As a UF grad, I've always referred to Mr. Derrick Brooks as "the only Seminole I ever loved." For 14 years, Brooks has arguably been the Alpha and Omega of one of the most consistently dominating defenses in NFL history. It's one thing to associate a legendary defense with a particular year ('85 Bears, '00 Ravens) but number 55 anchored a unit for over a decade so respected it became expected and in my opinion, overlooked. When a new season began and question marks predictably swarmed the Buccaneer offense, nobody gave a second glance to the defense. It was a given that Brooks' bunch would show up and keep the team in every game, whether they deserved it or not. While most offensive-minded fans in other cities headed to the snack bar and toilet until their team got the ball back, Buc nation was glued to their seats to see one of the most disruptive forces in nature.
Aside from his most popular play in the Super Bowl nailing it shut with a pick-6, the best example of the dominance of Derrick Brooks was earlier in the year against the Atlanta Falcons. Brooks was tapped as the guy to "mirror" Michael Vick, who at the time was labeled unstoppable when he decided to tuck-and-run. Vick ran 6 times for 9 yards that day.
Derrick Brooks may be a unique one-of-kind class act on and off the field, but I hope future generations look to him as someone they should strive to be and not just some freak occurrence on a pro-sports landscape that's otherwise in an irreversible character decline. Thanks for the memories, 55. But hey, enough of my yappin'. Flip went down to 1 Buc Place to hear from the man himself.
Flip?
Present… Check out the audio from Brooks' retirement along with a nice clip of Mike Alstott on Brooks being the best Buc in history:
This article appears in Aug 12-18, 2010.