Who is the greatest running back of all time?

Originally posted by BobS:
Jim Brown had a physical edge you would not see today, he was as big or bigger than defensive lineman and linebackers of the era, he weighed 230 in an era where a lot of lineman weighed 220. Considering that I will go with Barry Sanders, he repeatedly dodged defenders that broke through the line, where anyone else would have been tackled for a loss he always got back to the line of scrimmage or better.

Not at all true, but he always broke one to make up for the 1 and 2 yard losses.

Barry Sanders was the best I ever saw and probably the most elusive ever. I would've like to have seen Gail Sayers and Jim Brown but I have no doubt I would be dazzled by all of them. Barry seemed to do things that no other human could do. It was so much fun watching him.

Originally posted by andes14:
How the HELL can Jim Brown not even be an option???

THIS !?!?!

Kory Sheets.



..in Niner Talk at least

I love Barry Sanders, but this man hands down!

Jim Brown first followed by a toss-up of OJ, Sweetness, Sayers or Sanders.

Originally posted by Born49R:
Jim Brown first followed by a toss-up of OJ, Sweetness, Sayers or Sanders.

this. Barry was not a goal line option nor somebody to catch the ball out of the backfield.

The best I've seen is Sanders.

But there's a bunch of guys haven't really seen, or don't remember seeing because I was too young : Sayers, Brown, Payton, Dickerson

LT in his prime was one of the all time greats as well.

alecks smihph

Jim Brown without any hesitation. The man had an abbrieviated career and it still took 20-30 years and the advent of the 16 game schedule for his records to be touched. He was a huge back but also one of if not the fastest guys on his team. Beat Bobby Mitchell in footraces and Mitchell was a Hall of Famer known for his speed.

Originally posted by Willisfn4life:

Originally posted by Byisgod:

To me it's a toss up between the following: Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and Walter Payton. All had different styles of running so it's difficult to really crown someone as 'the best.'

Jim Brown was a darn good one too!

Jim Brown played in a time when athletes weren't as advanced, both physically and mentally, as they are in the modern era. He was a superior athlete to the men he competed against, but the athletes of today are FAR superior to what he was. They were bigger, faster, stronger and smarter during Barry Sanders' time. Back in Brown's days, defenses were not nearly as advanced and didn't devise schemes on the level they do now. It was pure smashmouth running back then. If you put Jim Brown in Barry Sanders' place on the Detroit Lions during Sanders' time there, he wouldn't even come into any discussions regarding the best of anything. With superior defenders, superior defensive gameplanning, superior schemes, terrible blocking, no passing threat, predictable offensive scheme and nothing to take the attention off of him, there's no way in hell Jim Brown could do what Barry Sanders did. BARRY SANDERS shouldn't have been able to do what Barry Sanders did.

Originally posted by longg67:

Jim Brown without any hesitation. The man had an abbrieviated career and it still took 20-30 years and the advent of the 16 game schedule for his records to be touched. He was a huge back but also one of if not the fastest guys on his team. Beat Bobby Mitchell in footraces and Mitchell was a Hall of Famer known for his speed.

Barry was far ahead of his era than Brown was of his. Bo Jackson was a Jim Brown replica and he was also a great runner but the game had changed where the backside pursuit would now nail any RB who wished to slow down and that pursue was loaded with defensive lineman ready to put a RB out. Then another Jim Brown replica came about but this time, the game had changed again and Adrian Peterson, with all the size and speed he has, is not able to do what Jim Brown did due to the sheer size and speed of the defense.

Barry Sanders: not only has there not been a replica to compare eras, there hasn't been anyone who has shown to be in the same plane in terms of ability. Also, Barry Sanders, when used on the goal line was money. He just wasn't used often due to terrible coaching decisions.

Originally posted by longg67:

Jim Brown without any hesitation.

You can be asked the answer to 2 + 2 and say 63 without any hesitation. Does it help your argument that you didn't hesitate?