55CrushEm
08-18-2007, 11:25 AM
Good article on Bailey...it was posted today on sportsline.com.....didn't see a thread yet about it.....
Camp tour: Broncos' deluxe corner Champ just about undisputed Aug. 18, 2007
By Mike Freeman
CBS SportsLine.com National Columnist
An NFL head coach tells this story and it says a lot about Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey.
Several years ago this coach's team was playing Denver. At one point in the game, during a timeout, the quarterback and coach began discussing what plays to run next. Some of the suggestions included throws in the direction of Bailey. The coach interrupted.
"Don't throw at him, period," the coach recalled telling his quarterback.
"Why not?" the quarterback asked.
"Just don't (expletive) do it," the coach responded.
The quarterback threw in the direction of Bailey anyway and Bailey almost intercepted the pass. The quarterback never threw at Bailey for the remainder of the game. Lesson learned.
There might be dozens of stories like that and no one -- like this coach -- wants to admit they are terrified of going at Bailey, but many quarterbacks and coaches are. Indeed, more than a few teams give Bailey the Deion Sanders treatment. They stay as far away from Bailey as possible once the game begins.
This does not mean that Bailey is some unbeatable force. No, check that. He practically is.
"You really don't know how good he is until you see him in person and play him," said Denver quarterback Jay Cutler.
"He's not content just being a great player," said coach Mike Shanahan of Bailey, "he wants to be the best player."
Bailey sets his standards so high he says that his goal this year is to get more interceptions than he did last season. Well, last year Bailey had 10 interceptions. Ten. Despite being rarely thrown at. He thinks he can really do better than that?
"It's possible," Bailey said.
With Bailey anything is possible.
In fact, because sports has become more about who talks the most, and dances post-touchdown the best, a player like Bailey, while appreciated, can sometimes be vastly underrated by fans because he can be fairly quiet.
The only players in the NFL better than Bailey are Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and LaDainian Tomlinson.
More than that, when Bailey's career is done there is a great chance he could end up being better than the best cornerback in NFL history: Deion Sanders.
Yes, Bailey that good and yes, Sanders is the best. My top five corners: Sanders, Bailey, Mel Blount, Mike Haynes, Night Train Lane and Rod Woodson (who just edges out Willie Brown).
Bailey could one day top Sanders, because with apologies to Primetime, Bailey is a ferocious tackler in addition to master cover guy. Last season Bailey had 84 solo tackles.
Despite rarely being thrown at, Bailey has impressive numbers. Since joining the Broncos in 2005 he has totaled 18 interceptions, the most by an NFL player in a two-year stretch since Everson Walls in 1981-82. Champ earned his seventh straight Pro Bowl bid last season. He has missed just two games in his NFL career and has 126 starts, second only to Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber (127) among active corners.
His combination of speed, toughness, tackling ability and cover skills make Bailey as good as any corner who has ever played.
Things will get interesting for the Denver defense this season because the Broncos added Dre' Bly to the other corner spot. Bly is no Bailey but he's good, and his presence will make it more difficult for teams to avoid Bailey. That could lead to even more interceptions for him.
And more history as Bailey continues to make his case for being the best cornerback football has ever seen.
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10298060
Camp tour: Broncos' deluxe corner Champ just about undisputed Aug. 18, 2007
By Mike Freeman
CBS SportsLine.com National Columnist
An NFL head coach tells this story and it says a lot about Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey.
Several years ago this coach's team was playing Denver. At one point in the game, during a timeout, the quarterback and coach began discussing what plays to run next. Some of the suggestions included throws in the direction of Bailey. The coach interrupted.
"Don't throw at him, period," the coach recalled telling his quarterback.
"Why not?" the quarterback asked.
"Just don't (expletive) do it," the coach responded.
The quarterback threw in the direction of Bailey anyway and Bailey almost intercepted the pass. The quarterback never threw at Bailey for the remainder of the game. Lesson learned.
There might be dozens of stories like that and no one -- like this coach -- wants to admit they are terrified of going at Bailey, but many quarterbacks and coaches are. Indeed, more than a few teams give Bailey the Deion Sanders treatment. They stay as far away from Bailey as possible once the game begins.
This does not mean that Bailey is some unbeatable force. No, check that. He practically is.
"You really don't know how good he is until you see him in person and play him," said Denver quarterback Jay Cutler.
"He's not content just being a great player," said coach Mike Shanahan of Bailey, "he wants to be the best player."
Bailey sets his standards so high he says that his goal this year is to get more interceptions than he did last season. Well, last year Bailey had 10 interceptions. Ten. Despite being rarely thrown at. He thinks he can really do better than that?
"It's possible," Bailey said.
With Bailey anything is possible.
In fact, because sports has become more about who talks the most, and dances post-touchdown the best, a player like Bailey, while appreciated, can sometimes be vastly underrated by fans because he can be fairly quiet.
The only players in the NFL better than Bailey are Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and LaDainian Tomlinson.
More than that, when Bailey's career is done there is a great chance he could end up being better than the best cornerback in NFL history: Deion Sanders.
Yes, Bailey that good and yes, Sanders is the best. My top five corners: Sanders, Bailey, Mel Blount, Mike Haynes, Night Train Lane and Rod Woodson (who just edges out Willie Brown).
Bailey could one day top Sanders, because with apologies to Primetime, Bailey is a ferocious tackler in addition to master cover guy. Last season Bailey had 84 solo tackles.
Despite rarely being thrown at, Bailey has impressive numbers. Since joining the Broncos in 2005 he has totaled 18 interceptions, the most by an NFL player in a two-year stretch since Everson Walls in 1981-82. Champ earned his seventh straight Pro Bowl bid last season. He has missed just two games in his NFL career and has 126 starts, second only to Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber (127) among active corners.
His combination of speed, toughness, tackling ability and cover skills make Bailey as good as any corner who has ever played.
Things will get interesting for the Denver defense this season because the Broncos added Dre' Bly to the other corner spot. Bly is no Bailey but he's good, and his presence will make it more difficult for teams to avoid Bailey. That could lead to even more interceptions for him.
And more history as Bailey continues to make his case for being the best cornerback football has ever seen.
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10298060