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Today, we find the first of our most tightly-seeded contests, those between the eighth and ninth seeds. In the NCAA basketball tourney, these tend to be "pick-em" games, and I'd expect the eight-nine contests in our little tournament to follow that pattern. This particular match-up features two big men: defensive end Too Tall Jones and offensive tackle Erik Williams.
Player: "Too Tall" Jones
Position: defensive end
Seed: 8
Essentials:
| Name | Years | Career AV | Pro Bowls | All-Pro | RoH | HoF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Lee Jones |
1974-89 | 129 |
3 |
1 |
no |
no |
Bio: Jones was the first player selected in the 1974 draft, becoming a starter at left defensive end during his second season and, two years later was part of a defensive line that dominated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII. After playing five years for the Cowboys left football while in his prime to attempt a professional boxing career. Jones returned to football in 1980, earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors three times from 1981 to 1983. When he retired at the end of 1989 season, having never missed a game, Jones had played more games than any player in Cowboys history (232), and is tied with Mark Tuinei and Bill Bates for most seasons (15).
Player: Erik Williams
Position: offensive tackle
Seed: 9
Essentials:
| Name | Years | Career AV | Pro Bowls | All-Pro | RoH | HoF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erik George Williams |
1991-2000 |
81 |
4 |
3 |
no |
no |
Bio: Williams was selected in the 3rd round of the 1991 NFL Draft, and earned a startign role the following season, when he became widely known for being the league's only offensive lineman capable of shutting down Reggie White. Williams's physical play and aggressive attitude made him the top offensive lineman in the NFL in the mid-90s; indeed, he once dominated the Eagles' William Fuller so completely that Philadelphia coaches refused to show their players the game tape. He was never the same after a 1994 car accident, but was still a three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler. Given his dominance, many believe that, if not for the injuries he suffered in his car accident, Williams would have finished his career as one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history.
Alright, BTBers, which man advances to the next round?