What, Barack? You're bugging. You know I've maintained Jim Brown was the greatest, but looking at this video man, I don't know. Sweetness was the truth. It's so weird so see a dude running holding the ball in one hand like that, and doing that high step join in mid-run. He was sick, and apparently an incredibly, incredibly kind person. Gone too soon.
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TNC:
At the height of the Bears' hey day, we had a neighbor and good friend who was a Chicago native so we watched a lot of Bears games. (As many as you could get in NYC before cable or satellite TV.) Walter Peyton was the best football player I ever saw. No flash, no false bravado, (he left that to McMahon) a real lunchpail guy. And a pleasure to watch. Sweetness summed him up completely.
Brown may or may not have been better but he played before I was old enough to watch him.
Its hard for me to think about Payton without remembering this:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/news/1999/02/02/payton_liver/payton.html
Very sad, indeed.
Also a third string quarterback--which is way cool. Other interesting third string quarterbacks: Ray Guy and Russ Grimm. You got to love the latter.
It's fascinating to watch him meter out his speed like that. Even on straightforward breakaway sort of runs, he adjusts his leg movements like mad to sort of pre-juke a guy. Sanders had the same sort of crazy step to him, but Sweetness is running with thought in almost every clip of that video.
Wow...you know the best RB ever is such a great debate. I'm like you, I've always considered Jim Brown along with Gale Sayers the be all end all. But, Sweetness is right there.
I hope this is not considered thread jacking, but this videos brings up something I have recently been debating in my own dome. Which sport has the best, jaw-dropping highlights. I've always enjoyed watching a rb just shake fools in the open field, then drop his head and run through someone. As evident above, Walter was about as good as anyone. A close second was a MJ like killer crossover, take it to whole and dunk on Pat Ewing's head typr NBA highlight. But I have to admit, I recently have discovered soccer, English Premiership to be specific. Thanks to youtube I have discovered some soccer highlights and the things those guys can do with a freakin soccer ball is mesmerizing. So I have to say soccer, football, than basketball...which took alot of soul searching.
Anyway, sorry about the tangent. Thanks to youtube, Sweetness will live forever.
I think that Jim Brown’s superiority over his contemporaries was the greatest of any running back.
Best ever? There are some fantastic candidates, and Sweetness is certainly one of them. I’m kinda partial to Barry Sanders.
Here's what set Payton apart from Sayers, from Brown, from Smith -- the man could block like no other halfback ever could or ever will. He perfected every part of his game. I'm still angry at Ditka for giving the ball to Perry in the Super Bowl rather than letting Payton score. Unforgiveable.
I've never been a huge football fan, but I adored Walter Payton. Of course, he could pull out jaw-dropping runs like those in the posted video, but for an RB, he was also an excellent blocker, receiver, and passer (as mentioned by ed). And, as TNC mentioned, he was a beautiful human being.
I didn't grow up here, but I now live in Chicago. I get the sense that he surpasses everyone (MJ, Banks, Santo, Butkus) as the most beloved sports figure in Chicago history.
I'm not much of a football fan. But I am a big movie fan, and have loved Joe Brown ever since he poured gasoline and dropped grenades on all of those Nazi scum in "The Dirty Dozen."
He could do it all. Elusive. Scatback. Bruising. He could wield a stiff-arm like a battering ram. And he wasn't a showboat, which is what annoys me most about a lot of both college and professional athletes these days. Hell, when you get to the end zone, you oughta act like you expected to get there all along, not like it's a once in a lifetime thing. I love how he handed the ball off to his linemen to spike. Thanks for taking me down that memory lane. Made my day.
A few things missing from the video -
Walter on Soul Train
Walter blocking - his hits when he was running with the ball were devastating enough, his blocks on blitzing linebackers were awesome
Walter running up and down the hill near his house. It was so steep, most people could not do it once - Walter would keep doing it for an hour.
