View topic - Top 10 Steelers

[Pommah Profile]

NFL network is broadcasting a show called "Top 10 Steelers" tonight. Dammit, I can't watch because I gotta go to Christmas Eve at my in-laws! It got me thinking, who would I put on the list? Here's my first attempt.

Bradshaw
Harris
Webster
Stallworth
Greene
Ham
Lambert
Polamalu
Ward
Roethlisberger

...it can't be done, not fairly anyway, to keep it down to 10. Stautner Swann Shell Lake Lloyd Woodson Blount Dawson Faneca Bettis not on my cut for various reasons, one of which is length of time served on team, with leaving for money a reason to get left off. It will be interesting to see what they come up with and why.

[SojuMaster Profile]

I am so looking forward to watching this show ....

this has to be the toughest list to compile. I have been personally going over my top 10 list several times .. and then several times after that .... How to reduce it to 10 Steelers when you have 19 Hall of Fame players, and much more that SHOULD be in the hall and more in our current team that will make it.

So this is my humble attempt at the list: (And in no particular order, except Mean Joe, would be my #1 pick)

Mean Joe Green
Jack Lambert
Franco Harris
Troy Polamalu
Jerome Bettis
Mike Webster
Jack Ham
Ernie Stauter
John Stallworth
Hines Ward

The ones that did not make the cut:

Terry Bradshaw
Rod Woodson
Mel Blount
Dermontti Dawson
Bill Dudley
LC Greenwood
Greg Lloyd
Lynn Swann
Bill Nunn Jr. (Ok, Not a player, but the Scout that was responsible for finding John Stallworth, Mel Blount, Ernie Holmes and Donnie Shell for the STEELERS.)

Yes the folks that did not make the list will have enough talent to make the top 10 greatest player on just about ANY other team in the NFL, but when it comes down to it, not everyone can make make the list.

I wonder if the NFL Network is going to fudge the list a little and include The Steel Curtain of Greenwood, Greene, Holmes and White as all one entry on the list. (NFL Network did put 11 on their top 10 Raiders of all time list and put a little needle on the Raiders saying "The list would be complete if we didnt cheat a little ourselves" and put a #0 after they did the #1)

[SojuMaster Profile]

Spoiler Alert

















NFL Network's Top 10 Steelers of all time:

1. Mean Joe Greene
2. Terry Bradshaw
3. Franco Harris
4. Rod Woodson
5. Jack Lambert
6. Mel Blount
7. Troy Polamalu
8. Hines Ward
9. Lynn Swann
10. Jerome Bettis

Best of the Rest
Art Roony (Honorably Mentioned, "would be #1, but this is a players list")
Kevin Greene
Greg Lloyd
Andy Russel
Jack Ham
Alan Faneca
Dermontti Dawson
Mike Webster

[Sun and Steel Profile]

Glad to see Hines made it. Def my favorite Steeler ever. I think leaving Webby off this list is an absolute travesty. Dump Woodson because he left for more money with the 69ers,played for the RAIDERS and has a ring with the RAVENS.

[StillMill Profile]

Aside from #10, this was a good list. Including FatFuk Bettis in the list is a complete farce. I can think of at least 20 Steelers much, much more deserving -- and much less self-serving -- that LardAss Bettis.

[Pommah Profile]

The guy at the end of the show - I think it was Musburger - said it best, you need two lists of 10 guys to cover this franchise. You just can't compare across era's - different rules, different ways the game was played.

[Still CA Still Profile]

To leave off Stallworth and Webster blows. Probably two of the most under-appreciated pros of all time. I heard Woodson make his case that no current Stillers should be considered. Not suggesting he be included, but do wonder where BR 7 would be ranked behind the OL of the 70's. One thing is certain: they need a longer list.

[thesteelhammer Profile]

The list has to begin with Steelers in the Hall of Fame

Arthur J. Rooney Founder, President, and Chairman of the Board (1933-1988). Elected in 1964.
Daniel M. Rooney President (1955-present). Elected in 2000.
Bert Bell Co-owner (1941-1946). Elected in 1963.
Johnny 'Blood' McNally Player (1934, 1937-1939), Coach (1937-39). Elected in 1963
Bill Dudley Player (1942, 1945-1946). Elected in 1966.
Walt Kiesling Player (1937-1939), Coach (1939-1944, 1949-1961). Elected in 1966.
Bobby Layne Player (1958-1962). Elected in 1967.
Ernie Stautner Player (1950-1963). Elected in 1969.
Joe Greene Player (1969-1981) Coach (1987-1991). Elected in 1987.
John Henry Johnson Player (1960-1965). Elected in 1987.
Jack Ham Player (1971-1982). Elected in 1988.
Mel Blount Player (1970-1983). Elected in 1989.
Terry Bradshaw Player (1970-1983). Elected in 1989.
Franco Harris Player (1972-1983). Elected in 1990.
Jack Lambert Player (1974-1984). Elected in 1990.
Chuck Noll Coach (1969-1991). Elected in 1993.
Mike Webster Player (1974-1988). Elected in 1997.
Lynn Swann Player (1974-1982). Elected in 2001.
John Stallworth Player (1974-1987). Elected in 2002.
Rod Woodson Player (1987-1996). Elected in 2009.

If not on this list, it's pretty hard to argue they should be in a top ten list. Maybe Hines Ward since he owns every recieving record for the franchies. Maybe Ben since he's QB'd the team to 2 super Bowl rings. What have the others done to be on the list?

my top 10 Steelers of all time:

1. Jack Lambert (Set the bar that all Steelers defenses wil be measured by, HOFer)
2. Mean Joe Greene (Pick that turned this franchise around & HOFer)
3. Terry Bradshaw (4 time Super Bowl winning QB & HOFer)
4. Franco Harris (franchise leading rusher & HOFer)
5. Mel Blount (The changed the rules because he was so good, HOFer)
6. Hines Ward (Owns every franchise receiving record)
7. Jack Ham (HOFer)
8. Rod Woodson (Face of this franchise for a decade, NFL 75the anniversary team, HOFer)
9. Lynn Swann (HOFer, made some of most memorable catches in NFL history)
10. Mike Webster (HOFer)


Popular guys missing my cut:
John Stallworth (HOFer)
Jerome Bettis (Face of Fanchise for a decade)
Ben Roethlisberger (2 time Super Bowl winning QB)
Troy Polamalu
Dermontti Dawson
Greg Lloyd
Andy Russel
Donnie Shell

[Pommah Profile]

Why isn't Donnie Shell in the Hall of Fame?

I look at all the near-misses on the Steelers, and there are any number of names you can posit would be "in" if there weren't "too many Steelers" already, and I keep coming back to Shell as the most egregious omission.

51 picks, 2 returned for TD's (Blount had 57 with 2 TD returns)
5 pro bowl appearances (Blount also had 5)
3 First-team AP all-pro (Blount had 4)
201 games in 14 years for iron-man status

What's it take? You put this guy on any other team, he's in. Played in the shadow of one of the league's all time greats is the only reason he's not in.

[SteelTank Profile]

Shell and Greenwood should both be in the Hall, but there's too much anti-Steelerism out there to keep them out. If they were Packers or Patriots they'd be in.

Franco Harris at #3?

Wow - he shouldn't even be top 10. Maybe 11 or 12.

Jack Ham is top 10 easy.

[Carolina Steel Profile]

Almost shit myself when I saw that Lambert was #4.

Hell they could do a show on the top 10 Steeler linebackers