Charles Romes Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Gil asked Bruce to talk about the things he did to separate himself. Bruce talked about how playing basketball in high school helped his footwork, quickness and hands. Then Bruce described for several minutes about how his sack stats were distortedly low because he played in a 3 - 4, and noted that the late great Reggie White whom he has tremendous respect 4 played in a 4 - 3 with great ends taking up double teams. He stated he wanted to educate fans about how much more difficult it was to put up huge sack numbers playing in a 4 - 3 so that fans could make up their own mind about who was the greatest DE of his era. A lot of people don't like the fact that Bruce is constantly tooting his own horn. I think its regrettable he has to, having watched him completely blow up the opposing team's Oline on just about every play for 15 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I was surprised to hear Bruce talk about Buffalo having the best DE in NFL history when his name went up on the wall of fame this year. Humility isn't his strongest suit, but he certainly was a great in the long history of professional football. Reggie White was flat out great. I'll never forget him bull-rushing Patriots RT Max Lane in SB XXXV and sacking Bledsoe. It almost seemed like he was playing against college players. And this was when he was in his mid-thirties. Both Bruce and Reggie had long careers with consistently high performance. But there are guys like Deacon Jones who played their entire career before sacks were an official stat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circlingthewagons Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I agree. Bruce is one of my favorite players of all time and I was disappointed when he left the Bills to play with the Skins. I was even more disappointed when he broke the sack record and had to hear how undeserving he was because of how many seasons he played. While I find his comments to be slightly in poor taste... he might have a point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipster19 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I'm glad that you posted this because I heard the same interview and was debating if I should post it. I'll tell you what I didn't appreciate in what he said. Bruce was not shy one bit about his greatness and he did lavish praise on old man Wilson and Andre Reed but when he went on and on about how Reggie White had complimentary bookends in Sean Jones and Clyde Simmons and that he did it on his own. That's when I almost barfed. He should kiss Phil Hansen's @$$ that selfish prick. No doubt Bruce's accomplishments were phenomenal but his ego truly diminishes his play IMO. He didn't mention Hansen at all. What's up with that??!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I love Bruce, and I agree with him. I wish he would stop blowing his horn so loudly all the time, though. Everyone knows he was great, but to hear him speak, you'd think he feels as if he still needs to convince people of that fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I'm glad that you posted this because I heard the same interview and was debating if I should post it. I'll tell you what I didn't appreciate in what he said. Bruce was not shy one bit about his greatness and he did lavish praise on old man Wilson and Andre Reed but when he went on and on about how Reggie White had complimentary bookends in Sean Jones and Clyde Simmons and that he did it on his own. That's when I almost barfed. He should kiss Phil Hansen's @$ that selfish prick. No doubt Bruce's accomplishments were phenomenal but his ego truly diminishes his play IMO. He didn't mention Hansen at all. What's up with that??!!! Sorry, but Jones and Simmons were far better than Hanson. And like he said, a 3-4 is much more difficult for a DE to get pressure on a QB than a 4-3. Can't disagree with anything I've read in the original post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOR Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Sorry, but Jones and Simmons were far better than Hanson. And like he said, a 3-4 is much more difficult for a DE to get pressure on a QB than a 4-3. Can't disagree with anything I've read in the original post. Exactly. Bruce needs to toot his own horn because people still think White is the greatest DE, despite the fact that White was a LDE and faced (typically) less talented RT's (as well as plaing opposite great RDE's playing opposite him and in a 4-3). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Exactly. Bruce needs to toot his own horn because people still think White is the greatest DE, despite the fact that White was a LDE and faced (typically) less talented RT's (as well as plaing opposite great RDE's playing opposite him and in a 4-3). Bruce and Reggie were very different types of DEs. 2 different kinds of great.You cant say one is better than the other.(well--of course you could Say it..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOR Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Bruce and Reggie were very different types of DEs. 2 different kinds of great.You cant say one is better than the other.(well--of course you could Say it..) They were the greatest RDE and LDE respectively. But again, some people claim that White was the best DE (regardless of side) ever, and in that discussion, it's debatable and IMHO not true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Gil asked Bruce to talk about the things he did to separate himself. Bruce talked about how playing basketball in high school helped his footwork, quickness and hands. Then Bruce described for several minutes about how his sack stats were distortedly low because he played in a 3 - 4, and noted that the late great Reggie White whom he has tremendous respect 4 played in a 4 - 3 with great ends taking up double teams. He stated he wanted to educate fans about how much more difficult it was to put up huge sack numbers playing in a 4 - 3 so that fans could make up their own mind about who was the greatest DE of his era. A lot of people don't like the fact that Bruce is constantly