rayfield Wright - My earlier version of this post did not have my views on Rayfield. My apologies, because the "Big Cat" was hard to miss. An anchor of the Cowboys offensive line for fourteen years, he was the only Cowboy to have played in the Ice Bowl and also play on all five Super Bowl teams of the 1970s. Six straight All-Pro selections, six Pro Bowls, and he made the All-Decade Team of the 1970s.

Chances - In my mind, if you make an All-Decade team, you should be in the Hall. That denotes a high level of play for an extended period of time. The Senior's tag certainly helps. And he clearly has been overlooked. I do NOT believe in this silly "anti-Cowboy bias" talk that has been going around - and note that Wright just entered the Cowboys Ring Of Honor two years ago. Clearly, he hadn't been getting the love for a while. Having said all of that, Wright should get in. The question is, will there been enough room in this year's very impressive class?

L.C. Greenwood – I don’t what it is, but “L.C.” just sounds like a bad-#### football name. I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I'm running FAR away from a 6’6” man named L.C. you know? And for 13 seasons, many NFL offenses tried. Most of them didn’t make out too well. Ask Fran Tarkenton!

Few defensive lines in NFL history could approach the tandem of Greenwood and Joe Greene. Only 74.5 sacks in his career, but he had to share with teammates on probably the greatest defense in NFL history. Tremendous big game performer with two sacks, three batted down passes and a safety in SB IX, and three sacks in SB X. Twice an All-Pro, five times an All-AFC performer.

Chances - Strong performer, but not quite in a class with some of his peers. We’ve also seen darn near every teammate and ballboy of his on the Steelers teams of the 70's inducted already. That tends to work against you after a while. 

Oh and the gold shoes? “#### Eye for the All-Pro” can’t be far away...

Gary Zimmerman – Eight Pro Bowl selections for an outstanding offensive guard who made All-Pro with Minnesota and Denver. Even by offensive line standards, he flew under the radar. This is one reason why he will not make it in this year. I rate him as a lock within five years. It should be sooner, but Russ Grimm and Bruce Matthews (when eligible) will get press ahead of Gary.

When The Assignment came in, I was working on an article previewing the movie “Glory Road”, the much-anticipated dramatization of the Texas Western-Kentucky 1966 title game, and as is my dangerous habit, it got me to thinking…yes, about a Top 10 list.

I decided to include my extended Posse in deliberations, after all, a Top 10 list of sports movies seemed kind of played out. It is my strong sense of civic duty to you the readers, and the FOX judges, I must highlight the athletic thespians that have made seismic impacts on our collective funny bones. Failing that, they should have at least inflicted some significant damage on our GI tracts.

This special Top 10 salutes those actor-athletes (by the way, which term is more phony, student-athlete or actor-athlete?) that have impacted the big and/or small screen the most, for better or for worse. They have affected my life. In fact, tears are welling already…

Shall we begin?

1. Lawrence Taylor – LT had a nice turn in “Any Given Sunday”. But it was his classic timing in “The Waterboy” that will linger like an unwashed jockstrap. To set the scene, poor LT was caught on camera being arrested for attempting to buy some crack from an undercover officer (“They set me up like-a-Mutha…!”), just a week before “The Waterboy” opened in theaters.

So what is LTs sage counsel to a group of kids after they hear Bobby Bouche's mumblemouthed advice on football?

“Kids, stay away from crack.”

That was reason enough to see it in a theater.

2. Arnold Schwarzenegger – I was going to leave him off (for the steroid violations or out of gratitude for the "Terminator" flicks and "Eraser", I'm not sure), but I then remembered “Batman and Robin”.

It wasn’t bad enough that this movie went straight camp – without Adam West. It wasn’t enough that we had to endure #### Bat-nipples on the costumes. It was the ordeal of prolonged dialogue from the cool, cruel, Mr. Freeze.

Like my friend Linda Harris said after seeing it, “Arnold’s effectiveness drops in inverse proportion to the number of speaking lines he gets.”

A large number of Californian voters have come to agree with her.

   

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Obviously “Airplane!” is a slam dunk (or sky hook). His speech to Little Joey (by the way, did he ever see a grown man naked?) has resonated with sports fans like nothing since the Lou Gehrig speech. It’s the Gettysburg Address of Sports.

