Smith or Payton

[RJsackedagain]

Payton was a class act. Smith was a Cowboy. I think that sums it up.

[rolly]

My list goes like this:

 

1. Walter Payton

2. Barry Sanders

3. Emmit Smith

 

 

If Sanders hadn't retired so early, i think he surely would have the most rushing yards in NFL history.

[ch19079]

sanders should be on that list.

brown should also be on that list.

 

if i had to take 1 RB for 1 game, in their prime......

 

thats a tough one.. but i know it WOULD NOT BE E. Smith.

[Guest BackInDaDay]

OJ was the best combination of size, speed, power and elusiveness I've ever seen.

Dickerson second.

Muncie and Duane Thomas, third.

 

Those are the guys that come to mind when 'great' running backs are being discussed.

 

Little guys seem to have longer NFL careers, and pile up the yards, but give me the big, fluid guys (McGahee may get there) that can juke you out of your cleats or knock you backwards.

[Rayzer32]

Not even close, between "Sweetness" and Emmitt. But with all do respect, Jim Brown was the king of all RBs.

 

1. Jim Brown

2. Walter Payton

3. Barry Sanders

4. Emmitt Smith

[stuckincincy]

Sanders wouldn't throw a block for someone else to save his soul. Class "A" loser...a real me-me-me guy.

[Guest BackInDaDay]

Not even close, between "Sweetness" and Emmitt.  But with all do respect, Jim Brown was the king of all RBs. 

 

1. Jim Brown

2. Walter Payton

3. Barry Sanders

4. Emmitt Smith

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In an age of smaller/slower defenders, JB was a man among boys, no doubt,

but he only needed a couple gears to leave you chewing grass. Cookie Gilchrest had that same style.

 

I still like the power/speed guys best. Harder to defend.

[Buftex]

OJ was the best combination of size, speed, power and elusiveness I've ever seen.

Dickerson second.

Muncie and Duane Thomas, third.

 

Those are the guys that come to mind when 'great' running backs are being discussed.

 

Little guys seem to have longer NFL careers, and pile up the yards, but give me the big, fluid guys (McGahee may get there) that can juke you out of your cleats or knock you backwards.

227586[/snapback]

 

 

It is funny, since the Emmit Smith retiring thing has been going around, sports talk radio has been doing nothing but talking about TO's leg, and ranking the all-time greatest RB's. Not once (and I listen to about 8 hours of sportstalk radio on an average work day) did I hear OJ Simpsons' named mentioned. I don't really care to rank guys from different eras, because it is kind of tiresome and pointless. But, Simpson certainly belongs somewhere in the Top 10, if not the top 5. His off the field activity, sadly, has made a great football player (pond scum of a human) an unmentionable. Yet, everyone (even those far too young to have seen him play) goes out of their way to exalt Jim Brown. IMO, Jim Brown is in many ways as much a slime ball as Simpson, he just never succeeded in killing his woman. It wasn't for lack of trying...now the sports media kisses his ass and gives him a forum to rehab his image, and talk like he is some higher authority. He is, IMO, the perfect example of the first pampered athlete, who did a lot of miserable things in his life, and never took any responsibilty. On those grounds, Brown would never be in my top 10!

[stuckincincy]

In an age of smaller/slower defenders, JB was a man among boys, no doubt,

but he only needed a couple gears to leave you chewing grass.  Cookie Gilchrest had that same style.

 

I still like the power/speed guys best.  Harder to defend.

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I remember Cookie's Cadillac convertible, with "Lookie Lookie Here Comes Cookie!" painted on the sides!

 

Trivia: The Bills included the retired Gilchrist in the expansion draft offerings to the Bengals...

[drnykterstein]

I'll take McGahee over all of them.

[justnzane]

i have to go with jim brown. he was way ahead of the players of his time 8 rushing titles in 9 years is unduplicated.

Payton

Thurman one of the few the cam close to 2000, and would catch over 60 balls/year

Sanders

Emmitt

[Toledo Bill]

Jim Brown was literally unstoppable. Between his running and pass catching ability Thurman rates on my list (I know... "homer" call)... and don't forget Gale Sayers... can't be called the best ever, but was sure special.

[Mark Vader]

Toledo Bill Posted Today, 06:38 PM

  Jim Brown was literally unstoppable. Between his running and pass catching ability Thurman rates on my list (I know... "homer" call)... and don't forget Gale Sayers... can't be called the best ever, but was sure special.

You got it posted before me Bill. Gale Sayers was an outstanding RB. Had he not gotten injured(was it an ACL tear that ended his career?) who's to say he would'nt have been the best RB of all time.

 

jzmack, you have the greatest avatar

[34-78-83]

1- Jim Brown

2- Walter Payton

3- Gale Sayers

4- Emmit Smith (But I would have put Bo Jackson here if he played longer)

[patswhiponthebills]

Not even close, between "Sweetness" and Emmitt.  But with all do respect, Jim Brown was the king of all RBs. 

 

1. Jim Brown

2. Walter Payton

3. Barry Sanders

4. Emmitt Smith

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best runner,i mean just runner.not blocking, receiving, blitz pickup ect.. the best runner is sanders and its not even close. this guy averaged 5.0 ypc (for his CAREER) in this generation and he did not exactly have the best o-line. if this guy was in jim browns era,barrys ypc would be around 6.5-7.0 EASILY. theres some safetys from todays nfl that were bigger then some of the down lineman from browns era. its like this in all sports,guys are bigger,stronger,and faster(especially in football)

 

 

p.s-i dont think that barry was that bad of a blocker.

[BILLS4LIFE]

Definitely Payton and my Top 3:

 

1. Payton

2. Barry Sanders

3. E. Smith