ALL TIME ATHLETIC FREAKS OF NATURE IN THE NFL

[Bretsky]

Thought it would be cool to hear a list of some of the All Time Great Athlets in the NFL. I don't want to completely limit this to the NFL but it prolly should be the focus. In another thread I've listed Urlacher as probably the most all around best athlete able to play multiiple positions in the NFL.

Because I'm youthful (at least in my own eyes) I never got to see some of the all time Freakish greats play.

Thought it'd be great to learn about some and if anybody wants to nominate one as the top dog, feel free.

[Bretsky]

MY FIRST: BO JACKSON

For a guy who never lifted weights, this guy's physique and ability was outrageous. If not for the injury suffered to Jackson, he very well might have been one of the greatest RB's of all time. And I think he might have had the ability to be one of the top baseball players as well.

A frickin brick who seemed to be able to excel at about everything.

He played FB for the Raiders and Pro Baseball for the Royals.

He's my first freak

[Bretsky]

FREAK #2


Jackie Robinson; we know him as a baseball player, but in listening to ESPN baseball may have been his worst sport between football, basketball, and baseball. Here is an interesting blurp about him.

Robinson's honors at UCLA were impressive: for two years, he was the highest scorer in basketball competition in the Pacific Coast Conference, national champion long jumper, All-American football halfback and varsity baseball shortstop. He was a star player of football (under coach Edwin C. "Babe" Horrell), basketball, track and baseball; the first athlete in UCLA history to letter in four different sports, though initially he stated to reporters and coaches alike his refusal to strive to be a four-star athlete, and to pursue only his studies, football and the broad jump (as there was too much strain to engage in four sports

[PackerTimer]

Totally agree with Bo Jackson. I'm going to add"

Lawerence Taylor.

Taylor was an animal.

[GBRulz]

I remember having those "Bo Knows" posters in my room. I LOVED him!!

[Sparkey]

Thought it would be cool to hear a list of some of the All Time Great Athlets in the NFL. I don't want to completely limit this to the NFL but it prolly should be the focus. In another thread I've listed Urlacher as probably the most all around best athlete able to play multiiple positions in the NFL.

Because I'm youthful (at least in my own eyes) I never got to see some of the all time Freakish greats play.

Thought it'd be great to learn about some and if anybody wants to nominate one as the top dog, feel free.

Talking athletes, Deion Sanders and Barry Sanders have to be on the list. No one could legitimately argue that either player was not a phenominal athlete. I have never seen a player that could stop on a dime then goto full accelleration as quickly as Barry could. Deion.....just an awesome overall athlete.

[GoPack06]

alonzo Spellman for the bears was a freak of size and athletic ability. He was just nuts. real nuts. like running around naked with nifes and stuff nuts.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Don Hutson

[Partial]

Vernon Davis

Mario Williams

[]{ilr]3]

Watching Barry Sanders still amazes me!

[Bretsky]

Jim Thorpe

I've never seen him play but I've always wondered how great the guy actually was. Terrell Buckley wanted to be a Thorpe in GB but just never lived up to that billing

[motife]

It's hard to beat Deion Sanders. He made everybody else look slow.

Javon Kearse, the original "freak".

Reggie White anyone? He was unblockable and could take over a game.

I think Randy Moss and Terrell Owens, if they weren't nuts, could dominate any game.

Brian Urlacher ran Ahman Green down from behind once. I agree with Bo Jackson and Lawrence Taylor.

Jim Brown was a man among boys.

Ed "Too Tall" Jones, a 6'9" Defensive End.

There used to be a tight end for the Kansas City Cheifs, Morris Stroud? who was 6'9" and would be posted at the goal post to jump and block field goals.

I think Doug "the tree" Atkins, DE Bears, was also 6'9".

Indomitable players :

Dick Butkus
Earl Campbell
Walter Payton
Gayle Sayers
Bob Brown, OT Rams/Raiders
Ted Hendricks
Ray Lewis
Tony Boselli, the OT for the Jags. He could ragdoll Bruce Smith. May be the greatest OT who ever played.
Alan Page, in his prime was a beast

Lavar Arrington is another guy, barrng injury and craziness, was just unstoppable.

Keith Jackson was one of a kind.

Bubba Smith, for his time, was a freak in size, athleticism.

Mean Joe Greene was the greatest Defensive Tackle I ever saw.

