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Edgerrin James: Hall of Famer?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Dick Whitman, Aug 24, 2011.

Page 4 of 15
  1. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    I would vote yes on James, because he was so complete -- as mentioned, a good blocker, runner and receiver.

    There is probably no other position in sports where longevity should be rewarded more than a RB in football. Those guys take such a pounding. It's why I think Martin should be a first-ballot guy and James should get there eventually. To play at the level he did after that knee injury (although it was below his previous greatness) is pretty impressive.

    And, when I went down there to do a piece on Mike Vanderjagt/Peyton Manning after the explosion between the two, Manning, James and Chad Bratzke were terrific to an unkown out-of-town reporter while Vanderjagt was a superdick.
     
    Elliotte Friedman, Aug 24, 2011
    #37
  2. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    The "idiot kicker" was a dick? What a shock...

    There's a reason why so many of these guys are washed up by the time they're 30. They take a serious beating.
     
    Mizzougrad96, Aug 24, 2011
    #38
  3. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    Mizzou,

    The worst thing about is was I had a good relationship with Vanderjagt and called him the day before to make sure he'd do it. (He said yes.) Colts media relations was equally as bad, but those three guys were great.
     
    Elliotte Friedman, Aug 24, 2011
    #39
  4. Cubbiebum

    Cubbiebum Member

    They aren't meaningless they just aren't nearly as great as they used to be. There is also a reason I included the bit about the team being crappy and the o-line terrible. If he had had an average o-line on a winning team he could very well have added 200 or more yards to those seasons.

    Do you also have all this hate for Emmitt? He was much worse in his two years.

    Lastly, you shouldn't hate Edge. He's one of the best RB's you've ever had. he and Otis Anderson are the only two backs in the Cardinals history to have multiple 1,000 yard seasons and Edge has the top two after Anderson's. You are a fan of a franchise that has had a grand total of 13 1,000 yard seasons. Hating a guy who had two of those in just three seasons makes me laugh. Then again I'm a 49ers fan and find Cardinals fans funny.
     
    Cubbiebum, Aug 24, 2011
    #40
  5. JC

    JC Well-Known Member

    I am not a Cardinal fan and I don't hate him. Not sure where you got either of those things from. I am simply stating that a 1000 yard sesaon on its own as defense of a player is horseshit. It's 62.5 yards a game.
     
    JC, Aug 24, 2011
    #41
  6. Cubbiebum

    Cubbiebum Member

    My bad. Thought you were the person I responded to in the first post. Guess that was some nighthawk dude.
     
    Cubbiebum, Aug 24, 2011
    #42
  7. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    I think his ability to catch a pass out of the backfield will be what pushes him over the bubble and into Canton.
     
    Mizzougrad96, Aug 24, 2011
    #43
  8. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    The HOF is reserved for the exceptional.
     
    bigpern23, Aug 24, 2011
    #44
  9. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    In football terms, a back who is amazing for a few years is more exceptional than a back who is pretty good for a long time.
     
    RickStain, Aug 24, 2011
    #45
  10. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    You just said 3-year peaks are the norm. Which is it?
     
    bigpern23, Aug 24, 2011
    #46
  11. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    OK... This is subjective, but...

    James had four exceptional seasons.
    Bettis had three.
    Faulk had five.
    Emmitt had seven.
    Barry Sanders had nine.
    LaDainian Tomlinson had six or seven.
    Curtis Martin had six.
    Terrell Davis had three.

    With the beating these guys take, I think it's reasonable to expect 3-5 exceptional years and another 3-5 very good years.

    Only 25 backs have rushed for 10,000 yards. That's not to say that that's the NFL equivalent of 3,000 hits, but to get on that list you have to either have had a few exceptional seasons and a few very good seasons, or be very good for 10 years like guys like Thomas Jones and Fred Taylor.
     
    Mizzougrad96, Aug 24, 2011
    #47
  12. Pancamo

    Pancamo Active Member


    Or due to the pounding and injury-shortened careers it is more HOF worthy to have a longer, steady and very productive career.
     
    Pancamo, Aug 24, 2011
    #48
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