Hey Detroit!

lawnmowerman

It seems your memory is fading with age. I am your friend and am looking out for you. Thats why I am sending you this reminder of who the best ever rusher actually is. I dont know why but you keep bringing up this Barry guy. Was he any good? I dont see him at the top of the all time rushing list, oh wait a minute, there he is. He's down there at the bronze medal #3 position. I am sure he was good to be so close to the top, never quite reaching that lofty position.

Anyway, to save you from any further embarrassment here is a picture of the best ever. This way there will be no more confusion.

Your friend
Matt

slatsme

Sorry, but here is the greatest back and player...EVER

lawnmowerman

<< <i>Sorry, but here is the greatest back and player...EVER

>>

No apologies necessary. He was a quiter as well.

slatsme

Or they both knew when their time was up....no Cardinal joke for Barry or Brown...

XanaduNow

I have two words for you gentlemen ...

MOSI TATUPU

This conversation is OVER!

lawnmowerman

Yeah your right. Wait till training camp is about to start and then tell the team your quiting, classy! I liked Barry as a player but that wasnt right.

slatsme

True dat

slatsme

Maybe, but is playing 5 years past your prime any better?

lawnmowerman

<< <i>I have two words for you gentlemen ...

MOSI TATUPU

This conversation is OVER! >>

lawnmowerman

<< <i>Maybe, but is playing 5 years past your prime any better? >>

Most players in all sports do play past their prime. Mostly out of love for the sport. You cant hold that against any player. To say Emmitt just hung around as you are implying is wrong. In his last five years he had respectable numbers, with the execption of his first year in AZ.

Eddo33

Though I never saw him run all the people that have say Jim Brown was the best ever. Watching highlight can't say I'll argue. But watching both Sanders and Smith play. I'll go with Sanders any day. He was the best runner I ever seen play. Don't forget Smith had Aikman and Irvin. Sanders was all alone and he still made the defense look silly.

And besides Smith and the Cowboys beat the Steelers in Super Bowl 30 so screw him............. Damn you Neil O Donnel!!!!

lawnmowerman

<< <i>Though I never saw him run all the people that have say Jim Brown was the best ever. Watching highlight can't say I'll argue. But watching both Sanders and Smith play. I'll go with Sanders any day. He was the best runner I ever seen play. Don't forget Smith had Aikman and Irvin. Sanders was all alone and he still made the defense look silly. >>





<< <i>
And besides Smith and the Cowboys beat the Steelers in Super Bowl 30 so screw him............. Damn you Neil O Donnel!!!! >>





I hear that arguement all the time. "Emmitt had this guy and this guy but Barry was by himself" Emmitt made a few people miss in his day. And if they didnt miss they would get run over by a stiff arm.
With all due respect Barry wasnt alone he had 10 other guys on the field with him. He would be the first to tell you that.

Eddo33

No doubt about Smith being a great runner............. I look at it this way.... who would be the better runner though, Sanders on the Cowboys or Smith on the Lions? I don't think there is any denying that Smith benefited from being on ( I may throw up as I say this) "America's" team.

Eddie K

slatsme

What about the o-line? Smith had two potential Hall of Famers in front of him. Can you name me anyone that blocked for Barry?

These debates are great.

SDSportsFan

Have any of you seen the ESPN.com poll that's been running since Friday where they ask who the greatest running back is of the last 10 years? They don't even include Emmitt on the list of players to vote for

The choices are:

Shaun Alexander
Terrell Davis
Marshall Faulk
LaDainian Tomlinson
Barry Sanders


Steve

lawnmowerman

<< <i>Have any of you seen the ESPN.com poll that's been running since Friday where they ask who the greatest running back is of the last 10 years? They don't even include Emmitt on the list of players to vote for

The choices are:

Shaun Alexander
Terrell Davis
Marshall Faulk
LaDainian Tomlinson
Barry Sanders


Steve >>

You do know that ESPN is run by monkeys, right?

CDsNuts

Two words- Wayne Fontes. Two more words- Rodney Peete. Two more words- Scott Mitchell. Two more words- Andre Ware. Two more words.........

You seriously can't make the argument that Emmitt didn't benefit from a great coach, a HOF QB, WR, TWO guards, an AP TE & FB and a series of great drafts. I'm not saying one's better than the other, but you can't discredit the benfits of playing for an organization that has a commitment to winning and the ability to do it. The Lions had neither during Barry's career which is why he retired early (according to him).

Honestly, my vote would go to Barry for this reason alone: While watching Emmitt, I never once said to myself "I can't believe he just did that". I could say that just about every Lions game that I watched. Some of the things Barry did could never be replicated, almost like he was the next evolution of Payton. I can't say the same thing about Emmitt, who had a great career and was a total workhorse, but the only thing "spectacular" about him was except his consistency and ability to stay healthy. I would go out of my way to watch a Lions game just to watch Barry. Was one better than the other? Who knows, but I can tell you with certainty which one I'd rather watch.

Lee

lawnmowerman

<< <i>Two words- Wayne Fontes. Two more words- Rodney Peete. Two more words- Scott Mitchell. Two more words- Andre Ware. Two more words.........

You seriously can't make the argument that Emmitt didn't benefit from a great coach, a HOF QB, WR, TWO guards, an AP TE & FB and a series of great drafts. I'm not saying one's better than the other, but you can't discredit the benfits of playing for an organization that has a commitment to winning and the ability to do it. The Lions had neither during Barry's career which is why he retired early (according to him).

