TLH: Emmitt vs. Barry, a Favorite Debate

[Nova]

im sorry but anybody thinking theres ever going to be a more dominating back then Adrian Peterson is fooling themselves. Peterson is destroying the NFL. Brown never played against the quality of athletes there are today. When teams play the vikings they have 8 and 9 in the box and he still does what he does. All of you Jim Brown is the most dominating RB ever rants can sit down. AD is the one. Im not saying he's the best ever, but he is for sure by far and away the most dominating RB EVER.

It's funny you mention Adrian Peterson-- I'd say he Peterson is definitely the more talented of the two (as many modern day players are more talented to their yesteryear counterparts), but Peterson is like a modern day Jim Brown-- both guys tall, physically imposing backs, but Brown was 15 lbs heavier. And while yes, Peterson does it against better talent, that doesn't make him more dominant-- a relative term used to show how much better he was than his peers and his competition.

Just to keep things short, Jim Brown held the rushing title 8 out of his 9 years in the league. Peterson, 2 out of 6 years so far meaning he'll likely never touch anything close to that record.

So to recap, Peterson may be the better player, more talented, more explosive player, but he didn't dominate the field of play like Brown did.

 

[Nova]

Ask Emmitt who the best RB of all time and he will tell you otherwise.

Ya got me. Who does Emmitt think is the best all time? Himself, or Barry?

 

[khiladi]

im sorry but anybody thinking theres ever going to be a more dominating back then Adrian Peterson is fooling themselves. Peterson is destroying the NFL. Brown never played against the quality of athletes there are today. When teams play the vikings they have 8 and 9 in the box and he still does what he does. All of you Jim Brown is the most dominating RB ever rants can sit down. AD is the one. Im not saying he's the best ever, but he is for sure by far and away the most dominating RB EVER.

We are talking human beings, not cyborgs...

 

[BAZ]

It's also worth pointing out that Emmitt was on bad teams after the Superbowl run. Apart from LA, things got lean for him. It's easy to hate on Smith becuase nobody has kind words to say about him. But some where in the top five is fair. Hos I liked the article, but Curtis Martin over Sanders really doesn't help your case, thats a strecth buddy.

 

[Trent]

Nicely written, Hos. It's not all about highlight-reel plays. You NEED those 4 yards on 1st down to set up 2nd and 6. Dancing around and losing a yard puts your offense in a hole, and nobody danced around and lost yardage more often than Barry.

That is true. Barry may have been a better runner...but Emmitt was the better Running Back. He was complete...running/catching/blocking....he had it all.

 

[Trent]

A friend pointed out to me that in a game against Chicago, Emmitt dove over the pile into the end zone and landed on his head.

He was a decoy on that play. he did not carry the ball. How many RBs can you name who would sell a play that hard?

Yep, a completly meaningless game, I beleive..I think we were losing and may have even been out of the playoffs(can't remember exactly) but carried him off on a stretcher....But If memory serves, and I am getting older, but he did play the next week.

 

[CowboyGil]

I think Jim Brown was definitely the toughest. The guys today maybe more athletic, but there weren't near as many rules protecting skill players back then as today . Guys could pretty much punch you in the face to bring you down.
All around-Emmitt
pure runner-Sweetness
most elusive-Sanders

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

First I hate the if Emmitt had been a Lion blah blah. Such a silly argument he wasn't so we'll never know. I know what Emmitt did as a Cowboy and that is all that matters. I know for sure that he wouldn't have rushed for negative yards in a playoff game, quit on his team and retire right before training camp and if Barry had separated his shoulder like Emmitt did he would have sat out the rest of that game and if for by some miracle Barry would have re-entered that game would have been nowhere near as great and effective as Emmitt was that day. I do know all of that FOR SURE.

You be a very self assured guy.
You dont care for the "If Emmitt had been a lion" thought.
YET YOU KNOW FOR SURE emmitt would not have quit on his team (presumably the Lions and retired right before training camp; is that your silly argument?)

