[Cider Jim]

With all due respect to 'Dre Barnes and Samkon Gado, would everybody agree that Eric Green was the best football player ever to wear an LU uniform? Afterall, he was a first-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Green started his professional career as a first-round draft choice with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1990, when he was selected AFC Rookie of the Year as a tight end. He was voted to two Pro Bowls (1993, 1994) while with the Steelers. Following a five-year tenure with the Steelers, he went on to play with Miami (1995), Baltimore (1996-98 ) and the Jets (1999).

Or maybe it's the tight end for the Broncos, Carswell?

[prototype]

Wayne Haddix:) From my Bucs.

[Stevewalt]

Eric Green by far was and is the greatest to ever play for the Flames he was a horse and he was feared in the NFL for his uncanny size and power.

[Hold My Own]

Green

[bigsmooth]

Big Sy eric green in a landslide!

[Stevev]

Definately Eric Green. Honorable mention would go to Robbie Justino and James McKnight.

[PAmedic]

Having watched Eric play- I would (and have) agree with you guys.

IMHO, the off field "issues" have ALWAYS precluded him getting the official recognition that he deserved from the school (ring of honor, hall of fame, etc)

not to mention derailing a potentially HOF NFL career

would like to see him accepted back in to the fold.

***

what about Mickey Paige?

also, see this thread for similar discussion/ideas: http://flamefans.info/forums/viewtopic. ... nor+honour

[Libertine]

Green or Haddix. Green had more potential but never lived up to it. Carswell turned out to be MUCH better as a pro than he ever showed here. People also forget Kelvin Edwards who was pretty good.

[PAmedic]

Kelvin Edwards- thats who I was trying to think of. Alzheimers sux

LIB to the rescue

[#10]

I cringe whwnever I hear the words Eric Green and Liberty. He is the complete opposite of Sam Gado in presenting Liberty in the way intended -christians playing with excellence. If he is a christian there is zero fruit/growth.... The greatest Liberty athlete has to be someone who repreents the "Liberty Way" not just someone that makes the Pro-Bowel.

[El Scorcho]

...not just someone that makes the Pro-Bowel.

Or hopefully at least one who can spell Bowl.

Just a friendly jest. No offense intended.

[#10]

Thanks! I rely on you colledge boys to keep me strait. Besides being dislickic and semi-ignort I have trouble makin my one fat finger hit one key at a time letalone the rite one. I also tend to respond befoe my blood pressure goes down and th last thing I want to do is check my spelling. Maybe I''l change my secret identity to hick#10.

[Baldspot]

I'm a big fan of Haddix and Edwards personally but Mathis and Banks were on the same team and one could make a good case were the better players at the same positions during those years. Though we would be splitting hairs doing so.

In my opinion, Eric is mountains ahead of any one else. He had his problems off the field but I wonder how those casting doubt on him now would have done with all the temptations presented a 21-year-old millionaire in the spotlight who previously had to grow up in a broken home located in a less than ideallic neighborhood.

And not living up to his potential??? First round draft pick, AFC rookie of the year, Pro Bowl, best at his position several years running. Even after injuries slowed his 40 time, he was still one of the best blockers in the NFL for several years. How many players from any college in the last 100 years can touch that?

[TruthSlayer11]

Gus the SNIPER!!!!

[SuperJon]

I cringe whwnever I hear the words Eric Green and Liberty. He is the complete opposite of Sam Gado in presenting Liberty in the way intended -christians playing with excellence. If he is a christian there is zero fruit/growth.... The greatest Liberty athlete has to be someone who repreents the "Liberty Way" not just someone that makes the Pro-Bowel.

I don't know the story with this player, but when the discussion comes to "best player" the off the field stuff doesn't matter. You're either good or you aren't.

[bigsmooth]

agreed SJ. though gado is a great example of what liberty is all about, he did not play enough to warrant "best player ever at LU". From what i gather, eric has turned his life around and is coaching. i would hope that one day he will come back to the mountain, and be involved in the program. yes he made some bad mistakes, but we need to be forgiving, and especially if he wants to atone for those mistakes. that is the problem with many christians is that when a person falls, they keep them down, and are still judgemental. the total person should be considered if this was a hall of fame or ring on honor type deal, but with an apology, or showing how a life has changed, i would have no problem with eric being in the hall or ring, or whatever.

[flameshaw]

Smooth, you're right about Eric. He is coaching with Miami as an intern for an organization promoting minority candisates for NFL coaching positions. I think he has cleaned up his act significantly and has been to a few Homecoming games. I also agree about the "welcome back to the fold" deal if that is his desire. No one here knows how we might do in the same situation and everyone has done some things we are not proud of. When you are a professional athelete, it is pretty hard for mistakes not to get major publicity. Everyone deserves at least one second chance.

I am ready for some football!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrich]

The U?

[Sly Fox]

No, he was with the Dolphins. I'm not sure where he is right now. Those training programs are generally for a set period of time.

[paradox]

It should have been that QB from FL. I think his name was Jon Stark. He was at least 6'5 and had an NFL arm. He was one of the top QB's coming out of high school and literally could have played anywhere but his Dad had LU connections and wanted him at LU. I think he redshirted a year and then a controversy with another student ensued and he tranferred to Florida State, but ended up playing his senior year at some small NAIA school in the midwest. Trinity, I think?

Despite all of his bouncing in and out of colleges and the fact that most of his limited college action had been at the NAIA level, Stark was the first QB ever to be drafted by the NFL's Baltimore Ravens who still had connections with Rutigliano at the time.

From what I can remember, the kid had all of the skills to play QB in the NFL, but controversies emerged again in the NFL and he eventually lost his opportunity.

[paradox]

Did anyone happen to notice that ESPN-2 beefed up its championship sub division coverage this year?

If we could win a couple of post-season TV games on ESPN-2, then new faces would emerge and we could clearly have our man, much like the Basketball program has with Hildebrand and Aluma.

[SuperJon]

We have to worry about winning enough games to be playoff eligible before we talk about winning playoff games. Is it possible? Most definitely. It's just a lot harder than a lot of people think.

[paradox]

Don't you think that we'll compete for a spot as soon as next year?

[SuperJon]

LU has to go 10-1, at worst 9-2 next year to even sniff the playoffs. It's possible, but insanely hard.

[Ed Dantes]

You're all wrong about the best football player at LU, ever.

Gus Condon.