Honestly, my vote would go to Barry for this reason alone: While watching Emmitt, I never once said to myself "I can't believe he just did that". I could say that just about every Lions game that I watched. Some of the things Barry did could never be replicated, almost like he was the next evolution of Payton. I can't say the same thing about Emmitt, who had a great career and was a total workhorse, but the only thing "spectacular" about him was except his consistency and ability to stay healthy. I would go out of my way to watch a Lions game just to watch Barry. Was one better than the other? Who knows, but I can tell you with certainty which one I'd rather watch.

Lee >>

Lee, I never said that Emmitt didnt benefit from having other good players around him. Yes the Cowboys had great teams back then. All I am saying is I am tired of hearing how Barry was "all alone" and Emmitt didnt do anything without the help of the other guys on the team. Barry was great and was more "spectacular" to watch but he wasnt alone. His teamates did contribute and his blockers did block.

CDsNuts

Sure his teammates played hard, and you can say that about almost any team that has ever played. All these guys are playing to support their families. Just because they played hard doesn't mean they were good. The Cowboys were good, the Lions were not. Take away Herman Moore, Lomas Brown, and maybe a few others, they were god awful. Playing for a good team makes a huge difference.

Lee

lawnmowerman

<< <i>What about the o-line? Smith had two potential Hall of Famers in front of him. Can you name me anyone that blocked for Barry?

These debates are great. >>


Lomas Brown was no slouch

lawnmowerman

<< <i>Sure his teammates played hard, and you can say that about almost any team that has ever played. All these guys are playing to support their families. Just because they played hard doesn't mean they were good. The Cowboys were good, the Lions were not. Take away Herman Moore, Lomas Brown, and maybe a few others, they were god awful. Playing for a good team makes a huge difference.

Lee >>

I agree. The Lions were good a couple of years during Barry's time but nowhere near the amount of years the Cowboys were good

NewJerseyMeatHook

End of discussion.

lawnmowerman

<< <i>End of discussion.

>>

Who is this?

Southerncards2

Emmitt?? Barry??

I laugh in your face.

SGC is the best ever!!!!!

NewJerseyMeatHook

Legend

Southerncards2

You know Chuck Forskin worked at sgc. Really I saw him there

CDsNuts

This is truly funny.

Lee

NewJerseyMeatHook

This banter reminds me of a middle school joke:

How do you circumsize a whale?

Send down four skindivers.

Southerncards2

<< <i>This is truly funny.

Lee >>

You think this is funny go to sgc message boards...did I say that??

SGC RULES!!

MooseDog

Gentlemen - I give you the greatest running back in the history of pro football:



In the Super Bowl Ditka had a choice - Walter Payton or William Perry? Of course he went with the Fridge!

Southerncards2

<< <i>Gentlemen - I give you the greatest running back in the history of pro football:



In the Super Bowl Ditka had a choice - Walter Payton or William Perry? Of course he went with the Fridge! >>

You are right. You know where he works now? sgc! we have great dental plans. check it out.

Boopotts

Let us not also forget that Barry worked out of a single back set for almost his entire career. There was no Moose Johnston clearing bodies for him-- just him and the front 7 of the opposition. And I do mean 'just him', because with the exception of Lomas those O-Lines were not particularly noteworthy.

If you start talking about backs you have to distinguish between the best runner and the best all around back. Barry was-- and I don't see how anyone could argue this-- the most electrifying back to ever play the game. But he was a lousy short yardage back and he wasn't much of a team leader (this last point sound cheesy, since i don't know how much that actually matters in the pro ranks, but I assume it must count for something). He was, IMO, an underrated blocker, so that should count in his favor.

In any event the best RB of all time is not Emmitt Smith, who for sure ranks behind Payton, Brown and probably Dickerson. And maybe Sanders, depending on how you look at it.

Southerncards2

You know I once had a Barry Sanders rc in a sgc slab and I stopped a nuclear meltdown with it. Really I did!

detroitfan2

It seems your memory is fading with age. I am your friend and am looking out for you. Thats why I am sending you this reminder of who the best ever rusher actually is. I dont know why but you keep bringing up this Barry guy. Was he any good? I dont see him at the top of the all time rushing list, oh wait a minute, there he is. He's down there at the bronze medal #3 position. I am sure he was good to be so close to the top, never quite reaching that lofty position.

Anyway, to save you from any further embarrassment here is a picture of the best ever. This way there will be no more confusion.

Your friend
Matt

Whoa Matt! Sorry, I was away for a bit and missed this. It looks like the rest of the board members took care of the obvious for me (thanks guys). I do always get a chuckle though when Wayne Fontes and Scott Mitchell continue to get grief after all this time. Yep, things sure got a lot better after we got rid of those two. It sure did stink making the playoffs every other year.

Peace my friend. I'm glad you're back!

-Tom

jerster

Barry was the best I ever saw. And only my opinion counts....so bugger off!

poppie

Emmitt couldn't mow Barry's 'fro with your mower !

mr300bowl

I'm a fan of Emmitts, but I seriously doubt he would be anywhere close to the numbers he has if he had spent his career in Detroit as Barry did. I also wonder how high Barry's final total would have been if he had played in Dallas.

IMHO, Kurt

TheThrill22

Walter Payton. He could throw, catch, block, and obviously run. No contest.

lawnmowerman

I appreciate everyone's opinions. I didnt mean for this to turn into a debate but it was fun anyway. This is just a friendly "disagreement" that Tom and I share.

Tom, Maybe someday soon you will finally see the truth but in the meantime:

(friendly reminder)