TMQ smears Walter Payton

Walter Payton completed 11 passes in his NFL career and never threw more than 8 passes in a season. His contributions as a QB are less than minimal.

While Payton was an excellent receiver and caught more balls over his career, Brown had more receiving TDs (20 v. 15) and averaged slightly more yards per reception.

 

It was at Mickey Mantle's restaurant, he was doing a radio show and during a break I asked him to sign a copy of The National, it was the day after Richmond upset Syracuse in the NCAAs.
He gladly did it, was very nice.
The guy is an enigma, that's for sure.

 

Of course, Payton played on teams that were complete garbage most of his career. There were times when he as the best receiver on his own team as well as the best runner. Hell, he might have been the best passer given the chance.

Brown was on great teams, though he was definitely a big part of what made them great.

I agree with others who say Brown was the best runner in NFL history, but Payton was the best running back when you consider all phases of the game. Maybe I just don't like choosing between the two of them.

 

Jim Brown was one of those players that transcended his sport - the kind of player that you immediately notice is better than everyone else. Their have not been that many. This is my list:

Jim Brown
Bobby Orr
Tiger Woods
Sandy Koufax
Lawrence Taylor
Jerry Rice
Pedro Martinez ( in prime)
Michael Jordan

 

Gretzky, Crosby, Ali, Nicklaus, Bird, Maravich and Tyson could be added as well.

 

I remember the SI from back then when Brown was in a Raiders uniform and threatening to come back. At the time he said he didn't want Harris to get his record, but didn't mind if Payton got it because "Payton doesn't run out of bounds..."

 

Please, he easily could've been a DH on an American League team, such as Kansas City, until he was damn near 50. Just like Bonds could be, and just like Bonds may well be next spring (cough, Oakland, cough).

Dude could mash the ball.

 

I don't think Bo would have embraced science the way Bonds might have.

 

Obfuscation . . . the sustained threat of his being capable of throwing the halfback option aided the overall effectiveness of the offense . . .

 

That picture was on the cover of SI.

 

Bonds also has been playing the outfield for 20 years. Bo probably would've turned into a DH type about 10 years ago.

 

Bo was a freak of nature... I know some people think he used, but if that was the case, he was using all through high school and college. It's not like he was some skinny kid when he entered the league only to blow up like Barry, McGwire and Sosa did...

I remember a picture of Bo in SI during some track tournament. All of the guys he was running against were these little skinny runners and Bo was in the middle, looking about three times the size of any of them...

Best athlete I've ever seen...