Last week's edition of "Wednesday's Challenge" saw Celtics superstar Kevin Garnett taking down Bruins legendary goaltender Tiny Thompson and moving KG up the RBSF Ladder from #81 to #71. This week's Challenge features two former Patriots quarterbacks as Drew Bledsoe (#66) attempts to fend off the challenge of Steve Grogan (#73). This is the second time Bledsoe has faced a challenge (he lost to Willie McGinest on June 4, dropping down from #60). A look at the two candidates...
BLEDSOE: Played 9 seasons for the Pats (1993-2001). Drafted #1 overall by Pats in '93 NFL Draft. In his 2nd season he broke the NFL record for pass attempts, became 2nd QB ever to complete 400+ passes in a season and led the league in passing yards with 4,555. Won 1996 AFC Championship before losing Super Bowl XXXI to Green Bay. Passed for 3,000+ yards 7 years in a row. Member of SB XXXVI Champions. Was youngest passer to ever reach 10,000 career passing yards and the youngest QB to play in the Pro Bowl. Made 3 Pro Bowls with Pats. Team's all-time leader in completions (2,544), attempts (4,518) and passing yards (29,657). 63-60 record as a starter in New England.
GROGAN: Played entire 16-year career in New England (1975-90) after being the Pats 5th Round pick (116 overall) of the '75 NFL Draft. In his 2nd season he broke the NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single-season (12), a record that still stands today. Also passed for 18 TDs that season while going 11-3 as a starter. In 6 starts in 1985 he went 5-1 and helped the Pats make the playoffs, where they would eventually go all the way to Super Bowl XX as the AFC Champions. Finished career with 26,886 yards passing and 2,176 yards rushing. Had 182 TD passes and 35 TD runs. Team's all-time leader in games started (at QB) and 2nd in wins, yards and touchdowns. 75-60 record as a starter. Member of Patriots Hall of Fame.
VERDICT: This one is very tough for me. Grogan is perhaps my all-time favorite Patriot, and has a record 15 games over .500 as a starter (which my surprise some). He is unbelievably tough and very likable too. Bledsoe is certainly more talented as a pure passer, more fresh in people's minds, and helped turn a 1-15 franchise into an annual contender. For better or worse I still consider Steve Grogan "Mr. Patriot" in many ways, and am using personal preference, not necessarily resumes, to help him get my vote this week.
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5 comments:
1. This is the first week that I've let "favoritism" decide my vote over production (clearly most of you cannot say the same based on past votes).
2. The photo of Grogan seems extra appropriate given he is about to get creamed and is still standing strong. Too bad he's not wearing the neck brace in the photo.
I know this is going to turn into a bash Bledsoe post. But this time i wil not defend him.
Much like DK, i am a huge Grogan fan. As i mentioned in my 1st RBSF HOF post i still have a Grogan jersey that hasnt fit me since i was a kid. My only defense of Bledsoe in this post is that he was the QB when it all turned around. He was the QB to start our decade of dominance( and the decade isnt over yet).
Lets move 14 to #66!
I also don't want to bash Bledsoe...although I have put him up for 2 Challenges and voted against him both times. To be on the Ladder at all is significant, there are a ton of great athletes who aren't. Like I said though, this one becomes a favorites issue as Grogan is behind only Dewey as the favorite athletes from my childhood.
Too bad Polarbear is MIA...he was Bledsoe's biggest defender last time around.
I'll take it easy on challenging Bledsoe for a while after this...I don't want to knock him off the Ladder altogether.
WJ, no Bledsoe bashing this time? Does the vote speak for you?
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