Tony's Titans: Middle Linebackers

With Akeem Ayers now donning a lovely new shade of Titans blue, we hopefully look to shore up a position that has been relatively futile over the last decade or so.

So let's take a peek at our men in the middle, a fairly understocked group from 2002-present. To be frank, it won't quite feature the venerable superstars of other positions.

#2 Brad Kassell
2002-2005

Titans Career
226 combined tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 6 deflections, 1 interception (21 yards, 1 TD)

All-Time Career
283 combined tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 8 deflections, 1 interception (21 yards, 1 TD)

Any 'best of' list that features Brad Kassell is either woefully inadequate, the result of North Texas homerism, or a list made by Brad Kassell himself.

Anyhow, after Rocky Calmus did all sorts of nothing in the middle, Kassell ended up finding himself in the starting role, a role he wasn't really qualified for, but did end up having some beastly performances towards the end of 2004.

Namely a massive 13 tackle, 5 assist game against the Lions, and his sole career interception off the Broncos that he took for a touchdown. That particular touchdown still brings me great amusement, because Keith Bulluck enthusiastically punted the ball into the stands afterwards, much to the chagrin of Kassell, who wanted to keep it. I can't remember Kassell's on-field reaction, but I can just picture the look of horror on his face as Bulluck nailed that sucker off into the fifth row. Ha.

So anyhow, Kassell was severely lacking in speed and skill, and didn't amount to a whole lot, but for his gumption and out-playing his potential, we give him the nod for the lofty #2 slot at middle backer.

#1 Stephen Tulloch
2006-present

All-Time Career
457 combined tackles, 4.5 sacks, 11 deflections, 2 interception (18 yards)

Chalk this one up to a lack of competition more than anything else. I don't mean to slam Tully, who's been a serviceable middle linebacker for five years now, but he's certainly not the feared leader you seek from your MLB. For one thing, were you aware that Tulloch has not once forced a fumble? I hadn't realised it until discovering this on his NFL.com profile. So unless someone in charge of the website is a deceptive anti-Tulloch marauder, it's a rather telling stat.

Odds are, if I were paying attention back in 2002, I'd have noticed the fleeting stint of Randall Godfrey, who put together a couple of solid years with Tennessee. I still had to fight off the urge to include him, if only for the reason that he's bald and all good linebackers are bald (Keith Bulluck, Brian Urlacher, possibly others).

Tulloch likes him some tackling, but he's not the most solid guy in the coverage department, an important quality in a 4-3 MLB for the keen reason that if a pass goes past him, it's also viably gone past seven members of the defence. Sounds pretty bad.

Regardless, I'd prefer to end this on a positive note. So I can definitely say that Tulloch was much better than the last man to don #55, at least. That man was Kassell, in case you were curious. I'm sorry, Brad.

Locker up, baby.

Titans nation follows your lead, Jake. Take us to the promised land!!

Tony's Titans: Outside Linebackers

So the first round came and went today, and though I bemoaned the surprise selection of Jake Locker at first, I'm now of the mindset that if you're in dire need of a franchise QB and a franchise DT, the QB always comes first. They can turn a bad team into a competitive team, and as we've seen with guys like Matt Ryan and Sam Bradford, they can make the worst team into playoff contenders.

Da'Quan Bowers took a tumble and is still available to man up the line on day 2, and if the Titans want a big man in the middle they could even look at Stephen Paea. It seems there's more options to shore up the d-line in the second round than there would have been to grab a quarterback, where Andy Dalton is the last solid name on the list. Unless you consider Ryan Mallett. Which I don't. Bust goes the weasel.

Anyhow, we shall chug on with my all-time favourite Titans of the last nine years. This group features perhaps the Titans' best ever first round pick since coming to Tennessee, a claim I hope I'll someday be able to make about Locker, too...

#4 Will Witherspoon
2010-present

Titans Career
92 combined tackles, 3.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 8 deflections, 2 interceptions (11 yards)

All-Time Career
833 combined tackles, 23.0 sacks, 9 forced fumbles, 59 deflections, 11 interceptions (115 yards, 2 TDs)

Witherspoon wasn't lightning in a bottle in his first season with the team, but he landed the unenviable role of replacing Keith Bulluck as the veteran presence of the linebacker corps, and to his credit, I'd say he did pretty well.

Some say that he was a liability, but frankly, pretty much every player on our defense was a liability at one point last year. Nobody had a stellar season other than Babin, and he himself was reprimanded for false start penalties.

Put simply, I'm happy to have Witherspoon there at linebacker, and though I don't know how much longer he can hold up, I'd be happy to see him stick around for a while.

#3 Peter Sirmon
2000-2006

All-Time Career
343* combined tackles, 5.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 7 deflections, 4 interceptions (101 yards, 1 TD)

* Tackles since 2001

Pardon me for my continued nostalgia boosting. Sirmon was never anything spectacular, but I appreciated him for what he was: a blue chipper guy who I would consider an overachiever. He was better on the outside than as a middle linebacker, where he would finish his career.

Other fun things to know about Peter Sirmon: he's stuck around with Tennessee, now a linebackers coach for the Vols. He is also one day off sharing a birthday with me (February 18th), and was born in Walla Walla, Washington, which is one of the most fun places in the world to say. Makes me think of Looney Tunes cartoons.

And finally, the concept that he ran 32 yards for a pick six in 2002 is quite surprising to me. I don't remember him as ever being the most expedient man on the field.

#2 David Thornton
2006-present

Titans Career
366 combined tackles, 2.0 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 17 deflections, 2 interceptions (16 yards)

All-Time Career
728 combined tackles, 5.0 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 22 deflections, 5 interceptions (24 yards)

It's hard to believe that a dude who I used to think of as a Colt through and through, has now been in Tennessee for longer than he was in Indianapolis. He had last year robbed by injury, and at this point it's unclear what kind of contribution he can make anymore.

But I am still chirpy with Thornton for the way he came onto the scene in '06, becoming a tackling machine for the next three years before he started to miss games. His coverage skills would have come in useful last year, though it's funny I should be saying that when you consider that Witherspoon has more than twice as many career interceptions and a crazy 59 deflected passes in the same amount of seasons. I appear to be contradicting myself massively here.

What was the point I was making? Oh yeah, I wasn't making one. Good.

