Charles Woodson announced retirement at end of season

[Ronfitch]

From Yahoo:

"Charles Woodson is the type of player who shouldn't even have to wait five years for his call to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He's in a special class.

Woodson, one of the game's all-time greats who might be the greatest defensive back in NFL history, will retire at the end of the season. That gives us two more games to appreciate the longtime Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers defensive back. Thursday night will be the final home game for Woodson, and maybe the last home game for the Raiders in Oakland, making it an emotional night all around for the fans there."

Entire read at:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutd ... NlYwNzYw--

[Ronfitch]

* announces, not announced ... errr ... sorry

[Reaser]

He's having a great year this year, too. The toughness he's displaying is my favorite part, can see he's hurt and has been practically all year but stays in the game and keeps making plays.

One of my favorites. When I was in 7th grade (1996) all the good classes were taken and I ended up in some arts and crafts class and for my "final project" I made a Charles Woodson Michigan jersey out of clay (year before he won the Heisman, I was hyping him up to friends all year) ... Got an A.

[rhickok1109]

Woodson was an amazing blitzer for a DB because he rushed as if he were a DE. He could use a bull rush, a swim move, a spin, an under, a counter club. As an all-around DB, I don't think anyone has ever matched him. He can cover, tackle, force fumbles, and blitz with the best of them.

[NWebster]

Ok. I'm going to be the one to have to do it. Love him, think he's a HOF'ER, but he the second best Woodson to play DB. He belongs in, but did wand in the wilderness for a number of years with rumors of alcoholism, I cannot lend credence tk that or not, but he had a series of meaningless years in the middle. Hard to say that for Lane, Sanders, Rod, etc.

[JWL]

Ok. I'm going to be the one to have to do it. Love him, think he's a HOF'ER, but he the second best Woodson to play DB. He belongs in, but did wand in the wilderness for a number of years with rumors of alcoholism, I cannot lend credence tk that or not, but he had a series of meaningless years in the middle. Hard to say that for Lane, Sanders, Rod, etc.

I would also take Rod Woodson over Charles Woodson.

[Bryan]

Ok. I'm going to be the one to have to do it. Love him, think he's a HOF'ER, but he the second best Woodson to play DB. He belongs in, but did wand in the wilderness for a number of years with rumors of alcoholism, I cannot lend credence tk that or not, but he had a series of meaningless years in the middle. Hard to say that for Lane, Sanders, Rod, etc.

Agree with this. In reference to the article, there is no way Charles Woodson is the best DB in NFL history. He's just not. Also, he's a HOFer, but he's not in a "special class" that warrants immediate induction. I think Mario Lemieux is the only guy who somehow bypassed his sports' mandatory waiting period, but Lemieux was the best player in his league for a decade.

Maybe I'm just grumpy, but I hate the over-the-top "analysis" in these types of situations, because they make me want to argue AGAINST the player. I remember when Steve Young and Marcus Allen were retiring, the media went overboard with the "special class" and "first ballot lock" stuff...but when you looked at both players' careers, there were obvious shortcomings. Same thing when Derrick Thomas passed away, the media wanted to bypass the HOF process and immediately put him in Canton.

Anyway, Charles Woodson was a great player who was unique in that he could be so effective/disruptive from a nickelback position. The usual protocol with aging CBs had been to move them to FS, but Woodson was moved closer to the LOS and in some ways was even better at NB with Green Bay than at CB with Oakland. If ever there was a "Monster Man" in the mold of Michigan State's George Webster in the NFL, Charles Woodson was probably the closest thing.

[BD Sullivan]

Ok. I'm going to be the one to have to do it. Love him, think he's a HOF'ER, but he the second best Woodson to play DB. He belongs in, but did wand in the wilderness for a number of years with rumors of alcoholism, I cannot lend credence tk that or not, but he had a series of meaningless years in the middle. Hard to say that for Lane, Sanders, Rod, etc.

Maybe I'm just grumpy, but I hate the over-the-top "analysis" in these types of situations, because they make me want to argue AGAINST the player.

That usually involves some knee-jerk comment about Joe Schmoe being "a future Hall of Famer," which, in far too many cases, is a suspect assumption--if not outright idiotic.

[SixtiesFan]

Ok. I'm going to be the one to have to do it. Love him, think he's a HOF'ER, but he the second best Woodson to play DB. He belongs in, but did wand in the wilderness for a number of years with rumors of alcoholism, I cannot lend credence tk that or not, but he had a series of meaningless years in the middle. Hard to say that for Lane, Sanders, Rod, etc.

Maybe I'm just grumpy, but I hate the over-the-top "analysis" in these types of situations, because they make me want to argue AGAINST the player.

That usually involves some knee-jerk comment about Joe Schmoe being "a future Hall of Famer," which, in far too many cases, is a suspect assumption--if not outright idiotic.

Back in the 70's announcer would say So and So was a "sure Hall of Famer." And many of them never got in and never will.

[BernardB]

Night Train Lane and Ronnie Lott come first to my mind. How does one think about interception totals across eras? Interception percentage were much higher back in the day but teams throw more now---is this roughly a wash? What other issues are involved?