Any Era Players, another look

If anybody still visits the site formerly known as Sports entertainment programming network. com they would note that they are running a nice little all could play an any era football team, with current players.

First off there are some questionable people that are on this list, and I think when asked about any era we have to decide how many era's are we talking about? The 50's-70's? 70-y2k? every year ever? It would be very hard to compare these decades of play, when considering todays athletes are bigger and stronger then their predecessors .

Any how, lets Jump to the ensuing blunders

Where to start except the top, number 20. What I think we should do is insert some of our own names into the mix as to where we feel these current players could be able to play in past generations.

The first notion that makes this argument invalid, is that the players today are much more finely tuned beings then most NFL's have ever been in the past. With the size and speed of todays athletes I feel that many past era players would be completely lost in the speed of todays game. Yet that takes away from the complete reasoning of this post, which is to disagree the decisions BSPN makes.

• # 20 Mr 5head himself, Peyton Manning

Well it is kinda hard to argue placing Manning on any all time great list, his talent at the QB postion slightly revolutionized the game. Turning most teams 2 minute drill, into 60 minuets of high paces pass action football. He wasn't the first to do it,be he is arguably one of the best. My only qualm is he is rated this low, granted he might not of had super success in the early days but any time the after the Merger Peyton would of been able to gunsling his way to a SB. So while I feel he deserves to be on the list, his current ranking is a joke. I would move sir forehead into the top 10. For my 20th (SPOILER ALERT: HOMER PICK) JJ WATT: My list my pick, besides do I need to justify this pick?

Didn't think so.

• # 19 Tim " Timmy Tebus" Tebow

Now, If Peyton Manning only makes it to 20 and Tebow is at 19 then who ever writes this crap is purely forgetting that we don't even think Tebow is a Quarterback currently let alone could play Quarterback in any era. What a Joke, On my list I would pick Calvin Johnson, this guy is out right awesome and would be double and triple covered in any era. The scary is he is still very young, and has had as an unreliable QB situation as they come.

• # 18 Ndamkong Suh

This is a great pick, this guy could most definetly play ball in any era. I don't have any qualms about his selection or postion on this list. I wound think he would have made a name for himself then and is making a name for himself now. It is pretty hard to find an alternate for this pick Suh is a solid selection and his placement is right with the amount of experience he has

• # 17 Dwight Freeney

Here is another pick that is a bit questionable, he is an undersized speed end. While he has had a good impact during his tenure now, he would of been nothing great in past eras. His undersized frame would just be pushed around the los during the run first years of the NFL. While a great pass rusher, with the best spin move ever, he would have only been a presence during the passing years which we are in the middle of. I would most likely choose a a mauling Tackle. Duane Brown comes to mind, this guy is a great pass blocker and showed this year to be a great run blocker. You could insert Joe Thomas here as well.

• # 16 Jared Allen

Another great pick, this guy is a hell of a player. He is quick, powerful and would most definitely have the athletic abilities and physical tools to play in any era. As bad as the previous pick above is, this pick is 100% correct. Allen would be able to dominate the line of scrimmage in any era. It would be hard to add any other player in his place.

• # 15 Darrelle Revis

Sure this guy is able to take his skills and apply them in any era, one of the things he is missing is elite return ability. While he is a shut down corner, and quite possibly the only CB that could take any WR and put in on an island. That missing return ability is what would truly make him a time jumper. This is a big reason Deion was so great, he could lock down any receiver, but could also turn the game on its side with a return. Revis just doesn't provide this kind of weapon. While you could go with current success, if you were to include past success Champ is more of a choice then Revis, IMO

• # 14 Ray Rice

Another questionable pick, while he has had a tremendous three seasons, it is that he has only played for three seasons there are multiple running backs who could of been selected here that have produced longer careers worth of stats. Arian would be the homer pick, but I'm gonna give the NFC some love for they have very little representation on the list something of 8 out of 20. Stephen Jackson he is a haus of a running back, the only knock on him is he has had no help which has cut down on what his numbers most likely could be.

