Andre Tippett: Another Lineback Deserving of the HOF

[Amnorix]

I know that, with good cause, everyone on here is very supportive of DT for the HOF. I support that cause also.

But since he's also in the final 17, and is perhaps a bit of an underdog, I wanted to take a second to hype the Patriots own entry -- the much underappreciated Andre Tippett, who was an absolutely fantastic football player and also well deserving of the HOF.

An article in today's Reiss' Pieces (a blog of a Boston Globe reporter) says alot about him:


Tippett in focus

MIAMI -- Former Patriots linebacker Andre Tippett can count on at least one Hall of Fame vote, and it's an influental one.

"I think good players on bad teams are disciminated against in Pro Bowls, in all sorts of recognition, All-Pro teams, and I just think this is a case of a guy who was a great player on mostly bad teams and had very little help on defense," said Sports Illustrated's Peter King, a Hall of Famer voter and well respected voice among pro football writers.

"The reason why I like him so much as a candidate is that here is a guy who played strongside linebacker for the majority of his career, and the big sack guys, the big playmakers on defense, always have played weakside. Lawrence Taylor played weakside. Derrick Thomas played weakside. This guy not only didn't have help on the other side of the field to balance it out, but he also played over the tight end consistently in his career. He fought through that.

"When you average 10 sacks a year in any defense, it's an excellent career. When you average 10 sacks a year playing strongside linebacker on a bad defense with very little help, I think it's a Hall of Fame career. I just hope that some of the voters can get past the fact that the Patriots stunk during that era and see fit to put him in."

Hall of Fame voters are scheduled to meet Saturday to pick this year's inductees.



I'll now duck the incoming wrath...

[jlscorpio]

DT and Tippett both belong. The guy in my avatar should get in before either...

[RNR]

Tippett was a stud I will not argue with you on that. I have seen both him and DT play many times. I would lean towards DT head to head. That said DT had Neil Smith there to open up alot of plays for him, along with a outstanding overall defense. Sacks seem to be the stat but that is flawed.

Coverage plays a large part in sacks as does pocket breakdown (a huge push from the DTs and DEs) causes OL to go to a first come first served mentality. This can allow a LB a open lane. I would be very interested to see what would the stats be had these two players switched teams. It is like the old B. Sanders vs E. Smith debate. Nobody can argue DT had a much better cast around him.

[Amnorix]

I would love to hear a poll of a few guys like Don Shula, Shanarat and a few other coaches who were around in the AFC for both these guys' careers would have to say about their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Actually, Shanarat might've been with the Niners for most of Tippett's career, I dunno. Anyway, you get my point.

[StcChief]

DT and Tippett should get in.

Agreed Tippett was a very good player on bad D teams.

Who is presenting these guys in 2007 Vote?

[Amnorix]

6 guys max get in, and so if Peter King's odds are right, and everything falls the way he says, and the max number are taken, then 1 out of the group that DT and Tippett are in (along with Bob Keuchenberg) will get in.


Even money --Thurman Thomas. More than one Buffalo player from one of the greatest offenses ever deserves to be Hall-bound, and behind Jim Kelly, Thomas is the most deserving.

3:2 -- Bruce Matthews, Paul Tagliabue. No other player has made more Pro Bowls than Matthews, who had 14, and he played more games than any other position player (296) ever. His candidacy might be hurt by the previous election of Mike Munchak and Warren Moon, with voters wondering if three offensive players from a bad playoff team should be in the Hall.

Tagliabue was the gold standard for commissioners for a decade, which should make him a lock. But some voters will argue the NFL was going to be the power league it is today with anyone's guidance, and some voters don't like the perceived steps back the media took under him. That could hurt his chances.

2:1 -- Art Monk, Michael Irvin. Monk and Irvin could cancel each other out, though both deserve to make it. There's going to be some sentiment in the room along the lines of "Geez, could we please get Monk in and end this annual melodrama with him?'' Troy Aikman and Jimmy Johnson are really trying to help Irvin's candidacy with some gentle reminders to voters about how hugely important Irvin was to the Cowboys' success.

3:1 -- Bob Kuechenberg, Derrick Thomas, Andre Tippett. Kuechenberg may have been the best Dolphins lineman of the seventies, which should get him in one of these years ... Will the panel see Thomas as one of the best five pass-rushers of all time or as a one-dimensional player who never played the run well? ... Tippett is my boutique pick. I would love to see him make it. He's a guy who averaged 10 sacks a year as a strongside linebacker (most sackers played the weak side) with very little defensive help on a bad New England team.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ffs/index.html

[RNR]

T.Thomas should make it, Monk should but would not be shocked if he is passed up again. I don't see how Matthews is not in. Boob will make it I am sure Screw Irvin, as far as the two picks in this thread it is hard to say as crazy as it sounds I think Hunt passing will help D.T. Which makes one wonder if they will send two LBs. Kuechenberg was a great player but not one that screams outrage if it doesn't make it. Ray Guy will never make it but should. Nobody else listed jumps out at me. To steal a line from Unforgiven..."Deserve ain't got nothin to do with it"

[vailpass]

Tippet was one of Hayden Fry's finest. Go Tippet, Go Hawks.