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Who was your favorite NYG defensive lineman and why?

Eric from BBI : Admin : 5/29/2016 9:13 am
Let's keep this going.

And does he have a signature play or two that you always remember?
John Mendenhall  
Dave on the UWS : 5/29/2016 9:19 am : link
Guy was undersized but went 100 miles an hour on every play.
Probably  
Big Al : 5/29/2016 9:21 am : link
Jim Burt for his personality.
Tuck  
chris r : 5/29/2016 9:23 am : link
Running down LdT.
Keith Hamilton  
Giantsfan79 : 5/29/2016 9:29 am : link
he never seemed to get the respect he deserved. I think there was a stretch where he was at least a top-3 d-tackle in the league.
Tuck  
SanFranNowNCGiantsFan : 5/29/2016 9:29 am : link
Him & Eli are my two favorite Giants of this era.

His play in XLII & XLVI. The man was a big time performer.

also have to give a shout out to BBI legend  
Giantsfan79 : 5/29/2016 9:32 am : link
Jonas Seawright. Reading BBI while he was on the roster was a great time to be alive.
Justin Tuck  
gidiefor : Mod : 5/29/2016 9:37 am : link


for his quiet grace and humble power!!!
Strahan - talent, leadership, charisma  
x meadowlander : 5/29/2016 9:37 am : link
.
Tuck.  
BlueManCrew : 5/29/2016 9:38 am : link
Blue collar attitude, great leader and role model. Showed up big in big games. When I think of what a NYG should be I think of Tuck and Eli.
Strahan  
mrvax : 5/29/2016 9:40 am : link
Fun personality, very serious at game time. Outstanding vs. the run and a great pass rusher too. Maybe the Giants best all time defensive lineman.
RE: Strahan - talent, leadership, charisma  
Les in TO : 5/29/2016 9:47 am : link
In comment 12975188 x meadowlander said:
Quote:
.
+1. And clutch playmaking. And both a rock against the run and a pass rusher who developed many tools
Strahan - But he is the obvious answer  
Matt M. : 5/29/2016 9:49 am : link
After him I loved

Keith Hamilton
Justin Tuck
George Martin - The 2 signature plays are his INT for a TD against the Broncos and the safety in the SB
Too hard to pick one favorite  
pjcas18 : 5/29/2016 9:54 am : link
I will say that Justin Tuck is one of a very short list of players who I followed after their Giants careers and felt like were legit off-field role models. And I don't normally care about that stuff, I'm a root for laundry guy, but Tuck really stood out on and off the field.

Justin Tuck: two SB's of dominance - he really could have been MVP in both and no one would have argued too much (side note: Patriots fans after the games thought he was one of the best DL they've seen).

Leonard Marshall: hit on Montana

JPP: FG block against Dallas and running down Jimmy Graham to force a 4th down

Osi: so many forced fumbles, and play alterations with his speed off the edge - the GB altered throw against Rodgers is up there

George Martin: all the return TD's - the one against Denver Parcells called "the greatest football play I've ever seen"

Erik Howard: forced fumble to prevent 3-peat
Strahan.....  
Reb8thVA : 5/29/2016 9:55 am : link
As everyone else said complete package and a jovial personality.

I'd also put George Marin up here. He was an over achiever tpe
Jay Alford  
Big Blue '56 : 5/29/2016 10:03 am : link
'nuff said
Just One?  
M.S. : 5/29/2016 10:03 am : link
For me it was four:

Jim Katcavage
Rosey Grier
Dick Modzelewski

And last, but not least...

...from Milford CT, a graduate from Arnold College:

Andy Robustelli

There you have it... the original fearsome Foursome I grew up on!!!
No One lineman, but aggregate?  
Big Blue '56 : 5/29/2016 10:05 am : link
Jim Katcavage, Little Mo, Rosy Grier and Andy Robustelli..

