1. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton
4. Emmit Smith
5. O.J. Simpson
1. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton
4. Emmit Smith
5. O.J. Simpson
1. Barry Sanders
2. Walter Payton
3. Jim Brown
4. Eric Dickerson
5. Emmitt Smith
Originally Posted by LOSman WINS
Emmitt isn't even close:
1. Gayle Sayers
2. Jim Brown
3. OJ Simpson
4. Walter Payton
5. Thurman Thomas
6. Franco Harris
7. John Riggins
8. Barry Sanders
9. Roger Craig
Simpson, Payton and Riggins barely had offensive lines and almost never played for winners...Riggins was punishing...Sayers was incredible...Sanders played for a loser his entire career...Thurman was the most complete back to play the game (the best receiving back ever along with Craig)...Smith benefited from an insane offensive line...Curtis Martin is as good as Smith...
For all the education and practice each of us undergoes, the achievment of mastery is ultimately the outcome of a personal quest for understanding.
Barry #8? Crazy. He was by the far the best ever. If he was on a real team he would've been unstoppable. He has a 5.0 YPC on his career.
Not old enough to remember OJ, but I thought he always had a good OL. The eletric company or something along those lines.
for every 80 yard run there were 10 gains of 2 or less or 5 losses of 5...he couldn't catch the ball to save his life...
he had that line for 2 to 3 years...before 1973 and after 1975 he ran behind swiss cheese...
Since #22 is retiring....
The Cards might indeed trade that 2nd for Henry! I'd even take their 3rd and 6th.
"It's not whether you win or lose; it's how you play the game."-Vince Lombardi
OK, so the same excuse used for OJ doesn't apply for Barry? OJ couldn't carry Barry's jockstrap.
I've never seen a RB do what Barry did. 5.0 YPC doesn't lie, especially over a 10 year career.
What exactly did Barry do that was so spectacular? Are you talking about turning in mid-air? No one but he has done that on a consistent basis...since OJ
Curtis is better than Emmit I think. Is that a crazy thought.
Emmitt has monster O-lines through-out his career Curtis Martin ran behind swiss cheese
I remember that one fateful day when Coach took me aside. I knew what was coming. "You don't have to tell me," I said. "I'm off the team, aren't I?"
"Well," said Coach, "you never were really ON the team. You made that uniform you're wearing out of rags and towels, and your helmet is a toy space helmet.
You show up at practice and then either steal the ball and make us chase you to get it back, or you try to tackle people at inappropriate times."
It was all true what he was saying. And yet, I thought something is brewing inside the head of this Coach.
He sees something in me, some kind of raw talent that he can mold. But that's when I felt the handcuffs go on.
Barry is def the best ever.
Jim Brown - He was a man among boys
Barry Sanders - Incredibly elusive, quick
OJ Simpson - Unbeatable combination of speed and size
Gale Sayers - If injuries hadn't cut short his career, he'd be higher on my list
Walter Payton - didn't have the greatest natural ability but may have been the smartest, most instinctive runner of the bunch.
I've made up my mind. Don't confuse me with the facts.
I'm the most reasonable poster here. If you don't agree, I'll be forced to have a hissy fit.
Jim Brown is the best of all time. In my mind, there is no doubt about it. Put a decent O-line in front of him, a decent QB to give him the ball and PA pass a few times per game, an above avg D and special teams unit, and congratulations. You've just won the super bowl. forget pass catching ability and all that nonsense. If you've got one pick to grab the best RB of all time, Brown's sheer beast ability overcomes all other limitations he might have had.
I put Barry Sanders second, but that is very debatable considering his teams were never that great -- which is due in part to Barry's NFL record for most times tackled behind the line of scrimmage and most total yardage lost from scrimmage. Payton, Sayers, and Juice are second tier along with Barry. Next are guys like Franco, Craig, Thomas, Smith, et al. I'd even put Faulk on that list.
Barry Sanders is by far the best. He was one of a kind, and still is. The Lions were always a **** team when he played for them, so it's too bad he never got a ring. He was a classy guy that never was flamboyant in his celebrations like Moss, Ownes, etc.
Jim Brown, Payton, Sayers, Murderer were good as well, but they played back in the day when d linemen were 230 LBS. and corners were like 5'4" with no tackling ability or range.
Barry played in today's NFL, with the 250 pound LB's with WR speed. And the 300 pound lineman...can't compare....oh yeah and spinning mid air to avoid tackles is pretty tough to do...try it sometime...Barry best ever
JG
Barry Sanders is my favorite running back. Most entertaining and classy ever, and he even went out the best possible way...showing the world that stats aren't as important as doing what you feel is right.
However, you can't fault Brown, Payton, et al for playing in a league where the players were smaller or weaker...that means that they were that much more physically gifted than the rest of the players in their era. It's not like they fell out of the 1990's...you have to compare players to the other players in their eras: relative dominance of the game.
1. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton
4. O.J. Simpson
5. Emmitt Smith
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[QUOTE=Ebenezer]for every 80 yard run there were 10 gains of 2 or less or 5 losses of 5...he couldn't catch the ball to save his life...
QUOTE]
Wys would be proud- "take away the 80 yard run and he's got only a 4.1 YPC"
By all means this isn't easy. I may not have the backs in order of stats, but these are the guys who come to my mind. I take heart into serious consideration along with stats and entertainment value. With that said here goes.............
I am 45 an have seen all these guys do there thing at least to some extent
1. Jim Brown
2. Gale Sayers
3. Walter Payton
4. Barry Sanders
5. O.J. Simpson
6. Earl Campbell
7. Franco Harris
8. Eric Dickerson
9. Curtis Martin
10. Emmit Smith
My favorite out of the bunch to watch play is Earl Campbell and Im surprised I am the first to mention him.
Last edited by Billz_fan; 02-01-2005 at 11:25 PM.
#1 Payton
#1a Sanders
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All the rest.
He got serious consideration from me... as did Dickerson but I couldn't see putting them above the other 5.By all means this isn't easy. I may not have the backs in order of stats, but these are the guys who come to my mind. I take heart into serious consideration along with stats and entertainment value. With that said here goes.............
I am 45 an have seen all these guys do there thing at least to some extent
1. Jim Brown
2. Gale Sayers
3. Walter Payton
4. Barry Sanders
5. O.J. Simpson
6. Earl Campbell
7. Franco Harris
8. Eric Dickerson
9. Curtis Martin
10. Emmit Smith
My favorite out of the bunch to watch play is Earl Campbell and Im surprised I am the first to mention him.
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