[b bulldog]

Eric Swann

[HarveyWallbangers]

Mean Joe Greene was the greatest Defensive Tackle I ever saw.

I thought I read somewhere that Mean Joe wasn't that big. He seemed larger than life.

[oregonpackfan]

DT Alex Karras of the Detroit Lions.

The guy was squat, with short arms. Karras was barrel-chested and had a poor physique.

He was also very near-sighted and played with horn-rimmed glasses. Despite his physical limitations, he was one tough and effective defensive lineman.

OPF

[oregonpackfan]

Linebacker Ted Hendricks was also a freakish athlete.

Called "The Stork" because he was a lean 6'7" , he hardly fit the physical profile of the linebacker.

The guy was tough, surpisingly quick and strong. He was one of those mobile linebackers who was all over the field.

OPF

[Badgerinmaine]

There are some great choices above.

How about Tony Gonzalez of the Chiefs? He's both one of the great pass-catching tight ends of all time and was a good enough athlete to play on a very good Cal basketball team in college.

[Dune]

I remember him from many years ago and I believe he was 7' 250 lbs.
I beleive he played with KC.

[Fritz]

Babe Didrickson.

[Fritz]

I also heard that Chris Hovan has a tail sticking out of the top of his butt. That's pretty freaky.

[K-town]

I also heard that Chris Hovan has a tail sticking out of the top of his butt. That's pretty freaky.

No, I believe that's his HEAD sticking out of the top of his butt. As in ASS-HAT.

[pbmax]

I once read that Mean Joe Green was 5' 11". Different era, but that was probably shorter than average in 1974 as well.

As for my list:

Fred Dean, Charles Haley and Sean Jones. All too tall and thin to last as long as they did at DE. Haley especially, was impossibly effective until injuries sidelined him.

Too Tall Jones might have been the third best lineman on that Dallas team, after Randy White and Harvey Martin.

[KYPack]

I once read that Mean Joe Green was 5' 11". Different era, but that was probably shorter than average in 1974 as well.

As for my list:

Fred Dean, Charles Haley and Sean Jones. All too tall and thin to last as long as they did at DE. Haley especially, was impossibly effective until injuries sidelined him.

Too Tall Jones might have been the third best lineman on that Dallas team, after Randy White and Harvey Martin.

I keep hearing this same thing from people about Joe Greene. For some freakin reason, people say he was a little guy.

Joe Greene was 6' 4" 275. That was in an era where a 275 pounder was a big guy. He was a "Reggie White type" guy, infinitely strong and cat quick for a big guy.

There was something else about Joe. He was a nice guy, but....

if you played it straight, he played it straight.

if you tried any crap, he would then KILL you.

13 years in the NFL at DT, HOF in '87.

Some other freaks..

Bob St Clair OT 6' 9" 275 A hall of famer and huge for his era. Ate raw steaks and acted crazy, mainly to get publicity. A great OT and super strong, also.

Someone mentioned Doug Atkins. Watch the old Packer films against the Bears. Watch the Bears RDE. He is a scary guy. Atkins once hurdled Bob Skoronski. He was 6'8". He was listed at 275, but most people feel he was about 300 - 310. All muscle, a totally crazy guy who was feared by all OT's. Atkins loved to call the other teams hotel, get hold of his opponent and tell him he (Atkins) was gonna kick his ass, then get on the field and do just that. Played 17 years in the league, many felt he was still the best DE in the league in his last season.

Bronko Nagurski. He was huge by the standards of his day 6' 2" 230, but that's average, today. But any mention of freaks has to include Bronko for his bone rattling hits and basic strength. He broke many bones and there are apochrophal stories of hideous shots he gave people. Many observers have labeled him the strongest player and hardest hitter of all time.

Bob Hayes I've never seen anybody as fast as Bob, until Deon came along. Bob was so fast, he changed the game. No team could cover this Olympic gold medal sprinter man to man (except the Pack, but that's another tale). Bob was a freak when it came to speed, but he was primarily a football player, so he knew how to turn it on and off.

[motife]

Ok, if you're going to add Bob St. Clair, I'm going to add Forrest Blue.

Forrest Blue was, again at the time, a giant playing center for the SF 49ers. 6'5". John Brodie looked like a vetrinarian standing behind a horse when he was under center.