Texas Southern's Michael Strahan ranks right below Lawrence Taylor amongst NY Giant greats

CANTON, Ohio − He sat in a locker room as a rookie, taking orders from Lawrence Taylor. He spent so much time during his career with Harry Carson (S.C. State) that he considers him “my big brother.” He is enough of a student of history that Michael Strahan can list all the greatest defensive players in Giants history.

It still seems strange to him that his name is placed so prominently on that list.

“To hear names like that and think I’m in that same group is unbelievable,” Strahan said on Friday. “Because I never planned on it. The fact it came down to this, being mentioned in that (group), it’s something. I mean, LT? Are you kidding me? Harry Carson? These guys are guys that I grew up watching and I loved and appreciated them.”

And they appreciate him, and have accepted the soon-to-be Hall of Famer into their notable group of former Giants. Yes, when discussing the list of greatest Giants defenders, it starts with Taylor and there’s a gap before anyone else. But on that next tier of names, Strahan − who will be inducted into the Hall on Saturday night − has to be included.

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Texas Southern's Michael Strahan: Pro Football Hall of Fame where he belongs

CANTON, Ohio  -- Michael Strahan takes his rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Enshrinement comes a year later than it should have for the gap-toothed former New York Giants great, who missed out in his first year on the ballot. It is, however, an honor that is richly deserved for Strahan, probably the second-best defensive player in Giants history behind Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.

Strahan's 15-year career with the Giants ended when he helped them defeat the New England Patriots, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII. There were many, many great moments during a career that began in 1993 and ended in 2007.  The video below illustrates many of hem.

When we put together the '2014 New York Giants Almanac' I asked Big Blue View contributors for their favorite Strahan memories. Here are a couple of them.

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2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame: Aeneas Williams gets emotional during Gold Jacket Ceremony

CANTON, Ohio  --  Aeneas Williams tried not to get emotional Friday night as he was welcomed into the exclusive fraternity of the Pro Football Hall of Fame by the gauntlet Gold Jackets awaiting.

Williams had promised himself he wouldn't.

But three steps into the line of Hall of Famers, which included one-time nemesis Dallas Cowboy receiver Michael Irvin, Williams' eyes were already beginning to fill. By the time Williams reached fellow New Orleans native and former St. Louis Rams teammate Marshall Faulk, there was no controlling his emotions.

Williams and Faulk shared a long embrace as the more than 4,000 attendees of the Gold Jacket Ceremony applauded at the Civic Center in Canton. The seven Hall of Fame enshrinees were presented their signature Gold Jackets.

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Texas Southern and Tennessee State University Marching Bands Play in 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Parade

CANTON, Ohio - Tens of thousands of fans line the parade route to honor Michael Strahan and the six other 2014 enshrinees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

The morning crowds watched as the class of 2014 Enshrinees - Derrick Brooks, Ray Guy, Claude Humphrey, Walter Jones, Andre Reed, Michael Strahan, Aeneas Williams - and many more returning Hall of Famers were escorted in cars through downtown Canton.

There were specialty units, giant helium balloons, fabulous floats and marching bands including Tennessee State University and Texas Southern University "Ocean of Soul" as the enshrines were cheered by the crowds that were five rows deep.

PHOTO GALLERY

Watch Tennessee State University Aristocrat Marching Band at the 40:00 mark.
Watch Texas Southern University Ocean of Soul Marching Band at the 56:00 mark.

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Hall of Fame notebook: Mel Blount gets some Southern support in Canton

CANTON, Ohio —Mel Blount finally is getting some company from Southern University in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Exactly 25 years after being enshrined in 1989, following a spectacular career with the great Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the 1970s, Blount will be joined Saturday night by former Southern star Aeneas Williams.

Being only the second former Southern player to be elected to the Hall has even more meaning for Williams, who like Blount played cornerback for 14 NFL seasons.

It’s extra special to Williams because his father, Lawrence, attended Southern when Blount was on his way to stardom during his career with the Jaguars in the late 1960s.

“I love football and I’m a historian of the game, so I knew Mel’s statistics and all of that,” Williams said Friday, on the eve of his induction along with six other former NFL greats.

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Southern's Aeneas Williams still ‘enjoying this wave’ all the way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

CANTON, Ohio — After 14 productive seasons in the NFL and another 10 years removed from the game he played so well, Aeneas Williams turned back the clock Friday.

From an early-morning photo shoot on the steps of the Pro Football Hall of Fame museum surrounded by 106 members of the shrine, to the Ray Nitschke Luncheon, to a solemn Gold Jacket Dinner that capped a busy day, Williams was a wide-eyed rookie again.

Williams, a New Orleans native and former Southern University star, harkened back to his days as a third-round draft pick by the then-Phoenix Cardinals by doing a lot of listening on the eve of his induction into the Hall of Fame.

“Being in that room with those guys,” a smiling Williams said during an afternoon news conference, “I’m a rookie all over again.”

At the same time, Williams wasn’t intimidated by ...

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As SU Jaguars open camp, no early clues on QB situation

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Southern’s quarterback competition resumed Friday with the first practice of preseason camp.

Every snap, every throw and every decision of four inexperienced players is being dissected by the coaching staff as they try to choose the one most capable of leading the offense when the Jaguars open the season Aug. 30 at Louisiana-Lafayette.

While the coaches look for clues as to which player deserves to start, observers are looking for clues as to what the coaches are thinking.

On Friday, Deonte Shorts worked with the first-team offense, and fellow redshirt freshman Frances Kennah worked with the second team.

And just what does that mean?

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