On Gopher football with Brew on FSN, he just said he considers Bobby Bell the greatest defensive player to ever play the game. I am to young to have seen Bobby Bell play so is this accurate, or is this another Brewsterism??
Bobby Bell
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FreakyDeke
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Just NCAA or counting NFL too? Either way I'd guess he probably isn't THE best ever, but those would be 2 different answers.
Breakin' The Plane
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He's the greatest defensive player from the U, but that's not what Brewster said.
DocfromDarwin
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Brewster is just repeating what murray warmath said to stay in the good graces of the U he never even saw Bobby Bell play it was 1960 brewster was what? 2 years old??? he is full of _____
Great Plains Gopher
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Bell and Eller held Navy to -31 yards rushing in 1962. He had a wingspan - only words I can think of - that was awesome. He just enveloped blockers and runners in one huge sweep of his arms. And he was tall and quick - originally a QB.
50PoundHead
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I don't remember him that well from the Gophers. I was all of 8 or 9 his last collegiate season.
As a pro, he was really something. Best ever? Probably not, but pretty frickin' good.
My favorite Bell memory is when he returned an onside kick for a touchdown as a pro.
As a pro, he was really something. Best ever? Probably not, but pretty frickin' good.
My favorite Bell memory is when he returned an onside kick for a touchdown as a pro.
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Did he say he saw him? I never saw Lou Gehrig play baseball, but I'm pretty damn sure he was one of the best.
UpnorthGo4
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If Bobby Bell is not the best defensive player of all time he is definitely in the conversation. I love the way Brew always finds a way to honor past Gopher greats and promote the Gopher football program.
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Bobby Bell's Awards and Career Highlights
* NCAA Football Champion, Minnesota Gophers, 1960.
* All American, 1961, 1962
* Outland Trophy, 1962
* 6× AFL All-Star selection (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969)
* 5× First-team All-AFL selection (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969)
* Second-team All-AFL selection 1964
* AFL Champion, 1966 and 1969
* World Champion, 1969 (Super Bowl)
* AFL All-Time Team Linebacker
* 3x NFL Pro Bowl selection (1970, 1971, 1972)
* First-team All-Pro selection 1970)
* Second-team All-Pro selection 1971
* NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
* 20/20 Club
* Minnesota Gophers #78 Retired
* Kansas City Chiefs #78 Retired
* Minnesota Gophers Hall of Fame
* Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame
* North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
* AFL Hall of Fame
* NFL Hall of Fame
Bobby Bell played for the Kansas City Chiefs, first in the American Football League from 1963 through 1969, and then in the NFL from 1970 through 1974. Bell was an AFL All-Star for six consecutive years, 1964 through 1969, and then an NFL Pro Bowler for three straight years (1970-1972).
He was on two AFL Championship teams and a World Championship team (Super Bowl). He was named to the All-Time All-AFL Team in 1970. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1980, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. The Chiefs retired his uniform number 78. In 1999, he was ranked number 66 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
One of Bell's finest moments came in the 1969 AFL divisional playoff game against the New York Jets. In a critical goal line stand, his key coverage on Jets running back Matt Snell stopped the drive and forced New York to kick a field goal. The 13-6 victory over the Jets propelled Kansas City to its only Super Bowl triumph.
Bell was noted for his one-of-a-kind athleticism at 6' 4" and 230 pounds and was reported to have run a 4.5 40-yard dash. Bell was possibly the most physically gifted linebacker in professional football history, for his speed at such a size made him ideal at outside linebacker. He was noted as one of the finest open-field tacklers in Professional Football history, and if he missed, he had the speed to make up for it.
He was also a great blitzer from the linebacker position. Chiefs records show Bell had 40 career quarterback sacks and he might have had more if he had played right linebacker, not the left linebacker. In that era, more often than not the right-side linebacker got the call to "dog" or blitz since more often than not the tight end would be lined up on the right side (the defense's left). Since Bell was on the left, he usually covered more than he blitzed. He scored 9 touchdowns in his career: 6 off interceptions (26 in his career), 2 more touchdowns off fumble recoveries, and one off an onside kickoff return. Coach Hank Stram said that, "He could play all 22 positions on the field, and play them well."
Bobby Bell was the most highly honored college lineman of the 1962 season. His coach at the University of Minnesota described the two-time All-America choice and Outland Trophy winner as “the greatest lineman I have ever seen.”
It’s hard to believe the versatile 6-4, 228-pound Bell actually began his college career as a quarterback. The Kansas City Chiefs of the then-young American Football League were so convinced that Bell would sign with the Minnesota Vikings of the rival National Football League that they didn’t even bother selecting him until the seventh round of the 1963 draft. The University of Minnesota star stunned the pro football world when he opted to sign with the Chiefs. Bell began his 12-year career with Kansas City as a defensive end.
He excelled in coach Hank Stram’s “stack defense,” which called for him to drop out of the 4-3 alignment and become a fourth linebacker. In 1965, after winning all-league honors as a defensive end the previous season, Bell was shifted to outside linebacker. His size and speed made him ideal for the position. As a linebacker he was named All-AFL or All-NFL every year from 1965 through 1971.
During his career, the versatile Bell intercepted 26 passes, returning six for touchdowns. He also scored on an onside kick and two fumble recoveries. Built in the shape of an inverted pyramid with massive shoulders tapering down to a 32-inch waist, Bobby presented a fearsome appearance on the field. He had the physique to withstand as well as deal out punishment. What made him stand out from the crowd was his superior approach to the game, a willingness to play anywhere even when injured and his great joy at just playing the game. Bell was the first Kansas City Chiefs player to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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Bobby Bell's Awards and Career Highlights
* NCAA Football Champion, Minnesota Gophers, 1960.
