for all you old timers

Gotta pick Franco, but Bettis is close.
No question, Mel Blount, but Woodson in his prime was shutdown
Stallworth, but I loved Swannie; Webster; Donnie Shell for his hitting, but Palamalu is/was very good; Lloyd for his toughness; Brad always came up big in the big games
But the one I miss most was Jack Lambert
By the way, I saw my first Steeler game in Pitt Stadium in 1963. Kent Nix was the qb.

 

I would pretty much agree with this. Especially about you being an old timer

Only difference would be that I'd probably take Troy over Shell. A tough call, given that Troy is just Troy, and is difficult to compare to anyone. Probably for that reason that I'd go for him. But I should add: a healthy Troy.

EDIT: And Franco over Bettis, on your own grounds - a better all-around RB.

 

Diamond

I'm in my mid sixties, and watch the 70's steelers many times at three rivers.
it's kinda of funny that people who watch all the teams since the 70's most times agree on the same players.

Agree with you on all the players but think Bradshaw has a slight edge on Ben.

Blount
Stallworth
Webster
Franco and Bettis (even)
Troy
Bradshaw
Lambert (best Steeler linebacker ever)

 

I'm 47, and go back to watching the Steelers for the first time at age 6 in 1972. Don't worry, I remember the 70s vividly and am even lucky to call a couple of guys from those teams friends today.

So here are my answers, but some might surprise you:

franco harris or Jerome bettis

Franco. Of course he is my all time favorite Steeler. Remember, that among other things, Franco was the 3rd highest rusher in NFL history , and also held the record for rushing yards in the postseason , at the time of his retirement.
mel blount or rod woodson

Rod Woodson. Woodson could do many things that Blount could not do- like sack the Qb and return kicks for TD's. He remains one of the most awesomely talented football players I've ever seen.

Mark me down as someone who felt then- and feels today- that Blount is a bit overrated. His 1975 season was perhaps the greatest season ever for a DB, on a team which I believe had the most talented and deepest secondary of all time (all 4 starters made the Pro Bowl in 1976, and the 3 backups, Shell, Brown and Allen, have over a 100 career combined INT.) But from 1970-1974 he was considered the weak link of the secondary ( a fact which you can read right in the SB IX program) and from 1980-1983 he declined precipitously. I believe Woodson was a better player than Mel in their rookie years, and was a better player than Mel was in their last seasons. My friend Jimmy Allen, who was Mel's backup for 4 years and bailed him out when Blount was getting killed in the 1974 AFC title, will agree with me.

john stallworth or hines ward this one I called a push but I like to argue with him

Stallworth all the way. Hines was really good, but Stallworth remains tremendously underrated. He pretty patented the toe tap drag move to the sidelines, and I firmly believe he was better than Lynn Swann.

mike Webster or dermonti dawson

A toughie, but I'll go with Mike Webster by a bit.

troy palamalu or Donnie shell we agreed on this one I just wanted opinions

I love Donnie, who like Jimmy I consider a friend, but Troy is - like Woodson- one of the most uniquely talented players the Steelers have ever had.

greg loydd or kevin greene

Lloyd. Greene had the better career, but Greg was better as a Steeler for sure. He put on some of the most brutal hits I've seen. He and Rod are the only 2 guys from the Cowher defenses that I think would have started over the 70s teams.

this is the big one

terry bradshaw or ben rothlisberger he says ben is the best football player if you take away the team awards.

Ben - with the distinction that Ben plays in the era where rules favor passing, and Terry played in the era when the rules did not. One advantage is that Ben has is his ability to rally the team and run the 2 minute offense, which he does much better than Terry did. Of course, the 70s Steelers were rarely behind late in the game..

Good question and everyone has a fair opinion, will go back and read what other folks have said.

A reminder to all of us who have been fans for the past 40+ years- my goodness, we've been blessed to watch such greatness.

