Carl Banks fires back at Francesa Super Bowl XXI Remarks

Can't stand this guy and haven't listened to his show once Russo left. ESPN radio is a much better option in the afternoon

Always has been, always will be.

Banks was sensational throughout the playoffs. He was the best player on the defense in January 1987.

I would argue that Carl Banks should have made the Super Bowl All-50 team over Taylor.

in 21 & 25. In 21 he was the best player on the field including Simms.

In comment 12798578 Eric from BBI said:

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I would argue that Carl Banks should have made the Super Bowl All-50 team over Taylor.

He should have.

but Banks was a great player. He is underrated. He was great in the Super Bowls too.

I saw that Super Bowl 50 team and actually thought the same thing myself. Man, I miss the 1980's.

"Oh, Harry Carson only looked good because he had LT drawing all the blockers." It's crap. Carson and Banks were legitimately great players on their own.

that is any great player takes focus away from other players and does make their job easier.

But to deny what a great LB Banks was is absolutely foolhardy and you still, as a player, have to make the plays. Banks was awesome in SB XXI and there was not a better SLB than Banks from 85-91. He was big and could run and was always there.

Even Banks would admit he benefitted from LT on the other side but I am sure LT would admit also that he benefitted from Banks' presence as well. Teams could not overload too much because Banks would kill them. And Banks was such a great coverage LB on TEs that it gave LT the freedome to rush the passer.

It was a different game back then and you had to be able to run the ball but you couldn't against the Giants and a lot of that was due to Banks.

Watch the DVD of the NFC Championship Game against Washington. In the second half after LT sat down after injuring his knee Banks stepped into LT's role and the defense didn't miss a beat. Banks was all over the field, blitzing Schoeder, stuffing the run, breaking up passes in coverage...he was the one wearing the Superman cape that January.

but even he said during those playoffs on the telecasts, Banks was playing the best...............

Banks was a great player in his own right who probably didn't get the recognition he deserved.

In comment 12798596 Greg from LI said:

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"Oh, Harry Carson only looked good because he had LT drawing all the blockers." It's crap. Carson and Banks were legitimately great players on their own.

Damn right. Harry was all pro caliber long before LT was drafted.

and for my money he was better than Singletary, who go more attention because of his bulging, mental patient like eyeballs.

The only drawback of the Ten Greatest Games DVD set is it doesn't reflect the greatness of Taylor. If you watch those amazing, wonderful games, including XXI, in a vacuum you would come away with the impression that Banks was the greatest Giants LB of all time. Banks really jumps out at you in those big games.

In comment 12798600 That’s Gold, Jerry said:

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that is any great player takes focus away from other players and does make their job easier. But to deny what a great LB Banks was is absolutely foolhardy and you still, as a player, have to make the plays. Banks was awesome in SB XXI and there was not a better SLB than Banks from 85-91. He was big and could run and was always there. Even Banks would admit he benefitted from LT on the other side but I am sure LT would admit also that he benefitted from Banks' presence as well. Teams could not overload too much because Banks would kill them. And Banks was such a great coverage LB on TEs that it gave LT the freedome to rush the passer. It was a different game back then and you had to be able to run the ball but you couldn't against the Giants and a lot of that was due to Banks.

Let's not act like LT wasn't just as amazing against the run as he was against the pass. The sacks always got the attention, but he was no D. Thomas getting benched in the AFCC because he couldn't play the run.

People forget how easily LT went through lead blockers like a missle on his way to the ball carrier or how he had the speed to get to the ball carrier before he made it back to the LOS from the weak side.

That said- overall I agree. Two great players that benefitted from each other's presence.




LT against the run - ( New Window )

In comment 12798625 Victor in CT said:

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and for my money he was better than Singletary, who go more attention because of his bulging, mental patient like eyeballs.

HAHAHA....I laugh because that is EXACTLY what my father always says. He absolutely hates Mike Singletary for that reason - "Goddammit, Carson was a better linebacker than Singletary, but since he didn't have crazy eyes that got featured on NFL Films all the time, everyone thinks he wasn't as good."

that's what came to my mind too. Madden said "Lawrence Taylor's the best OLB in football, and Carl Banks is the next-best."