Then you continue: You know FOR SURE Barry would not be as effective as Emmitt in the Oh-my-shoulder game. So I guess you would buy into the "If BARRY had been a Cowboy" thought?

You are confusing and YOU ARE TEARING ME APART!!!!

lol

 

[DFWJC]

Just one man's opinion...but here is what Gil Brandt thinks.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...-backs-ever-what-is-ladainian-tomlinsons-rank

He does underrate Emmitt somewhat, imo.
But the overall list is pretty solid...just maybe not the order.

1. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton
4. Gale Sayers
5. OJ Simpson
6. Earl Campbell
7. Eric Dickerson
8. Tony Dorsett
9. LeDamian Tomlinson
10. Emmitt Smith

Mentions: Faulk, Thomas, etc

There have been a ton of lists over the years and you can find almost any order.

Some guy named Joe Posnowski put out alist for SI a few years ago that had Emmitt 3rd and Barry 4th.

The "Top10Lists" had Sanders 1st and did not even have Emmitt in the top 10. That's extreme.

Mike olsen did a list for men's Fitness: as always, it had brown 1st. It also had Sanders 2nd and Smith 4th.

The Brown, Payton, Sanders are almost always in the top 5 though, and Brown is probably first 95% of the time.

 

[Hostile]

People can put Sanders as high as they want. I am merely doing the same. To me, his brand of dodgeball football was a losing style, and History bears me out. He did nothing on the big stage, the Lions actually got better after he left, and those things to me are very telling. Exciting as hell, but I would not want him on my football team. It is really just that simple for me.

 

[Lonestar94]

Ya got me. Who does Emmitt think is the best all time? Himself, or Barry?

Walter Payton

 

[mrmojo]

People can put Sanders as high as they want. I am merely doing the same. To me, his brand of dodgeball football was a losing style, and History bears me out. He did nothing on the big stage, the Lions actually got better after he left, and those things to me are very telling. Exciting as hell, but I would not want him on my football team. It is really just that simple for me.

Thumbs up!! Couldn't agree more. They replayed the 92 NFC championship on NFL Network the other day and i wouldn't have wanted anyone else on THAT field that day, as my running back, except Emmitt.

 

[khiladi]

Just one man's opinion...but here is what Gil Brandt thinks.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...-backs-ever-what-is-ladainian-tomlinsons-rank

He does underrate Emmitt somewhat, imo.
But the overall list is pretty solid...just maybe not the order.

1. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton
4. Gale Sayers
5. OJ Simpson
6. Earl Campbell
7. Eric Dickerson
8. Tony Dorsett
9. LeDamian Tomlinson
10. Emmitt Smith

Mentions: Faulk, Thomas, etc

There have been a ton of lists over the years and you can find almost any order.

Some guy named Joe Posnowski put out alist for SI a few years ago that had Emmitt 3rd and Barry 4th.

The "Top10Lists" had Sanders 1st and did not even have Emmitt in the top 10. That's extreme.

Mike olsen did a list for men's Fitness: as always, it had brown 1st. It also had Sanders 2nd and Smith 4th.

The Brown, Payton, Sanders are almost always in the top 5 though, and Brown is probably first 95% of the time.

LT above Emmitt... He's smoking serious crack... Campbell, you can't even argue cause he didn't last anywhere near Emmitt. I mean this list is a joke where Emmitt is at.

 

[DFWJC]

LT above Emmitt... He's smoking serious crack... Campbell, you can't even argue cause he didn't last anywhere near Emmitt. I mean this list is a joke where Emmitt is at.

Thought some might find it amusing.
I think he usually falls in the 4-8 range....unless it's a Cowboy fan poll.

On a side note, when Peterson retires, I suspect he will be on many top 10 lists.

BTW, Emmitt played longer than everyone on that list (not just Campbell). He did so in very large part due to his singular focus to get more yards to break the record.
He was more driven by personal goals than any player that I can ever recall. He would be the very first to admit it too....and has done so many times.
That is one reason after 13 years in the league, he kept playing in Arizona.