They made a star out of Sam Huff
Curtis McGriff  
sober297 : 5/29/2016 10:08 am : link
I recall Bill Parcells saying he made all of the Giants OL better, because of his practice and playing efforts.
Strahan  
Steve in South Jersey : 5/29/2016 10:14 am : link
Great player. A leader. Smart. Extended his career by dropping weight and being a master of technique and leverage. Great personality.
put me down for Mendenhall  
xman : 5/29/2016 10:26 am : link
too
Jim Burt  
collins25 : 5/29/2016 10:27 am : link
That hit he put on Montana that knocked him out was great. He was a real lunch pail type that parcels loved.
Parcells  
collins25 : 5/29/2016 10:28 am : link
Damn autocorrect
..  
Named Later : 5/29/2016 10:31 am : link
For some reason, Jack Gregory was a favorite of mine. That was around the time I first started following the Giants. And Jack came over in a trade with Cleveland. The cost in trade was expensive, but, lo and behold....he played well.

That wasn't always how it worked out with the G-men in those days.
Leonard Marshall  
jhibb : 5/29/2016 10:54 am : link
Because I remember going to a training camp as a teenager with my little brother and he found a grassy spot in the shade after practice where he sat down and signed a while bunch of autographs while chatting with fans. I thought that was so cool both then and now.

Plus there's that whole NFC championship game vs SF and the Montana hit...
Nice one Eric brings back memories  
jjgmrg901 : 5/29/2016 10:58 am : link
Love the guys who went with the original fearsome foursome. Rosey, Andy, Little Mo, the Kat.(the Milford mauler I think might have weighed 240 or 250 but quick)
Jack Gregory and John Mendenhall were great to watch during the real down years.
Freddie Dryer until he became a jackass and needed to go to LA.
Finally the tragic Troy Archer. What a rookie season and what potential. I lived in Pleasantville at the time and met him a few times at a local bar. Really nice and fun guy.

Thanks again Eric
I will say this,  
Big Blue '56 : 5/29/2016 11:08 am : link
JPP in 2011 was for me, the best Giants DL I had ever seen. Unfortunately, for whatever reasons, it was just that one aeason of awesomeness
season  
Big Blue '56 : 5/29/2016 11:09 am : link
.
all the guys mentioned  
gm7b5 : 5/29/2016 11:13 am : link
Ill add Chad Bratzke, didnt see it mentioned. He brought it for a guy i didnt think was the most gifted athletically. Giant fans have been blessed through the years with some enjoyable defensive lineman to watch every Sunday.
Michael Strahan...  
Torrag : 5/29/2016 11:15 am : link
...simply the best.
For me it's Strahan  
Wreckingcrew : 5/29/2016 11:23 am : link
I'd argue he was the best DL of his era. He was an all-world pass rusher but was even better versus the run. His technique was something to behold and should be taught to young ends everywhere. His "stomped you out," speeches were epic.

2nd place has to be Tuck. Class act, difference maker during his peak, and I find myself constantly rewatching his onfield speech before SB46, as well as the "everyone knows whose house this is" speech after the parade.

Gotta throw some love Keith Hamilton's way as well, very underrated tackle and to do this day that was a bullshit phantom holding call that negated Armstead's pick 6.
#92  
Route 9 : 5/29/2016 12:00 pm : link
Michael Strahan, the sack on Brady in Super Bowl 42 just before the half
Troy Archer  
Alan in Toledo : 5/29/2016 12:03 pm : link
an absolute beast who deserves a mention.
RE: John Mendenhall  
Sec 103 : 5/29/2016 12:28 pm : link
In comment 12975174 Dave on the UWS said:
Quote:
Guy was undersized but went 100 miles an hour on every play.


+1
Leonard Marshall  
chiro56 : 5/29/2016 12:46 pm : link
Great guy, great hit on JM.
For me it's Leonard Marshall  
Danny Kanell : 5/29/2016 1:10 pm : link
No doubt. And the signature play is obvious.
I can't pick just one  
Red Dog : 5/29/2016 1:18 pm : link
Andy Robustelli, Jim Katkavage, Dick Modzielewski, Rosey Grier, John Mendenhall, Jack Gregory, Curtiss McGriff, John Washington, Keith Hamilton, Jim Burt, Leonard Marshall, Michael Strahan, and Justin Tuck are all in the running.
fan since 1999  
Tuckrule : 5/29/2016 1:30 pm : link
my all time favorite lineman is justin tuck and a close second is the hammer

