A Different Kind Of Football Argument

[The Patriot!!!]

A friend and I have had this same argumen t about football for years now. He says the football players of the 50's, 60's, and 70's were much tougher than those of today. I say no way. I will stipulate to his point that players of today will sit out games due to weak-ass injuries suck as a stubbed toe and hurt thumb. However, players of today would absolutely destroy their ancestors in sport. Steroids, workout routines, etc. contribute to the athlete of today, this I know. I can just never see Dick Butkus or Mike Ditka running over Ray Lewis.....

 

[gymtime]

Physically, the old guard wouldn't have a chance. Mentally......let's put it this way, if you put the old player's mind into the body of an athlete of today, they would eat today's guys alive.

 

[the nature boy]

agreed gymtime. today it's a business, there's too much money at stake. Personally I can't blame the players for being pussies to an extent. They have to take care of themselves, ownership can be pretty disloyal.

 

[gymtime]

They have no choice. They are products of their environments, just like the old guys were, so in that sense you can't blame them at all. Interesting idea though.

 

[Latimer]

It's a pointless argument. No one will ever really know. Considering there were less teams back then, the talent pool would have been richer for the oldtimers. Each new expansion team weakens the talent of the league.

 

[huntmaster]

A friend and I have had this same argumen t about football for years now. He says the football players of the 50's, 60's, and 70's were much tougher than those of today. I say no way. I will stipulate to his point that players of today will sit out games due to weak-ass injuries suck as a stubbed toe and hurt thumb. However, players of today would absolutely destroy their ancestors in sport. Steroids, workout routines, etc. contribute to the athlete of today, this I know. I can just never see Dick Butkus or Mike Ditka running over Ray Lewis.....

I will quote Herman Boon and say, "Son, you must be outside your mind" lol

Butkus and Ditka would make an example out of Ray Lewis. There is no doubt in my mind. Other guys like Ray Nitshky, Bulldog Turner, Jack Lambert, Earl Campbell, NightTrain Lane, Deacon Jones, Rosie Greer, Merlin Olson, Walter Payton, Jim Brown, and Doug Atkins(Was known for ripping QB's Helmets off on regular occasion) where undoubtedly much tougher than today's pro-football players.

The same holds true for Larry Bird, Magic, Dr. J, Bill Russel, Cousey, Maravich, Chamberlain in Basketball. Those guys were just tougher and they were better ball players.

 

[huntmaster]

Did yall ever see Chuck Cecil play for the Cards back in the 80's?

The guy played safety and he was an animal!! He was known for crowning every receiver and back that came into the backfield. He was always getting suspended and fined. He was an old fashioned mean bastard and he ate a lot of players up back in the 80's---b/c he was a throwback.

 

[the nature boy]

I think if fininancial conditions were the same as they were in the 50's and 60's, guys would be just as tough. Toughness doens't dissapear or skip generations. Todays players could be just as tough as butkus, but it just doesn't make sense for them to do so.

 

[The Patriot!!!]

Re: Re: A Different Kind Of Football Argument

I will quote Herman Boon and say, "Son, you must be outside your mind" lol

Butkus and Ditka would make an example out of Ray Lewis. There is no doubt in my mind. Other guys like Ray Nitshky, Bulldog Turner, Jack Lambert, Earl Campbell, NightTrain Lane, Deacon Jones, Rosie Greer, Merlin Olson, Walter Payton, Jim Brown, and Doug Atkins(Was known for ripping QB's Helmets off on regular occasion) where undoubtedly much tougher than today's pro-football players.

The same holds true for Larry Bird, Magic, Dr. J, Bill Russel, Cousey, Maravich, Chamberlain in Basketball. Those guys were just tougher and they were better ball players.

You can't be more wrong. You don't really think Pete Maravich would come remotely close to beating MJ in one on one, do you?? Or Bob Cousey vs Kobe Bryant would even be a game?? Maybe if Bryant gave him 8 points and they played to 10!!

Again, I will stipulate that the men of yesteryear like Jack Youngblood(who played SuperBowl 13 with a hairline fracture in his leg) were "tougher" but not even close to being better athletes!! In every sport the athletes of today have progressed so far as to say the athletes of yesteryear were at the high school level in comparison. The only sport where the men of 1940 could compete with the men of 2000 is boxing. Ex. Joe Louis would KO Mike Tyson and Sugar Ray Robinson would KO "Sugar" Shane Mosely!!

 

[bigschweeler]

Jack Tatum - Oakland Raiders.

He could easily survive and punish receivers today.