Greene: ‘I Played Longer, More Productive Than Taylor

[Blue and Gold]

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015...re-productive-than-the-great-lawrence-taylor/

Steelers
Kevin Greene On HOF Snubs: ‘I Played Longer, More Productive Than The Great Lawrence Taylor’
January 12, 2015 11:13 AM



will be announced on Jan. 31 and former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene is once again a finalist.

Greene is one of 18 finalists, and this is the fourth year he has been a finalist.

He joined 93.7 The Fan to talk about the process and not being selected the previous three-years.

“I wouldn’t really say it’s frustrating, I try not to let it control my emotions to where I’m frustrated,” Greene said. “I will say I don’t understand the process I think, I scratch my head, knowing how I played, and playing the same position as Lawrence Taylor, and playing longer than the great L.T. and actually being moreproductive as far as quarterback sacks, and he was known as the sack master, the guy that revolutionized the position.”


Greene played 15 years for the Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers.

He finished his career with 160 sacks, third most in NFL history.

“I know I came after Lawrence Taylor but I’d like to think I did it longer, and did it better, if you look at the numbers and production it pretty much speaks for itself.”

Lawrence Taylor finished his career with 132.5 sacks.

“I scratch my head more than anything, and question, I just don’t understand it. I try not to get frustrated because it’s out of my control.”

 

[LACHAMP46]

oh my, so is he saying he's better than LT? Wonder why I've NEVER heard anyone else say that?

 

[Blue and Gold]

oh my, so is he saying he's better than LT? Wonder why I've NEVER heard anyone else say that?

I think he is saying he was more productive in terms of sacks. I don't think he's saying he was better, just that Greene had 160 sacks Taylor 142.

 

[Alan]

Greene played two more years than LT and averaged 10.7 sack per year while LT only averaged 10.2. But I'd have to say that when you're playing with the steel curtain the opposing team has a hard time keying in on you. LT was the main focus of the defense throughout much of his career. I'm not a fan of comparing players from different time frames but I guess you have to indulge in that to some degree when you're deciding whether to vote for someone to enter the HOF.

I don't think he's really in the same class (although he's up there in the mix) as LT but I'd vote for Greene. After Pace and Warner of course.

 

[RamFan503]

I think he is saying he was more productive in terms of sacks. I don't think he's saying he was better, just that Greene had 160 sacks Taylor 142.

Yeah - I think that is what he is saying. I think it is more that LT was an apparent shoe in first ballot HOF and KG with almost 30 more sacks and being productive right up to his retirement, can't get in.

In a way I can see his point but I honestly don't think of KG as a HOFer. He was a damn good OLB and maybe does deserve to be in but I honestly didn't follow him all that much once he left the Rams.

 

[RamFan503]

Greene played two more years than LT and averaged 10.7 sack per year while LT only averaged 10.2. But I'd have to say that when you're playing with the steel curtain the opposing team has a hard time keying in on you. LT was the main focus of the defense throughout much of his career. I'm not a fan of comparing players from different time frames but I guess you have to indulge in that to some degree when you're deciding whether to vote for someone to enter the HOF.

I don't think he's really in the same class (although he's up there in the mix) as LT but I'd vote for Greene. After Pace and Warner of course.

Kevin Greene wasn't part of the Steel Curtain. That was way before his time. Are you thinking Joe Greene as in Mean Joe Greene?

 

[So Ram]

oh my, so is he saying he's better than LT? Wonder why I've NEVER heard anyone else say that?

I know when The Rams played The Giants head to head they would win more often then not.
The dude was a winner.You of all people wearing a LA hat should know that.
When Kevin Greene went to Pittsburg was just another slap in face to Old Ram fans.Georgia was a joke.Then they got D.Love & Bettis.Talk about core players.

Another great Ram fan.I respect Kevin Greene going to St.Louis as a Ram this year.
He won a Super Bowl with Coaching Clay Matthews.Clay showed his versatility this year.
How is Ray Ray working out in Oakland ?? I'm an Angel fan anyway,don't really like the Dodgers since Kronke got out bid by Magic.
I hated Kevin Greene a lot of times.Mainly because he was so good on great defensive teams,& not with The Rams.

 

[Warner4Prez]

I distinctly remember Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene being particularly ferocious 'backers. Factor in Rod Woodson and that was a pretty damn tough defense no matter who else you play.

I can't pontificate on Greene's time with the Rams as I was probably like 7 or 8, but I know he was an entertaining guy to watch even on towards the end with the Panthers. And he's continued to contribute while coaching up those Green Bay backers. All things considered, he'said more than worthy in my book.

 

[Alan]

RamFan503 noticing my faux pas:
Are you thinking Joe Greene as in Mean Joe Greene?

Yes I was!

After further thought (and a little research), I still think LT got much more attention. So other than that HUGE GLARING ERROR I stand by the rest of my post.

Until someone finds another error.

 

[Selassie I]

I have a funny Greene story... and this article reminded me of it and how much Greene thinks of himself. Hahahaha

Years ago before Jacksonville had the jags, the Rams and falcons played a preseason game in Jax.

