🏈 ESPN lists the Top 80 defenders of the 2000’s but only four Bama players made the list?

[Davestwin]

ESPN’s Top 80 list included Quinnen Williams at 76, Javier Arenas at 58, Minkah Fitzpatrick at 47 and Jonathan Allen at 18. Nebraska’s Suh took top honors. Seems to me they left out a few from the Tide. Who would you have included?

 

[1CrimsonTider]

Got a link for reference?

 

[Davestwin]

Got a link for reference?

Ranking the 80 best college football defenders of the 2000s

It’s a premium article so I’m not sure about the link. Let me know.

 

[Crtuneman]

So many to choose from. Daron Payne, CJ Mosley, Donta Hightower, Mark Barron, Marlon Humphrey, Dre Kirkpatrick, Eddie Jackson, Roman Harper, Charlie Peprah, Kareem Jackson, Demeco Ryans, HaHa Clinton Dix, Landon Collins. I mean all of these guys were game changers and All-Americans.

 

[Elderfalsedemigod]

Read that article a few days ago. Not really a bad article. They just did some reaching to pull some players in from very non-traditional teams. Also some of the numbers for some of those guys were what they were because of lack of competition both on their own team and in their opponents

Let’s face it. You could populate a 100 player list and never leave the SEC but they are definitely trying to be more inclusive

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

So, 80 players...

How many division 1 teams are there? And 11 defensive starters on each of those teams? I can't remember the last number, but if there are 135 D1 schools, x 11 players on defense, x 21 years..

That's 31k players that they drew their paltry list of 80 top players from.

And we had 4 out of 31k? That's pretty good.

Devil's advocate here: OK, so let's take the top 3 players from each of those teams...

That's still 8500 players. Now let's divide that number by 1.75 for the average starting years of some top players. Because some only start a year, some start 3 or 4... That number is still 4,860.

Pull a list of only 80 of the top defensive players from 4,860. Now that we still had 4 players out of those nearly 5k that was trimmed down to 80.

Spitting out the Krimson Koolaid for a sec, that's still pretty awesome.

Should Ha-ha have been there? Absolutely. But was Minkah better than him? I'd say yes. Even as awesome as HCD was. It looks to me like they selected top players from key defensive positions. So we have one of each of the top Safeties, defensive tackles, defensive ends, and cornerbacks.

Still pretty solid. I think the list is pretty fair.

Why do we have to bitch and moan about EVERYTHING when we're the top program in NCAAFB history?

MUST we have it ALL?

 

[Davestwin]

So, 80 players...

How many division 1 teams are there? And 11 defensive starters on each of those teams? I can't remember the last number, but if there are 135 D1 schools, x 11 players on defense, x 21 years..

That's 31k players that they drew their paltry list of 80 top players from.

And we had 4 out of 31k? That's pretty good.

Devil's advocate here: OK, so let's take the top 3 players from each of those teams...

That's still 8500 players. Now let's divide that number by 1.75 for the average starting years of some top players. Because some only start a year, some start 3 or 4... That number is still 4,860.

Pull a list of only 80 of the top defensive players from 4,860. Now that we still had 4 players out of those nearly 5k that was trimmed down to 80.

Spitting out the Krimson Koolaid for a sec, that's still pretty awesome.

Should Ha-ha have been there? Absolutely. But was Minkah better than him? I'd say yes. Even as awesome as HCD was. It looks to me like they selected top players from key defensive positions. So we have one of each of the top Safeties, defensive tackles, defensive ends, and cornerbacks.

Still pretty solid. I think the list is pretty fair.

Why do we have to bitch and moan about EVERYTHING when we're the top program in NCAAFB history?

MUST we have it ALL?

Who’s bitching and moaning? Reread what I posted and tell me how what I wrote could in any conceivable way be construed in such a manner? I simply asked my fellow Tide fans who they would have included? I didn’t criticize the ESPN article nor the writer (whom I like very much). And I’m the absolute last Bama fan who can be fairly labeled as a wearer of crimson colored glasses. In fact my account was suspended on Tidefans.com because they only want comments from those who have had those glasses permanently implanted.

