Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

[Skooby]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1p5mgaT6mY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[better days]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

I not only saw him play many times, but met him & ran into him a few times out in the clubs. He seemed like such a great guy, hard to believe he became a murderer.

[YardRat]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

Several times...he truly was a thoroughbred.

[k-oneputt]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

Best rb in Bills history, and it's not even close imo.
Top five all-time.

[Captain gameboy]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

I saw him many times, and was a ball boy, during one of the training camps.

Occasionally, there will be a camera shot during one of his runs that shows his eyes. Such game shots are rare, but there are a few.
In practice, it was a lot easier to see.

Unless he was actively engaged with a tackler, his eyes would always be on the second guy. He had already "solved" the first tackler, even before contact, and was setting up the second.
Then a quick shoulder dip, or a cut followed by incredible acceleration, and he was by both.
You can see that in the highlight link over and over, as well as get a sense of how afraid tacklers were of him in the open field.
They slow and they wait for the shoulder dip or the cut, looking like they expect something magic, and they almost always miss.
He was remarkable.

By the way. Two other things about him that you can see in the video.

Juice was a world class sprinter. While quick as can be going through traffic, watch the seamless transition from cutting and juking to the sprinter form once he broke free. The man was covering seven feet per stride in the open field once he got into that mode.

Also, the classy behind the back drop after crossing the goal line. I never saw him do it any different.

[Slim]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

Man, does AP have a lot of the same qualities as OJ,

[YardRat]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

I saw him many times, and was a ball boy, during one of the training camps.

Occasionally, there will be a camera shot during one of his runs that shows his eyes. Such game shots are rare, but there are a few.
In practice, it was a lot easier to see.

Unless he was actively engaged with a tackler, his eyes would always be on the second guy. He had already "solved" the first tackler, even before contact, and was setting up the second.
Then a quick shoulder dip, or a cut followed by incredible acceleration, and he was by both.
You can see that in the highlight link over and over, as well as get a sense of how afraid tacklers were of him in the open field.
They slow and they wait for the shoulder dip or the cut, looking like they expect something magic, and they almost always miss.
He was remarkable.

By the way. Two other things about him that you can see in the video.

Juice was a world class sprinter. While quick as can be going through traffic, watch the seamless transition from cutting and juking to the sprinter form once he broke free. The man was covering seven feet per stride in the open field once he got into that mode.

Also, the classy behind the back drop after crossing the goal line. I never saw him do it any different.

I remember him saying he felt like he found the 'zone' every game.

[Captain gameboy]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

I've posted this a few times before, but I'll do it again.
Back in those days, the rookies reported about a week earlier than the vets.

The first day the vets were running regular run plays, they had the remainder of the starting lineup from the year before, and they were running simple stuff against the rookies.

My job was to make sure the guy spotting the ball for snaps had a fresh football.
The rookies were really jacked up and I remember standing behind the vet huddle after getting the ball to the spotter, and Ferguson telling the huddle, absent Simpson, to not block for him. This was minor contact stuff.

Anyway, a sweep to the right was called. Ferguson takes the snap, and hands off to Simpson, going left to right.
Things are set up nice with a vet guard leading on a pull, when suddenly all the linemen stop and stand up, leaving Simpson with the ball about five yards behind the line with bloodthirsty rookies going full speed towards him.

The man goes through the entire 11 defenders, cutting and making them miss, sideline to sideline.
It was the most unbelievable run I ever saw. Rookies whiffing on every attempt to stop him.

Good laugh, but he was one gifted runner.

[Skooby]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

Classic, thanks for sharing!

I've posted this a few times before, but I'll do it again.
Back in those days, the rookies reported about a week earlier than the vets.

The first day the vets were running regular run plays, they had the remainder of the starting lineup from the year before, and they were running simple stuff against the rookies.

My job was to make sure the guy spotting the ball for snaps had a fresh football.
The rookies were really jacked up and I remember standing behind the vet huddle after getting the ball to the spotter, and Ferguson telling the huddle, absent Simpson, to not block for him. This was minor contact stuff.

Anyway, a sweep to the right was called. Ferguson takes the snap, and hands off to Simpson, going left to right.
Things are set up nice with a vet guard leading on a pull, when suddenly all the linemen stop and stand up, leaving Simpson with the ball about five yards behind the line with bloodthirsty rookies going full speed towards him.

The man goes through the entire 11 defenders, cutting and making them miss, sideline to sideline.
It was the most unbelievable run I ever saw. Rookies whiffing on every attempt to stop him.

Good laugh, but he was one gifted runner.

[Jaydog57]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

He retired right about the time I started watching football in 1980 I think, so I don't remember seeing him in games. I do remember when I was a kid and read comics, he was in the cartoon ads for Dingo boots.

[tatersalad]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

they use to have spring training at Niagara University he was a BEAST i use to ride my bike to practice very enjoyable to watch but after 2 years Bills fans were calling him a bust lol some things never change

[Yasgur's Farm]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

I was at "Rich Stadium" in '73 that game where he got 1000 yards exactly 1/2 season. Without looking it up, it was a Monday night game vs KC... He ran for something like 147 yards in around 40 carries. I'm off now to see how close I am to reallity for that game.

[Yasgur's Farm]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

It was KC... It was MNF 10/29/73... He gained 157 yards and 2 TD's in an obsured 39 carries... Bills won the game 23-14.

Not a bad memory for an old feck.

[Yasgur's Farm]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

Sidenote... Larry Wadkins had 81 yards in 19 carries. All-in all the Bills ran for 246 yards in 65 carries. Joe Ferguson attempted only 11 passes... WR Bobby Chandler attempted 1 pass.

[better days]

Re: Man OJ was one of the best, anyone get to see him play live?

Sidenote... Larry Wadkins had 81 yards in 19 carries. All-in all the Bills ran for 246 yards in 65 carries. Joe Ferguson attempted only 11 passes... WR Bobby Chandler attempted 1 pass.

I think it was Lary Watkins, if I remember right.