Greatest Runningback of All-Time

[RugbyMuffin]

Earl Campbell is not on the list ?

Shameful.

Earl Campbell
Rushing Yards: 9.407
Rushing AVG: 4.3
Rushing TD: 74
Receiving Yards: 806
Receiving TD: 0
Passing TD: 0
The Case: Amazing power, and good speed. Only thing stopping him from having multiple rings is the Steel Curtain.

He is my pick but he is not on the list.

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[cardpa]

Walter Payton, Best all around back who made yards out of nothing.

 

[lauraw]

Jim Brown just by principles already stated...

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Larry Centers?

Someone has a sense of humour.

He's not even the best Cardinal back of all time, let alone the league.

 

[JeffGollin]

I guess the stats serve to validate and verify a RB's production, but to me, the deciding factor is:

"When you watch the dudes run over a decent period of time, which dude runs best.

Tomorrow, I turn 70 years of age. I got to watch them all (save maybe Jim Thorpe or Red Grange).

Jim Brown was the best.

While he was at Syracuse, he was also, hands down, the best lacrosse player in the nation (with something like 10 goals in the north vs. south all star game). Also a scratch golfer.

Incidently, for the best run I ever saw, check out an old Marlboro cigarette commercial showing Jon Arnett returning a punt. You'd swear you saw him catch the punt and belly back to his right - only an eye-lash later discover that he had actually gone left and was sprinting untouched for a score.

 

[slanidrac16]

This is like trying to compare Corvettes, Ferrari's, Jaguars and Hummers.

I voted for Payton. WHy? Because pound for pound, blocking ,picking up the blitz, catching the ball out of the backfield, heart and his love for the game.
Add that to the fact is he didn't always have a great line to run behind and NEVER had a great QB to take the pressure off the running game.

Brown would be my next pick as the best pure running back when considering power and speed. Keep in mind he played on some good teams , with good QB's, WR and offensive lines.

Sanders is right up there because of his game breaking ability. Funny thing is he would probably be the all time rushing leader if you could erase his negative yardage. I wonder how many of his yards came when the Lions were 20 points behind.

Gayle Sayers with todays medical technology would have put up some huge numbers. We are talking about running , but if you added return skills Sayers would get more love.

Simpson doesn't deserve my opinion and won't get it.

The guy I may least have wanted to tackle was Earl Cambell. Longevity is the only thing that knocks him down a peg.

Dickerson was great and desrves to be mentioned with the best.

One thing is certain. Just about any of the above mentioned would be the starter for the 09 Cardinals......

 

[jf-08]

EARL.

 

[Pariah]

On a semi-related note: possibly the biggest travesty in all of football was handing the ball to The Fridge on the goal line in super bowl XX instead of giving it to Payton (who never scored in that rout).

 

[earthsci]

Bo Jackson was the ultimate athlete.

If he had played football full time, without major injury, he would have shattered the NFL rushing record book in the same manner that Gretzky did with hockey.

Since the question was "Who was the greatest RB of all time", and not "Who had the best career", I voted Bo. If Bo hadn't been injured, this wouldn't even be a conversation.

 

[TucsonDevil]

On a semi-related note: possibly the biggest travesty in all of football was handing the ball to The Fridge on the goal line in super bowl XX instead of giving it to Payton (who never scored in that rout).

I have heard Ditka on more than one occasion admit he is haunted by that decision. Says it was stupid and he regrets it every time he thinks about it.

 

[TucsonDevil]

Since the question was "Who was the greatest RB of all time", and not "Who had the best career", I voted Bo. If Bo hadn't been injured, this wouldn't even be a conversation.

IMO, part of being the greatest is longevity and health. The one thing about Emmitt Smith that is amazing was his effectiveness after years in the league. Not many have been able to do it.

I respect Barry Sanders and Jim Brown for walking away from the game long before their physical prowess was spent. Simply amazing.