Many of the guys on that list could have played many years longer (probably not Cambell though). Certainly Sanders and Jim Brown and some others. But they had nice careers and decided to hang it up while still somewhat on top.

Emmitt was unique, for sure.

 

[BAZ]

Thought some might find it amusing.
I think he usually falls in the 4-8 range....unless it's a Cowboy fan poll.

On a side note, when Peterson retires, I suspect he will be on many top 10 lists.

BTW, Emmitt played longer than everyone on that list (not just Campbell). He did so in very large part due to his singular focus to get more yards to break the record.
He was more driven by personal goals than any player that I can ever recall. He would be the very first to admit it too....and has done so many times.
That is one reason after 13 years in the league, he kept playing in Arizona.

Many of the guys on that list could have played many years longer (probably not Cambell though). Certainly Sanders and Jim Brown and some others. But they had nice careers and decided to hang it up while still somewhat on top.

Emmitt was unique, for sure.

Hey kept playing in Arizona because his last play would have been Roy breaking his shoulder in the hole, his last season he got close as you can to a 1000 yards, he left the game the game didn't leave him for a 34 year old that remarkable. People will always sell this short because people are morons that like to rip heros down. Smith was special, anybody outside of football can see that. You can say he was chasing numbers, but if you were him and Tuna pushed out for whathisface? Tanbrick? And you let that retire you, what kind of man would you be?

 

[BAT]

Just one man's opinion...but here is what Gil Brandt thinks.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...-backs-ever-what-is-ladainian-tomlinsons-rank

He does underrate Emmitt somewhat, imo.
But the overall list is pretty solid...just maybe not the order.

1. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton
4. Gale Sayers
5. OJ Simpson
6. Earl Campbell
7. Eric Dickerson
8. Tony Dorsett
9. LeDamian Tomlinson
10. Emmitt Smith

Mentions: Faulk, Thomas, etc

There have been a ton of lists over the years and you can find almost any order.

Some guy named Joe Posnowski put out alist for SI a few years ago that had Emmitt 3rd and Barry 4th.

The "Top10Lists" had Sanders 1st and did not even have Emmitt in the top 10. That's extreme.

Mike olsen did a list for men's Fitness: as always, it had brown 1st. It also had Sanders 2nd and Smith 4th.

The Brown, Payton, Sanders are almost always in the top 5 though, and Brown is probably first 95% of the time.

Brandt should just enter a home. He has lost it completely. Placing the NFL leading rusher OF ALL TIME as 10th on his list is ludicrous to the point of senility.

 

[DFWJC]

Hey kept playing in Arizona because his last play would have been Roy breaking his shoulder in the hole, his last season he got close as you can to a 1000 yards, he left the game the game didn't leave him for a 34 year old that remarkable. People will always sell this short because people are morons that like to rip heros down. Smith was special, anybody outside of football can see that. You can say he was chasing numbers, but if you were him and Tuna pushed out for whathisface? Tanbrick? And you let that retire you, what kind of man would you be?

He could have played for as long as he wanted. He certainly earned that right.

 

[Ring Leader]

Thought some might find it amusing.
I think he usually falls in the 4-8 range....unless it's a Cowboy fan poll.

On a side note, when Peterson retires, I suspect he will be on many top 10 lists.

BTW, Emmitt played longer than everyone on that list (not just Campbell). He did so in very large part due to his singular focus to get more yards to break the record.
He was more driven by personal goals than any player that I can ever recall. He would be the very first to admit it too....and has done so many times.
That is one reason after 13 years in the league, he kept playing in Arizona.

Many of the guys on that list could have played many years longer (probably not Cambell though). Certainly Sanders and Jim Brown and some others. But they had nice careers and decided to hang it up while still somewhat on top.

Emmitt was unique, for sure.

In summary, there was no "quit" in Emmitt, unlike many of the others.