 “Look, I'm out there bustin' my butt EVERY NIGHT! You tell your dad to drag Lanier and Walton up and down the floor…”

But I digress. The deal closer is his fly tour de force in “Game of Death”, Bruce Lee’s last movie. The final confrontation has provided inspiration for thousands of video games ever since. Bruce ascends through this house, floor by floor, dropping some deadly Jeet Kune Do on ever-tougher opponents. He finally steps to Kareem on the top floor, chillin’ silently in an EZ-Lounge.

In a dashiki, shorts, shades, and an Afro and sideburns the size of a small planet.

(I’m serious about the Afro. If you look closely, you can see Calvin Murphy trapped in low orbit around his head.)

Bruce rolls up in all of his 5’4” cockiness in the trademark yellow sweat suit that Uma Thurman rocked in “Kill Bill, Vol. 1”. Kareem never got up. All I saw was a leg whip out. BLAM! Bruce goes flying. Gets up with a size 17 footprint in his chest.

Who cares that Bruce eventually takes him down (after getting bounced off the floor, ceiling, and a diaper dumpster)? Sort of puts Shaq to shame doesn’t it?

This reminds me:

4. Shaq – I am proud to say that I saw neither “Kazaam” nor “Steel” in the theater. If Shaq had done “Kazaam” 10 years earlier, I would accuse him of setting The Cause back 20 years. And I mean any cause – civil rights, #### rights, PETA, The Carrot Top Defamation League. Bad enough you’re a genie who mumbles. You came out of a boom box! In 1996 for crying out loud! Why not a MP3 player? A cell phone? A mini-disc? Shaq, are you going to blame that on Kobe too? Give me three wishes Shaq. Wish One: Make your damn free throws!

 

And Steel? A great comic character ruined by Shaq. John Henry Irons was a man of strength, integrity, and intelligence. Shaq turned him into an accident at Fred Sanford’s junk yard. I blame myself. We've seen Shaq dress in real life (the plaid jumpsuit was the worst moment, but not by much). Why was I surprised?

I'll watch “Birth Of A Nation: The Director’s Cut” before I check out another Shaq movie.

5. Fred Williamson – This nomination was provided by my dentist Dr. Kim Austin. And I must say a brilliant one. Like the Hall Of Fame, sometimes, you reward consistency over a long period of time. Fred gets the latter. Consistent, amusing, over a long period. Back in the 1960’s, Fred was known as “The Hammer” in his playing days with the Kansas City Chiefs. Think of Deion Sanders - without the coverage skills (but to give him his due, he did tackle). He parlayed a great mouth and mad marketing skills (I'm not mad at him) into an acting career that spanned four decades. I’m just not sure if I should put quotes around “Acting” or “Career”.  And believe me when I tell you - I’m patenting the rights to “The Six Degrees of Fred The Hammer”

Dr. Austin: “He thought he was fine, but the man couldn’t act.”

    

Yes, Fred fancied himself a sex symbol. During the "blaxplotation" era of the 1970's, he starred in “Black Caesar”, “Hell Up In Harlem”, and “Boss Charlie”, to name a few. Amazingly, he actually got more work in the decades since. Catch him in “From Dusk Till Dawn” if you want to see a man chew up scenes like David Wells and Gilbert Brown at a buffet table. Yeah, he's camp, but I like him.

6. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – Everyone wants to peg “The Scorpion King”. Please. That was an Arnold in Conan-style cop-out. No dialogue. All he had to do was wiggle his CGI tail. Yawn.

Now in “Be Cool”, where he plays a #### bodyguard to Vince Vaughn, The Rock proves himself a force to be reckoned with. Red cowboy boots with a powder blue suit. The Eyebrow. And best of all, his rendition of “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” You talk about a man being #### out of an Oscar, look no further. I’m serious dammit!

 

7. O.J. Simpson (Lifetime Un-Achievement) – “The Naked Gun” The impact is only in retrospect. The late SI-writer Ralph Wiley said of The Juice, “The man had the range and charisma of a crash test dummy – and in fact he played that in several movies.” Ouch.

