Bronko Nagurski named #21 Big Ten Icon

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Considering Charles Woodson is no.20, I would say no, you dont' have maroon colored glasses on. I always find these rankings so stupid even when they encompass just one sport (It's tough to compare different decades of play, but impossible to compare a Pg to a C or an OF to a SP or a RB to a CB), but to compare people just by conference seems even more ridiculous.

When I saw the ads for this show I thought Bronko would be in the top 5 and the highest rated Gopher. I am guessing that honor will go to Dave Winfield now.
 

You're forgetting that the entire top ten is reserved for tOSU, Michigan, and JoePa.
 

Tee09 said:
You're forgetting that the entire top ten is reserved for tOSU, Michigan, and JoePa.
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Neal Broten and Bobby Bell are also listed, so it's not just football icons.
 


This is complete B.S.

Bronco Nagurski's name screams BIG TEN FOOTBALL.

Crazy Legs Hersch was #25.

I can see giving the top spot overall to somebody who did more than athletics... Harold Ford? Jesse Owens? But there is no way Nagurski deserves to be this far removed from the top 5.

Also... Drew Brees was #48? Really? I think time will show he was also extremely underestimated by the "Icons" program. Unless the very definition of "icon" is that you have to be dead... or least no longer playing.

Brees won the Maxwell Award, touchdowns, completions, and passing yards. Oh, and he's not a bad pro either.
 

I don't care what anyone say's: Big Ten football it is Bronko #1 and Red Grange #2.




Big Ten hoops-it's Bruce Kaupa.
 

Lindsay Whalen's picture was shown in some of the previews for the show. Since she wasn't in the 50-21 group, is it possible Whalen is in the top 20 ahead of Nagurski???

I know she led us to the final four, is probably the greatest player the U women have had and all, but it seems a bit high for her when it comes to the top 20 individuals of any sport in the entire history of the B10 conference.

If she is not part of the icons at all - seems weird and totally random that she was shown in the previews for the show.
 

The list will never please everyone, but Bronko should be higher.

My other pet peeve about this is including any Penn State players that played prior to 1990. Seriously, how can Jack Ham be the No. 22 Big Ten Icon of all time when he never played a single down in a Big Ten Conference football game?? That's stupid. I'm guessing John Capelleti will take up a spot in the Top 20, too.

I'd have to say we'll probably only see one more Gopher - Dave Winfield. Unless Kevin McHale, Paul Molitor, Bruce Smith, or Lindsay Whalen make the Top 20 (I think a stretch for any of them).

Other than that, I would guess Red Grange, Nile Kinnick, Archie Griffin, John Wooden, Steve Alford, Mateen Cleaves, and Ron Dayne will obviously take up spots in the Top 20.

Who's your guess on No. 1? I'm saying Magic Johnson.

Who am I missing? Certainly Eddie George and Troy Smith cannot be on the Top 20 list. Isiah Thomas? Jerry Lucas? John Havlicek? Katie Smith? Kent Benson?
 



If Lindsay Whalen is ahead of Bronko on the list, the compilers of said list should be publically stoned.

If the idea of Whalen ending up in the top 20 didn't give you pause, you need to do a Bronko refresher quickly.

Nothing against Whalen but she's about 1000 tiers below Bronko with any measurement you could choose.
 

What happens if they ever find out that my Great Aunt did Bronco's homework?
 

Nothing against Pat Fitzgerald, who was an excellent Big Ten linebacker and who'd I'd love the have on the Gophers' sidelines as the head coach, but I lost all faith in the Big Ten Icons countdown when I saw Fitzgerald made the top 50. That's a joke.
 

Too low for a charter member of both hall of fames and the only player from the 20s whose name is still recognizable today. If he'd gone to Michigan or Ohio St, he'd be #1.
 



gophmeister said:
Too low for a charter member of both hall of fames and the only player from the 20s whose name is still recognizable today. If he'd gone to Michigan or Ohio St, he'd be #1.
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You forgot the only player to be named All American on both offense and defense
 

Even taking out of account that most of us are quite obviously biased, that is an absolute joke.

