Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

[birtikidis]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Hope is a better player now. he has gotten much better than when he was here. I think the Hope of today and troy would be a much better combo then the hope of 2005 and troy.

[feltdizz]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Our D this year is the best I have ever seen it... so I say Clark is better...

he definitely hits better then Hope. Hope is good though...

[Steelerphile]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Let me lay out some stats for you and judge which are better: Two 7th year safeties. Stats from NFL.com, I am not making them up.

One 7th year safety:

Total Tckls: 475; Scks: 1; PDef: 26; Ints: 15; Return yards: 304. TDS: 1

The other 7th year safety:

Total tckls: 332: Scks: 2.5; Pdef: 15; Ints: 5; Return yards: 9. TDS: 0.

The top player if you haven't guessed is Chris Hope. His stats are far superior to Ryan Clark. He is a much better player than Ryan Clark. By virtue of the fact he was named to the pro bowl shows the rest of the football watching world can see this, while the delusional Steelers fans keep dreaming a pretty average player like Clark should be named.

I still cannot fathom why so many fans think Clark is such an amazing player. I give him credit for throwing his body around with reckless abandon but not giving up of long passes for the Steelers D has little to do with Clark. The Steelers get great pressure which makes QBs get rid of the ball before they would like and the Steelers do have some great pass defenders back there like Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu and even William Gay who make up for whatever deficiencies Clark may have in coverage. I see Clark getting run over almost every game. I am not sure how much longer he can hold up, but he does have a lot of heart and spirit. So God Bless him.

[stlrz d]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Steelerphile - I think Hope is the better individual but I also think Clark is the better fit for the Steelers D. We play a lot of "bend but don't break" and Clark, imo, fits that role better. He's more disciplined and that's what this D needs from a FS.

[mshifko]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

both are great players IMO...i loved hope when we had him...but a healthy ryan clark is a damn good FS

[NorthCoast]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Let me lay out some stats for you and judge which are better: Two 7th year safeties. Stats from NFL.com, I am not making them up.

One 7th year safety:

Total Tckls: 475; Scks: 1; PDef: 26; Ints: 15; Return yards: 304. TDS: 1

The other 7th year safety:

Total tckls: 332: Scks: 2.5; Pdef: 15; Ints: 5; Return yards: 9. TDS: 0.

The top player if you haven't guessed is Chris Hope. His stats are far superior to Ryan Clark. He is a much better player than Ryan Clark. By virtue of the fact he was named to the pro bowl shows the rest of the football watching world can see this, while the delusional Steelers fans keep dreaming a pretty average player like Clark should be named.

I still cannot fathom why so many fans think Clark is such an amazing player. I give him credit for throwing his body around with reckless abandon but not giving up of long passes for the Steelers D has little to do with Clark. The Steelers get great pressure which makes QBs get rid of the ball before they would like and the Steelers do have some great pass defenders back there like Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu and even William Gay who make up for whatever deficiencies Clark may have in coverage. I see Clark getting run over almost every game. I am not sure how much longer he can hold up, but he does have a lot of heart and spirit. So God Bless him.

While I won't dispute the stats show Hope is a player, a lot comes down to scheme, opposition, and surrounding players. If you play a lot of pass-happy teams it is possible to boost those stats. If you play dink-and-dunkers the free safety may not get involved as much. Given our pass rush, most opponents have resorted to dink-and-dunking us, thus limiting Clarks opportunities.
Clark is a better tackler but Hope has much better range on the field.

[ramblinjim]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

I don't think you can go wrong wth either one. If Hope had stayed and he and Troy grew up together back there, they could be the top safety tandem in the league. But Clark is tough, mature and smart. His steady hand allows Troy to play with more abandon.

Stats schmats in this case, we've got a hell of a safety and with a little luck perhaps we can move Deshea Townsend into a safety role next year and we'll have three studs that can switch in and out.

[BDESteel]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Let me lay out some stats for you and judge which are better: Two 7th year safeties. Stats from NFL.com, I am not making them up.

One 7th year safety:

Total Tckls: 475; Scks: 1; PDef: 26; Ints: 15; Return yards: 304. TDS: 1

The other 7th year safety:

Total tckls: 332: Scks: 2.5; Pdef: 15; Ints: 5; Return yards: 9. TDS: 0.

The top player if you haven't guessed is Chris Hope. His stats are far superior to Ryan Clark. He is a much better player than Ryan Clark. By virtue of the fact he was named to the pro bowl shows the rest of the football watching world can see this, while the delusional Steelers fans keep dreaming a pretty average player like Clark should be named.

I still cannot fathom why so many fans think Clark is such an amazing player. I give him credit for throwing his body around with reckless abandon but not giving up of long passes for the Steelers D has little to do with Clark. The Steelers get great pressure which makes QBs get rid of the ball before they would like and the Steelers do have some great pass defenders back there like Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu and even William Gay who make up for whatever deficiencies Clark may have in coverage. I see Clark getting run over almost every game. I am not sure how much longer he can hold up, but he does have a lot of heart and spirit. So God Bless him.