You just know, that post-verdict,  people are watching his opening scene in the original “Naked Gun” where ole’ Nordberg is shot repeatedly, burned, staggers into a bear trap, then nearly drowned, just *praying* for an on-set accident to make it real.

8. Roddy Piper in “They Live” - So many lists show the predictable train wrecks like Hulk Hogan flicks. How is it that so many people missed this far better performance? For once, it wasn’t an action flick or a comedy. It was a John Carpenter sci-fi flick, where he stars as a down on his luck construction worker named John Nada. He finds a pair of sunglasses that literally changes his worldview. Subliminal messages and butt-ugly aliens that look like you and me. (Ok, maybe like you). Roddy flexes in a great street fight sequence featuring the best Suplex move outside of “Blade 2”. Do the aliens and their human lackeys have a chance?

Nada one. (OK, I had to say it.)

 9. Magic Johnson – I hate saying this about the brother. He's done so much good. But face it, epic entertainment disasters come to mind right now in this context.

Plan 9 From Outer Space.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.

The Arizona Cardinals.

The Magic Johnson Show.

One day, somebody will buy the rights of this show. That somebody should be Magic, because if he had any sense, he’d burn the masters, and drop a computer virus to prevent it being shown on the internet. I could go on, but why?

How bad was it? Let me share the words of my cyberspace colleague “Bams” Cooper, of Lansing, MI, who shared the following at a mixer, “How can you have a talk show and you can’t talk! How? His a— isn’t from Lansing anymore, he’s from Flint from now on!”

No word on whether Michael Moore will take him in.

      

10. Bernie Casey (Lifetime Achievement) – Bernie went from a fine career with the Rams to a long acting career, with some truly wonderful roles. Call him the Anti-Fred. While he was great as the head of the Tri-Lambda Frat in “Revenge Of The Nerds”, my personal favorite is from “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka”

Jim Brown is grilling Keenan Ivory Wayans (who was being mentored by Bernie’s character in how to be a Black Hero) without mercy,

Jim Brown: “Look at this chump! He’ll get us killed! What makes you think YOU can be a black hero?”

Keenan (Nervous but defiant): “Um…er…I USED TO PLAY FOOTBALL!”

(Jim and Bernie exchange looks and back down.)

There is nothing Honorable About These Mentions (But I’ll do it anyway): Muhammad Ali – The same caveats apply to Ali that apply to Magic. But face it -“The Muhammad Ali Story”, “Freedom Road”. Enough said.

Michael Jordan –We should have been tipped off by the fact that Spike Lee was willing to shoot 317 commercials with Mike, but never dropped him in a movie. Yet he used an untested Ray Allen as a co-star. Hmm. Mike, never again let a cartoon character carry the movie YOU are starring in.

Brian Bozworth – Clint Eastwood said it best; a man has got to know his limitations. Boz, you got to know that you can’t tackle Bo Jackson. You should also have known better than to star in “Stone Cold”. Far too descriptive of your emotional range.

Bubba Smith – He was a monument of patience unsurpassed by Job. You’d have to be to do seven movies with Steve Guttenberg. In light of that, I underrated his acting chops. (Thanks to my man Walt for pointing that out.)

    

And finally:

Marques Johnson – It was a small, but memorable role in “White Men Can’t Jump”. Marques plays “Raymond”, a playground baller who raises extra money for a pickup game by putting on a stocking – not a ski mask, a woman’s stocking - and attempting hold up a corner store. For some reason, perhaps due to being 6-7 (and about 50 pounds over his playing weight), he is recognized by the owner. Raymond ends up selling his gun (“Now who’s getting robbed?”) to the owner for the cash and promptly gets hustled out of all of it by Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.

When Raymond the Rocket Scientist realizes he’s been had, hoodwinked, and bamboozled, he proclaims “I’m going back to my car, get my other gun. I’m shooting everybody!”, and promptly empties the playground.

Now Marques expects me to take him seriously as a color analyst after that?

Tuesday, the baseball Hall Of Fame finally voted in closer extraordinaire Bruce Sutter. In the opinion of this fan, it was way overdue.

300 saves. Career ERA of 2.83, and that included three seasons at the end of his career when an injured Sutter had an ERA of well over 4. Most of all, he had the Unhittable Pitch.