when i became a giants fan hamilton was just a tough rugged player and i fell involve with line play was never a big skill position guy all my favorite giants were those blue collar do the dirty work type. Hamilton to me exemplified what it means to be a giant. Plus his nickname to an 11 year old boy was just so cool. Tuck i watched in college and loved his game. As a new yorker we all know we get notre dame football games on nbc. Loved when the giants selected him and he surpassed anyone's expectations. Had his best 2 games in the biggest 2 games of his life.
John Mendenhall  
Mendenhall : 5/29/2016 1:33 pm : link
Tremendous motor. Victim of horrible teams.
Troy Archer  
Bleedin Blue : 5/29/2016 1:43 pm : link
Gone too soon! He was going to be our Randy White! Heartbreaker that he died.
Strahan  
Mr. Nickels : 5/29/2016 1:44 pm : link
not even close
Tuck  
Vanzetti : 5/29/2016 2:01 pm : link
Strahan was a better player but he was also more of a self-promoter.

Tuck was the better man. I'll never forget what he said when reporters questioned him about signing a big deal right BEFORE he had his breakout performance in the playoffs. Said something to the effect: "If you had told me when I was a kid that I was going to be making 6 million a year, I would have been ecstatic. Why should I feel differently now just because it could have been 8 million?"
first hero on the DL  
aquidneck : 5/29/2016 2:28 pm : link
was Fred Dryer and I met him on the field after an early Giants-Jets Yale Bowl exhibition.

But somehow can't see s thread like this without thinking about Troy Archer.

Favorite, though, is Strahan. Enjoyed his whole career from beginning to end.
RE: John Mendenhall  
njm : 5/29/2016 2:29 pm : link
In comment 12975174 Dave on the UWS said:
Quote:
Guy was undersized but went 100 miles an hour on every play.


100 miles an hour on teams that didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of making the playoffs.
Well,  
Doomster : 5/29/2016 2:32 pm : link
the whole DL of the early 60's.....

Jack Gregory......Troy Archer.....Fred Dryer.....Mendenhall....Marshall.....Martin....Hamilton......Osi....Tuck.....Cofield.....JPP.....

But of them all, Strahan was the best.....pass rush or stop the run....and I don't know if he ever forgot to contribute the the Referee's Fund, but that guy was held more times than I can remember, and the refs never saw them....
Keith Hamilton has a special place in my heart  
Deej : 5/29/2016 2:36 pm : link
dont really know why. Maybe because I thought we knew he was better than the lack of national recognition he got.
Arnie Weinmeister  
Ed A. : 5/29/2016 3:05 pm : link
When I was a kid I was in awe of his strength and how he dominated constantly. Not many defensive lineman of the period could do what he did continuously. After all these years he is still my favorite
Mendenhall was my first  
Stufftherun : 5/29/2016 3:36 pm : link
and they say you never forget your first. I wore # 64 in pee wee football because of him. That said, Tuck might be my more contemporary fav. .
Hammer  
area junc : 5/29/2016 3:39 pm : link
Just going back and watching early games from the mid-90's. They don't make players like that anymore. Unreal he wasn't a Perennial Pro Bowler but there was a lot of tough DLs playing then.
I always had a lot of love for Leonard Marshall  
djm : 5/29/2016 3:42 pm : link
I used to say he was underrated back when he was playing and i still say it now. He was a tremendous force at the 3/4 DE spot. And that's a tough spot to play. Have to hold up well against the run and get after the Qb.

Marshall also played very well in the postseason.

Runner up would be Hammer. Pretty similar player to Marshall even though he spent the majority of his career at 4/3 DT. He actually enjoyed his first big season as a 3/4 end in 1993...
Honorable mention to  
Big Al : 5/29/2016 4:03 pm : link
Bob Lurtsema.
Strahan  
bc4life : 5/29/2016 5:01 pm : link
and not for sacks. I remember on several occasions being engaged with OL while arm tackling an rb.

To my mind, no one is close.