#1 Keith Bulluck
2000-2009

Titans Career
1,038* combined tackles, 18.0 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, 57 deflections, 19 interceptions (192 yards, 1 TD)

All-Time Career
1,069* combined tackles, 18.0 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, 59 deflections, 21 interceptions (199 yards, 1 TD)

* Tackles since 2001

Well, shucks. Don't that just give you a shock? K-Bull claims consecutive awards for being not only my top Titans linebacker, but through years of loyal, productive service, he earns claim as my favourite Titans defender, to boot.

In overall rankings, he's somewhere behind McNair and George in the murky bronze medal competition. Because clearly, he was simply one of the Titans' finest defenders, a stalwart at linebacker and a leader on defence.

When Cortland Finnegan was jawing off, it was Bulluck who smacked him in the helmet and got him back into focus. When the Titans were suffering a heart-breaking, gut-wrenching 0-59 loss to New England, it was Bulluck who was the only one still giving a damn. When the Titans appeared in primetime on Monday Night Football in New Orleans, it was Bulluck who snatched three interceptions to earn the nickname 'Mr. Monday Night' (though I don't think that one ever stuck).

Actually, one of the things I found most shocking while doing all this was finding out that, for all of Bulluck's interceptions, he's only ever returned one for a touchdown. And funnily enough, it was only from eight yards out against the Cowboys in his rookie season. Ancient history.

Anyhow, while some of my other favourite players will disappear into the annals of history as time goes by, Bulluck's reputation as one of the Titans' best ever defenders should remain solidly for years to come. He deserved more accolades than he ever got, a victim of a small-market team, but he just went out and performed, consistently, for a decade.

For that, we salute you, Bulluck, and shall always recall with fondness your energy, your heart, and your pimpin' red gloves.

Tony's Titans: Defensive Tackles

The 2011 draft is on tomorrow, and as the Titans appear likely to select Nick Fairley in the first round, we might as well take a squiz at the ever-shifting rankings for defensive tackles.

2002-today. If you haven't figured that out by now, you're either not paying attention, or this is the first one you've read (in which case I'm quite sorry for accusing you).

#3 Randy Starks
2004-2007

Titans Career
131 combined tackles, 10.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 4 deflections

All-Time Career
246 combined tackles, 23.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 10 deflections, 1 interception (8 yards)

I know, I know. He did little to nothing with the franchise. Jason Jones has been much more impressive in his three seasons (but is he a DT or a DE? I can never tell), and will probably claim the coveted bronze medal starting next year.

But Randy Starks gets his honourable mention for his one play of note. One of my favourite clips to watch, and a scenario I found myself on the wrong end of a few times on special teams.

2004. Kickoff coverage. Kellen Winslow of the Browns decides he wants to get physical against the oncoming Titan. Unfortunately for Winslow, that Titan was a defensive tackle, and not really someone you wanted to get physical with. Winslow ASPLODED, Starks won.

And for that, Starks clearly gained my adoration and favouritism for seven years, at least. Poor old Jason Jones gets 3 and a half sacks against the Steelers in one game, and it still doesn't stack up to Kellen Winslow popping like a balloon.

#2 Tony Brown
2006-present

Titans Career
197 combined tackles, 18.0 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 12 deflections

All-Time Career
219 combined tackles, 19.0 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 15 deflections

Yet another one of those awesome d-lineman stories; Tony Brown was nobody, I tells ya, nobody, when he came to Tennessee. He would become the beneficiary of all the attention claimed by Haynesworth and KVB, but when those days were over, he gained a reputation of his own for being a disruptive force. One of those dudes whose success doesn't always show up on the stat sheet, but makes his presence felt all the same.

Should Fairley end up a Titan, is Brown the odd one out, with the younger and more imposing Jones getting the nod in the middle, alongside Derrick Morgan and Jason Babin on the outside? I hope not. But somebody's gotta lose their starting job there.

It's just fortunate that the Titans are known for rotating in the defensive trenches. For that reason, we've gotten to see Dave Ball leap gloriously like a turkey and Sen'Derrick Marks make as much of an impact as a particularly gooey sneeze directed at the opponent.

#1 Albert Haynesworth
2002-2008

Titans Career
271 combined tackles, 24.0 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 18 deflections

All-Time Career
324 combined tackles, 30.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 24 deflections

There's a particularly insipid story on the news at the moment about Justin Bieber, and it's gotten me into such a rage. I wish Bieber was the crumpled up Falcon on the ground, being eyed by a brutal (and possibly peckish) Albert Haynesworth. We all have our moments.

Fat Al was a man of mystery for many years, showing flashes of greatness but seeming likely to be a bust for a big man taken 15th overall in 2002. It looked like the beginning of the end in 2006, when he pulled grounded Andre Gurode's helmet off and then stomped in his face. It was a miserable time to be a Titans fan, and I'm sure that Al's backers were few at the time.

What would happen afterwards was quite shocking. For two straight years (contract years, mind you), Albert was playing like a man possessed. He was public enemy number one on the defensive line, and suddenly a guy you'd have to gameplan for. He quickly shifted from despicable stomper to possibly the best defensive player in the game.

Of course, we saw the other side of that coin as well, in a guy who would get gassed frequently and take plays off. Tragically for the Washington Redskins, that was the man they would meet when they signed him to a ludicrous $100 million contract. He's been a disappointment, resistant to the 3-4 defence he's found himself in and a curmudgeon in the locker room, with a few new legal issues to boot.

It's odd as a Titans fan to see such a thing happen; many of our guys have ruined their careers in a similar fashion, but usually, it's while they're still with the team. From Kenny Britt's myriad of maturity issues to Vince Young walking out on the team, to Pacman Jones, the poster boy for all things disastrous, we've seen it all. In Haynesworth's case though, you may think it malicious, but I for one am glad not to see it happen on our watch.

Tony's Titans: Defensive Ends

The draft is less than two days away, and I'm only now beginning to chronicle the Titans defense from 2002-today. Shocking! Why do I feel the crucial need to mention the 2002-present thing in every single entry, despite the fact that they're right next to each other? Who knows. Perhaps it'll make more sense in the long run.

One of the most amusing times was when a friend of mine was looking through player positions in Madden, and read 'RE' as 'rear end'.

Haha. Good times. Let's take a squiz at the all time defensive ends, shall we?

#4 Travis LaBoy
2004-2007

Titans Career
105 combined tackles, 19.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 5 deflections, 1 interception (0 yards)

All-Time Career
164 combined tackles, 28.5 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, 8 deflections, 1 interception (0 yards)

To some, this might seem a surprising inclusion for my favourites; drafted in the second round in 2004, LaBoy often underperformed or got dinged up during his short Titans tenure.