Sutter pioneered the split-fingered fastball that was so good, you wondered if it would be outlawed. Sutter is the first pure closer to be voted into the Hall - finally. Now the The Pro Football Hall Of Fame has annouced its finalists. I had to start looking at all of the players on the outside looking in. So across football, basketball, and baseball, here are my Top 10 Players who should be in the Hall Of Fame:

1. Jim Rice – Jim Ed was simply the most dominating hitter in the AL from 1975-1985. His 1977 season of .315 average, league leading 46 bombs and 139 RBI (did we mention 213 hits and a league-leading 15 triples?) is one for the ages, even by today's heightened standards. 406 total bases one season, perennial Top 5 MVP selection. Not a media-friendly guy; and that certainly hurt his chances for a while, although many of his former detractors have rallied to his cause. Rice also was hurt in the voting because he did not age as gracefully as some of his peers. He had his last good season at 33, and by the time he was 36 he was done, resulting in him finishing just shy of 400 homers, and having his career batting average drop under .300. He clearly belongs in the Hall, although I suspect he might be hurt by some stars such as Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, and Mark McGwire becoming eligible soon.

      

2. Rich “Goose” Gossage – As far as I’m concerned, The Goose was the most intimidating closer who ever lived. Goose pitched back in a time where real men threw two, three, even four innings for a save. Three times in his career he pitched over 130 innings in relief. Three times had an ERA of under 2.00 In 1981, had an ERA of 0.77 He clearly hung around way past his prime (his last ‘big’ season as a closer was 1986, but he pitched until 1994) but why should that hurt his Hall of Fame stock? Gossage was still effective late in his career in any case. If we really believe that a strong bullpen is an essential component to a championship club, then honoring the best closer over a ten year period (1975-85) is a no-brainer.

3. Albert Belle – Man I love stirring the pot… heh heh heh  But bear with me:

Albert played 10 full seasons, 1991-2000. He averaged nearly 38 homers and 120 RBI during that period with a 297 average. Finished in the Top 10 of the MVP 4 times, five Silver Sluggers. His OPS (on-base plus slugging pct.) was in the top seven 5 times in six years. Six times did he finish in the top five in homers. You get the idea. Even if you consider this an era of inflated numbers, he was still among the very best hitters of his era.

Now for the reality check – Albert was and is considered far too miserable a human being to get in the Hall any time soon. It will probably take the Veteran's Committee (and a Presidental pardon) to get Belle in.

4. Dominique Wilkins – Forget the nine All-Star selections. Forget the five appearances on the All-NBA First or Second Team (in an era where his peers were Larry Bird, Bernard King, Marques Johnson, Alex English, and James Worthy).

The man retired number seven on the all-time NBA scoring list. The seventh best home run hitter all-time at the time of Nique’s retirement was Reggie Jackson. Currently it’s Mark McGwire, sandwiched between Frank Robinson and Harmon Killebrew. Can you imagine any of those players not making the Hall? Yes, even McGwire. The NFL's 7^th all-time leader in touchdowns? Walter Payton. Every inactive player within screaming distance of Payton is in the Hall, except for the recently retired Tim Brown. So what excuse do we have for not having Jacques Dominique Wilkins in the Hall?  Buzzard's Luck may be part of the problem: Nique's best ball came when the Celtics and Sixers were the road blocks (Exhibit A: 1988 Conference Semis: Nique goes 19-23 from the floor for 47 points in Game 7 - at the Boston Garden. But Bird goes for 20 in the fourth, and Boston escapes with a two point win.). Once Boston faded, the Pistons and Bulls were there. Why penalize the man for that?

The Human Highlight Film not only carried his team for over a decade, he did something that hasn’t been done since – he made Atlanta care about hoops.

6. Dennis Johnson – Dennis Johnson couldn’t shoot straight, wasn’t a pure point guard or shooting guard. All he did was ball like a champion. Nine times a member of the All-Defensive first or second team. Not that you needed that to know how good he was on D. Despite giving up five inches to Magic Johnson, DJ was the only guard strong enough and smart enough to make Magic work to bring the ball up the court on a regular basis. No one else could make Magic bring the ball up with his back to the defender. Let us not forget two All-NBA selections, five All-Star games, and a Finals MVP.