Walter lined up behind Matt Suhey in the I at practice - reaching out and pulling down Suhey's pants
Walter taking over the switchboard and answering the phone at the Bears' offices.
You can see the Payton-Suhey picture here:
http://www.walterpaytonsroundhouse.com/index.php?load=store&page=index&op=store_product_view&prod_id=100
Matt Suhey may be the ultimate class act. In Walter's final days, Suhey was with him, driving him around to say goodbye, just being there. Suhey has never spoken about this time - and never will. This was Walter's time.
I loved his Michael Jackson impersonation on SNL. No video of Walter stepping gently out of bounds at the end of a run - it never happened. He just put his head down for a few more inches or to punish the tackler.
Greatest travesty in Chicago sports history - Walter not scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Ditka says he regrets it - but he did get a touchdown for the Fridge.
I miss Walter. He was/is the most popular athlete in Chicago history. Michael Jordan was almost too good and other worldly. Walter was like your goofy best friend.
There was a short-lived magazine called Chicago Times that had a phenomenal cover - Michael, Walter and Andre Dawson in tuxes. Go to this link and scroll down to see it:
http://www.rareair23.com/Frame-4-jordanchronologypage4.html?refresh=1160994322477
My favorite Chicago athlete of all time - Billy Williams. Childhood heros are the best. I disliked Hank Aaron simply because I knew he was better than Billy.
Timmer-
I agree, Walter was great at every aspect. But I think its hard to understate just how different the game was when Jim or Gayle played. Pass protection was a completely different animal back then compared to when Walter played. I think it is a stretch to say that Jim or Gayle couldn't absolutely lay out a blitzer if need be.
I couldn't agree with you more about that blowhard Ditka, what a travesty.
A recollection that has nothing to do with his running, but probably had a lot to do with winning, has to do with how Walter Payton finished plays. Seemingly after every time tackled, his back on the ground, he would very casually extend his carrying arm such that the ball would lie about one length beyond his helmet, and he would pop back up to return to the huddle. Not a big reach to draw attention to the placement, but certainly beyond the actual forward progress of the play. And I'll be damned if the great majority of the time, Walter's placement didn't become the new line of scrimmage.
I don't watch much football anymore, but I don't recall any ball carrier then or since who had/has this in his repertoire.
This video clearly makes us understand why the makers of Tecmo Bowl do what they did.
Dammit Dave, you stole my Tecmo Bowl joke!
I'm not entirely sure that Walter's hips were attached properly to his torso, he moves them in different directions so fluidly. I can't imagine trying to tackle him ... he's kinda like a mix of a large cat and a bulldozer.
When it comes to Tecmo Bowl, no one comes close to Bo Jackson.
Walter is my all time favorite. That kickstep thing was a thing of beauty. Brown might have been a marginally better pure runner, but Walter had other skills that made him the whole, sweet package.
I never get affected much when a celebrity passes away, but Walter's death really got to me.
I was a grown man, bawlin' like a baby.
Hero is a tragically overused word, and Walter was certainly no hero, but he was a role model of the highest caliber. I idolized him.
That '85 Bears team is still the best ever, even though Ditka is a dooshnozzle. I'll never forgive him letting Perry have that TD.
thanks TC for that. i was 5 when they won the superbowl. that clip just filled me up with the excitement and jitters of a kid coming to the stadium for the first time. he will always be the greatest ever to play the game of football. he played with such ferocity you wondered where it came from since he was such a gracious man.
There is a line in the Bears' fight song "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" that states,
"We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation, with your T-formation."
When I think of it, it changes to,
"We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation, with your T-formation and Walter Payton."
Thrill us he did!
"Seemingly after every time tackled, his back on the ground, he would very casually extend his carrying arm such that the ball would lie about one length beyond his helmet, and he would pop back up to return to the huddle... And I'll be damned if the great majority of the time, Walter's placement didn't become the new line of scrimmage."
Every freakin' play. Then, frequently he would pop up without using his arms, just flip a quick situp to get up.