To others who know all too well that I'm the biggest homer since Dan Castellaneta, you need look no further than his alma mater and place of birth. He's a graduate of Hawaii, born and bred in the heartland itself, Honolulu. Hawaii is easily my favourite American state, a frequent holiday destination of my youth and a place I intend to retire to in my advanced years. Anything that's Hawaiian is pure gold, be it Colt Brennan or Timmy Chang, NFL success be damned.

I pondered for years in choosing a favourite college before Hawaii occurred to me, so back when LaBoy was in Titans blue he took a back seat in my mind to his counterpart, Antwan Odom, with whom he formed a good one-two punch at defensive end. These days, though I like to see Odom do well over in Cincinnati, I'm much more interested in the affairs of the UH grad as he bounces around the NFC. Hopefully he'll be able to stick on somewhere; he had a fairly good season for the 49ers last year, despite not getting a start.

#3 Jason Babin
2010-present

Titans Career
58 combined tackles, 12.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

All-Time Career
230 combined tackles, 30.0 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 7 deflections

Pardon me for jumping on a bandwagon, but I like the deal behind Jason Babin. In the same vein as Kyle Vanden Bosch, crusty old Jim Washburn picked Babin up off the scrap heap, and in one season, presto, moulded him into a Pro Bowler. I'm not so fond of Babin's immediate concerns being voiced about Washburn's departure, considering it's the Titans that gave him the chance to begin with, but what can you do.

He's a pretty cool dude, and he's replied to my Tweets every now and then (a good way of buttering me up and climbing the list rapidly). If we only get one good year out of him, we'll always remember it as being a pretty sweet performance, at least.

Will he remain on this list for years to come? We'll see. After all, Derrick Morgan looked pretty good in his rookie year, and lord knows my homer heart won't let LaBoy drop off the charts entirely.

#2 Kyle Vanden Bosch
2005-2009

Titans Career
281 combined tackles, 38.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, 4 deflections

All-Time Career
393 combined tackles, 46.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, 6 deflections

During the last few years, my favourite defensive players were no doubt uniform with most Titans fans. #1: Keith Bulluck. #2: KVB. In his first year as a Titan, he exploded onto the scene in a way few expected, notching 12.5 sacks and forming a powerful duo on the d-line with Albert Haynesworth.

Other than another 12-sack performance in '07, KVB never saw the kind of success he had in year one, but his presence was clear to anyone. The dude just flat-out balled, constantly. He became known for his impressive motor, and seemed to always give 110% on any down. He allowed fat Al to dominate in the middle, and vice versa. It was a happy time, until Haynesworth gobbled up a contract as big as his belly, and KVB later sailed off to Detroit.

Me personally, I wouldn't ever want to be a Detroit Lion. A decade of futility in the most dangerous city in America? Why do you think Barry Sanders was so good at running away from people?

#1 Jevon Kearse
1999-2003, 2008-2009

Titans Career
119* combined tackles, 52.0 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 5 deflections, 1 interception (0 yards)

All-Time Career
204* combined tackles, 74.0 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, 18 deflections, 1 interception (0 yards)

Tackles since 2001

There are two stages of Jevon Kearse. The first is 'The Freak', the athletically gifted super talent who bullied offenses right from the get-go, collecting an NFL record 14.5 sacks for a rookie. Then there's the other Kearse, the oft-injured player who would disappear for spurts at a time and was a liability in the run game.

Essentially, these Kearses can be divided as the original '99 version, and the later model, whose play took a tailspin somewhere around 2006. For this reason, a great many, and I myself at one point, would probably have given serious consideration for KVB as #1 Titans defensive end. After all, KVB was less physically blessed, instead relying on tenacity to get to the QB. He had much more heart and soul than Kearse, or a great many other players to have come and gone.

But The Freak? The guy who averaged 12 sacks across his first three seasons? He was something else, man. KVB may have been one of the best defensive ends of the last nine years in Tennessee, but Kearse in his prime, in his short, intense span of glory, he looked like one of the best of all time.

Even though he was over the hill in '08, I was glad to have him back on board for that short period. It felt right, and I celebrated each sack he collected back in Titans blue. The way his career tailed off wasn't right, but finishing it off with the franchise where he once dominated, that did feel right.

There are many other defensive ends out there who have produced Kearse-like numbers for longer; why, look no further than division rival Dwight Freeney, a thorn in our side for nine seasons who has gathered 94 sacks.

...But you ask me, which end do I choose for the championship game? I'll take Kearse in his prime for damn sure, and watch him wreak havoc.

Tony's Titans: Centers

Should be a quick one today in the department of favourite Titans 2002-present, simply because there wasn't a whole lot of competition at the position of center. Justin Hartwig was a forgotten entity in my mind, narrowing my choices down to a matter of pure, unabashed favouritism. You'll like.

#2 Kevin Matthews
2010-present

All-Time Career
3 games, 1 start

Yes. In just one season, three appearances and only one start, I've already ascended an undrafted player fresh off the practice squad to #2 in my nine years worth of centers. But should Matthews never achieve much, he can certainly rest easy in knowing he had quite a fan base behind him.

Because honestly, we all want him to win the starting job. We want him to become a fixture on the line, just like his dad, because it would be an awesome story. One of the franchise's best players ever, a hall of famer, has his legacy live on with his son picking up where he left off?

It's beautiful, and I love it. When the junior Matthews was first signed last year, I was happy to see it happen, but I never thought he'd get anywhere. I figured he'd hang around during training camp, maybe survive a few rounds of cuts, and then just disappear. A bit like Alex Mortensen, who would have been a fun storyline, had he not thrown a pick six in the preseason vs. the Bills and then gotten dropped two days later.

But Matthews hung in there, made the practice squad and, in the face of Amano's placement on IR, was upgraded to the active roster and, good lord, he started a game at season's end. I know, we were dead in the water and in the end a loss would have been more beneficial for draft positioning and what have you, but a victory would have denied the Colts a playoff berth. If the Titans were thinking like I was at the time, that would have been so worth it.

And Kevin Matthews was the man they would have lead them. It's promising. And with his o-line coach Munchak now in the head coach position, with his own father Bruce filling the vacated spot, Matthews may have more of a chance to succeed than any of my other fringe guys who I wanted to hang on. More than Lavelle Hawkins, Myron Rolle and yes, even more than Dudley Guice. Remember him? Me neither.

#1 Kevin Mawae
2006-2009

Titans Career
61 games, 61 starts

All-Time Career
241 games, 238 starts

It's kinda an easy call to make; one of the premiere centers of his generation had to be the selection for my favourite Titans center.