 

[earthsci]

IMO, part of being the greatest is longevity and health. The one thing about Emmitt Smith that is amazing was his effectiveness after years in the league. Not many have been able to do it.

I respect Barry Sanders and Jim Brown for walking away from the game long before their physical prowess was spent. Simply amazing.

If I had a RB for his entire career, it would be Walter Payton, but give me RB to play for a few years with a run at the Super Bowl, Bo Jackson (if he wasn't playing baseball )

 

[DemsMyBoys]

Sweetness!

 

[SuperSpck]

Haha Emmitt Smith is getting no love, he should be a top 5 easy. Where is OJ Simpson?

OJ got tagged as an afterthought, He's in the same category as most of the dark horses, but had (slightly) less production than most of the names on the list, he probably should have replaced someone else on the list, like a Dorsett, but ultimately I didn't think anyone would notice.

I was wrong.

Earl Campbell is not on the list ?

Shameful.

Earl Campbell
Rushing Yards: 9.407
Rushing AVG: 4.3
Rushing TD: 74
Receiving Yards: 806
Receiving TD: 0
Passing TD: 0
The Case: Amazing power, and good speed. Only thing stopping him from having multiple rings is the Steel Curtain.

He is my pick but he is not on the list.

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That was a huge goof on my part and I really thought I'd included him on the list, but I think I'd convinced myself he was right after Dickerson.
This is a mistake I feel bad about, he deserves to be in the conversation.

Larry Centers?

Someone has a sense of humour.

He's not even the best Cardinal back of all time, let alone the league.

He doesn't belong on this list, no, but I love his stats, they're so unusual that I like to bring them up whenever possible.

 

[lobo]

I guess the stats serve to validate and verify a RB's production, but to me, the deciding factor is:


Incidently, for the best run I ever saw, check out an old Marlboro cigarette commercial showing Jon Arnett returning a punt. You'd swear you saw him catch the punt and belly back to his right - only an eye-lash later discover that he had actually gone left and was sprinting untouched for a score.

It was a slam dunk you would agree!! Happy Birthday from Lobo. I can still hear Bob Shepard "ball carried by Brown stopped by Huff and Grier." G.O. seats were .75 cents in the bleachers as you might remember and you were awfully close to the 50 yard line if the subway was on time!! By the way I stopped in Whole Foods this morning for some Kambutcha...gosh are they overpriced...$2.69/lb for gala apples!! Happy Birthday again.

 

[chickenhead]

I voted Payton because of his versatility and longevity. But I didn't see Brown play and have to concede his selection to a certain extent. Sanders was absolutely amazing, but he could have been the best and chose to retire, so I give Payton the nod. It's a brutal position and Campbell and Bo are tragic in that regard. Payton was fortunate to stay healthy, but he should be given some credit for that as well.

 

[AZ Native]

I voted for Jim Brown. Yeah, I watched him play, he was the best. Even though I voted for him the others all had their own unique skills.

 

[lauraw]

Best RB I've ever seen is Barry Sanders, though. Edges out Walter Payton in my book...

 

[MadCardDisease]

Without a question it's Jim Brown.

He was before my time but I've seen footage of him and he was a man amoung boys.

 

[PACardsFan]

Without a question it's Jim Brown.

He was before my time but I've seen footage of him and he was a man amoung boys.

No ifs, ands or butts about it - Jim Brown is the greatest RB to have ever played the sport of football. I grew up in Syracuse, so I've seen plenty of Jim Brown, both in college & then in the pros. He was a man among boys. I don't personally like the guy, but it's fair to say that he is the greatest football player ever, regardless of position.

 

[Catfish]

The poll seems to be missing two of my faves --- Jon Riggins and Gayle Sayers

 

[MrYeahBut]

The poll seems to be missing two of my faves --- Jon Riggins and Gayle Sayers

Also left out my favorite--Sammie Winder---


Loved watching Bo but voted for Jim Brown