Mike Alstott?

[ATLFalcons]

This is a piggyback off of the Warrick Dunn thread and I was interested to hear what everybody thought hear about Alstott after reading this blog post on ESPN.com.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcsouth/0-4-87/Alstott-s-legacy-on-display-Sunday-night.html
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas

When I think of Mike Alstott, two things always come to mind. I had the good fortune to cover Alstott's first three seasons with the Bucs when I worked for The Tampa Tribune.

The first thing that struck me was Alstott's power running and physical style. The guy was a moose and his feet may have made him the final fullback to really have much impact as a runner. Fullbacks today just block.

I'll be thinking about Alsott dragging defenders on Sunday when the Bucs honor the recently-retired fullback at halftime of the game with Seattle.

The second thing about Alstott is a lesson I think about every year when the draft comes around and people start talking about 40-yard-dash times, vertical leaping ability and potential.

I was sitting in Tampa Bay general manager Rich McKay's office one day during the 1997 season when Tony Dungy's Bucs were just starting to get good. I was working on a story about how the Bucs had used the draft to build this team. We started to talk about Alstott and McKay made a comment that floored me and, then, made me realize how brilliant it was in its simplicity.

I wasn't able to find the exact McKay quote because it came well before everything got saved forever on the web. But I'm sure it was something close to this.

"When we drafted Mike Alsott, we drafted a guy with absolutely no potential,'' McKay said. "We knew he wasn't going to get any better than he was. But he was already a very good football player and that was good enough for us.''

Moral of the story: Take the guy that's the good football player over the guy who is just an athlete. The football player has produced. The other guy just has potential. Production should be more important than potential.

[Seattle1]

I liked Alstott a lot, but I still voted "no" for the Hall of Fame. I don't think he will make it.

Also, I hope the Seahawks spoil his homecoming Sunday night! ;)

[Food]

I'd say he's borderline for the HOF, but I wouldn't mind if he gets in. As Mr. Yasinskas says, he was unique for being a fullback who was a scoring threat. Nobody has made extensive use of fullbacks as ball carriers much since, and not many were doing so when he came along. That makes him a special character of his era, and a legend to Bucs fans like me. :thumbsup:

[efin98]

Without his ability to make holes Warric Dunn wouldn't even be talked about as a Hall of Famer. Without his blocks Trent Dilfer would have been levelled and would have been out of the league a decade ago. Without him Tampa never makes the playoffs let alone the Super Bowl during his career.

But the fact that he was a fullback will be lost on the voters. They will go with the flashy players over the hard nosed players so he will have to wait a few years to get in...but he will make it.

[CCN]

Without his ability to make holes Warric Dunn wouldn't even be talked about as a Hall of Famer. Without his blocks Trent Dilfer would have been levelled and would have been out of the league a decade ago. Without him Tampa never makes the playoffs let alone the Super Bowl during his career.

But the fact that he was a fullback will be lost on the voters. They will go with the flashy players over the hard nosed players so he will have to wait a few years to get in...but he will make it.

I don't know. They've elected quite a few OL lately.

Alstott was a terrific player, but I do wonder if his injury issues might be held against him. I'm not sold on him, but he has a good argument for doing so much for that team. And being able to do it for so many plays a game blocking, rushing and catching. That may well be why he did have injury issues.

[efin98]

I don't know. They've elected quite a few OL lately.



Alstott was a terrific player, but I do wonder if his injury issues might be held against him. I'm not sold on him, but he has a good argument for doing so much for that team. And being able to do it for so many plays a game blocking, rushing and catching. That may well be why he did have injury issues.

His injuries are tied to one major injury which he lost most of 2003 to, the fact that he came back and was still effective despite the injury says something about him.

[CCN]

His injuries are tied to one major injury which he lost most of 2003 to, the fact that he came back and was still effective despite the injury says something about him.

It does indeed. So many running backs flame out after a handful of seasons, and a lot of that has to do with the wear and tear of the position. For him to come back at a high level is the siogn of something special as a player.

[Food]

Alstott was honored last night at halftime of the Bucs-Seahawks game. It was a really excellent moment, great to see!