Jump to content

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 110
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted

I would like to include guys from the AFL days, but honestly, as legendary as they are in Bills lore, I never saw any of them play, other than highlights...for me, my earliest Bills memories started in 1972, when Dennis Shaw was the QB..I was 7. Shaw and I shared the name Dennis, which wasn't so common, it seemed at the time...so he is kind of the player that lured me in...

 

There are so many more I would love to include, but my personal Top 10...not necessarily the greatest of all time (though some were), but just they guys that made the biggest impact on me, in a life spent as a hopeless Bills backer...they are listed more chronologically than by preference:

 

 

1- OJ Simpson

2- Joe Ferguson

3- Jerry Butler

4- Steve Freeman

5- Joe Cribbs

6- Bruce Smith

7- Thurman Thomas

8- Rob Riddick

9- Jim Kelly

10- Lee Evans

That's why I think the title of the thread would be better served if it clarified with, "that you remember seeing." Can't forget those AFL Bills, though. They started it all. On a side note: Cribbs & Evans of this list? They were two "flashes in the pan." They had 3 to 4 good years, that's it. And Cribbs was a malcontent.

Posted (edited)

That's why I think the title of the thread would be better served if it clarified with, "that you remember seeing." Can't forget those AFL Bills, though. They started it all. On a side note: Cribbs & Evans of this list? They were two "flashes in the pan." They had 3 to 4 good years, that's it. And Cribbs was a malcontent.

I guess I was firmly in the "Ralph is cheap" boat when it came to the Knox-era Bills. Cribbs was awesome, in my opinion. If he hadn't had the contract scuffle, I think he would have gone down as one of the greatest Bills ever...I think the contract thing has really clouded the view of some about how talented that guy really was. He was really a pre-curser to the "all-purpose" back...people hated him for holding out, and going to the USFL, but the NFL was a lot different back then...he had another option, and he took it...who would do any different?

 

For me, for about 7 seasons, Lee Evans was one of the few good things about Bills football. I just think NFL history is littered with guys like Evans who, in all honesty, kind of had wasted careers because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. People can dog him about being one dimensional and all, but how inept were those entire Bills squads, offensively, most of the time he was there? We had guys like Willis McGahee and Marshawn Lynch who were considered disappointments...but both thrived once getting out of the muck of Bills football in the 2000's. Evans wasn't quite so lucky...and all most will remember of him is that dropped pass as a Raven...it was big, granted. I remember reading things about Lee, after he left Buffalo...it almost sounded like all the losing in Buffalo had kind of ruined his love of the game..

Edited by Buftex
Posted

. Finally someone who actually has knowledge of football pre 1990.

Knowledge by way of the History Channel.

 

I remember all those guys, but seem to have a strange gap where it comes to Cookie. Was he just a little earlier or more brief? Obviously, I'm too lazy to look it up, but the other guys I actually remember but Cookie was just a name I knew. From what I hear he was amazing.

Posted

I didn't ask you to agree with it...

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: Some on this board need to chill wayyyyy out!

I guess I was firmly in the "Ralph is cheap" boat when it came to the Knox-era Bills. Cribbs was awesome, in my opinion. If he hadn't had the contract scuffle, I think he would have gone down as one of the greatest Bills ever...I think the contract thing has really clouded the view of some about how talented that guy really was. He was really a pre-curser to the "all-purpose" back...people hated him for holding out, and going to the USFL, but the NFL was a lot different back then...he had another option, and he took it...who would do any different?

 

For me, for about 7 seasons, Lee Evans was one of the few good things about Bills football. I just think NFL history is littered with guys like Evans who, in all honesty, kind of had wasted careers because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. People can dog him about being one dimensional and all, but how inept were those entire Bills squads, offensively, most of the time he was there? We had guys like Willis McGahee and Marshawn Lynch who were considered disappointments...but both thrived once getting out of the muck of Bills football in the 2000's. Evans wasn't quite so lucky...and all most will remember of him is that dropped pass as a Raven...it was big, granted. I remember reading things about Lee, after he left Buffalo...it almost sounded like all the losing in Buffalo had kind of ruined his love of the game..

Could not agree more about Joe Cribbs; imagine if the Bills signed him and Kelly and Knox stayed.

