best RB to ever play the game?

[Snowball]

there are two basic categories.. the plowhorse and the gazelle..
so the truly great can be either and it is not valid to compare
plowhorses and gazelles.
Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Gayle Sayers, Earl Campbell,
O.J. Simpson are the best.
Guys like Dorsett, Thomas, Payton, were more longevity.
Tomlinson, Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk, Jerome Bettis in there.
Emmitt Smith is a question mark how great due to the fact
he spent his years with probably the best offensive line ever
blocking for him.

[Snowball]

against less than stellar opposition.

really tired argument that has never been proven. there were less teams then.
therefore the talent was more consolidated. historical NFL teams will never
play current teams. there is always an assumption to believe that what you've seen
recently is better than what existed in the past.. it's just how memory and high def tv
work. football did not undergo a jackie robinson shift.
and for you to say "much less wear and tear on the body" is just flat ridiculous.
you obviously have no idea what you're talking about concerning football of the past.
there was MORE of that. Equipment wasn't as good. Far more went on the field than
is allowed today. I could go on but have better things to do. just a dumb statement.

[khicks26]

Walter Payton, best all around. Did everything from block, short yardage, catch passes, goal line, and could break the long run. Plus he played the game with a big heart. I say this as a Lions fan that watched Barry Sanders for 10 years, and hate the Bears. He was great, but Payton is the best all around.

[will2survive]

BO JACKSON (no need for debate). Fastest (4.12 in the combine), strongest, and had great leaping ability. Ask Brian Bosworth; he'll tell you.

[slacker00]

Walter Payton, best all around. Did everything from block, short yardage, catch passes, goal line, and could break the long run. Plus he played the game with a big heart. I say this as a Lions fan that watched Barry Sanders for 10 years, and hate the Bears. He was great, but Payton is the best all around.

Yep. I can understand the Jim Brown case, but in the modern era, Sweetness hands down. He did it all.

[swordsandtequila]

The "modern era" . We're talking about the '60s, that is the modern era. I guess guys like Butkus, Nitschke, Deacon Jones, etc. weren't worth a shit, couldn't play today. Unitas would have been a backup. Gimme a break, greatness transcends eras.

[Kermit]

really tired argument that has never been proven. there were less teams then.
therefore the talent was more consolidated. historical NFL teams will never
play current teams. there is always an assumption to believe that what you've seen
recently is better than what existed in the past.. it's just how memory and high def tv
work. football did not undergo a jackie robinson shift.
and for you to say "much less wear and tear on the body" is just flat ridiculous.
you obviously have no idea what you're talking about concerning football of the past.
there was MORE of that. Equipment wasn't as good. Far more went on the field than
is allowed today. I could go on but have better things to do. just a dumb statement.

Playing 16 games a year rather than 12 or 14 would most definitely have more wear and tear on your body. So I don't know what is so "dumb" about that statement. It's common sense.

All NFL players do now is play football and then work-out during the off season to get bigger and stronger. Back then they played and went back to their regular jobs in the off season. A completely different type of game now.

[swordsandtequila]

Playing 16 games a year rather than 12 or 14 would most definitely have more wear and tear on your body. So I don't know what is so "dumb" about that statement. It's common sense.

All NFL players do now is play football and then work during the off season to get bigger and stronger. Back then they played and went back to their regular jobs in the off season. A completely different type of game now.

You'd think so, but equipment and rules changes negate the couple of extra games. Defensive players could clothesline, headslap, and spear; can't do that today. Offensive lineman can use their hands to block, couldn't do that back then. So basically in 50 years nobody has broken the record of a part time player who had less time to work out and practice.

[Mr KLC]

Oilers were irrelevant until they drafted Earl Campbell in 1978. Was offensive player of the year for 3 straight seasons. Pretty good for only having 5 healthy seasons.

[daneblazer]

http://www.sportsbookreview.com/forum/players-talk/2686898-400lb-rb-recruit.html

[Slanina]

Barry Sanders. Eric Metcalf!

[paco]

Bo Jackson was unstoppable on Tecmo Bowl

[will2survive]

Bo Jackson was unstoppable on Tecmo Bowl

That's all you need to know. "Bo Knows Football"

[will2survive]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIqtDykn0l0

Here's a documentary (30 for 30 ESPN) on Bo Jackson for the younger crowd. Great stuff!

[slacker00]

The "modern era" . We're talking about the '60s, that is the modern era. I guess guys like Butkus, Nitschke, Deacon Jones, etc. weren't worth a shit, couldn't play today. Unitas would have been a backup. Gimme a break, greatness transcends eras.

Modern era is widely accepted as post NFL merger and Super Bowl era. Give me a break with your noise.

[Kermit]

Just looking at some stats from the Browns. Leroy Kelly took over as Running back after Jim Brown retired and did almost as good as Brown did for the next 3 seasons. Totaling over 3,500 yards and 42 touchdowns while averaging well over 5 yards per carry.

Jim Brown's halfback even averaged well over 5 yards per carry while he was playing with Brown.

