The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Since we’ve entered the dreaded offseason, I though it would be fun to name our 75th anniversary team. The way it works is simple: each week, everyone votes on a position until we have our full roster. I’ll suggest as many nominees as I can think of, but write-ins are more than welcome – I’m bound to miss a few. We will tally up results each week (let’s say by Sunday at midnight ET each week), and then start the next position.

Quarterbacks

Votes due by February 18th, midnight, EST. Vote for only one.

"Slingin"' Sammy Baugh, 1937-1952, HOF, 7-time NFL All-Pro
Eddie LaBaron, 1952-1953, 1955-1959, 3 Pro Bowls
Sonny Jurgensen, 1964-1974, HOF, 4 Pro Bowls
Billy Kilmer, 1971-1978, 1 Pro Bowl
Joe Thiesmann, 1974-1985, 2 Pro Bowls, 1983 NFL MVP
Doug Williams, 1986-1989, Super Bowl XXII MVP
Mark Rypien, 1988-1993, 2 Pro Bowls, Super Bowl XXV MVP

(I snagged all these guys off the 70 greatest Redskins list. It will work very nicely for some positions, but not too well for others.)

Let’s try to keep the Mark Brunell jokes to a minimum...

Baugh

Quick question before I vote... Are we voting for the best player compared to the other players of their time, or the most talented, or even the one who was most important to the Redskins franchise?

You can use whatever criteria you like. "Greatest" isn't real clear, but I like to think of it as, if only one of these players could make the Hall of Fame based only on their careers with the Redskins, who would get your vote?

Mine goes to Baugh. As much as I love some of these other guys like Jurgensen, Baugh's on a whole other level.

I'm going to have to say Baugh, although perhaps my vote shouldn't count since I never saw him play.


edit: And, by the way, nice idea for a thread, SS.

Irn-Bru wrote:I'm going to have to say Baugh, although perhaps my vote shouldn't count since I never saw him play.


edit: And, by the way, nice idea for a thread, SS.

I'm with you on everything here. Can I have my brain back now, please?

definitely "Slingin" Sammy, Theisman puts up a solid fight though

Sammy Baugh****

I got to give it to Mark Rypien.

I'll vote for Sonny Jurgenson. He was the best passer I've ever seen. If the Skin's defense was any good when he played, I'm sure they would have won a championship.
Sammy Baugh was also a great saftey and punter. I'll give him my vote for one of those postions.

I'll vote for Sonny Jurgenson. He was the best passer I've ever seen. If the Skin's defense was any good when he played, I'm sure they would have won a championship.
Sammy Baugh was also a great saftey and punter. I'll give him my vote for one of those postions.

I'd vote:

(a) Sonny as the best passer I ever saw. The best passer in the last 50 years. Quickest release, most accurate, best play-caller (yes, there was a time when the QB called the play in the huddle!), only passer I ever saw complete a pass from behind his back, also the only passer to complete one left handed even though he was right-handed. Sam Huff says that Sony could throw a curve and a screw-ball -- could pin the football so it bent right of left.

(b) Slingin Sammy, best all-time from what I've read. The tailback (single-wing) who perfected the bullet pass and made the forward pass a real offensive weapon -- not just a last-ditch trick play. Invented the position. We could justifiably saythat Sammy baugh invented the pass, even though others -- Benny Friedman (?) -- had used it. The hristopher Columbus of QB's.

So: I have to vote for both.

Slinging Sammy

I got to give it to Mark Rypien.

I fear you are serious. Mark Rypien was a system QB, selected by Gibbs specifically because he could fill a role. He bailed the second he got the chance, and lasted how long?

Sonny is my choice. Outstanding passer. Incredible tactician. Beer belly. I also once saw him directing traffic at an accident at the intersection of Nevada Ave and Military Rd. Did ok... of course, he had some experience.

Sammy would be second. However, I will give him my nod as the punter... some of his records in that position still stand.

Countertrey wrote:

I got to give it to Mark Rypien.

I fear you are serious. Mark Rypien was a system QB, selected by Gibbs specifically because he could fill a role. He bailed the second he got the chance, and lasted how long?

