Who are the top five NFL Running Backs of all time?

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
Much more unstopable than any of the other players listed in their hay-days...

That's debatable (like everything is). You'd find a lot of people disagreeing with you and saying Jim Brown was the best.

 

[Homerboy]

That's debatable (like everything is). You'd find a lot of people disagreeing with you and saying Jim Brown was the best.

Agreed... Jim Brown is about the only one to run with Thorpe though. JB was/is a tough MoFo.

 

[imported_Strang]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

That's debatable (like everything is). You'd find a lot of people disagreeing with you and saying Jim Brown was the best.

Agreed... Jim Brown is about the only one to run with Thorpe though. JB was/is a tough MoFo.

Agreed, I grossly undervalued Thorpe -- I'm not really sure where I would rank him though, maybe Brown, Thorpe, Payton, Sanders?

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

That's debatable (like everything is). You'd find a lot of people disagreeing with you and saying Jim Brown was the best.

Agreed... Jim Brown is about the only one to run with Thorpe though. JB was/is a tough MoFo.

Agree completely.

 

[Homerboy]

Agreed, I grossly undervalued Thorpe -- I'm not really sure where I would rank him though, maybe Brown, Thorpe, Payton, Sanders?

I think I'd still put Thorpe in front of Brown. Thorpe kicked ass in Football, carried his team to 3 (unofficial) world championships AND played pro baseball AND did the decathalon (and pent?) in the 1912(?) olympics. THATS a freaking machine. So he nudges out Brown with me just based upon those "extra-bonus" items.

Thrope, Brown, Payton, Sayers (cut short), Sanders (quitter) is what I have to go with I guess.

I nix OJ based on the fact hes a murderer and an ass 🙂 (although he should be up there too in all honesty)
Dorsett... hes #6 easy.
Emmitt was good, but he had an amazing OLine for the better part of his career and a QB/WR core that could take the heat off of him.

When does football season start!?!!?!?!

 

[imported_Strang]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

Agreed, I grossly undervalued Thorpe -- I'm not really sure where I would rank him though, maybe Brown, Thorpe, Payton, Sanders?

I think I'd still put Thorpe in front of Brown. Thorpe kicked ass in Football, carried his team to 3 (unofficial) world championships AND played pro baseball AND did the decathalon (and pent?) in the 1912(?) olympics. THATS a freaking machine. So he nudges out Brown with me just based upon those "extra-bonus" items.

Thrope, Brown, Payton, Sayers (cut short), Sanders (quitter) is what I have to go with I guess.

I nix OJ based on the fact hes a murderer and an ass 🙂 (although he should be up there too in all honesty)
Dorsett... hes #6 easy.
Emmitt was good, but he had an amazing OLine for the better part of his career and a QB/WR core that could take the heat off of him.

When does football season start!?!!?!?!

Good points all.

It's interesting to see just how badly OJ tarnished his reputation as a RB (with myself included). Especially in light of the recent controversy from that interview, heh.

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
I think I'd still put Thorpe in front of Brown. Thorpe kicked ass in Football, carried his team to 3 (unofficial) world championships AND played pro baseball AND did the decathalon (and pent?) in the 1912(?) olympics. THATS a freaking machine. So he nudges out Brown with me just based upon those "extra-bonus" items.

The only point i'd bring up is the question is "Running back" not athlete. You wouldn't be able to consider his other feats...only the ones as a running back in the NFL.

(don't you hate devils advocates?) 😀

 

[Homerboy]

The only point i'd bring up is the question is "Running back" not athlete. You wouldn't be able to consider his other feats...only the ones as a running back in the NFL.

(don't you hate devils advocates?) 😀

hehe no I dont hate them... hell I am one!

I knew as I was typing that as my "reason" to pick Thorpe somebody would shoot me down. I would still put Thorpe ahead of Brown on pure RB ability alone. Dont get me wrong it would be VERY VERY close. But I think Thorpe simply dominated that little bit more than JB did (for you youngin's this is NOT the same "JB" on Fox's pre-game show 🙂)

I'll have to research Brown's feats as an NFL RB though and re-evaulate.

