I don't know that Tony's running style was exactly like anyone else's. As has been mentioned probably OJ comes the closest because at top gear it was like a fast car sucking down onto the racetrack. It's like they got shorter because of that long striding style.
Herschel Walker was probably faster than Tony in a track event, but Tony on a football field looked faster than any player around him, and suddenly he'd hit another gear and your jaw would drop.
I will never forget the first time I saw him run. He was at Pittsburgh and they were playing Notre Dame. In those days the Irish were the pinnacle of College Football. Tony shredded them. He finished the day with over 200 yards rushing and on some runs I thought the Irish players were so amazed that they were watching him go by knowing they could lay a hand on him.
I've told this story before, but I'll tell it again. I called his 99 1/2 yard TD run against the Vikings. Minny pinned us on the 1/2 yard line and my Mom said, "now what are your Cowboys going to do?"
I said, "no problem, Tony will break the record for longest TD run in History right here."
When he went through that line I knew he was gone. Though Minny had tacklers who were still between him and glory I knew they couldn't catch Tony even if they had the angle.
I flew out of my chair with my fist in the air, hit my Mom's favorite fern and sent pieces of it flying in every direction. I had fern all over me and I was standing there in the middle of this chaos unable to look at my Mom. I finally turned around expecting her to be absolutely pissed. She was cracking up.
He was magical at times.
) and we got to taking about the great # 33. The discussion led to who else ran with a similar style to Tony.
to the Zone.
