Professional Football Researchers Association Forum
PFRA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the history of professional football. Formed in 1979, PFRA members include many of the game's foremost historians and writers.
JuggernautJ wrote:Today the NFL announced the first player in "The 100."
It is, fittingly, Jim Brown.
My contact is bugging me today so at times things are blurry before I blink a few times. At first glance I thought that said Tim instead of Jim and I nearly fainted.
You might want to put on your reading glasses...
It actually says Bill Brown...
Jim Brown
Earl Campbell
Dutch Clark
Eric Dickerson
Lenny Moore
Marion Motley
Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
Gale Sayers
OJ Simpson
Emmitt Smith
Steve Van Buren
And the 12 Finalists that did not:
Marcus Allen
Jerome Bettis
Tony Dorsett
Marshall Faulk
Red Grange
Franco Harris
Hugh McElhenny
Bronko Nagurski
Adrian Peterson
Jim Taylor
Thurman Thomas
LaDainian Tomlinson
First two Coaches were announced, too:
Paul Brown
Bill Belichick
Reaser wrote:Here's the 12 RB's that made the team:
Jim Brown
Earl Campbell
Dutch Clark
Eric Dickerson
Lenny Moore
Marion Motley
Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
Gale Sayers
OJ Simpson
Emmitt Smith
Steve Van Buren
And the 12 Finalists that did not:
Marcus Allen
Jerome Bettis
Tony Dorsett
Marshall Faulk
Red Grange
Franco Harris
Hugh McElhenny
Bronko Nagurski
Adrian Peterson
Jim Taylor
Thurman Thomas
LaDainian Tomlinson
First two Coaches were announced, too:
Paul Brown
Bill Belichick
Clark over both Nagurski and Grange is an extreme shocker. They've been all-in on Bronko in the past, so I do not get that at all. That said, Dutch Clark is probably the best actual RB of the three, so I'm not complaining. Moore over Faulk is interesting, but I don't mind it. I can see Peterson needing a bit more time for his legacy to catch up to his production. LT missing the team is a tragedy, though; what in the hell did they not see in him?!? And does this mean Sayers cannot be one of the returners?
But that is what I was posting about a few days ago, they went for running over complete backs. And I get it, they were considered
greater because in their time backs were not discounted for flaws like fumbling, so-so pass blocking,
so-so receiving and so on.
It's not a player personnel type list, it's a legacy, "greatness" in terms of historic values, etc. and Faulk and LT didn't have the
"Q rating" of Dick and Juice.
I like seeing Dutch and Motley on the list, though.
Lenny Moore might be biggest surprise. He spent a lot of time as a flanker (only 1000 carriers or so)
JameisLoseston wrote:Will make it over someone more deserving because the company line loves him: Nagurski
There's not some conspiracy to honor Nagurski. He is one of the all-time greats. If you're PFR statistics don't confirm this - ask yourself why so many of his contemporaries thought so. Were they in on it? Should've been in the top 100.
JameisLoseston wrote:Will make it over someone more deserving because the company line loves him: Nagurski
There's not some conspiracy to honor Nagurski. He is one of the all-time greats. If you're PFR statistics don't confirm this - ask yourself why so many of his contemporaries thought so. Were they in on it? Should've been in the top 100.
My guess is it has to do with his two-way play. But surprisingly he didn't make the team in favor of Clark, even though he made the 75th.
I noticed that no backs after 2000, except waning Smith, were included on the team. I see this as a failure of the intent to honor players from every era, especially since the early 2000s were truly the golden age of RBs. But maybe that's what did them in; so many were great that no one was greater than the rest. Although I'd still argue LT rises above. He's the only downright criminal cut. Faulk deserved it too, but realistically, it was either him or Moore.
Speaking of honoring players from every era - is it possible Dutch Clark is the only player from the 20s and 30s? That would be 1/100th of the focus on the first 20 years.
TanksAndSpartans wrote:Speaking of honoring players from every era - is it possible Dutch Clark is the only player from the 20s and 30s? That would be 1/100th of the focus on the first 20 years.
I'm praying please please please put Friedman on the team but I know I'm probably dreaming for anything more than a nomination. I just hope he gets that and it's probably all I can really ask for. But he deserves it. The league just... doesn't like him much for some reason. I'm also certain Mel Hein will make the team.
