Who is faster, Parsons or Hollywood Henderson?

acr731

acr731

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CATCH17 said:
A lot of the players some of you grew up cheering for in the 60s and 70s would get bullied in today’s NFL because they would be physically outmatched.
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A lot of people say this, and it isn't exactly accurate. Randy White, Harvey Martin, Too Tall Jones, Lee Roy Jordan, Cliff Harris, Charlie Waters, etc.... every one of them would have no trouble competing in todays NFL And then there's the offensive players. Roger Staubach and his teams would probably be far more potent with all the rules put on today's defenses.
 
Doomsday101

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DFWJC said:
Those same players....translated into today's world of life-long regimens of weight training and diet would be WAY bigger, stronger , faster than they were 50 years ago.

Can't compare across eras, just relative to current era peers
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I agree. However now days I see some high school kids who are 6'08" 320 and does not look fat. But by and large the training is a lot different in todays NFL than what guys had back in the earlier days.
 
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CooterBrown

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xwalker said:
Hollywood returned some punts and kick-offs in the NFL and he had some TDs doing it.
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I think I saw every game in Hollywood Henderson’s career. I never saw him return punts, and the only kickoff return he scored was a play where the kick returner handed it to him on a reverse. He was fast and the play worked …once.
 
nathanlt

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tyke1doe said:
Don't know. And I'm not trying to be snarky and smart-alecky, but what's the point of comparing their speed?
The game and rules and body types - not to mention training - are totally different than when Henderson played.
Even if Henderson was faster, he'd get knocked all over the place because he was like 220lbs playing linebacker against 300-plus linemen.
Furthermore, if Parson played during Henderson's days, he'd be a monster.
One of the best tackles of Henderson's era was Art Shell, who was 6'5 265lbs. Parsons is 6'3 245lbs. With his 4.3 speed, Parsons more than likely would DESTROY Shell.
It's like comparing Jesse Owens and Usain Bolt.
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Well, you all might be surprised after reading this article. Henderson was faster, unless they were getting a little loose with the language, Henderson had a 4.3 time in the 40. Did that mean that Henderson had a 4.38? a 4.34? Parsons has a 4.39 forty time, from what I've found. I'm sure you'll let me know if he claims a time better than that.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...ss-round-one-tony-dorsett-vs-thomas-henderson

Either way, I'm very happy with the closing speed and quickness that Parsons displayed on the Hebert sack.
 
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tyke1doe

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nathanlt said:
Well, you all might be surprised after reading this article. Henderson was faster, unless they were getting a little loose with the language, Henderson had a 4.3 time in the 40. Did that mean that Henderson had a 4.38? a 4.34? Parsons has a 4.39 forty time, from what I've found. I'm sure you'll let me know if he claims a time better than that.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...ss-round-one-tony-dorsett-vs-thomas-henderson

Either way, I'm very happy with the closing speed and quickness that Parsons displayed on the Hebert sack.
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I did note "Even if Henderson was faster" ... ;)
 
nathanlt

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tyke1doe said:
I did note "Even if Henderson was faster" ... ;)
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Hey, that's fine. Parsons is a better, more complete, more dominating and durable force. I agree, I'm not trying to start an argument... (unusual for Cowboyszone... right?)
 
Chuck 54

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Henderson’s career in Dallas was fun and exciting, but his exploits as a kick returner are exaggerated.
He never returned punts. He did block them.
His kickoff return for a TD was on a reverse. Normally, he was a LB blocking, but his speed was a natural for the reverse.
His best year was in 1977 and his best game probably SB 12 vs Denver. He was great in coverage, good at intercepting passes, yet also a fierce hitter. Later, Dallas used his athleticism as a blitzer, and he had 6 sacks in 11 games.

He was 220 LBs and most think he ran a 4.5 forty, which was blazing back then.
 
VaqueroTD

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When we talk about old school vs modern sports, the only Cowboys legend I'm 100% banking on from from older days (Pre-1979) vs their modern-day build (Post-2010) is Roger Staubach.

Staubach wouldn't have to change anything, he'd be ready to go from day one. I saw him play in one of those old timer games several years ago and he still had a cannon for an arm.

Bob Hayes wouldn't be Randy Moss, but he could easily compete with today's players. I'm looking at the guys who were either freak athletes with long careers, and already have the frame, they just need today's sports technology.

I think Bob Lilly would compete well, because he was another one of those once-in-a-lifetime freak athletes. He had a crazy long career for those days. He was also 6'5". If he had the same tools and salary, he could easily bulk to what he needed.

Same for some of the others like Rayfield Wright. He was already 6'6" 260 with what they had in those days. If you have a big frame, you have a big frame, just you just have to eat and lift your way to what coach wants. Look at how many linemen lose 100+ pounds after playing.
 
Cowpolk

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nathanlt said:
According to the article, Henderson was 220 at the time he ran the 4.3 time in the 40. I've never heard of an NFL linebacker being 181.
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I thought that weight looked strange but I posted what I found I'm sure he was heavier
 
RaZon

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Henderson ran track at Langston College, he had a 9.5 100 yards PR and triple jumped over 49 feet. As far as LB's go none were faster than Hollywood Henderson, hell, he returned 5 kickoffs, what LB does that, yep.....none!

Chiefs LB Bobby Bell had some speed for a LB, not 9.5 however.
 
plasticman

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My gosh, Hollywood Henderson. I pray that Parsons never squanders his gift the way Henderson did.

Truly, Hollywood was Lawrence Taylor before there ever was a Lawrence Taylor.

You should check out the hit he placed on NFL icon Earl Campbell on the You Tube video that's floating around, Hollywood was fast all right, but he was far far more.

Cocaine defeated Hollywood's NFL career but in the end he defeated cocaine. His success story is unlike any you will have ever heard.
 
MarcusRock

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tyke1doe said:
I doubt Henderson could have been LT. LT was Henderson. But somehow LT was able to keep his drug problems from derailing him - at least on the field. Henderson was not.
Still, both being clean, I don't think Henderson would have been an LT. Henderson was more of a talker and a jokester. LT had a relentlessness Henderson didn't have, IMO. That, along with all-world football speed and incredible instinct, is what separates LT from Henderson.
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Absolutely. Anyone claiming otherwise is peddling Cowboys homerism.
 
mrmojo

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Chuck 54 said:
Henderson’s career in Dallas was fun and exciting, but his exploits as a kick returner are exaggerated.
He never returned punts. He did block them.
His kickoff return for a TD was on a reverse. Normally, he was a LB blocking, but his speed was a natural for the reverse.
His best year was in 1977 and his best game probably SB 12 vs Denver. He was great in coverage, good at intercepting passes, yet also a fierce hitter. Later, Dallas used his athleticism as a blitzer, and he had 6 sacks in 11 games.

He was 220 LBs and most think he ran a 4.5 forty, which was blazing back then.
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In addition to LB and special teams he also was the MLB in goal line situations....he started the new breed of NFL linebacker....too bad drugs took away the prime of his career..
 
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