[Marinocollector]

Payton had the league-leading, and perhaps best all-time Defense. Jim Brown, however, was probably the best single-player athlete on a teams of relative unknowns.

????

Although I think his attitude (somewhat justifiable) as well as his transgressions have hurt the NFL from placing Jim Brown on the pedestal he deserves, I think having played with 10 HOFers and a HOF coach leaves Jim Brown unable to claim "team of unknowns" status.

All discussions aside, the argument about the best between Payton/Emmitt/Sanders is moot as neither of them have eclipsed Jim Brown status in my eyes.

[the great 48]

Constant grinding and pounding and doing ALL the little things right creates rings, and that's why Emmitt has 3 and why I would choose him before Barry.

HAHA, yeah thats the only reason Emmitt has 3 rings. Cause he did these things...
It had nothing to do with the ability to throw the ball -very well- or great blocking or a top 3 defense those years they won with Emmitt.

I dont have a problem with people who feel Emmitt was the better back but dont say his rings are cause of only what he brought to the field.
Id say they had the same chance at those SB wins with almost any back.

[jacobystealshome]

Id say they had the same chance at those SB wins with almost any back.

whoa now...that's CRAZY

you think emmitt was no better than replacement value? really? His VORP (to use a baseball sabermetric) is neutral?

that's straight up insane

[the great 48]

whoa now...that's CRAZY

you think emmitt was no better than replacement value? really? His VORP (to use a baseball sabermetric) is neutral?

that's straight up insane

Not completely, there were games where he put them over the top for a win.
What Im saying is you could have inserted a number of different backs and came out with a SB. Thats how good the whole team was those years.

[bigtrip18]

????
I think having played with 10 HOFers and a HOF coach leaves Jim Brown unable to claim "team of unknowns" status.

Most of the Brown's HOFers did not play with Jim Brown, they were before or after Brown. I believe only Groza and McCormack were on at the same time, and Warfield and Kelly came in on Brown's final year. Also Paul Brown was let go before the '64 title win and '65 title loss.

[Marinocollector]

Most of the Brown's HOFers did not play with Jim Brown, they were before or after Brown. I believe only Groza and McCormack were on at the same time, and Warfield and Kelly came in on Brown's final year. Also Paul Brown was let go before the '64 title win and '65 title loss.

Bobby Mitchell for 4 years. WR/HB
Gene Hickerson for 6 years. OL

But to have an OL with 3 HOFers for the better part of ones career is crazy. Although there success did have to do with Jim Brown as well.... I just think its crazy to state it was a team of nobodies. Just my feelings on that one.

[htoutlaws]

The Lions had Kevin Glover and Lomas Brown early in Barry's career. They would never play pro bowl caliber yearly at the same time. Barry's 2053yd season in 1997 had Larry Tharpe jump off sides at least 2-3 times per game. It was amazing he busted off so many home run runs that year. What really sparked him that year was the first two games were subpar for him, and Tampa ran their mouths about how Warrick Dunn was the "New Barry Sanders". Barry put up 2000yds in 14 games. That was his ninth year in the league.

Herman Moore was so good he never played even close to Pro Bowl material after Barry quit.

Barry was small. Not a good blocker. Decent receiver early on, but those stats trailed later when he was rarely in position for a pass. If he was it was more of a decoy in 95 with the Perriman, Moore, Morton combo. In 1994 the Lions picked up three free agents for the O line, and none of them panned out. Dave Lutz, Dave Widell, and...I forgot the other guy. They had no luck when it came to quality blocking. The only one quality guy was Glover in my opinion. Lomas was just Ok.


I'm not going to slam Emmitt Smith. He was a product of his system. Just check his stats after 95, what a drop off. But I did see that guy with some amazing hard hitting bruising hits on MNF for several years. It did help to have a QB like Aikman. Lions had Scott Mitchell. Watching that scared P***y for several years would make anyone cry. Moose was pretty solid. We had "Touchdown" Tommy Vardell for a couple years.

But we are NOT talking about a team. We are talking individuals correct? In MY opinion, if you put Emmitt or Barry behind the same offensive line whether good or bad, I think Barry would be your man. If it meant smashing through a line, Barry is cooked. If it meant running a sweep both could be effective. But if you were 3rd and eight, and you had to call a running play, and you had to put your money on a player who could score from ANYWHERE on the field....BARRY is a great bet.

Yes I'm from Metro Detroit. If I lived in Dallas, I'm SURE I would feel the same way Dallas fans feel. Emmitt is the All-Time Rushing Leader. Period. And I would also feel blessed that Barry quit when he did. Otherwise...

Two great backs that I will always admire. Period.

[bostonsports1]

The Lions had Kevin Glover and Lomas Brown early in Barry's career. They would never play pro bowl caliber yearly at the same time. Barry's 2053yd season in 1997 had Larry Tharpe jump off sides at least 2-3 times per game. It was amazing he busted off so many home run runs that year. What really sparked him that year was the first two games were subpar for him, and Tampa ran their mouths about how Warrick Dunn was the "New Barry Sanders". Barry put up 2000yds in 14 games. That was his ninth year in the league.

Herman Moore was so good he never played even close to Pro Bowl material after Barry quit.

Barry was small. Not a good blocker. Decent receiver early on, but those stats trailed later when he was rarely in position for a pass. If he was it was more of a decoy in 95 with the Perriman, Moore, Morton combo. In 1994 the Lions picked up three free agents for the O line, and none of them panned out. Dave Lutz, Dave Widell, and...I forgot the other guy. They had no luck when it came to quality blocking. The only one quality guy was Glover in my opinion. Lomas was just Ok.


I'm not going to slam Emmitt Smith. He was a product of his system. Just check his stats after 95, what a drop off. But I did see that guy with some amazing hard hitting bruising hits on MNF for several years. It did help to have a QB like Aikman. Lions had Scott Mitchell. Watching that scared P***y for several years would make anyone cry. Moose was pretty solid. We had "Touchdown" Tommy Vardell for a couple years.

But we are NOT talking about a team. We are talking individuals correct? In MY opinion, if you put Emmitt or Barry behind the same offensive line whether good or bad, I think Barry would be your man. If it meant smashing through a line, Barry is cooked. If it meant running a sweep both could be effective. But if you were 3rd and eight, and you had to call a running play, and you had to put your money on a player who could score from ANYWHERE on the field....BARRY is a great bet.

Yes I'm from Metro Detroit. If I lived in Dallas, I'm SURE I would feel the same way Dallas fans feel. Emmitt is the All-Time Rushing Leader. Period. And I would also feel blessed that Barry quit when he did. Otherwise...

Two great backs that I will always admire. Period.

+1000000000000000000