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Steelers Unofficially Have a New Single Season Sack Leader

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On his way to Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, James Harrison set the Steelers record for most sacks in a season with 16. But we may have to start acknowledging that he’s actually number 2 on that list.

The NFL didn’t officially begin to count sacks until 1981 which means there isn’t any hard data on sacks prior to that. Which also means that the likes of Ernie Stautner, Joe Greene, Dwight White, Andy Russell, Jack Lambert, and everyone else on those Steel Curtain teams didn’t have any sack stats recorded until 1981.


The most interesting revolution to come out of Pro Football Researchers work in regards to the Steelers was that they have a new single season sack leader. His name? Eugene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb. PFR went back to 1960 and captured the information by careful research to credit every player who recorded a sack prior to the NFL making it an official stat.

Lipscomb was traded to the Steelers from the Baltimore Colts in 1961 and helped give the Steelers one of the best defensive lines in football. He and Stautner terrorized opposing offenses in 1961 with Lipscomb recording 17.5 sacks in a 14 game season. He would only play one more season for the Steelers before passing away in 1963 of what some suspected was a drug overdose.

It’s unclear when and if ever the NFL will officially adopt these numbers, but they sure should.


Not only did Lipscomb surpass Harrison, some of those Steel Curtain men found themselves in the top 5 of the Steelers All-Time sack charts.

Harrison – 80.5
L.C Greenwood – 78
Mean Joe – 77.5
Jason Gildon – 77
Joey Porter – 60

Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
 
Steeler Nation said:
The most interesting revolution to come out of Pro Football Researchers work in regards to the Steelers was that they have a new single season sack leader. His name? Eugene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb. PFR went back to 1960 and captured the information by careful research to credit every player who recorded a sack prior to the NFL making it an official stat.

Lipscomb was traded to the Steelers from the
Not only did Lipscomb surpass Harrison, some of those Steel Curtain men found themselves in the top 5 of the Steelers All-Time sack charts.

Harrison – 80.5
L.C Greenwood – 78
Mean Joe – 77.5
Jason Gildon – 77
Joey Porter – 60

Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
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Big Daddy’s premature death was factor that prevented the Steelers from playing for NFL Championship.
 
FSF said:
If stats were kept for individual sacks in 70s, LC would have been in HoF in 1990s
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Well someone went back and tallied his up because they have him only a few behind James Harrison.

He's the last guy on my list from that front 4 I'd like to see go. Shell was the other.
 
CoolieMan said:
saw somewhere else the '74 team had 52 sacks in 14 games, led by Ernie Holmes with 11.5

and LC's 4 sacks in SB X would be the record
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This: LC would have been historically recognized and it would have built his reputation for years.
 
Steelr4evr said:
Well someone went back and tallied his up because they have him only a few behind James Harrison.

He's the last guy on my list from that front 4 I'd like to see go. Shell was the other.
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TBH—There is going to be little incentive for voters to go back to 70s and grant another space in HoF for the Steelers.

There is an existing bias against current candidates already with how many Steelers as primary team are in. Faneca’s wait would have been half as long if he played for another team. Ward will be a long wait, and debating over Porter & Harrison will stir up.

LC may be recognized in many years by the same committee that finally put Dick LeBeau in, but to be blunt — LeBeau was alive and well recognized as the best Defensive Coordinator in NFL.

Outside of SteelerNation; LC is largely forgotten.
 
Wasn't it LC that painted his shoes GOLD so as to be identified and not mixed for Joe Green. He'd make a tackle and end up with his feet in the air for all to see.



Salute the nation
 
Drink IRON City said:
Wasn't it LC that painted his shoes GOLD so as to be identified and not mixed for Joe Green. He'd make a tackle and end up with his feet in the air for all to see.



Salute the nation
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Yeah. I believe he got fined for them too. His gold shoes are in the HOF.
 
FSF said:
TBH—There is going to be little incentive for voters to go back to 70s and grant another space in HoF for the Steelers.

There is an existing bias against current candidates already with how many Steelers as primary team are in. Faneca’s wait would have been half as long if he played for another team. Ward will be a long wait, and debating over Porter & Harrison will stir up.

LC may be recognized in many years by the same committee that finally put Dick LeBeau in, but to be blunt — LeBeau was alive and well recognized as the best Defensive Coordinator in NFL.

Outside of SteelerNation; LC is largely forgotten.
Click to expand...


Well, if you make enough noise for those who are forgotten, everyone will hear you.

You make it a topic everyone talks about. His gold shoes are in,put him in his shoes!
 
Steelr4evr said:
Well, if you make enough noise for those who are forgotten, everyone will hear you.

You make it a topic everyone talks about. His gold shoes are in,put him in his shoes!
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How do you propose we do that?
 
