For Buffalo Bills fans, this weekend is almost like winning a Super Bowl with the induction into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame of Ralph Wilson Jr. and Bruce Smith in Canton, Ohio Saturday Evening. Bruce Smith was drafted number one overall in the 1985 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. Bruce was stand out Defensive Linemen at Virgina Tech where he, won the prestigious Outland Trophy as a Consensus All-American Football player. Bruce "God" Smith was the greatest defensive end of all-time he, played 19 seasons in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills (1985-1999) and the Redskins (2000-2003). Bruce quickly established himself as one of the premiere Defensive Linemen in the NFL by winning NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Year by the NFL Players Association. I went to Bruce Smith first game as a Buffalo Bill against the New England Patriots. The first thing fans noticed in the stands about Bruce was that he was overweight playing the Defensive End position. The Bills organization noticed that Bruce was overweight and Bills strength and conditioning coach and Defensive Line coach Ted Cotrell told Bruce that he needed to shed some pounds to rise to his full potential as a NFL player. Bruce lost that weight and became one of the most feared defensive players in the history of the NFL. The majority of media members say Bruce is the third greatest defensive linemen behind Deacon Jones and Reggie White. I disagree with the NFL pundits because, Deacon Jones played with a Hall of Famers Merlin Olsen and Rosie Grier. Reggie White played with a potential Hall Of Famer Jerome Brown before he, was tragically killed in a auto accident. Bruce Smith played with Jeff Wright, Leon Seals and Phil Hansen. The guys I mentioned Wright, Seals and Hansen played up to there full potential every Sunday when they put on a Bills uniform, but they were not on the All-Pro or Hall Of Fame level as NFL players. Bruce played under a tremendous disadvantage for his whole NFL career he, played in a 3-4 Defense which is not conducive for defensive linemen to make or create sacks on the quarterback. In the 3-4 Defense the outside linebackers usually, make all the sacks on the quarterback. Bruce overcame this disadvantage and still became the All-Time sack leader with 200 sacks and 13 seasons with ten sacks or more sacks. Bruce claimed NFL Defensive Player Of The Year in 1990 and 1996 and AFC Defensive Player Of The Year in 1987, 1988, 1990 and 1996. Bruce was also named to the 1980's and 1990's All-Decade Football Team. Bruce also, earned first team all-pro honors nine times and was selected to eleven pro bowls in nineteen years. Bruce was truly a physical specimen because, his speed and quickness was devastating and disrupted Offenses on a consistent basis. Ask Hall Of Fame Quarterbacks Warren Moon. Dan Marino and John Elway who was the greatest defensive player they ever played against and they will tell it is Bruce Smith. We as Bills fans know that Bruce Smith was extremely arrogant and he, always wanted to re-negotiated his contract but, when Bruce put on a Bills uniform on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday he played like it was his last football game. We watch NFL games today when the top defensive linemen come out of the game for some much needed rest on the sidelines. Bruce never came out of the game he played every play until the final whistle was blown. Finally, Bruce was a catalyst behind the Buffalo Bills domination of the AFC in 1990's when the Bills appeared in four straight Super Bowls. Bruce will be remembered by the Bills fans as a playmaker which is sorely needed on the 2009 Edition Of The Buffalo Bills. I would trade the whole Bills defensive Line for Bruce Smith that is how devastating he was to a opposing offenses. Tonight Bruce Smith will receive his Hall Of Fame Jacket and tomorrow he will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame as one of the greatest players to ever put on a NFL uniform. Bruce stop Driving while intoxicated. You are a member of the NFL Hall Of Fame.
No comments:
Post a Comment