And for all of his shakiness with the J, DJ was deadly with the game on the line. And Larry Bird called Johnson, “The best teammate I ever played with.”

Induct him already please! (And I'm a Lakers fan!)

6. Chet "The Jet” Walker – Wilt Chamberlain called him the greatest one on one player he ever played with. He scored over 18,000 points in an NBA career that still had mileage on it when he quit at 33 (having averaged 19 points a game for the Bulls that season). Was he a winner? The Bulls made the playoffs every year he was there, and crashed in the seasons before and after he left. He attempted to sue the Bulls for anti-trust violations (as they wouldn’t release or trade him, nor would they renegotiate his contract), and lost. You wonder if that has had an impact on his Hall chances. Seven All-Star selections, career averages of 18 points and 7 boards a game at the small forward spot certainly doesn’t hurt. And did I mention that he was the starting “3” on the greatest squad in NBA history, the 1968 Sixers?

 

7. Harry Carson – Harry’s biggest problem is that he played alongside possibly the best linebacker (and clearly the best outside linebacker) who ever lived in Lawrence Taylor, yet it was Harry who was the heart and soul of those Giants’ defenses of the late 70’s and through the 1980’s. Tough, smart, and nasty, but always under control, and classy off the field, Harry has been shafted repeatedly by the Hall. Last year, he had a justified “Shawshank Moment” (I call it that because it reminded me of Morgan Freeman’s heartfelt blast at the parole board after 40 years) - Carson publically told the Hall, in effect, "Don’t even bother me anymore".

Like Morgan, expect Harry to finally get his ticket punched to the Hall.

8. Art Monk – At the time of his retirement, he had a record 940 receptions. Yes, I know there were a lot of 10 yard hitch routes. Big deal. He moved the chains by using his size over the middle and on the “dirty work” patterns, which enabled Gary Clark, Charlie Brown, Ricky Sanders, et al to get open deep. Always a reliable target for Joe Theisman, Doug Williams, or Mark Rypien. Monk was no prima donna, as he also was one of the best blocking wideouts of his time, and if he had an ego, it was checked at the door.

Just the type of player that the media loves, but then doesn't want to reward. What are we waiting for?

9. Bert Blyleven – Besides being the owner of one of Chris Berman’s best nicknames, Bert won 287 games, many of those with some really bad teams, which somewhat explains his so-so winning percentage of .534 (Nolan Ryan’s was .524 by comparison).

While only winning 20 games once, his career ERA was a very good 3.30 (the league average during his career was 3.91). Eight times, he struck out 200 or more batters, many with a curve considered one of the very best in the game. Ten times he finished in the Top 10 in ERA, and was a regular among the league leaders in K’s and SO/BB ratio. Baseball-reference.com lists the most similar pitchers as Hall Of Famers Don Sutton, Steve Carlton, and ####lord Perry.

I admit, it took some time to think of him as being in the class, but the numbers make a good case for him.

10. John Madden – Boom! I throw a coach in. But Big John’s numbers made you say WHAP! Long before he became an announcer, years before he became The Man behind Madden 2006 (or 1994 if you still held on to your Sega Genesis like I have), all Madden did was win games. 112 of them in 10 seasons.

In fact his 112-39-7 record is the best in Raider history. His winning percentage of .739 in all games trails only Vince Lombardi’s .750 among coaches with 100+ wins. His regular season percentage is .750, and that is the best ever for any coach. Madden also has an NFL title, winning Super Bowl IX in 1976. What may be lost in this is that Madden’s teams played in five consecutive AFC Title games from 1973-77. Overall, the Madden years had the Raiders in seven conference/league title games. That’s a lot of knocking on the door when you consider that they played in the same era as the Steeler and Dolphin juggernauts.

The NFL Senior's committee has him as nominee. It should have never come to that.

Every so often, somebody just has to tick me off over something. And people ought to know better by now...

A few weeks back, FOX Sports resident Know-It-All Elliot Kalb wrote a piece proclaiming the late, great, Reggie White as the greatest sacker ever, and he went on to give his top 10 pass rushers ever.