Some lesser favorites - Hammer, Robert Harris, Fred Robbins
Arnie Weinmeister for me and second place isn't even close. He was  
carpoon : 5/29/2016 5:13 pm : link
simply a one-man wrecking crew. Unfortunately, the Maras treated him like crap, thus he had a shorter Giant career.
RE: I can't pick just one  
Tuckrule : 5/29/2016 5:56 pm : link
In comment 12975396 Red Dog said:
Quote:
Andy Robustelli, Jim Katkavage, Dick Modzielewski, Rosey Grier, John Mendenhall, Jack Gregory, Curtiss McGriff, John Washington, Keith Hamilton, Jim Burt, Leonard Marshall, Michael Strahan, and Justin Tuck are all in the running.


So basically one from every generation haha just messing around. Wish I saw guys like robustelli and Grier
RE: For me it's Leonard Marshall  
Klaatu : 5/29/2016 5:58 pm : link
In comment 12975391 Danny Kanell said:
Quote:
No doubt. And the signature play is obvious.


Ditto.
RE: RE: John Mendenhall  
Reale01 : 5/29/2016 6:04 pm : link
In comment 12975350 Sec 103 said:
Quote:
In comment 12975174 Dave on the UWS said:


Quote:


Guy was undersized but went 100 miles an hour on every play.





+1


BEAST Sideline to sideline +2
First one to come to mind is Leanard Marshall but I don't know how  
wgenesis123 : 5/29/2016 6:11 pm : link
you can pick anyone over Strahan.
Strahan. An all time great who was also....  
Crispino : 5/29/2016 7:27 pm : link
a good guy, for the most part. Loved Leonard Marshall and Hammer too. Burt gets tossed for being a real douchebag. Loved his game, hated some of his personality stuff. Not a good guy.
Strahan  
English Alaister : 5/29/2016 8:01 pm : link
Insane ability to dominate bigger men with tenacity, technique and intelligence. All-round player too. He's really not far behind LT for me.

He grew as a leader, there were some rocky patches, but he turned it round and became an all-time Giant.

We've had some great players through here and some are before my time but post-85 when I started Strahan separates himself and it is a diservice to suggest otherwise, much though we love those other guys.
good thread -- too many outstanding DL to just pick one  
tempit : 5/29/2016 8:02 pm : link
and watched a lot bad football where the Defense was the only thing to hold your head up after a loss.

Some really good ones mentioned and enjoyed recalling most of them. Some I only read about and never saw playing.

Well done BBI ( don't get to say this often ) !
RE: all the guys mentioned  
David in LA : 5/29/2016 8:26 pm : link
In comment 12975289 gm7b5 said:
Quote:
Ill add Chad Bratzke, didnt see it mentioned. He brought it for a guy i didnt think was the most gifted athletically. Giant fans have been blessed through the years with some enjoyable defensive lineman to watch every Sunday.


Very underrated Giant. Great call!
Keith Hamilton  
Modus Operandi : 5/29/2016 8:32 pm : link
He and Jessie were to cogs that made that 90s offense dominant.
Favorite NYG defensive lineman-all time  
johnboyw : 5/30/2016 1:10 pm : link
John Mendenhall.

One of the last great Grambling DL to come into the league. 6'1" 255 lbs of sheer determination on some of the worst teams ever fielded. If he had been 3" taller and 25 lbs heavier he would have been a perennial Pro Bowler and probably more. Constantly defeated bigger guys and never got the credit he deserved.
Honorable mention to tough guy Erik Howard.



RE: RE: all the guys mentioned  
Les in TO : 5/30/2016 1:53 pm : link
In comment 12975753 David in LA said:
Quote:
In comment 12975289 gm7b5 said:


Quote:


Ill add Chad Bratzke, didnt see it mentioned. He brought it for a guy i didnt think was the most gifted athletically. Giant fans have been blessed through the years with some enjoyable defensive lineman to watch every Sunday.



Very underrated Giant. Great call!
bratzke emerged for a year or two but then signed his second contract with the colts. while he was good for a brief period of time, I wouldn't put him in the same class as a strahan, marshall, tuck, hammer or osi in terms of modern giants.

