Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Off Topic - Football Post


Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was selected AP Defensive Player of the Year. This guy is a monster, and quite possibly the best Steelers linebacker since Mike Merriweather. There have been a lot of very good ones since then, but Harrison is awesome. It's nice to see him getting the credit he deserves.

7 comments:

Michael W. said...

Messmate,

You are SUCH a jock........-grin-

Happy New Year!

Andrew Duppstadt said...

Thank you Mike. Yes, sometimes I do deviate ever so briefly to mention something of my beloved Pittsburgh sports teams. I thank all my readers for the indulgence; it only happens two or three times a year!

Happy New Year to you as well!

Unknown said...

Nice to see a historian step away from academics once in a while. Dick LeBeau's defense is always good, and Troy Polamalu usually gets all the press. But you're right, Harrison is a monster and deserves the reward. I'm a Giants fan so hopefully we'll be seeing you in Tampa in a few weeks. Now back to research!

Billy Whyte

NCMeekins said...

Awh, you should become a Bears fan and learn what line backing is all about. That one award is named for a Bears line backer should tell you a lot - and he is at best the third best line backer in recent Bears' history behind Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher (award is Dick Butkus award). Long suffering Bears fans acknowledge we have no quarterback worth mentioning but linebackers we got in spades.

Andrew Duppstadt said...

Ah, Mr. Meekins you make an interesting point, and I don't dispute the great linebacker history of the Bears. However, with my parents being from southwestern PA and myself spending a part of my childhood up there, I was spoiled. Not only did I grow up with the Steel Curtain, but I wasn't all that far from Linebacker U. either (Penn State). It's kinda hard to acknowledge anyone else when you grow up with Chuck Noll and Joe Paterno, you know?

NCMeekins said...

I can concede your point to a degree. But can offer only this as rebuttal - how might one explain a Bears fan who lived his entire life in the swamps of eastern North Carolina? Excellence not proximity is my only line of rationale...but I will concede your point to a degree.

Andrew Duppstadt said...

Well Chris, it looks like this is one of the "agree to disagree" moments. I can understand someone in eastern NC being a Bears fan because there were no pro football teams in this great state. I know lots of NC natives who are Redskins, Cowboys, and Steelers fans, but I can honestly say you are the first Bears fan I can recall. So, I concede your point as well....to a degree.

BTW, I assume I'll be seeing you at the Lincoln Symposium in about a month, right? Take care buddy!