So Cal's All-Time Roster: No. 78
No. 78:
Our pick:
==Jackie Slater, Rams (1976-'94)
He was such a prolific blocker on the Rams' line for all those years in L.A., he even stayed around one more year, leading the way for the team's move to St. Louis before having his No. 78 retired. Slater is the only player in NFL history to play 20 seasons with same team. Number one all-time among offensive linemen the at time of his retirement with 259 games played, he started 214 of them, plus 18 in the postseason, including Super Bowl XIV. In making it to seven Pro Bowls, Slater showed leadership, work ethic and high level of play, a tremendous blocker who matched up against opponents' best pass rushers. Here's how precise they keep stats in the NFL: Slater ended up blocking in 107 different 100-yard rushing games, and 27 different 300-yard passing games. He blocked for seven different 1,000-yard rushers (Lawrence McCutcheon, Wendell Tyler, Eric Dickerson, Charles White, Greg Bell, Cleveland Gary, and Jerome Bettis), 36 different running backs and 27 different quarterbacks. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall in '01, Slater was also responsible for helping the Rams record a league-low 23 sacks in 1983, the same year Dickerson ran for a rookie rushing record 1,808 yards.
And he's got reason to be proud for his son, Matt Slater, who established a UCLA team record with his third kickoff return for a touchdown this season.
Runner up:
==Grenny Lansdell, USC football (1937-39)
In a recent SI.com piece about the greatest college football players who are linked to a certain number, Lansdell, a quarterback who led the team in passing, running and scoring in his final two seasons -- the last of which was a national title -- made it as a runner-up to Virginia Tech's Bruce Smith with this unusual set of digits for a signal caller. He also played in two Rose Bowls and made the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
Other No. 78s:
==Art Shell, Raiders ('82, wore it with Oakland since 1968)
==George Achica, USC football ('79-'82), L.A. Express ('83-'85)
Sports Illustrated's choice for the all-time No. 78: Anthony Munoz (pro football), over Slater, Shell and Bruce Smith.
Did we miss anyone?
You've got our vote, now let's see yours: