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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.
That's all I can say.
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!
Those cheap bastards in the 90s couldn't draft to save their lives and never paid their own players well.
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.
He's all jitterbug and then he sees a hole and transitions instantly to effortless glide.
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
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.
Isn't he a junior? We still have plenty of time.
I'm pretty sure Barry SR would not recommend his son playing in the state of Michigan. Understandable I guess.
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.
Don't tease me with thoughts of Devin Gardner and Barry Sanders Jr. in the same backfield...
JUST like Noel Devine. Wow.
I cannot believe I just read that
Wayne Fontes has been their best coach since William Clay Ford bought the team in 1964.
I think Moeller was a better coach than Fontes, albeit less permanent.
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.
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.
Because Matt Millen thought that Marty Morningwhag would be a better coach. That's all anybody needs to know about Matt Millen.
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.
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.
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.
George Wilson...
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.
Rod Marinelli sad.
Barry Sanders Jr=Barry Sanders
That guy's balance was unbelievable. What an absolutely amazing player.
Barry > Sweetness
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).
He said that it was because he could no longer take the culture of losing in the Lions organization.
I think Barry was too undersized to succeed in the Big Ten.
You have to be able to put your head down and ram into the line for 3 yards to succeed in the Big 10!
Thanks for the thread, and the links.
God damn, he was good. Real good.
Why does this song give me the chills every time I hear it?
Jennifer Connelly, yes sir.
Maid Marian
that I've seen.
Probably my least favorite movie, ever. Almost certainly, in fact.
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.
were excellent in this movie. Perfectly integrate with the movie and envoke emotions not only from the image but the sound of music.
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.
He looks like he has stubby legs. Granted, those stubby legs are stubby because they are 32" in circumference.
...at the calf.
Is like a Barry Sanders type runner. Oh man, watching this highlight video brings back some great memories
He might be the only one who can run like that and succeed in the NFL. Seeing him cut in the hole around one defender and then cut around another and then hit the open field - he was truly one of a kind. Or maybe two if his kid is just like him.
Also - kinda weird seeing the Lions in blue pants. I don't remember that.
Seriously, name any other athlete you have ever watched that was more exciting to watch than Barry. MJ, Kobe, Jerry Rice, Gretsky, those type of dominant winning players are fun to watch. But for the trully consistent "Holy Shit, What Is That Guy Even Doing" feel, Barry is my all time topper. Vintage Sac Kings Jason Williams playing with C-Webb and Divac had a similar every play something crazy could happen feel . Zidane had a matching effortless beauty where he seemed to be playing slower yet faster than everyone at the same time. I remember watching Larinov with the Wings and thinking "Jesus, when he was young he must have been plain jaw dropping." Mike Tyson was an equal small package of dynamite that you watched nervously like a fire cracker because you knew it was going to pop, just not sure when. But no one I have ever seen has made me enjoy their sport in such a unique way as watching Barry run.
Thanks for the reminder on a day when my great escape from reality, Michigan football, is so filled with lame fail from the ugly side of fandom. Wake me up when there is bowl game and I get to watch Denard run again. Feel thankful I get to cheer for Martin and Molk as they play their hearts out again. Watch and root for some seniors who I get to see in the winged helmets for the last time, marking another year of life passing. And lastly, watch for hints from Avery, Demens, Gordon, Lewan and maybe a surpriser that a future may exist where something beautiful happens again. Then I will get to remember that this is simply a game that win, lose, whatever, can be just plain fun to watch.
I seem to remember a game where the other team's defense asked the refs to check Barry's jersey because they thought he had applied something to it to make it slick so they couldn't get a grip on it. Does anyone remember anything like that?
No. But I do remember a game where the play clock was winding down and the Lions were in some disarray, and the refs let them off the hook with an "equipment time out" - because Barry was tying his shoe. Loved the superstar treatment.
coaches accused Barry of tampering his jersey to make it nearly impossible to grip. lol.
My favorite of all time. However, close to Barry for me was Earl Campbell. Haven't seen a back with his power and speed since.
One of the truly iconic football players in the modern era - everyone who watched football during his career has a favorite Barry Sanders run. One of most heated arguments I ever got into about sports was when a guy in college tried to convince me that Smith was a better RB because he had the rushing record, even though Sanders retired with the mark well in sight and Smith hung around way too long to eek it out.
... ever. Not even close.
What he did to that Patriots defensive back at the end was just dirty.
Behind all of the spins and stutter-stepping was the fact that Barry kept his feet moving even with contact. That was the reason he was always a threat to go long on every run - most guys take contact and then slow down. Sanders just kept moving, and so the defense would sometimes fall asleep on him and figure he couldn't/wouldn't change direction or bounce off guys.
(drumroll) ...he did what he did while playing for the Lions. Brown, Payton, Sayers, et al, played on great teams. Barry had the Lions.
I have fond memories of going to the Silverdome to watch Barry do things you'd think no human could do -- up to and including making the Lions win games. His ability to change direction in complete rebellion of the laws of physics was astounding. I haven't seen any other athlete come close to being superhuman like Barry was.
When Barry was on the field, there was always hope for the Lions. Now...
My two favorite NFL athletes are Walter Payton and Barry Sanders, and I'll happily punch the nose of anyone who tries to tell me Emmitt Smith was better than either of them. He wasn't better -- he just played with some incredible offensive lines (a luxury both Payton and Sanders often lacked), and he managed to prolong his career WAY too long for the sole purpose of breaking Payton's rushing record.
Barry running in Tecmo Football
Only difference betwean Barry tecmo bowl and Barry real life? Real life Barry never spiked the ball. Awsome athlete and one of the classiest men to ever play the game.
Barry Sanders = Dee Hart Version 2
I can dream right?
Barry was the best. Not many Lions fans in my neck of the woods but that didn't matter. We all wanted to watch him rip 80 for a TD--even if he was playing against our team!
Barry was a great NFL RB, though I agree it's debatable where he places in the all-time ranks; he's certainly top 5.
However, his 1988 Heisman season is ridiculous.
- 18 carries, 178 yards, 2 TDs (plus one a KO return for TD)
- 20 carries, 157 yards, 2 TDs (plus one punt return for TD)
- 33 carries, 304 yards, 5 TDs
- 24 carries, 174 yards, 4 TDs
- 34 carries, 189 yards, 4 TDs
- 25 carries, 154 yards, 2 TDs
- 37 carries, 320 yards, 3 TDs
- 39 carries, 215 yards, 2 TDs
- 37 carries, 312 yards, 5 TDs
- 32 carries, 293 yards, 4 TDs
- 44 carries, 332 yards, 4 TDs
- 29 carries, 222 yards, 5 TDs [Holiday Bowl]
373 carries, 2850 yards, 42 rushing TDs (including the bowl game). He also had 106 yards receiving.
College records are often silly, as teams play 13 or 14 games, as opposed to the 11 or so from a decade ago. But it says something that no one has come close to his rushing records (esp. since now they count bowl games but technically speaking, Barry's bowl games don't "count" to the NCAA; still, no one comes near him).
Staggering and he didn't even play the whole game in the Holiday Bowl!! I think he was pulled after the 3rd quarter.
They should at least go back to the old helmets.
Anyone remember Billy Sims?
Or Altie Taylor? Or Steve Owens?
Barry was and is my favorite football player ever.
That guy made plays we wont see again in our lifetime. Some of that shit is is too rediculous. All i can say is im glad he was on our team lol
SPEAKING OF HOTNESS.....there is the victoria secret fashion show on cbs right meow, just in case you might be interested