That's the problem with stats, they're so concrete you can often twist them to make a solid case for whatever point you're trying to make.

Example, let's take the same categories you've listed above, restrict them to years as a Steeler and then see what you get.

Chris Hope
Total Tckls: 235; Scks: 0; PDef: 5; Ints: 4; Return yards: 101. TDS: 0

Ryan Clark
Total Tckls: 171; Scks: 1; PDef: 10; Ints: 2; Return yards: -1. TDS: 0

Except for Total tackles and Return yards, Hope's numbers are no better than Clark's.

You also have to keep in mind that due to Hope being a Steelers player for a full year longer than Clark and the fact that Clark missed 10 games in 07' because of his sickle cell anemia, there is a disparity of 30 more games as a Steeler for Chris Hope than for Ryan Clark. So if you do the math Ryan Clark actually averages 1.6 more tackles/game than Chris Hope. And makes less mistakes.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

My Ryan Clark for ProBowl campaign starts now.

A little late to start that now, dontcha think, Flip?

That would be like passing out a whole bunch of "Ron Paul for President in '08" bumper stickers on the streets starting tomorrow.

[skyhawk]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Hands down Clark. He has made this secondary one of the best in quite some time.

[feltdizz]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Let me lay out some stats for you and judge which are better: Two 7th year safeties. Stats from NFL.com, I am not making them up.

One 7th year safety:

Total Tckls: 475; Scks: 1; PDef: 26; Ints: 15; Return yards: 304. TDS: 1

The other 7th year safety:

Total tckls: 332: Scks: 2.5; Pdef: 15; Ints: 5; Return yards: 9. TDS: 0.

The top player if you haven't guessed is Chris Hope. His stats are far superior to Ryan Clark. He is a much better player than Ryan Clark. By virtue of the fact he was named to the pro bowl shows the rest of the football watching world can see this, while the delusional Steelers fans keep dreaming a pretty average player like Clark should be named.

I still cannot fathom why so many fans think Clark is such an amazing player. I give him credit for throwing his body around with reckless abandon but not giving up of long passes for the Steelers D has little to do with Clark. The Steelers get great pressure which makes QBs get rid of the ball before they would like and the Steelers do have some great pass defenders back there like Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu and even William Gay who make up for whatever deficiencies Clark may have in coverage. I see Clark getting run over almost every game. I am not sure how much longer he can hold up, but he does have a lot of heart and spirit. So God Bless him.

Nice post... but you missed the point. It isn't about the stats.. it's the results. Clark is a better fit IMO for our D.

I think the real comparison is what they did while Steelers..

[BDESteel]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Let me lay out some stats for you and judge which are better: Two 7th year safeties. Stats from NFL.com, I am not making them up.

One 7th year safety:

Total Tckls: 475; Scks: 1; PDef: 26; Ints: 15; Return yards: 304. TDS: 1

The other 7th year safety:

Total tckls: 332: Scks: 2.5; Pdef: 15; Ints: 5; Return yards: 9. TDS: 0.

The top player if you haven't guessed is Chris Hope. His stats are far superior to Ryan Clark. He is a much better player than Ryan Clark. By virtue of the fact he was named to the pro bowl shows the rest of the football watching world can see this, while the delusional Steelers fans keep dreaming a pretty average player like Clark should be named.

I still cannot fathom why so many fans think Clark is such an amazing player. I give him credit for throwing his body around with reckless abandon but not giving up of long passes for the Steelers D has little to do with Clark. The Steelers get great pressure which makes QBs get rid of the ball before they would like and the Steelers do have some great pass defenders back there like Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu and even William Gay who make up for whatever deficiencies Clark may have in coverage. I see Clark getting run over almost every game. I am not sure how much longer he can hold up, but he does have a lot of heart and spirit. So God Bless him.

Nice post... but you missed the point. It isn't about the stats.. it's the results. Clark is a better fit IMO for our D.

I think the real comparison is what they did while Steelers..

Did you not read my post??? I'm gonna have to Randy Moss you

[birtikidis]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

clark came to pittsburgh a mature player. he also has a more mature troy beside him. I think if Hope had stayed we would have an incredible tandem at safety. those of you that want to compare there time in pittsburgh have to realize that hope was a rook and was still learning our defense when he left. plus, that defense was a big part of the reason we made it to the super bowl in 2005.

[blacknblue80s]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Chris Hope is better suited to play strong safety as he does now with Tennesse, he played free safety as a Steeler.

IMO, Clarke is the better free safety.

[feltdizz]

Re: Chris Hope versus Ryan Clark

Nice post... but you missed the point. It isn't about the stats.. it's the results. Clark is a better fit IMO for our D.

I think the real comparison is what they did while Steelers..

Did you not read my post??? I'm gonna have to Randy Moss you

I did... did I sound just as smart?