Tony D.

[Wolfpack]

So I am having a discussion with a client today (who is from DC ) and we got to taking about the great # 33. The discussion led to who else ran with a similar style to Tony.

I think Tony was a beautiful runner, smooth, crisp and fast. The only other guy I could think of that ran the same was Marcus Allen. OJ is close but not the same.

Thoughts?

 

[BourbonBalz]

TD didn't simply run, he glided. Maybe similar to the Kansas Comet.

 

[poke]

in my honest opinion, and not saying TD is the best ever,
TD had a style of his own and I have not seen anybody else
run exactly like him.
he also ran with more power than he was ever given credit for.
(when he wanted/needed to), i am guessing it was due to the whole
speed/mass stuff i ignored in high school.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I just hate his fumbles.....at crucial times

 

[mmohican29]

Dorsett ran like an impala. Gliding, with tremendous straight away speed. Sadly I can't think of anyone in the NFL that remotely resembles his style. He reminds me of OJ when I see film clips of the Juice loose.

 

[AmishCowboy]

I agree O.J. is the closest in running style to TD.

 

[needforspeed]

I agree O.J. is the closest in running style to TD.

Slowly, in a white Bronco?

 

[Chuck 54]

Actually, I think OJ's style was closest to Gayle Sayers, long legs flying, changing directions while accelerating, stepping out of tackles.

I think I have to agree that Dorsett had a style of his own. He came off the ball low and hit the hole quickly like a power runner, but of course, he had next to no power, but he had the speed and the vision, so if he was stopped for no gain on several plays you were always still waiting for him to break a longer run...he was certainly great at bouncing the runs outside and changing gears, dipping in and out, to make guys miss...not a "moves" guy, but a change of speed and direction guy, not cutting sharply, but working in space.

Interesting thread since it really is hard to think of a guy who was as dependent on speed as Tony but not an elusive runner as we now think of them...I'm going to give this some more thought...surely someone should come to mind who ran with his style.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I don't know who ran like my co-favorite player of all time... Maybe LT today, a little bit. Maybe Eric Metcalf, though of course TD was an infinitely better back.

But this thread calls for this link:

http://www.cowboysvids.com/

Top left, Cowboys RB nostalgia. TD is up first. That run against Atlanta is truly a thing of beauty.

 

[Maxmadden]

Tony D. was the first running back to get an automatic transmission in the 70"s.

That is simply the best way I know to describe him.

 

[Rack]

I don't know who ran like my co-favorite player of all time... Maybe LT today, a little bit. Maybe Eric Metcalf, though of course TD was an infinitely better back.

But this thread calls for this link:

http://www.cowboysvids.com/

Top left, Cowboys RB nostalgia. TD is up first. That run against Atlanta is truly a thing of beauty.

That run against the Cards is nice too. Nothing there, surrounded, does a spin and like 3 tacklers all collide... with themselves and TD walks into the endzone.

 

[Biggems]

IMO, the most fluid, effortless RB I have ever seen was Eric Dickerson. I mean he looked like he was jogging, and yet he would be leaving defenders in the dust.

Also, Bo Jackson ran with the power of a locomotive, but the speed and effortlessness of a bullet train.

 

[Nexx]

Tony Dixon was a scrub! :

 

[joseephuss]

I don't know who ran like my co-favorite player of all time... Maybe LT today, a little bit. Maybe Eric Metcalf, though of course TD was an infinitely better back.

But this thread calls for this link:

http://www.cowboysvids.com/

Top left, Cowboys RB nostalgia. TD is up first. That run against Atlanta is truly a thing of beauty.

I was thinking Metcalf as well. Both Terry and Eric although neither looked quite as fluid as Dorsett.

Marcus Allen is a good comparison. Dickerson was bigger than Tony, but he had that same type of fluid motion.

 

[Daudr]

I just hate his fumbles.....at crucial times

LOL, that's just what I was thinking. For how great he was, his fumbles really pissed me off.

 

[03EBZ06]

TD didn't simply run, he glided. Maybe similar to the Kansas Comet.

Yup. He had a great vision and simply glided as you've mentioned.

 

[big dog cowboy]

TD didn't simply run, he glided. Maybe similar to the Kansas Comet.

There you go.

OK call me a homer.

 

[redskins1]

OJ's style was close to TD'S.But TD was a awesome back to watch run,i was in junior high school when he played at pitt.I had never seen a rb run so smooth and fast.we all know how he had great career in the nfl,but in my opinion his runs he had in college was 2nd to none.I would love to see a highlight reel of his college runs,he was off the chains..for the record,it killed me when your bums drafted him.

 

[joseephuss]

OJ's style was close to TD'S.But TD was a awesome back to watch run,i was in junior high school when he played at pitt.I had never seen a rb run so smooth and fast.we all know how he had great career in the nfl,but in my opinion his runs he had in college was 2nd to none.I would love to see a highlight reel of his college runs,he was off the chains..for the record,it killed me when your bums drafted him.

His college career is so under rated. ESPN had him ranked at #9 on their top 25 college players of all time and I think that was too low. His college career was better than Barry Sander's college career who ESPN had at #2. Barry had the greatest individual season, but that was about it for his college career. Dorsett had 4 great years.

 

[Chief]

His college career is so under rated. ESPN had him ranked at #9 on their top 25 college players of all time and I think that was too low. His college career was better than Barry Sander's college career who ESPN had at #2. Barry had the greatest individual season, but that was about it for his college career. Dorsett had 4 great years.

Very true.

Dorsett was the most beautiful runner I can remember.

He ran very low and hit the hole with an amazing acceleration. His head never bobbed up and down ... it's like he was skiing.

I like to pick at Matt Millen, but he had a great, great quote about Tony:

"That's the slowest-walking, fastest-running guy I've ever seen."

That's Tony. He didn't walk back to the huddle. He sauntered.

What a great football player.