* All American, 1961, 1962
* Outland Trophy, 1962
* 6× AFL All-Star selection (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969)
* 5× First-team All-AFL selection (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969)
* Second-team All-AFL selection 1964
* AFL Champion, 1966 and 1969
* World Champion, 1969 (Super Bowl)
* AFL All-Time Team Linebacker
* 3x NFL Pro Bowl selection (1970, 1971, 1972)
* First-team All-Pro selection 1970)
* Second-team All-Pro selection 1971
* NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
* 20/20 Club
* Minnesota Gophers #78 Retired
* Kansas City Chiefs #78 Retired
* Minnesota Gophers Hall of Fame
* Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame
* North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
* AFL Hall of Fame
* NFL Hall of Fame
Bobby Bell played for the Kansas City Chiefs, first in the American Football League from 1963 through 1969, and then in the NFL from 1970 through 1974. Bell was an AFL All-Star for six consecutive years, 1964 through 1969, and then an NFL Pro Bowler for three straight years (1970-1972).
He was on two AFL Championship teams and a World Championship team (Super Bowl). He was named to the All-Time All-AFL Team in 1970. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1980, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. The Chiefs retired his uniform number 78. In 1999, he was ranked number 66 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
One of Bell's finest moments came in the 1969 AFL divisional playoff game against the New York Jets. In a critical goal line stand, his key coverage on Jets running back Matt Snell stopped the drive and forced New York to kick a field goal. The 13-6 victory over the Jets propelled Kansas City to its only Super Bowl triumph.
Bell was noted for his one-of-a-kind athleticism at 6' 4" and 230 pounds and was reported to have run a 4.5 40-yard dash. Bell was possibly the most physically gifted linebacker in professional football history, for his speed at such a size made him ideal at outside linebacker. He was noted as one of the finest open-field tacklers in Professional Football history, and if he missed, he had the speed to make up for it.
He was also a great blitzer from the linebacker position. Chiefs records show Bell had 40 career quarterback sacks and he might have had more if he had played right linebacker, not the left linebacker. In that era, more often than not the right-side linebacker got the call to "dog" or blitz since more often than not the tight end would be lined up on the right side (the defense's left). Since Bell was on the left, he usually covered more than he blitzed. He scored 9 touchdowns in his career: 6 off interceptions (26 in his career), 2 more touchdowns off fumble recoveries, and one off an onside kickoff return. Coach Hank Stram said that, "He could play all 22 positions on the field, and play them well."
Bobby Bell was the most highly honored college lineman of the 1962 season. His coach at the University of Minnesota described the two-time All-America choice and Outland Trophy winner as “the greatest lineman I have ever seen.”
It’s hard to believe the versatile 6-4, 228-pound Bell actually began his college career as a quarterback. The Kansas City Chiefs of the then-young American Football League were so convinced that Bell would sign with the Minnesota Vikings of the rival National Football League that they didn’t even bother selecting him until the seventh round of the 1963 draft. The University of Minnesota star stunned the pro football world when he opted to sign with the Chiefs. Bell began his 12-year career with Kansas City as a defensive end.
He excelled in coach Hank Stram’s “stack defense,” which called for him to drop out of the 4-3 alignment and become a fourth linebacker. In 1965, after winning all-league honors as a defensive end the previous season, Bell was shifted to outside linebacker. His size and speed made him ideal for the position. As a linebacker he was named All-AFL or All-NFL every year from 1965 through 1971.
During his career, the versatile Bell intercepted 26 passes, returning six for touchdowns. He also scored on an onside kick and two fumble recoveries. Built in the shape of an inverted pyramid with massive shoulders tapering down to a 32-inch waist, Bobby presented a fearsome appearance on the field. He had the physique to withstand as well as deal out punishment. What made him stand out from the crowd was his superior approach to the game, a willingness to play anywhere even when injured and his great joy at just playing the game. Bell was the first Kansas City Chiefs player to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
GophersInIowa
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It's also amazing that some will take a positive comment about a Gopher great and make it somehow a negative thing. Like I said in another thread, I swear someone will report that they saw Brew smiling so that means he thinks the program is in good shape.
Gopher Bandanna Guy
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Well said. Seems like another, "shame on you, Brew" moment for some.
Sure, shame on him for speaking highly of one of our all time greats. Shame him for trying to use the great historic significance of this program to leverage recruiting. Shame on him for being positive about Minnesota football.
Sheesh. There's plenty to criticize Brew for, but this kinda stuff ain't it.
ruralgopher
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I wish I went through life with same attitude many of our resident posters have, what a blast that would be!
UpnorthGo4
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It is not enough for many GopherHolers and members of the Local Sports Media that the Coach, Athletics Director, or General Manager is fired and a new one hired just like every other college and professional sports team has to do periodically. They also want us to believe that Tim Brewster, Joel Maturi (or Kevin McHale before them) are in league with the devil himself. Along with being the most incompetent people ever to do their jobs they must also be beating their wives and abusing their children.
wait!what?
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There is an AFL Hall of Fame?
UpnorthGo4
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Not only was it cheesy, it happened 20 or 30 years too late.
DocfromDarwin
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Ya right!!!!!! If brewster really meant it, fine......but he will say anything to make himself look good at this point... he is the Denny Hecker of Minn Football
Unregistered User
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And you are the Ken Starr for Brew. For you it is impossible for him to make any statement without you going off on a tangent about it.