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Who's the best from LBU??

  • I see this topic brought up on tBB from time to time and honestly some of the younger Bama fans will say that we are taking that over based on about 3 or 4 years of some ridiculous LB talent. Although, our talent has been great for a lot longer than that at the position, it is something that I just kind of laugh at start brining up names of people they have probably never heard of and tell them to look them up and check out what they did. I'm not too hard on them, there probably too young. I could bring up the name of former Alabama and Cowboys LB LeeRoy Jordan and a lot of people won't know who he is either I guess. I was first able to remember football in the 70's and of course there was no one greater than Jack Ham in the NFL at the time. He was of course the Ray Lewis, the LT, the Mike Singletary of his day, but PSU also had guys like Greg Buttle, Ed O'Neil, Bruce Bannon, and of course Matt Millen that decade as well.

    Who is your top 5....or 10 if that makes it a little easier.

    My non-expert (probably missing some) list goes like this:

    Jack Ham
    Dennis Onkontz
    Ed O'Neil
    Lavar Arrington
    Paul Posluzny
    Shane Conlan
    Tamba Hali
    Greg Buttle
    Matt Millen
    Dan Connor

    Note: As a Cowboys fan, I really want to ad Sean Lee to the list, so I'll make him #11. I also have to have Dan Connor on there, but he may have some longevity advantage as he started/played all 4 years I believe, but someone like Mark Donoforio could have actually been better.

    That's a tough list to beat. Did I miss anyone too obvious?

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    "Don't confuse association, with something we both really like." ---JB

    BetterOff

  • You definately missed Gino Capone .... I kid

    Too young to appreciate some of the older ones, so in my time i have to go with Lavar.

    I would also throw Navarro Bowman on that list.

    This post was edited by arch1102 on 3/25/2012 at 11:53 AM

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  • arch1102 said...

    You definately missed Gino Capone .... I kid

    Too young to appreciate some of the older ones, so in my time i have to go with Lavar.

    I would also throw Navarro Bowman on that list.

    Bowman is very good. He has done a great job with the 49ers. Willis gets all the credit out there (deservedly so), but Bowman isn't far behind, IMO. They are a great tandum and one reason the 49ers are so tough to run on.

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    "Don't confuse association, with something we both really like." ---JB

    BetterOff

  • Dbl

    This post was edited by Texas Lion on 3/25/2012 at 11:59 AM

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    ‏@Cordale10 Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS

    Texas Lion

  • Didn't follow PSU until I enrolled, so I'll stick with top 5.

    Jack Ham
    Lavar Arrington
    Shane Conlan
    Paul Posluzney
    Sean Lee (whoops about Matt Millen)

    Although Dan Connor is the man, the guys above are pretty deserving of their spot.

    This post was edited by Texas Lion on 3/25/2012 at 12:10 PM

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    ‏@Cordale10 Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS

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  • Tamba and Matt Millen played DE/DT at PSU.

    Rick81 ●

  • Top three:

    Jack Ham
    Shane Conlan
    Paul Posluszny

    LaVar Arrington was a man amongst boys, moreso than perhaps any collegiate player in thirty to forty years. He wasn't, however, a greatly skilled or instinctive linebacker. The three listed above were all fundamentally sound, instinctive, and extremely athletic.

    psufan32 ●

  • BetterOff said...

    Bowman is very good. He has done a great job with the 49ers. Willis gets all the credit out there (deservedly so), but Bowman isn't far behind, IMO. They are a great tandum and one reason the 49ers are so tough to run on.

    143 tackles last year with 2 sacks, 7 Passes defensed and 3 FRs. In his second year.

    Bowman hasnt reached his full potential yet. I honestly think we're looking at a perennial pro bowl player here.

    The Heel ●

  • BetterOff said...

    I see this topic brought up on tBB from time to time and honestly some of the younger Bama fans will say that we are taking that over based on about 3 or 4 years of some ridiculous LB talent. Although, our talent has been great for a lot longer than that at the position, it is something that I just kind of laugh at start brining up names of people they have probably never heard of and tell them to look them up and check out what they did. I'm not too hard on them, there probably too young. I could bring up the name of former Alabama and Cowboys LB LeeRoy Jordan and a lot of people won't know who he is either I guess. I was first able to remember football in the 70's and of course there was no one greater than Jack Ham in the NFL at the time. He was of course the Ray Lewis, the LT, the Mike Singletary of his day, but PSU also had guys like Greg Buttle, Ed O'Neil, Bruce Bannon, and of course Matt Millen that decade as well.

    Who is your top 5....or 10 if that makes it a little easier.

    My non-expert (probably missing some) list goes like this:

    Jack Ham Dennis Onkontz Ed O'Neil Lavar Arrington Paul Posluzny Shane Conlan Tamba Hali Greg Buttle Matt Millen Dan Connor

    Note: As a Cowboys fan, I really want to ad Sean Lee to the list, so I'll make him #11. I also have to have Dan Connor on there, but he may have some longevity advantage as he started/played all 4 years I believe, but someone like Mark Donoforio could have actually been better.

    That's a tough list to beat. Did I miss anyone too obvious?

    John Ebersole (Jets) & Rich Milot (Redskins) were 2 other good ones that had good NFL careers..

    ShotofEspresso

  • Andre Collins was an All American, played 10 years in the NFL, and has a superbowl ring.

    Rick81 ●

  • I'm a young buck when it comes to PSU so since I've been alive, I'll have to go with Poz as being the best LB from LBU.