Posted

10. Bucky Brooks

9. Shawn Merriman

8. Ed Wang

7. Travis Henry

6. Bryce Paup

5. Tyler Thigpen

4. Crezdon Butler

3. Vince Young

2. Danny Batten

1. Torrell Troup

I wouldn't put Bryce Paup and Travis Henry in the same category as Ed Wang.
Posted

10) Bobby Chandler

9) George Saimes

8) Tom Sestak

7) Andre Reed

6) Cookie Gilchrist

5) OJ

4) Daryl Talley

3) Bruce Smith

2) Jim Kelly

1) Thurman Thomas

Posted (edited)

These are in no particular order and I only included players I’ve actually seen play either in person or on TV. I didn’t want to include any players from before my time that I’ve only seen highlight reels on…and by my time, I mean from about 1985 (when I was 7).

 

  1. Andre
  2. Bennett
  3. Fred Jackson
  4. Thurman
  5. Moulds
  6. Moorman
  7. Kelly
  8. Tasker
  9. Dareus
  10. Sam Cowart

Honorable mentions to Lee Evans and Tekeo Spikes.

Edited by 3 --> 10 Connection
Posted

Im 32 so I dont know a ton about the 70s and 80s players.

 

1, Bruce Smith

2.Thurman Thomas

3.OJ Simpson

4. Jim Kelly

5. Andre Reed

6. Cornelius Bennet

7. Daryl Tally

8. Eric Moulds

9. Setve Tasker

10.Henry Jones

 

Posted

10) Bobby Chandler

9) George Saimes

8) Tom Sestak

7) Andre Reed

6) Cookie Gilchrist

5) OJ

4) Daryl Talley

3) Bruce Smith

2) Jim Kelly

1) Thurman Thomas

Is that in order?

I love Thurman but I think even he would tell you OJ was better than him.

Posted

Is that in order?

I love Thurman but I think even he would tell you OJ was better than him.

Sorry, I would take Thurman over OJ in a second! Thurman had more heart!

Posted

10) Bobby Chandler

9) George Saimes

8) Tom Sestak

7) Andre Reed

6) Cookie Gilchrist

5) OJ

4) Daryl Talley

3) Bruce Smith

2) Jim Kelly

1) Thurman Thomas

Norton, way to pay tribute to those AFL'rs. Question: How far off from your top 10 was Jack Kemp? For WIW, he would make my top 10. We wouldn't have won those 2 championships if we had a less talented QB. Go Bills.

Posted

I guess I was firmly in the "Ralph is cheap" boat when it came to the Knox-era Bills. Cribbs was awesome, in my opinion. If he hadn't had the contract scuffle, I think he would have gone down as one of the greatest Bills ever...I think the contract thing has really clouded the view of some about how talented that guy really was. He was really a pre-curser to the "all-purpose" back...people hated him for holding out, and going to the USFL, but the NFL was a lot different back then...he had another option, and he took it...who would do any different?

 

For me, for about 7 seasons, Lee Evans was one of the few good things about Bills football. I just think NFL history is littered with guys like Evans who, in all honesty, kind of had wasted careers because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. People can dog him about being one dimensional and all, but how inept were those entire Bills squads, offensively, most of the time he was there? We had guys like Willis McGahee and Marshawn Lynch who were considered disappointments...but both thrived once getting out of the muck of Bills football in the 2000's. Evans wasn't quite so lucky...and all most will remember of him is that dropped pass as a Raven...it was big, granted. I remember reading things about Lee, after he left Buffalo...it almost sounded like all the losing in Buffalo had kind of ruined his love of the game..

Good info. Lee Evans was a good receiver, especially during such dreadful Bills teams he was on. But I think in his last few years, he became the invisible man.

And Cribbs was very talented no doubt. But he had an attitude about other things. He jumped from Buffalo to the Birmingham Stallions for the big $, played about 8 games for them, then held out because he wanted more $. IMHO

Posted (edited)

 

Bruce

Kelly

Reed

Moulds (I know butler is more deserving)

Thurman

Talley

Fjax (for his heart)

Oj

Kyle Williams

Kent Hull

 

 

Could be Coming to this list soon:

Watkins, md99, Mario

 

Honorable mention:

Schoebel

Kemp

Fergie

Norwood

Ballard

Tasker

Paup

Leonard smith

Any other qb than that troll midget from the CFL

Edited by over 20 years of fanhood
×
×
  • Create New...