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06-15-2015, 06:26 PM #61
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06-15-2015, 08:55 PM #62Legendary RSR Poster
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Baltimore Football's Greatest- Counting down the best to wear the numbers.
89 might be our first real debate.
I know who I'd pick. And he didn't wear purple.Last edited by HoustonRaven; 06-16-2015 at 07:40 AM.
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06-16-2015, 11:52 AM #63
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06-16-2015, 01:16 PM #64
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06-16-2015, 01:22 PM #65Legendary RSR Poster
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06-16-2015, 01:24 PM #66
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06-16-2015, 01:28 PM #67
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06-16-2015, 01:56 PM #68
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06-16-2015, 02:20 PM #69
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06-16-2015, 04:16 PM #70Steve Flacco, Apparently
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Re: Baltimore Football's Greatest- Counting down the best to wear the numbers.
As predicted by HR, the first man to make our list without ever playing in purple is Baltimore Colts Defensive End, number 89 Gino "The Giant" Marchetti.
I never got to see Gino play live. He retired nearly 18 years before I was born. Everything I know about him I know from my father, who talks about Gino the way people my age talk about superheros.
He told me Gino was a tough old sunovabitch, that he refused medical treatment for a broken ankle in the Greatest Game Ever Played because he felt that his teammates needed him to be on their sideline. He told me how Gino went 9 years without missing a game back when sports medicine consisted of taping it up and a couple belts of scotch in the locker room afterward. He told me how Gino made grown men look like children against him.
But Gino's toughness went deeper than football. He enlisted in the Army straight out of high school, he fought with the 69th Infantry at the Battle of the Bulge. He drew on his wartime experience often after he got home, never allowing pain or difficulty to slow him down.
Originally Posted by Gino Marchetti
Gino was a man of principle as well as courage. When his undefeated college team was invited to play in the Orange Bowl on the condition that they not allow the black players on the team to participate, Gino led a players' vote to turn down the invite rather than betray his teammates.
Originally Posted by Gino Marchetti
It's a pity that sacks weren't recorded during Gino's playing days, as he likely would still hold pass rushing records to this day. He was feared by quarterbacks and offensive linemen alike for his punishing style and intensity. His litany of NFL honors attest to that.
11× Pro Bowl selection
9× First-team All-Pro selection
1× Second-team All-Pro selection
NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
NFL 1950s All-Decade Team
1963 Pro Bowl MVP
Hall of Famer Forrest Gregg had this to say of Gino:
Originally Posted by Forrest Gregg
Originally Posted by Sid Gilman
His football immortality was cemented in 1972 when he was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
A legendary figure in Baltimore Football history, Gino was truly a Giant among men.My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging. -Hank Aaron
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06-16-2015, 05:46 PM #71
Re: Baltimore Football's Greatest- Counting down the best to wear the numbers.
"Cause if you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that just means you’re okay with being mediocre, and ain’t no man in here okay with just basic.”
- Ray Lewis
https://www.baltimoreravens.com/author/cole-jackson
Twitter: @ColeJacksonFB
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06-17-2015, 04:46 PM #72Steve Flacco, Apparently
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Re: Baltimore Football's Greatest- Counting down the best to wear the numbers.
88 Days to go and number 88 is another Baltimore Colt great, the late, great John Mackey.
One of the greatest tight ends of all time, Mackey possessed a nigh impossible combination of strength, speed, explosiveness, and elusiveness. In 9 years in Baltimore Mackey put up 320 catches, for over 5000 yards while collecting 5 Pro Bowl nods and 3 All Pros in a Hall of Fame career.
A favorite target of Johnny Unitas, Mackey is credited with extending John's career with his ability to take short passes the distance by running over, around, and past defenders. In 1966 Mackey scored 6 touchdowns of 50 or more yards.
His most impressive play was his catch and run TD against the Detroit Lions in 1966 when he managed to break or elude 9 tackles en route to a 64 touchdown. Displaying his trademark power and speed, Mackey single-handedly scored one of the most impressive touchdowns in NFL history.
John revolutionized the Tight End position. Don Shula described him thusly:
Originally Posted by Don Shula
Originally Posted by Ernie Accorsi
He was more than just a force on the field however. He was a Colts captain, and President of the NFL Players' Association, helping to guide the players through the first major labor dispute and paving the way for NFL free agency and the parity we now enjoy.
Sadly, football was also incredibly cruel to John. Dementia, likely brought about by frequent head on collisions, shortened his life and greatly reduced him as he aged. Near the end, he was unable to recall his career at all, except for two words. These two words were his answer to any question about football and fittingly, they were words he anticipated hearing most on game days.
"Go deep."My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging. -Hank Aaron
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