Does The LOB Name Die With The Original LOB?

[NFSeahawks]

Of course.

The LOB had 3 borderline HOF players on it.

Earl Thomas, pretty close to HOF, certainly the equal to most of the safeties in there.

Kam Chancellor, borderline but only because of longevity - at his peak he was one of the best to play the position.

Richard Sherman, clear HOF player.

Brandon Browner, not a HOF player but one of THE most physical cornerbacks EVER to play the game. Had Carroll not released him, I think he would have been great here. He might not have worked out in New Orleans but in our system he was money.

Then we had Maxwell as the additional DB. Starter caliber.

It was one of the best secondaries in NFL history, and you don't replace 3 HOF quality players and expect to get to use the same nickname. We might get some good and even very good players out of the guys we have in the wings, but it is ridiculous to compare them to the LOB. The only area they share is that they wear the same color uniforms.

And it would never be fair to expect them to be even close to the players they are replacing. All you do when you try to use LOB for the new batch is water down the legacy. The math says they won't come close because it is crazy rare to get 3 HOF quality players on the same defense much less 3 of the 4 starters in the secondary.

Don't think Sherm, Kam or Earl are borderline, they are all first ballot HOF's.

 

[TwistedHusky]

I believe they are HOF quality.

But I was trying to concede the possibility that some did not. Longevity being the issue.

I personally think the longevity issue is crap but some demand it.

Then again, I would put Lynch in the Hall not because of bias but because he literally dominated defenses and almost carried a team to the SB.

I don't think they are borderline, but even if you believe that 3 - HOF quality players out of 4 is not replaceable.

The LOB was literally the best. That cannot just be 'next man up'ed

 

[BocciHawk]

If the new guys earn it, and bring it, and it fits, sure.

Personally these days I like to refer to them as the Legion of Whom?

 

[NOLAHawk]

No other team could do the super bowl shuffle and not look like posers.

Leave the LOB for the history books. A new identity must rise from the ashes and pull the sword from the stone to take their place on Olympus. Tried to Mic more m3taphors but lost.

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

 

[therealjohncarlson]

I don't really get it.. what is the argument for a group that only has 1/4 of the members still being called the same name? You can call it something else, but how can you justify calling them LOB? Legitimately curious

 

[RolandDeschain]

With two of them, it'd remain. Not one. LoB is dead; it was great while it lasted.

 

[TwilightError]

LOB’s legend should be solidified by killing the name. There are no purple people eaters or monsters of the midway anymore, they are the stuff of legends.

 

[Jville]

There is only one Legion of Boom![youtube]O8En39c7piU[/youtube]

A Legion that forced the NFL to change the rules!


I doubt the league will ever again allow such a magnificent spectacle.

 

[Bryce84]

I appreciate your take, but is the Steel Curtain still the Steel Curtain? Fearsome Foursome? Doomsday Defense? Purple People Eaters? Orange Crush?

You get my point. The LOB was a nickname for those players, not a general name for our defensive backfield for the next decade with different players.

IMO it not only doesn't work, but it's disrespectful to Earl, Kam and Sherm to continue using the LOB name. That's their name, they earned it, and everyone should respect that going forward.

I do see your point. I believe the units that had those nicknames got to the point where we are now and couldn't sustain what the nickname represented, which is a tribute to how truly rare it is to form such a group in the first place. Do you think that if those teams or units were able to sustain that level of greatness (even with new/different players) beyond the years that we can look back and identify them as, they wouldn't be included? That's the situation we're in now, except we don't have the benefit of hindsight. I'm also sure if you asked members of those nicknamed groups (including our Legion of Boom) they would tell you it stood for more than the names on the back of the jerseys.

If we were to jump say... 5, 10 or 15 years in the future and look back to see zero drop off in our secondary play that embodies everything the Legion of Boom represented, would you not think that every major contributing player that ever was a part of that unit is worthy of being considered part of the Legion of Boom? This is an extremely unlikely scenario, as we know how rare it is for these types of units to form in the first place, but should such a scenario happen, I wouldn't be against the name living on beyond the "originals", personally. I'm also not against them carving their own path and name if thats how it plays out. This also brings a point that bigskydoc mentioned earlier in the thread:

If the future secondaries prove to be the equal of the LOB, then I will feel that the LOB moniker belongs to Carrol's NFL secondary, regardless of which players are on it.

I guess I'm getting technical here, since it is unlikely that this is how it goes, but I can't say that I'm 100% against it due to that extremely small possibility.

Edit: Also want to say that I'm not saying any of this to change anyone's mind, I respect everyone's feelings on the subject. Only sharing my perspective and potentially giving others an angle they might not have considered.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

If we were to jump say... 5, 10 or 15 years in the future and look back to see zero drop off in our secondary play that embodies everything the Legion of Boom represented, would you not think that every major contributing player that ever was a part of that unit is worthy of being considered part of the Legion of Boom? This is an extremely unlikely scenario, as we know how rare it is for these types of units to form in the first place, but should such a scenario happen
.

But there's already been a drop off, and it's only been 1-2 years since the height of the LOB.

