OT: 25 years ago today - Barry hits 2,000
Glad TDISC brought this out today.
Barry started that game slowly, but then hit the gas and just lit the Jets on fire. And the way he hit 2,000 on the button, stayed in the game because the team needed him, and then ran for 53 more... electric.
That whole season, man. It was 1997, we all know what that was for Michigan. But every weekend it was Michigan football on Saturday, and then, what's Barry going to do on Sunday. And he did *a lot*.
There was the game at Tampa Bay (the day after Michigan beat Northwestern, Woodson had one interception) where Barry ran for 2 80 yard TDs. (two of the top ten runs in this amazing highlight vid).
The day after UM-OSU, Barry ran for 50 and for an 80 yard TD against the Colts (and Jim Harbaugh!).
There was that epic Thanksgiving game 5 days after UM-OSU where the Lions played the Bears and Barry just took over starting late in the second quarter.
14 straight 100 yard games. He was unstoppable, and you just couldn't look away.
What a great year that was.
December 21st, 2022 at 11:33 PM ^
He ran for three 80 yard runs in that game against Tampa Bay. One came back on a BS holding call so he bust another on the next play. John Lynch should never had been isolated to get embarrassed like that, but they just couldn't learn their lesson.
December 21st, 2022 at 11:43 PM ^
I don't recall noticing this at the time, but Lynch has a couple of huge misses on Barry. The 1997 miss is the most famous, but Barry absolutely torched in him 1994 at 17:24 of this clip. Stick for the replay to hear Theisman pile on.
December 21st, 2022 at 11:47 PM ^
Nice pull. Martin Mayhew (of later Lions fame) was able to make the tackle. Also I do miss the old TB Fightin' Creamsicles unis
December 22nd, 2022 at 9:02 AM ^
Thanks for posting. I forgot about Barry's eyes and how wide they got when he ran. Nice note on Martin Mayhew. I didn't know anything about his playing career, but he gets to say he tackled Barry Sanders.
December 21st, 2022 at 11:39 PM ^
People forget that Barry had 53 yards combined in the first two games that year. So he ran for exactly 2000 yards in 14 games and had as many yards on his final carry as he did his first two games
December 21st, 2022 at 11:41 PM ^
The best there ever was.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:24 AM ^
I can’t even fathom what he would have done with Emmitt Smith’s O line.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:51 AM ^
I agree. It's funny that his father often would say when interviewed that Barry wasn't as good as Jim Brown. I never saw Brown play (I'm old but not that old) but I watched Barry play damn near every game and he was amazing, he would do things that would leave you stunned. If he kept playing he'd be the all-time rushing leader, but he wasn't interested in records or adulation.
December 22nd, 2022 at 6:16 AM ^
I never saw Brown play either, except in those NFL Films clips. Evidently, he was that perfect combination of speed and power - he could run away from you or run over you, whichever you preferred. And his size (6'2", 232) would be big now, but was huge then. The great TE John Mackey said that Brown once told him, "Make sure when anyone tackles you he remembers how much it hurts."
Whereas Barry was the perfect combo of speed and elusiveness. The cuts he could make were sometimes ridiculous. People would try to tackle him, and end up with nothing but air. And if you did hit him, you couldn't square up on him, and he was strong enough to break out of it.
The only thing about Barry that used to drive me nuts was that he was always trying to break off a big run, sometimes to his own detriment. On a 3rd-and-2, he'd be dancing outside, looking for the big hole. I'd yell at the TV, "Barry, just get the two yards!"
December 22nd, 2022 at 7:45 AM ^
Jim Brown and Barry are the entire conversation when it comes to “best RB of all time”. Everyone else is fighting for a very distant 3rd place.
Chrck out the top 30 or so career rushing yard RBs all time and look at their yards per carry:
Brown 5.2
Barry 5.0
OJ 4.7
A couple of guys 4.6
Everyone else <= 4.5, with many <= 4.2
Brown and Barry both retired while still very productive, so it’s tempting to think that the other players averages were dragged down by a couple of bad swan song years. Closer scrutiny shows that’s not the case. The other RBs had few if any 5.0+ single seasons, let alone doing it for several years in a row. You could use only best 5 years and they still wouldn’t touch Brown and Barry for ypc
December 22nd, 2022 at 8:34 AM ^
As a bears fan I’d include Payton in that top three to four, as I saw him do ridiculous things as well on the field. But even then, sanders was the best I’ve seen (too young to remember seeing brown play).
