Cool Link OT: Every Teams Mt Rushmore, Including the Pats ... New & Improved with a Poll ??

[jimnance]

Yes, although I do understand the sentiment of some that Mike Haynes be excluded not only for only playing half his career with the Patriots, but mostly for leaving New England to play for a hated rival.

Was not his fault. It's all on Sullivan.

 

[jmt57]

Was not his fault. It's all on Sullivan.

I wholeheartedly agree. Their penny pinching ways was so demoralizing for fans, even though the local media toed the company line.

Was just restating the opinions and criteria of some others. I understand their logic, but it was a differnet era then - especially in terms of the ownership.

 

[maust]

I wholeheartedly agree. Their penny pinching ways was so demoralizing for fans, even though the local media toed the company line.

Was just restating the opinions and criteria of some others. I understand their logic, but it was a differnet era then - especially in terms of the ownership.

Man did Billy have most of the local media in his hip pocket. Will McDonough in particular soft soaped Billy and his boys meanwhile he was ripping Jacobs and the Yawkeys and was especially brutal on the various Celtics owners. Until the worst of the financial mess the Sullivans created could no longer be hidden and they all turned on him the only member of the media I can recall taking Sullivan to task regularly in the 70's and early 80's was Joe Fitzgerald. Other than Joe Fitz the Boston media even let Billy skate on trying to take away Stingley's health insurance ffs

 

[jmt57]

Man did Billy have most of the local media in his hip pocket. Will McDonough in particular soft soaped Billy and his boys meanwhile he was ripping Jacobs and the Yawkeys and was especially brutal on the various Celtics owners. Until the worst of the financial mess the Sullivans created could no longer be hidden and they all turned on him the only member of the media I can recall taking Sullivan to task regularly in the 70's and early 80's was Joe Fitzgerald. Other than Joe Fitz the Boston media even let Billy skate on trying to take away Stingley's health insurance ffs

Yeah, it was odd because the Patriots were the #4 pro sport team in town at that time. In the case of Will McDonough (and a few other writers), some sort of Irish loyalty, perhaps? Or provincial pride (if i recall Sullivan was the only owner of those four teams who was not an out of towner).

 

[Tunescribe]

Yeah, it was quite difficult narrowing this down to the software maximum of ten choices.

Subtract one for the obligatory RLKAG and there's nine. I didn't want to waste a space on 'other' so I combined those two.

I wanted somebody from the sixties. Babe Parilli came to mind, but why two QBs? He could go on a Mt Rushmore of Pats QBs along with Grogan, Bledsoe and Brady, but this poll is more than that. Gino Cappelletti, Jim Nance and Houston Antwine were possibilities, but in the end I went with the OP's suggestion of Jim Colclough.

Choosing Hannah as a representative from the 70s was easy. I wanted at least a second player from that era too. There were plenty of good potential nominees: Grogan (again, no need for another QB), Steve Nelson, Stanley Morgan, Julius Adams, Raymond Clayborn, Sam Cunningham, Mack Herron, Russ Francis. In the end the choice was for Mike Haynes.

That makes four nominees, leaving six open spots. I wanted somebody from the 80s but that would leave just five from the Super Bowl era. It was difficult to not include Andre Tippett. I semi-justified that decade's omission based on Hannah playing through 1985.

The 90s gets left off this list because (a) a lot of those teams were devoid of talent, and (b) there was some carryover to the 2000s with Bruschi, McGinest and Law. Bruce Armstrong was close, but doesn't make the cut here. It was tough leaving Ben Coates off the final list.

Not including Seymour was difficult. Same goes for Vince Wilfork, Adam Vinatieri and Troy Brown. I considered Wes Welker because he was so incredibly productive, but in the end he was only a Patriot for six years, and played fewer than 100 games. Signing with Denver removed any doubt.

Based on the results thus far perhaps McGinest (and/or Law, Bruschi) should have been left off in favor of Sey, Vince, etc. The poll would have been illegitimate without BB, TB12 and Gronk, so there wasn't a whole lot of room to maneuver.



@Pape - I should have consulted with you before adding the poll, hope you don't mind.

For that matter I'd plug Edelman in there ahead of Welker. Picking only four in an exercise like this is pretty much DOA.

 

[Pape]

@Pape - I should have consulted with you before adding the poll, hope you don't mind.

zero need to consult. I'm glad you did it. as @maust says, its a worthy discussion, and the poll makes it even better

 

[Pape]

Yeah, it was quite difficult narrowing this down to the software maximum of ten choices.

Subtract one for the obligatory RLKAG and there's nine. I didn't want to waste a space on 'other' so I combined those two.

I wanted somebody from the sixties. Babe Parilli came to mind, but why two QBs? He could go on a Mt Rushmore of Pats QBs along with Grogan, Bledsoe and Brady, but this poll is more than that. Gino Cappelletti, Jim Nance and Houston Antwine were possibilities, but in the end I went with the OP's suggestion of Jim Colclough.

