Bleacher Report - Articles by dennis venhuis

Standout Receivers in New York Giants History

dennis venhuis — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:09:36 -0400

I had considered compiling a complete "All-time" team for the Giants, but the franchise has such a long, rich history with so many Hall of Famers and All-Pro performers that such a task would be extremely time-consuming. I've therefore decided to focus on certain positions -- this will allow me to list all noteworthy players at each position rather than just the 'best of the best', so to speak, and provide more in-depth player descriptions. Let's first look at the Giants wide receivers and tight ends (or flankers and split ends, for the old-timers) -- the Giants have historically been a defense-oriented team with a run-focused offense. Because of this, very few Giants players have registered big-time receiving numbers during their careers. In fact, only Amani Toomer's career stats really stand out, and his numbers were accumulated rather quietly (he was never invited to a Pro Bowl) over a 13-year career. Other players, such as Earnest Gray and Lionel Manuel, had one standout season in otherwise average careers. I've included them, as well as guys like Chris Calloway and Ike Hilliard, each of whom produced steadily without making many headlines. I chose not to include old-time players such as Red Badgro and Ray Flaherty. Yes, they are Hall of Famers, but their careers were played out before passing attacks became mainstays in the NFL. Therefore, I've only included players from the 1950s through the present. And, although he made arguably the greatest catch in franchise history, I could not see fit to include David Tyree because he never was a starter and his career receiving numbers are rather paltry (he was a very good special teams player, in his defense). So here they are -- the geat receivers in New York Giants history!

Begin Slideshow

The Pittsburgh Steelers: A Legacy of Linebackers

dennis venhuis — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:15:32 -0500

I had initially considered putting together a complete "all-time" team for the Steelers in honor of their berth in Super Bowl XLIII. However, I ran into quite a problem -- the team has had so many good, great, and even exceptional linebackers over the last 40-plus years that narrowing them down to three or four would prove quite an arduous task. This is not entirely uncommon: some teams just seem to have a knack for acquiring the right players at certain positions (i.e. Packers wide receivers, Chiefs defensive backs, Cowboys offensive linemen, etc...). As for the Steelers, their primary concentration of excellence just happens to be the linebacking position. This, of course, does not imply that the team has lacked in other areas: they've produced an ample amount of talent at defensive line (at least a dozen worth mentioning), offensive line (again, no less than a dozen), defensive backfield (ten or more notables), running back, and so on. However, the linebacker position stands head and shoulders above the others. Thus, I've listed 18 players who excelled as Steelers linebackers in one form or another during their careers. I'll leave it up to readers to decide who is the best of the bunch. Personally, I would choose the three men pictured above and Greg Lloyd for the top positions, but that is just my opinion. Included in the list are long-term but unspectacular performers (Loren Toews, David Little, Robin Cole, etc.), short-term but Pro Bowl caliber standouts (Mike Merriweather, Kevin Greene) and of course the current unit who've helped the team to their second Super Bowl in four years. Needless to say, I've probably left off a few players who some readers may deem worthy of inclusion, but I had to draw the line somewhere. I am fully aware that I didn't include the likes of Myron Pottios, Chad Brown, Dirt Winston or Clark Haggans (and perhaps a few others).... That being said, I welcome and encourage any comments.... So, here we go!!

Begin Slideshow

The Denver Broncos All-Time Team

dennis venhuis — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:22:21 -0500

