\u00a0<\/p>\n
Recently the NFL network which provides amazing programming published\u00a0their list of Top Ten Steelers of All-Time. I want to say their list was awesome and while I didn’t agree with it, there case was easy to make. Part of the issue with doing anything with the Steelers is that there is two distinct periods of Steeler fandom; there is BC and AC. BEFORE CHUCK and AFTER CHUCK. (Listen if we can have a play called the Immaculate Reception I can borrow BC.)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without question Chuck Noll turned the fortune of the franchise. He is the most underrated Coach in NFL history. What people don’t realize is that he did some of his best coaching\u00a0during the 80’s and he is not recognized for it because he never did win “one for the thumb”. But as the Steelers began to struggle he\u00a0built the first half of the “Cowher Dynasty”. Chuck’s issue are that for a whole decade one of his biggest stars took to slandering him and he was not a self promoter like most coaches are. He knew he was smarter than you were, he just didn’t care if you knew it. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The issue is most Steeler fans don’t acknowledge that the Steelers who were dreck for 40 years\u00a0existed before Chuck showed up.<\/p>\n
To set the tone of how bad the Steelers once were, I was speaking with the Captain and we were laughing that the Steelers used to practice in a public park!\u00a0People would throw a Frisbee in the middle of the practice and interrupt it. Try picturing that today.\u00a0The office for the team was run out of a Hotel. The clubhouse was in an old basement of a house.\u00a0Of course Three Rivers was built, Chuck showed up and\u00a0everything changed. The Steelers did have some\u00a0great players before\u00a0the 70’s.<\/p>\n
I humbly submit my\u00a0Top Ten List:<\/p>\n
10: Rod Woodson-<\/strong>Simply put one of the greatest defensive backs in FOOTBALL HISTORY. He could\u00a0cover, out run you and out hit you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 9: Jerome Bettis-\u00a0<\/strong>He\u00a0was everything a Steelers running back is supposed to be and he anchored the Steelers for nearly 10 years.\u00a0When he locked and loaded he was unstoppable, watching Artrell Hawkins and Brian Urlacher find that out makes me smile!<\/p>\n 8: Hines Ward-<\/strong> Swann and Stallworth were better pass catchers, Ward is the most complete receiver in Steeler history and he plays Steeler football, just ask Ed Reed or Keith Rivers.\u00a0<\/p>\n 7: Mike Webster-<\/strong> I picked him over Dermonti Dawson simply because of Super Bowl rings. He was most likely\u00a0the greatest Center in football history with nine pro bowls and five all-pro seasons!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 6: Jack Ham- <\/strong>Any list that doesn’t have Jack Ham on it is a fraud. He is arguably the greatest Outside Linebacker in NFL History. He beats out Andy Russell, Joey Porter\u00a0and Greg Lloyd for my list. Lloyd was my favorite player growing up. \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 5:\u00a0Terry Bradshaw:<\/strong> Four time Super Bowl winning QB.\u00a0He could spell Cat and btw he could spell\u00a0winner even better!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 4:\u00a0Mel Blount-<\/strong> the Greatest Cornerback in Steelers history if not football history. He was so\u00a0dominant they\u00a0had to change the rules. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 3: Jack Lambert-<\/strong> The face of the Steelers defense and probably the single most identifiable Steeler of all time.\u00a0He didn’t tackle you as much as run through you.<\/p>\n 2: Ernie Stautner:<\/strong> He is the father of Steeler toughness. His teams didn’t beat\u00a0you, they beat you up! He set the\u00a0tone of who and what the Steelers were going to eventually be! Also the only Steeler to have his number retired.\u00a0<\/p>\n 1. Joe Greene-<\/strong> He was Chuck’s first pick and he picked up the mantle of Steeler toughness and we have never looked back since. For my money he is the Greatest Defensive Tackle of all time! Also made the\u00a0greatest commercial in Super Bowl History.\u00a0<\/p>\n President Tom Janicki’s All-Time Steelers Top Ten List:<\/strong><\/p>\n 10. Troy Polamalu<\/p>\n 9.Ben Roethlisberger<\/p>\n 8. Jack Ham<\/p>\n 7. Ernie Stautner<\/p>\n 6. Terry Bradshaw<\/p>\n 5. Rod Woodson<\/p>\n 4. Mel Blount<\/p>\n 3. Franco Harris<\/p>\n 2. Jack Lambert<\/p>\n 1. “Mean”\u00a0Joe Greene<\/p>\n Captain Tailgates\u00a0All-Time Steelers Top Ten List:<\/strong><\/p>\n 10. LaMarr Woodley-<\/strong> a bookend to one of the best defenses in the NFL, forced the Kurt Warner fumble to win the Super Bowl!<\/p>\n 9. Levon Kirkland- “<\/strong>The Peoples Linebacker”, he was as big as a truck and\u00a0hit like one, he\u00a0ran like a sports car!<\/p>\n 8. Kevin Greene- <\/strong>“If you were going into a troubled situation, I think you would want to take Kevin along.”-Dick Lebeau. You can’t argue with a legend.<\/p>\n 7. Joey Porter-<\/strong> PEAZY talked the talk and walked the walk. He tried to fight the Ravens team\u00a0bus once, while nursing a bullet wound!<\/p>\n 6. Mike\u00a0Merriweather-<\/strong> Anchored the Steelers and was a perennial pro bowler in the eighties. Also had a bad-ass jerry curl!<\/p>\n 5. James Farrior-<\/strong> The best free agent\u00a0pickup the Steelers have ever made. Captain of the defense and beloved member of BWG.<\/p>\n 4. Greg Lloyd-<\/strong> Every QB in the NFL ran in terror of this guy. He was a FORCE of nature!<\/p>\n 3. Jam Ham-<\/strong> DOBRE SHUNKA, happened to be one of the greatest linebackers of all time and the quiet unsung hero of the greatest dynasty in football history!<\/p>\n 2. Jack Lambert-<\/strong> Captain Tailgate’s illegitimate Father. “He was so mean, he didn’t even like himself.”-John Facenda<\/p>\n 1. James “Silverback” Harrison-<\/strong>EVERYONE FEARS HIM, by the way, THEY SHOULD! Had the greatest play in Super Bowl History!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0 Recently the NFL network which provides amazing programming published\u00a0their list of Top Ten Steelers of All-Time. I want to say their list was awesome and while I didn’t agree with it, there case was easy to make. 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