Cowboys love to point to emmitt smiths record and claim he was the best, but neither sanders nor Payton had near the o line smith benefitted from. If they had, it’s crazy to think of what either of them would have been able to do.
As an aside, although aikmen was a decent qb, he also benefited from that all star o line and if not for that no one would know who he is today. Cowboys fans are delusional when they talk about how “great” smith and aikmen were while totally discounting the o line they played behind as the main reason for their success.
December 23rd, 2022 at 2:08 PM ^
Smith’s yards per carry also really fell off after their glory years in the nineties. He was still an impressive back with an impressive career but better than Barry Sanders? Give me a break.
Like everybody else, I would have loved to see Barry play behind that Dallas offensive line. Preferably still in Honolulu blue and silver.
December 22nd, 2022 at 9:11 AM ^
Another perspective worth noting:
All-time rushing leaders/game:
1. Jim Brown - 104.3
2. Barry Sanders - 99.8
3. Terrell Davis - 97.5
4. Eric Dickerson - 90.8
8. Billy Sims - 85.1
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
Wow- Billy Sims at #5!
December 21st, 2022 at 11:46 PM ^
Every carry was a freaking adventure. Never saw anyone like him before - or after. Truly, one of a kind.
December 21st, 2022 at 11:48 PM ^
went for 2000 then retired like 2 years later? humble savage.
i didnt grow up a lions fan but hes still the best ive seen, likely the best ever.
his hips and acceleration were something else. and the reserved demeanor just adds to the legend
December 21st, 2022 at 11:50 PM ^
I remember the day well ... sadly this was also the game that ended Reggie Brown's career. One of the scariest moments I ever had watching a football game. Just 6 years after Mike Utley
December 21st, 2022 at 11:58 PM ^
the all-time best back, ever. lots of great backs, brown, payton, sayers, etc., but barry was the best, period, end of story.
as an aside, those are the all-time best lions uni's, too. boy, bring those back if we make the playoffs this year - they'll be selling jerseys in ohio!
December 22nd, 2022 at 7:34 AM ^
The “traditional” Honolulu blue and silver.
I’ve definitely been drinking the Kool Aid.
Go Leo’s. Year of the Lion
December 21st, 2022 at 11:59 PM ^
Barry is the GOAT running back. I don't even think it's that close. To think the Lions couldn't even find a way to win with Barry. That says everything you need to know about this franchise. Totally understandable that he would walk away rather than risk his health playing for them.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:04 AM ^
I’ve never seen anyone move like Barry. Such a unique running style that was so fun to watch
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:08 AM ^
The reality of sports is that athleticism has increased over time, and a lot of things that were unique in the past just don't look that remarkable today. One can, and should, appreciate those athletes for what they were in their time and context, but... the way Dan Marino threw the ball doesn't look unique now, for example. Hockey players skate much faster and harder. The classic NBA play from the 80s still looks great, but the guys today are faster and stronger and shoot much better.
But Barry, as distinctly as any athlete I've ever seen, did stuff that nobody had ever done before, and nobody has done since. He is a singular athletic genius.
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:57 AM ^
Barry was the best ever, I don't care what his dad says.
But Blake is the closest thing we have had to BS (before or since). Then we got DE. Just an embarrasment of riches
Mandatory credit to all those that came after Harbaugh fired his bff Drevno
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:11 AM ^
The best running back ever. No question.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:16 AM ^
Thanks OP! What a blast from the past! That’s the last Lions game I attended in person. I moved away the following summer.
I still remember shaking my friend in the seat next to me to wake him up after that play (he had a few too many). I was just elated.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:33 AM ^
Am I the only one who read the title and thought this post was about Barry Larkin getting to 2000 hits? Gonna guess yes.
Looks like he got there 22 years ago, so close enough to be a defensible thought, but Dec 21 was probably not the day he got the hit.
(The internet says it was August 21, so only four months off :/ )
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:35 AM ^
I was at that game. Obviously the game was marred by the Reggie Brown career ending injury, and I recall a fan died from a heart attack in the stands. But the Silverdome was rocking, it was so loud the refs threatened the Lions with a penalty if we didn't quiet down.
December 22nd, 2022 at 7:36 AM ^
I miss that playoff or pre playoff intensity and excitement at the Silverdome. very loud crowds when they were good. And the fights in the stands… also very entertaining
December 22nd, 2022 at 8:55 AM ^
Wait until the Bears come to town next week, Ford Field is gonna be rocking!!!
