Best runningback of all time

[mKoz26]

Re: Best runningback of all time

the category was called "catching"...

"Catching" is what most refer to as hands.

[ZB9]

Re: Best runningback of all time

"Catching" is what most refer to as hands.

if catches and drops are not a good barometer of hands and "catching ability", then what is? enlighten me

[mKoz26]

Re: Best runningback of all time

if catches and drops are not a good barometer of hands and "catching ability", then what is? enlighten me

Difficulty of the catch.

Also, where are you getting the drops stat?

[Other Guy]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Jim Brown is clearly #1, IMO. I can't believe he's 3rd in this poll.

[EmmittSmithx22x]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Emmitt Smith is....(obviously) my favorite Running back of All time. And he is the best HB of all time (IMO). for many reasons mentioned by people here... so I don't even have to make my argument :P lol

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Emmitt Smith is....(obviously) my favorite Running back of All time. And he is the best HB of all time (IMO). for many reasons mentioned by people here... so I don't even have to make my argument :P lol

Typical of Cowboy homer.

[ZB9]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Jim Brown is clearly #1, IMO. I can't believe he's 3rd in this poll.

it's probably because of the era he played in...people havent seen him play

[da ThRONe]

Re: Best runningback of all time

it's probably because of the era he played in...people havent seen him play

AND he wasnt facing the level of competition the other guys were.

[SPTO]

Re: Best runningback of all time

AND he wasnt facing the level of competition the other guys where.

That's true to an extent but I think it's balanced out a bit by the fact that the game was a lot rougher and tougher then it generally is today. It's not like Brown only faced a league imposed restricted barrier in terms of race so he faced EVERYONE that was deemed good enough to play defense at the time.

Anyways going back to Emmit Smith for a moment. I think a lot of people are missing the point of some of his critics. It's not that Smith wasn't a HOF worthy RB or even one of the top guys to ever play the position but he was placed in a situation that was just about perfect for any young RB. The Cowboys in 1990 had the makings of the best O-Line in all of football for the entire decade at that time so unlike most RBs who have to "make" their own holes to run through Smith was able to get through a more natural hole and make the best of it.

Smith also was quite an advanced player even in his early years as he knew how to cradle the ball with both arms, have tremendous body lean while at the same time being able to protect himself so that he wouldn't be suceptable to serious injury. As for his hands, well Smith did put up some nice stats catching the ball but having watched a lot of Payton and Smith I can honestly say that Payton was better. Payton had the ability to be a WR in the backfield while I never quite got that sense from Smith. Smith was able to get the ball in his hands but that was more a combination of great playcalling and having so many other receiving threats around him that he would be more open then most RBs on a team with less receiving threats.

Smith wasn't the fastest or most elusive RB i've ever seen, neither was Payton in terms of speed but he did have a 2nd gear that was probably just as, if not faster then Smith. Payton was also far more elusive as he was able to use the stiff arm to great effect. The thing with Smith though he had the uncanny knack of getting out of a crowd and finding the open field.

To put it another way, Smith would still be an all time great but not in the top 5 if he was on any other team whereas Payton would've flourished just about anywhere and still be one of, if not the greatest RB to ever play the game.

That's just how I see it.

[Jistic]

Re: Best runningback of all time

AND he wasnt facing the level of competition the other guys were.

The most impossible argument you can make in sports. It's always opinion.

[The15thunter]

Re: Best runningback of all time

jim brown faced the best competition he could face at the time. were there likely black players who weren't on other teams due to racism at the time? certainly, but that has nothing to do with jim brown. he was a transcendant athlete that was far ahead of his time. he also played in an era that makes every era after it look like flag football. if you see the things they did to him, or the stories they tell about what defenders would do to him, you'd understand that he endured a great deal.

and let's not act like there aren't some all-time great defenders from his time period that speak of him as if he were from mount olympus.

[ZB9]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I think a lot of people are missing the point of some of his critics.

I dont understand the criticism of a player in the ultimate team sport because he played on a good team....Subjectively judging and comparing who played on the worse team makes no sense to me as a main criteria, and that criteria seems to be reserved for certain players and not for others

but he was placed in a situation that was just about perfect for any young RB.

To discredit Smith for playing on a good team shows quite a double standard. For example, look at Smith's HOF classmate this year. Jerry Rice was drafted by the defending Superbowl champions, with one of the best QBs of all time, with a revolutionary offense, in one of the weaker divisions....I would say Rice was drafted into quite a perfect situation, yet you rarely see people hold that against him (which they shouldnt)

Emmitt Smith was drafted by a 1-15 team but you cant have a discussion about Smith without people attempting to discredit him for playing on a good team. Smith was one of the biggest reasons as to why the became such a good team. They developed into a great team together, but it didnt start until Smith arrived. Of course he didnt do it alone, but not one single player in the HOF did it alone because that is impossible to do in the NFL. Like I said, football is the ultimate team sport. That is what it's all about imo.