This is my third go at compiling an all-time team, and, for the third time, I've chosen an original AFL team. The eight original AFL franchises will be celebrating their 50th season in 2009, so perhaps 50 years provides the ideal amount of history for putting together an all-time squad? Lets face it -- teams like the Packers, Giants and Bears have such a long, rich history, with multiple Hall-of-Famers and All-Pro performers, that leaving a few players off of the list be be inevitable. On the other hand, teams like the Buccaneers, Seahawks and Ravens do not have enough history to compose an adequate team, and mediocre players would have to be included just to fill the roster. The Broncos prove to be a tough study compared to the seven other original AFL squads. My first two 'all-time team' efforts, the Charger and Jets, had enough great players during their first decade to nearly fill their starting rosters. The Broncos, however, were a pretty terrible franchise during their first 15 years, and I only saw fit to include a handful of players who played all or a majority of their careers prior to 1974. They seem to have compressed most of their talent into the last 35 years of their existence, which made the selection process rather difficult. As with any team, some choices were painfully easy: Elway, Terrell Davis, Floyd Little, Gradishar, etc... Others proved to be quite a chore. Like defensive linemen, for instance: Does Rich Jackson's short but brilliant career earn him a starting spot over the long-serving but unspectacular Barney Chavous? Was Greg Kragen a better nose tackle than Rubin Carter? What about defensive backs? Does Steve Foley's team record of 44 interceptions earn him a starting spot? And, if so, where? He played both corner and safety, but then again so did Billy Thompson, Mike Harden and Tyrone Braxton...... Enough said. I've made my picks, now it's up to you to judge them. Please feel free to leave comments.....

Begin Slideshow

The New York Jets All-Time Team

dennis venhuis — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:29:09 -0500

Compiling an all-time team can be a lot of fun (albeit time-consuming), and it always leaves plenty of room for discussion and/or arguement. The Jets are no exception -- do you chose guys from the 1968 team over the fabled members of the Sack Exchange?? Do you pick steady long-term performers such as Kyle Clifton over more celebrated players with brief Jet careers, such as Bryan Cox?? What about safety? -- the team has had several decent ones, but none really stands head and shoulders above the others. Needless to say, some picks (i.e. Namath at QB, Curtis Martin at RB) are no-brainers. Other choices involved a lot of weighing of statistics, service, performance, and even popularity. As far as the list itself is concerned, I put the starters at the top, with other noteworthy performers listed below them under the heading 'honorable mention'. I must admit that my own biases lean toward service (number of years spent with the team), performance (starts at position, All-Pro and Pro Bowl picks), and lastly, popularity (maybe not the greatest player, but a fan-favorite, such as Wayne Chrebet). That being said, I'll always pick someone like Wesley Walker over Keyshawn Johnson, and Gerry Philbin over John Abraham. Remember, these are just my opinions, and I welcome all readers to leave comments. Enjoy!!!

Begin Slideshow

The San Diego Chargers All-time Team

dennis venhuis — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:05:56 -0500

No team has lived by the passing game the way the San Diego Chargers have throughout their nearly 50-year history. Original coach Sid Gillman set the standard in the 1960s with quarterbacks Jack Kemp and John Hadl airing the ball out to Lance Alworth, Dave Kocourek and Gary Garrison. The tradition continued under coach Don 'Air' Coryell during the late '70s and into the '80s. Pass-happy quarterback Dan Fouts threw his way into the Hall of Fame with the help of such reliable receivers as John Jefferson, Wes Chandler and fellow Hall-of-Famers Charlie Joiner and Kellen Winslow. During the '90s, under coach Bobby Ross and behind the leadership of unheralded quarterback Stan Humphries, the Chargers made their only Super Bowl appearance, a lopsided 49-26 loss to the dominant San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX. Since then, after some lean years, the Chargers have clawed their way back into the realm of the AFC elite with superstar players like Ladanian Tomlinson, Phillip Rivers, Antonio Gates and Shawne Merriman leading the charge. As is the case with any 'all-time' list, there is room for arguement and discussion. My personal biases lean toward longevity (number of years played with team), quality of performance (number of starts at position, Pro-Bowl or All-Pro selections), and lastly, fan appreciation (Keith Lincoln comes to mind). That being said, current players such as Merriman and Cromartie will not be considered as starters due to their lack of tenure -- they may, however, be included under 'honorable mention'. Current players who have logged a suitable number of years with the Chargers, such as Tomlinson or Jamal Williams, will be considered for starting positions. So enough talk already -- let's get to it!!!

Begin Slideshow