R.I.P. John Brockington

[Joemailman]

Passed away at the age or 74.

Man, he and MacArthur Lane were incredible in 1972, combining for over 1800 yards rushing. Brockington was the first running back in NFL history to rush for over 1000 yards in his first 3 seasons.

[beveaux1]

Great RB. That year with Lane and Brockington was one of the few winning seasons during 25 years with few highlights.

[George Cumby]

My first memory of the Packers is my parents talking about Brockington and how good he was.

[Fritz]

He was Earl Campbell before Earl Campbell.

What a great year. What a great tandem, those two. I was a big Packer fan by '72, and that year was fun to watch. Especially important that they ran the ball so damn well because Scott Hunter was a horrible quarterback. Horrible.

And I loved the surprise plays when McArthur Lane threw the ball. I looked it up; he went 2 - 2 as did Ron Widby, the punter, who threw for 102 yards on those two completions. I wish LeFleur would bust out trick plays once in a while. The one he tried on a punt last year was a stupidly executed play.

But Brockington was just so much fun to watch. He just ran people over. And before he got injured, he was nearly unstoppable. Had he played in this era, that injury wouldn't necessarily have derailed his career, and he might just be in the hall of fame.

[Rastak]

When I think of the Packers I still see Lane and Brockington. I liked watching him and was really sad to see he passed.

[George Cumby]

When I think of the Packers I still see Lane and Brockington. I liked watching him and was really sad to see he passed.

Classy, as always, Ras.

[Rastak]

Classy, as always, Ras.


Thanks George, back then I was about 10 years old and didn't realize the team rivalries existed. Most of my favorite players were Vikings but I loved John Brockington, him and guys like Otis Taylor and even Dick Butkus.

[George Cumby]

Thanks George, back then I was about 10 years old and didn't realize the team rivalries existed. Most of my favorite players were Vikings but I loved John Brockington, him and guys like Otis Taylor and even Dick Butkus.

You're a few years ahead of me. The first player to REALLY grab my attentions was Earl Campbell. Man, he was awe-inspiring in his prime.

[Joemailman]

I still remember the first game of the 1972 season. Brockington and Lane combined for over 200 yards total offense and Chester Marcol kicked 4 field goals as the Packers best the Browns 26-10. That was as good as Packer football got in the 1970's.

[QBME]

I still remember the first game of the 1972 season. Brockington and Lane combined for over 200 yards total offense and Chester Marcol kicked 4 field goals as the Packers best the Browns 26-10. That was as good as Packer football got in the 1970's.

Amen

[ThunderDan]

Thanks George, back then I was about 10 years old and didn't realize the team rivalries existed. Most of my favorite players were Vikings but I loved John Brockington, him and guys like Otis Taylor and even Dick Butkus.

I wore a Chuck Foreman and Earl Campbell jerseys as a little kid. I love those guys even though the Pack was my team. Got the Campbell jersey at the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton. My sister got a Jim Zorn jersey.

[ThunderDan]

I still remember the first game of the 1972 season. Brockington and Lane combined for over 200 yards total offense and Chester Marcol kicked 4 field goals as the Packers best the Browns 26-10. That was as good as Packer football got in the 1970's.

My favorite was the Bears game with the blocked FG that Chester picked up and ran for the TD.

[Rastak]

My favorite was the Bears game with the blocked FG that Chester picked up and ran for the TD.


That sounds like a fun game. I recall listening to a Vikings-Lions game in the 70's because it was blacked out on TV and the Vikings won at the end of the game when they blocked an Errol Mann XP.

[George Cumby]

Had to find some highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jbjGryycjA

[Rastak]

Had to find some highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jbjGryycjA


I had forgotten how imposing that guy was.

[MadtownPacker]

Before my time but may he RIP. Obviously one of the greats.

[Fritz]

Not a speedster though, was he? Big, rambling guy. Or maybe the film was just kinda slow in those days.

[run pMc]

Big dude, even by today's standards. I think he went 225 or 230? Almost AJ Dillon sized, but not as fast. More physical than AJ.
Good player, good person. Packer HOFer.

[KYPack]

been meaning to post in this thread for a few days.

