PackerBob, Glad you liked that article. It’s one thing for fans like us to say it was not a great move to dismiss a chunk of the O-line, but when you hear it from a guy in the trenches, I think that makes a statement. As much as things look like they are on the right track, it seems to me mistakes like that led to more losses…and more unnecessary O line draft choices than were needed. I still believe continuity in O line play is foundation for success.

PB – Hopefully your wife set you straight on the Wahle issue; no offensive guard in the NFL was worth the contract doled out by Carolina!

Probably rhetorical, but why in 90 years have we never had a “premiere” RB? I’m too young to know about Canadeo, Hornung had to share the ball with Taylor, Anderson too short a time, Brockington (now there was a pile pusher who destroyed LBs) maybe but a HOFer not, Levins a journeyman, Green (oh, those fumbles) hardly, and now Grant another journeyman. Our top players have been QBs (Isabel, Starr, Dickey, and Favre) and WRs (Hutson, Lofton, etc.). Heck, Isabel-Starr-Favre account for 40+ years of the 90. I can’t be the weather because Jim Brown, OJ, and Sweetness played in our kind of climate. Please Mr. Thompson, draft a LT, Peterson, or a Barry Sanders in my lifetime; I don’t have that much time left!

I think Ahman Green was the best of what you mentioned. We could have drafted Sanders sure, but Tony Mandarich was the greatest thing since sliced bread and didn’t take steroids. Brockington might have been even more special had the Packers not literally run him into the ground. McArthur Lane and Brockington may have been as punishing a duo as there has been in the NFL. And, alas I had big hopes for Dave Hampton and his clutch on the football was less than spectacular.

HOF’ers are a category unto themselves. They are the elite of the elite–it takes such a high level of play for such a period of time (at least as far as modern players are concerned–No more Gale Sayers type) that there simply aren’t enough of them to go around.

I know you are just lamenting the fact that we haven’t had one of those once in a lifetime type running back since the 60′s (think how long the Bears have gone without one at QB) but OJ, LT, Sanders haven’t brought there teams any SB’s. Even Payton, who I still consider the best all-around back I have ever seen, got his one SB more on the strength of the defense than anything else. If Neal Anderson had been the feature HB that year, they still would have won it all.

I think in the modern NFL, you need a well rounded offense and a strong defense. If the defense can be good and Grant can just do an imitation of Levens in his prime, the rest should take care of itself.

Larry, I like the history too. Firstly Taylor was great, we were blessed to have him. Second great running backs aren’t as important to winning as QBs. So I’ll take our history over any other team and have fun watching Sayers(no titles), Brown(1 title), Payton(1 title), Peterson(zip), Sanders(nada),Dickerson(none) and Simpson(nope). Emmit Smith, Franco Harris and Dorsett won multiple times but I think the other guys were better and more exciting.

Speaking of dominance for a short period of time, anybody remember Earl Campbell?
Talk about speed and power! His battering ram style and overuse wore him down quickly, but for 3-4 years he was the most intimidating rusher I can think of.

I thought Hasenmayer was nuts! His premise for the article was WR/TE combos and then picked ARI #1 w/ no TE. You guys are all right on the RB issue, I was just musing. I’ll tell you, though, I lived/worked in Ohio during Jim Brown’s run so saw him on TV all the time. Nobody, but nobody (well there was that guy that did ONCE, forget his name), that could put him down one-on-one. He’d give you a leg, and then take it back. Power, speed, strength more than shifty, inside or outside, complete. Then he retires at his peak. Back to the Fab5 I thought the article would be about the complete roster of receivers, not just the top two.

This thread is getting pretty long, Al, but here is another topic to chew on while we are waiting for camp to begin………..Are Pro-Sports Doomed? What happens when contracts mean nothing? For years we’ve had examples of players holding out, etc. in violation of their contracts, but the counter has always been that those contracts have clauses in them that let mgmt cut the player at any time. OK, thats an agreement known going in and maybe there is some balance there in leverage on both sides. However, not to bring politics into this, but the GM reallocation of ownership completely destroyed the contract rights of the preferred stock holders. That precedent then leads to the Williams’ Wall situation. What that judge did completely abrogated the CBA wherein all player members agree by contract to abide by the NFL rulings (after appeal). If the government can ignore contractural agreements, and the judiciary can ignore contractural agreements, and I do not have to pay my credit card bill or mortgage, then what good is a contract? I always thought that Pro-Sports were based on a contractural agreement between the player and the team, but does that matter anymore? Men, I feel like that guy at the window shouting “I’m not going to take it anymore”, and I wonder what a handshake means now.

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/109871

Interesting analysis. Amazing how many NFL fans feel the same.

Interesting quote from the article:

“People show their true colors when forced with life changing circumstances. The good people will always do what´s right, what they know in their hearts is what should be done. The jerks only care about themselves. They´re shallow. Their motivations are strictly personal with no one else´s well-being in mind.”

Sounds pretty close to me.

They could go all the way w/ him, but odds are always against any specific team. I hardly think that team w/ has the horses we did, nor the coaching. What you can expect is for him to get reckless with the ball, because thats the only way he knows how to play. I think he could have shaved for Air’s funeral; that kind of beard only takes a few days to grow. Pick, pick, pick, more power to him. Can’t wait.

I seldom agree with Skipper Bayless but he might be right in saying number 4 won’t play this year.

Hilarious article, just hilarious. Blood money? Like a prostitute? I’m still laughing, LOL!