 

Bettis over Franco - Bettis was bigger, stronger and more fun to watch
Woodson over Blount - Woodson was one of the best athletes to play the game
Ward over Stallworth - Ward was the toughest receiver to ever play the game
Webster over Dawson - Mike is and will always be the best center for the Steelers - RIP Mike
Polamalu over Shell - I love Shell, but Troy is one of the most dynamic players ever

 

Sorry, gotta finish
Lloyd over Greene - Loved Greene, but he was a one trick pony. Lloyd was the real deal
Roethlisberger over Bradshaw - Bradshaw had much better players around him. Roethlisberger is better in every category but SB wins.

 

Good post and definitely some worthy comparisons. Here it goes:

1.) Franco over Bettis - Franco was a more complete back...though neither were backs who could catch the ball, Bettis deserves a lot of credit for being a guy who had nifty feet and could make some surprising moves for a guy his size, but Franco had more of a burst and to me was a bigger play capability back

2.) Woodson over Blount - Woodson was such a complete player including being a very good safety (albeit not on the Steelers) later in his career

3.) Stallworth over Ward - and over Swann too for that matter, Stallworth was both a big play guy and an outstanding possession receiver, but I do love Hines, still my favorite Steeler of all time

4.) Webster over Dawson - To be honest, I am not really sure on this one except I always hear that Webster set the mold

5.) Troy over Shell - Shell was more disciplined, but Troy has just made too many huge plays throughout his career to be ignored including pretty much willing us into SB 43 with his pick 6 off Flaccid

6.) Lloyd over Greene - shame Greg had that late career injury...who knows maybe he would have been in Lambert's and Ham's league

7.) Bradshaw over Ben - I think we forget that Terry used to be pretty mobile too, I also think Terry was far smarter than what he is given credit for, and to me he is still the best big game QB of all time.

 

How about Lloyd or Harrison? I'm going Harrison. If he would have gotten a fair shot earlier I think he would have destroyed all the steelers sack records. Harrison also was hhelast of his kind. He is the last player the opposing team actually feared. When talking about 3-4 olbs my top 5 are Harrison, Lloyd, Porter, The donger, and the Greene in my book. Greene would probably be higher but he wasn't a Steeler for very long.

 

Kevin was the absolute man and he was a really fun player to watch. I loved him big time. I hope he makes it to the Hall someday.

 

I just want to point out, again(it`s been mentioned), how lucky we are to even have debates like this!!!
Most teams can`t point out 2 or 3 players at pretty much every position, that are hall of fame caliber players, over the course of 30 years or so.
YES, we are spoiled.
With that being said, I`m 42 yrs old, and remember watching the Steelers when I was about 5 or 6 years old...
Winning Superbowls, and INTIMIDATING our opponents, so, yeah, I am biased towards the older players.
Mostly for their toughness, and the way they put fear into their opponents.
Also, because they were from a generation, when players stayed on one team, for the most part, and had loyalty to it.
There was a true pride in playing for the Black and Gold, as opposed to being a "professional", and "respecting" other players around the league...
They didn`t "respect" their opponents... They wanted to KICK THEIR ASS!!!...
All of that aside... I really can`t pick a clear cut "favorite", in most of these "matchups".
The only one that really jumps out at me, is Greg Lloyd, over Kevin Greene, and only because of Greg`s "intimidation factor"... Kevin Greene was plenty good, but he didn`t actually "intimidate", like Lloyd did. So he gets my vote there...
All the rest, I would be nitpicking, to say who was "better" than the other...
Also, I nevr saw in the orignal post, where it said "in today`s game"... I think it was just based on who played best while they played...
As for the "Big One"....
I still consider that to be a question to debate, when Ben is done...
SO FAR... I have to give the nod to Terry, just because he`s won 4 Superbowls... But, I still think Ben is capable of tying, or beating that record...
Other than the SB rings... Those two really are like one in the same, kinda qb...
They are both big, tough guys, that can shrug off would be tacklers, keep the play alive, and come up with crucial plays when needed.
Ben`s been lacking that a bit recentley, but I ain`t ready to say he can`t do it again...
He played like crap at the end of last year, and the beginning of this, but since then, he has reminded me of what he is capable of...
For those who forget, Bradshaw was just as much of a "gunslinger/gambler"...
He didn`t always hit Swann or Stallworth with surgeon-like accuracy... He often just heaved the ball up, in their general direction, and trusted them to "make the play on the ball".
He also scrambled around like mad, to "keep the play alive", `till he found someone open downfield.
He also, pretty much would NOT come out of a game, unless he was decapitated....He got stitches in his head on the sideline during one of the playoff, or Superbowl games(forget which), and came back in the next series...
It`s not like he was Brady, or Manning, back there in the pocket, and would pick you apart...
He just had that same overwhelming "competitive spirit", and "will to win", that sets Ben apart from most other QB`s in todays game...
So, when Ben is retired, THEN , I will debate whether he was better than Bradshaw...
Right now, I say it`s an incomplete body of work, but so far there are remarkable parallels in their playing style, and they both led their teams to wins...
All the other players, I am glad we have had, and they have all done their part, as well, to contribute to the legacy of THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS.
I just can`t pick one or the other of the other "matchups", as being "hands down", better, than the other. So, I won`t.

