The MBB All-time Blue Bomber Team: Inside Linebackers

[TrueBlue4ever]

Here are the bios. Choose 2 from this list:

NOTE:

Tackles were not recorded before 1987, so any tackle numbers will not be complete for players who played before that year.

Sacks were not recorded before 1981, so any sack numbers will not be complete for players who played before that year.

 

Antonio Armstrong – 25 games in 2 seasons (2000-01), 1 Int., 21 yards, 3 fumble recoveries, 52 yards , 1 TD, 98 tackles, 11 sacks, divisional all-star in 2000, team nominee for defensive MOP in 2000

Aaron Brown – 52 games in 4 seasons (1982-84, 1988), 7 Int., 91 yards, 1 TD, 3 fumble recoveries, -5 yards, 79 tackles in 1988, 16 sacks, divisional and CFL all-star in 1984, 2 time team nominee for defensive MOP (1983, 1984), 2 time Grey Cup champion (1984, 88)

Greg Battle – 136 games in 9 seasons (1987-93, 1997-98), 22 Int., 241 yards, 1 TD, 21 fumble recoveries, 248 yards, 3 TD, 587 tackles, 21 sacks, 100+ tackles in 3 consecutive seasons (1989-91), 3 time divisional all-star (1989-91), 2 time CFL all-star (1990-91), team nominee for MOP in 1989, 4 time team nominee for defensive MOP (1989-92), 3 time East division defensive MOP (1989-91), 2 time CFL defensive MOP (1990-91), 1990 Grey Cup defensive MVP, 2 time Grey Cup champion (1988, 90), 4 Grey Cup appearances (1988, 90, 92, 93), CFL Hall of Fame

Dave Burkholder – 98 games in 7 seasons (1958-64), 9 Int., 59 yards, 8 fumble recoveries, 39 yards, 2 TD, no tackle or sack stats available, 3 time divisional all-star (1958, 60, 61), team nominee for most outstanding lineman in 1962,  4 time Grey Cup champion (1958, 59, 61, 62)

Greg Clark – 55 games in 4 seasons (1993-96), 3 Int., 42 yards, 1 TD, 4 fumble recoveries, 66 yards, 2 TD, 198 tackles, 15 sacks, team nominee for MOP and defensive MOP in 1995

Mike (Mickey) Doyle – 59 games in 4 seasons (1970-73), 8 Int., 122 yards, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 yard, no tackle or sack stats available, 1972 divisional all-star, team nominee for outstanding lineman in 1972

Phil Minnick – 87 games in 8 seasons (1965-70, 1972-73), 11 Int., 91 yards, 6 fumble recoveries, 9 yards, 1 TD, no tackle or sack stats available, 2 time divisional and CFL all-star (1968, 69), team nominee for MOP in 1969, 3 time team nominee for outstanding lineman (1966, 68, 69), Grey Cup appearance in 1965

Henoc Muamba – 47 games in 3 seasons (2011-13), 1 Int., 20 yards, 1 fumble recovery, 52 yards, 1 TD, 186 tackles, 4 sacks, 2013 divisional, CFL and CFLPA all-star, team nominee for outstanding Canadian in 2012, team nominee for MOP, MODP, and outstanding Canadian in 2013, and eastern division outstanding Canadian in 2013, Grey Cup appearance in 2011

Paul Randolph – 110 games in 7 seasons (1989-95), 9 Int., 141 yards, 6 fumble recoveries, 30 yards, 372 tackles, 32 sacks, 1990 Grey Cup champion, 3 Grey Cup appearances, (1990, 92, 93)

Barrin Simpson – 53 games in 4 seasons (2006-09), 3 Int., 44 yards, 5 fumble recoveries, 24 yards, 335 tackles, 11 sacks, 110+ tackles in consecutive seasons (2006-07), 2 time divisional, CFL and CFLPA all-star (2006, 07), 2006 Eastern division defensive MOP, Grey Cup appearance in 2007

Harry Walters – 62 games in 4 seasons (1975-78), 12 Int., 190 yards, 10 fumble recoveries, 9 yards, no tackle or sack stats available, 2 time divisional all-star (1975, 76), 1976 CFL all-star, 1976 team nominee for defensive MOP

K.D. Williams – 38 games in 3 seasons (1995-96, 2002), 5 Int., 83 yards, 1 TD, 5 fumble recoveries, 7 yards, 150 tackles, 11 sacks, divisional, CFL and CFLPA all-star in 1996, team nominee for outstanding rookie in 1995, team nominee for MOP (but not defensive MOP – that went to Angelo Snipes) in 1996, CFL Record 6 tackles for a loss in one game

Edited January 5, 2019 by TrueBlue4ever

[Noeller]

Damn it this is a crazy list. Greg Battle, Greg Clark, Barrin Simpson, KD Williams.....those are some GREAT choices!

[SpeedFlex27]

I have a hunch... a strong hunch.... that Greg Battle wins this one so I'm going to vote for Phil Minnick. I saw him play & when he was healthy he was dominant in much the same way Wayne Harris was with the Stampeders. They played against each other at the time.