• # 13 Ed Reed

Back to Back Ravens, sure while they have had a Top ranked defense since they won the SB in 2000 and their roster is loaded with guys who could play ball an any era. I feel Reed would be able to apply his skills in any time period, I believe that his talents are better suited for a pass happy offense. While he was able to lay the wood in his earlier years his real treasure has been a ball hawk. As the league as become more pass happy it has allowed players simliar to Reed to shine, while 50 years ago he would of had a hard time dragging down 240 Running backs, or 280 TE's

• # 12 DeMarcus Ware

I feel this pick runs along the same lines as the Freeney pick, while he is a great pass rusher. Speed is his number one weapon. I feel Ware is better suited then Freeney to play in past eras, due that he might be more adaptive to a position change. Ware would of been a great Outside Backer, or a good End. I don't like this pick as much as the Jared Allen pick, IMO Ware would get pushed off the LOS during some of those run heavy teams. Granted he is a very tough guy, but he might be a little high on this list.

• # 11 Tom Brady

Sure Brady would of been able to play in most eras, but not until the passing game really takes effect would he more effective. When the WR's became more important the Running backs Tom Brady really shines, but former eras relied so much on the running backs that the quarterbacks were used as managers. With out the complexity of todays passing game, I don't know if Brady has the ability to transverse any era. His reliance on todays WR's and a complex offensive scheme are what makes him shine today, and those are attributes that weren't high on past era football minds. Yet Greatness transcends is a phrase.

• # 10 James Harrison

Wow, best pick yet. This guy not only could play in any era, he belongs to past eras. This guy should of been born 40 years ago to dominate back then. My qualm about this, is that Duane Brown broke his face, and isn't even on this list. Also, funny is that Ray Lewis is the one pictured in the article which leads me to believe he will make an appearance soon enough.

• # 9 Aaron Rodgers

Another Premature pick, for a guy who has only played for 3 seasons to say he would make it in any era is ignorant. This guy is a pass happy quarterback, and with out the quantity or quality of the WRs he enjoys I don't know if he can even re produce his current results on a different team. As for who goes here, probably Brady while Manning takes the 11 postion.

• # 8 Hines Ward

Really, this is worse then the Tebow selection. Well Obviously we are gonna pick Andre, and there is no need to pin the homer label on this pick. The guy only is the bar other receivers are measured against in the current era, not Hines Ward. Andre and his test of time will determine how high on the list of all times greats goes. I really can't stand this pick Hines Ward, <Shudders<

• # 7 Patrick Willis

This is a funny list, because some of these players most definitely belong, Willis is one of them his placement is also right on, he is one of the few middle linebackers other teams have to plan for. With the addition of a quality coach and some pass rushing talent around him now he has a chance to shine for a couple more years. As for an alternate at this position I am stressed to say I don't know If I can pin one down.

• # 6 Adrian Peterson

I'm pretty sure when the title indicated players for any era success, Peterson was one of the first players you think of, I know it was one of mine. He deserves to be higher on this list, I would venture to put him at the #3 spot, as for who would go here in his stead. That goes to Mr Willis, who gets to move up a postion as recent retiree Jason Taylor gets the nod, as I have pervasively knocked on lighter ends he gets the a pass for I'm running out of selections to put on the alternate list

• # 5 Brian Urlacher

Done, he belongs and 5 seems right on. Would you have an alternate?

• # 4 Charles Woodson

Now this is why Revis was placed so low on the list, is because Woodson has that return ability, while he has lost a step due to the years he is still a ball hawk just waiting to get tested. Very few players win the Heismen that don't play offense, that alone says enough of his skills.

• # 3 Ben Roethlisberger

I believe this might be the most controversial pick, while I think he might have some reason to be on the list. Granted he is a tough guy, has a ring and all that. However, I don't have him as an elite any Era player. His playing hurt has put his team at a disadvantage, while it might pump up your masculinity level it blows long term career out of the window. I would venture to say Eli belongs on this list if you put Ben on it, so I would be in favor of just removing Ben. So we Move AP to three and if I didn't add any alternates then we just move everybody down a spot and it is now 19 and not 20.

• # 2 Troy Polamalu

Another player that belongs on any all time list. Oh by the way Senior Foster is still waiting for you in the Endzone.

• # 1 Ray Lewis

Well now we have found the reason AFC North blogger JH was getting at, he wanted to showcase his conference after they had received the boot from the playoffs. While he was most likely handed a story to do a biased peice on todays great players he gets the honor of mauling the basic list of 20 into a humor act.

So any opinions on who I've missed in my alternates, and that were missed by BSPN to begin with?