GO STEELERS!
aND thanks to another thread...
This is what I mean about Terry..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC3JthI5BVg#t=586
Enjoy...

 

I actually like this comparison better. Greene was an awesome player, of course, one of my favourites back then, but comparing two guys on the same team is trickier, for some reason, than across generations.

 

thanks guys I really appreciate it. we get into discussions like this all the time. I love to argue with him because he loves stats and has opinions on everything. he has Asperger syndrome. he has been arguing with the screen as he read your posts.lol he loves the steelers though. I got him hooked when his parents ask me to help him in school. he wanted to play sports but it was just hard for him. he wants me to add that for those of you who think that john stallworth was better than hines ward do not understand football and the way it is suppose to be played.lol he is VERY opinionated. he also thinks that Cameron heyward is the next joe greene

 

Oh no Lloyd was absolutely feared I'm saying Harrison is the last person that people feared because of the new rules.

 

I know these choices are personal preferences and there really are no wrong answers. Giving Bradshaw the edge over Ben, is not a knock on him. Ben still has some good years left and may overtake him, in my mind, as the best Steeler QB ever. I agree Bradshaw had more talent around him, but he also played against tougher defenses, than we see in the game today. I remember towards the end of Bradshaw's career, he was fighting a serious elbow injury. We lost 4 or 5 in row and looked terrible, doing so. We went to NY to play the Jets, in what I believe was Bradshaw last start. We won 35-7, with TB throwing 3 TD's and the offense looking like the offense of old. I think some people dismiss TB's talent because of all the HOF's he played with. Anyway, I don't think you're wrong in your assessment, heck maybe in a couple years, Ben's play will have me thinking the same.

 

I really can't pick one over the other, the reason is I still have to look at the era the guy plays in. I love Mel Blount but in todays game with the 5 yard chuck rule he would be flagged every play and we would be screaming for him to be cut. Someone already mentioned Webster being too small for todays game, I'm not 100% that would make much of a difference but it is true, especially when you have monster nose tackles now. As for Ben over Terry or Terry over Ben, that too you have to look at it differently, would Terry be able to overcome the lack of a running game or the bad oline play of todays Steelers. Would Ben be able to thrive with a great running attack behind a stellar oline which requires 25 pass plays or less per game, I think he may be able to but you just don't know because the guys we have now were taught the game in a very different way. If you need proof, take a look at how players deal with drastic rule changes, P.Manning is the one I blame for the 5 yard chuck rule, his cerebral type of game can't exist without it as his offensive prowess is all based on timing, certain coaches knew this like Belicheat and he had his guys bump the Colts receivers not at the line but after the first 5 yards and then he looked like an average QB. The rule changes favor certain types of players and the league is taking pure physicality out of it and replacing it with strategy so the heroes of yesterday might not fare too well in todays game and the same goes for the stars of today versus the game of yesterday.

 

1. Franco...was better catching the ball in the flat.
2. Woodson...could also return punts
3. Stallworth...much taller
4. Dawson...didn't end up in KC
5. Troy...though Donnie Shell belongs in the HOF
6. Lloyd...only comparison here between guys who were actually teammates.
7. Terry

 

Would take them all over what we have now.