And with Mawae, it was for a lot of things beyond his play, as well. His presence really meant a lot to that offensive line; a 16-year veteran who had seen it all, Mawae knew exactly what was coming, and was able to adjust accordingly. In his last few appearances he was looked at by some as the weak link on the offensive line, his dirty play garnering a lot of penalties and bad rep.

But once he left in 2010? That line collapsed, man. Was it general struggles by Amano and Leroy Harris? Or was it a lack of leadership in the middle and Mawae's audibles on the line that set the Titans back from league leaders at the position to middle of the pack, at best? Hard to say.

But you know me. I'm a fan of blue-collared, veteran guys who play physically. Mawae fits that mould to a tee, the only difference between him and a lot of my other favourites is that he spent most of his career elsewhere.

Also, as a side note, he reminds me of Angel Batista from Dexter. If I ever encountered David Zayas, I would have to resist the urge to ask him to don the uniform and snap me the ball.

Actually, that's not true at all. The dude is huge, I'd be too terrified to.

Tony's Titans: Guards

Onward we press... 2002 to today (quite literally, today!), my favourite Titans. Some are wise; McNair, George, Mason... Some are questionable; Moss, Crumpler, Loper... One is Roydell Williams. And with that, all credibility was lost that day.

Let's stay on the o-line, and take a peek at guards.

#4 Eugene Amano
2004-present

All-Time Career
108 games, 52 starts

Though he's since shifted to center in place of Kevin Mawae, I much preferred Amano at guard. His struggles last year in the middle were well-documented, and I can only hope the Titans are willing to shuffle in order to cover up that weakness.

Amano has been around for ages. He's the third-longest tenured Titan behind long snapper Ken Amato (interesting coincidence, no?) and special teamer Donnie Nickey, and I always assumed he'd forever remain o-line depth. He was promoted to full-time starter in '08, and he was quite good at guard.

He was key in the Titans' vaunted ability to prevent sacks and create big holes for running backs, and I hope he manages to recapture some of that lost luster. I like him for being around forever, plus it's nifty to have a dude from Manila on the line. Coupled with the Estonian Michael Roos, they're 2/5 foreign, and that's kinda neat!

Danny Watkins for the surprise Titans draft pick, perhaps? Yeah, I know. No point in loading the line at an unnecessary time just for the sake of snagging a Canadian. ...kinda...

#3 Jacob Bell
2004-2007

Titans Career
55 games, 46 starts

All-Time Career
97 games, 88 starts

Something of a forgotten entity during Tennessee's transitional years, Bell was phenomenal for us during his brief tenure, and I'm used to Titans linemen staying on-board for a long time. Instead however, he gobbled up a huge contract in 2008, and that's been that since then.

I haven't really followed his fortunes in St. Louis (because Drew Bennett was the far more important free agent to head that way in my book), but last year was his first full season there, missing a trio of games in both his premiere seasons as a Ram.

Not a whole lot more to be said... But I dig the dreads. Especially on the o-line, where you've got mean, nasty defensive tackles grabbing at whatever they can on a consistent basis. You know a dude's got balls when he's letting his hair flow in the trenches.

#2 Jake Scott
2008-present

Titans Career
48 games, 48 starts

All-Time Career
108 games, 105 starts

In the same vain as Eugene Amano, Scott has been frowned upon recently for inconsistent play, but I think his overall body of work since making the jump from those damnable Colts has been pretty good.

For one thing, the dude hasn't missed a start in three seasons with the Titans, and moreover, hasn't been absent for a single game in his career since becoming a full-time starter in 2005.

You want your interior linemen to be sturdy, and Scott certainly has that attribute. Plus, take a look at his recent NFL.com mugshots. THE DUDE HAS A WICKED BEARD. Caveman Jake, you'd call him. And he'd reply with a hearty 'URRRRMMM' before clubbing you over the head and stealing your fire.

...In case you couldn't tell, it's hard for me to write up interesting paragraphs in relation to offensive linemen. So such ridiculous claims as previous will have to suffice.

#1 Benji Olson
1998-2007

All-Time Career
152 games, 140 starts

Yet another longtime, solid starter for the Titans during their Super Bowl era. It's amazing how many guys they had on that team who had either been around for ages, or would be around for ages.

In today's age of free agency, players jump ship more often than a pirate on a pogo stick, but back then, the Tennessee Titans stuck together.

Anyhow, it's difficult to keep tabs of offensive linemen over the years when you hardly get to see any games (two Raiders games a year is a certainty in Australia, but beyond that, any other team is a crap shoot), but dude, Olson was my boy in Madden, opening up those holes for Chris Brown. Most of my big runs were off to the right, I owe my YPC average to the hard work of the digital Olson. Good on him.

Tony's Titans: Tackles

Can my mind be on anything other than the Vancouver Canucks today? No, not really. I'm actually still watching Canucks videos on Youtube, 40 minutes after their third win over the Blackhawks, one victory off planting the dagger. Despite this, I'll try and press on. Gotta finish at least most of this before the draft, eh?

Today's Titans of Tony Two Thousand and Two To Today Totally Tallies Tackles.

True.

#4 Daniel Loper
2005-2008

Titans Career
40 games

All-Time Career
58 games, 9 starts

Conventional thinking would see Fred Miller in this spot, and he was, originally. But the man known as Drive-Killer Miller had too many faults to qualify for the automatic inclusion that many of his peers from that era enjoy.

For one, the aforementioned moniker, derived from his ability to get penalties right when the Titans were storming downfield. Second, upon arriving in Chicago, there was a curious incident where Olin Kreutz popped him in the mouth, breaking his jaw. I don't know many of the details, but I tend to side with the more respected Kreutz. And finally, he was a member of the 1999 St. Louis Rams, who famously robbed the Titans of their only Super Bowl title. It took me years to forgive Dick Vermeil and Kurt Warner; Miller never redeemed himself in my eyes.

So I go with Daniel Loper then. Because I saw a game one time where he came in to cover an injury to David Stewart, and he did a damn fine job. It's not much, but it's hard to follow the affairs of tackles, you know. Plus, look at him: he looks like he should have been named Bubba! Bubba Loper. DO WANT.

#3 David Stewart
2005-present

All-Time Career
77 games, 77 starts

The man known as 'Big Country' has been a much more pleasant fixture at right tackle than his predecessor, Miller. Whereas Miller was known for poorly timed mistakes, Stewart is known for pissing people off.

In a good way, of course.

He's the instigator on offence, the offensive line parallel to Cortland Finnegan, and just one syllable away from having the most amusing nickname in the NFL.

