Thread: Bettis? Say what?

I just heard the beginning of an interview with Jerome Bettis on "American
Athlete." The interviewer began, "Jerome, you are one of the greatest running
backs of all time . . . "

Bettis? G.O.A.T.? He did a good job for the Steelers, but G.O.A.T.?

What do you think?

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Originally Posted by topscribe

I just heard the beginning of an interview with Jerome Bettis on "American
Athlete." The interviewer began, "Jerome, you are one of the greatest running
backs of all time . . . "

Bettis? G.O.A.T.? He did a good job for the Steelers, but G.O.A.T.?

What do you think?

-----

The man has a lot of yards, and the man was a monster. I think that he could fall into that category, but I think he would be a "lesser" G.O.A.T if that makes sense. When I think of a G.O.A.T. I think of Jim Brown and Sayers, Sanders and those guys. I don't think Bettis should be penalized by his style of play, I mean it was extremely effective, but I don't know if he is well rounded enough to be a true G.O.A.T.

He's not the GOAT, that goes to Sanders or Payton.

But he was a damn good running back and should be considered as one of the best.

OMG!.....Haven't you seen him get up and dance after every single one yard gain?

That's a G.O.A.T if I've ever seen one.

Sarcasm, btw....

Originally Posted by topscribe

I just heard the beginning of an interview with Jerome Bettis on "American
Athlete." The interviewer began, "Jerome, you are one of the greatest running
backs of all time . . . "

Bettis? G.O.A.T.? He did a good job for the Steelers, but G.O.A.T.?

What do you think?

-----

A very good back, but not one of the greatest back of all time.

Originally Posted by tnedator

A very good back, but not one of the greatest back of all time.

I believe he is ranked fifth on the all time rushing list. I mean he is in the top five, does that not by default make him one of greatest backs of all time? I am not trying to be argumentative, but he was one of the most dominating backs ever. He was going up the gut and you where not going to stop him. I mean he was damn near impossible to stop on short yardage situations. He literally was the ultimate back for the playaction pass because you could hand him the ball so much that you had to respect the run first and foremost. He may not be the flashiest running backs ever, but I think if you are a top five or top ten back you are one of the all time greats, and I do not think that you can really name five better backs. Jim Brown (in my opinion the best ever, certainly many other backs have claim to that title) Walter Payton (spelling?), Barry Sanders, Emmit Smith and then in my opinion Bettis. I know guys like Dickerson and Marshall Faulk could very well be in that list, but the man got a lot of yards, and is in the top five of all time yards, can you really have that many yards and not be one of the all time greats?

Originally Posted by King87

I believe he is ranked fifth on the all time rushing list. I mean he is in the top five, does that not by default make him one of greatest backs of all time? I am not trying to be argumentative, but he was one of the most dominating backs ever. He was going up the gut and you where not going to stop him. I mean he was damn near impossible to stop on short yardage situations. He literally was the ultimate back for the playaction pass because you could hand him the ball so much that you had to respect the run first and foremost. He may not be the flashiest running backs ever, but I think if you are a top five or top ten back you are one of the all time greats, and I do not think that you can really name five better backs. Jim Brown (in my opinion the best ever, certainly many other backs have claim to that title) Walter Payton (spelling?), Barry Sanders, Emmit Smith and then in my opinion Bettis. I know guys like Dickerson and Marshall Faulk could very well be in that list, but the man got a lot of yards, and is in the top five of all time yards, can you really have that many yards and not be one of the all time greats?

All you need is longevity:

Put it this way: If Jim Brown is someday out of the 10 in rushing yards, would you still consider him the best ever?

Point being, just because Bettis is up there on the list doesn't mean he's better than some of the players below him.

To be considered a G.O.A.T, imo, you at least have to be considered the best back in the league at some point in your career....I don't think he's ever been the best at any point in his career.

Case in point: Curtis Martin....

Originally Posted by topscribe

I just heard the beginning of an interview with Jerome Bettis on "American
Athlete." The interviewer began, "Jerome, you are one of the greatest running
backs of all time . . . "

Bettis? G.O.A.T.? He did a good job for the Steelers, but G.O.A.T.?

What do you think?

-----

I think Jerome was a heck of a back. GOAT. No. Top 5, maybe.

From what I've seen of Jim Brown, I'd say he was.

Barry Sanders and Sweetness deserve to be in the discussion.

Originally Posted by Slick7

I think Jerome was a heck of a back. GOAT. No. Top 5, maybe.

From what I've seen of Jim Brown, I'd say he was.

Barry Sanders and Sweetness deserve to be in the discussion.

In no particular order . . .

Jim Brown
Gayle Sayers
Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
O.J. Simpson (unfortunately)
Emmit Smith
Terrell Davis
Floyd Little
LaDanian Tomlinson
Earl Campbell
Larry Csonka
Tony Dorsett
Marcus Allen
Eric Di¢kerson
John Riggins

. . . to name a few.

No, I don't think Bettis is number 5.

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Originally Posted by topscribe

In no particular order . . .

Jim Brown
Gayle Sayers
Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
O.J. Simpson (unfortunately)
Emmit Smith
Terrell Davis
Floyd Little
LaDanian Tomlinson
Earl Campbell
Larry Csonka
Tony Dorsett
Marcus Allen
Eric Di¢kerson
John Riggins

. . . to name a few.

No, I don't think Bettis is number 5.

