LeBeau: 'I've always been really a Bengal and Brown guy at heart'

[Mojouw]

If I may interject a tangent...

Mojouw vs. Atlanta Dan

Two of the most cerebral (and two of my personal favorite) posters having a debate. Woo-wee!!! This thread has made my evening.

Carry on.

I suspect he got me good this time! I still think that Lebeau needs celebrated for his influence beyond his stints as DC for Pittsburgh and his contribution to the NFL is hard to overstate - even if his mad wizard powers did fade towards the end of his tenure.

[Craic]

If I may interject a tangent...

Mojouw vs. Atlanta Dan

Two of the most cerebral (and two of my personal favorite) posters having a debate. Woo-wee!!! This thread has made my evening.

Carry on.

Who cares what cereal they eat ?!?!

[DesertSteel]

Please, Google before you post. Dick Lebeau would be in the HOF as a coach if he never worked a day in Pittsburgh in his life.

His invention of the zone blitz defense during the eighties and nineties with the Bengals would have assured him of his coaching hall status. That's leaving aside his playing career.

The zone blitz emerged as the leading counter to the west coast offense across the league. Most teams now incorporate concepts and portions of this defensive strategy regardless of their base alignment.

Lebeau has influenced football as much as any other defensive coach in the NFL over the last 3 decades.

Excuse me, but LeBeau is not in the hall of fame as a coach, but as a player.

[Mojouw]

Who cares what cereal they eat ?!?!

You're right. I have very poorly and snarkily attempted to make my point. That was wrong.

My central argument was that regardless of Lebesu's distinguished playing career AND his record as the Steelers DC, the tactics he developed, implemented, and refined during his time with the Bengals alone should've been enough to open the doors to Canton.

As has been pointed out by others and yourself, this was not the case and my comments were far too pointed.

Leaving all that aside, Dick Lebeau was still one of the best defensive coaches in the history of the league. Clearly that is an opinion open to debate, but gonna stock by that part.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BostonBlackie]

I assume your argument is that the Pats invented everything.

"Assume nothing." The Buddha

[AtlantaDan]

Excuse me, but LeBeau is not in the hall of fame as a coach, but as a player.

Correct

Since he had not been retired from coaching for 5 years he could not be inducted as a coach

But his coaching career was the tipping point for his induction as a senior's committee player unless the assumption is it was only a matter of time for a player who was not inducted in the 25 years after his retirement in 1972 to be inducted by the seniors committee

For example, Donnie Shell had more Pro Bowl appearances (5 to 3) and first team All Pro seasons (3 to 0) than LeBeau but IMO will never be inducted

http://www.pro-football-reference.co...S/ShelDo00.htm
http://www.pro-football-reference.co...L/LeBeDi00.htm

John Clayton wrote about the case for LeBeau in 2009

LeBeau's case for the Hall of Fame involves decades of great defensive play calling along with the creation of the zone defensive scheme to counter West Coast offenses. As a player, he had 62 interceptions but didn't make the Hall of Fame.

http://www.espn.com.au/nfl/playoffs2...ohn&id=3852939

And the lobbying by his players certainly helped to remind committee members about him when he was selected in 2010

LeBeau's 38-season career as an NFL head and assistant coach wasn't supposed to factor into his candidacy — only his 14 playing seasons — but the key members of the LeBeau-coached defense that helped the Steelers win the Super Bowl twice in the last five seasons didn't care. To them, a football hall of fame that excluded LeBeau wasn't a true hall of fame.


So the players began wearing replica LeBeau No. 44 Lions jerseys to functions such as the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, and to road games where they felt their influence might be felt.

https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/spor...eau-hall_N.htm

- - - Updated - - -

If I may interject a tangent...

Mojouw vs. Atlanta Dan

Two of the most cerebral (and two of my personal favorite) posters having a debate. Woo-wee!!! This thread has made my evening.

Carry on.

Thanks - enjoyed the back and forth with Mojouw

[Mojouw]

You're right. I have very poorly and snarkily attempted to make my point. That was wrong.

My central argument was that regardless of Lebesu's distinguished playing career AND his record as the Steelers DC, the tactics he developed, implemented, and refined during his time with the Bengals alone should've been enough to open the doors to Canton.

As has been pointed out by others and yourself, this was not the case and my comments were far too pointed.

Leaving all that aside, Dick Lebeau was still one of the best defensive coaches in the history of the league. Clearly that is an opinion open to debate, but gonna stock by that part.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That was intended to quote DesertSteel. It did on my phone on Tapatalk. Then didn't show up here. That App sucks!

[DesertSteel]

There will never be an assistant coach who gets into the HOF as a coach. Ever.

[Dwinsgames]

There will never be an assistant coach who gets into the HOF as a coach. Ever.

never is a very long time , that above statement was once used with Punters .... then Came Ray Guy

[teegre]

I suspect he got me good this time! I still think that Lebeau needs celebrated for his influence beyond his stints as DC for Pittsburgh and his contribution to the NFL is hard to overstate - even if his mad wizard powers did fade towards the end of his tenure.

I've learned two things in life:

1. Never get into a land war in Asia.
2. Do not debate Atlanta Dan.

[teegre]

Who cares what cereal they eat ?!?!

[DesertSteel]

never is a very long time , that above statement was once used with Punters .... then Came Ray Guy

I'll stick to my statement.

[Lady Steel]

Those who have blasphemed one of my Steelers' boyfriends in Coach Dick LeBeau will rue the day. Rue the day, I say!