Greatest RB Of All Time?

Originally posted by RamzFanzz:

Originally posted by DelCed2486:
Oh, he was on your fantasy team, clearly this makes you an authority on the subject, what with the "one hand grip" tackles and all.

Watching highlights of Barry makes him look unstoppable. Watch entire games and you see he was an easy tackle WHEN defenders could get hold of him, which was often. He was one of the very best of all time, but THE best? I think not.

So is that what you're doing Gruden, breaking down film of entire Lions games from the 1990s? Believe or not, my frame of reference isn't limited to NFL Films highlights of Barry Sanders, like people who all they know about Bo Jackson comes from his two famous runs vs the Seahawks on MNF in '87. I saw a lot of Sanders, mostly on TV and some in person, like the game where he went off vs Niners in '96.

Yeah, he got thrown for losses sometimes, even had bad games, like the one @ SF in '91, the game where you could see the smoke from the Oakland Hills firestorm. Big deal, all great players have off games...but he more than made up for it, and did things on a football field no one had ever done, and may never do again...dude rushed for 1500 yards in 3 straight seasons, do believe he's the only player to ever to do that. And those relative handful bad plays/bad games don't change my opinion that he was the best RB ever--with Sir Walter being the only one within shouting distance--nor does it change the fact that he would have not just eclipsed the all-time rushing record, but he would have obliterated it had he decided to play longer.

Originally posted by Jcool:

Originally posted by denali22:
sorry for the reality check.. but if jim brown was a current player, he probably would go undrafted. he was dominant for his time, but current linebackers are bigger than the DLine he faced, and are faster than the DB's hes faced as well. So by my logic, I'd have to crown adrian peterson. If AP played 50 years ago... jesus christ..


i voted for barry though, hes always gonna be #1 in my book.

And Barry Sanders never had to face super athletic defensive players like J.J. Watt, Aldon Smith, Von Miller, Brian Urlacher, DeMarcus Ware, Mario Williams, Julius Peppers, Patrick Willis, Troy Polamalu, Clay Matthews, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Earl Thomas, Geno Atkins, etc.

Uh, guys like John Randle, Tim McDonald, Reggie White, Hardy Nickerson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills, Derrick Thomas, Rod Woodson...they say "hi".

Originally posted by DelCed2486:

Originally posted by Jcool:

Originally posted by denali22:
sorry for the reality check.. but if jim brown was a current player, he probably would go undrafted. he was dominant for his time, but current linebackers are bigger than the DLine he faced, and are faster than the DB's hes faced as well. So by my logic, I'd have to crown adrian peterson. If AP played 50 years ago... jesus christ..


i voted for barry though, hes always gonna be #1 in my book.

And Barry Sanders never had to face super athletic defensive players like J.J. Watt, Aldon Smith, Von Miller, Brian Urlacher, DeMarcus Ware, Mario Williams, Julius Peppers, Patrick Willis, Troy Polamalu, Clay Matthews, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Earl Thomas, Geno Atkins, etc.

Uh, guys like John Randle, Tim McDonald, Reggie White, Hardy Nickerson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills, Derrick Thomas, Rod Woodson...they say "hi".

They played so long ago before modern training methods and nutrition, they were paid so little they had off season jobs. I doubt any of those guys would make today's practice squad. Please detect sarcasm.

Originally posted by DelCed2486:

Originally posted by Jcool:

Originally posted by denali22:
sorry for the reality check.. but if jim brown was a current player, he probably would go undrafted. he was dominant for his time, but current linebackers are bigger than the DLine he faced, and are faster than the DB's hes faced as well. So by my logic, I'd have to crown adrian peterson. If AP played 50 years ago... jesus christ..


i voted for barry though, hes always gonna be #1 in my book.

And Barry Sanders never had to face super athletic defensive players like J.J. Watt, Aldon Smith, Von Miller, Brian Urlacher, DeMarcus Ware, Mario Williams, Julius Peppers, Patrick Willis, Troy Polamalu, Clay Matthews, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Earl Thomas, Geno Atkins, etc.

Uh, guys like John Randle, Tim McDonald, Reggie White, Hardy Nickerson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills, Derrick Thomas, Rod Woodson...they say "hi".

and that's barely scratching the surface... if he didn't retire early, his numbers would be magically delicious!

Originally posted by BobS:

Originally posted by LVJay:

Originally posted by RamzFanzz:
Watching highlights of Barry makes him look unstoppable. Watch entire games and you see he was an easy tackle WHEN defenders could get hold of him, which was often. He was one of the very best of all time, but THE best? I think not.

Dude had no supporting cast. Put him on those teams that Payton, Brown, Smith all had... his stats / production would be ridiculous

The whole time Sanders played the only lineman that made the Pro Bowl was Lomas Brown. Most teams that have 1500 yard running backs usually end up with multiple lineman making the Pro Bowl.

That speaks volumes (only one pro bowler to protect the poor guy). Bigger backs these days with elite o-lines should be ashamed... Barry was what, 5'8 if he was lucky?

Originally posted by Jcool:
And Barry Sanders never had to face super athletic defensive players like J.J. Watt, Aldon Smith, Von Miller, Brian Urlacher, DeMarcus Ware, Mario Williams, Julius Peppers, Patrick Willis, Troy Polamalu, Clay Matthews, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Earl Thomas, Geno Atkins, etc.

Imagine if Barry Sanders grew up in this era with access to the same training and sports science.

Originally posted by dhp318:
Imagine if Barry Sanders grew up in this era with access to the same training and sports science.

He would've grown a few inches, ran a 4.2, and gained 2000+ yards back to back yrs

Bazza all day and twice on Sundays, a truly supreme athlete.

Originally posted by dhp318:

Imagine if JIM BROWN grew up in this era with access to the same training and sports science.

Fixed