njbuff Posted November 21, 2023 Posted November 21, 2023 1. Jim Brown 2. Walter Payton 3. Barry Sanders 4. OJ Simpson. The rest you can fill in as you go along, but 1-4 have cemented their places in history. Quote
Spiderweb Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 3 hours ago, Bill from NYC said: Did you ever see Earl Campbell in his prime? Absolutely unstoppable!! 1 Quote
SoonerBillsFan Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 7 hours ago, Patrick Fitzryan said: Detroit always gets too much flack for "ruining" his career. He got to play in six playoff games, and his stats during the postseason left a LOT to be desired. Sanders is one of the undisputed all time greats. Quote
Mr. Wonderful Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 Some of you younger guys may not be aware that both Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders were teammates for a time at Oklahoma State. Tremendous talents! Quote
PonyBoy Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 9 hours ago, I'm Spartacus said: Seems similar to the OJ era Bills teams. Except some of Sanders teams made the playoffs. But, yes a once in a generation back on a bad team and franchise. Quote
Saxum Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 9 hours ago, Matt_In_NH said: He was the most exciting guy but his play to play variance was so high, his style did not lend itself to overall team success. He had far too many negative plays trying to make something out of nothing and getting less.\\ Quote
BillsPride12 Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 10 minutes ago, Dablitzkrieg said: "We take it Mitchell won't be invited to the next Lions reunion" 🤣🤣🤣 2 Quote
BuffaloBill Posted November 22, 2023 Author Posted November 22, 2023 22 minutes ago, Dablitzkrieg said: A slight bit of bitterness? 1 Quote
K D Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 This was a great watch. Super humble guy, soft spoken, thoughtful. The fact that he walked away after 10 years was only strange back then. Most RB careers are over by then these days anyhow. He was one of my favorite players to watch. It was like he was built in a lab to be a RB. Low to the ground, powerful, and it was like his hips were disconnected from his body the way he would shake people out of their shoes. He was the best I've ever seen do it 2 1 Quote
May Day 10 Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 He is one of my all time favorites. He played when I was about 10-20 years old so right in my wheelhouse of hero worship. I was always bitter that Emmitt Smith compiled his way to the rushing record that was clearly Barry's to claim. I get the argument that he may not be the best all around rb. He is certainly the most elusive RB. I wonder what he could have done for a team like Houston at the time... or maybe even chronically RB starved teams like Miami and Denver. Teams' defensive game plans were literally just to stop Sanders from getting 150 yards 1 Quote
H2o Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 Barry Sanders was the greatest RB I've ever seen and I'm almost 47 years old. My memory goes back to the likes of Marcus Allen, John Riggins, Roger Craig, Walter Payton, and Tony Dorsett. I remember them all and everyone I have seen after that. It's crazy to think that both Barry and Thurman were on the same team at Oklahoma St. Barry was literally 0-100 on the field. He could stop and be at full speed within about three steps. I've never seen anything like it. He could also juke at full speed without losing any of that speed. He was out there breaking ankles for 10 years. It really was fun to watch. The useless regurgitation about his Playoff performances is the same mess that Scott Mitchell is out here whining about. Barry was basically the sole reason those teams even made the Playoffs at any point during his career. He carried Wayne Fontes AND that franchise. Everyone knew the only thing the Lions had was Barry, so when the Playoffs came they sold out on that fact. It's why Detroit only won one game once they made the Playoffs. He did NOT have the help around him to go any further, and this SURELY includes QB play. Barry's lowest total of rushing yards came in 1993 when he rushed for 1,115 yards, and that came in 11 games. Other than that, his lowest total was 1,304 yards. For his career he averaged right at 1,527 yards per season. That's insane. If he would have played as long as Emmitt Smith did, he would have had over 20,000 yards rushing when he finished up. If you put Barry behind those Dallas OL's of the 90's and he's running for 2,000 per season for like 5 or 6 years in a row. There was no one like him during his time in the NFL, and I have seen no one like him since. 1 1 Quote
Saxum Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 45 minutes ago, May Day 10 said: He is one of my all time favorites. He played when I was about 10-20 years old so right in my wheelhouse of hero worship. I was always bitter that Emmitt Smith compiled his way to the rushing record that was clearly Barry's to claim. I get the argument that he may not be the best all around rb. He is certainly the most elusive RB. I wonder what he could have done for a team like Houston at the time... or maybe even chronically RB starved teams like Miami and Denver. Teams' defensive game plans were literally just to stop Sanders from getting 150 yards Mijami had good backs but Marino could not execute a good fake and RBs got demolished. Every time Marino would try to execute a fake there would be a call in bar "FAKE!". 1 Quote
BillsPride12 Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 4 minutes ago, Limeaid said: Mijami had good backs but Marino could not execute a good fake and RBs got demolished. Every time Marino would try to execute a fake there would be a call in bar "FAKE!". Wasn't there talk/rumors of Miami trying to make a play for Barry Sanders towards the end of Marino's career? I don't remember the details now but have a vague memory of this. Glad he never went there lol Quote
SMAKCruiser Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 6 minutes ago, Limeaid said: Mijami had good backs but Marino could not execute a good fake and RBs got demolished. Every time Marino would try to execute a fake there would be a call in bar "FAKE!". Who??? Sammie Smith and Mark Higgs? Terry Kirby? Not exactly a stellar list. Quote
May Day 10 Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 Just now, SMAKCruiser said: Who??? Sammie Smith and Mark Higgs? Terry Kirby? Not exactly a stellar list. Bernie Parmalee Quote
SMAKCruiser Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 3 minutes ago, May Day 10 said: Bernie Parmalee Meh... Average at best Quote
extrahammer Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 16 hours ago, Matt_In_NH said: In your opinion he was the greatest. I think he was the greatest too, but I get what you're saying, he would only get to the line of scrimmage or 1 or 2 yards on a lot of plays, then he'd hit a big run and it would be mind blowing. He was also a scat back in a main RB role and over-performed, and very entertaining to watch even as a kid. I had a his rookie card certain he'd break Walter Payton's record, only for that to go down to Emmitt Smith because he played 6 years past his prime. The way Barry carried himself and left the game, I think left everyone wanting more. Quote
Captain Hindsight Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 19 hours ago, stevewin said: Back in early 90's I saw him play live at the Meadowlands - seats were close the middle of the field behind the Detroit bench. All I have to say is TV/video did not give him justice. Seeing him live was mind blowing at times. There were multiple times in that run and shoot he would catch a short pass with guys lining him up and in an instant he would turn and somehow just instantaneously be in a different place with guys grabbing air. I've never seen anything like it - was truly amazing I actually thought something similar with Saquon Bakley this year. Hes always been talented clearly, but seeing him live, dude just popped on the field Quote
May Day 10 Posted November 22, 2023 Posted November 22, 2023 3 minutes ago, SMAKCruiser said: Meh... Average at best we are in agreement that RB was chronic shortcoming of the Marino teams through to when they went all in on Ricky Williams. Did I imagine it or did they have a guy named Karim Abdul Jabbar? Quote
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