Originally posted by Kokopellian:
Originally posted by Y2KSVT:
Originally posted by Ignorant Thug:


You can't deny that Barry Sanders was one of the best back, and would be considered #1 if he decided to stick around and take Walter Peyton's record. Too bad it would have taken him a few more years than Walter to achieve that yardage.
Mark





Actually, he's quite right. Sure they were all great players and even considered the best of the best. But the fact remains is that in sports the pinnacle of GREATNESS is measured by championships. Wayne Gretzky doesn't get called The Great One merely because he put up numbers. Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Larry Bird = Champions vs. Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing = great players, HOFer's, no rings. When you think of the very BEST of the GREAT players, you think championships and MVPs bottomline.



It would not have taken him more years than payton. If Barry played one more season, he would have broken Paytons record. And when did barry hang em up? 6 years ago? Emmit broke the record because he hung around but lets face it, emmitt smith of the past 3 years is a far cry from emmitt smith of 10 years ago. The only back who had a better career would be Jim Brown who put up the best 8 years of any RB prior or since.

As for winning championships, again I bring up the team nature of football. Baseball has 9 guys on a team, basketball 5 guys. Football has 22 guys split up over offense and defense. It is far easier for a bball player to take the ball and singlehandedly bring it up the court and score and get his team back in the game than it is for a QB to lead a comeback. Look at the NY giants. Their receivers suck. You could put manning on that team and he wouldn't be half as good because their receivers can't catch. Bottom line is Favre has proven his greatness, manning is still in the process but when all is said and done we are looking at 2 of the greatest QB's of their time