OT: The hotness that was Barry Sanders running the football
I figured that I would post something excellent for people to watch rather than talking about you-know-what. After watching it, I can sympathize with the Lions for deciding that "hand it to Barry" would be their Super Bowl-winning strategy for ten seasons.
(Via Kottke.)
Edit: The embed was too big.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:25 PM ^
Is Barry lobbying for RR's job? Is DB considering Barry instead of Harbaugh now? I can't think about anything else! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO CONFUSE THE BLOGMASSES
November 30th, 2010 at 5:27 PM ^
November 30th, 2010 at 5:29 PM ^
The reason for my original love for the Lions. Remember the day of the playoffs? Against the Eagles. I think we lost 55-26 or something like that. Sadly that is the last time I remember the playoffs for the Lions. I got Scott Mitchell's autograph the season after (?) I was a little kid and wanted to see Barry. He never came back. :(
Anyone see his kid's highlights for his high school in Oklahoma? Recruit him!
November 30th, 2010 at 5:27 PM ^
Those cheap bastards in the 90s couldn't draft to save their lives and never paid their own players well.
November 30th, 2010 at 11:25 PM ^
This is one of the worst Lions Memes out there.
Those cheap bastards in the 90s
The NFL had a cap throughout the 90s and they maxed it out every season. You can argue that they spent it poorly (and I would agree with you) but they weren't any cheaper than any other team.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:30 PM ^
He's all jitterbug and then he sees a hole and transitions instantly to effortless glide.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:30 PM ^
I wish we could have lured Barry Sanders son (Barry Sanders Jr.) to come play for the maize and blue, but he committed to Oklahoma St. I think Barry went there or something.
/s
November 30th, 2010 at 5:35 PM ^
We played all of our "son of former pro player" cards with MBB
November 30th, 2010 at 5:36 PM ^
Rivals and Scout both have him uncommitted. I know that it will never happen, but sweet Jesus I want it to so bad. He would be perfect for our offense even if his dad wasn't the greatest running back of all time and also my childhood hero.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:38 PM ^
Isn't he a junior? We still have plenty of time.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:59 PM ^
I'm pretty sure Barry SR would not recommend his son playing in the state of Michigan. Understandable I guess.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:09 PM ^
lives in West Bloomfield. His son apparently has interest in Michigan for this reason. I'm sure that pretty much every schools will go after him. Barry Jr. at first glance is almost a spitting image of his dad in looks and his play on the field. Would love to have that RB who can make people miss in such a ridiculous fashion on a regular basis.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:36 PM ^
Don't tease me with thoughts of Devin Gardner and Barry Sanders Jr. in the same backfield...
November 30th, 2010 at 5:34 PM ^
similar to noel devine
November 30th, 2010 at 5:39 PM ^
JUST like Noel Devine. Wow.
November 30th, 2010 at 8:50 PM ^
I cannot believe I just read that
November 30th, 2010 at 5:35 PM ^
Wayne Fontes has been their best coach since William Clay Ford bought the team in 1964.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:45 PM ^
I think Moeller was a better coach than Fontes, albeit less permanent.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:54 PM ^
I like to think that you would be right, but Gary just didn't have enough of a chance to show what he could do, thanks to that genius Millen choosing a guy who takes the wind in overtime over Moeller.
I lost my sympathy for Lions fans over twenty years ago. By now, you know what you're buying.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:29 PM ^
Albeit a small sample size, I like to bring up the fact that Moeller is the only Lions coach of the past decade that had a winning record. The players seemed to respond well to him, too. I never really understood why he didn't get a real chance at the head coaching job.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:50 PM ^
Because Matt Millen thought that Marty Morningwhag would be a better coach. That's all anybody needs to know about Matt Millen.