Now, I don't have beef with that per se. It's his opinion, and you can add all of the standard disclaimers. Where Elliott dropped the ball is where he gave short shrift he gave to anyone who played before 1982, when sacks became an official stat.

As Deacon Jones, the Godfather Of The Sack said, "Since when does ‘all-time’ begin in 1982?"

You see, QB sacks are kind of like blocked shots in the NBA. No one who knows sports disputes that Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain blocked more shots than anyone else in NBA history. In fact, like their rebounding totals, I seriously doubt that it is even close. NBA ref Earl Strom believed that Wilt and Russell averaged at least 8 blocks a game in their primes.

Alas the NBA didn't even keep blocked shots as an official stat until 1974, the year after Chamberlain hung it up. This means that that record will always have an unspoken asterisk behind it. After all, how would it sound if home runs wasn't kept as a stat until 1970, and Barry Bonds hits 800? 

Now the NFL doesn't have to have that problem. An amazing guy named John Turney decided to find out if Bruce Smith really held the all-time sack record when he "broke" LT's "mark". He went through years of film, game charts, play-by-play descriptions since 1960. Eight years he worked on this project (I think we should also give even more props to his spouse/S.O.) and he came up with a list we can enjoy. Be aware though, that it may get modified a bit, and only goes through the 1999 season.

Bottom line: Stats only take you so far. Context is even more important.

First: Any great player, be it Deacon Jones, Jack Youngblood, whomever - if they played prior to 1978 season, they had 14 games to hunt QBs. Prior to 1961, the schedule was 12 games. Second: Defensive linemen probably were able to get away with more in the past. Offensive linemen could not extend their arms to pass block before the mid-1970s. The headslap (pioneered with devastating effect by Jones and Rich "Tombstone" Jackson) was legal until 1977. On the other hand, there are considerably more chances to sack QBs today with increased passing, and offensive blocking techniques and pass protection schemes are more advanced. So it might be a wash, but the longer schedule certainly favors the D-linemen of today, as well as the now-common practice of moving a great lineman around the field to take advantage of mismatch. Paul "Dr. Z" Zimmerman of SI (who's forgotten more football than I have ever seen) has a great list. Here is mine:

1. Reggie White - The Minister of Defense was one of the first linemen I remember who was moved around constantly so that he could pick on an offensive weak link. Reggie was fast enough to play end, and possibly the strongest lineman ever, and could destroy any and all blocking schemes as a tackle. Dr Z. points out that if Reggie had had the headslap in his arsenal, his numbers would be totally sick. I have to agree.

Trivia for you: Reggie had a 21 sack season for the Eagles. In 12 games. Yes, a 12 game season because of the NFL strike, he got 21 sacks. Damn.

Trivia Point 2: Not too many people get rules passed because of them. Larry Allen so frustrated Reggie with a "jam" move to the face, especially in playoff games against the Packers, that the NFL finally banned that move.

2. David "Deacon" Jones - The man who did the most to market the sack was also one of the best. Maybe THE best, as he had 173.5 sacks in 14 seasons. The cornerstone of the Fearsome Foursome had consecutive seasons with 21 and 22 sacks (in a 14 game schedule), and I'm fairly sure that Bart Starr didn't lie down and give him any free ones either. Once beat Hall Of Famer Forrest Gregg for four sacks in one game. Lombardi double-teamed him regularly after that.  And watching his footage and listening to him, I am convinced that the man was slightly crazy and took great pride in that.

 

3. Lawrence Taylor - I'm putting LT here simply because he was a revolutionary. 142 career sacks in 12 seasons, including at least one 20+ sack season (16 games). He did it from the right outside LB spot, although the Giants would move him around as well. Too strong for running backs, and most tight ends. Too fast for linemen. Too crazy for anyone other than Bill Parcells. When he talked about hitting somebody so hard that "snot bubbles" came out, he was serious. And you knew it. Some say he made the left offensive tackle position a glamour one because you needed one to handle him and the LT clones that every team sought.

