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TXBRONC
08-25-2009, 07:50 AM
It's a nice little read on Louie Wright one three best corner backs of his era.

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_13196536

Teammates' praise enough for Wright
Reporter Irv Moss writes about stars from the past
By Irv Moss
The Denver Post
Posted: 08/25/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT

Mel Blount of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Louis Wright of the Broncos, Mike Haynes of the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Raiders . . .

In the 1970s and 1980s, Blount, Wright and Haynes were in the same sentence when rating the NFL's best cornerbacks.

"Sure, Louie belongs in that group," said Joe Collier, the coaching architect of the Broncos' famed Orange Crush defense. "He was a big cornerback who could run. Before any game we played against a really good receiver, we'd ask Louie if he could handle that guy. He'd always say, 'Sure.' He gave me a chance for a good night's sleep after many games."

Steve Foley, Wright's teammate in the Broncos' secondary, remembered that Blount, Wright and Haynes always were mentioned when players around the league listed who they considered the best of the day at playing one of pro football's most demanding positions.

"Quarterback is the most demanding position," Wright said. "But playing cornerback was demanding. In my day, we had to play the run, play the pass and take on blockers all at the same time. We played a lot of man-to-man defense."

While he was compared to Blount and Haynes during his playing days, Wright hasn't followed them into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Statistics freaks would say Wright's 26 interceptions and five Pro Bowls don't match up with Blount's 57 interceptions and five Pro Bowls and Haynes' 46 interceptions and nine Pro Bowls.

"He couldn't catch the ball very well," Collier said. "But he knocked down more passes than anybody else."

Collier explained that defensive schemes of five and six defensive backs weren't on the drawing boards in the early part of Wright's career.

"They use a term today of shutdown cornerback," Collier said. "We didn't have that term back then, but Louie Wright was a shutdown cornerback. He was a great run defender. He played the left side and in those days most teams were right-handed and their running plays usually went to our left side."

Wright played his entire 12-year career (1975-86) in a Broncos uniform. A first-round draft pick, Wright played 166 games, starting all but one. Besides his 26 interceptions, he also had 11 fumble recoveries, one returned for a touchdown in the famous Snow Bowl on Oct. 15, 1984, at Mile High Stadium when the Broncos defeated Green Bay 17-14 in a blizzard.

Wright's reward was a place on the Broncos' Ring of Fame in 1993. He hopes to get some votes for the franchise's 50-year all-star team.

As for Canton, Ohio, Wright looks at that as a place for the superheroes of the game.

"I never thought I'd be in that category," Wright said. "But when I see some of the players who go in today, I think I might have been as good or better. But when my teammates said they relied on me, that meant more than that other stuff."

Wright looks at the 1977 season and Denver's first trip to the Super Bowl as the highlight.

"That was the most enjoyable season I've played in my life," Wright said. "The city, our team, the whole state grew up. The electricity of that first Super Bowl hasn't been matched."

Wright probably could have played longer. But he felt 12 years and a second Super Bowl were enough.

Wright will need some of his cornerback skills this fall. He has coached high school football in the Denver area for 16 years, but this year, he's teaching at Gateway High School and is an assistant coach at Rangeview. They're in the same league. Once again, he has to have fast feet.

Wright bio
Born: Jan. 31, 1953, in Gilmer, Texas

High school: Bakersfield (Calif.)

College: Arizona State, San Jose State

Family: Daughters Summer and Kyla, son Evan

Hobby: Coaching

Future: Enjoy life, help youth.

Superchop 7
08-25-2009, 11:36 AM
Watching Louie was a priveledge, forget the stats, he was as good as anyone I've ever seen play the position.

topscribe
08-25-2009, 11:44 AM
Louie certainly could be in the running for M.U.A.T. (Most Underrated Player of All Time).

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broncofaninfla
08-25-2009, 12:54 PM
Before Champ we had Louis Wright, the guy was a stud. Foley saw a majority of the passes because Wright rarely allowed a completion.

East Coast Fan
08-25-2009, 02:07 PM
Foley saw a majority of the passes because Wright rarely allowed a completion.


And he didn't do too shabby, either. Teams thought that he would be the "weaker" of the two, but he more than held his own.


:salute::defense:

Superchop 7
08-25-2009, 08:17 PM
For the young guys......think Champ Bailey......very similar.

horsepig
08-25-2009, 11:49 PM
Taller, just as fast, greeat run support, and a great tackler. Louie could flat out play the toughest postion in sports (next to QB) as well or better than anybody I've ever seen, and I've sdeen a bunch.

horsepig
08-25-2009, 11:51 PM
Same era, the guy from the Lions was really good, can't remember his name right now.

Some moldy-oldy will remember.

horsepig
08-26-2009, 12:44 AM
Lem Barney.