But hypothetically if there's a new group of DB's that are so amazing that they're nickname worthy? I still say no LOB, give them their own nickname................as they would deserve.

I'd even go as far as to say it's disrespecting the LOB and all the dominance that they accomplished by watering down that name with new less dominant players.

 

[Jville]

I appreciate your take, but is the Steel Curtain still the Steel Curtain? Fearsome Foursome? Doomsday Defense? Purple People Eaters? Orange Crush?

You get my point. The LOB was a nickname for those players, not a general name for our defensive backfield for the next decade with different players.

IMO it not only doesn't work, but it's disrespectful to Earl, Kam and Sherm to continue using the LOB name. That's their name, they earned it, and everyone should respect that going forward.

I do see your point. I believe the units that had those nicknames got to the point where we are now and couldn't sustain what the nickname represented, which is a tribute to how truly rare it is to form such a group in the first place. Do you think that if those teams or units were able to sustain that level of greatness (even with new/different players) beyond the years that we can look back and identify them as, they wouldn't be included? That's the situation we're in now, except we don't have the benefit of hindsight. I'm also sure if you asked members of those nicknamed groups (including our Legion of Boom) they would tell you it stood for more than the names on the back of the jerseys.

If we were to jump say... 5, 10 or 15 years in the future and look back to see zero drop off in our secondary play that embodies everything the Legion of Boom represented, would you not think that every major contributing player that ever was a part of that unit is worthy of being considered part of the Legion of Boom? This is an extremely unlikely scenario, as we know how rare it is for these types of units to form in the first place, but should such a scenario happen, I wouldn't be against the name living on beyond the "originals", personally. I'm also not against them carving their own path and name if thats how it plays out. This also brings a point that bigskydoc mentioned earlier in the thread:

If the future secondaries prove to be the equal of the LOB, then I will feel that the LOB moniker belongs to Carrol's NFL secondary, regardless of which players are on it.

I guess I'm getting technical here, since it is unlikely that this is how it goes, but I can't say that I'm 100% against it due to that extremely small possibility.

Edit: Also want to say that I'm not saying any of this to change anyone's mind, I respect everyone's feelings on the subject. Only sharing my perspective and potentially giving others an angle they might not have considered.

The game / spectacle changes over time with the league's constant tinkering with the rules. The Legion of Boom forced rule changes. The Fearsome Foursome, Purple People Eaters ect. ect. forced rule changes as well. The head slap and hands to the face were outlawed and that era also came to an end. The NFL spectacle is not static. It is dynamic in that it is constantly changing and evolving along with other sports. This generation of players and teams is playing under different circumstances than generations past. Rule changes are a powerful nemesis to sustainability. IMHO

 

[Seymour]

If we were to jump say... 5, 10 or 15 years in the future and look back to see zero drop off in our secondary play that embodies everything the Legion of Boom represented, would you not think that every major contributing player that ever was a part of that unit is worthy of being considered part of the Legion of Boom? This is an extremely unlikely scenario, as we know how rare it is for these types of units to form in the first place, but should such a scenario happen
.

But there's already been a drop off, and it's only been 1-2 years since the height of the LOB.

But hypothetically if there's a new group of DB's that are so amazing that they're nickname worthy? I still say no LOB, give them their own nickname................as they would deserve.

I'd even go as far as to say it's disrespecting the LOB and all the dominance that they accomplished by watering down that name with new less dominant players.

It is disrespecting the LOB!!

The LOB shut down the all time offense record setting 2013 Denver Bronco's and held them to 8 points in Super Bowl 48. No other Seattle secondary is going to do that.....EVER!!

Time to let it go and keep them legendary and not watered down! This is not even a legit question!

Legion of Brothers??? FINE. Just not Legion of Boom.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

It is disrespecting the LOB!!

The LOB shut down the all time offense record setting 2013 Denver Bronco's and held them to 8 points in Super Bowl 48. No other Seattle secondary is going to do that.....EVER!!

Time to let it go and keep them legendary and not watered down! This is not even a legit question!

Legion of Brothers??? FINE. Just not Legion of Boom.

Exactly.

What do you think would happen in Pittsburgh if their fans were like "Hey this D-line is really good, let's call them the Steel Curtain!!"

Those fans would be run out of town.

 

[Sac]

The young guns will have to earn that nickname. Until it happens, they're the Legion of Whom.

 

[tacomahawk]

I died with the original members, including Browner. I think some folks may have forgotten what an animal he truly was. The name belonged to four people, and four people only. I am going to be pissed if the announcer during the introductions calls them that, cause if it just Earl, it isn’t the LOB.

 

[ApnaHawk]

There is only and 1 and there will always be only 1

Browner - Kam - Earl - Sherm

There will films about this and those 4 will be the ones that will be remembered. No one else.

 

[Vaclav44]

The LOB was a time, a place, and most importantly a specific group of players. The players are almost all gone and it's time to move on. We can only hope to replicate it.