Brock was a tremendous fullback in the old sense. Brockington was as fast as Dillon, if not faster. He didn't have a lot of shake, but as powerful as Earl Campbell. He also provided on of the hairiest, scariest moments I've ever experienced at a Packer game. The Packers were playing The Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau in early October of 1971. Brockington was a rookie, but had already impressed the crowd with his quickness and awesome power. Down by our goal Brockington tore thru the line, broke a tackle and motored right at the safety. The Bengal player showed a lot of heart, but little sense and went right at John B. Brockington had a powerful running motion and the two players collided about the 15 yard line. The noise could be heard all over the north end of Lambeau. It was a crack like I've never heard again, & I hope to hell I never hear again. The Bengal was a young kid named Ken Dyer. He never moved and they used a of of care to get him off the field. Most of us thought he was dead. Dyer sustained a career ending neck injury and was a quadriplegic for a couple years, but eventually rehabbed himself to walk and talk.

In the off season the Pack traded Donny Anderson to the Cardinals and got MacArthur Lane. Those two formed the most badass running tandem I've ever seen. Jump on YouTube and check those boys. Football like you've never seen

[Fritz]

I also think MacArthur Lane is a bit underappreciated by Packer fans. I liked him better than Donny Anderson, for sure.

[George Cumby]

been meaning to post in this thread for a few days.

Brock was a tremendous fullback in the old sense. Brockington was as fast as Dillon, if not faster. He didn't have a lot of shake, but as powerful as Earl Campbell. He also provided on of the hairiest, scariest moments I've ever experienced at a Packer game. The Packers were playing The Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau in early October of 1971. Brockington was a rookie, but had already impressed the crowd with his quickness and awesome power. Down by our goal Brockington tore thru the line, broke a tackle and motored right at the safety. The Bengal player showed a lot of heart, but little sense and went right at John B. Brockington had a powerful running motion and the two players collided about the 15 yard line. The noise could be heard all over the north end of Lambeau. It was a crack like I've never heard again, & I hope to hell I never hear again. The Bengal was a young kid named Ken Dyer. He never moved and they used a of of care to get him off the field. Most of us thought he was dead. Dyer sustained a career ending neck injury and was a quadriplegic for a couple years, but eventually rehabbed himself to walk and talk.

In the off season the Pack traded Donny Anderson to the Cardinals and got MacArthur Lane. Those two formed the most badass running tandem I've ever seen. Jump on YouTube and check those boys. Football like you've never seen

That sounds horrifying.

[RashanGary]

been meaning to post in this thread for a few days.

Brock was a tremendous fullback in the old sense. Brockington was as fast as Dillon, if not faster. He didn't have a lot of shake, but as powerful as Earl Campbell. He also provided on of the hairiest, scariest moments I've ever experienced at a Packer game. The Packers were playing The Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau in early October of 1971. Brockington was a rookie, but had already impressed the crowd with his quickness and awesome power. Down by our goal Brockington tore thru the line, broke a tackle and motored right at the safety. The Bengal player showed a lot of heart, but little sense and went right at John B. Brockington had a powerful running motion and the two players collided about the 15 yard line. The noise could be heard all over the north end of Lambeau. It was a crack like I've never heard again, & I hope to hell I never hear again. The Bengal was a young kid named Ken Dyer. He never moved and they used a of of care to get him off the field. Most of us thought he was dead. Dyer sustained a career ending neck injury and was a quadriplegic for a couple years, but eventually rehabbed himself to walk and talk.

In the off season the Pack traded Donny Anderson to the Cardinals and got MacArthur Lane. Those two formed the most badass running tandem I've ever seen. Jump on YouTube and check those boys. Football like you've never seen

Damn, ky, awful but compelling story. It’s not all that dissimilar to Nick Collins taking on the 250lb RB from Atlanta. Glad Collins never had to be crippled from that hit. But he was reckless with his body too. Great career cut short there.

[Fritz]

Brockington was a galloper, as I recall - and a big man. You've got to remember, he's about AJ Dillon size, but in those days, the rest of the players were much smaller than the players today. So Brockington was far bigger than lots of the guys trying to tackle him, even probably some of the linebackers and possibly even a couple defensive linemen.

And he was not afraid to hit someone head-on.

I still think if he hadn't have injured his knee, I think it was, he'd be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The game has changed, too. Funny to realize that backs, I don't think, caught as many passes as they do today. I think that changed with the advent of the west coast offense.

[Rastak]

Brockington was a galloper, as I recall - and a big man. You've got to remember, he's about AJ Dillon size, but in those days, the rest of the players were much smaller than the players today. So Brockington was far bigger than lots of the guys trying to tackle him, even probably some of the linebackers and possibly even a couple defensive linemen.

And he was not afraid to hit someone head-on.

