dubtrips

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I've got to go with Barry Sanders. Even though he don't have a ring...no one can run like Barry. If he didn't retire so early, he would be the NFL rushing and td leader. He just can't be contained. He's too fast, too quick, and too good.

thewalrus

Wow this is a hard one, I would say it's a toss up between Barry Sanders, Jim Brown, or Walter Payton. But then you have Gayle Sayers, Earl Campbell, OJ, and Eric Dickerson.

bhplv1

I gotta go with Barry. I don't think he ever had an offensive line and he still lit it up. Payton was all good but he played on some serously good teams. Sanders played for Detriot. Enough said.

lefty

There's not even a contest. Jim Brown. No one is even close. Brown revolutionized the position. He ran with breakaway speed, but could punish like a fullback. Brown ran for over 12,000 yards and scored 106 TD's, while averaging 5.2 yards per carry. All of this while only playing 9 years. He walked away at the high point of his career. And for those who compare numbers, don't compare years played, because Brown played only 14 games a year in the regular season.

Barry Sanders, on the other hand, is the only guy you could even consider in comparison to Brown. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry, playing for teams that we crap; however, half of Barry's games were played indoors on artificial turf in a single back feature offense.

Brown played outdoors in old Cleveland Municipal Stadium on bad grass in Hellish weather. Again, Brown played outdoors in winter in places like Chicago, Green Bay, New York and Philadelphia. There were no domes or warm weather cities outside of LA and San Fran in Brown's time.

Like him or not, it's gotta be Jim Brown

subucni

You seem to forget that the Bears and Packers were in the same division as the Lions. Sanders played his fair share of games in harsh environments.

lefty

I remember, but that's still only 20 games over the course of his career (Soldier & Lambeau). I don't discredit Barry, he was the best back I ever saw play. Had he played for even a mediocre team, the results would have been frightening. But he still played an abundance of games indoors. And his numbers are much better in domes.

That's my problem here in St. Louis. I respect Marshall Faulk totally. But I have to question whether he would have rolled up the type of numbers he has playing in a true football environment, instead of on carpet.

My point was that Brown always played outdoors, usually in less than favorable climates and on fields that were far from today's manicured turf.

My big three

Brown
Sanders
Payton

soxfan

1.Barry Sanders
2. Jim Brown
3. Walter Payton

thewalrus

Barry is the 3rd best according to his dad. We all left out William Sanders from our lists.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?sl...night&type=lgns

Stumpy

One thing to Barry's credit - he never got hurt playing on that shitty turf. All three of the top three stayed healthy, but I'd argue that's more of an accomplishment for Sanders due to his predominately playing on Astrohurt. Especially with his sick, sick ability to cut and/or stop on a dime.

Brown was the best at carrying people on his back, and had great speed for a big man, but was basically a North-South runner (obviously more North than South).

Payton was a perfect combination, and also a great blocker.

Best ever? Fridge Perry?

Seriously, I'd go with Brown.

bhplv1

RickJames

I never saw Jim Brown play, so I'll have to go with Barry. Barry was undersized, played on bad teams, poor management, and as you note, he ran on turf. Taking hits on turf is more punishing than grass. Barry could cut the ball back like no other, break tackles, and then breakaway speed. Making him more appealing was his attitude, handing the ball to the ref after his many amazing touchdown runs.

TheSuperfly

Brown, Payton, Sanders.

But I still love Terrell Davis.

Justin

Earl Campbell
Eddie George
Walter Payton

Just my opinion

Stumpy

Good point. Damn good touch o' class