Giants and Saints from that era. Was pretty much the entire All Pro LB corps for the NFC including reserves. Man that was linebacking at its best.

He is clueless about football.

In comment 12798636 Greg from LI said:

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In comment 12798625 Victor in CT said: Quote: and for my money he was better than Singletary, who go more attention because of his bulging, mental patient like eyeballs. HAHAHA....I laugh because that is EXACTLY what my father always says. He absolutely hates Mike Singletary for that reason - "Goddammit, Carson was a better linebacker than Singletary, but since he didn't have crazy eyes that got featured on NFL Films all the time, everyone thinks he wasn't as good."

SO TRUE!!!

In comment 12798578 Eric from BBI said:

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I would argue that Carl Banks should have made the Super Bowl All-50 team over Taylor.

And you would be right. LT, as great as he was, has no business being on that All-50 team. Banks, without a doubt, belongs there.

the Big Blue Wrecking Crew:

LT - 10 Pro Bowls, 8 All Pros
Carson - 9 Pro Bowls, 2 All Pros
Banks - 1 Pro Bowl, 1 All Pro...which is criminal. He didn't get the awards because he didn't get to pile up stats playing the SLB, but he was the best at what he did for a long time.
Pepper - 2 Pro Bowls, 1 All Pro

Dome Patrol:

Jackson - 6 Pro Bowls, 3 All Pro
Johnson - 4 Pro Bowls, 1 All Pro
Swilling - 5 Pro Bowls, 2 All Pro
Mills - 5 Pro Bowls, 1 All Pro


Probably the two best LB corps of all time, and playing together at roughly the same time. Pretty amazing.

not as good or deep than the Giants, but they were ferocious. You could argue Mills was below Carson but better than Pepper/Reasons.

ever were starters at the same time. Gary Reasons was the starter in 1986, with Pepper as a rookie being a sub. That being said, I believe the depth of the Giant's 1986 linebacker squad makes them the best ever, with subs that would have been starters on many other teams. Harry, LT, Banks, Reasons, Pepper, Byron Hunt, Andy Headen, and Robbie Jones.

Packers of the 60's, Chiefs of the 60's, Steelers of the 70's, Giants of the 80's. I don't think the Saints crew was quite as good as any of those. Sam Mills wasn't as good as Harry, and to compare anyone with LT is absurd.

Reasons was the starter in 1984-86, lost his starting job to Pepper in 1987-88, regained it in 1989 when Carson retired, lost it to DeOssie in 1990, then started again in 1991.

I actually didn't remember DeOssie starting over him in 1990 (noticed it on PFR), nor do I know why.

stellar 1983 draft, which was probably George Young's best top to bottom to that point. Today, only a 7 rd draft, and you probably wouldn't be able to keep him anyway. That '83 draft produced 5 starters, 1 super sub LB who could have started for many teams, a PK who looked like a long term solution for a while, and 2 other useful subs. Belcher had become a BEAST by late '84, only to get hurt in a car accident in the off season.

1983 NY Giants Draft:
1983 1 Terry Kinard DB
1983 2 Leonard Marshall DE
1983 3 Jamie Williams TE
1983 3 Karl Nelson T
1983 6 Kevin Belcher C
1983 7 Perry Williams
1983 8 Andy Headen LB 1
1983 9 Ali Haji-Sheikh K
1983 12 John Tuggle RB

Nowadays, those guys would have been long gone after their first contract was up, but before free agency they were stuck here. Good for the Giants, unfortunate for them, although they did get a Super Bowl ring for their troubles.

FOOTBALL to Francesa.
Banks was a monster at Michigan State(as a UM fan, trust me)and extremely underrated in the NFL.
That playoff game against, I think Washington, he was a 1 armed bandit against them.

Didn't he have a good NFL career ? I could have sworn he won a super bowl with san fran

In comment 12798832 BIG FRED 1973 said:

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Didn't he have a good NFL career ? I could have sworn he won a super bowl with san fran

yes, played until 1994. Good ST player, blocking TE type. Actually played for the 49ers in the 1990 Title game. Never actually played for the Giants though. I forget if he was cut in camp or was traded, but he played for the Cards in 1983

I was a little too young to remember that time, but if he was so good, why didn't he start from day one?