I was there with my girlfriend at the time. I was looking for autographs after the game and I was able to get a bunch. Players were happy to give them for the most part.... except for Greene. He pretended I wasn't even there. LOL

So I came up with a plan. Most of the autographs I was able to get were given to me as the players were hanging on the sideline towards the end of the game... it was a preseason game and the starters weren't playing late in the game. Greene just wasn't accommodating.

So my girl and I went out to see if we could get anymore autographs as the players got on the buses. I saw Greene coming out of the building and he was still ignoring all of the dudes asking for his sig. That's when I told my hot blonde girlfriend to see if he'd ignore her too. I walked away and sent her over to ask alone...

Well, Kevin did NOT ignore her. Hahahaha. He stopped in his tracks and was very happy to give her some close attention. She got the autograph. I couldn't help myself either... I yelled over to him that I knew he couldn't ignore her and thanked him for MY autograph as he was entering the bus. We both laughed.

 

[RamFan503]

I have a funny Greene story... and this article reminded me of it and how much Greene thinks of himself. Hahahaha

Years ago before Jacksonville had the jags, the Rams and falcons played a preseason game in Jax.

I was there with my girlfriend at the time. I was looking for autographs after the game and I was able to get a bunch. Players were happy to give them for the most part.... except for Greene. He pretended I wasn't even there. LOL

So I came up with a plan. Most of the autographs I was able to get were given to me as the players were hanging on the sideline towards the end of the game... it was a preseason game and the starters weren't playing late in the game. Greene just wasn't accommodating.

So my girl and I went out to see if we could get anymore autographs as the players got on the buses. I saw Greene coming out of the building and he was still ignoring all of the dudes asking for his sig. That's when I told my hot blonde girlfriend to see if he'd ignore her too. I walked away and sent her over to ask alone...

Well, Kevin did NOT ignore her. Hahahaha. He stopped in his tracks and was very happy to give her some close attention. She got the autograph. I couldn't help myself either... I yelled over to him that I knew he couldn't ignore her and thanked him for MY autograph as he was entering the bus. We both laughed.

Funny. I gotta admit. If I was a pro player I might blow off the young adult males and only sign for kids and hot chicks - maybe the occasional old geezer.

 

[Blue and Gold]

Yeah - I think that is what he is saying. I think it is more that LT was an apparent shoe in first ballot HOF and KG with almost 30 more sacks and being productive right up to his retirement, can't get in.

In a way I can see his point but I honestly don't think of KG as a HOFer. He was a damn good OLB and maybe does deserve to be in but I honestly didn't follow him all that much once he left the Rams.

I think he's a HOFer, maybe an apt comparison is Mickey Mantle and Frank Robinson. Mantle was explosive, fast, dominating . . . is like LT, but Frank Robinson had more stats, if you will, more hits, homers, etc . . .

 

[Blue and Gold]

Well, Kevin did NOT ignore her. Hahahaha. He stopped in his tracks and was very happy to give her some close attention. She got the autograph. I couldn't help myself either... I yelled over to him that I knew he couldn't ignore her and thanked him for MY autograph as he was entering the bus. We both laughed.

I was at a NFLPA party in Miami at a Super Bowl, and my date was hot .. . (no, I didn't pay her) and I was talking to Greene and she came over after talking to somone else. Greene saw her and gave the cheesy, "heellllllllloooooooo". He'd been drinking but he was a hound dog.

 

[Selassie I]

I was at a NFLPA party in Miami at a Super Bowl, and my date was hot .. . (no, I didn't pay her) and I was talking to Greene and she came over after talking to somone else. Greene saw her and gave the cheesy, "heellllllllloooooooo". He'd been drinking but he was a hound dog.

Hahahahahahahaha

Hound Dog is a perfect description.

 

[RamFan503]

I think he's a HOFer, maybe an apt comparison is Mickey Mantle and Frank Robinson. Mantle was explosive, fast, dominating . . . is like LT, but Frank Robinson had more stats, if you will, more hits, homers, etc . . .

And he may be. I would think that 3rd most career sacks is a stat that should get him in. I am far from the authority on who should be a HOFer. I honestly don't pay that much attention to players not wearing horns. To me, those horns are bigger than the league itself. If the Rams were to somehow go away, I just don't think I'd care much about football.

 

[Blue and Gold]

 

[DaveFan'51]

I have always been a HUGE Kevin Greene Fan. His stats do speak for themselves. He may or may not have been as well rounded a LB as LT, But he was definitely BETTER than Strahan, and should have gone in ahead of him last year!! I Hope he makes it this year, he deserves it!!

 

[Blue and Gold]

http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/localsports-sports-sportscolumns/151502432/Befuddling

‘Befuddling’
Why isn’t Granite City’s Kevin Greene in Canton?