#2 Michael Roos
2005-present

All-Time Career
96 games, 96 starts

Over the last five seasons, the Titans have been very up and down. We've been as good as 13-3, and we've been as bad as 4-12. The one consistent, though, has been the play of Michael Roos.

Projected as a late third-rounder, Roos came out of Eastern Washington with very little fanfare. I don't know if the reaction from Titans fans was more rampant than my own apathy, but he was an early second round selection, and no doubt raised some eyebrows in how early he came off the board.

Roos was immediately plugged in at right tackle, and has been a starter ever since. The dude is just solid. He's the anchor of this line, and, one of my favourite qualities, he's quiet. I love Stewart's in your face aggression, but I'm glad to see that the franchise left tackle has virtually no ego. I don't know if I've ever even heard him speak a word.

What a fantastic pair of tackles to come out of that '05 draft. Titans shored up their bookends for years.

#1 Brad Hopkins
1993-2005

All-Time Career
194 games, 188 starts

Haha, sometimes I'm so predictable. A first-round pick from '93, Hopkins remained a stalwart on the offensive line for over a decade. He never got a lot of fanfare, not even as much as Roos has gotten, but I don't think it's as much a reflection on his ability as simply a surplus of talented tackles from his generation. Guys like Jonathan Ogden and Walter Jones spring to mind.

Hopkins was one of the last pieces of the Houston Oiler franchise in Tennessee, and I'm happy to have seen him retire right here, where he belonged. Though others may have moved on elsewhere, the one with the longest tenure at the time was able to complete his career as a Titan. Just like Mike Munchak. Just like Bruce Matthews. Just like an Oilers lineman should.

Tony's Titans: Tight Ends

Titan Tight End. It's fun to say, and I never realised until just now. Anyhow, my Titans from 2002 to today moves onward with my two tight ends of choice. Allow me to clarify before you grab the pitchforks: I didn't see enough Frank Wycheck to automatically qualify him here. So try not to judge any more than you would about the inauspicious inclusion of Roydell Williams.

#2 Alge Crumpler
2008-2009

Titans Career
51 receptions for 479 yards, 2 TDs, 9.4 Avg
3 returns for 20 yards, 15 long, 6.7 Avg

All-Time Career
373 receptions for 4,743 yards, 39 TDs, 12.7 Avg
12 returns for 79 yards, 15 long, 6.6 Avg

In the same vein of Randy Moss, Crumpler never lived up to his expectations in Tennessee. He was my favourite tight end during his tenure with the Falcons; Michael Vick's most dependable target, and the beneficiary of all of the attention to Atlanta's vaunted 'DVD' running game. In his final season with the Falcons, Crumpler was just one of many failures in a 4-12 campaign. He was injured, and in some people's minds, he was done.

To me, however, I saw an opportunity. I pointed to their final game against the Seahawks as evidence that Crump still had some gas left in the tank; 67 yards and 2 TDs on only 3 catches, he was freaky-deaky!

In the offseason, Crump looked to either head to Seattle or Tennessee, and when he decided to head down south, I was pumped. My choice for tight end was bound for the Titans!

Then, he arrived and he was, frankly, huge. That was one of the most prominent things you'd notice about Alge as a Titan. The dude was massive, and not necessarily in a good way. He looked real heavy, and he ran real heavy too.

In just one offseason, it seemed as though Alge had gone from a dual threat TE to strictly a blocker. To his credit however, he was pretty damn good as a blocker. Chris Johnson credits his 2,000+ yard season to his offensive line, of which he includes Crumpler.

So we had a sixth offensive lineman. Alright, that's cool. What wasn't cool however, was watching Crump coughing up the ball on the one-yard line in that fateful 2008 divisional loss. Unfortunately for me, that remains the most prominent memory of Alge's short tenure. And dammitall, it makes me mad.

#1 Erron Kinney
2000-2006

All-Time Career
178 receptions for 1,750 yards, 10 TDs, 9.8 Avg
8 returns for 113 yards, 25 long, 14.1 Avg

Pretty straightforward stuff; if you hadn't concluded that I was a homer for the top of the decade Titans, you'll know it now. Kinney was nothing spectacular; he wasn't going to snag a pass and scamper across the field for a long TD (his career long of 31 surprises me, and I assume most of those yards were gained through the air by McNair), but he was a safe, reliable target.

Plus, he's a cool dude. He was a volunteer fire fighter during his career, and now that he's retired, he's a captain with a fire department in South Carolina. It's not like he needs to do that. I guess he just likes helping people and saving lives. And what more can you ask for from your players? He's a model example of how you should conduct yourself (I'M LOOKING AT YOU, KENNY BRITT).

Tony's Titans: Wide Receivers

Sitting here realising I've got nothing better to do, may as well churn along with my all-time Titans. I mean, they're hardly all-time, just nine years' worth, but all-time sounds much cooler.

#5 Randy Moss
2010-present

Titans Career
6 receptions for 80 yards, 13.3 Avg

All-Time Career
954 receptions for 14,858 yards, 153 TDs, 15.6 Avg
25 rushes for 159 yards, 6.4 Avg

Okay, cry foul on this one if you must. Randy Moss was more of a disappointment in Tennessee than I could have possibly fathomed, but I still think it's oh so cool that one of the game's best wide receivers ended up a Titan.

He's a free agent, I know, and he's most likely not coming back, but until he signs elsewhere (which, granted, he can't, given the labour situation), he'll maintain that status as a current player.

Who's to blame for Moss' disastrous tenure? It's either Moss himself for a lack of effort, or Jeff Fisher for an inability to get him onto the field. I lean towards the latter; if you can't find a way to get one of the league's greatest receivers into the game, there is seriously something wrong there.

History can never be changed. But for a short, uneventful period, Randy Moss was a Tennessee Titan. I can pretend it was a whole lot better than it was.

#4 Roydell Williams
2005-2007

Titans Career
84 receptions for 1,139 yards, 6 TDs, 13.6 Avg
2 rushes for -17 yards, -8.5 Avg

All-Time Career
92 receptions for 1,248 yards, 6 TDs, 13.6 Avg
2 rushes for -17 yards, -8.5 Avg

If you weren't boggled by that last one, you probably are now. In my defence, it's not my fault the Titans have had such a poor receiving corps over the last nine years. I'm certainly not the one who drafted them.

Of the 2005 wide receiver draft class, Courtney Roby did nothing for the Titans (though had the last laugh, winning a Super Bowl as a return man for the Saints) and Brandon Jones was the most productive... But Roydell? Man, he was my boy.

