Zach Thomas versus Brian Urlacher | Page 2 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Zach Thomas versus Brian Urlacher

The comparison is very easy. Thomas played in Miami and we all know that the Dolphins haven’t been a media favorite for years. Urlacher played in Chicago and the Bears have been a media darling forever.

If Thomas had played for the Bears and put up the same stats he did with the Dolphins, he would have been in the HOF years ago. If Urlacher had played for the Dolphins and put up the stats he did in Chicago, he would still be waiting to see if he ever gets in the HOF.

While the truly great players get in on the first try because that’s what they deserve. For many of the not so great, it comes down to a popularity contest and that’s all it is.
 
Broncos fans bemoan the fact that Randy Gradishar isn't in the HOF. Statistics during his playing career weren't exact like today, but they stack up with the best in much fewer games.

StatRandy GradisharMike SingletaryBrian UrlacherRay Lewis
Seasons10121317
Games145179182228
Tackles2,049+1,4881,3532,061
Avg/G14.18.37.49.0
Interceptions2072231
Avg/G0.140.040.120.14
Fumble Rec.13121520
Avg/G0.090.070.080.09
Sacks20.5*1941.541.5
Avg/G0.140.100.220.18
Pro Bowls710813
All Pro5847
OtherDPOY 1978DPOY 1985, 1988DPOY 2005DPOY 2000, 2003
 
1972forever said:
The comparison is very easy. Thomas played in Miami and we all know that the Dolphins haven’t been a media favorite for years. Urlacher played in Chicago and the Bears have been a media darling forever.

If Thomas had played for the Bears and put up the same stats he did with the Dolphins, he would have been in the HOF years ago. If Urlacher had played for the Dolphins and put up the stats he did in Chicago, he would still be waiting to see if he ever gets in the HOF.

While the truly great players get in on the first try because that’s what they deserve. For many of the not so great, it comes down to a popularity contest and that’s all it is.
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You can't just say "if he played in Chicago". Comes down to as well that the team hardly won any playoff games with him here. If you want to make a name for yourself as an LB, you've either gotta have insane stats, have been the centerpiece of a championship team, or at least a legendary defense. We all know from watching ZT that he was a great player - I don't think anyone played sideline to sideline like him. But for non-Dolphin fans they didn't see him over the long haul like we did.

They say a bar for a player in the HOF is if you can write the story of the game without him. And unfortunately the Dolphins of that era and his defense didn't get themselves to that level.
 
finsfanco said:
Broncos fans bemoan the fact that Randy Gradishar isn't in the HOF. Statistics during his playing career weren't exact like today, but they stack up with the best in much fewer games.

StatRandy GradisharMike SingletaryBrian UrlacherRay Lewis
Seasons10121317
Games145179182228
Tackles2,049+1,4881,3532,061
Avg/G14.18.37.49.0
Interceptions2072231
Avg/G0.140.040.120.14
Fumble Rec.13121520
Avg/G0.090.070.080.09
Sacks20.5*1941.541.5
Avg/G0.140.100.220.18
Pro Bowls710813
All Pro5847
OtherDPOY 1978DPOY 1985, 1988DPOY 2005DPOY 2000, 2003
Click to expand...
Nice addition. What is Avg/G?
 
Sirspud said:
You can't just say "if he played in Chicago". Comes down to as well that the team hardly won any playoff games with him here. If you want to make a name for yourself as an LB, you've either gotta have insane stats, have been the centerpiece of a championship team, or at least a legendary defense. We all know from watching ZT that he was a great player - I don't think anyone played sideline to sideline like him. But for non-Dolphin fans they didn't see him over the long haul like we did.

They say a bar for a player in the HOF is if you can write the story of the game without him. And unfortunately the Dolphins of that era and his defense didn't get themselves to that level.
Click to expand...
True, but wasn't Chicago pretty bad during Urlacher's career?
 
Average per game, which boosts Gradishar's credentials with fewer games played.
 
Sirspud said:
You can't just say "if he played in Chicago". Comes down to as well that the team hardly won any playoff games with him here. If you want to make a name for yourself as an LB, you've either gotta have insane stats, have been the centerpiece of a championship team, or at least a legendary defense. We all know from watching ZT that he was a great player - I don't think anyone played sideline to sideline like him. But for non-Dolphin fans they didn't see him over the long haul like we did.

They say a bar for a player in the HOF is if you can write the story of the game without him. And unfortunately the Dolphins of that era and his defense didn't get themselves to that level.
Click to expand...
Thomas had more tackles in less games than both Urlacher and Junior Seau. The Dolphins made the same amount of playoff appearance with Jason Taylor as they did with Zach Thomas. So based on that criteria, I guess you don’t think Jason Taylor should be in the HOF either.

The bar for the HOF seems to be a lot more about where a player played when he was in the league and less about if he actually deserves to be in the HOF.

Since Thomas left the Dolphins, they haven’t had a single MLB play anywhere close to the level he played the position. As far as the defense not getting to the level you seem to think they needed to get to for Thomas to make the HOF is concerned. It certainly wasn’t the fault of Thomas or Taylor that the defense never got to that level.

It had everything to do with mediocre defensive coordinators and a defense that had a lot of average to below average talent surrounding Thomas and Taylor. They had Madison and Surtain who were excellent CB’s but otherwise there wasn’t a lot of talent on the defense during the years Thomas was on the Dolphins.

To me Thomas was a HOF player for the Dolphins. The fact a few individuals in the media control which former players are inducted each year just shows me that the election process is messed up. Yet that’s unfortunately the system at this time and Thomas will likely to continue to get screwed every year because these media voters don’t have a clue.
 
finsfanco said:
Average per game, which boosts Gradishar's credentials with fewer games played.
Click to expand...
I actually believe both Gradishar and Thomas deserve to be in the HOF. Gradishar was as good if not better than any LB in the league during the 10 years he played in the NFL. Yet, just like Thomas, he didn’t play in a big market at the time and the Broncos weren’t a consistent playoff team during those years.
 
1972forever said:
I actually believe both Gradishar and Thomas deserve to be in the HOF. Gradishar was as good if not better than any LB in the league during the 10 years he played in the NFL. Yet, just like Thomas, he didn’t play in a big market at the time and the Broncos weren’t a consistent playoff team during those years.
Click to expand...
Is Miami not considered a big market?
 
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