- Joined
- Dec 22, 2011
- Messages
- 42,632
The final 4 is:
Ray Lewis
Michael Irvin
Ed Reed
Warren Sapp
I absolutely love Ted Hendricks. College - dominant individually, not on good UM teams. He had a few lean years in the NFL. To me, he JUST misses the Final 4.
Russell Maryland was one of my all-time favorites at the time I was a student at UM. Amazing UM career, earned a ring, not as dominant of an NFL career though.
People forget "The Tez" dance in the UM student section back in the day. People also forget that Cortez Kennedy was a JuCo transfer to UM, so he had a shorter UM career than most.
Jim Kelly, what else can you say about him. He was just unfortunate to be on some challenged UM teams, having to deal with probation and being a major independent. And I love Jim, but the USFL was the wrong way to go. Amazing NFL career, just wish he could have won ONE ring.
Now, on to the Final 4.
Ray did not play on the greatest teams, but he was amazing from his freshman year on. In his final (junior) year, he should have won the Butkus. No way in **** should Kevin Hardy have gotten that over Ray, Ray had 160 tackles. Of course, the BUTKUS award would go to a LB from Illinois. Ridiculous. As for the pro career, HOF and Super Bowl champ, enough said (same with the other three in the Final 4).
Michael, also a major player at UM from freshman year on. Set records at UM that were only recently broken. Should have won the Biletnikoff Award, except it wasn't created until 1994. HOF and Super Bowl champ.
Ed has similar credentials to Ray and Michael EXCEPT that he stayed for 4 years instead of 3, and we all know what that led to. Should have won the Thorpe Award. HOF and Super Bowl champ.
Warren has similar credentials to all of the above EXCEPT he won some national player awards AND finished 6th in the Heisman balloting AS A DT. Also HOF and Super Bowl champ.
Good lord, a 4-way Sophie's Choice.
Michael, Ed, and Warren have NCAA rings.
Michael and Ed are very nice guys and UM ambassadors.
Ed stayed all 4 years.
OK, I'm voting for Ed.
[EDIT: I think I have to vote for my fraternity brother, a man I had the privilege of spending time with on multiple occasions in the 1980s, the one and only Mad Stork! I'm biased, I admit it, plus I used to have his NFL trading card when I was a kid. As with the 1983 Canes, I am vaulting my #5 ranked guy into the #1 position!]
Ray Lewis
Michael Irvin
Ed Reed
Warren Sapp
I absolutely love Ted Hendricks. College - dominant individually, not on good UM teams. He had a few lean years in the NFL. To me, he JUST misses the Final 4.
Russell Maryland was one of my all-time favorites at the time I was a student at UM. Amazing UM career, earned a ring, not as dominant of an NFL career though.
People forget "The Tez" dance in the UM student section back in the day. People also forget that Cortez Kennedy was a JuCo transfer to UM, so he had a shorter UM career than most.
Jim Kelly, what else can you say about him. He was just unfortunate to be on some challenged UM teams, having to deal with probation and being a major independent. And I love Jim, but the USFL was the wrong way to go. Amazing NFL career, just wish he could have won ONE ring.
Now, on to the Final 4.
Ray did not play on the greatest teams, but he was amazing from his freshman year on. In his final (junior) year, he should have won the Butkus. No way in **** should Kevin Hardy have gotten that over Ray, Ray had 160 tackles. Of course, the BUTKUS award would go to a LB from Illinois. Ridiculous. As for the pro career, HOF and Super Bowl champ, enough said (same with the other three in the Final 4).
Michael, also a major player at UM from freshman year on. Set records at UM that were only recently broken. Should have won the Biletnikoff Award, except it wasn't created until 1994. HOF and Super Bowl champ.
Ed has similar credentials to Ray and Michael EXCEPT that he stayed for 4 years instead of 3, and we all know what that led to. Should have won the Thorpe Award. HOF and Super Bowl champ.
Warren has similar credentials to all of the above EXCEPT he won some national player awards AND finished 6th in the Heisman balloting AS A DT. Also HOF and Super Bowl champ.
Good lord, a 4-way Sophie's Choice.
Michael, Ed, and Warren have NCAA rings.
Michael and Ed are very nice guys and UM ambassadors.
Ed stayed all 4 years.
OK, I'm voting for Ed.
[EDIT: I think I have to vote for my fraternity brother, a man I had the privilege of spending time with on multiple occasions in the 1980s, the one and only Mad Stork! I'm biased, I admit it, plus I used to have his NFL trading card when I was a kid. As with the 1983 Canes, I am vaulting my #5 ranked guy into the #1 position!]
Last edited:
