bill and tom's excellent adventure
(the only draft that matters)
((to us))
(((part three)))

day three: linebacker

after getting two cornerstones of our teams out of the way on the first two days, we'll get into the nuts and bolts of what will make these two teams tick moving forward on defense. along with the first (of 3 or 4, depending on the scheme each side chooses) linebacker selection for each squad, we'll give you a brief look into what type of defense these two all-time teams will line up against.

chris, you're up.

4-3 scheme is what I have chosen for my team. And my first pick is Dick Butkus. 6 time (first team) all-pro, 8 time (second team) all-pro, 8 time pro-bowler, 2 time Defensive Player of the Year (69 and 70), 75th Anniversary Team, 60's Team of the Decade, 70's Team of the Decade. There were a few great MLBs before Dick, he took the position to a level that folks like Mike Singletary and Ray Lewis later played it. Everyone that has ever played the position after him has said, he was the bench mark!

it comes as no surprise that chris and i are going with different defensive schemes. our styles often conflicted with each other when we were picking our teams for our many bill and tom tournaments. chris liked to think of his teams as "tough" or "rugged" or "manly" because that is what nfl films told us real football players should look like and play like. jack lambert with no teeth. jack youngblood playing with a broken leg. ronnie lott ripping off a finger to go back in and finish the game. me? i couldn't give a shit about any of that. i mean sure, that nfl films footage was awesome. don't get me wrong, but i wanted fast teams. pretty teams. finesse teams. strategy teams. "greatest show on turf" teams. my style will come across loud and clear as this draft forges onward.

chris, i'll be playing a 3-4 against you, and in our imaginary game, my ass will be efforting to penetrate your backfield (ed: that's what she said) every stinkin' play. the quarterback on team tom is not going to have to bother reading cover 2 or cover 3 or any of that bullshit. we'll be manning you up, and my linebackers are coming to get you.

i was listening to a podcast yesterday and shannon sharpe was being asked about guys in the hall of fame. he talked about some guys being "evolutionary" and some guys being "revolutionary". i loved that delineation.

without a doubt, my first linebacker would fall into the "revolutionary" category. i'm taking lawrence taylor.

10 pro bowls in his first 10 years in the league
10 all-pro teams in his first ten years in the league
3 defensive players of the year
2 super bowls

"lawrence taylor, defensively, has had as big an impact as any player i've ever seen. he changed the way defense is played, the way pass-rushing is played, the way linebackers play and the way offenses block linebackers." - john madden

yep.

chris, got anything to add to our first lineback pick???

chris: yeah...i better get a damn good left tackle! that is all! (ed: fair enough)