Here is the 3rd installment of Ray Didinger's Top 5's. Click here for the safeties and corners.
1. Seth Joyner (1986-93) – The Eagles had the NFL’s most intimidating defense in the late ‘80s, and while Reggie White was their best player, Joyner may have been the most valuable. He was called “the glue that holds the Philly defense together” by Paul (Dr. Z) Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated, who picked Joyner as NFL Player of the Year in 1991.
2. Maxie Baughan (1960-65) – He was the only rookie to start every game for the 1960 Eagles championship team. It was a veteran team and players like Chuck Bednarik and Norm Van Brocklin viewed most young players with suspicion, but Baughan won their respect with his toughness and football intelligence.
3. Alex Wojciechowicz (1946-50) – He was a legend long before he played a game in the NFL. “Wojie” was an All-American center and linebacker at Fordham, one of the famed “Seven Blocks of Granite” playing alongside a guy named Vince Lombardi.
4. Jerry Robinson (1979-84) – Robinson played for Dick Vermeil at UCLA, so when Vermeil had the opportunity to draft him in 1979, he jumped at the chance. “As much as there can be a sure thing, Jerry Robinson is a sure thing,” Vermeil said.
5. William Thomas (1991-99) – Best known as “Willie T,” he played weakside linebacker for the Eagles for nine seasons. He was recruited by Texas A&M as a defensive back, but he grew into a 6-2 and 225 pound linebacker. As a senior, he had 13 sacks and was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Southwest Conference
Once again Ray Didinger badly outclassed us as we cannot comment on a couple of these names. OLB has definitely not been a high priority position for the Eagles during the Andy Reid era
My Top 5:
1. Seth Joyner
2. Willie T
3. Carlos Emmons (2000-2003) – 4 yr starter for the birds, had 3.5 sacks in ‘03
4. Bill Romanowski (1994-95) –- 2 yr starter for the Kotite Eagles, had 3.5 sacks and 4 INT’s. A bit of a letdown after his SanFran days.
5. G Cobb (1985-87) – Bit of a stretch for DirtyWudders memory bank but looks like he had decent numbers. Can be talked out of G.
Not a strong list. What is your's?
Posts
Take it from an old man--Gary Cobb was awful. My lasting memory of him is coming up to meet "Little" Joe Morris of the Giants at the 5 yard-line. Morris proceeded to push Cobb into the endzone for a TD. Very immasculating.
ReplyDeleteNot alot to choose from. I agree on Joyner. What a legend. Didinger again went back into the Dark Ages. I always liked Byron Evans. B&E was overlooked on that great defense. Called the shots of the '46'.
I might put Jessie Small on there just for his Bounty Bowl involvement...
I would definitely have had B&E on my list but thought he was more of an ILB. If he was a OLB he moves up to 2 or 3 on my list.
ReplyDeleteG Cobb was a stretch. Some bad names to work with...how about Barry Gardner, Dhanni Jones, Nate Wayne, Keith Adams
Was Bednerik an ILB or OLB? I'm assuming that we was Inside or he would be on this list.
ReplyDeleteLet's trade for Shawn Merriman so we can add some recent quality to this list...
Bednarik was MLB, I believe.
ReplyDeleteGimme Joyner, Willie T, Emmons, Romo and round it out with Byron Evans.
Mike, that's a mistake on my part. I didn't see that the list was for "OLB's" only. Because Evans was definitely a middle linebacker. Barry Gardner made me cringe...
ReplyDelete