BEST TEAM EVER?
by Atlanta's original team on May 26, 2010 10:07 AM EDT
Email
PrintIf you were to pick an ALL TIME Tech football team, offense and defense, who would be on it? If I were less lazy I would prime the pump by giving you choices at each position but my schedule the next few weeks will not allow me with a good conscience to do all of the web surfing I would have to do to do justice to that enterprise. So how about it?
I remember many years ago reading the conventional wisdom that players of the past would not be able to compete with today's super studs due to increases in size, speed, nutrition etc. But I am no longer quite so sure. Periodically a player today makes it big who seems to have the same dimensions and skill sets of players 40 years ago. Besides the real questions would be who was a winner at his position? Who was the best player for his time and in relative terms who was the best player of all time based on how he dominated the competition in his day? Come on folks, help me out here. Someone come up with a handy chart and throw some names out.
33 comments
|
2 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Obvious choices
to me are Calvin Johnson at WR. Billy Lothridge or Joe Hamilton at QB. Eddie Lee Ivery and Clint Castleberry at RB. Bill Curry at Center. Billy Shaw at Guard. Pat Swilling at DE.
Then, the rest are debatable…
With no powers, comes no responsibility.
Interesting
that your choices are my choices. In my mind I had the same two quarterbacks and the same two running backs listed. Billy Shaw ditto.
Who is your other wide receiver? John Sias comes to mind but so do about half a dozen others depending on whether you want another speedster or a possession receiver.
On the defensive line I would also add Rock Perdoni.
Still wish one of you bright Tech guys would come up with an easy chart that we could pick and choose names on.
by Atlanta's original team on May 27, 2010 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh cool. I’m too young and don’t know a lot of GT football history, especially when it comes to former players.
That's why they have history books
and old geezers like us that people have to humor and tolerate like an old drunk uncle at a wedding.
by Atlanta's original team on May 27, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Randy Rhino over Kelley for sure.
Though we’d have a KR competition first. Just to keep it interesting.
by Winfield Featherston on May 27, 2010 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Dodd's Luck the Bobby Dodd Autobiography
and then the GT Football Vault is pretty extensive as well
by Winfield Featherston on May 27, 2010 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Lucious Sanford at LB
He still has the body of a monster today!
by Winfield Featherston on May 27, 2010 11:47 AM EDT reply actions
Great choice.
How do you rate Maxie Baughan and what position would you list him at since that changed from college to pros?
by Atlanta's original team on May 27, 2010 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Loooooooo-shus
Only matched by Bruuuuuuce Benedict with Braves.
by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on May 27, 2010 10:26 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Either Heisman or Dodd as head coach
…obviously
Pepper Rodgers-place kicker??
Keith Brooking
Durant Brooks
Everett Strupper
George Morris next to Billy Shaw
by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on May 27, 2010 7:22 PM EDT reply actions
My knowledge of Tech doesn't really go earlier than 2002
QB – Joe Hamilton, maybe Shawn Jones?
HB – Eddie Lee Ivory (don’t really know much about him though…just from what I’ve heard), Jonathan Dwyer (we’ve had several good ones lately, but I think he was the best)
WR – Calvin Johnson, others?
I will abstain from voting for offensive linemen because I haven’t seen any great ones since I’ve paid attention to the team.
DE – Greg Gathers, Derrick Morgan
DT – None?
LB – Keith Brooking, Daryl Smith
CB – None?
S – James Butler, Morgan Burnett (don’t really know any others that were great)
After a quick Wikipedia search
I’d like to also add:
Joe Guyon (HB)
Pat Swilling (LB)
Marco Coleman (DE)
How do we narrow this down?
Here are some puzzlers. Tech has produced an abundance of great offensive centers and defensive linebackers. Maxie Baughn was great at both. Tonny Hollings may have ended up being Tech’s greatest running back ever but had a career ending knee injury just four games into his breakout season. And who do you choose as the best center ever?
Here is another problem I don’t know how to handle. Do we choose a fullback? It is really a specialty type of back and many “all time” team choices just go with two running backs which usually means halfback “types.”
So here is what I propose. I will list names of players at positions. If I have left someone off that you think should be in the running let me know.
Also, I have decided to make two generic positions -Offensive Line and Defensive Line. If someone wants to break this down into tackles, guards and ends, have at it.
