Who would have been considered one of the "Great Ones" if not for....

[ABQCOWBOY]

A couple of names I'll throw out. Ricky Bell and Vinnie T.

Both got drafted by a horrid franchise and played for years on what might have been the absolute worst team I've ever seen. What could have been had they gone elsewhere?

Probably throw in Archie Manning and Bert Jones into that mix as well. Basically, same situation for them.

 

[jem88]

I thought Lett was one of the most over-rated Cowboys to ever play.

Was he decent-- yeah.

But he wasn't ever that great.

Bob Lilly put up numbers because he was great... Lett didn't because he was just above average.

From 1994-96 (especially in 1996), Lett was far from 'just above average'. That's what made his off-field problems so frustrating. Had he not gotten suspended in 1996, I think he would've (or at least should've) won the defensive MVP.

 

[Cowboy Bill Watts]

What players do you think would have been considered one of the best ever at thier position if not for injuries, legal problems, drug problems, a tragic early death, stints in other leagues, or other obstacles?

For the Cowboys, I'd have to go with Hollywood Henderson. There isn't a single former player who won't tell you about how he had some of the most freakish athletic talent they ever saw. If he had stayed off the drugs and partying, he might have gone down as one of the best linebackers to ever play the game.

For the rest of the NFL, I'd have to say Bo Jackson. If he hadn't played baseball and then killed that hip, he would have easily passed 10,000 yards and from there, who knows?

danny white. 3 nfc championship losses, including "the catch". couldn't get the team over the hump.

 

[Hostile]

From 1994-96 (especially in 1996), Lett was far from 'just above average'. That's what made his off-field problems so frustrating. Had he not gotten suspended in 1996, I think he would've (or at least should've) won the defensive MVP.

Damn you.

I logged back in just to see what you posted about Isaac Holt.

Let down.

 

[THUMPER]

Greg Cook would be my choice.

I know most of you youngsters never heard of him but he was the top rated QB in the league as a rookie playing for one of the worst teams that year. He came in as a rookie in 1969 with the Bengals, an expansion team the year before.

Cook had a better year than Joe Namath, Sonny Jurgensen, Fran Tarkenton, and Len Dawson all Hall of Famers in their prime and he was a rookie!

He injured his shoulder and never really played again. What a waste.


Second for me would be Colts DT Steve Emtman who was a dominant player when healthy but one blown out knee after another destroyed his career before it really got a chance to get started.

 

[Hostile]

Though I joke ( :wink2: ) about hating kickers...Arkansas had a kicker who hit a 72 yard field goal. His name was Steve Little. The Cardinals drafted him and I thought he was going to re-write the books.

Not only was he a decent kicker he was a punter as well. He also completed a couple of passes on fakes.

He struggled a bit on FGs, and that surprised me. I thought he'd get it figured out though.

It never happened. A car wreck left him a quadraplegic. Tragic story.

 

[rexrobinson]

Well my choice would be Bo Jackson. I loved watching him run the ball.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

From 1994-96 (especially in 1996), Lett was far from 'just above average'. That's what made his off-field problems so frustrating. Had he not gotten suspended in 1996, I think he would've (or at least should've) won the defensive MVP.

Defensive MVP for what 5 sacks in a season?

I don't think so.

The guy was decent. But he was never an upper echelon DT.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Second for me would be Colts DT Steve Emtman who was a dominant player when healthy but one blown out knee after another destroyed his career before it really got a chance to get started.

For us, Billy Cannon Jr. was like that. I think he could have been a great LB but never got the chance. Trev Alberts was another guy that never really got a chance but I think could have been real good.

Couple other LBs that never amounted to much or just plain burned out.


Billy Ray Smith
Audry Bruce
Quantin Coryatt
Tom Cousineau
Brian Bosworth
Keith McCants
Mike Croel

Derrick Thomas is a guy that died too early. He had some years left and he could rush the QB. Shame that.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Ernie Ladd.

He was an all-pro in the AFL and was considered by many to be not only the largest but possibly the best defensive lineman of the middle 60's.

But he gave it up to be a professional wrestler full-time... the money was better at the time.

 

[dwmyers]

RBs...

Joe Delaney, drowned saving 2 kids. Was well on his way to being KC's best back.

He was in the high school class behind mine, almost invisible in high school. Perhaps it was because he was a wide receiver on a team with a mediocre QB.

Whenever I read a bio of Joe it just reminds me of how deep the poverty can be in NW LA. If you don't believe me just ask trickblue, he's from Bossier City iirc.

David.

 

[dwmyers]

I'd remind people of two promising first rounders the Boys lost to injury.

WR Mike Sherrard and LB Billy Cannon Jr.

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

I'd remind people of two promising first rounders the Boys lost to injury.

WR Mike Sherrard and LB Billy Cannon Jr.

And don't forget David LaFleur! Okay, not really, just kidding.

But I do think he would have been at least a solid player after a few years if not for the back problems.

 

[Kangaroo]

Ok ok the guy was a Commander:skins:but he just wasted so much talent Timmy Smith

He still holds the Superbowl record for yards in a game; he was just to lazy thankgoodness because he would have given the Skins Thunder and Lighting with Riggins :ralph:

 

[noshame]

Calvin Hill

 

[burmafrd]

Billy Sims has been mentioned- he had it all and was tearing up the league when the dreaded Knee got him. Now they can fix it- just like sayers after his first injury; he was never the same. Now they can pretty much fix it. To me Gale sayers in the open field in his first 2 years has never been beaten. for some of you older guys, Billy white shoes Johnson on a punt return is probably as close as I have seen to Gale Sayers in the open field.

 

[jem88]

Defensive MVP for what 5 sacks in a season?

I don't think so.

The guy was decent. But he was never an upper echelon DT.

No, for being a disruptive force who at times was in the backfield so fast you swore he must've been offsides. Sacks are hardly the first and last word of a defensive tackle's impact. Lett was decent after 1996 (to put it kindly), but like I said, he was upper echelond from 1994-1996 and his two Pro Bowl appearances during that span prove it.

 

[Future]

first guy that came to my mind was derek ross, that guy was an incredible athlete

maybe a bit of a homer pic tho

 

[MichaelWinicki]

No, for being a disruptive force who at times was in the backfield so fast you swore he must've been offsides. Sacks are hardly the first and last word of a defensive tackle's impact. Lett was decent after 1996 (to put it kindly), but like I said, he was upper echelond from 1994-1996 and his two Pro Bowl appearances during that span prove it.

Larry Allen was a Pro Bowler last year right?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I'd remind people of two promising first rounders the Boys lost to injury.

WR Mike Sherrard and LB Billy Cannon Jr.

Both already mentioned but none the less, true.