Honestly, Mark Rypien isn't even in the top 5. You could make an good argument for number six, but he is far behind Eddie Labaron, Billy Kilmer and Joe Theismann. And even suggesting he is in the same league as Baugh or Jurgensen makes me hurt inside.

Edit: That might be a little harsh - Rypien was a solid quarterback and the gap between him and guys like LaBaron and Kilmer isn't that big. But he still can't sniff Baugh's jock.

I vote for Sonny as QB - they would score 30pts and still couldn't win. Trading Norm Snead for Sonny was the best trade the redskins EVER made.

Jurgensen for Snead was great, but I'd have to say the best trade was Ernie Davis for Bobby Mitchell. Davis was the 1961 Heisman trophy winner and the Redskins first round draft pick in 1962, but was traded to the Browns early in the offseason for Bobby Mitchell. Mitchell moved from halfback (a position he was very goot at) to flanker (a position he was exceptional at), and went on to become a Hall of Famer. Tragically, Davis was diagnosed with leukemia before the season started and never played a snap in the NFL.

You have to remember, Snead was a pretty good quarterback himself, and was a Pro Bowler when the Redskins traded him. Still, he was no Sonny.

Steve Spurrier III wrote:

Countertrey wrote:

I got to give it to Mark Rypien.

I fear you are serious. Mark Rypien was a system QB, selected by Gibbs specifically because he could fill a role. He bailed the second he got the chance, and lasted how long?

Honestly, Mark Rypien isn't even in the top 5. You could make an good argument for number six, but he is far behind Eddie Labaron, Billy Kilmer and Joe Theismann. And even suggesting he is in the same league as Baugh or Jurgensen makes me hurt inside.

Edit: That might be a little harsh - Rypien was a solid quarterback and the gap between him and guys like LaBaron and Kilmer isn't that big. But he still can't sniff Baugh's jock.

I never even seen those old dudes play. I respect what those guys did in the old days. Mark Rypien went to two pro Bowls. Dominated for the short time he was a skin. He left after Gibbs left which is understandable. I like Mark Rypien// Joe Theisman// Doug Williams//. The old guys I cant give a vote to because I am 28 years old and never seen them play. Mark may have been a system player but he still was able to lead the Skins to a SuperBowl. Which cant be said about Sonny or Sammy. But who are we kidding Mark Brunell best of all time All NFL!

HEROHAMO wrote: Mark may have been a system player but he still was able to lead the Skins to a SuperBowl. Which cant be said about Sonny or Sammy.

'course, Sammy played 20-odd years before there was a SuperBowl. He did win the league title twice.
I can see where a guy your age wouldn't be able to properly give credit to a player from that era...but if Rypien was the best you ever saw play for us, I hope to god we have better days coming.

HEROHAMO wrote:The old guys I cant give a vote to because I am 28 years old and never seen them play.

Hey, I never saw Sammy Baugh play but I know he is the best of the bunch. Using your age as a crutch seems kind of weak. But it's your vote, you can do with it whatever you like.

I like Mark Rypien// Joe Theisman// Doug Williams//.

Just out of curiousity, why not vote for Theismann?

Mark may have been a system player but he still was able to lead the Skins to a SuperBowl. Which cant be said about Sonny or Sammy.

Sammy Baugh won two NFL Championships.

I vote for Sammy.

Based on everything I have read, I have to vote for Sammy with Sonny as the back up.

Well, I'll have to rely on what I've read to answer this one.

I didn't see either of them play, but it has to be Sonny or Sammy. Sonny may have perfected the passing game in his day, but Baugh went a long way to inventing the passing game. So I'll go with Sammy Baugh.

I desperately would like to pick Billy Kilmer. He was my idol back in the day. But gotta go with Slinging Sammy Baugh.

Here is an excellent photograph of Sonny Jurgensen from what I believe is the 1968 season. Notice that he is playing sans chinstrap!

I found this at uniwatchblog.com, which is a fantastic web site if you care about uniforms and the like. Anyway, thought some Sonny fans might be interested.