And it's not as if he didn't start at all until 1986. Started 4 games in 1984 and 5 in 1985. He split time with Andy Headen and Byron Hunt for a couple of years, and those guys were fine players.

In comment 12798902 Vanzetti said:

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I was a little too young to remember that time, but if he was so good, why didn't he start from day one?

stupid remark. He started the last 4 games in 1984. They could afford to ease him in because they still had Hunt and thought he was a decent player. He won the job in 1985 out of camp but got hurt against Dallas in Week 5. It was a hammy that nagged all season.

makes a living at this is a mystery to me. He is a fucking clown, completely clueless. He has no clue what he's talking about most of the time, but still runs his mouth, and people actually listen to his fat ass...Mind boggling.

In comment 12798922 Victor in CT said:

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In comment 12798902 Vanzetti said: Quote: I was a little too young to remember that time, but if he was so good, why didn't he start from day one? stupid remark. He started the last 4 games in 1984. They could afford to ease him in because they still had Hunt and thought he was a decent player. He won the job in 1985 out of camp but got hurt against Dallas in Week 5. It was a hammy that nagged all season.

It was a question, not a remark. I have no idea why he didn't start since I was 6 in 1984.

was better than LT in the Super Bowls. LT got the nod because of his rep. In the first one Banks put on one of the best performances of any defender in a Super Bowl.

A disagreement about football between Mike Francesa and
Carl Banks? Hmmmm, now who's word should I take? :)

In comment 12798746 GA5 said:

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ever were starters at the same time. Gary Reasons was the starter in 1986, with Pepper as a rookie being a sub. That being said, I believe the depth of the Giant's 1986 linebacker squad makes them the best ever, with subs that would have been starters on many other teams. Harry, LT, Banks, Reasons, Pepper, Byron Hunt, Andy Headen, and Robbie Jones.

Harry and Pepper were side by side often during the 86 playoffs. I needed to watch the games multiple times to realize it.

Anybody think Taylor was injured in the SuperBowl? He went to the sidelines late in the Skins game when he almost broke leg flying through the and the blocker caught all leg.

Was special,too bad injuries did him in. AH could get to the QB too.

Lost in the horrific 1987 season was that Carl Banks played on par with Lawrence Taylor that year. Wasted on a bad team but Banks continued his '86 post-season play into '87.

In comment 12799262 Eric from BBI said:

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Lost in the horrific 1987 season was that Carl Banks played on par with Lawrence Taylor that year. Wasted on a bad team but Banks continued his '86 post-season play into '87.

Eric - then if you remember, Banks held out in 1988. Came back and signed...but really never got back that level of play back.

Of course, he would continue to be a very good LB in 89 and 90......but that 86-87 level wasn't reached again.

mostly subbed in on passing downs and later in games. He got more playing time as the season progressed.

the Giants drafted Banks, or any linebacker that high in the draft, since we had such a strong unit already. Boy, glad they were wrong.

The original Big Blue Wrecking Crew was Harry, LT, Brad Van
Pelt, and Brian Kelley. Not too shabby, either.

There have been hundreds of big championship games over the last 50 years. Francesa has been to all but noine of them. Noine.

NoineNoineNoineNoineNoineNoineNoineNoineNoine

and Fatman knows it.....but he wasn't on the same tier as LT as a player. The only limitations to what Lawrence could do on a football field were set by the creativity and imagination of his coaches. End of discussion.

1) LT was the best player (not defensive player, but player) in my lifetime and possibly all time, in my opinion.

2) Banks was an excellent LB in his own right. Holding him to an LT standard is just not fair. The same can be said of Carson, although I think Carson is slightly better than Banks.

3) Banks absolutely was the Giants best defensive player in SB XXI and it wasn't even close.

4) LT did not have great SB games. I also think it is unfair to say that is all because of triple teams and diminish other players' accomplishments. Throughout his entire career, LT played at another level regardless of double teams, triple teams, OT, OG, RB, TE, etc. blocking him. He gets praised for that and for changing the game and the way offenses structured their blocking schemes. So, you can't then turn around and say he didn't have great games because he was triple teamed.