Top Ten Most Underrated BC Lions

[Dan Russell]

No Kendrick Jones?

[PigSkin_53]

Good topic, Robbie.

And some very good recommendations.

I agree totally with:

Vic Rapp - He brought competitiveness and pride back to the Lions. He was so intense he scared his coaches as much as the players. Tom Coughlin of the Giants reminds me of Rapp. I was very happy to see how much Rapp enjoyed being brought back by Ackles along with all the other Alumni a couple of years ago.

Bill Comrie - Kept the franchise going. Brought us Eric Tillman and Dave Ritchie and a Grey Cup in 1994.

Damon Allen - Cranky old Gramps. Slow out of the gate. Inconsistent. Kind of ordinary in the regular season. But has played wonderfully in some Big Games. Thanks for the Grey Cup of 2000. I hope you settle back in White Rock when your playing days are over. That might be when you turn 50 or so.

I would add:

Roy DeWalt - I don't think he was loved by the fans. He was a great runner and scrambler in his younger days. Matthews would never talk about why he wouldn't let DeWalt run the ball more. It seemed like Matthews was hiding an injury or a more serious incapacity.

Steve Buratto - Kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of the CFL. Gets bounced around. Gets stabbed in the back. Has had unusual hardships to deal with in his private life as well. But he is a gamer. I give him all the respect. Thanks for your contributions to the Grey Cup of 2000.

Lyle Green - Can run. Can catch. Can block. No complaints. Just production. Always a pro.

Bret Anderson - Getting more respect the last few years, partly because of his longevity. People finally notice him. How clutch he is. How multi-talented. What a great team guy. Wally says that before he came to B.C. he underestimated Bret Anderson as well.

Kato - Equipment guy El Supremo. A great presence on the team.

Bill Reichelt - Trainer Second to None. Another great presence on the team.

David Braley. Do we take him for granted? I think we do a bit. Saved the Lions franchise. Probably saved the CFL. Doesn't seek publicity. Doesn't grand stand. Fully supportive. As good an owner in sports as I have seen. Makes all kinds of charitable contributions to his communities. Doesn't do the Jerry Jones, Mark Cuban or George Steinbrenner kind of ownership thing ("This is all about me.")

[Robbie]

You beat me to it on Pankratz - he was a clutch receiver who wasn't afraid to go into traffic despite not being a classic big bodied slotback.

Pankratz was simply overshadowed by the other great Lions receivers of the mid-1980's. And unfortunately for him, in the big games like the 1983 and 1985 Grey Cups, he didn't really make any big catches.

Kevin Konar is another Canadian who made an immense contribution to the club's success in the 80s.

At least Konar was rewarded for his fine performance with all-star selections in 1985 and 1987, and he was well-liked by the fans too. I'm sure he will be inducted on the Wall of Fame someday.

Gary Robinson - a lot of people forget that this SFU product put in 10 solid years on the defensive line.

In terms of tenure, he is one of the Lions with the most number of games played in BC who is not inducted in the Wall of Fame. I guess with no all-star selections, he was overshadowed by the bad seasons of the 1970's.

Jim Evenson - despite being a Western All-Star 3 times, the contributions of this bruising 6'3" 220lb fullback seem to have diminished in our collective memory over time.

He also got CFL All-Star twice in 1970 and 1971. Perhaps he is remembered as an Ottawa Rough Rider better as that's where he won his first Grey Cup in 1973.

Rocky Long - wasn't blessed with great speed, but had an uncanny knack of finding the hole as a punt returner, and seemed to always manage to get great yards. Had a 10.13 career average.

Selected as a western all-star in 1977, his last season with the Lions. Just like many others, overshadowed by the bad 1970's.

Jan Carinci

A decent slotback obtained in the good trade for Nick Hebeler. I guess he was so reliable down the middle that it was for that reason that Matt Dunigan decided to attempt to pass to him in the fateful play of the 1988 Grey Cup.

Kato - Equipment guy El Supremo. A great presence on the team.
Bill Reichelt - Trainer Second to None. Another great presence on the team.

Having been with the organization for so long, I'm sure both of them are well appreciated, even if they are not in the spotlight all the time.

[Tighthead]

Any love for one year wonder Curtis Head?

[Robbie]

Any love for one year wonder Curtis Head?

:no:

[Rammer]

Any love for one year wonder Curtis Head?

For a one year wonder guy, he had lots of potential and did a better than average job during his service.

[Robbie]

I'll list two more - one by the team and one possibly by the fans.

Stewart Hill
In the 1990-91 off-season, BC lost two key all-star defensive players to free agency: Alondra Johnson to Calgary and Willie Pless to Edmonton. But the Lions did get some redemption by signing a three time CFL all-star defensive free agent from Edmonton, Stewart Hill, who was runner-up in 1990 for the Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Hill served the Lions well as defensive captain in 1991 along with a Western all-star selection. But unlike Johnson and Pless with their respective new teams, the Lions didn't make Hill a long term star player and inexplicably released him after the 1992 season. :x

Ty Crews
Crews was a standout middle linebacker in the 1980's but he was never selected as a western all-star. Most fans may not know that in 1985 he was the first Lion to win the Tom Pate Memorial Award and then in 1986, he became the first player to win the award multiple times when he won it again.

[Tighthead]

Any love for one year wonder Curtis Head?

For a one year wonder guy, he had lots of potential and did a better than average job during his service.

Especially if you recall Matt Kellett and D O'M.

[lion24]

Tyron Gray

[Dan Russell]

Any love for one year wonder Curtis Head?

For a one year wonder guy, he had lots of potential and did a better than average job during his service.

Especially if you recall Matt Kellett and D O'M.

It's blasphemy to speak of that name.

[Robbie]

It's blasphemy to speak of that name.

Who, Kellett or O'Mahony?

[Dan_Payne_fan!!]

The Equipment Managers and Trainers are the most underrated members on the team, these are the guys that make the team keep going through injuries, and they always make sure that everything is good for the players needs

[Dan Russell]

It's blasphemy to speak of that name.

Who, Kellett or O'Mahony?

BOTH.

[bbang]

Dave Chaytors. Remember the cheap shot he laid on Doug Flutie in the 94 West final. Also recovered a fumble shortly afterwards IIRC. One mean and nasty player.

[Robbie]

Dave Chaytors.

Good choice. Aside from his west division all-star selection in 1998, he rarely got any credit. It was a mistake for the Lions to release him before the 2000 season.