make more money than a lot of good running backs in the NFL. He and Walter Payton are the two greatest players I've ever seen. Heart, intensity, desire, ferocity, hatred of losing. Thanks for posting that.
The best part in seeing some of those old videos is remembering being in Giants stadium on sunday afternoon watching them in person...
I went to quite a few games back then as well, but it was just as special to watch him on the television with Summerall at the mic. Those were glorious years indeed.
the guy's football IQ was extremely high. He knew where to be. Knew what play was coming so often. He also was a leader and would get the rest of the defense all wound up like a bee hive. Then, his intimidation factor. Opposing player were mentally beaten before the ball was snapped. The other teams's offensive coordinator spent half of the week trying to find ways to keep their QB alive. Scoring was the second priority.
That being said, some of those defenses we had in the 80's were more than just LT. You could argue that every player on the 86 defense for example would start over anyone we have on today's defense. We had backup players like Andy Headen who would be our best LB today.
referred to as LT.
And he's on some talking heads show now on ESPN or the ESPN-wannabe NFL Network where the other hosts constantly refer to him as LT.
Don't be surprised if you see me storm their stage some day with a machete (attn NSA: just kidding, kinda).
WTF would have been wrong with LdT?
He was a great back, but no way did he have the impact LT did.
My favorite quote about LT from an opposing coach:
when I was growing up. Took me to Jets games and everything when I was 6 or 7. My older brother fell for it. LT made it an easy decision for me. So I not only appreciate his awesomeness, but he also played a big part in making me a Giants fan. Thank you LT!
Some of those clips if you focus on just the middle of the TV you see everyone else's speed off the snap and then there is this blur at the edge of the screen coming from one side that is LT
Also in hind sight, that Giants draft when they took LT was god awful after him. 14 picks in the 12 rounds of the draft. Only LT and 8th round pick G Billy Ard played more than a few years.
His pure talent along with his desire made him a terror to opposing offenses. He was a player of the likes that the NFL had never seen before. A once in a lifetime player. I'm glad he was a giant. He willed the team to win. Glad to be a giants fan.
were a few QB's who I felt Lawrence Taylor eventually "ruined"...Lomax and Schroeder top the list...obviously Theisman physically (though Theisman was fading fast when he snapped his leg)...he sacked Jaworski.
Turned out he was off the field having his equipment repaired. In the same interview Jaws also said that LT was a clean player, never cheap shot him "even though he could have".
LT is THE GREATEST player I have ever seen. Ferocious, smart, non stop motor, clutch. I also think Walter Payton was #2 in my lifetime.
LT was HUGE by LB standards of the day. And fast as Safety. I remember the idiot Howard Cosell said that LT was "one of the smaller LBs in the league" after he chased down and caught Billy Sims FROM BEHIND in the open field.
Watching that film I noticed that LT almost always had his head up when hitting a quarter back or making a tackle. More players today should watch and learn how playing heads up was done before it became a today issue. Great Player
referred to as LT.
And he's on some talking heads show now on ESPN or the ESPN-wannabe NFL Network where the other hosts constantly refer to him as LT.
Don't be surprised if you see me storm their stage some day with a machete (attn NSA: just kidding, kinda).
WTF would have been wrong with LdT?
He was a great back, but no way did he have the impact LT did.
Taylor looks about same size as your average LB playing today, but when today's QBs get hit, you almost never see them get launched into orbit like that.
Quarterbacks weren't smaller. LT was 250lbs...same as many DEs today.
O-linemen are bigger and more athletic today though. Not saying LT wouldn't be good in today's NFL, but I think he would have more challenges with an 2015 NFL O-line.
LT was the best football player regardless of position or era to ever
have played. I would argue that with anyone. He was gifted with not just great bodily talent but a mind/vision that had no lag time between seeing and acting. He was truly gifted by the creator.
I was at Bush stadium very close to t field when he took Hart down. I think you barely could see it and the sound came later. My goodness.
As he was in his last years as a player I told my wife, "Watch 56 carefully", You'll never see another player in Blue or any color like that" She looked at me puzzled. SHe now gets it.
We in St Louis have a statue outside our baseball stadium of Stan the man. There should be a statue of LT somewhere at the practice facility or better outside the stadium. He was and deserves to be an idol.
he had great hands...I would go the games early and watch them practice. Almost all players would run fly patterns on each sideline and each QB would throw a bomb at them. I never saw LT drop one...Remeber the pass that Simms threw to him...nice catch right...
RE: LT was the best football player regardless of position or era to ever
have played. I would argue that with anyone. He was gifted with not just great bodily talent but a mind/vision that had no lag time between seeing and acting. He was truly gifted by the creator.
I was at Bush stadium very close to t field when he took Hart down. I think you barely could see it and the sound came later. My goodness.
As he was in his last years as a player I told my wife, "Watch 56 carefully", You'll never see another player in Blue or any color like that" She looked at me puzzled. SHe now gets it.
We in St Louis have a statue outside our baseball stadium of Stan the man. There should be a statue of LT somewhere at the practice facility or better outside the stadium. He was and deserves to be an idol.
