Haloti Ngata Retires

**Filmstudy** · 03-18-2019, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by PeterB58

You got it wrong. Savage was working for the Browns at the time:

Preston wrote a column about it basically implying that Savage was the brains behind the great Newsome drafts....history has not been kind to this account...by the way, awesome take there Mark Schlereth.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs...175-story.html

Great stuff.

The Browns boards had many accounts of why Savage made the choice between (Ngata) and (Kam Wimbley plus a 6th round pick). His indifference between those 2 players is something Browns fans rued for many years.

Maureen and I went to the 2006 game at Cleveland, which was won by the Ravens 15-14 on Stover's 52-yard FG on the Ravens final play. Sitting in front of us was a Browns fan with a custom-made jersey of none other than Babatunde Oshinowo. Oshinowo would play 2 career games an record 2 tackles over the 2006-07 seasons. He was the 6th-round selection (#181) the Ravens gave up to move up a spot for Ngata.

**Waywatcher** · 03-18-2019, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Filmstudy

Great stuff.

The Browns boards had many accounts of why Savage made the choice between (Ngata) and (Kam Wimbley plus a 6th round pick). His indifference between those 2 players is something Browns fans rued for many years.

Maureen and I went to the 2006 game at Cleveland, which was won by the Ravens 15-14 on Stover's 52-yard FG on the Ravens final play. Sitting in front of us was a Browns fan with a custom-made jersey of none other than Babatunde Oshinowo. Oshinowo would play 2 career games an record 2 tackles over the 2006-07 seasons. He was the 6th-round selection (#181) the Ravens gave up to move up a spot for Ngata.

Admittedly, it's hard to pass up drafting a guy with the name "Babatunde." Just rolls off the tongue! =P

**GOTA** · 03-18-2019, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Filmstudy

Great stuff.

The Browns boards had many accounts of why Savage made the choice between (Ngata) and (Kam Wimbley plus a 6th round pick). His indifference between those 2 players is something Browns fans rued for many years.

Maureen and I went to the 2006 game at Cleveland, which was won by the Ravens 15-14 on Stover's 52-yard FG on the Ravens final play. Sitting in front of us was a Browns fan with a custom-made jersey of none other than Babatunde Oshinowo. Oshinowo would play 2 career games an record 2 tackles over the 2006-07 seasons. He was the 6th-round selection (#181) the Ravens gave up to move up a spot for Ngata.

There was a Browns fan on the Sunspot board who used to post that we all need to remember the name of Babatunde Oshinowo because he would haunt us forever! I still can't help laughing when I think of that.

Then the Browns fans were going to have their revenge because Danny Shelton was going to be the new Haloti Ngata. That #12 over all pick was dumped to the Patriots for a 5th rounder. The Pats declined the 5th round option and Shelton is looking for a team. Typical Browns revenge.

**BcRaven** · 03-18-2019, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by PeterB58

You got it wrong. Savage was working for the Browns at the time:

Thanks, Pete! Man am I

My fingers were typing faster than my brain was thinking... Bc

**I Touchdown There** · 03-18-2019, 07:27 PM

Lots of good memories thanks to the big man! Happy retirement

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**mmi16** · 03-18-2019, 08:12 PM

Will give him time for more Royal Farm commercials!

**Ravenswintitle** · 03-18-2019, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Filmstudy

Agree completely.

Gregg's strength was as a productive tackler, not a space eater. There really is no need to be revisionist about Gregg's career. He was a remarkable iron-man DT who played a high percentage of snaps for his position and missed just 2 games from 2002-10. I'll update when I have my database, but I believe he topped out at approximately 67% of snaps. Again, by recollection only, Ngata topped out at 76% in 2007. That's a ton for a DT, but the Ravens have always been a rotational team on the DL, which means they never had a player there who could wear the green dot.

While I'm certainly not someone who thinks Gregg was a better or more valuable player than Ngata, he did outtackle Ngata 569-552 while playing just 161 career games relative to Ngata's 199.

What's funny is that Gregg bounced around between teams and practice squads, but when he finally stuck for good with the 2001 Ravens he was a situational pass rusher. That's what happens when you join one of the deepest DLs in league history, where Thomas, Gregg, Webster, Dalton, and Douglas were scrapping for activations and snaps behind the 2000 front 4 of Adams, Siragusa, Burnett, and McCrary.

love the detail, thank you! Buddy Lee

**Uli2001** · 03-18-2019, 08:36 PM

The Goose's true heir.

**Corey** · 03-18-2019, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by ravensfan7716

I still remember that draft day. I Felt like Browns fans must have been fuming as we gave up practically nothing to move up 1 slot grab Ngata. It was almost like Savage did us a Favor. The guy the Browns took ended up being a bust I think.

Ngata was a beast. Just a freak athlete, size, strength off the charts.

Ngata is one of my favorite players of all time. Trading him definitely did not sit well with me. Should have retired a Raven

I loved when they would bring him in to play FB and block. He was just brute strength. I would hate to have to block that guy

Kamaron Wimbley was not a complete bust. He had a solid career but he never reached the level of dominance that Ngata did. We got the far superior player. I remember Savage being hailed as taking Ozzie for a ride getting the player that he wanted and a 6th out of Ozzie to swap spots. Ngata was more valuable than both the players the Browns took combined.

**houstonravensfan** · 03-18-2019, 09:49 PM

He played like a Raven.

**riprulz8** · 03-19-2019, 08:38 AM

I'll never forget his debut in Tampa with his pick (almost) 6 against the Bucs. Seeing the big man get the pick off a tip then rumbling 60 some yards was incredible and I knew we had someone special.

He's my 4th and last Jersey I ever bought (along with Reed, Heap, and Ray).

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**WNCRavensFan** · 03-19-2019, 09:13 AM

I know I'm in the minority but as far as I'm concerned, if Dan Hampton is in Canton, so should Haloti Ngata be in Canton. I see them as comparable and I will stump for him as an unabashed homer.

Two things I remember when he was drafted. First, some weird story came out that he took plays off. That proved inaccurate. Second, our own Mel Kiper actually got the pick right for the Ravens when very few others projected him to Baltimore. I think he was tipped off by someone.

He was such a massive block of muscle. There are other NFL players his size that are, shall we say a little tubby, or a little immobile. Ngata was 330 pounds of "I will move you". He wasn't content with staying put. He would drive opposing linemen anywhere he wanted. And then he could shed them with the best.

One of the top ten Ravens of all time, and one of my favorite Ravens as well. Thanks for the memories Haloti!