Linebacker Of The Decade: Derrick Brooks
December 8th, 2009
Longtime Sports Illustrated scribe Peter King has put together a list for an NFL All-Decade team. Seems like just yesterday Joe was concerned the world would shut down due to Y2K.
At any rate, there is only one Bucs player that made the list. It wasn’t Warren Sapp, it wasn’t John Lynch, it wasn’t Mike Alstott, it wasn’t Meshawn Johnson.
The lone Bucs player on King’s All-Decade team is Mr. Derrick Brooks.
“The one edge no one will ever have over me is the mental edge of knowing players,” Brooks said last year when he painstakingly went over video of Adrian Peterson while showing me how he prepared for games. He watched how runners planted their feet and turned and how they deked so nothing would surprise him on game day. It helped him catch Peterson — and stun Peterson — on a pass out of the backfield in a Bucs-Vikings game.
Damn, the Bucs miss him. And so does Joe.
December 8th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
“Damn, the Bucs miss him. And so does Joe.” AMEN Joe, AMEN!
December 8th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
This coaching staff doesn’t miss Brooks one iota. They are too stupid and consumed in their own BS. Now all the rest of us miss Derrick Brooks, that’s for sure
December 8th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
No Warren Sapp? What a friggin’ joke…..every for the last 10 years we’ve heard of the next “Warren Sapp”…….he is the standard bearer for the under tackle in the NFL’s defensive scheme of the decade, the Tampa 2. I haven’t seen the list, and I don’t care who the DT’s are that made it. To not include Warren makes the entire list an absolute joke
December 8th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
CreamsiclePasties:
Just FYI, the two defensive tackles King chose are Kevin Williams of the Vikings and Jamal Williams of the Chargers.
December 8th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Jaamal Williams? Kevin Williams? Really? I mean those guys are great players, but the best DT’s of the decade? Big Peter King fan here……..but this is out of control. IMO opinion Sapp was the single biggest piece in the turnaround for this entire franchise…..can you say that about the two DT’s listed? His attitude/swagger was what made this defense what it was, and ironically, is probably the reason he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. The guy changed the way the entire league looks at DT’s and while his career and accomplishments didn’t encompass the entire decade (1999 DPOTY), you can’t tell me the 6 years of quality football he put in during this decade is second to anyone else, including the two Williams’.
December 8th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
LB of the decade? I’d take Brooks over Jack Ham and Mike Singletary, guys who are generally lauded as the best EVER.
December 8th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
I agree, Warren Sapp belongs on that list. His 16.5 sack season is the most I’ve ever seen from a DT since I’ve been watching football. He made TONS of plays against the run in the backfield and he took over games at times.
All I hear is talk about other DT’s and how great they are……….
But none of their stats match up…. not Haynesworth, not Pat/Kevin Williams, not Jenkins, not Stroud, not Harris, and the list goes on….
The best one was ” Booger McFarland is the next Warren Sapp” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 8th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Big Warren burned alot of bridges with the press, and SI in particular. This is just one of them. Plenty of buc fans had their feewings hurt by him also.
King shows his manipulation of the NFL masses with leaving him out. Just another notch of lost respect for King.
Although he got Brooks right this time, he did another top 100 or something a few years ago that left him off.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Peter King is an idiot. How can anyone take that fat bufoon seriously? He is like a living sportscenter segment.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:45 am
I agree with TAC, Sapp’s not on the list because he pissed off too many people, but he should be the FIRST DT listed!
December 9th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I’ll agree with the brilliant choice of Derrick Brooks, but it would be good to see Warren Sapp and that list, as well. I’d also go as far to say CB in Ronde Barber, but that’s just my biased self.
December 9th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Calm down people it is his opinon and his list. Why people get upset over type of stuff is beyond me.
Peter King was trying to put together the best “team” he claims and wanted players that together: hence his 2 WRs are Moss and Hines Ward, not AMrvin harrison or Torry Holt (I won’t say TO because I wouldn’t put him on any team)
Anyway, I do agree that Sapp should be on there regardless, but oh well