DE - Ted Hendricks
FB - Don Bosseler
OL - Jim Otto
Hendricks definitely belongs. Ironically, he's the reason my dad was able to get me to sit still at the games in the late '60s when I was a young kid. I wanted to roam around the Orange Bowl. Dad finally figured out a solution. He tapped me on the shoulder and told me to watch #89 on every play. It seemed like a strange request. I assumed every player was the same.
All of a sudden this #89 was a beast. He was lanky and used every bit of it to his advantage, tossing players aside. His favorite move was to stand up the ball carrier and then rip it away. Normally it was after the whistle but I still loved it.
Dad was so pleased when I looked into his eye in admiration and thanks for what he had pointed out to me. From that point forward I watch at least one specific lineman and not the ball. I can't imagine watching the football at the snap.
Hendricks has to be there at end. I might pick Danny Stubbs for the other end. He was relentless on the pass rush and a nasty attitude.
Defensive tackle is the deepest position. Tough to leave so many guys out. I suppose I would agree with Brown and Sapp although they are very similar...penetrating types. A wide body like Cortez Kennedy could fit alongside either one. But I'll go with Brown and Sapp.
Ray Lewis at middle linebacker and I might go to the early '90s era with both Darrin Smith and Jesse Armstead outside.
Ed Reed is one of the 3 to 5 special players in Canes history. Unbelievable instincts. I try not to participate in the Sean Taylor threads because IMO he was often overhyped based on physical gifts while Reed was everything and beyond. I'd use tough Benny Blades as the strong safety to Reed's free safety.
I'm getting fuzzy at cornerback. Happens more often at this age. Could be forgetting somebody but I'll go with Burgess Owens from the early '70s and Philip Buchanon later. Buchanon is a playmaker. You need that type. Our 2002 team suffered because the forced turnovers were cut in half from 2001. Owens is largely forgotten but he was a tough sticky cornerback on bad teams, and also a great special teamer including kick blocking specialist. Rolle would also be a good choice.
Jim Kelly is the quarterback. I don't have to think long about that. More ability than Kosar.
Nobody will convince me that Ottis Anderson isn't our best back ever, at least to this point. Surreal feet. **** shame he didn't come around a decade later.
Then you have to decide what to do at the other running back position. For pure fullback, I'd identify Alonzo Highsmith. My dad raved about Bosseler and he did have the one old clip in his home movies, of Bosseler's famous long touchdown run in 1956 at Gainesville. I have that posted on YouTube. Not much else to go on. I didn't see Bosseler.
If two pure runners are desired then Edgerrin James probably gets the call due to pass catching ability. Again, this is like defensive tackle in that so many great players have to be left out. James and Anderson are each plenty big enough so one of them could play fullback in a pinch. As a traditionalist I'd take Anderson at halfback and Highsmith at fullback and force the opponent to deal with that. Don't mistake the plodding 1990 version of Ottis Anderson as a Giant for what he was like as a Cane.
Where are we? Tight end, Shockey, even if it was somewhat brief. Great versatility, as demonstrated by lining up in the backfield against Nebraska. I'm trying to forge a swagger team to fit our reputation. Be true to yourself.
At wide out, I'll tab Michael Irvin and Andre Johnson. Sometimes it's very valid to look at what a player did in the pros to break ties and suggest who was truly the superior player earlier.
Offensive line is probably our weakest position overall. Dennis Harrah belongs. He was a taller than average guard. Very tenacious and surprisingly nimble. I saw Otto only with the Raiders but I'll pick him at center. I guess Searcy at right tackle and McKinnie at left tackle. The other guard can be Vernon Carey even though he played right tackle in the NFL. Carey rotated between guard and tackle in college.
Hester is an automatic at kick returner. Feagles at punter, narrowly over Bosher and all his tackles. I'll stick Carlos Huerta in there at placekicker simply because he was a popular and animated player. Besides, he helped win some obscure bets for me when he played in the CFL during the '90s.
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