Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

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Thursday, November 17, 2016
Chicago Bears All Career-Year Team
OPINION
By John Turney

It says a lot about how historically weak the Bears have been at QB when the second team QB was Jim McMahon 1985.

You know a team has great linebackers when Bill George gets bumped to honorable mention.

Someone said it in a different thread... Great job in comparing eras with these older teams! Speaking of which, just curious what the rationale was in giving Halas '20 an HM for End. I can't imagine there's any more than a few snippets of scratchy film, if that. Postseason awards?

ChrisBabcock wrote:You know a team has great linebackers when Bill George gets bumped to honorable mention.

Someone said it in a different thread... Great job in comparing eras with these older teams! Speaking of which, just curious what the rationale was in giving Halas '20 an HM for End. I can't imagine there's any more than a few snippets of scratchy film, if that. Postseason awards?

Post season awards, he was a Second-team All-NFL. I've never seen any film on him at all, like most of those guys from 1920s-30s and even 40s

Sorry, but I don't get it. Nagurski should be the first team FB, for 1934.

Played all 13 games + championship, with 11 starts (+1) all at FB.

586 yards rushing (4.8av) with 7tds. 2 td passes and played D.

Second team FB should be Rick Casares for 1956 - 1126 yards, 12td + 23-203-2 receiving.

LJP wrote:Sorry, but I don't get it. Nagurski should be the first team FB, for 1934.

Played all 13 games + championship, with 11 starts (+1) all at FB.

586 yards rushing (4.8av) with 7tds. 2 td passes and played D.

Second team FB should be Rick Casares for 1956 - 1126 yards, 12td + 23-203-2 receiving.

The fullback I was using was the modern-type, the guard in the backfield and did that for all the teams. I wanted all the rosters to be the same. Just a personal decision.

If I would have done it that way, then I would feel obligated to pick one halfback.

So, Nagurski First-team Fullback

Who is the First-team Halfback? Using things like honors and stats and also taking into account era and all that, would the First-team Halfback be Walter Payton? Gale Sayers? Or Beattie Feathers.

One could make a case for each. As great as Payton's career was and as great as his 1977 season was, he didn't smash the rushing record, now I think it's been settled that he did have 1000 yards (I think) and that is kind of like Freidman's 20 passing TDs, a miletsone year, not sure when the next 1000 yard rusher was, but it was a quite a few seasons

So, it could go like
FB Nagurski
HB Grange, 1925 (no stats, but the barnstrom and all the hoopla)

FB Nagurski
HB Feathers

FB Nagurski
HB Sayers

FB Nagurski
HB Payton

So, to keep it the same as the Cowboys (Moose Johnston) and all the other teams, I wanted a role for the FB specialist, the nickel back specialist, the running back specialist, the extra wide receiver specialist, and the pass rush specialist.

So, if you'll notice none of the other teams I picked chose a traditional fullback from the split-back era or the Single-wing era. It was fullbacks from the "I" formation era, circa 1981 or so to the present. By the 1990s almost all teams keep a FB specialist . . . so I wanted that represented. Think of it the same as the other specialists.

One specialist I regret not picking is a 2nd tight end. I may go back and add them . . . The TE who is a specialist . . . who complements the starter

I chose to pick a blocking back and two ball carriers then tried to weigh and balance their seasons as to the order. Thus, Nagurski and Casaras were ball carriers and great ones. How well I did it is up to debate, others could do it a totally different way, and I get that, but I wanted it the way I did it.

Your way is not wrong, mine is not right, both are just our views.

It may have been fairer if I picked a two-way team or a Pre-WWII team for the teams that were around. But them I'd lose Sid Luckman's 1943 and others.

Anyway, that's my story and I am sticking to it.

But I am not saying my way is the only way, it is most certainly not.

John, excellent series overall. A most worthy project.

bachslunch wrote:John, excellent series overall. A most worthy project.

Agreed. I think you have a book here.

Rupert Patrick wrote:

bachslunch wrote:John, excellent series overall. A most worthy project.

Agreed. I think you have a book here.

(IMHO) What might make a great book would be to contrast the "Career Year" team with the more often seen
"Career" team.

Then one could make the argument for/discuss Steve Young's best season versus Joe Montana's career, etc.
Perhaps even a section for each team of "most controversial" and/or most contrasting.

If that were to be considered (my opinion as a reader) I would prefer to see more positions included which might allow for fewer compromises.
In addition to the usual positions I'd suggest (on defense) Nose Guard/Middle Guard, Inside Line Backer (as opposed to MLB), Designated Pass Rusher and Nickel Back. Each would have to be manned by a player who actually played those positions (so the ILB spot would have to be a 3-4 LB). If there was no such player in the teams history a "None" would have to suffice.

That would be a fun read.

JuggernautJ wrote:

Rupert Patrick wrote:

bachslunch wrote:John, excellent series overall. A most worthy project.

Agreed. I think you have a book here.

(IMHO) What might make a great book would be to contrast the "Career Year" team with the more often seen
"Career" team.

Then one could make the argument for/discuss Steve Young's best season versus Joe Montana's career, etc.
Perhaps even a section for each team of "most controversial" and/or most contrasting.

If that were to be considered (my opinion as a reader) I would prefer to see more positions included which might allow for fewer compromises.
In addition to the usual positions I'd suggest (on defense) Nose Guard/Middle Guard, Inside Line Backer (as opposed to MLB), Designated Pass Rusher and Nickel Back. Each would have to be manned by a player who actually played those positions (so the ILB spot would have to be a 3-4 LB). If there was no such player in the teams history a "None" would have to suffice.

That would be a fun read.

I tried to do that where possible, but there were plenty of exceptions. If a team played a lot of years in both a 3-4 and a 4-3 I chose one of each and they had to play the position, i.e. no ILBer at MLB and no MLB at ILB, but as you have seen there were exceptions,

Somtimes it was because the position was too thin. Giants, for example. Burt would be okay as a 1st team NG, then who? a 4-3 shade (1-tch) or Erik Howard as a 2nd team? I guess I could have searched for a 5-2 middle guard . . .

But as far as designated pass rushers, all of them were DPRs in the season picked. Same with nickels, 3rd down backs, etc. They had to be non starters in season picked. Some grew into starters at their positions, but there are no "fits" there.

But, there is a "fit" in he conversions of players, like Johnny Blood, as a tight end, but singe he was a wing who lined up outside the end...it was not too much a stretch.

But there are a few teams that do have a few "fits" at ILB/MLB and in those cases I hope the legend shows that MLB/ILB . .. like that.

But a career team is a good thing, too...but many have been done...they are always fun reads.

Appreciate the feedback, I agree with it