I weird Pete rose has more stuff at the baseball hall of fame Than anyone by a lot a whole lot. He’s not in the hall of fame but you can’t go there and not notice all his stuff so in reality he’s in the hall of fame. I’ve never been but I’m told the Steelers have a whole hall dedicated to them and the 70’s team he’s not in there but his gear is kinda weird to put players stuff in if they aren’t. The one guy who made the rules get changed because he was so good at his position isn’t in. How in the hell is Blunt not in?
 
CorpusDsteelers said:
I weird Pete rose has more stuff at the baseball hall of fame Than anyone by a lot a whole lot. He’s not in the hall of fame but you can’t go there and not notice all his stuff so in reality he’s in the hall of fame. I’ve never been but I’m told the Steelers have a whole hall dedicated to them and the 70’s team he’s not in there but his gear is kinda weird to put players stuff in if they aren’t. The one guy who made the rules get changed because he was so good at his position isn’t in. How in the hell is Blunt not in?
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did they take him back out? I was under the impression he was elected in during the late 80s
 
Drink IRON City said:
Wasn't it LC that painted his shoes GOLD so as to be identified and not mixed for Joe Green. He'd make a tackle and end up with his feet in the air for all to see.



Salute the nation
Click to expand...
that is the way I always heard the story, but this supposedly "true story" disagrees

www.lcgreenwood68.com

THE OFFICIAL SITE FOR L. C. GREENWOOD - L.C.'s GOLD SHOES

www.lcgreenwood68.com www.lcgreenwood68.com

In 1973, L.C. Greenwood was diagnosed by his team doctor with a severe ankle injury. The doctor suggested that if he wanted to play in Sunday’s game, he would have to wear high top shoes. Tony Parisi was one of the Steelers trainers and he had a friend who owned a shoe store in the Strip District. At the shoe store Tony was given a couple of pairs of black Riddell high tops. Back in the locker room, Tony asked L.C. to try them on and they fit perfectly. L.C. said, “Tony, I can’t wear these shoes, they are too ugly!” So Tony offered to paint them white. L.C. did not like that idea because Joe Namath wore white high tops, so Tony offered to paint them gold. L.C. agreed. When the gold shoes appeared in his locker L.C. hesitantly put them on and wore them on game day, and the Steelers won. On the following Sunday, L.C. wore them once more, and the Steelers won again. However, the next game, L.C.’s ankle was on the mend so he wore his regular shoes…The Steelers lost. Suddenly, fan mail started to pour in for L.C. begging him to wear the gold shoes because when he did, the Steelers won. They had become a good luck charm. Always a fan pleaser, L.C. adorned the gold shoes for many of the games.
 
Drink IRON City said:
Wasn't it LC that painted his shoes GOLD so as to be identified and not mixed for Joe Green. He'd make a tackle and end up with his feet in the air for all to see.



Salute the nation
Click to expand...
CoolieMan said:
that is the way I always heard the story, but this supposedly "true story" disagrees

www.lcgreenwood68.com

THE OFFICIAL SITE FOR L. C. GREENWOOD - L.C.'s GOLD SHOES

www.lcgreenwood68.com www.lcgreenwood68.com

In 1973, L.C. Greenwood was diagnosed by his team doctor with a severe ankle injury. The doctor suggested that if he wanted to play in Sunday’s game, he would have to wear high top shoes. Tony Parisi was one of the Steelers trainers and he had a friend who owned a shoe store in the Strip District. At the shoe store Tony was given a couple of pairs of black Riddell high tops. Back in the locker room, Tony asked L.C. to try them on and they fit perfectly. L.C. said, “Tony, I can’t wear these shoes, they are too ugly!” So Tony offered to paint them white. L.C. did not like that idea because Joe Namath wore white high tops, so Tony offered to paint them gold. L.C. agreed. When the gold shoes appeared in his locker L.C. hesitantly put them on and wore them on game day, and the Steelers won. On the following Sunday, L.C. wore them once more, and the Steelers won again. However, the next game, L.C.’s ankle was on the mend so he wore his regular shoes…The Steelers lost. Suddenly, fan mail started to pour in for L.C. begging him to wear the gold shoes because when he did, the Steelers won. They had become a good luck charm. Always a fan pleaser, L.C. adorned the gold shoes for many of the games.
Click to expand...


I think both stories could very well be true. The ankle one is probably what got the shoes and LC also decided he wouldn't be mixed up with Mean Joe on the tackles. If you watch some of the film occasionally you'd see LC with his feet in the air shaking a little to make sure it was noticed as being him..

I also thought I'd seen an interview with LC saying they call Joe's name when he made the tackle, that but he could have been just covering for the sore ankle.



Thanks for the find Coolie






Salute the nation
 
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