"This was a great man. A man of vision and guts. And there isn't even a sign or a statue of him in that town"
I wouldn't say linemen are more athletic today. Bigger yes, but they were getting into the 300 pound range when LT was still playing too. Dallas' OL of the early 1990's was huge.
because of his life off the field. On the field? Only Jim Brown deserves to mentioned in the same breath. Unless you were there you just have no idea of how exciting he was. Michael Jordan great. Gretzky great. Young Mike Tyson great. 1985 Doc Gooden great. He was an electric presence. You couldn't take your eyes off him and in his prime he could single handedly ruin any offense. He was unblockable one on one and most days two on one and would be as great today as he was in the 80's.
I had almost forgotten how totally dominating he was. Speed, strength, power, desire, tenacity and ferocity. Had them all in spades. Incredible player. Once in a lifetime. Thank you Bum Phillips for being the only person on the planet who thought George Rogers was the best player in the 1981 draft.
How far the defense has fallen from those intimidating, bullying days of complete dominance. Thirty second in the league this year and third worst all-time. How embarrassing. Thank you Jerry Reese for your astute drafting of the Clint Sintims, the Jayron Hosleys (while Josh Norman was still on the board), the Philip Dillards, the Damontre Moores and letting the Linval Josephs walk for basically the same money you paid to a beat up Jon Beason.
It is your shrewd maneuvering that has made this once proud defense into the laughing stock of the league.
His quickness and speed is still astonishing to watch today ... he was
I went to quite a few games back then as well, but it was just as special to watch him on the television with Summerall at the mic. Those were glorious years indeed.
Cocaine had nothing to do with LTs football successes. If anything it hindered his career.
I hate when people bring up the coke and suggest that it in any way helped LT on the field of play. Nonsense.
That being said, some of those defenses we had in the 80's were more than just LT. You could argue that every player on the 86 defense for example would start over anyone we have on today's defense. We had backup players like Andy Headen who would be our best LB today.
And he's on some talking heads show now on ESPN or the ESPN-wannabe NFL Network where the other hosts constantly refer to him as LT.
Don't be surprised if you see me storm their stage some day with a machete (attn NSA: just kidding, kinda).
WTF would have been wrong with LdT?
He was a great back, but no way did he have the impact LT did.
The ultimate praise for a defensive player.
I believe it was Jaws.
Some of those clips if you focus on just the middle of the TV you see everyone else's speed off the snap and then there is this blur at the edge of the screen coming from one side that is LT
Also in hind sight, that Giants draft when they took LT was god awful after him. 14 picks in the 12 rounds of the draft. Only LT and 8th round pick G Billy Ard played more than a few years.
1982 MNF GB vs Giants full game - ( New Window )
LT, Harry Carson, Brian Kelley, Brad Van Pelt
Then
LT, Carson, Gary Reasons, Carl Banks
Then
LT, Carson, Pepper Johnson, Banks
And we had reserves like Andy Headen, Steve DeOssie and others whose names I forget
LT is THE GREATEST player I have ever seen. Ferocious, smart, non stop motor, clutch. I also think Walter Payton was #2 in my lifetime.
LT was HUGE by LB standards of the day. And fast as Safety. I remember the idiot Howard Cosell said that LT was "one of the smaller LBs in the league" after he chased down and caught Billy Sims FROM BEHIND in the open field.
And he's on some talking heads show now on ESPN or the ESPN-wannabe NFL Network where the other hosts constantly refer to him as LT.
Don't be surprised if you see me storm their stage some day with a machete (attn NSA: just kidding, kinda).
WTF would have been wrong with LdT?
He was a great back, but no way did he have the impact LT did.
I agree with this 1000%
+1
Quote:
QBs were 30 years ago.
Taylor looks about same size as your average LB playing today, but when today's QBs get hit, you almost never see them get launched into orbit like that.
Quarterbacks weren't smaller. LT was 250lbs...same as many DEs today.
O-linemen are bigger and more athletic today though. Not saying LT wouldn't be good in today's NFL, but I think he would have more challenges with an 2015 NFL O-line.
I was at Bush stadium very close to t field when he took Hart down. I think you barely could see it and the sound came later. My goodness.
As he was in his last years as a player I told my wife, "Watch 56 carefully", You'll never see another player in Blue or any color like that" She looked at me puzzled. SHe now gets it.
We in St Louis have a statue outside our baseball stadium of Stan the man. There should be a statue of LT somewhere at the practice facility or better outside the stadium. He was and deserves to be an idol.
I was at Bush stadium very close to t field when he took Hart down. I think you barely could see it and the sound came later. My goodness.
As he was in his last years as a player I told my wife, "Watch 56 carefully", You'll never see another player in Blue or any color like that" She looked at me puzzled. SHe now gets it.
We in St Louis have a statue outside our baseball stadium of Stan the man. There should be a statue of LT somewhere at the practice facility or better outside the stadium. He was and deserves to be an idol.
"This was a great man. A man of vision and guts. And there isn't even a sign or a statue of him in that town"
Hyman Roth speech - ( New Window )
How far the defense has fallen from those intimidating, bullying days of complete dominance. Thirty second in the league this year and third worst all-time. How embarrassing. Thank you Jerry Reese for your astute drafting of the Clint Sintims, the Jayron Hosleys (while Josh Norman was still on the board), the Philip Dillards, the Damontre Moores and letting the Linval Josephs walk for basically the same money you paid to a beat up Jon Beason.
It is your shrewd maneuvering that has made this once proud defense into the laughing stock of the league.