Last updated: January 26. 2015 3:51PM - 376 Views

Kevin Greene has bucked the odds plenty during his career. Many of those times, he’s come out on top. But this time, he’s scratching his head. It’s beyond him - and most observers - why he hasn’t yet been voted into the NFL Hallof Fame.


In Greene’s words, “It’s befuddling.”


He’s a finalist again this season. It’s anticipated that Greene will eventually make it into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. But many people, including Greene himself, wonder why he isn’t already enshrined.


“I always thought this was as individual production deal,” Greene told me by phone from his home in Florida. “It has me scratching my head.”


This is Greene’s fourth season as a finalist.


Greene, a graduate of Granite City South High School, bucked the odds as a prepster and later as a walk-on at Auburn. He later went on to play for four teams in the NFL and later became one of of the top linebackers coaches in the league. Along the way, he earned the reputation of being tough, but for doing things his own way, which included a couple stints in professional wrestling.


But no matter what team’s uniform he was wearing or what the situation, Greene produced. He spent 15 seasons in the NFL and finished with 160 quarterback sacks. That’s the third-highest total in NFL history behind Bruce Smith and Reggie White.


You might not have liked the long blond hair or the flamboyant way he sometimes played, but nobody could question his production or his love and respect for the game of football.


Greene, 52, grew up in a military family and spent his high school years in Granite City while living at the now-closed U.S. Army Depot there. He played for Granite South back in the days when Granite City had two high schools.


Greene loves football. He loved it when he played and he loved it as a coach. He’ll love it when he helps coach his son’s team, too. He looked flashy with his shoulder-length blond hair, but he hit like a Mack Truck and became one of the most-feared outside linebackers in the business as a result.


You don’t last 15 years in the NFL at that position without being one hell of a football player.


Granite Cityan Keith Burton, who played football at rival Granite City North, remembers how impressed he was with Greene even back then - as well as one but of showmanship.


“He slam-dunked the football over the goalposts in a game against us,” Burton said, chuckling. “I remember it well, because he did it right in front of me.”


As a collegiate player at Auburn, he won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1984. He had 69 career sacks as an outside linebacker, including an SEC-leading 11 his senior season.


He was drafted by the Rams in the fifth round, during their first stint in Los Angeles. He played in LA for seven seasons, then moved on to Pittsburgh, two stints with Carolina, as well as a season with San Francisco.


He later spent six seasons coaching linebackers for the Packers. He left that position last year in order to spend more time with his family.


“Some people asked, ‘Why’d you play for four teams?’” Greene said. “But there are a number of Hall of Famers who played for four teams, including Warren Moon.


“Deion Sanders played for FIVE teams, but nobody questions why he’s in the Hall of Fame.”


When compared to former Giants and Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Phillips, Greene fares very well. In fact, he played longer and finished with more sacks.


“I have the utmost respect for Lawrence Taylor,” Greene told me. “I tried to emulate him and I did all I could be try and be like L.T.”


And Greene was consistent, recording 12 sacks his final season in 1999, on the heels of a 15-sack performance the prior season.


“There were some who said I was a one-trick pony,” Greene said. “Nothing but a pass rusher. But that’s a slap in the face. I tried to be as tough against the run as possible. To me, that is inaccurate.”


Another factor against enshrinement could be that he has no Super Bowl rings. But, again, Greene said that argument holds no water, mentioning that plenty of Hall of Famers - including Derek Thomas and Rod Woodson - didn’t win a Super Bowl either.


The day before the Super Bowl, the voters will gather and decide on this year’s Hall of Fame class. The list of finalists is a heady one and includes a pair of former St. Louis Rams, Kurt Warner and Orlando Pace, in their first seasons of eligibility.


The rest of the list includes former St. Louis Cardinals and Chargers coach Don Coryell, Terrell Davis, former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson, Marvin Harrison, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, Will Shields, former Rams and Steelers running back Jerome Bettis, placekicker Morten Andersen, John Lynch and former Tampa and Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, as well as seniors finalist Mick Tinglehoff.


Finalists must receive at least 80 percent of the vote from the 46-member committee.


Don’t misunderstand. Greene doesn’t lose a lot of sleep over the Hall of Fame. He learned a long time ago not to worry about things he can’t control. But it is befuddling.


“I try not to get frustrated because it’s out of my control,” Greene said. “But it is befuddling.”

 

[fearsomefour]

Funny. I gotta admit. If I was a pro player I might blow off the young adult males and only sign for kids and hot chicks - maybe the occasional old geezer.

I have a friend who was a first round MLB draft pick (Tom Brady actually would catch his bullpens in High School....he was the only one who didnt complain about catching a guy throwing 93 and wild, my friend was a senior and Brady a freshman). When he was drafted it was about when the whole collecting thing was taking off. He would have guys come up with four baseballs to sign and seven rookie cards just in case he turned into the next big thing. He pretty quickly adopted a similar thing to what you said. He would sign for kids or give kids baseballs ect. At spring training when you would see the same retirees at nearly every game he would give them stuff. The hot girls go without saying. I think the guys who are just looking to resell everything leave a bad taste .