 

[pyonir]

lol...i hear ya man. Just challenging ya for fun. I don't know enough about Thorpe (honestly) to pick him over Brown. Perhaps i should research Thorpe a little more... 😛

 

[Quixfire]

Al Bundee, Polk High

 

[Homerboy]

It's interesting to see just how badly OJ tarnished his reputation as a RB (with myself included). Especially in light of the recent controversy from that interview, heh.

I'm not going to take the football acomplishments away from OJ. But to me "hes dead". Hes a walking travesty and shouldnt be mentioned in the same breath as some of these other players based upon pure human upstanding qualities. The man was good though. He really did some amazing things as a player. Sadly the "amazing things" he did after he was a player will ALWAYS overshadow his on-field acolades.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: pyonir
lol...i hear ya man. Just challenging ya for fun. I don't know enough about Thorpe (honestly) to pick him over Brown. Perhaps i should research Thorpe a little more... 😛

Thorpe

I jsut read JB's HOF write up... dman impressive. I rad up on his college career at Syracuse too. WOW

On pure RB talent this is a MIGHTY hard decision...

If I had to draft though Id take Thorpe he was too good all-around (I know Im just supposed to merit on their RB ability. But RBs do more than carry the ball too).

 

[pyonir]

Thanks for the link. I didn't know Thorpe was part Native American.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: pyonir
Thanks for the link. I didn't know Thorpe was part Native American.

Yeah it was one of the things against him actually at the time. People weren't so "PC" towards Native Americans in the early 1900s of course... Ironically much like some of the issues JB had in the 60s. They make nice bookends I guess when you look at it from that angle.

 

[WHipLAsh13]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
Polls like this confuse me...
"Best of their time" or "Best all time"?

All time meaning: You had to draft ONE today to play in TODAYS NFL...

Thorpe hasnt had a vote thus far, yet when he played he OBLITERATED teams. Not to mention was an Olympic Gold Athlete many times over. WOuld he do well today? No way. But in his day, he was simply an unstoppable force in multipel sports. Much more unstopable than any of the other players listed in their hay-days...

so what is the criteria here?

Best of all time. You cant really say how he would do today. It more about how they did during their career in their time compared to others.

 

[Homerboy]

Best of all time. You cant really say how he would do today. It more about how they did during their career in their time compared to others.

Certainly Thorpe or Brown then as #1/#2 They not only dominated their position(s) at the time they dominated the entire sport unquestionably.

 

[CtK]

Sanders
Payton
Brown
Dorsett
Sayers

 

[pcmodem]

Still bummed that Sweetness (Walter Payton) died so young. 🙁

And I'm a 49'er fan, but still respected Payton.

Hut hut HIKE!, :beer:
PCM

 

[0]

Barry!

 

[lcggotgame]

Jim Brown
Walter Payton
Gale Sayers
OJ
Emmitt Smith

Barry Sanders...NOT!!!!

1) He quit on his team.
2) He couldn't block well.
3) Took alot of negative plays to try to hit a home run...like the dave kingman of football.
4) He got yanked on goal line plays.

 

[Childs]

Originally posted by: pyonir

Originally posted by: farmercal
Here they are

That matched my list. 'cept i picked OJ instead of Earl Campbell.

Yeah, OJ got the shaft. No love for the Juice anymore.

Oh, and my top five:

Jim Brown
OJ Simpson
Eric Dickerson
Earl Campbell
Barry Sanders

Payton and Smith were consistent, but not devistating IMO. If Al Davis didnt shaft Marcus Allen, he would be replace Barry Sanders on my Top 5 list.

 

[PrinceofWands]

I dunno, what's a running back?

 

[Pacfanweb]

I'm not voting until Bo Jackson is one of the choices. I don't care if his career was cut short, how many players could only start after baseball season was over and still make the Pro Bowl?
Bo was the man, short career or not.
Career rushing yards per attempt: 5.4

I bet that beats anyone on that list.

 

[BNO]

1. Payton
2. Brown
3. Sayers
4. Sanders
5. Simpson

 

[jaydee]

I can only speak for players I've seen play in my lifetime (how can anyone confidently rely just on stats?). That being said, Barry Sanders hands down. The things he could do on the field were so far beyond anyone else I've seen.