h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

No, but I used to know a hooker called Minnie Mazoola...

I'll get me coat...

Never heard of Duncan Martin...

I don't know Jeff personally, he told a lecture room of about 50 other UK coaches at the same time... sorry if I've mislead you... I did meet Christaian Okoye once and had a chat with Merrill Hoge and Eddie Murray at a junior players camp many years ago... does that count?

I also saw Worzael Gummage once, if that helps...

I once cheered as a young man called Victor Edubedike got ejected from a Ravens/Cherokee game for spearing the QB...

Little did I know that one day I would be one of 20,000 chanting his name as he rumbled over the touchline in a Monarchs/Knights game...

I can't say I've met anyone famous except a couple of Raiders cheerleaders in a big department store in Southampton ...

I just wanted to thank Duncan for assisting me to the answer. I was reading BBC sport earlier this morning before the question was set and they have an article about the best defenses of all time. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/us_sport/2697577.stm
Duncan happened to mention the '91 Eagles.

I shall now put my mind to a new question.

I'd trade Merrill Hoge for a couple of Raiders cheerleaders anyday.... (rubs hands on thighs Vic and Bob stylee..)

There's one other key to DL play that you've left out. Hand-fighting is part, but explosion at the snap is also critical. Getting off the line of scrimmage quicker than your opponent is the key ingredient for success on a speed rush, or to get a push into the backfield when you're trying to collapse a pocket or stuff a goal-line run.

While I concur with the philosophy of getting off the line, I think it's a bit more complex that you may have made it seem. It's not always being the quickest to move forward across the line of scrimmage, but more the first one to move at all, if for no other reason than to prevent that 320-lb lineman from shoving you into the grass like a misbehaving dog. A lot of D-Line skill comes from varying the approach speed, front, back, or sideways, all the while being the first to move - it's like high-speed chess that way, control your opponent's moves (or at least limit his options) as quickly as possible. It's also highly dependent on the defensive play calling (I've seen several instances where DEs even drop in to short pass coverage, albeit very briefly, and sometimes with a really good OLB presence on the end, perhaps containment is delayed a bit). I would also never underestimate the ability of a delayed rush from a DT after when combined with a MLB blitz. That can be utterly devestating to an ill-perpared or rookie offensive lineman (as well as his QB!).

I couldnt' agree more with the point about findamental hand (or perhaps "grappling" is a better word) skills. I've played DE a fair amount (though never good enough for University level) and I have to say that I might have considered trying out for college were I larger (I'm only 6'3", 240 lbs [that's 1.91m, 17 stone for you UKers], not quite college level ) and stronger - and if I'd learned Judo earlier in my life. The grappling skills I learned in Judo were of incredible value to me in later "pick-up" games of football we used to play whenever it snowed. Ahhhh, something about a game of smashmouth with the guys in the mud and snow ...

- JD

Hey JD, no need to worry... even those of us in the UK born into the metric measurement system still use good old feet, inches, pounds and ounces... old national habits die hard no matter what the authorities say should be used... Besides, us footy fans in the UK are usually well versed in the standard body measurements used in the US, we read enough roster line-ups after all... 1.91m means little to me.... I'm quite happy with stones though... we have to constantly convert lbs to stones when describing player sizes to those uninitiated in the fine game over here...

JD: Perhaps that's why I never have to think about varying my speed of attack. At 6', 165lbs, I often found myself lined up across from guys your size. The day I can't get off the line before someone that size, I'd better be using a walker.

Of course, I'm not going to get any push up the middle against someone that size, no matter how good I am at hand-fighting, so for run plays, I just try to stand my ground and make the tackle at the line of scrimmage.

Ah, I see your dilemma. The guys I knew were all ex-college players (and quite a few of them rugby players now, actually) that were near or above the 300-lb monolithic size. I had problems getting by them a lot, but being quicker wasn't always the answer, so I learned to use their weight against them (even though they weren't THAT much bigger than I was). I remember blocking a guy your size, and always had trouble when he'd stutter step on me the first - he was always quicker off the line, too! Like you say ... if I beat you lighter guys off the line, you must be injured! That or trying some trickery.

- JD

Ahh, good - I'll stick to feet and inches then. I'm always having to mentally divide by 14 when watching/reading about non-US rugby players though, so I'm used to that stones-pounds conversion as well. That and I'm an American engineer, which means that I practically do obscure unit conversions in my sleep.

- JD