Here is where we are so far:
Quarterback- Billy Lothridge, Joe Hamilton, Shawn Jones
Running Backs – Everett Srupper, Clint Castleberry, Joe Gunyon, Buck Flowers, Tonny Hollings, Edie Lee Ivery, Lenny Snow, Robert Lavette
Wide Receivers – Dez White, Calvin Johnson, John Sias, Kelly Campbell, Gary Lee, Drew Hill, Damarious Thomas
Offensive Line – Billy Shaw, Kent Hill, John Davis, Chris Brown, Harvey Hardy, Andrew Gardner, Craig Page
Center – Larry Morris, Jim Breland, Peter Pund, Maxie Baughn, Bill Curry
Tight End – Billy Martin, Taz Anderson, Ken Whisenhunt
Linebackers – Larry Stallings, Pat Swilling, Al Richardson, George Morris, Maxie Baughn, Keith Brooking, Willis Crockett, Joe Harris
Defensive Line – Greg Gathers, Coleman Rudolph, Smylie Gebhart, Derrick Morgan, Bobby Davis, Rock Perdoni, Marco Coleman, Bill Fincher
Defensive Backs – Randy Rhino, Don Bessillieu, Ken Swilling, Joe Guyon
by Atlanta's original team on May 29, 2010 9:55 AM EDT reply actions
Addition and Subtraction
While I agree with your assessment that Tony Hollings may have been the best RB in Tech history, Chan Gailey made sure that he wouldn’t finish his first season. He wasn’t good enough for long enough to truly warrant All-Time status, unfortunately. I still think Jon Dwyer was the best back of the 2000s.
From what I’ve heard, Joe Guyon was a halfback, not a defensive back, but I don’t know for sure.
Finally, Daryl Smith is as good a linebacker as any that you have listed there. He should be added to the list.
You are right again
as usual. Joe was a half-back. But he also played several positions. In the college football hall of fame he is also listed as a tackle! That guy was a threat wherever he played.
You are also right to add Daryl Smith. However if I could only pick four linebackers I would pick the following:
Larry Stallings -he proved himself over and over including 14 years in the NFL.
Maxie Baughan -similar credentials as one of the all time greats.
Pat Swilling -was he not key to one of Tech’s best modern defenses?
Joe Harris -much I could say about him. Not only is he Tech’s all time leading tackler, I recall when he was “secretly moved” to safety for one game against Michigan State so the defense could funnel all the plays to him.
by Atlanta's original team on Jun 4, 2010 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions
No Keith Brooking?
Haha, Smith and Brooking would make one hell of a second unit though.
"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.
Your question is legitimate
and your laughter understandable. One of the things I think a little bit of research shows is that Tech has produced an unusually large share of good linebackers. The same is true for Center. If there is consistent weakness down through the ages it may be in the secondary. Not that there haven’t been some great players over time, just that as a group far fewer outstanding players have been produced there than at any other position. At least that is my gut reaction.
by Atlanta's original team on Jun 9, 2010 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Defensive Backs
O.K. it is time to force some people to make some decisions. Here are my choices for the starting four defensive backs for Ga Tech.
Bill Eastman -a sticky glue defensive back who also put points on the board.
Randy Rhino -there is a reason many consider him Tech’s best ever.
Ken Swilling -a consensus all-american.
Don Bessilieu -ditto
by Atlanta's original team on Jun 4, 2010 9:23 AM EDT reply actions
We need a center
you are allowed two picks
by Atlanta's original team on Jun 9, 2010 10:33 AM EDT reply actions
The competition between
Larry and George would be intense if they had to compete for that position. I still like Jim Breland also.
by Atlanta's original team on Jun 16, 2010 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Some NFL first-, second-, and third-round draft picks who haven't been mentioned:
1962 G Rufus Guthrie
1944 Back Eddie Prokop
1951 G Ray Beck
1964 HB Gerry Bussell
1975 WR Steve Raible
1995 C Michael Cheever
1960 T Ed Nutting
1964 LB Dave Simmons
1977 LB Reggie Wilken
1951 T Lum Snyder
2005 LB Gerris Wilkinson
2003 LB Keyaron Fox
1948 Back Frank Ziegler
2007 LB Phillip Wheeler
2003 DE/DT Tony Hargrove (We need DTs!)
1995 DB Ryan Stewart
Longest Atlanta Falcons winning-seasons streak: 2008 - current
The Falcoholic · Blog · Twitter
Good pick up
I’m ready for someone to go ahead and pick the starting 11 on offense and defense. Then the rest of us can pick it apart. :-)
As I said in a previous post Tech has been blessed with a large number of really good linebackers. Let’s hope that continues as we go to a three four defense.
by Atlanta's original team on Jun 16, 2010 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions
He was the quarterback I grew up with
but watching the brand new Falcons play I realized why so many people talked about Billy Lothridge. Even though he was only allowed to punt in the pros due to having one kidney you could tell by watching him that he was one darn good athlete.
by Atlanta's original team on Jun 21, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions
See the other Fan Post
This site needs to cross pollinate with “Building The Ultimate Tech Roster for NCAA 11.” I like the picks on that site but not just because I agree with a lot of them. He really did some homework on his picks. Heck, I’ve never played video games but thinking about computer match-ups of players from different eras is fascinating and I might be tempted.
by Atlanta's original team on Jun 21, 2010 5:05 PM EDT reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
SHOP THE FROM THE RUMBLE SEAT STORE