Harris played on a better team during his playing days & had a more high profile career than Minnick. Harris was the CFL's version of D i c k Butkus & although he didn't have the size of Butkus he played 20 lbs heavier & had a similar mean streak to the Bears linebacker.  Minnick was a bigger physical linebacker than Harris. He played nasty & was a tacking machine. He didn't have a lot of defensive talent around him most years & a lot of times he seemed to do it all on his own. It's too bad the CFL didn't keep tackling stats back then. It's also sad that most modern fans don't know of Phil today. Playing on very bad teams & his knee injury saw to that. 

Edited January 5, 2019 by SpeedFlex27

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

Damn it this is a crazy list. Greg Battle, Greg Clark, Barrin Simpson, KD Williams.....those are some GREAT choices!

Debating this position is going to be a lot of fun. 

[Jpan85]

If Adam Bighill plays here for another few years he will be up there with the best the club has had.

[Rich]

@TrueBlue4ever please confirm, intention here is to vote for two from the list?   See a lot of people only voting for one.

[TrueBlue4ever]

10 minutes ago, Rich said:

@TrueBlue4ever please confirm, intention here is to vote for two from the list?   See a lot of people only voting for one.

Yes, pick 2. The poll should allow multiple votes.

[SpeedFlex27]

Picked one. It won't let me pick another.

[TrueBlue4ever]

14 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Picked one. It won't let me pick another.

It is allowing multiple votes, but if you already voted previously you can't go back and add another vote. So if you just want to declare your second vote in the comments, that is fine.

[Brandon]

I can remember going to games and seemingly KD Williams was in on every single play on defense and so many tackles at the line or at a loss.... the guy was definitely a playmaker.

[Noeller]

Just now, Brandon said:

I can remember going to games and seemingly KD Williams was in on every single play on defense and so many tackles at the line or at a loss.... the guy was definitely a playmaker.

I wanna say mid 90s... I remember him being just this dominant, seemingly unstoppable force. 

[SpeedFlex27]

30 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

It is allowing multiple votes, but if you already voted previously you can't go back and add another vote. So if you just want to declare your second vote in the comments, that is fine.

Battle.

[TrueBlue4ever]

One man's take:

Greg Battle - best linebacker in Bomber history, inside or outside, bar none. This is a race for #2. So ,who would that be?

Armstrong, Clark - good players on great teams, but not in contention.

Burkholder, Doyle, Minnick, Walters - cannot judge them fairly as I did not see them play, but their reputations have not survived the years like other greats from the glory years to be considered in my mind.

KD Williams - Bob Irving once said "He doesn't quite realize that he could own this town, if he plays his cards right". A supernova when he played with the gold teeth to match his bigger than life persona, but flamed out just as quickly. Not enough consistency to be in the all-time consideration over others.

That leaves 4 options for me:

Henoc Muamba - A bit too short a stay, maybe some sour grapes for his money grubbing behaviour when he got back from the NFL (and his downgrade in play to boot). He was destined for big things had he stayed, and his Canadian status in a traditionally American position earns him some street cred. Numbers just a shade below the others here, though.

Paul Randolph - Big sack totals raise his profile, as does the fact he played on some big teams. Overshadowed by the likes of Battle, West and Payton when he played. Maybe he made them better with his pressure, maybe they aided in his big numbers. Suffers from invisibility because of his company on those teams, and also maybe his numbers are bloated by his longevity. Can't overlook that he never was nominated for an all-star or defensive POY award. That takes him out of the running for me, but an incredibly solid player nonetheless.

Aaron Brown - When Ty Jones was the defensive star of the 1984 juggernaut team, Brown was the quiet leader. And he was regarded as better that year, as judged by his team nomination for defensive MOP (his second consecutive). By the slimmest of margins, maybe just because he had so much talent around him, I put him third behind.....

Barrin Simpson - Back-to-back all-star seasons, runner-up for league defensive MOP in 2006, and those 2 monster tackle totals in '06 and '07 give him the inside track to line up beside Battle. He carried the defence during his time here with less support around him than others, so he gets my vote.

[SpeedFlex27]

2 hours ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

One man's take:

Burkholder, Doyle, Minnick, Walters - cannot judge them fairly as I did not see them play, but their reputations have not survived the years like other greats from the glory years to be considered in my mind.

 

Just because you never saw them play doesn't mean you should dismiss them like they are nobodies. Burkholder won 4 Grey Cups. Played in 6. How many players can say that? That's up there with Dan Kepley. They were all great players in their own right. Most of the problem is with the CFL. The league & teams don't celebrate their past. Not like the NFL that glorifies its former star players.  The majority of former CFL players are unknown. 

Edited January 5, 2019 by SpeedFlex27

[Noeller]

I'm a big believer that each generation is going to be bigger, faster, stronger and, most likely better, than the generation previous. Through better training, better equipment, etc... 

Having said that, I still voted for Battle and The Minister Of Defense... 

[do or die]

Saw a lot of these guys.....but leading the pack ...it has to be Battle.