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:45 PM ^
Only if they win on Saturday
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^
I remember that and no one believes me to this day. I didnt know they could do that until that game.
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:00 AM ^
Wow. This was the first and only Lions game I have been to. Only one I was in the silver dome. I attended with my roommates from Bursley.
What a great memory (except Reggie Brown which truly brought horrific memories to the whole place of Utley)
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:19 AM ^
Lions have a unique record of wasting generational talent.
December 22nd, 2022 at 2:28 AM ^
I know. I can still see Billy Sims getting to the endzone
December 22nd, 2022 at 8:55 AM ^
Billy Sims was a MAN!
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:21 AM ^
I hitchhiked to the Silverdome and scalped tickets with my best friend to watch this game.
A great memory. To this day, no one can convince me that there was a better football player than Barry
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:21 AM ^
I was not at the game ..... but I've heard it said many many times that the Silverdome was never (even when Ricky Steamboat exacted his revenge against the Macho Man!) as loud as it was that afternoon.
It was a hell of a football game. It also was bizarre in terms of its stakes --- it was an AFC vs NFC regular season game but in terms of the tiebreakers, BOTH teams were in a "win and you're in, lose and you're out" position (and knew with 100% certainty that was their situation based off other results in the 1 PM games) as regards the playoffs.
Detroit made the playoffs (let's not speak of that playoff game or the Lions' rather unique last offensive play of that game) - with a loss they would have been replaced by Washington.
The Jets missed the playoffs - with a win they would have been in and the NE/MIA game the next night would have decided the last playoff spot (as it was, they both qualified with the Jets loss).
December 22nd, 2022 at 7:33 AM ^
There’s an extended highlight/replay on YouTube, and I watched through it recently. I had forgotten this: the crowd was so loud during one Jets possession that they appealed to the refs and the refs instructed the crowd to quiet down, and engaged the Lions defense to appeal for less volume. In 1998, 10 years after my last memory of such a thing. Absolutely deafening.
The Dome was something of a beast, but it was fun when the team did well and the crowd was live.
December 22nd, 2022 at 11:09 AM ^
If being on Twitter isn't enough to get your anger up and blood boiling, there's a series of Youtube compilations of the Lions getting screwed by the refs. The "crowd too loud" penalty is featured in at least one of the videos. I remember watching as a child, still learning football rules, and feeling confused why it was a penalty.
Found an old Athletic article that goes into the history. Apparently the Big Ten was a leader in trying to keep the games quiet.
https://theathletic.com/1446285/2019/12/11/remembering-the-time-the-nfl-tried-to-silence-its-fans/
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:41 AM ^
That Colts/Lions highlight package --- hilarious that Stu Scott mentions Jim Kelly was the color commentator for that game.
December 22nd, 2022 at 2:00 AM ^
Better. Than. Emmitt.
December 22nd, 2022 at 6:39 AM ^
The year I fell in love with sports as a child. I was 9. After being one of the worst teams ever in 96, the Tigers almost hit 500 in 97. Grant Hill looked like he was going to be the next MJ. Barry got to 2000 yards and we all know what the Wings and Mich football did that year.
December 22nd, 2022 at 6:46 AM ^
As a precursor of what was to come, In his final college season Barry Sanders rushed for 2,628 yards on 344 carries (238.9 yards per game), averaged 7.6 yards per carry, and scored 37 touchdowns. Very few athletes, individually, are worth the price of admission. Barry Sanders was most assuredly one of them.
December 22nd, 2022 at 7:59 AM ^
I was there. Lots of fun. The dome was a rockin’. Literally the upper deck felt a little like it was swaying from all the cheering jumping and yelling. Great memory
December 22nd, 2022 at 8:05 AM ^
My favorite sports team of all time: Michigan football. Not even close.
My favorite athlete of all time: Barry Sanders. Not even close.
December 22nd, 2022 at 8:11 AM ^
Barry was a once in a lifetime running back, and of course the FFF - fucking ford family - wasted his talents and made him leave the game when he saw their was no hope for the lie-downs.
December 22nd, 2022 at 8:54 AM ^
Along with Calvin Johnson.
To never get to the Super Bowl for either - a shame.
December 22nd, 2022 at 8:52 AM ^
GOAT!!