The Cowboys in 1990 had the makings of the best O-Line in all of football for the entire decade at that time so unlike most RBs who have to "make" their own holes to run through Smith was able to get through a more natural hole and make the best of it.

again, I dont see how having a good line should be held against a player

anyway, that Dallas oline was very good. However, the perception that has taken a life of it's own of that line being legendary and one of the best lines ever on the planet is really going overboard.

There was one HOF player on that line, Larry Allen. Smith had won 3 rushing titles and a Superbowl MVP before Allen was even drafted.

Erik Williams was a great player before he screwed up his knee in a car accident in Oct 94. He made pro bowls after 94 but he was never the same player after the accident.

Nate Newton had been in Dallas 6 seasons when he made his first Pro Bowl in 1992 at the age of 31, he then made it every year until 1996 and again in 1998.

Mark Tuinei made his first Pro Bowl in 1994 at the age of 34 after 11 seasons in Dallas, he made it again in 1995.

Josh Gesek never made the Pro Bowl and left Dallas after 1993, he was out of the league 2 years later.

Kevin Gogan made his first Pro Bowl in 1994 after leaving Dallas

Derek Kennard never made the Pro Bowl

Ray Donaldson made the Pro Bowl at the age of 37 and 38 in Dallas in 1995 and 1996

Let's not even get into guys like Solomon Page, Everett McIver and others.

He had 1 Hall of Fame lineman who wasn't even on the team until 1994 and a bunch of offensive linemen who had been in Dallas for years before he got there, were over 30 at the end of their careers, had never accomplished anything and were part of some of the worst teams in franchise history, including the 1-15 team."

Yet somehow, when Emmitt blew up, all these offensive linemen became Pro Bowlers and somehow formed one of the best OL's ever, despite them being at the twilight of their career and never having accomplished anything ever before he got there.

Smith also was quite an advanced player even in his early years as he knew how to cradle the ball with both arms, have tremendous body lean while at the same time being able to protect himself so that he wouldn't be suceptable to serious injury.

he usually only cradled the ball in his left, but he very rarely fumbled

that is probably the most important thing a running back does

As for his hands, well Smith did put up some nice stats catching the ball but having watched a lot of Payton and Smith I can honestly say that Payton was better. Payton had the ability to be a WR in the backfield while I never quite got that sense from Smith.

I agree that Payton was a better receiving threat. He was certainly a better route runner....but when it comes to simply hands and catching, Payton and Smith were both great

Smith was able to get the ball in his hands but that was more a combination of great playcalling and having so many other receiving threats around him that he would be more open then most RBs on a team with less receiving threats.

Yes those Cowboys were loaded, but it goes both ways. He also played against some stacked teams in a loaded NFC East and against all time great teams like the 49ers and Packers in the playoffs

One of the most incredible things about those Cowboys offenses was their ability to dominate with such a simple game plan. There was very little mystery or trickery with those Cowboys. Teams usually knew what was coming, but they still usually couldnt stop it

Smith wasn't the fastest or most elusive RB i've ever seen, neither was Payton in terms of speed but he did have a 2nd gear that was probably just as, if not faster then Smith. Payton was also far more elusive as he was able to use the stiff arm to great effect. The thing with Smith though he had the uncanny knack of getting out of a crowd and finding the open field.

Smith wasnt the most elusive ever, but he was pretty elusive. It was extremely rare for the first tackler to get Emmitt down.

as far as ranking backs, I ranked Payton one and Smith two...They were both extremely well rounded. They could just about do it all. That is why they are the two best imo

To put it another way, Smith would still be an all time great but not in the top 5 if he was on any other team whereas Payton would've flourished just about anywhere and still be one of, if not the greatest RB to ever play the game.

I dont know about those hypotheticals SPTO

it's usually not a good argument imo when the basis of your point is "would have" or "if"

[da ThRONe]

Re: Best runningback of all time

jim brown faced the best competition he could face at the time. were there likely black players who weren't on other teams due to racism at the time? certainly, but that has nothing to do with jim brown. he was a transcendant athlete that was far ahead of his time. he also played in an era that makes every era after it look like flag football. if you see the things they did to him, or the stories they tell about what defenders would do to him, you'd understand that he endured a great deal.

and let's not act like there aren't some all-time great defenders from his time period that speak of him as if he were from mount olympus.

Agreed ,but when I'm picking a GOAT I take competition into consideration. Jim Brown would fall into my top 3.

1. Sanders
2. Payton
3. Brown

[SPTO]

Re: Best runningback of all time

it's usually not a good argument imo when the basis of your point is "would have" or "if"

True, I'm not looking for an argument just giving my perspective of why I wouldn't put Smith as my #1 guy. At least i'm rational about my feelings

[ZB9]

Re: Best runningback of all time

True, I'm not looking for an argument just giving my perspective of why I wouldn't put Smith as my #1 guy. At least i'm rational about my feelings

yes sir, you are certainly rational

I just dont understand subjectively comparing supporting casts as a main criteria in gauging running backs. Perhaps im in the minority though