MVP debate: Who's most deserving? A.Rodgers - JJ Watt - T.Brady - P.Manning - D.Murray?

[Maxie the Taxi]

I was gonna mention Horning too, but all that is from secondary sources for me, since I was still an ovum at that time. But it fits - the Golden Boy - more glitz than gains; perception, glam, popularity over production. Valuable - to the league.

Until he was caught gambling.

I, of course, saw all the Glory Years Packer games (except for the ones blacked out...then it was listening to Ted Moore on the radio).

Thinking back, I have to say that Hornung was a key member of that team. THE key member? I dunno. Who knows? All I know is that he ran with the ball, he caught passes, he threw passes, did the placekicking and had an incredible nose for the end zone. And no matter what anyone says, he WAS clutch.

On the other hand, I'd be hard-pressed to name one player on those championship teams that WAS an MVP. Starr? Jim Taylor? Hornung? Nitschke? Adderley? Willie Wood? Dave Robinson? Losing any one of those guys for an extended period of time would have set the team back. If I was forced to put my finger on one guy, I'd probably choose Nitschke. He was the heart and soul of that team and offenses just had no answer for him. In fact, the Packers had no answer for him.

When Starr was hurt, there was Zeke Bratkowski. When Hornung went out, there were Elijah Pitts and Tom Moore. But if Nitschke went out, there was just no replacement for him. I don't think young guys understand just how good he was. Best LB in the history of the game, and that includes Lawrence Taylor.

[mraynrand]

Until he was caught gambling.

I'm not even sure that's a crime anymore. There's been a lot of changes in the law.