Michael Strahan  
guineaT : 5/30/2016 3:02 pm : link
Consistent excellence for such an extended stretch is hard to come by. Also a player to be proud of off the field. Kudos to him. He's a player the organization and fans can be proud of. It still irks me he wasn't a first ballod Hall of Fame selection. He was deserving of that recognition for his stellar career.
Justin Tuck  
PaulBlakeTSU : 5/30/2016 6:13 pm : link
on the shortlist of guys across the League that make you damn proud that he represented your team.
Strahan  
Glover : 5/31/2016 12:56 am : link
clearly the best, then Leonard Marshall, then Tuck.
I loved The Hammer.  
shockeyisthebest8056 : 5/31/2016 1:18 am : link
He was just the toughest m'fer.
My personal favorite is Erik Howard  
Greg from LI : 5/31/2016 10:11 am : link
Because he was a great player who I think frequently is overlooked even by Giants fans. His signature play, of course, was forcing Roger Craig's fumble late in the 4th quarter in the greatest football game I've ever seen, the 1990 NFC title game. Without Erik Howard, the Giants lose that game 13-12.
.  
arcarsenal : 5/31/2016 10:15 am : link
Michael Strahan. Often talked about for the sacks he racked up but very few DE's have been as good as he was against the run. Just an elite two-way DE.. watching him in his prime was the best. There were times when teams had to triple team him to keep him from getting into the backfield.

Watching him abuse Jon Runyan routinely was a thing of beauty. The guy just had no answer for MS.
So I am likely going off the mainstream here, but  
PatersonPlank : 5/31/2016 10:32 am : link
#1 is Mendenhall - a lone bright spot in the 1970's
#2 Carter Campbell - a mediocre 1972-3 DE for those lousy Giants teams. I had a stuffed Camel names Carter.
#3 Justin Tuck - all class and great Super Bowls.
I started following the Giants in the mid to late 70s  
RiffRaff : 5/31/2016 10:41 am : link
I can't remember when he joined the Giants, but I've always liked George Martin. He is such a class act, and he played hard for the team. Plus I loved the fact that he had personally scored so many touchdowns on Defense & Offense.
I also always liked Rosie Grier  
RiffRaff : 5/31/2016 10:43 am : link
not so much as a player because I don't think I ever saw him play, but because he was on Sesame Street, and he sang the song, "It Was OK To Cry." Sounds lame, but as an 5 to 8 year old kid in the early to mid 70s, he made a huge impression on me. Rosie was very cool.
Michael Strahan - very few dominate against both  
Jimmy Googs : 5/31/2016 10:52 am : link
run and pass. He did.

Loved Leonard Marshall too...he could really turn up pressure on QB and was unusually fast for his size.
Leonard Marshall  
YorkAveGiant : 5/31/2016 11:08 am : link
and knocking Montana all the way to KC, 2 years later is the play/hit.

got to give Dave Tollefson some love. always rooted so hard for him to do well.
RE: also have to give a shout out to BBI legend  
Pete in MD : 5/31/2016 11:13 am : link
In comment 12975184 Giantsfan79 said:
Quote:
Jonas Seawright. Reading BBI while he was on the roster was a great time to be alive.

This, the unblockable one :-)
Michael Strahan.  
Curtis in VA : 5/31/2016 11:21 am : link
Easily.
Leonard Marshall = favorite  
arniefez : 5/31/2016 11:25 am : link
Strahan = Best. Memorable for their great play = Fred Dryer, Jack Gregory, Mendy, Troy Archer, George Martin, Erik Howard, Jim Burt, Hammer, Osi, Justin Tuck.
surprised  
Les in TO : 5/31/2016 12:14 pm : link
there are no mentions of cedric jones and Frankie ferrara
George Martin  
Mike53 : 5/31/2016 3:20 pm : link
Always played 120%. Team Leader and a great Teammate. Every year he would host a thanksgiving dinner for every teammate who could not make it home.
RE: George Martin  
Jimmy Googs : 5/31/2016 3:43 pm : link
In comment 12977698 Mike53 said:
Quote:
Always played 120%. Team Leader and a great Teammate. Every year he would host a thanksgiving dinner for every teammate who could not make it home.


Loved Martin. This guy scored a shitload of points on Defense returning fumbles, tipped passes, ints and getting safeties.
Favorite  
djstat : 6/1/2016 8:58 am : link
Strahan
MArshall
Martin
Erik Howard
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