Friday, October 3, 2008

Greatest RBs ever...#11, #10, #9....

Greatest Rbs ever…#11, #10 & #9

This is getting pretty interesting as we count down the greatest NFL running backs of the current time…note I wanted to say of ALL time, but that technically is incorrect. We can never make a list of the greatest all time, because we are basing it on the idea that nothing in the future will change what we say.

If someone had done this list back in 1998, it would be different from what we have now, because some of the guys on the list were not at their prime. If this same poll was done in 1988, there would be some on the list now that wasn’t even in the NFL then. If this poll was done in 1968, some of these backs weren’t even BORN. So the idea of greatest of ALL time, or the greatest EVER is purely subjective.

I even say that against myself.

But let’s not confuse the idea of “great” with “favorite”. There are lots of backs that some older guys might have really liked. Emerson Boozer, John Brockington, Sam (the BAM) Cunningham, Chuck Muncie, numerous other guys might have been favorites of some of the older readers, but they may not have been amongst the greatest of all time.

I have lots of favorites that didn’t make the list, so I have to separate what makes a running back good, and what makes him great. With that in mind, let’s continue through the menu….

#11 Thurman Thomas: 47 points

There actually is a lot of irony here because history begs us to only remember winners…but how many running backs can say they led their team to the Superbowl FOUR times? Thurman Thomas is actually tied with the #10 on this list, but you’re going to get a lot of amens from Buffalo Bills fans on this one. One of the constants of the 1990s was Thurman Thomas scoring touchdown after touchdown and making the Bills a dynasty for that magical time in NFL history. A very classy player, and certainly a great back.

Why not higher? The difference in him being #11 and being in the top ten is paper thin, but a lot is based on his team accomplishments. As mentioned before, Thurman is tied with the next guy on the list, but if he had one just one of those four Superbowls, he’d been a lock for the top 10. He is on the list on each of the three characteristics of individual stats and has a great number in individual awards element. But the easiest answer to this question of why he is not higher is this: because there are indeed better backs coming up.

Why on the list? This is where many could argue about Thurman Thomas losing four Superbowls…after all, we only remember the winners right? That’s kinda perverted thinking because remember, the Superbowl is made up of the NFC AND AFC Champions… of which Thurman Thomas was a great part of many times. Many good or even great backs might get one shot at a Superbowl, even if they lose. Even though Thurman and the Bills lost 4, at least he GOT there…how many of YOUR favorite backs can even say that?

#10 Roger Craig: 47 points

Many times the difference in any tie I have will usually favor the great back that has greater team accomplishments. For this reason Roger Craig is in the top 10 list. Roger Craig is a pure definition of the word, “all purpose back” and proved it from the first year he entered the NFL. From start to finish, Roger Craig on any team he played for meant playoffs because you could count on his rushing as well as any other yards in any other way. The perfect TEAM player and an excellent back, you just cannot go wrong with Roger Craig.

Why not higher? Roger Craig had high marks when it came to team accomplishments, but he no longer ranks in any of the three characteristics of individual stats. He is not in the top 30 in yards, touchdowns and his yards per carry does not give him any points. The three elements must be in agreement for a back to be considered the greatest, and even though Roger Craig is clearly great, I could not put him any higher.

Why on the list? Roger Craig helped the San Francisco 49ers to three Superbowls, and won them all. They also went to an NFC Championship or two, so the resume of Roger Craig is very heavy. Again, one of the key elements of being great is being a powerful force in the team’s accomplishments. Granted he gets no points off my formula in the individual stats element, he still gets plenty of points in the individual awards element. Roger Craig has easily proven his worth to this list.

#9 Frank Gifford: 51 points

Another “old school” back that played before there was a Superbowl. The once-voice of “Monday Night Football” Frank Gifford is a legendary figure to the sport for winning, endurance and old school football. Much like Roger Craig, he had to wear a couple of hats, but he proved his credibility not just in the running back position, but in other positions as well. A true champion in every sense of the word, well before there was such a thing as a “Superbowl”. Old die-hards of the way the NFL used to be can stand up and be proud of Frank Gifford.

Why not higher? One of the first things that actually worked against Frank Gifford was the era adjustment. Because he retired in the 60’s that was 4 points off. If there was no era adjustment, he would still be about this same spot, or tied with #8 coming up. But as we continue to move up, we see that to be THE greatest, the numbers in all three elements must be higher. No one is going to question Frank Gifford in team accomplishments. He scored a 35 with that, which is up there with the best On that alone, he’d be in the top 5, but he also ranks barely on the top 30 with touchdowns and he does have a good yards per carry average. Frank Gifford is well decorated in individual awards, so yes, he is quite worthy.