tooting his own horn. I think its regrettable he has to, having watched him completely blow up the opposing team's Oline on just about every play for 15 years. Don't get me wrong - I am a huge Bruce fan but he is trying to win a fight that he never will. If Bruce sported a SB ring or two he would likely be called the greatest of all time - the fact that he doesn't causes people to slight him some. Bruce's off field antics did not help and the fact that Reggie unfortunately died young causes some sympathy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Endless Ike Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Don't get me wrong - I am a huge Bruce fan but he is trying to win a fight that he never will. If Bruce sported a SB ring or two he would likely be called the greatest of all time - the fact that he doesn't causes people to slight him some. Bruce's off field antics did not help and the fact that Reggie unfortunately died young causes some sympathy. What abotu the fact that Reggie White was a bumbling racist. Remember his comments about mexicans being blessed by "the gift of family" because they can fit 4 or 5 families into a single home, and asians being blessed with the gift of creativity because they can take a watch and turn it into a TV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 What abotu the fact that Reggie White was a bumbling racist. Remember his comments about mexicans being blessed by "the gift of family" because they can fit 4 or 5 families into a single home, and asians being blessed with the gift of creativity because they can take a watch and turn it into a TV? Reggie died ... people are more likely to forgive or forget once you are gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKOOBY Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Reggie is dead, it's classless to talk about him in anything but a positive way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 They were the greatest RDE and LDE respectively. But again, some people claim that White was the best DE (regardless of side) ever, and in that discussion, it's debatable and IMHO not true. I believe Bruce only got #4 on the NFL channels top 10 pass ruhers - they had Deacon Jones ahead of both Bruce and Reggie. I wish we could find the next Bruce as he truly was a very, very good football player. Besides ... Bruuuuce ... always made for a greet cheer from the crowd. NFL Network top 10 Pass Rushers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Hey Bruce, Tony Boselli called. Said you're still his B word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Bruce was only in Washington for a short time but his "tooting his own horn" is legendary in DC. How about when he got the 'Skins to issue commemorative coins after he finally got that record breaking sack (that took him a hilarious amount of games to get!). Someone has to find one of those coins online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth on hold Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Hey Bruce, Tony Boselli called. Said you're still his B word. he definitely owned bruce, but that was it. pretty incredible record given how bruce outclassed all the other big name tackles he went up against like webb, munoz and elliott. thats right elliott. for all the hype jumbo got, it was he that bruce blew by in the super bowl and sacked hostetler for a safety. had norwood made the FG, bills win by 2 and the focus becomes the safety providing the margin of victory and jumbo getting punked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth on hold Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I believe Bruce only got #4 on the NFL channels top 10 pass ruhers - they had Deacon Jones ahead of both Bruce and Reggie. I wish we could find the next Bruce as he truly was a very, very good football player. Besides ... Bruuuuce ... always made for a greet cheer from the crowd. NFL Network top 10 Pass Rushers who really knows how good deacon was? he played at a time when Olinemen were required to hold their closed fists against their chests and head slapping them was legal. with those same rules in place smith and white could have had God knows how many sacks. it's one thing the "deacon was best he played when they didn't record sacks" crowd never discusses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 who really knows how good deacon was? he played at a time when Olinemen were required to hold their closed fists against their chests and head slapping them was legal. with those same rules in place smith and white could have had God knows how many sacks. it's one thing the "deacon was best he played when they didn't record sacks" crowd never discusses. And if you put Reggie and Bruce back in the 1920s, they would be dragging their carcasses off the field before halftime. Deacon dominated under the rules. Smith and White dominated under the rules. Where you need to argue is how dominant they were in their respective eras. As you can see from the above example, trying to put players into different eras for comparison is not very effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobillsinytown Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 It's impossible to determine who is/was the "best" DE in history. Pro football is so complicated, and individual situations so different, that I don't think it can be done. I was lucky enough to have season tickets throughout the entire "Bruce" era, and he was definitely one of the greatest in history. I used to focus on him with binoculars during a defensive series, and opposing teams were sometimes sliding two O-linemen and a back to try and stop him. It was amazing to watch someone that big twist, spin, slide, jump, whatever, by three people. His "body lean" was incredible. I don't think I ever saw him get straightened up on a pass rush. He always had his body leaning forward as constant leverage. He was also great at film study to find weaknesses. If a lineman had one, he'd find it. Boselli was the only guy who had any real success stopping him, but he always had help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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