Having great players play and make a difference in a position doesn’t mean it’s the most difficult position to play. You could say the same thing about great running backs but does that mean that playing running back is more difficult than playing quarterback? No.
No position on the field is more important than another, but some are more difficult to play than others. On defense, linebacker is the most instinctive to play. You can play on instinct, go out there, hit things, pursue the ball and make plays. I'm not saying it's easy, but it is a simpler mentality. Of all the defensive positions you can play it with more pure adrenaline and instinct than any other. A linebacker who runs around and hits things may not be as good as a linebacker who is more mentally aware of his surroundings, but he can still be fairly effective. A defensive back who plays that way gives up touchdowns and gets cut. BIG difference. Defensive back requires special skills and higher mental approach.
Great linebackers can not make a bad defensive line or bad secondary average or good. Great defensive line and great secondary play can make average linebackers all-stars.
If Brendan Taman knew this his defense would not be giving up 42 points to Edmonton. Barrin Simpson and Sean Lucas can not save a defense that can't rush the QB and a secondary that leaves guys wide open 30 yards downfield on a regular basis.
Kepley and Bass had guys like Fennell, Boone, Quick Parker and Stu Hill in front of them and Highbaugh and Hollimon and Ed Jones behind them. Kep and Bass were phenomenal players, but they were hardly the only guys that made those defenses great.
Angelo Snipes was a great linebacker in Ottawa, but he couldn't make that defense even average. They were terrible. Then he went to BC and was the same great linebacker in a better defense.
Zeke Moreno got 100 tackles a year in the middle of horrible defenses. He was NOT a great linebacker (no disrespect intended, I liked him as a player) but he put up Willie Pless like numbers. I don't think anyone wants to see Zeke in the HoF.
I agree with you Prairie Dog but this is a quote made to defend the pick of Suber, “Suber plays what is considered to be the toughest defensive position in the CFL - halfback”. I strongly disagree. I don’t know who considers halfback to be the toughest defensive position, certainly I don’t.
I can tell you this much - none of the TSN panel disagreed with Climie when he said it while giving out his game ball after week 1. And no he is not the only person who has said it - just the most recent that you can access at the TSN website.
Well if Jock Climie said that halfback is the toughest defensive position, I guess it must be so.
I dont have an opinion on this one way or the other, but its interesting to realize that its an all offensive panel talking about toughest defensive position. 8)
Other than Suitor, when is the last time there was a regular member of the panel or in the booth that was a defensive player??
sherritt had a great game and could have easily won the award… he was all over the place, and made a ton of tackles
suber had a great game too… completely shutting down one of the leagues best receivers with perfect coverage, which clearly effected glenns thought process… added in 6 tackles… a knockdown, and an int that ended up being a game winning touchdown…
either could have won… but i dont think theres any way someone could say suber was the wrong pick… he basically had a perfect game as far as a db goes…
I said he was the most recent person to say it - not the only one. You can disagree with him and the others who have said it all you want - that’s your choice. Your disagreeing with it does not mean it’s “blantantly a false statement” - that too is your opinion which I don’t agree with.
I heard Bob O’Billovich say it on the radio recently. I think it was back in Training Camp when there was a battle in Hamilton. It seems to be that those in the know consider defensive halfback to the toughest position to play on defense.
it seems (only to me) that really good defensive half backs and corners are a little harder to come by in the CFL then other positions. seems like theres always lots of good recievers, runningbacks, d-lineman, and linebackers... but no so much on the corner and half back. or maybe they are just behind the ahtletic curb in the CFL.
Maybe in retrospect, shutting down Arland Bruce may not have been that much of an accomplishment.
Flag on the play: 15 yards for resurrecting a dead thread.
Yeah sure argue against an interception a fumble returned for a 100 yard touchdown 8 tackles and 2 st tackles. and 214 yards from scrimmage against one of the two best rated defense in the league. It’s a conspiracy :roll:
There are always going to be more then ONE player deserving.
What does that have to do with Suber and Bruce?