evan
Posted 01 November 2010 - 06:25 AM
I just wanted to acknowledge that it was 11 years ago today, Nov. 1, that Walter Payton passed away. I’d like to hear any particular memories you all may have of Sweetness, whether it was an anecdote, a game, a play, or anything else.
For me, growing up as a Viking fan, Payton was on the short list of players I feared, along with Jack Youngblood, Tony Dorsett, James Lofton, and any Lion when they played in the Silverdome. Being young and immature, I naturally hated Payton for the way he could make my Viking heroes look old, slow, and downright foolish on any given run. He was a singular force of fear for me, for much of those 1970s and early 1980s Bears teams had absolutely nothing else to worry about. But Payton was more than enough to make two sleepless weeks a certainty for me.
As I got a little bit older, my emotions toward Payton changed from fear and hatred to a certain kind of begrudging respect, which eventually turned to appreciation. I can honestly say he was the first rival player who I truly admired, and in that sense his surreal effort and classy play helped me mature as a young adult by giving me someone to really appreciate who was not on my favorite team. He basically opened my eyes to true sportsmanship by making it virtually impossible to dislike him.
Now through the wonder of the Internet I’ve been able to watch dozens of games with Payton that were not broadcast where I grew up, and my opinion of him has only grown.
I’ve seen his incredible cross-field charge to tackle New Orleans’ Jim Merlo as Merlo was crossing the end zone on a long return TD late in a 1977 game the Bears were hopelessly behind in.
I’ve heard announcers describe how he ran to the edge of the Soldier Field crowd to try to lead cheers for the beleaguered and booed Bob Avellini when Avellini entered a game late in a blowout in 1979.
I’ve seen him time and time again hand the ball to his linemen after a TD to let them have the glory of spiking it (is there a classier gesture in all of sports than doing that? Not to me there isn’t).
I’ve seen him make plenty of blocks just as good as the famous one against the Vikings in 1985.
I’ve seen him throw TD passes that would spiral in a perfect arch.
Oh yes, and then there’s the running. What a distinctive style, complete with the “Show Pony Kick”, “The Flipper”, and “The Loaf of Bread” (seemed like every broadcast an announcer would say “Now kids, don’t you hold the ball like that – unless you’re another Walter Payton”). He had the Barry Sanders knack for taking a six-yard loss and turning it into a spectacular four-yard gain. The countless times he lowered his head and plowed into some safety where he could have easily skipped out of bounds (as Mike Ditka said “If he had a choice between you and the sideline, you better be ready, because it was going to be you”). The ferocity he ran with on every run that I’ve watched is just about impossible to ponder, especially when you consider the attention defenses paid to him, and the physical toll of playing about 12 games a year on artificial turf for much of his career.
When life knocks me down as it inevitably does to all of us, Payton’s running is one of the things I think about to get me up off the ground again.
So I just wanted to say thank you Walter, for inspiring me through your life and beyond. We are a better place for having you with us, and for having your memory forever.
Teo
Posted 01 November 2010 - 12:11 PM
I have many great memories of Payton, but the game I remember most was in 1983 in New Orleans against the Saints. Trailing 24-10 in the 3rd quarter, Payton scored on a 49 td run (he finished the day with 161 rushing yards), and in the 4th quarter he threw 2 td passes to Willie Gault to send the game into overtime. The Bears lost 34-31, but it was amazing how good of an athlete Payton was.
http://www.pro-footb...98309180nor.htm
BD Sullivan
Posted 01 November 2010 - 12:22 PM
A class act and a great runner--something rare in that group of football players. I remember the last play of his career came in a playoff game against the Redskins at Soldier Field, when he gained seven yards on 4th-and-8 with under a minute to go. When he got knocked out of bounds, he ended up under a Redskin bench, and I recall Madden talking about the irony of such a great running back finishing his career in such dubious fashion.
conace21
Posted 01 November 2010 - 03:05 PM
That block against Minnesota on MNF in 1985. Without that block, McMahon would have gotten nailed and might have ended up back in the hospital. Instead, he has time to see Willie Gault running wide open downfield.
Bryan
Posted 01 November 2010 - 03:14 PM
I grew up a Packers fan, so I always disliked Payton, but as I've gotten older I really respect what he accomplished. I think case can be made that Payton was the greatest football player ever. He was such a great athlete, but also very skilled at blocking, passing, and receiving. Jim Brown may have had better statistics and accomplishments, but I think NFL defenses were much more athletic in the 70's and 80's than they were in the 1950's and 1960's. I think Payton's achievements and durability are just as remarkable as Brown's.
Rupert Patrick
Posted 01 November 2010 - 03:35 PM
Whenever I think of Walter Payton I think of him leaping over the offensive and defensive line into the end zone. With the Bears at the one or two yard line, even if he would have went around the end he would have scored, but his trying to leap over the line and falling into the end zone was to me his signature play; I probably seen him do it a dozen times or more in his career.
Citizen
Posted 01 November 2010 - 03:36 PM
Packer fan here too, and I never hated Payton, even when I hated the Bears. He was a rookie when I was 12, so I saw him at least twice a year his entire career. I can't think of an opposing player who I admired more and who I enjoyed watching more, even when he was making my team look like they had 22 collective left feet.
The signature Payton moment for me was in the second Bears-Packers matchup in 1985. It was an ugly grudge match, with dirty play on both sides. The Packers were hanging tough, leading the undefeated Bears by a point in the fourth quarter. Payton took the ball around right end, and Packers LB Brian Noble absolutely lit him up -- Noble would later say he never hit anyone so hard. Payton stayed upright, Noble slid to the ground, and #34 rambled in for the winning TD. Incredible.
conace21
Posted 01 November 2010 - 05:12 PM
After Payton's death, Dr. Z recalled his signature Payton moment. In the 1977 Cowboys-Bears playoff game, Cliff Harris leveled Payton and thought he had knocked him out. Payton jumped up, patted Harris on the back, and jogged back to the huddle. Harris was dumbfounded.
I agree, Bryan, about making a case for Sweetness as the best back ever, due to his versatility. In a post about the greatest 100 players, I commented that Payton's ability to run, block, catch, and throw set him apart from everyone else, even if Brown had no peer as a runner.
Payton played with a rare intensity on the field that belied his kind and gentle nature off the field. I've never seen anyone speak poorly of Payton's character.
BD Sullivan
Posted 01 November 2010 - 05:16 PM
Payton's most memorable run was probably in '77 against the Chiefs where he seemingly knocked down the entire KC defense, one after the other.