I still think if he hadn't have injured his knee, I think it was, he'd be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The game has changed, too. Funny to realize that backs, I don't think, caught as many passes as they do today. I think that changed with the advent of the west coast offense.

Jerry Burns of the Vikings pretty much invented that. Back to Brockington, man that guy was a powerful runner. Seems like he burned out quick too.

[Fritz]

I did not know that about Jerry Burns, but now that I think about it, my foggy memory does seem to recall a couple of Minnesota scat backs who could catch the football well.

Brockington probably would've burned out quick, like Earl Campbell, but as I recall he suffered a serious knee injury, and you remember, Ras, back in those days, that was the end of a guy's career. If he did come back, he was inevitably a shell of his former self.

[Joemailman]

Jerry Burns of the Vikings pretty much invented that. Back to Brockington, man that guy was a powerful runner. Seems like he burned out quick too.

As an offensive coordinator, right? Because the first running back I remember catching a lot of passes was Chuck Foreman when Bud Grant was HC and Jerry Burns was OC.

[Rastak]

As an offensive coordinator, right? Because the first running back I remember catching a lot of passes was Chuck Foreman when Bud Grant was HC and Jerry Burns was OC.

Yea, mid 70's with Burnsie as OC.

[Fritz]

As an offensive coordinator, right? Because the first running back I remember catching a lot of passes was Chuck Foreman when Bud Grant was HC and Jerry Burns was OC.

And ol' Chuck could pound that rock, too. If I am recalling correctly, did he not wear thick-framed glasses when he played?

The guy was a player.

[RashanGary]

I feel like an old timer talking football with my 20yo son. It’s nice to hear from some og old timers about the 70’s and earlier.

[Joemailman]

Still remember this one game vs Vikings at the Met during Brockington's rookie year of 1971. Packers were big underdogs, but dominated the game only to lose 3-0. Brockington had 149 yards rushing and Donny Anderson 68 as the Packers moved the ball all day. Packers had 300+ yards and the Vikings less than 100. But the Packers would mess up every time they got in Vikings territory. Asked about the stats after the game, Bud Grant said "Stats are for losers." The QB stats for the game show how different the game was in the 1970's. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111140min.htm

[Rastak]

Still remember this one game vs Vikings at the Met during Brockington's rookie year of 1971. Packers were big underdogs, but dominated the game only to lose 3-0. Brockington had 149 yards rushing and Donny Anderson 68 as the Packers moved the ball all day. Packers had 300+ yards and the Vikings less than 100. But the Packers would mess up every time they got in Vikings territory. Asked about the stats after the game, Bud Grant said "Stats are for losers." The QB stats for the game show how different the game was in the 1970's. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111140min.htm


Good ole Gary Cuozzo.

[Fritz]

Still remember this one game vs Vikings at the Met during Brockington's rookie year of 1971. Packers were big underdogs, but dominated the game only to lose 3-0. Brockington had 149 yards rushing and Donny Anderson 68 as the Packers moved the ball all day. Packers had 300+ yards and the Vikings less than 100. But the Packers would mess up every time they got in Vikings territory. Asked about the stats after the game, Bud Grant said "Stats are for losers." The QB stats for the game show how different the game was in the 1970's. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111140min.htm


I was Patlerized years ago, and rightly so, when I made some off-the-cuff comments about how much more conservative football was in the late fifteis and sixties. Patler showed me that the game actually didn't move into the extreme conservatism I remember until the late sixties or early seventies - about the time you mention. Not that it was wide-open, but it got really conservative in the seventies, with the advent of the running back as the be-all and end-all of the offense.

Scott Hunter wouldn't even make it as a third-stringer in today's game.

[Rastak]

I was Patlerized years ago, and rightly so, when I made some off-the-cuff comments about how much more conservative football was in the late fifteis and sixties. Patler showed me that the game actually didn't move into the extreme conservatism I remember until the late sixties or early seventies - about the time you mention. Not that it was wide-open, but it got really conservative in the seventies, with the advent of the running back as the be-all and end-all of the offense.

Scott Hunter wouldn't even make it as a third-stringer in today's game.


Thing is though those defensive battles were great.

[Fritz]

Oh, I loved those games, and growing up in that era colored my perception of the game, even up until today. I still yell "Run the damn ball!" at the TV all the time when the Packers are playing. And I get irked when the Packer defense acts like melting butter all the time, even though I know defense is not the calling card it once was, not for anybody. Last time a team had a really, really dominant defense that I remember, and used it to win it all, was back when the Ravens won their Superb Owl.