I was about to whip out some awesome figures from the end of the '07 season, where I was convinced that Roy had done some damage, but the numbers are actually pretty poor. There was a good game in Kansas City, but that's about it. Hmm.

I backed myself into a corner with this one, didn't I? I knew I should have just stuck with Lavelle Hawkins, the man with the coolest name in Tennessee.

#3 Kenny Britt
2009-present

All-Time Career
84 receptions for 1,476 yards, 12 TDs, 17.6 Avg
24 returns for 523 yards, 56 long, 21.8 Avg

Thankfully, mercifully, Kenny Britt makes an appearance to make this list feel less futile. With just 28 games and 13 starts under his belt, Britt has already become the Titans' best receiver by far, and our biggest threat since Derrick Mason headed to Baltimore back in 2004.

The fact that a guy in only his second year with limited playing time, with some off-season issues, who is even younger than I am, could be the Titans' go-to guy might be a sad reflection on the state of our receivers, but in all fairness, the guy is good. Really good.

He might even be one of the league's best at some point, just as long as we find someone who can consistently get the ball to him. I hope to high hell that that someone won't turn out to be Ryan Mallett. Could you picture it? 'Mallett to Britt'? It sounds like a domestic abuse case. I hate it already.

#2 Drew Bennett
2001-2006

Titans Career
273 receptions for 4,033 yards, 25 TDs, 14.8 Avg
2-3 for 40 yards, 1 TD, 149.3 rating

All-Time Career
307 receptions for 4,412 yards, 28 TDs, 14.4 Avg
2-3 for 40 yards, 1 TD, 149.3 rating

Oh Drew. He was THE MAN.

I loved the one-two punch of Mason and Bennett. Perhaps it's a starry-eyed adoration for the Titans of old, but Bennett will solidly, stubbornly hold onto #2 on my list for quite some time. I mean, Britt could potentially threaten with a monster season (as could my boy Lavelle!), but Bennett was there during our glory years, doing his bit.

And of course, who can forget 2004? During a horrible year followed by a horrible off-season, Billy Volek and Drew Bennett appeared to be the only two guys who still cared. Bennett's 80 catches, 1,247 yards and 11 TDs were the kind of numbers you'd expect form the league's very best, plus tying an NFL record with 8 TDs in 3 games.

Afterwards, Bennett never seemed to recapture that glory, having risen to the top spot. Whether he was ill-suited to the #1 receiver spot, or he suffered from the unfortunate fate of playing across from a trio of rookies, making him targeted by defences, it wasn't the same.

He played two years for the Rams, shortened by injury, and then signed with the Ravens before deciding to pack it all in.

But Bennett's rise could be called grand considering where he started. Undrafted out of UCLA, Bennett actually had to cheat a little to get noticed. He would cut in line during drills as a rookie, so that he would go up against the top defenders on the depth chart instead of the scrubs at the bottom. I mean, jeez, how inspiring is that? That he put it all on the line by bending the rules, just to make a roster spot, and it led to a pinnacle of tying an NFL record?

Great stuff. No wonder he's my second favourite Titans receiver.

#1 Derrick Mason
1997-2004

Titans Career
453 receptions for 6,114 yards, 37 TDs, 13.5 Avg
338 returns for 5,086 yards, 3 TDs, 101 long, 15.0 Avg

All-Time Career
924 receptions for 11,891 yards, 66 TDs, 12.9 Avg
338 returns for 5,086 yards, 3 TDs, 101 long, 15.0 Avg

Obviously. D-Mase was another guy who rose up the ranks, a fourth round return specialist who ended up surpassing first-rounder Kevin Dyson to become the Titans' best receiver.

This one is a lot harder to swallow than others, because while some others on the list (McNair, George, Bennett, etc.) had seen their best years with the Titans before their careers came to an end elsewhere, Mason has been a Raven for six seasons, and shows few signs of slowing down.

All the things that made Mason a good return guy (quickness, elusiveness, field vision) have made him an excellent receiver, and moreover, have allowed him to have a prolonged career.

When he and Samari Rolle jumped ship to the Ravens, I was in dismay. And frankly, that dismay has not at all dissipated in relation to Mason, because he's been gone for so long, so entrenched in Baltimore, and had so many episodes while playing Tennessee that he's really not a Titan anymore.

But he was. I still wish him all the best while simultaneously wishing bad fortune upon the Ravens. Would I like to see him win a championship? Sure, just as long as it isn't with the Ravens, Colts, Jaguars, Texans or Steelers. That's plenty of options, D-Mase. It's an excellent deal!

Tony's Titans: Running Backs

No better time than the present to press on with my favourite Titans since becoming a fan (2002); this batch be the backs of runnin'. First, the halfbacks.

#3 Chris Brown
2003-2007

Titans Career
643 rushes for 2,757 yards, 16 TDs, 13 fumbles, 4.3 Avg
74 receptions for 667 yards, 2 TDs, 9.0 Avg

All-Time Career
722 rushes for 3,024 yards, 19 TDs, 14 fumbles, 4.2 Avg
90 receptions for 741 yards, 2 TDs, 8.2 Avg

I had originally convinced myself that Travis Henry would occupy this spot. In 2006, alongside Vince Young he rejuvenated the Titans and helped us to an awesome unexpected playoff push. However, he only had one good Titans season, and after seven years, he's out of the league and been sentenced to three years in federal prison for financing cocaine trafficking. What a miserable end to great potential.

In Chris Brown's case, his rap sheet is squeaky clean, and he too gets my accolades for one good season.

When Eddie George left for Dallas in 2004, Titans fans couldn't help but feel bereft. Out went the franchise's workhorse, and his thousands of carries. Enter Chris Brown: an unheralded third round back who had missed part of his rookie season with an injury, who gave the Titans a solid running threat.

I know, it's funny to look back and think that Chris Brown was a running threat. He was so banged up over the years he garnered the unfortunate moniker of 'Crystal Chris', but what he did in 2004 was undeniable: over 1,000 yards in only 11 games. He averaged just a hair under 5 yards a carry, and I was convinced that we had met one of the new faces of the franchise.

I was so convinced, I traded Eddie George away in Madden '05 (for Julius Jones: seeemed like a good deal at the time), and prepared for some Brown pounding. For the record, Chris Brown was the single greatest Madden player I've ever had. Probably because I played more Madden that season than any other year, but it's worth special mention.

