Who's your single favorite player of all time?

Peter_Spaeth · #1 07-27-2018, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurri17

Love the topic, because like you most discovered the game as kids, and nothing is more pure than a young boy's allegiance to his favorite player, or team. Mine was, and still is Roger Staubach. This infatuation took hold during the '74 season, ironically one which did not result in a playoff appearance. We had moved from California to Arkansas, and the Cowboys were on TV more regularly due to regional broadcasts. He was a classy player, tough, and of course there was his legendary will to win. Just something about him. Griese, Tarkenton, Bradshaw, etc, there were a lot of great players and QBs , but as the line in the song goes "I was Roger Staubach in my backyard", with the little pushing up of the shoulder pads before going under center and all. Heck, I loved Tom Landry too, and have refused to follow the Cowboys since the day he was fired, but Staubach was my guy.

As a Redskins fan I hated the Cowboys, but reluctantly loved Staubach, the whole on and off field package. I loved Jurgensen too, a truly great quarterback IMO stuck on mostly awful teams. And robbed late in his career by George Allen of the opportunity to play with good teams.

Kurri17 · #2 07-27-2018, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

As a Redskins fan I hated the Cowboys, but reluctantly loved Staubach, the whole on and off field package. I loved Jurgensen too, a truly great quarterback IMO stuck on mostly awful teams. And robbed late in his career by George Allen of the opportunity to play with good teams.

That's funny. As much as I disliked the Redskins, I just couldn't dislike Chris Hamburger. Roger Wehrli for the Cardinals was another on a hated rival that was a guy I really liked.

And, Unitas was my first hero, I just didn't get to see him play for that long before he retired, but he is still up there as well as far as favorites.

Peter_Spaeth · #3 07-27-2018, 09:51 AM

Staubach only had 7 or 8 full seasons I think, so his stats are not so great, but of all the QBs I have seen since I was old enough to know what I was watching, other than perhaps Brady, if I needed someone to win a big game I would go with him. Of course Montana is up there too.

pclpads · #4 07-27-2018, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Staubach only had 7 or 8 full seasons I think, so his stats are not so great, but of all the QBs I have seen since I was old enough to know what I was watching, other than perhaps Brady, if I needed someone to win a big game I would go with him. Of course Montana is up there too.

Not to be a contrarian, but I'd choose Stabler. Guy had ice water in his veins. Loved the way he so effortlessly flung the ball. Tough for me to choose between those Bay area boys, Montana and Stabler.

Peter_Spaeth · #5 07-27-2018, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pclpads

Not to be a contrarian, but I'd choose Stabler. Guy had ice water in his veins. Loved the way he so effortlessly flung the ball. Tough for me to choose between those Bay area boys, Montana and Stabler.

Yeah he never really got his due not sure why. Maybe the renegade personality, quite the opposite of Staubach.

DBesse27 · #6 07-27-2018, 02:25 PM

Andre Tippett!!

albrshbr · #7 07-27-2018, 03:12 PM

Seeing all the great names everyone has already posted above, mine looks like a bit of a let down. But for me it was the Bills QB, Joe Ferguson. OJ had just left and we were excited to see what he could do. He had a couple of good seasons just before and things were looking good for the Bills. He finally got us into the playoffs, and played the game with a severely sprained ankle.

All-time great? No, but still my favorite player of all time.

tjenkins · #8 07-29-2018, 09:59 AM

No doubt on who this is for me. Easy choice because I grew watching him and was always amazed at what he could do despite the critics saying he would never make it as a Pro. He was undersized, did not have a huge arm but had a way about him. I arguable consider him the best scrambler ever. He had this way of finding a way to win kinda like Captain Kirk always found a way to stay alive. I would like to know how many miles he scrambled? When he retired he had every major passing record which all have since been broken.

Francis Asbury Tarkenton "Fran the Man!"

JustinD · #9 07-29-2018, 02:58 PM

Barry Sanders, the man who could make a two yard gain look like the greatest play of your life. I really miss those Sundays.

Jim65 · #10 07-29-2018, 04:02 PM

Larry Csonka is the reason Im a Dolphins fan, my fave football player of all-time.

Hot Springs Bathers · #11 07-29-2018, 08:49 PM

Peter if Sanders had run behind that huge Dallas line he may have had 20,000 yards.

Rookiemonster · #12 07-27-2018, 11:32 AM

As a Giants fan I loved Lawrence Taylor. When I was a kid I did not understand the game that well. But I liked what I saw when LT was destroying everything on the field. He made me a Giants fan and a football fan. This is also the reason I’m starting to dislike football. I’m a fan of the big hit ! The brute gladiator throwing his body recklessly into his opponents body with utter disregard for either of there body’s. Without this the game is stale and boring and I don’t understand the point of them being paid what they do. My argument was always that they got paid for this body sacrifice they made.

vintagebaseballcardguy · #13 07-28-2018, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rookiemonster

As a Giants fan I loved Lawrence Taylor. When I was a kid I did not understand the game that well. But I liked what I saw when LT was destroying everything on the field. He made me a Giants fan and a football fan. This is also the reason I’m starting to dislike football. I’m a fan of the big hit ! The brute gladiator throwing his body recklessly into his opponents body with utter disregard for either of there body’s. Without this the game is stale and boring and I don’t understand the point of them being paid what they do. My argument was always that they got paid for this body sacrifice they made.

LT was an absolute game changer! Parcells and the Giants did a pretty good job of turning him loose to disrupt opposing offenses. I will never forget the MNF game when he crushed Joe Theismann.

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jefferyepayne · #14 07-28-2018, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Staubach only had 7 or 8 full seasons I think, so his stats are not so great, but of all the QBs I have seen since I was old enough to know what I was watching, other than perhaps Brady, if I needed someone to win a big game I would go with him. Of course Montana is up there too.

I despised Staubach (and the Cowboys) as a kid but after watching his A Football Life episode I became a huge fan. He is the definition of the All American Boy and lives his life the right way. I made both my boys watch it.

Met him once years ago at a social event and didn't take advantage of the opportunity. Always sorry I didn't ask him a few questions and talk football ... or maybe bring a few cards for him to sign ;-) This was before I got back into collecting and the thought didn't even cross my mind.

jeff