Just another way to pass the time, and a great segway from the previous posting. This is my list of the top football players by position ever to play in Baltimore. Of course, we are comparing the old Baltimore Colts to the new Baltimore Ravens, but feel free to rank those All-Stars from the now-defunct Baltimore Stars and Stallions as well. Remember, current Ravens assistant coach OJ Brigance was a great rush end for our CFL Champion Baltimore Stallions, but unfortunately doesn't quite make our list! Anyway, without much fanfare or national exposure at all, here we go:
QB: Johnny U. - no comments necessary
RB: Jamal Lewis - I thought about Lenny Moore and even Tom Matte, but Lewis' record setting season puts him at the top, although I stutter-stepped while thinking about it.
WR: Raymond Berry - ran the best routes and the best hands
TE: John Mackey - revolutionized the TE position
C: Bill Curry - anchored the o-line for those great Colts teams in the late 60's and early 70's.
G: Ed Mulitalo - great dancer and very charitable guy, who not only made great t-shirts (Festivus Maximus) but also was a monster at LG.
OL: Jon Ogden -will retire and become a first ballot Hall of Famer. Close call, but had to choose JO over the Colts' Jim Parker.
DE: Gino Marchetti -Thought about guys like big Bubba Smith, John Dutton, Joe Ehrman and Michael McCrary, but Marchetti is the obvious choice here, and no, not solely because he made the greatest burger of all time, the Gino Giant!
DT: Artie Donovan - Gotta love Fatso, even though you could argue with Tony Siragusa and even the lovable Kelly Gregg, but Donovan is my pick.
MLB: Ray Lewis - I wouldn't take anyone else, but one of my favorite Baltimore players and ultimate tough guy, Mike Curtis, deserves mention here, especially with his broken forearm in a cast clotheslining the fan running across the field a very long time ago was one of the funniest memories ever of the old Colts!
OLB: Ted Hendricks - The Stork may have lived under a bridge for a time after retiring, but when he was on the field, he terrorized offenses and especially placekickers with his 6'7" lanky frame.
DB: Chris McAlister - There could have been a bunch of guys listed here, but McAlister's shutdown skills, along with that 107 yard return put him at the top of my list of DB's.
S: Ed Reed - I know there are a bunch of old Colts and even perhaps Rod Woodson that could be mentioned but Reed is by far the best of the bunch.
P: David Lee - Wow, had to go looking for the best selection here, as the pickings were slim and uneventful, although Lee's consistency through the Colts' golden years give him the edge.
K: Matt Stover - Thought about putting Super Bowl V hero Jim O'Brian, but other than kicking the game-winning FG in the 1970 game, and dating the coach's daughter, he doesn't have anywhere near the stats and career of Matt "It's not over 'til it's" Stover.
Coach: Don Shula - I guess you could put Super Bowl winners Don McCafferty or Brian Billick here, but over his time here in Baltimore, Shula consistently put the best teams on the field (he certainly did the same in Miami as well, but that doesn't figure here).
Give me your thoughts and opinions. Let the comments and debate begin!