 

[scutterhawk]

In it's hay-day the LOB was a thing of beauty...It's kind of pathetic to keep on keeping on with the notion that you can just transpose one hammer with another, and keep the same moniker.
My guitar is> LIKE < a MARTIN D-28, but it's actually a YAMAHA, designed to look and play LIKE a MARTIN D-28.....My motorcycle is LIKE a HARLEY DAVIDSON, only it's a YAMAHA that is supposed to MIMIC a HARLEY.. See where this is going? :lol:
NOW, Try telling the Gronkmeister that Lil' EARL-Of Thomas can't lay the wood like his larger brethren LOB'rs :rumble:

 

[Bryce84]

I recognize some disconnects in this discussion. I see several comments how there will never be another group of players on this team in the secondary to the caliber of the "original" Legion of Boom, and that to suggest that there ever could be (especially this soon) is complete sacrilege. I understand its extremely unlikely, probably damn near impossible, but I still pose the question: what if there is? What if we happen to go from elite secondary to elite secondary with a mostly different set of players? We don't know yet. We don't have the benefit of hindsight. Again, it's insanely rare to happen and I'm not counting on it, but I cannot 100% rule it out either.

I also think everyone has different ideas of the "era" of the Legion of Boom. For me, its been as long as three of the four pioneers of the Legion have been starting together (2011) until present day. My reasoning for seeing it this way is because the players never spoke about how being a part of the Legion of Boom was exclusive to the 4 "founding members", and were very welcome to accept anyone that could step in and play to the Legion of Boom standard - suggesting to me its much more about the Defensive Back room than names on jerseys. Others seem to have a different idea of a more narrow window like the Super Bowl years. I don't think anyone's idea of this is wrong, but its interesting to notice.

In this example:

What do you think would happen in Pittsburgh if their fans were like "Hey this D-line is really good, let's call them the Steel Curtain!!"

We are talking about completely different circumstances in my opinion, as I've given my idea of the era of the Legion of Boom in my previous paragraph. The situation you're talking about is reviving a nickname from the mid-70s to a present day team. As opposed to the (unlikely) scenario of the Seahawks secondary in 2018 and beyond performing at the level we've seen for the majority of the time since 2011. I don't see similarities in these scenarios, personally. As one era is still potentially continuing (imo) and the other would be revived over 50 years later.

I guess I'm too much of a thinker of finding a possible scenario where I COULD see myself finding it acceptable to continue the Legion of Boom name, based on what I personally feel embodies the nickname and what it stands for. This perspective seems to be in the minority, and I hope I don't come across as offensive or tarnishing what others cherish when it comes to the "Legion of Boom", that's no where near my intent. I suppose I live in a fairy tale world where the name stands for way more than names on the back of jerseys Time will tell Thanks for the discussion everyone! Interesting to see the different perspectives.

 

[chris98251]

I recognize some disconnects in this discussion. I see several comments how there will never be another group of players on this team in the secondary to the caliber of the "original" Legion of Boom, and that to suggest that there ever could be (especially this soon) is complete sacrilege. I understand its extremely unlikely, probably damn near impossible, but I still pose the question: what if there is? What if we happen to go from elite secondary to elite secondary with a mostly different set of players? We don't know yet. We don't have the benefit of hindsight. Again, it's insanely rare to happen and I'm not counting on it, but I cannot 100% rule it out either.

I also think everyone has different ideas of the "era" of the Legion of Boom. For me, its been as long as three of the four pioneers of the Legion have been starting together (2011) until present day. My reasoning for seeing it this way is because the players never spoke about how being a part of the Legion of Boom was exclusive to the 4 "founding members", and were very welcome to accept anyone that could step in and play to the Legion of Boom standard - suggesting to me its much more about the Defensive Back room than names on jerseys. Others seem to have a different idea of a more narrow window like the Super Bowl years. I don't think anyone's idea of this is wrong, but its interesting to notice.

In this example:

What do you think would happen in Pittsburgh if their fans were like "Hey this D-line is really good, let's call them the Steel Curtain!!"

We are talking about completely different circumstances in my opinion, as I've given my idea of the era of the Legion of Boom in my previous paragraph. The situation you're talking about is reviving a nickname from the mid-70s to a present day team. As opposed to the (unlikely) scenario of the Seahawks secondary in 2018 and beyond performing at the level we've seen for the majority of the time since 2011. I don't see similarities in these scenarios, personally. As one era is still potentially continuing (imo) and the other would be revived over 50 years later.

I guess I'm too much of a thinker of finding a possible scenario where I COULD see myself finding it acceptable to continue the Legion of Boom name, based on what I personally feel embodies the nickname and what it stands for. This perspective seems to be in the minority, and I hope I don't come across as offensive or tarnishing what others cherish when it comes to the "Legion of Boom", that's no where near my intent. I suppose I live in a fairy tale world where the name stands for way more than names on the back of jerseys Time will tell Thanks for the discussion everyone! Interesting to see the different perspectives.

There is a reason you will not have a LOB nick name, those Old Fogey era's as it seems you want them to be hoped the next generation of player could continue as well, then a decade past, then another and there was hope of revival. Now it is decades later and we still don't have a reaccurance of those names. Why because they went from impact to legendary over that time. To call another group the Steel Curtain or the Legion of Boom is disrespecting those players, that era and those teams.

The next group will have to EARN a name not get one passed down.