RIP Jim Brown

[The Big Ragu]

He's one of a handful of "before my time" players that I wish I could have seen play live. He was so much better than anyone else for his day in that Babe Ruth kind of way.

 

[HanSenSE]

Might have been a better lacrosse player than running back. The amazing thing is most of us never saw him play -- he retired after the 1965 season -- but heard so many anecdotes or saw the NFL highlights that it seemed like we knew he was better than anyone before or since.

Campbell? Peyton? Sanders? Hard to compare those guys against a legend who retired after nine seasons and 118 games.

Actor, activist and analyst but also an abuser and violent man who denigrated women.

A complicated man, as Isaac Hayes would put it.

Hank Greenwald had a great description of Brown's final day as a Syracuse athlete in his book. Brown was talked into participating in a dual track meet that day, and even though he hadn't practiced all year and, IIRC, won a couple of field events and was second in another. Later that day, in the same stadium, he led Syracuse to a win in the last lacrosse match of the season.

Can you imagine a Browns backfield of Brown and Ernie Davis had the latter not contracted leukemia?

 

[Slacker]

Man, that was FOOTBALL!

 

[wicked]

Imagine if Jim Brown had Nike's promotion machine behind him, like Bo did?

 

[Vombatus]

All-American in lacrosse too.

 

[Regan MacNeil]

 

[swingline]

Imagine if Jim Brown had Nike's promotion machine behind him, like Bo did?

Now where's that Tour de France thing?

 

[Starman]

Brown also averaged 13 ppg in two seasons for SU basketball, which was fairly decent for the mid-50s.

 

[jr/shotglass]

All-American in lacrosse too.

There have been arguments made that he might have been the greatest college lacrosse player ever.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Now where's that Tour de France thing?

“It ain’t over ‘til the hip socket sings.”

 

[goalmouth]

OMG Jim Brown bad OMG

 

[Jesus_Muscatel]

Best football player of all time. Payton, Rice and Lawrence Taylor are his peer group up at the very top of the mountain. PS: Not that quarterbacks aren't football players, but they're in a different game than the ones who deal and get dealt pain on every play.

Yes, Michael, he is the greatest player of all time. Could have played in ANY era. (Well, you know what I mean ...)

No one could run the sweep quite like Jim Brown.

 

[Slacker]

No one could run the sweep quite like Jim Brown.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

When you had pulling offensive linemen that you almost outweighed and almost could keep up with you, you can run the sweep with impunity.

Today's OLs are as athletic as ever but would never be able to support a blocking scheme as oriented such.

 

[Slacker]

That's too bad, though. The power sweep was beautiful to behold.

 

[CD Boogie]

What’s funny or perhaps not is that when OJ was charged with murder Brown said something to the effect that he always knew there was something off and disingenuous about OJ. In hindsight, Brown more accurately exhibited the behavior of a violent killer than OJ ever did. I dont know why he got a pass in regards to public opinion; maybe because he spent decades no longer trying to carve out a niche in the entertainment world, wasnt banging a buck that ran counter to anyone, and did genuinely lend valuable guidance and advice to wayward athletes. He was a son of a ***** for sure, but he seemed to know it and try in his own way to make up for it or to at least make a positive contribution. Alwaya fascinating when some people contribute their talents most effectively to people somewhat removed from them. And maybe because they don’t need or expect anything in return, as opposed to a wife or girlfriend.

btw, OJ didn’t kill Nicole and Ron; it was his son, Jason. He called OJ after and that’s why his footprints were at the scene. And the Bronco chase? It was because OJ was grappling with the fact he was gonna be charged and the only way out of it was to dime his son. Not joking. Google Jason Simpson.

The OJ Simpson Saga Began 20 Years Age Today - Here's Why His Son Should Be A Suspect

Nordberg was framed.

 

[Slacker]

Interesting stuff.

Why would O.J. take the rap for a son who was psychotic and went off the rails? Not worth protecting at that point.

Not dismissing that theory, but it would be a bad decision by a father. Then again, O.J. did beat the rap that time.

 

[wicked]

An innocent guy doesn’t write a book detailing how he’d kill two people if he didn’t kill two people.

 

[CD Boogie]

Interesting stuff.

Why would O.J. take the rap for a son who was psychotic and went off the rails? Not worth protecting at that point.

Not dismissing that theory, but it would be a bad decision by a father. Then again, O.J. did beat the rap that time.

He was an accomplice after the fact and he probably figured he’d be able to raise reasonable doubt bc so much evidence pointed to someone else. OJ didnt have the knife or the knife skills to kill Ron Goldman. But his had both.

 

[Starman]

When you had pulling offensive linemen that you almost outweighed and almost could keep up with you, you can run the sweep with impunity.

Today's OLs are as athletic as ever but would never be able to support a blocking scheme as oriented such.

Yeah, and the edge rushers (DE/LBs) are too fast and can run you down from behind.