Also, if you're wondering where LenDale White sits on my nine-year Titans backs list, he would be behind Jarrett Payton and Antowain Smith in seventh place. Too much of a sense of entitlement, too little production to have gotten my love. All those touchdowns were nice, but many of them could have been pounded in by anyone, really.

#2 Chris Johnson
2008-present

All-Time Career
925 rushes for 4,598 yards, 34 TDs, 7 fumbles, 5.0 Avg
137 receptions for 1,008 yards, 4 TDs, 7.4 Avg

Were you one of the ones who groaned when the Titans drafted Chris Johnson with the 24th pick in 2008? I certainly was.

LenDale White was a second round pick in '06, and Chris Henry was another second rounder (a decision we may never forget) in '07; the Titans looked like the Lions and all those first round wide receiver mistakes. What could Johnson have possibly provided that we didn't already have, and that 23 other teams apparently found expendable?

Yeah, those questions seemed valid at the time, but downright stupid now. By his second year, CJ2K had claimed the franchise's highest single season ground total (2,006) and broken Marshall Faulk's record for all-purpose yards.

...And to think, I thought LenDale was the feature back of the future?

Johnson's career is certainly on a distinguished path; he had his worst year last season, and still averaged 4.3 yards and collected 11 TDs. He's now one of the NFL's all-stars, and teams specifically have to game plan against him.

My only hang-up lies in his attitude. It's not his in-your-face cockiness or tendency to showboat; I'm fine with those. It's this unshakable feeling of... how committed is he to this team? I can see him jumping ship for more prosperous ground sooner rather than later.

I feel as though we have to just get the amazing mileage out of him that we can while it lasts. I hope he proves me wrong, though. After all, it wouldn't be the first time.

#1 Eddie George
1996-2003

Titans Career
2,733 rushes for 10,009 yards, 64 TDs, 34 fumbles, 3.7 Avg
259 receptions for 2,144 yards, 10 TDs, 8.3 Avg

All-Time Career
2,865 rushes for 10,441 yards, 68 TDs, 37 fumbles, 3.6 Avg
268 receptions for 2,227 yards, 10 TDs, 8.3 Avg

Inspirational. That's how I'll describe Eddie George's tenure with the Titans. Not because of overcome adversity or outright freaky talent. But because of the kind of man he was and the kind of effort he put out there.

When I think of McNair highlights, I feel euphoric. Eddie George highlights however, they get me fired up, even after all these years. George punished defenders, just absolutely nailed them, and if someone felt froggy before the game, all it took was a few bruising runs by George to change their tune.

Not only was it hard to tackle George to the ground, but frankly, after he had plowed through you a few times, you really wouldn't want to. Broken tackles, broken arms, broken spirits, he did them all. And for all the damage he did to opposing psyches, he was just as effective in rallying his own team.

He was the perfect complement to McNair; while the QB was quiet and stoic, George knew how to get his team pumped. The fact that they both threw their bodies on the line and played their hearts out made you just as likely to follow either of their leads, but like I said, thinking of Eddie George runs, it still makes me pumped up, despite never having been there, never having met him, or never having played a damned down in the NFL.

Frankly, I wish he was still on the roster. If Tiki Barber can mount a comeback, then Eddie certainly can too. I don't care what the capacity is; short yardage, pass protection, redzone offence, just get Eddie in the game, on the field, and over opponents. Apparently he's still in magnificent shape, and who wouldn't want to watch him slam Ray Lewis into the turf, then get all up in his face (and do it all with a separated shoulder) just one more time?

Fingers crossed that Eddie sees all of the other old Oilers joining Tennessee's staff and at least makes the jump to coaching. Eddie on the sideline with Bruce Matthews, running onto the field after a Super Bowl win? Oh good lord, it excites me even more than thinking of any of our players celebrating.

On a final note, Eddie's wife is Tamara Johnson-George, formerly of SWV. I loves me some SWV; Weak is the third-most played song on my iPod, listened to 136 times (and counting!)

And as for my favourite Titans fullback? That one's easy.

#1 Ahmard Hall
2006-present

All-Time Career
18 rushes for 56 yards, 4 fumbles, 3.1 Avg
64 receptions for 515 yards, 2 TDs, 8.0 Avg

Many Titans fans would give the nod to Lorenzo Neal, who helped Eddie George (among others) to some of his best statistical seasons, plus playing a part in the Music City Miracle, but of course, his tenure was just before my time, and considering that the major role of a fullback is to open lanes for the running back, you can't do much better than Hall in 2009: those 2,006 running yards by CJ2K didn't just come out of nowhere.

Hall is actually one of my favourite players on the current Titans' roster, because he shows one of my favourite qualities: toughness.

A former Marine who runs with reckless abandon, Hall plays hard. In the divisional matchup against the Ravens in 2008, on 3rd and 10, Ahmard Hall grabbed a short pass from Kerry Collins on the one-yard line and took it into Ray Lewis territory. Lewis put down the boom, I mean absolutely laid Hall out, taking him sideways and knocking his helmet off in the process, but Hall hung onto the ball, first down. Then, Hall shoots up, ready for more.

And you know what makes that play even more badass? In order to get the first down, Hall jumped. Even with Ray Lewis barreling down towards him, Hall took to the air to get the necessary yardage. So basically, he set himself up for the punishing hit. Because he's a BAMF.

I guess if you want to make me proud, you have to take on Ray Lewis, ala George or Hall. So go forth, Titans backs! Javon Ringer, go on out there and give him a stiff arm! Stafon Johnson, lower your shoulder and nail him!! LeGarrette Blount, show us... Oh wait. Forget that last one. I still haven't forgiven Tennessee for that slip-up.

Tony's Titans: Quarterbacks

It's a well-advertised fact that I am a massive Tennessee Titans fan. My common username and blog title reflect this, plus my tendency to go on Titans-related tangents. I've been watching football since the end of the 2002 season, so I started later than most. However, this upcoming season (should there be one) marks ten years of football for me.

I've gotten to watch some of the all-time greats wind down their careers (Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith), I've watched some beautiful Super Bowls (XLIV) and some horrible ones (XLI) and I've suffered through all of the heartbreak and tribulations that come with rebuilding.

Over the last nine years, my Titans have gone 77-67, and made the playoffs four times. In those nine short years, every player who made me a Titan fan is gone. Let's think about that for a moment: about all the franchises, and how many players they've retained. Most of them would have at least one holdover for the last nine years, but the Titans? Nope.

The closest is long snapper Ken Amato, acquired in the 2003 season, and then Eugene Amano, from 2004. Clearly if we want longevity we need to sign more Ama*o fellas.

