The Nickname Game: Reserved For Greatness

Owen Fraser leads a promising crop of rising sophomore linemen (CREDIT: Columbia Athletics)


The Steel Curtain.

Doomsday.

Purple People Eaters.

Orange Crush.

The Fearsome Foursome.

The New York Sack Exchange.


Those are the most memorable nicknames of the greatest defenses, defensive front fours actually, in NFL history.

You have to be really, really great to earn nickname status. You need guys like "Mean" Joe Green. Bob Lilly, Carl Eller, Lyle Alzado, Deacon Jones, and Joe Klecko.

You need to cast fear into the stomachs of opposing quarterbacks, frustration in the minds of running backs, and excitement in the hearts of the hometown fans.

Ladies and gentlemen, with some of the best returning defensive lineman in the Ivy League I think the 2009 Columbia front four may indeed be "nickname worthy."

The group is headlined by the 2008 Ivy League sack and tackle-for-loss leader Lou Miller. The First Team All Ivy rising senior makes things easy for sports writers and announcers as we can simple say "it's Miller time" every time he makes a play. But we're looking for a nickname or a calling card for the whole unit.

After Miller we have rising sophomore Owen Fraser, who not only grabbed a rare starting slot for a freshman lineman in 2008, but he finished with Honorable Mention All Ivy honors. Fraser showed remarkable speed for someone with his size and he really helped plug the middle, especially against the run.

I don't know who the other leading contenders for that starting front four are right now. As I wrote last month, there's a lot to like about Chris Groth, Matt Bashaw, and a good many others.

If the front four ends up being as good as I think it will be in 2009, we will really need a great nickname.

Here are some potential monikers, feel free to comment or add your own:

1) Monsters of Morningside


2) The Blue Wall


3) Columbia Crush


4) The Front Four-Point-Oh

(get it? Like a perfect GPA in that the four guys make sure the opposing offense gets zero points.)


5) The Sack Pack


6) The Broadway Beasts


Okay, now it's your turn.