However, to your point about the article “being fair” ... in my opinion, articles from true sportswriters should be based upon facts and not upon what’s fair. No team in modern football history has been so dominate as has Bama since 2008 and from 2008 to 2017 they dominated based primarily upon their defenses. So, for half of the span upon which this list was based, the most dominate team in history with the most dominate defenses during those 10 years and manned by far more 1st Round defensive players than any other program only garners four spots?

So, 80 players...

How many division 1 teams are there? And 11 defensive starters on each of those teams? I can't remember the last number, but if there are 135 D1 schools, x 11 players on defense, x 21 years..

That's 31k players that they drew their paltry list of 80 top players from.

And we had 4 out of 31k? That's pretty good.

Devil's advocate here: OK, so let's take the top 3 players from each of those teams...

That's still 8500 players. Now let's divide that number by 1.75 for the average starting years of some top players. Because some only start a year, some start 3 or 4... That number is still 4,860.

Pull a list of only 80 of the top defensive players from 4,860. Now that we still had 4 players out of those nearly 5k that was trimmed down to 80.

Spitting out the Krimson Koolaid for a sec, that's still pretty awesome.

Should Ha-ha have been there? Absolutely. But was Minkah better than him? I'd say yes. Even as awesome as HCD was. It looks to me like they selected top players from key defensive positions. So we have one of each of the top Safeties, defensive tackles, defensive ends, and cornerbacks.

Still pretty solid. I think the list is pretty fair.

Why do we have to bitch and moan about EVERYTHING when we're the top program in NCAAFB history?

MUST we have it ALL?
[/QUOTE

Who’s bitching and moaning? Please show me where in my post you see any bitching and moaning. I simply asked my fellow Bama fans who they would have included? I never said the list was unfair ... but since you brought up the subject, I firmly believe articles written by true journalists should be based upon facts and not written with an eye towards being fair. However, in this instance, one might reasonably argue that it’s “unfair” for the most dominate team in modern football history whose defenses for half of the span upon which the list was based were the most dominate in the sport and we’re manned by far more 1st Rounders than any other program, to only have four players selected.

 

[planomateo]

Bill Connelly is a data guy, way more than most imho.

 

[shipley00]

If this is just college, then Rolando would have a shot at my top 100

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

Who’s bitching and moaning? Reread what I posted and tell me how what I wrote could in any conceivable way be construed in such a manner? I simply asked my fellow Tide fans who they would have included? I didn’t criticize the ESPN article nor the writer (whom I like very much). And I’m the absolute last Bama fan who can be fairly labeled as a wearer of crimson colored glasses. In fact my account was suspended on Tidefans.com because they only want comments from those who have had those glasses permanently implanted.

However, to your point about the article “being fair” ... in my opinion, articles from true sportswriters should be based upon facts and not upon what’s fair. No team in modern football history has been so dominate as has Bama since 2008 and from 2008 to 2017 they dominated based primarily upon their defenses. So, for half of the span upon which this list was based, the most dominate team in history with the most dominate defenses during those 10 years and manned by far more 1st Round defensive players than any other program only garners four spots?

You're proving my point.

First of all, domin-ATE is a verb. The ADJECTIVE you're trying to use is domin-ANT.

Do u even English?

This is not the all-Bama team we're talking here.

Connelly didn't attend or watch every Bama game. He's basing about 80% of this list on stats. What's on paper.

All things-DATA considered, this is a SUPER-fair list.

Now, whatever you tried to prove by saying "I'm not Muh krimsun glasses" while guzzling the Kool-aid, it's kinda the same thing, dude.

So while you're basing your bias on the eye-test, (uh oh, there's those GLASSES), Connelly is basing his selections with what's on paper.

Just because you can't admit that you're bitching and moaning does not absolve you from what it is that you are precisely doing.

Now, go rinse out your sandgina and put some cream on it.

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

Bill Connelly is a data guy, way more than most imho.

Precisely.

 

[Elderfalsedemigod]

SLO from the top rope.