Sammy Baugh - RIP

You seem surprised. After all he did live to the ripe age of 94. That is a pretty good run in my mind.

 

With respect, Angola, Sammy Baugh isn't just a run-of-the-mill old-time football player. All of that said, one of our own news copy editors didn't know who he was either.

It can be argued he's the greatest football player of all-time, certainly one of the most revolutionary as far as the passing game is concerned.

Plus, he was hilarious in a totally cantankerous way in some NFL Films' shows.

RIP.

 

With apologies to Jim Thorpe or Red Grange, Baugh might've been the NFL's first true superstar.

 

Huge news in my neck, too. I'm off tonight, though. I'm not sure what's being done, though I'd imagine it's a new front.

 

Well, I just read his obit and he sounded like a hell of a dude.

In my defense:

A. I've only lived in Texas 2 years
B. I only started watching the NFL and caring about it 3 years ago

 

I recall that a prominent sj member had never heard of Glen Davis ( Army HB)

 

Not surprised at his age, Boom. Just because he's a giant among giants in football.

 

To further 'gola's defense, he's also in a part of Texas where HAH SKEUL FOOTBAWL has always been bigger than college or pro. There really isn't much of a developed sensibility about SWC or NFL history in 'gola's neck of the woods, even among football fanatics.

 

FWIW, my father, who's in his 90s, grew up in DC and has maintained my whole life long that Baugh was the greatest NFL quarterback who ever lived.
It'll be awhile before another player leads the league in passing, passes he intercepted, and punting all in the same season.

 

This line in his obit fascinated me the most:

He still owns the league mark for single-season punting average (51.4).

 

RIP Sammy. One of the NFL's giants (no capital "G", either).

And too few people mention him when compiling lists of the all-time greats - at QB or overall. Never mind that he would have been a good safety and was also an all-pro punter.

 

Just a little sense of history in the chosen field. All's I'm sayin'. Not trying to bust your balls, ’Gola. Just a little amazed. Of course, I've been obsessed with the NFL since I was 7. Back to the man at hand, every "offensive genius" in the last few decades owes a debt of gratitude to players like Sammy Baugh.