4. Jack Youngblood - We all know he played a Super Bowl (and well) with a broken leg. Take that T.O. What most people don't know is that he racked up 151 sacks (mostly in the 14-game season era) as the strong side end (it was Fred "Hunter" Dryer on the other side). Youngblood got tagged by TEs as well as O-linemen most plays, so that makes his numbers especially impressive. The man was a bad-####, okay?

5. Bruce Smith - 200 career sacks, and 14.5 more in the playoffs according to Kalb. He probably hung around a bit too long (19 seasons), but if they are going to pay you, I quote Tupac; I ain't mad at cha. Incredibly quick, a conditioning freak, and relentless. Some would say he wasn't as complete as the men ahead of him on the list, but Smith actually got tougher against the run as he got older. I still can't believe the Oilers passed on him.

6. Gino Marchetti - Dr. Z. and I believe in rating this Old School destroyer this high. He was voted one of the best ends in NFL history at the league's 50th anniversary. Gino was another revolutionary who used incredible speed to nail at least one 20 sack season. Also pioneered the "grab and throw" move that is commonplace today.

 

7. Alan Page - Yes, I'm a Vikings fan. But hear me out: 15 seasons, he racked up 148.5 sacks, most of those in a 14-game season.

As a defensive tackle.

As a 245 pound defensive tackle. In fact, he played effectively late in his career at 228. And in case you are wondering, yes, that was really light even then. He also was the first defensive player to win a League MVP in 1971. Extremely intelligent, His Honor (he's currently a State Supreme Court Justice in Minnesota) also added superhuman quickness to take down enemy QBs. No other full-time DT is close to his totals. Given how seldom DTs turn in double-figure sack seasons, this record may stay a good long time.

8. Willie Davis - He was the best pass rusher on probably the best defense of his decade, the 1960's. The Packers had at least five Hall Of Fame starters on defense, Davis was one of them. Unofficially had at least two seasons with 20+ sacks. Can't wait to see the ultimate numbers, but he has to be on this list.

9. Al "Bubba" Baker - This list isn't about complete linemen, okay? I want to know how many heads you can collect when it's a passing situation. And for the first six years or so of his career, Bubba Baker was a wrecking crew. They used to keep a stat on how many sacks he racked up vs. games played. Understandable. He had 22-26 his rookie year, depending on whose numbers you used. Had 84.5 through his first 84 games. Finished with 128.5

10. Michael Strahan - I finally woke up to my fellow TSU (Texas Southern University) alumni in the 2000 NFC Title game. He absolutely embarrassed the late Korey Stringer; the Vikes Pro Bowl left tackle. I was ready to trash Korey, shame on me. Strahan is that good. I still don't like calling him the record holder. Can you imagine the uproar if Barry Bonds deliberately struck out to give Randy Johnson a strikeout record?

  

11. Derrick Thomas - Another great pass-rushing LB, who came closest to matching LT's pass rushing fury. Great first step and overall speed. When the Chiefs beat Houston 28-20 in a key 1994 playoff game behind Joe Montana, the real star was Derrick, who had 4 sacks of Warren Moon (the team had 9) as he just destroyed rookie (and future Pro Bowler) Brad Hopkins. In 12 seasons, he got 126 sacks, and holds the single game record of 7.

Trivia point: DT had those 7 sacks against Dave Krieg, but missed an 8th. Pity too. Krieg ducked under the sack attempt and fired the game winning TD on the final play of the game. Ouch. 

12. Mark Gastineau - Part of me wants to add him just to get people riled. That is fitting, since he riled a lot of people in his day. Again, I'm rating pass rushers, not the amount of class you showed doing it. Mark got a lot of chances to stir the pot too. According to Dr. Z, he averaged over 20 sacks over three full seasons, between 1981-84 (1982 was the strike year, and he won the Defensive MVP).1984 was the year he set the "official" sack record with 22. Gastineau did it with sub 4.6 speed (!) and great use of his hands. In fact, some people think it was Mark's sacks and dances that made the Jets push the NFL to make sack totals official.

    

I'll add a few more names to my list, Mean Joe Greene, some call him the greatest tackle ever, but I was surprised that his sack totals were so relatively low; Randy White, the "Manster" (1/2 man, 1/2 monster). 111 sacks in his long career and the total package at tackle. Only Page had more; Fred Dean, possibly the fastest pass rusher