ESPN picks the GOAT at every offensive position: Larry Allen selected at Guard

[cowboyec]

LOL

We can swap teams with any player now? That's convenient. Doesn't that screw up the time space continuum?

That's how the cards were dealt.

I also remember the team "without" Emmitt. Even for a brief period. How'd that go? Fresh off a Super Bowl?

If you as a Cowboy fan can't see what Emmitt brought to the table.. you never will.

emmitt owes no apologies to anyone.
he busted his *** to earn that all-time title.
what he "didn't have around him" didn't stop walter payton from getting the title....and despite what emmitt had...EVERYONE knew he was getting the ball...and like walter payton...still couldn't stop it.
pound for pound...emmitt is the greatest i ever saw.

 

[Big_D]

emmitt owes no apologies to anyone.
he busted his *** to earn that all-time title.
what he "didn't have around him" didn't stop walter payton from getting the title....and despite what emmitt had...EVERYONE knew he was getting the ball...and like walter payton...still couldn't stop it.
pound for pound...emmitt is the greatest i ever saw.

Agree 100%. He was a generational talent.

 

[stuckindc]

LOL

We can swap teams with any player now? That's convenient. Doesn't that screw up the time space continuum?

That's how the cards were dealt.

I also remember the team "without" Emmitt. Even for a brief period. How'd that go? Fresh off a Super Bowl?

If you as a Cowboy fan can't see what Emmitt brought to the table.. you never will.

I saw exactly what he brought. At UF as well and nothing hurt worse then when we were 0-2 without him. Especially losing to Washington opening night. I live in DC. That’s all I heard. And nothing sweeter than when he came back and lead the 93 team to back to back titles , while winning the MVP I’m 100% all in. All I’m saying is had Barry not retired , he would have put the rushing title out of reach. And I get the td’s , playoffs etc. I get that’s how the cards were dealt. Barry had nothing. Emmitt had one of the greatest teams of all time He was the offense ( Barry)And that’s not to take away from Emmitt as he went so did the offense. I just think Barry was better. Again that’s not to take anything g away from Emmitt nor would I change anything. Of course you can’t change teams. My point is Barry on that Cowboys team, Oline and weapons. He may have put up numbers , never to be reached, beyond just the yards. Just my opinion. Die hard Cowboys fan forever. I can assure you of that

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

I there was a list based on the best season by a player, Erik Williams would be a the top of all Olinemen.

I John Madden was still around and had been a voter the ESPN list, Erik Williams probably would have had an honorable mention.
- Madden said, more than once, Larry Allen is great but prior to the injury Erik Williams was the most dominant OL that I've seen in my lifetime.

This, John loved him some BIG E.

 

[Tussinman]

Those are two fabulous names in the Guard category. For me it was Larry though. The violence at the point of attack was something we rarely witnessed.

Agreed. You have to give the nod to Allen.

The way he physically brutalized all-decade team level defensive tackles was crazy. He would literally pick guys like La'Roi Glover, Warrent Sapp, John Randle up in the air and laugh and them.

We might never see an offensive linemen ever do that again. Hannah was same tier but more of a finese player, you gotta give the nod to Allen with the generational violence at attack.

The hall of fame DTs still to this day are in shock when an interviewer or fan mentioned Larry Allen. 6x first team all-pro John Randle (absolute freak, had over 130 sacks primary playing from the DT spot) even documentated a video on Allen talking about how he would just straight up murder the entire front 7 himself included.

 

[buybuydandavis]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...erback-running-back-receiver-offensive-tackle

"No offensive lineman better encapsulates the 1990s than Allen, and no offensive guard better highlights what elite play at the position means than the 11-time Pro Bowler and seven-time All-Pro. Allen was the perfect combination of brute strength, agility, poise and violence at the point of attack. He's the prototype by which I evaluate offensive guard play. -- Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst"

FYI - Emmitt finished 4th behind Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, and Walter Payton

Some other guards were really great too. See HOF monitor.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/hof/hofm_G.htm

Some extra fun for Cowboy fans when Zack gets into that conversation. Zack is the only one of that group (I think the only G ever) to make All Pro his first season. Probably fastest to 5 All Pro seasons.

 

[Thomas82]

Jim Brown's lines had more than 1 every year of his career except 2, when they only had 1.

