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Brooks (barely) beats Lewis in this balloting

By GARY SHELTON
Published September 10, 2006

Great player here. Great player there.

Ferocious linebacker here. Ferocious linebacker there.

Probable Hall of Famer here. Probable Hall of Famer there, too.

As for me, I’ll take Derrick Brooks. Someone there can take Ray Lewis.

This is human nature, of course. You notice the mountain that is closest to you. You cling to the moments you have seen firsthand. Around Tampa Bay, there has never been a linebacker to compare with Brooks. In Baltimore, of course, opinions might vary.

Franchise-defining player here. Franchise-defining player there.

Perennial Pro Bowler here. Perennial Pro Bowler there.

Super Bowl winner here. Super Bowl winner there, too.

So who is better? Brooks or Lewis? Lewis or Brooks?

The easy way out is to toss platitudes at them both and move out of the way. The dodge is to point out that they don’t play the same linebacker position. But that’s lame. Players such as these do not strive to be one of the best two linebackers. They strive to be the best. And when Brooks and Lewis are together, joking around on who has more of what, they compare themselves to each other.

It always has been that way. There was Sam Huff in the ’50s and Dick Butkus in the ’60s and Jack Lambert in the ’70s and Lawrence Taylor in the ’80s. Yeah, there were other great players, too, but those are the men who set the standards for what a linebacker looked like.

So who is this generation’s linebacker? Brooks or Lewis? Lewis or Brooks?

Let’s concede this: The answer at the Harbor is probably different than the answer at the Bay. Let’s concede this, too: Whether it’s because of his play, his problems and his posturing, the casual fan in Bruised Knuckle, N.M., is more likely to vote for Lewis.

“If you think like me, you’ll say me,’’ Brooks said, laughing at the question. “If you think like Ray, you’ll say Ray.’’
As for me, I’ll take Brooks.

I’ll take his personality. I’ll take his consistency. I’ll take his ability in the open field. I’ll take his impact on a franchise. I’ll take his lack of a police record. I’ll take his durability. None of this is meant to take away one tackle from Lewis’ resume; he’s a great player. Brooks is better.

“Wow,’’ said Ron Jaworski, the ex-Eagles quarterback who still breaks down game tapes in his role as an ESPN analyst. “You’re talking about two of the game’s greatest playmakers. Both are tremendous, tremendous football players. From a defensive perspective, I can’t think of two guys who have a bigger impact on the game as playmakers.

“If I’m the general manager and there is a gun to my head, by the slimmest of margins, I’d say Derrick Brooks. I think he makes more plays in space than Ray. If you can get a body on Ray Lewis, you can negate some of his ability. But Derrick still seems to make the plays.’’

Why isn’t he as well-known? The inability to thump his own chest always has seemed to lessened Brooks’ reputation nationally. When Lewis makes a tackle, he tends to perform the Electric Bugaloo on the field. Lewis has played with some great teammates, too, but he seems to suck all the attention toward himself. In a twisted way, even the murder charge (lessened to an obstruction of justice charge) against Lewis fed the linebacker-as-nasty-guy image.

Warren Sapp, a former teammate of Brooks with the Bucs and of Lewis at the University of Miami, once put it like this: “Brooks is the best, the absolute best. They talk about Lewis being the Michelangelo of tackling, but I’ll take Brooks. He’s the Van Gogh. If he ain’t on the field, I ain’t going.’’

Lewis said last week that he talks to Brooks several times a week. As for Brooks, he talked about one discussion in particular.

It was at last season’s Pro Bowl. Brooks was in it as a player; Lewis was working for the NFL Network. Lewis had asked his team to trade him; Brooks did not know if the Bucs would bring him back. Neither knew if he would be back.

“We talked for hours,’’ Brooks said. “At that time, Ray was irritated with football. I could tell his passion for the game was being eaten at. He wasn’t himself. We talked about going somewhere together and winning a championship.’’

Can you imagine the two of them together for their twilight years? Better question: Can you imagine them together for a career?

Go back to the ’96 draft. Brooks had just finished his rookie season. Lewis was an undersized linebacker coming out of the University of Miami.

The Bucs had the 22nd pick (they had taken Regan Upshaw with the 12th), and yes, the team had discussed Lewis. But Hardy Nickerson had just signed a four-year contract, and linebacker was one of the team’s strongest positions. So it took Marcus Jones instead. Four picks later, the Ravens traded up and drafted Lewis.

Marcus Jones?

For the record, Brooks is a big Lewis fan. Lewis is a big Brooks fan.

“I know when we come off the field, I’m going to get my water quick and get to the sideline to watch him play,’’ Brooks said of today’s game. “In a sense, we are trying to outplay each other. I’m trying to hold his team’s offense to one less point than he holds our team’s.

“I’ll be honest. I’m just grateful someone is making this conversation. I’d rather be remembered as a good person. Ray has turned his life around; he’s a good person.’’

Lewis, in turn, refers to Brooks as a warrior. “There’s just a total level of respect we have for each other. That thing right there (the defensive player of the year trophy), me and him have been chasing that for a long time, and I don’t think me or him are done bringing that trophy home.”

Together, they are Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside. For years, they defined their positions. Brian Urlacher was going to be the next Lewis. Shawne Merriman was going to be the next Brooks. Jonathan Vilma was going to be the next Lewis. Ernie Sims was going to be the next Brooks.

So what’s the tale of the tape here?

Defensive Player of the Year Award: Lewis has won two. Brooks has won one, although when Sapp won in ’99, he suggested Brooks was the team’s best player. Edge: Lewis.

Pro Bowls: Brooks has been to nine in a row. Lewis has been to seven. Edge: Brooks.

Super Bowls:  Lewis’ team won, and he was the MVP. Brooks’ team won, and he clinched the game with a fourth-quarter interception return. Edge: Brooks.Defensive teammates: Lewis has played with some good players, Chris McAlister and Sam Adams and Peter Boulware. But Brooks has played with Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Ronde Barber. All will get Hall of Fame discussion. Lewis has had less support. Edge: Lewis.

Offensive opponents: Brooks has made his name in head-to-head battles with Marshall Faulk and with Michael Vick. He’s also played in divisions against Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Steve Smith and Barry Sanders. Lewis hasn’t played against the same caliber opponents as often. Edge: Brooks.

Leadership: This year, Brooks took a massive pay cut to return, saying it was time for his teammates to get their share. Although he pouted last year, Lewis is again in charge. On Wednesday, he kept his defensive teammates on the field after the coaches left to walk through the plays one more time. Edge: Even.

Defensive rankings: Everyone remembers how dominant the Ravens defense was in 2001, but it didn’t last. Not only that, but it wasn’t even the NFL’s top-rated defense that year. The Ravens have been in the top 10 six times in the Lewis era but never first. The Bucs have been in the top 10 nine straight years and have been first twice. Edge: Brooks.

Durability: This is where Brooks wins the comparison. He hasn’t missed a game in 10 years. Lewis missed 10 games last year and 11 in ’02. He has more to prove this year.

Bucs linebacker coach Joe Barry, who votes for Brooks (naturally), refers to this as a “Marino vs. Montana matchup.’’ Ali vs. Frazier, perhaps. Or maybe Chamberlain vs. Russell.

Brooks vs. Lewis?

Here, it says Brooks.

[Last modified September 10, 2006, 07:30:49]