December 1st, 2010 at 2:32 AM ^
My boycott of the Lions (until the Ford family sells the team) is in its sixth season. I started after they signed Matt Millen to a five-year contract extension.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:58 PM ^
Have we already forgotten about Joe Schmidt? He was a much better head coach than Waynte Fontes ever thought of being. The only reason he resigned (not fired!) was because of then GM Russ Thomas' meddling in his coaching decisions.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:14 PM ^
Schmidt's record:
1967: 5-7-2
1968: 4-8-2
1969: 9-4-1
1970: 10-4
1971: 7-6-1
1972: 8-5-1
Fontes:
1989: 7-9
1990: 6-10
1991: 12-4
1992: 5-11
1993: 10-6
1994: 9-7
1995: 10-6
1996: 5-11
Schmidt had a better percentage of winning seasons than Fontes did, but Fontes won a playoff game. Granted, it was harder to get into the playoffs when Schmidt was coaching, since expansion was still in its early days. I can agree that Schmidt's record was a bit more impressive. I'd forgotten it was as good as it was. My memory of Greg Landry getting sacked for a safety in the 5-0 loss to Dallas in Schmidt's only playoff game is still pretty vivid after all these years, believe it or not.
Russ Thomas was Satan.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:15 PM ^
George Wilson...
November 30th, 2010 at 6:25 PM ^
Now you're talking. The last Lions coach to win an NFL championship (1957) and the last coach before the malign and ignorant hands of William Clay Ford got ahold of the franchise. It's been a disaster ever since, with just a handful of acceptable seasons.
George was the very first coach of the Miami Dolphins.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:04 PM ^
Rod Marinelli sad.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:36 PM ^
Barry Sanders Jr=Barry Sanders
November 30th, 2010 at 5:37 PM ^
That guy's balance was unbelievable. What an absolutely amazing player.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:48 PM ^
But I will take this guy.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:07 PM ^
Barry > Sweetness
November 30th, 2010 at 7:27 PM ^
Sanders was the second-best RB in NFL history. (Sorry, Sweetness: it's First Down Jim Brown.) Emmit's not even close.
I saw a few Dee Hart-esque moves in those clips.
I still think Barry retired mostly because he didn't want to break Walter's total yardage record. Emmit had no problem doing that (not while lining up behind the best O-Line in football, anyway).
December 1st, 2010 at 2:20 AM ^
He said that it was because he could no longer take the culture of losing in the Lions organization.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:41 PM ^
I think Barry was too undersized to succeed in the Big Ten.
November 30th, 2010 at 7:11 PM ^
You have to be able to put your head down and ram into the line for 3 yards to succeed in the Big 10!
November 30th, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^
argue that Barry was not the greatest RB to ever play the game. I wish peace upon their poor souls.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:11 PM ^
I would not pick any one over the other.
November 30th, 2010 at 7:35 PM ^
Thanks for the thread, and the links.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:49 PM ^
God damn, he was good. Real good.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:54 PM ^
Why does this song give me the chills every time I hear it?
November 30th, 2010 at 6:14 PM ^
Jennifer Connelly, yes sir.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:35 PM ^
Maid Marian
November 30th, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^
that I've seen.
November 30th, 2010 at 7:22 PM ^
Probably my least favorite movie, ever. Almost certainly, in fact.
November 30th, 2010 at 7:35 PM ^
I thought it was a good movie, with really good acting by Ellen Burstyn, but my goodness, it was depressing. Not a movie that gives you much hope for humanity or makes you say, "Hey look, Requiem for a Dream is on TV. I think I'll stop channel-surfing for 20 minutes or so and see how these people ruin their lives."
It did have great music though - not just this song, the whole soundtrack.
November 30th, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
were excellent in this movie. Perfectly integrate with the movie and envoke emotions not only from the image but the sound of music.
December 1st, 2010 at 2:24 AM ^
The movie isn't that bad. Amidst the chorus of people who say it's oh-my-god-amazing, though, I hate it. Trainspotting is infinitely better.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:04 PM ^
He looks like he has stubby legs. Granted, those stubby legs are stubby because they are 32" in circumference.