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I said maybe Top.

Laughed my butt off at your OJ disclaimer.

Earl Campbell was an absolute stud.

Your list really puts it in perspective.

Originally Posted by Link

All you need is longevity:

Put it this way: If Jim Brown is someday out of the 10 in rushing yards, would you still consider him the best ever?

Point being, just because Bettis is up there on the list doesn't mean he's better than some of the players below him.

To be considered a G.O.A.T, imo, you at least have to be considered the best back in the league at some point in your career....I don't think he's ever been the best at any point in his career.

Case in point: Curtis Martin....

I say this respectfully, if I come across as being abrasive or a jerk I apologize, I am more of a smack talk type of guy.

Could it be that we are disrespecting longevity then? I mean being RB for that long takes something more then just working out a lot or being "tough", I think it takes heart. And a lot of heart too. And maybe at one point in time Bettis was the best back in football, he certainly the one Steeler that you HAD to stop, and most teams could not. It says a lot to me when you are a one dimensional back (unless you count blocking, some do and some do not) and you can not be stopped. The Steelers lined up Jerome Bettis and you knew what they where going to do, and most of the time you couldn't do anything about it. When you stack the box and you penetrate the line of scrimmage and the RB still picks up 4 yards that is domination in my eyes. And Bettis was a great back to win with, not a great back to have in my opinion. Reggie Bush is highly talented player, but do you think that you could really win a SB with him as your featured back? Bettis is the perfect back for any team that wants to grind out a game and milk the clock for what it is worth. And that is a good way to win Sb games. I know that I may be a younger football fan and that I have not seen as many great backs as a lot of you have, but I think he is a top five back. I could very well be wrong, but I think there is a strong case to be made for Bettis.

Originally Posted by topscribe

In no particular order . . .

Jim Brown
Gayle Sayers
Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
O.J. Simpson (unfortunately)
Emmit Smith
Terrell Davis
Floyd Little
LaDanian Tomlinson
Earl Campbell
Larry Csonka
Tony Dorsett
Marcus Allen
Eric Di¢kerson
John Riggins

. . . to name a few.

No, I don't think Bettis is number 5.

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Csonka? Csonka was a FB was he not, and Csonka was a worse version of Jerome Bettis.

Gale Sayers is all potential. When you actually look up what he did the legend of Gale Sayers kind of just dies.

Terrel Davis? I hate to call anyone a homer, but come on. It takes more then THREE great years to be better then Jerome Bettis. Was he a great talent, sure but that is a huge stretch.

Originally Posted by King87

Csonka? Csonka was a FB was he not, and Csonka was a worse version of Jerome Bettis.

Gale Sayers is all potential. When you actually look up what he did the legend of Gale Sayers kind of just dies.

Terrel Davis? I hate to call anyone a homer, but come on. It takes more then THREE great years to be better then Jerome Bettis. Was he a great talent, sure but that is a huge stretch.

So you remember Csonka and Sayers, do you? Or do you? I have seen every
major running back since Jim Taylor and Jim Brown. Have you?

And yes, I would take Terrell Davis in his prime before Bettis in a heartbeat.
And it would not be a good idea to call me a homer. Unless you can say that
alllllllllllllllllllll of the running backs I listed were Broncos.



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Originally Posted by topscribe

So you remember Csonka and Sayers, do you? Or do you? I have seen every
major running back since Jim Taylor and Jim Brown. Have you?

And yes, I would take Terrell Davis in his prime before Bettis in a heartbeat.
And it would not be a good idea to call me a homer. Unless you can say that
alllllllllllllllllllll of the running backs I listed were Broncos.



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Terrell Davis had three great years. The hall of fame inducts players for a hall of fame career. Three great years does not make you one of the best running backs of all time. Comparing Terrell Davis to Jerome Bettis is an insult to Jerome Bettis. That would be like me comparing Carson Palmer to John Elway.

You also had Floyd Little above Jerome Bettis? Little has how many less yards then Jerome Bettis? Jerome Bettis had great longevity, Floyd little had......oh he was a Bronco, thats right. If you combine the yardage of Davis and Little then you equal Jerome Bettis.

Originally Posted by King87

Terrell Davis had three great years. The hall of fame inducts players for a hall of fame career. Three great years does not make you one of the best running backs of all time. Comparing Terrell Davis to Jerome Bettis is an insult to Jerome Bettis. That would be like me comparing Carson Palmer to John Elway.

You also had Floyd Little above Jerome Bettis? Little has how many less yards then Jerome Bettis? Jerome Bettis had great longevity, Floyd little had......oh he was a Bronco, thats right. If you combine the yardage of Davis and Little then you equal Jerome Bettis.

Gayle Sayers says you don't know what you are talking about.

TD was head and shoulders above Bettis. Ask any knowledgable fan (that eliminates Chiefs/Raider fans ) who they would take in their prime and I bet 90% would take Davis. No, comparing Bettis to Davis is an insult to Davis. He was that good.

Bettis was a good back. But his yardage is so high because of the length of his career.

Bettis 13 seasons 3479 att / 13662 yds / 3.9avg / 91 td - 200 rec. 1449 yds 3tds

Davis 8 seasons 1655 att / 7607 yds / 4.6 avg / 60 td - 169 rec 1280 yds 5 tds 4 seasons hurt

In roughly 5 total season, Davis halved Bettis' numbers in yards and almost caught him in tds.