Why on the list? Champions need great players, and Frank Gifford is one of them. Multiple trips to the NFL Championship game and a Pro-Bowl selection 8 times, there are few that can make claim to greatness as Frank Gifford can…in fact, according to my list, there are only a hand full of others that can boast greatness as well as Frank Gifford has. The New York Giants had a gem in this man.

So there you have it, three more on the list as greatest of all time, and oddly enough, the last two I listed were just as much a threat as a RECEIVER as they were a running back. I didn’t want to limit this to just a pure and absolute running back, because in the game of football sometimes you have to do more to help your team. This really is a solid point of what makes some of these guys great.

Before I go, let me share another name that didn’t make the list, and why. Remember, just because they didn’t make it does not mean they are great. I mean, who drew the line to say that the top 25 running backs are great? Why can’t it be 36, or 42, or 58? It’s just a nice clean number to work with, so don’t get upset at the rankings, it’s just some ramblings from a football fan.

Jamal Lewis: 20 points

This is interesting because he has an excellent chance of getting on the top 25 with just a few more accomplishments. Remember, the #25 back of all time (according to my insane formula) was Ladainian Tomlinson with 28 points. Now granted, with both being current in the NFL, LT could move up as well, but Ottis Anderson at #23 is not likely to move up any more.

A Superbowl Championship with the Baltimore Ravens adds a big star to his resume, and a pretty good yards per carry as well as being on the top 20 all time with yards helps too. If I did this ranking in 2010, he may very well be on that list, knocking somebody off. So this isn’t about why he isn’t on the list, it could easily be how soon he may be on that list.

Ok, let’s shut it down for a little bit, hope you can get some mileage out of this ranking. Remember, I am not doing this to degrade anybody, every one of these backs is a hero and a model to somebody, and we all have our favorites. Hope yours is on this list. Next time, we’ll cover a few more as we get even closer to the greatest of all time….

Gotta stop saying that, it isn’t quite accurate…

Later guys….

More bewares to college football!

Beware to thee, college football teams….

I shoulda done this earlier, because maybe some of my warnings might have been heeded.

Before I get to that, I hope you guys take a look at some of my older blogs, especially my continuing series of “Greatest Running Back EVER” in the NFL. It’s pretty interesting, if I do say so myself.

Anyway, this blog is to throw out some early warnings to some college football teams this week. What should have been proven is that ANY team can fall. When Ohio State lost to USC, everybody had thrown the Buckeyes under the bus, and proclaimed the Trojans not only a National Championship, but an undefeated season…

How’s that working out.

One thing is so true about college football; it’s unpredictable. And that should continue for the next couple of months too. So there are some warnings I hope to throw out there for some of the teams this weekend. I say to you…BEWARE!

It’s kinda late, but South Florida should have taken greater heed than they did. Last year we remember that they climbed as high as #2 in the nation before taking a hard spill. When I watched the game last night, I heard that they said that they “learned” from last year…

That’s cool, but learning does not mean you can change it. When I was a kid growing up, we used to play sandlot football in a big field. One day, one of the older kids had come back from football practice, with his gear on. He wanted to play, so he did, and I tried to tackle him while he was wearing all that armor…

Lesson learned as I flew into the street, wondering how hard I would land.

But learning that lesson does not mean I can tackle that guy if he is wearing all that gear, and I am in regular clothes. It just means I’ll be launched into the air, or trampled underfoot again.

South Florida kinda reminds me of ECU in that neither could really handle the fame of the top 25. I am not saying South Florida is not good, I am saying that to truly be considered for a National Championship, you have to prove it every game. Last night, at home, they could not do it.

Beware Duke, for those roses you smell from early success may not be roses at all, rather scented plastic dressings. Shame on the coaches for jumping on one of their players after he dove in the end zone. It’s not like YOU have seen a winning season anytime soon, so enjoy the moment like the Duke fans…you may not see it again for awhile. I am not ready to crown you as the ACC elite, you gotta prove it….you were warned….