    As far as best LB ever, I'll go with Jack Ham.

    LaVar Arrington is my favorite and got me stuck on the #11 growing up and when I played sports in high school.

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    PSUjosh11 ●

  • Texas Lion said...

    Didn't follow PSU until I enrolled, so I'll stick with top 5.

    Jack Ham
    Lavar Arrington
    Shane Conlan
    Paul Posluzney
    Sean Lee (whoops about Matt Millen)

    Although Dan Connor is the man, the guys above are pretty deserving of their spot.

    ...took the words right out of my mouth

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    Charlie Mike.

    Kinnetaw ●

  • I believe Bruce Bannon played DE at PSU. (He may have played LB in the pros.)

    jayer

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  • psufan32 said...

    Top three:

    Jack Ham
    Shane Conlan
    Paul Posluszny

    LaVar Arrington was a man amongst boys, moreso than perhaps any collegiate player in thirty to forty years. He wasn't, however, a greatly skilled or instinctive linebacker. The three listed above were all fundamentally sound, instinctive, and extremely athletic.

    I agree with this post, except I think lavar needs to be mentioned. He did everything for us. He even went man coverage on WRs.

    Guy was amazing.

    bonovoxpsu

  • My top picks:

    1(t). Dennis Onkotz - '67-'69 - 3-time All American, (2-1st team and 1-2nd team); CFB HOH
    1(t). Jack Ham - '68-'70 - 1st team All American, CFB HOH, NFL HOH
    3. Paul Posluszny - '03-'06 - 2-time 1st team AA; 2-time Bednarik Award winner!
    4(t). Dan Connor - '04-'07 - 1st team AA; Bednarik Award
    4(t). Lavar Aarington - '97-'99 - 2-time 1st team AA
    4(t). Shane Conlan - '83-86 - 2-time 1st team AA
    7. Greg Buttle - '73-75 - 1st team AA; 2nd overall career tackles - 343
    8. Andre Collins - '86-'89 - 1st team AA
    9. Ed O'Neill - '71-73 - 1st team AA
    10(t). John Skorupan '70-'72 - 1st team AA
    10(t). Kurt Allerman - '74-'76 - 1st team AA

    Honorable Mention: Charlie Zapiec - '71 - 1st team AA, (also lettered '69-'70 @ Offensive Guard)

    2nd team AA's: Scott Radecic - '80-'83; Chet Parlavecchio - '78-'81; Lance Mehl - '77-'79

    Edited. I think the Bednarik Award is a big deal but so is 2-time 1st team AA honors. You could put Poz, Arrington and Conlan in any order. Not much separation in the top 6, but I went with the honors. Of all the names, Aarington was probably the most talented athlete to ever play LB @ LBU.

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by psufankc63 on 3/25/2012 at 6:00 PM

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    Fantastik! Is really formula 409! WE ARE....

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  • No mention for Shamar Finney? I kid, I kid.

    Im just rating the player I have seen play:

    Poz
    Arrington
    Bowman
    Connor
    Lee
    Short

    Also, Cameron (Derek) Wake would have been good if he didnt bust out his knee (twice i think). Eventhough he played during the dark years.

    NevadaNittany

  • BetterOff said...

    I see this topic brought up on tBB from time to time and honestly some of the younger Bama fans will say that we are taking that over based on about 3 or 4 years of some ridiculous LB talent. Although, our talent has been great for a lot longer than that at the position, it is something that I just kind of laugh at start brining up names of people they have probably never heard of and tell them to look them up and check out what they did. I'm not too hard on them, there probably too young. I could bring up the name of former Alabama and Cowboys LB LeeRoy Jordan and a lot of people won't know who he is either I guess. I was first able to remember football in the 70's and of course there was no one greater than Jack Ham in the NFL at the time. He was of course the Ray Lewis, the LT, the Mike Singletary of his day, but PSU also had guys like Greg Buttle, Ed O'Neil, Bruce Bannon, and of course Matt Millen that decade as well.

    Who is your top 5....or 10 if that makes it a little easier.

    My non-expert (probably missing some) list goes like this:

    Jack Ham Dennis Onkontz Ed O'Neil Lavar Arrington Paul Posluzny Shane Conlan Tamba Hali Greg Buttle Matt Millen Dan Connor

    Note: As a Cowboys fan, I really want to ad Sean Lee to the list, so I'll make him #11. I also have to have Dan Connor on there, but he may have some longevity advantage as he started/played all 4 years I believe, but someone like Mark Donoforio could have actually been better.

    That's a tough list to beat. Did I miss anyone too obvious?

    good luck getting a consensus.

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    white_out

  • white_out said...

    good luck getting a consensus.

    No consensus needed. I enjoy reading everyone's opinion.

    Older fans vs younger fans.

    One thing is for certain though. Lavar may not be the best LBer in PSU history, but there may have never been a greater freak of nature.

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    "Don't confuse association, with something we both really like." ---JB

    BetterOff

  • BetterOff said...

    No consensus needed. I enjoy reading everyone's opinion.

    Older fans vs younger fans.

    One thing is for certain though. Lavar may not be the best LBer in PSU history, but there may have never been a greater freak of nature.

    Honestly one of the most impressive athletes I've ever seem film of.

    Adrian Peterson, Brian Bosworth, and Michael Irvin are up there for me, and Lavar has an legitimate argument to one up any of those. I guess I'd add Calvin Johnson too.

    Wish I could've seen him play live.

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    ‏@Cordale10 Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS

    Texas Lion

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