Choosing Hannah as a representative from the 70s was easy. I wanted at least a second player from that era too. There were plenty of good potential nominees: Grogan (again, no need for another QB), Steve Nelson, Stanley Morgan, Julius Adams, Raymond Clayborn, Sam Cunningham, Mack Herron, Russ Francis. In the end the choice was for Mike Haynes.

That makes four nominees, leaving six open spots. I wanted somebody from the 80s but that would leave just five from the Super Bowl era. It was difficult to not include Andre Tippett. I semi-justified that decade's omission based on Hannah playing through 1985.

The 90s gets left off this list because (a) a lot of those teams were devoid of talent, and (b) there was some carryover to the 2000s with Bruschi, McGinest and Law. Bruce Armstrong was close, but doesn't make the cut here. It was tough leaving Ben Coates off the final list.

Not including Seymour was difficult. Same goes for Vince Wilfork, Adam Vinatieri and Troy Brown. I considered Wes Welker because he was so incredibly productive, but in the end he was only a Patriot for six years, and played fewer than 100 games. Signing with Denver removed any doubt.

Based on the results thus far perhaps McGinest (and/or Law, Bruschi) should have been left off in favor of Sey, Vince, etc. The poll would have been illegitimate without BB, TB12 and Gronk, so there wasn't a whole lot of room to maneuver.



@Pape - I should have consulted with you before adding the poll, hope you don't mind.

yeah, i also wanted to say thanks for adding Jim Colclough... I know he really doesn't belong on the teams Mt Rushmore... I really consider him to be emblematic of the lack of recognition a lot of those Boston Patriot players of the 60's get (or don't get)... There were some really good players back then, despite the relative lack of success enjoyed by the team...

Some guys are well known, like Gino Gappelletti & Houston Antwine, others to a varying degree like Nick Buoniconti, Jim Lee Hint & Bob Dee... but others were just as good, are under rated, and are basically forgotten about... Jim Colclough, Larry Eisenhauer, Tommy Addison, Ron Hall (29 ints in 88 games... still ranks 4th on the teams int list, last played in '67), Art Graham, Jim Nance, Larry Garron.. I could go on, but i think you get the gist...

 

[1960Pats]

little bit of off season fluff... this video has put together the "Mt Rushmore" for every team in the NFL...

The Pats who made the list

Tom Brady - yup
John Hannah - yup
Rob Gronkowski - probably the most accomplished pass catcher in Pats history... Mt Rushmore worthy?
Ty Law - so Law is the best defensive player in NE history? hmmm...

Other guys who should be considered - maybe Gino? Colclough? Tippett? Bru? Big Sey? Steamer? Whigham (?yeah? fight me)... Welker? Haynes? Clayborn?

If you want to watch, its time coded to the Pats segment... (if the time code doesn't work, the "chapter" for each team is linked in the vid description)


Just in case you don't know Jim Colclough, he played wr/fl from '60-'68... and is still in the Top ten in yards & td receptions, top 15 in receptions in team history...

Mine is the same except for Ty Law. I put McGinest in there instead for his only vote.

 

[1960Pats]

Deion Sanders was a one way defender who wanted no part of tackling opponents, which in the game of football is a very strange aversion for a supposed #1 defensive player.

 

[1960Pats]

Man did Billy have most of the local media in his hip pocket. Will McDonough in particular soft soaped Billy and his boys meanwhile he was ripping Jacobs and the Yawkeys and was especially brutal on the various Celtics owners. Until the worst of the financial mess the Sullivans created could no longer be hidden and they all turned on him the only member of the media I can recall taking Sullivan to task regularly in the 70's and early 80's was Joe Fitzgerald. Other than Joe Fitz the Boston media even let Billy skate on trying to take away Stingley's health insurance ffs

Joe Fitzgerald is on my Mount Rushmore of writers.

 

[Real fan 02]

Deion Sanders was a one way defender who wanted no part of tackling opponents, which in the game of football is a very strange aversion for a supposed #1 defensive player.

As he famously said they don't pay me to tackle! Lol

 

[Pape]

Been thinking about all of the back and forth, all of the names mentioned... Going to put forth my final effort here... Players only...

Tom Brady - the best to ever do it
John Hannah - the best guard to ever play football
Andre Tippett - guy was just that good
Gino Cappelletti - before Brady, before Drew, before Grogan, he was Patriots football.

There you have it. My Rushmore for the organization.

 

[Real fan 02]

Yeah, it was odd because the Patriots were the #4 pro sport team in town at that time. In the case of Will McDonough (and a few other writers), some sort of Irish loyalty, perhaps? Or provincial pride (if i recall Sullivan was the only owner of those four teams who was not an out of towner).

Speaking for myself I was a kid in the early 80s... my uncle and dad took my to a few games over the years. So I can only speak on my experiences.. but I really enjoy the dialogue from yourself @Pape @maust and others. You guys really give some of us younger posters some great Insights. I ventured away from the team in the early 90s... but was pulled back in when Parcells came, and we drafted drew! As great as players are for all organizations championships hold so much weight. So my poll voting was more geared to players instrumental to championships.