Take heed Penn State, lest you fall from the heights of the undefeated…

I actually LIKE Penn State, so I’m not gonna clown them, but liking a team does not mean they are guaranteed to go undefeated. In a conference that actually is pretty tough, but has no conference championship, every game matters. I certainly don’t see Northwestern’s undefeated season to continue much longer, but Penn State has an excellent chance to get in the top 5 if they can beat Purdue. But this is an away game, can the Nittany Lions come up with a high scoring game as they have done so far this year?

Be careful NC State…lest we see a pack of pups, rather than wolves. This game might be the LAST hope for postseason for you. You can lose 2 more games and still have a chance to win 6 quality wins and HOPE for a bowl…but now you face a team that your coach bailed out on, and that win vs. ECU didn’t quite wake you up as you thought it would…your postseason life is on the line now…

Warnings to West Virginia AND Rutgers. Was all that talk last year about your greatness just lightning in a bottle? The Big East needs teams to step it up in a big way, and South Florida fell flat to Pittsburgh. West Virginia gets an embarrassing loss to ECU and Rutgers gets trucked by UNC…what’s up with that? The Big East is still up for grabs, but the loser of this game is DONE…well, West Virginia might have a little more hope, but not much.

Beware Kentucky….you have been called out for that 4-0 record you boast. You and Vanderbilt are the temporary darlings of the SEC, but you’ve been midcard in the SEC for eons. Now you have to go TO the home of the #2 team in the nation…save up all your clippings of the 4-0 start because next week it will be a bit different….

Caution to #7 Texas Tech….there are major concerns about your sudden abundance of prosperity. The Big 12 seems to score 4000 points a weekend, and Texas Tech is one of those reasons. But with NO valuable wins, are you REALLY as good as the ranking? I admit, I like Texas Tech, and if they are on tv, I will be watching, but if they start reading the headlines of themselves, they will fall like South Florida and ECU. Yes you are playing Kansas State, but if you have already looked over that, then you are assured a loss this weekend.

Be careful Michigan…playing enhanced ball one weekend does not mean you are “back in the race”. A very poor performance by Wisconsin was why you won. And playing in the 500th game gave you incentive when Wisconsin apparently pumped the brakes on you. But outside of that, your team still has MAJOR issues, and this home game will determine if in truth you are for real, or just a flash in the pan this year.

Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt, canst thou defend thy house?

You better if you want to keep this magical season going. Your schedule has not been as weak as some other top 25 teams, so you deserve the ranking. But NOW things get a bit different. You now have to wear the thin veil of the elite, knowing that it can be here today, gone tomorrow. Don’t do like Georgia and get too emotional at home, and then forget how to play ball. Learn from that, or fall like they did.

You have been warned Connecticut….I scream it from the tops of the mountains!

Impressive you have been the last 5 games…but the polls show that your 5-0 record is BARELY noticed. Now with two key players out with broken bones, how can you continue the streak. With UNC just coming off a huge win vs. Miami, and now playing at home against you, how can you “bring it” to the Tarheels’ place? Granted UNC is not a top caliber team, but they have had some impressive signs, and are not going to lie down for you. You won’t go undefeated this season…and it may be proven this weekend.

Beware Wisconsin…and shame on you!

You had that game against Michigan, you had the Badger foot over the Wolverine neck…and you let him go, you gave him hope by playing conservative. When I saw that game near the end, I said to someone, “if Wisconsin scores even a field goal, they will win”. That was when you had 19 points…and just stayed there.

When you get a chance to crush the spirit of your opponent, DO IT, or else you give them a chance.

To every Wisconsin fan, I want to share this quote from a cartoon character. If you have ever watched G.I. Joe, there is a very candid statement by Destro, and it goes as the following, said to Cobra Commander when the failed to destory New York….

“Your stupid attempt to disintegrate New York has given our enemies the two commodities they must NOT be allowed…TIME and HOPE…

Nothing undermines our cause more greatly than FAILURE to execute our threats!”

It’s just a cartoon folks, don’t get excited. But there is a real message for teams like Wisconsin. When you have a team “on the ropes” you must FINISH them because if you don’t, they will start thinking that they have a chance. You will have given them time and hope. And when your threats to crush their spirit have failed, you give them exactly that.

Consider those ideas when you see the Buckeyes come to town, because they are coming to crush your spirit. They need this win to stay in reach of a possible National Title game….will you give it to them, make them earn it, or take it away from them?

So many games….so many warnings to pass out, but I think I have said enough. I am really excited for this weekend, this is fun stuff.

Anyway, gotta go, check out my “Greatest Running Backs EVER” blogs as I continue to count it down to number 1.

Laters!