Facts!!

 

[Northern_Cowboy]

I don't really mind where Emmitt placed but I see no reason for Barry Sanders getting #2 over Walter Payton.

I think all the 4 top RB's are interchangeable as to their rankings...it's just depends on your perspective

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

I think all the 4 top RB's are interchangeable as to their rankings...it's just depends on your perspective

Agree, if going for complete back then Emmitt should be higher than BS, but if going by runs only which is probably all they are going by then Barry.

 

[Flamma]

Emmitt was great, but he also had one of the best OLs of all time and a HOF QB and WR.....I have no problem with him being 4th

This is going to sound stupid and you're going to chuckle, but Emmitt is the best RB I've ever seen play. Yeah I know, I'm a Cowboys fan, I'm sure you're shocked at my assessment.

I don't care about his offensive line, the dude had zero flaws. He was the perfect back. He could do everything at a high level. Pass block, catch out of the backfield, run in GL and spread situations, and most importantly, make people miss.

As good as Barry Sanders was, he needed a spread formation. Which is why Detroit had the run and shoot for awhile. That's my argument against Barry.

The other RBs like Walter Peyton, Smith is the rushing leader. He was also a huge part in winning those 3 SBs. How many other RBs can you make that argument for?

Also keep in mind I don't go back further than 1975. So I can't comment on Jim Brown.

 

[CowboyFrog]

He only owns the rushing title because Barry retired

He owns the rushing title because he rushed for more yards over more years than any other RB....Barry had great years in detroit he just didnt stick around for as many as Emmitt did.

 

[perrykemp]

As good as Barry Sanders was, he needed a spread formation. Which is why Detroit had the run and shoot for awhile. That's my argument against Barry.

Not really true, in fact, if anything the Run and Shoot formations hurt Barry Sanders and that was proven at the end of his career.

When Bobby Ross became head coach of the Lions in 1997 he junked the Run and Shoot, installed a conventional offense, and Barry ran behind a fullback.

He ran for 2053 yards that season, 1491 the next season, and then retired....

 

[Haimerej]

Not really true, in fact, if anything the Run and Shoot formations hurt Barry Sanders and that was proven at the end of his career.

When Bobby Ross became head coach of the Lions in 1997 he junked the Run and Shoot, installed a conventional offense, and Barry ran behind a fullback.

He ran for 2053 yards that season, 1491 the next season, and then retired....

Barry said after the first time he played against LT and the Giants, Taylor came up to him after the game and said he should tell their coaches to drop the run and shoot. Told him if he ran behind a fullback he would be unstoppable.

 

[Ranched]

Good for ESPN. Personally, I prefer not to dig into the Cowboys guard archives. Stop dwelling on past players. Zack Martin, currently on the team. Much like Niland & Allen, Martin is considered to be one of, if not the best, guards in the NFL.

Since he was drafted 16th overall in 2014, Martin has made the Pro Bowl & All-Pro teams every single year. He was the first rookie in franchise history to be named to the All-Pro first team since 1969, & the first rookie offensive lineman in NFL history to do so since 1947.

Larry Allen who?!

 

[CowboyRoy]

I tend to agree. Barry Sanders, for example was electrifying to watch but he was really only asked to run away from people. To be fair, he could run away from people better than anyone I've ever seen. Emmitt was asked to do it all. Both backs would have been great on the others' team but neither would have been as effective, I think.

Sanders would have broken every record known to running backs here in Dallas.

 

[goshann]

Agree 100%. He was a generational talent.

Nah

 

[Flamma]

Not really true, in fact, if anything the Run and Shoot formations hurt Barry Sanders and that was proven at the end of his career.

When Bobby Ross became head coach of the Lions in 1997 he junked the Run and Shoot, installed a conventional offense, and Barry ran behind a fullback.

He ran for 2053 yards that season, 1491 the next season, and then retired....

Watch a football life Barry Sanders from the 24 minute mark on. It talks about exactly that.

 

[Havic]

The only problem I have with the list is Gronk. Tony Gonzales was better and did it much longer.

 

[GMO415]

Emmitt Smith got completely disrespected.

List is garbage.

 

[lukin2006]

No Surprise Larry Allen is on that list. He's one of my favourites. Loved his hall of fame speech...