Anyhow, I thought I would reflect on my favourite Titans of the last nine years. Really, it's going to be a fairly predictable list of only two franchise generations worth of players (devoid of a Moon or a Campbell from longtime Oilers enthusiasts), but as time goes on, some of these guys will dip off the list and be forgotten forevermore, so let's pay tribute to them here!

#3 Kerry Collins
2006-present

Titans Career
613-1081 for 6,804 yards, 33 TDs, 29 Ints, 74.6 rating
49 rushes for 62 yards, 1 TD, 14 fumbles, 1.3 Avg

All-Time Career
3439-6163 for 40,441 yards, 206 TDs, 195 Ints, 73.9 rating
372 rushes for 687 yards, 10 TDs, 135 fumbles, 1.8 Avg

If you listen to Titans fans for long enough, you'll notice that there's a lot of Haterade being sprayed in Collins' direction. The reason's obvious: the man has been a prime example of inconsistency throughout his career. He was a first round pick by the Panthers, but put up season QB ratings as low as 55.7. He took the Giants to a Super Bowl, but looked absolutely miserable in that game, throwing four interceptions in a disastrous 34-7 loss.

And how has Collins looked so far for the Titans? Of course: inconsistent. When he's bad, oh you better believe he's real bad. Try 6 picks to 1 TD in his Titans premiere season. So obviously, there's a clear reason for the animosity towards him.

When I was thinking about QB #3 on this list, Billy Volek was the first name that sprang to mind. He threw like a man possessed in 2004, and would have been the guy to usher in the Vince Young era, had Collins not gotten the nod at the last minute.

But Billy Volek's great Titans season was a 5-11 season. Kerry Collins' best Titans season? 13-3 and, until the very end, oh so sweet.

I'll always be thankful to Kerry Collins for 2008, plus occasional key performances when VY couldn't go, and though I like many don't want to see him as a starter anymore, he is a dependable backup who I'd like to see stick around.

#2 Vince Young
2006-present

All-Time Career
689-1190 for 8,098 yards, 42 TDs, 42 Ints, 75.7 rating
264 rushes for 1,380 yards, 12 TDs, 38 fumbles, 5.2 Avg

Though the end of his Titans tenure is all but certain, I was proud to have Vince Young as my quarterback. That 2006 draft was, at a glance, the most amazing one in the world for me.

What was the theory behind the 2006 Rose Bowl? That, had Texas not won, Vince would have gone back for his senior year? I wanted Vince Young to be a Titan so bad. We held the lofty third overall pick, and, had he come out a year later, there was no assurance we would be in a position to take him.

As such, that Rose Bowl was the single most important college football game I've ever had as a fan. To me, it was the VY Bowl. If Texas won, he was as good as ours. And famously, not only did he win, but he did it practically all by himself. 41-38 Longhorns, Vince Young declares himself for the draft.

Come draft time, amidst speculation that Tennessee would opt for USC's Matt Leinart, those of us in the Vince Young camp waited on with baited breath and white knuckles to see if we could secure one of college's all-time greats.

The Titans drafted Vince Young with their first pick, and the future had begun.

It was a future I envisaged as being much different than it turned out. To match the thrill of the first round, the second round yielded an unexpected surprise: LenDale White had taken a tumble down the draft boards, and we stole him at 45.

To me, it was like we had recreated my beloved duo of McNair/George: a mobile QB with a strong arm coupled with a bruising, punishing running back. How could it fail?

...Well, it did. And now we're eying QBs in the draft, a little more than two weeks away. Alas.

Vince was a guy who I really wanted to succeed. And frankly, I still want him to succeed. It's always painful to watch former players triumph elsewhere (Mason, Blount), but unless they were a jerk, you wanted the best for them. And Vince, for all his maturity issues, is a stand-up guy.

He was a fiery leader (if not polarizing), and week 14 in Houston, 2006... man, you thought you were watching history in the making: the beginnings of a hall of fame career.

But now, we enter the next stage of quarterbacks in Tennessee.

Like I said, Vince was a guy who I wanted to win the Super Bowl for us. He wasn't just a Titans QB, he was our QB. At least I can take comfort in the knowledge of the kind of person he was off the field: with the effort he took to help raise money for the flooding in Nashville, and the way he has stepped up to look after the McNair boys, he's shown that he is a man with a good set of morals.

#1 Steve McNair
1995-2005

Titans Career
2305-3871 for 27,141 yards, 156 TDs, 103 Ints, 83.3 rating
614 rushes for 3,439 yards, 36 TDs, 84 fumbles, 5.6 Avg

All-Time Career
2733-4544 for 31,304 yards, 174 TDs, 119 Ints, 82.8 rating
669 rushes for 3,590 yards, 37 TDs, 99 fumbles, 5.4 Avg

No matter what the competition is, McNair is my #1 guy. Favourite QB? Favourite Titan? Favourite football player of all time? The winner is always McNair.

In the same way that seeing Warren Sapp dominate en route to the Super Bowl in '02 made me a football fan, watching Steve McNair play made me a Titans fan. In the early days I had leaned towards the Raiders or the Bears, but Mac9 ushered me into Tennessee fandom, and every quarterback who has come since or is yet to come will always have to live up not only to McNair's performance, but to his qualities.

Whether he had a chunk of flesh hanging from his thumb, or defenders draped over him on every snap, McNair would play on. He was a true throwback to QBs of old; men of true grit and bravery who would put their bodies on the line to claim a victory. I don't doubt that, had football still been a two-way game, McNair would have been more than happy to line up on defence or kick field goals as well.

He was a man of quiet confidence, and it was beautiful: a good old country boy who worked his ass off to get to where he was, and never lost the things that made him who he was. He was a genuine man, the kind who you'd want to win for, but who would more often than not end up winning for you.

Someday I hope to track down all of the McNair seasons that I missed. There's seven years of gametime that I wasn't privy to, and of the few games I've seen from those days, it's clear to me: I want to see more. I have to see more.

He never won a Super Bowl. His statistics are robust, but not stellar. As time goes by, his intangibles: the way he put the team on his shoulders, fought for everything through any injury, and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat... Will they be remembered? Or will he become merely a memory of his stats: 3x Pro Bowler, 1x All-Pro, 1x Co-MVP?

Though these are good things, these are not the things that made up Steve McNair. The way he would shed tacklers to complete a first down pass, how he would shrug off a seemingly devastating injury to return to action, and how he would let his actions speak louder than his words... These were the things that made Steve McNair the football player that he was.