Not to make you feel bad or anything, but I am actually younger than you are lol. I just have an interest in sports history . But thanks!Dropping that Jackie knowledge, thanks Blue and Hayes
I did watch a recent documentary on him, tho I don’t remember where. Sad also that it was recent and I don’t remember where lol
It’s apparent I woefully overlooked him, even as it was spoon fed to me via the boob-tube.
Thanks fellas, for educating this 30-something dude over here
I don't personally think Emmitt Smith was the best RB in NFL history.I've always said Emmitt was the best big game running back I've ever seen.... that's good enough for me.
Very good point regarding mental toughness. A player's psyche is crucial to their performance. No doubt Robinson faced incredible adversity, and was able to persevere despite that. Nothing short of remarkable.Here’s the thing too many of us forget about Jackie Robinson. Not only was he a great three sport athlete (baseball, football and track) but none of us will ever be able to understand what kind of hatred and pressure he was under in 1947 as he broke the color barrier. The verbal abuse, spitting, spiking and chin music he received would have crushed most athletes mentally.
Jackie Robinson’s greatest athletic gift was his mental toughness. That is one of the most underrated qualities of a great athlete. Mental toughness. It’s not speed or quickness or strength. Its the ability to overcome the vice-like pressure of people constantly hating on you and hoping you fail. Not to mention the pressure of representing an entire ethnic group as the icon of that sport. None of us could ever know what kind of mental toughness that required. And he was a great player despite all that. Jackie Robinson is an American hero, regardless of athletic ranking.
I consider Ruth the greatest baseball player because he is the only one that would have made the HOF as either a pitcher or as a regular player.I'm not too familiar with Jackie Robinson's physical tools, but he played four sports at UCLA, and baseball was his worst lol. But yea, I don't think Jackie is really on Thorpe or Bo's level.
MJ is up there, he was ridiculously good at basketball, but I don't know that his abilities were as translatable to other sports. Wasn't that great of a baseball player.
Maybe if Ruth took care of himself lol. But yea he was stupid good at baseball.
Trying to think of some others: Wilt was a freak. He's up there
LeBron and Usain Bolt also come to mind.
It can be a tricky question. I am putting a little more weight on pure physical ability and being able to play multiple sports well. That's where I think some of the baseball guys might lack a little, to be honest.
Gah! As do I (have an interet in sport’s history).Not to make you feel bad or anything, but I am actually younger than you are lol. I just have an interest in sports history . But thanks!
Gah! As do I (have an interet in sport’s history).
I have been heavily distracted tonight, and also haven’t seen Jackie on very many top-all-time athlete lists.
As I previously mentioned, I recently watched a documentary on him (maybe HBO?) but I didn’t pay close enough attention, obviously, as he has come up in this thread several times, regarding all-time athletes. There’s merit to that, in lieu of the narrative from posters such as yourself and Hayes bringing him up. It’s intriguing. Really!
But “gah” I say to your age, relative to knowledge of sports history and how inadequate it’s making me feel right now! jk
I hope you’re, like, 33 lol
Y'all know this cat is an under the wire sapper of philly fandom, also,RIGHT?When I said earlier in the thread that I wasn’t alone in thinking Emmitt wasn’t the ‘best ever’, I wasn’t really agreeing with Gil’s list (Emmitt at 11th is nonsense imo).
I agree that there are many in the conversation as best ever. Emmitt is part of that conversation with about 3 or 4 others. The bottom line is that there are just so many great RBs that’s it’s hard to pick a clear “#1”. This is not a slight on Emmitt. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of RBs. That should be enough.
.................or the rushing record.They can rank him 100th best. Won’t take away the 3 rings. Being better on a list or in someone’s mind doesn’t really count for much.
Emmett is the G.O.A.T.
That's pretty much the way I feel.I don't personally think Emmitt Smith was the best RB in NFL history.
But if someone argues he was, I don't see the value in arguing to the contrary.
He has the numbers. He earned everything he got.
You should go watch some tapes of Earl Campbell his first 5 years!!!!!!I'll give someone Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, and Jim Brown over Emmitt...but after that I'm not sure who else you can legitimately argue was or is better than him -- even throwing out the championships (which everyone should do in any discussion like this in a team sport).
You should go watch some tapes of Earl Campbell his first 5 years!!!!!!
Absolutely!!!!!!Sure, but only his first 5 years? A few of Emmitt's hallmarks were durability and longevity. I think those are important attributes to consider when ranking all-time greats.
They can rank him 100th best. Won’t take away the 3 rings.