Question for older fans

[profile_removed]

Hey guys,

He retired 5 years before I was born and 9 before I started watching football so I don't know much about his career, or scheme he played in...but I've read alot about him, and have seen a lot of footage. My question is this. Can a FAIR comparison be made between Ray Nitschke in his prime and early in his career, and current linebacker AJ Hawk? Yes I know AJ is a bit bigger, but I have reasons for this.

1. When I saw AJ Hawk in the Fiesta Bowl knock the TAR out of Brady Quinn *His soon to be Brother in law at the time* I immediately thought 'that's a Nitschke move...knock your brother in law stupid for a couple minutes.

2. AJ like Nitschke isn't the prettiest tackler in the world.

3. And I mean this in all seriousness...AJ's been flagged for more 15 yard penalties in his short career so far than all of the inside linebackers I've watched play for the Packers in the 25 years prior to his being drafted.

I'd be interested in the opinions of the older and also more knowledgeable fans on this one.

 

[ivo610]

Thats like comparing Johny Jolly to Reggie White.

 

[A1MEANGREEN]

ole number 66 was the man there are just a few thats in his league. his motor never quit

 

[JBlood]

There's few who compare with Nitschke, so it's really not fair to compare Hawk with him. The game was primarily a run game in those days, and nobody got to the ball and tackled like Nitschke. And he could cover when he had to, intercepting 25 passes in his career. The Bears fans think Butkus was better, but they're wrong, as usual. Nitschke was simply the greatest linebacker I've seen play.

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[ivo610]

There's few who compare with Nitschke, so it's really not fair to compare Hawk with him. The game was primarily a run game in those days, and nobody got to the ball and tackled like Nitschke. And he could cover when he had to, intercepting 25 passes in his career. The Bears fans think Butkus was better, but they're wrong, as usual. Nitschke was simply the greatest linebacker I've seen play.

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I have always found it odd he only got one pro bowl selection.

I never saw Nitschke play, so the best LB I have ever seen play is Ray Lewis. Im sure I will take some heat on that.

 

[PackersRS]

I'm not from that time, but from what I've watched/read, Nitschke was the meanest, angriest badass on the field at all times.

What describes Hawk better? Angry, or passive? I believe the latter.

I don't have faith that Hawk can turn into a great player anymore. He lacks the drive. He showed some last year, but not nearly enough, and he doesn't have the physical skills and mental atributes to compensate for it.

If he can play with an angry demeanor, I think he can be a very good ILb.

But he plays to his assignement only...

 

[JBlood]

The thing about Hawk that surprises me is how slow he's become after being one of the fastest linebackers when drafted. He appears a lot bigger than in college, but his bio says he's 250lbs now compared to 240 in college. Maybe all his weight room workouts have taken a toll on his speed.

 

[profile_removed]

In the combine he ran a low 4.6 when everyone figured he'd run mid to high 4.4

 

[JBlood]

In the combine he ran a low 4.6 when everyone figured he'd run mid to high 4.4

I thought he was really fast his rookie year. It looked like he could run with anyone. Now he looks slow to me. Don't know about the 40 times, but maybe his reaction time has slowed.

 

[Raptorman]

I'm not from that time, but from what I've watched/read, Nitschke was the meanest, angriest badass on the field at all times.

What describes Hawk better? Angry, or passive? I believe the latter.

I don't have faith that Hawk can turn into a great player anymore. He lacks the drive. He showed some last year, but not nearly enough, and he doesn't have the physical skills and mental atributes to compensate for it.

If he can play with an angry demeanor, I think he can be a very good ILb.

But he plays to his assignement only...

He was that. Which made him all the better player. Because he was only that way on the field. Off the field you would never know he was a LB in the NFL. Totally opposite of what he showed on the field.

 

[ivo610]

He was that. Which made him all the better player. Because he was only that way on the field. Off the field you would never know he was a LB in the NFL. Totally opposite of what he showed on the field.

Unless he was drinking. Jerry Parins has a pretty good story about Ray, and his drinking.

 

[PackersRS]

He was that. Which made him all the better player. Because he was only that way on the field. Off the field you would never know he was a LB in the NFL. Totally opposite of what he showed on the field.

In the SB I documentary, they mentioned that Ray, for those who didn't know him closely, was very intimidating, probably an effect of losing his folks really early (father died at 3, mother at 13).

But those who really knew him said he had an amazing heart, that he was a loving, caring human being...

 

[tigerli]

Hello! I am new here.

I am new here.But i really would like to learn about some information about our stars.Please give advice.Thank you.

 

[PackerSlacker]

As soon as Hawk survives a metal tower falling on his head at practice we can start comparing the two

I actually still like Hawk. No, he doesnt give you those game changing plays like a 5th overall pick apparently is suppose to, but he just seems like a good old fashion old school player. Which, in a way, is why maybe you would compare him to some of the past Packers. Love him in the run game. Not so much in the passing game...

 

[OldSchoolFan]

He had a book out in the 60's called "Mean on Sunday". It's a good read and still around. Old #66 had a motor that NEVER quit and was an out spoken leader on the defense.

A.J. and Ray are about the same size, but I don't see the fire in A.J. that I saw in Ray in EVERY game he played. If Ray is a 10, A.J. might be a 6...I think the old Packer linebackers of Mike Douglass, or even Wayne Simmons were more of the style of #66.

I think Barnett would like to be "the guy" that bring an attitude to the defense, but most of the time he looks like a punk.

 

[TheGiftedApe]

Hawk's got too much money in his pockets slowin him down!!!

also I agree with ray lewis is the best LB of this generation,Urlacher is just alright, and has not been as dominant a Lewis. As well, I think the next one will be this Patrick Willis guy in SF, especially if Mike Singletary keep coaching him up.

 

[ivo610]

Walter Payton had Matt Suhey. Brian Piccolo had Gale Sayers. When Ed McCaskey visited Piccolo in a New York hospital in 1970, the reserve running back was in the final stages of cancer.
"Tears popped out of my eyes," McCaskey said. "He was gasping for breath. He looked up and said: `Don't worry Big Ed. I'm not afraid of anything. Only Nitschke."'

 

[PackersRS]

Walter Payton had Matt Suhey. Brian Piccolo had Gale Sayers. When Ed McCaskey visited Piccolo in a New York hospital in 1970, the reserve running back was in the final stages of cancer.
"Tears popped out of my eyes," McCaskey said. "He was gasping for breath. He looked up and said: `Don't worry Big Ed. I'm not afraid of anything. Only Nitschke."'

Is that for real?????

 

[ivo610]

Is that for real?????

Yes sir.

 

[dude]

A lot of music critics didn't like Led Zeppelin. They thought the band did little more than copy old blues songs and that Robert Plant was a horrible singer. The group certainly has outlasted many of their critics even though they broke up in 1980 after their drummer John Bonham died.

WTF? Totally lost me with this.

Nitchke was more comparable to Ted Hendricks but had a bigger impact when it mattered and wasn't a head case the rest of the time.

 

[PackersRS]

Yes sir.

Damn. That's got to be the best compliment a person can ever have...

A lot of music critics didn't like Led Zeppelin. They thought the band did little more than copy old blues songs and that Robert Plant was a horrible singer. The group certainly has outlasted many of their critics even though they broke up in 1980 after their drummer John Bonham died.

Is this a bot???????