Bronko Nagurski is Big Ten football.

And, given that football is the biggest sport in the Big Ten, Nagurski has to be Top 5. Just has to be.

Only 3 people deserve to be ahead of him, in some order: Jesse Owens, John Wooden, and Red Grange. Placing him at #21 is appalling and disgusting. Why even make the list if it's some joke?
 

Pretty ridiculous. There's even a major award named for Nagurski. Too much recentism, too little history.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Nothing against Pat Fitzgerald, who was an excellent Big Ten linebacker and who'd I'd love the have on the Gophers' sidelines as the head coach, but I lost all faith in the Big Ten Icons countdown when I saw Fitzgerald made the top 50. That's a joke.
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Huh?

He's was the Big Ten Defensive player of the year twice, won both the Nagurski and Bednarik awards twice, led a team from absolutely nowhere to two BT titles, and is in the NCAA Hall of Fame.
 


Nagurski should be in the top 5. The only bigger icons I can possibly imagine are Red Grange and possibly Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes.

This just speaks to the sorry state of our athletic dept. in revenue sports.
 

Red Grange, yeah Red Grange himself once said 'Bronko Nagurski is the greatest football player that ever lived, period'.

I hate people who don't know history.
 


13 Lined Ground Squirrel said:
Joke of a list.

I wonder how many people will be talking about Charles Woodson 80 years from now.
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80 years from now, players will be competing for the Charles Woodson trophy, right? It's sad when real legends, the people who are the pillars of the conference get neglected.
 

I like this topic and certainly Nagurski should garner more consideration. I have been brainstorming just footballers who added the most to the big ten legacy. The list is not exhaustive; simply some historical names I think off:


Coaches
Fielding Yost -Point a minute squads and long time AD -MI
Amos Alonzo Stagg -invented passing, helmets, and a ton of plays -CHI
Woody Hayes -OSU
Bo Schembechler -MI
Joe Paterno -PSU although one has to discount his contribution to the last 20 years.

Players
Alan Ameche -Heisman WI
Nile Kinnick -Heisman IA
Desmond Howard -Heisman MI
Tom Harmon -Heisman MI
Bob Griese -Purdue
Chuck Long -IA
Archie Griffen -2 Heismans OSU
Hopalong Cassidy -Heisman OSU
Desmond Howard -Heisman and a lot of press -MI
Jay Berwanger -first Heisman -CHI
Bruce Smith -Heisman -MN
Eddie George -Heisman -OSU
Red Grange-The galloping Ghost was one of first stars IL
George Halas -Name Recognition -IL
Jim Harbaugh -MI
Jeff George -IL
Anthony Carter -MI

Certainly there are a ton more that could be considered. I found it funny that my list doesn't include many lineman and Defense, but heck I'm getting worn down just thinking about all the greats who have made their way through Big Ten ball.
 


EG#9 said:
Considering Charles Woodson is no.20, I would say no, you dont' have maroon colored glasses on. I always find these rankings so stupid even when they encompass just one sport (It's tough to compare different decades of play, but impossible to compare a Pg to a C or an OF to a SP or a RB to a CB), but to compare people just by conference seems even more ridiculous.

When I saw the ads for this show I thought Bronko would be in the top 5 and the highest rated Gopher. I am guessing that honor will go to Dave Winfield now.
Click to expand...

I once heard Bobby Bowden refer to Tim Tebow, 'it's like having Bronko Nagurski playing quarterback!'. I wonder, 75 years from now how many coaches will compare contemporary players with Charles Woodson?

Does that answer the question of whether he should be ranked higher? I think he may also have been the last player name all American both ways, but don't quote me on that.
 


The list is for ONLY student-athletes, no coaches. So, no Bo, Woody, Knight, etc.

I forgot about Jesse Owens. He may well be #1 on the list.
 


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