The Greatest Running Back of All-Time

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

A friend sent me this tonight. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

[ConstableRabbit]

Walter. Payton.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Payton finishes behind Smith in all the major categories such as most rushing yards, most rushing TD's, most yards from scrimmage by a RB.

 

Smith is the greatest!

[Outshined_One]

You mean this guy?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Smith has the numbers to back up the claim as greatest ever.

[ConstableRabbit]

Payton finishes behind Smith in all the major categories such as most rushing yards, most rushing TD's, most yards from scrimmage by a RB.

 

Smith is the greatest!

 

...and Smith starts behind an excellent offensive line nearly every game of his professional career. Payton did it on (for the most part) losing teams. With the numbers close anyway, it goes to Walter in my opinion.

[hawkeyecub]

Jim Brown and that's the end of the discussion.

 

Walter is second.

[Andy]

I'd vote Payton, Jim Brown and Barry Sanders ahead of Smith.

[NCCubFan]

I'm biased as a Bear fan, but I'd put Payton first simply because he accomplished most of it on his own, without the benefit of a competitive team to support him.

 

It would have been interesting to see how good Gale Sayers could have been if he had remained healthy. Too bad he didn't come around 20 years later; with modern surgical advances, his knee injuries would have probably been routine. (Same thing with Randy Hundley on the Cubs.)

[Outshined_One]

Hall of "What Could Have Beens"

 

Barry Sanders

Bo Jackson

James Brown (remember, he retired at 29!)

Gale Sayers

[ConstableRabbit]

Hall of "What Could Have Beens"

 

Barry Sanders

Bo Jackson

James Brown (remember, he retired at 29!)

Gale Sayers

 

I Feel Good about that assumption

[Outshined_One]

Hall of "What Could Have Beens"

 

Barry Sanders

Bo Jackson

James Brown (remember, he retired at 29!)

Gale Sayers

 

I Feel Good about that assumption

 

I do too, but you have to wonder what would have happened if he hadn't retired until he was, say, 35.

[YearofDaCubs]

I'd vote Payton, Jim Brown and Barry Sanders ahead of Smith.

Agreed.

[SouthSideRyan]

Smith #1?

 

Ha!

 

Ha I say.

[Outshined_One]

Smith is one of the all time greats, but not the greatest.

[ConstableRabbit]

Hall of "What Could Have Beens"

 

Barry Sanders

Bo Jackson

James Brown (remember, he retired at 29!)

Gale Sayers

 

I Feel Good about that assumption

 

I do too, but you have to wonder what would have happened if he hadn't retired until he was, say, 35.

 

Was my James Brown-"I Feel Good" reference lost in there?

[Outshined_One]

Was my James Brown-"I Feel Good" reference lost in there?

 

I thought I heard something go "WOOSH!" over my head when I read that. ;)

[imb]

he was too short, too slow and too fat but dammit i loved watching him. the game in the playoffs against the giants with the seperated shoulder still motivates me to this day

[ConstableRabbit]

Was my James Brown-"I Feel Good" reference lost in there?

 

I thought I heard something go "WOOSH!" over my head when I read that. ;)

 

Hahahha I was going to say something along those lines, but I didn't want to assume anything.

[DivineBovine]

Bo Jackson was the best I've ever seen and its a crying shame that 1) he chose baseball to start with and 2) his career had to end.

 

In the few games he had a chance to play, he was flat out unstoppable. He performed at the NFL level as Reggie Bush did in college. Always the fastest guy on the field, he could also run right over linebackers.

 

We can't give him the best career award, obviously.

 

 

The other best I've seen:

 

Barry Sanders- nobody had moves and elusiveness like him.

Walter Payton- obviously a homer pick, but the first great back I've ever watched

Not old enough to have seen the greats before Payton's time

 

Most overrated:

Emmitt Smith- a great back with great legs, but Matt Suhey could have rushed for 1000+ with some of his Cowboy lines.

[soccer10k]

I have Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton.

 

Don't forget that not only did Jim Brown only play 9 seasons, but four of those were 12 game seasons and the other five were 14 game seasons. Compare career yards/attempt averages:

 

Brown: 5.2

Sanders: 5.0

Payton: 4.4

Smith 4.2

 

Obviously this isn't the only way to measure how good a running back is, but it's a very good measure nonetheless.

 

EDIT: Note: I did come up with my top three before looking up any stats though. Just a coincidence that they match up.

[ConstableRabbit]

I have Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton.

 

Don't forget that not only did Jim Brown only play 9 seasons, but four of those were 12 game seasons and the other five were 14 game seasons. Compare career yards/attempt averages:

 

Brown: 5.2

Sanders: 5.0

Payton: 4.4

Smith 4.2

 

Obviously this isn't the only way to measure how good a running back is, but it's a very good measure nonetheless.

 

EDIT: Note: I did come up with my top three before looking up any stats though. Just a coincidence that they match up.

 

Very impressive. Of course, as you alluded to, we can't really measure how well each blocked, which is clearly a huge part of a back's job. I'd love to spend a week reviewing tape.

[Big Fergie J]

I know he doesn't have the stats but I always liked watching Earl Campbell drag 8 defenders down the field. That man was solid.

[CuseCubFan69]

I have Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton.

 

Don't forget that not only did Jim Brown only play 9 seasons, but four of those were 12 game seasons and the other five were 14 game seasons. Compare career yards/attempt averages:

 

Brown: 5.2

Sanders: 5.0

Payton: 4.4

Smith 4.2

 

Obviously this isn't the only way to measure how good a running back is, but it's a very good measure nonetheless.

 

EDIT: Note: I did come up with my top three before looking up any stats though. Just a coincidence that they match up.

 

Those are my top three too. The most fun to watch was Sanders.

[Derwood]

Dallas Cowboys are automatically disqualified about any discussion of greatest anything.

 

 

America's Team my ass....