Year-End Awards: Can Tomlinson steal L.T. nickname?
Judge Awards
Here's a question to debate as we come out of the NFL season: Who's the better L.T., Lawrence Taylor, the originator of the nickname, or LaDainian Tomlinson, the San Diego Chargers running back who is on his way to winning his first MVP?
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| LaDainian Tomlinson is breaking records and becoming a legend. (US Presswire) |
Taylor helped the New York Giants win two Super Bowls, scaring the hell out of opposing quarterbacks along the way and leading us to wonder how good he would have been if it weren't for those off-the-field demons.
Never did I think another player would ever do enough to be in the conversation to use the L.T. moniker. It was his forever, right?
Tomlinson has changed that.
His remarkable 2006 season, in which he scored an amazing 31 touchdowns and once again ran through opposing defenses with the grace of the great ones, is moving him into a class in the Taylor zip code.
He's not quite there yet -- how can he be when he's still not considered the best back of all-time by many? -- but it's a lot closer than it was a year ago.
For his special season, Tomlinson is my choice as the NFL MVP. Oh, by the way, he led the NFL in rushing with 1,815 yards and also threw two touchdown passes. Tomlinson's winning is a good thing for the NFL.
There might not be a less-assuming superstar in the league. He is polite, accommodating, loves his teammates, praises his offensive line and celebrates a score the way the suits at the league office love, by handing the ball to the officials.
If Tomlinson can get the Chargers to the Super Bowl, which is a strong possibility since they are the top seed in the AFC, he may become the face of the NFL. If that happens, I just may have to put him side-by-side with Lawrence Taylor.
There's only one L.T. in my mind, but come February that could change.
Tomlinson or Taylor? Let the debate begin.