Must be nice to have an offensive line loaded with hall of famers.

[slacker00]

Just looking at some stats from the Browns. Leroy Kelly took over as Running back after Jim Brown retired and did almost as good as Brown did for the next 3 seasons. Totaling over 3,500 yards and 42 touchdowns while averaging well over 5 yards per carry.

Jim Brown's halfback even averaged well over 5 yards per carry while he was playing with Brown.

Must be nice to have an offensive line loaded with hall of famers.

Great points, Kermit. Thing about Brown, he retired before I was born. All I can do it see his stats or highlights...

[swordsandtequila]

Modern era is widely accepted as post NFL merger and Super Bowl era. Give me a break with your noise.

Noise=facts. You don't agree, fine, no biggee. But anybody thinking Brown was a scrub, just a "product of his era" doesn't know shit about football. And those who played/worked in the game will tell you so.

[Darkside Magick]

Jim Brown...thread closed

[mitch51]

Jim Brown...thread closed

Absolutely.

[Kermit]

Noise=facts. You don't agree, fine, no biggee. But anybody thinking Brown was a scrub, just a "product of his era" doesn't know shit about football. And those who played/worked in the game will tell you so.

I had always heard Brown wasn't fond of blocking for anyone.

[bigtymer56]

Just gonna do this with guys I actually saw play:

1.Sanders
2.LT
3.Smith
4.Faulk

[slacker00]

Noise=facts. You don't agree, fine, no biggee. But anybody thinking Brown was a scrub, just a "product of his era" doesn't know shit about football. And those who played/worked in the game will tell you so.

You=drunk. You are quoting me, but responding to someone else. Quote where I said "scrub".

[swordsandtequila]

You=drunk. You are quoting me, but responding to someone else. Quote where I said "scrub".

Wasn't quoting you. Where do you see scrub in quotes? That part of my response was aimed at all who discount Brown because of when he played, without actually knowing anything about him or the players he played with/against. That's why I wrote "anyone". My bad if that was unclear. But not drunk. Knowledgable.

[zizoudane10]

One thing is for sure: It doesn't matter who these old guys played against. That is one of the dumbest and most stressed arguments at all when it comes to sports. And that goes for every sport.
When we take soccer for example: YES, guys like Beckenbauer, Pele, Garrincha, Maldini, Overath, Puskas and Co would look like total fukkin losers if you were able to travel back in time, take them with you, and put them directly in todays game. Guys like Arthur Friedenreich (one of the greatest ever) wouldn't touch a ball today if you'd do that. And if you took Ronaldo or Messi back in time, they'd easily dominate the game and every player. And what does that proof? Nothing, absolutely nothing. If you were able to take one of the guys I mentioned first with you at, let us say the age of 10, and they were able to learn todays tactics, had todays training possibilities, equipment and medical knowledge, were able to concentrate on soccer alone, they'd dominate just as much as they did back then. Simple as that. Talent is talent. If these guys like Jim Brown were able to dominate THAT much in an era like that, without having more possibilities than everyone else, they would just as much dominate today with all our current possibilities.

[I/O]

I had always heard Brown wasn't fond of blocking for anyone.

Payton loved to block. He threw a block in a the comeback game vs Minny that was to die for if anyone can post it. It opened up one of the three touchdowns in the comeback.

[slacker00]

Wasn't quoting you. Where do you see scrub in quotes? That part of my response was aimed at all who discount Brown because of when he played, without actually knowing anything about him or the players he played with/against. That's why I wrote "anyone". My bad if that was unclear. But not drunk. Knowledgable.

You responded to me about Brown being a scrub. If you are meant someone else, please respond to them and not me..

[swordsandtequila]

You responded to me about Brown being a scrub. If you are meant someone else, please respond to them and not me..

Noise=facts. You don't agree, fine, no biggee.

This was in response to your post. The other part, asked and answered. Relax.

[Timmay]

Samkon Gado

What's your pic of? What's he holding?

[smitch124]

When I see this question my answer is always:

1 Jim Brown
1A Walter Payton

[Joey Gallo]

AP isn't the best but he is probably the last of the old school primary running backs. Probably wont see a rb like ur grandpa's saw ever again once he retires or forced out of the league

[Briefcase]

Bo Jackson

[tony_come]

Reggie bush

[STAX]

If you needed one RB for one game, and that RB was 100% healthy, in his prime, top of game, etc etc etc... If you are talkin strength, speed, agility, instincts, Bo Jackson is your choice, and its not even close. If he would have only played football and stayed 100% healthy for 10 years, this thread wouldn't exist...

[unusialsusp5]

just watch the jim brown documentary if you haven't. never missed a down in his 9 year career. yes he ran over inferior defensive players, but no one else did it like he did. no, he didn't win a championship (not even marginally important if you do or don't) but dominated like no other. OJ ended up running for the sidelines most of his career like that fraud franco harris. sayers was close but injuries took their toll. emmit smith benefited from superior offensive line. sanders was decent but not in browns class.