And the blocking - my god. You all must remember the bears vs minnesota on MNF when McMahon was hurt, the bears are down by 10 without him, and they put McMahon in the game. A blitz, McMahon is going to get slaughtered, and Payton stands up the linebacker - stops him cold from a full blitz - and McMahon passes for a TD. I don't think anyone else could have done that. He was the greatest blocker ever. Three passes, three TDs, but that block was so freakin' intense.
Beautiful. Jim Brown on film is awe-inspiring.
Love Payton's black shoes covered with white tape, like spats.
And boo to Ditka - Payton should have smelled the Super Bowl end zone!
Martin, my sister had that poster growing up, I think it's still around my parents' house.
To me the most amazing thing about Walter -- he could run, pass, catch, block, probably kick pretty well too, but his goal line leaps were just unbelievable. There's one in this package, but man. That thing where his legs, hips, shoulders, head, and the ball could all move in completely different directions? He could do that shit in MIDAIR.
Finally! I've been jonesing for one of your NFL Films posts. I realize the Cowboys suck this year but the NFL open threads ain't cuttin it.
Why Ditka never ran for political office in Chicago can be found here:
http://ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/we_flicked_it_up_for_sports_illustrated.php
Ed & Dave:
You do remember that Sweetness played at least one half of a game at QB, right(I think he was in for Greg Landry .. which goes to show when .. and how dire the QB situation was)?
I live right next to Soldier Field, and I'd say at least 1 out of every 20 people wearing jerseys wear Payton's. Haven't seen a McMahon yet. Sweetness indeed. Some think that Hester might actually fill those cleats, who knows.
By the way, when I don't get my own tickets, I always manage to get in with a stub I beg off of some fool leaving at halftime. The new Soldier field is great.
man, I had forgotten about that one run juke of his that's around 2:50. He just bounces off / smacks back the tackle (#49) who has to come at him a for a second shot. Thanks for that.
Man, it's great to look at the clip and the other highlight clips of Sweetness. In addition to all the other aspects already touched on, one thing that really struck me watching these clips was his ability to be patient, and to set up blocks. Not just at the line of scrimmage, but downfield, too. He'd wait for a block, or take the right line so that a blcker would be able to help him out.
Thanks for the memories. I'm a 37 year old white guy from Iowa. Walter was my first and only true sports "hero." Gives me chills to watch the old stuff.
I know people here are complaining about the Fridge scoring instead of Walter, but I'm not sure that he (Walter) ever gave it a second thought.
One stat not mentioned here was that, in addition to the all-time rushing record, he held the all time receptions record for a running back when he retired. It was an era of less specialization, granted, but still incredible.
Who knows how many yards he could have gained with better all-around teams in his early years and slightly more top end speed? As it was, he was still "The Best" for me.
All-time best athlete with jheri curls?
Amazing clips. I loved how perfectly the action and lyrics were synchronized; it made me smile in many places.
To add to the above, he used to run up that hill by his house with logs on his shoulders. It was insane.
I grew up in Chicago, and I can tell you - he made every game a gift. And was such a wonderful person on top of it all. Losing him was beyond cruel.
Thanks for that. I grew up with Sweetness, when all that Chicago had was him... and it was truly a thing of beauty.. Running backs these days just don't seem to compare. Perhaps that's because everyone's gotten so much bigger and everyone gets creamed to early.. but when was the last time that you had a running back stay in the top 3 in yardarge for 5 or more years in a row..
Payton may never have gotten the 2000 yards a season that some new backs get.. but usually wihtin 3 years, they're gone.. and Walter was there for 13 years...
Thanks again.. it was sweet.. even if his death makes it bittersweet..
That was so much fun to watch - thanks for the clip.
Watching NFL highlights make it seem like fun. Yet watching actual NFL nowadays is beyond unbearable, unless the atmospherics help (friends, beer, etc). You're basically putting down three hours of your precious time to watch at most 6 minutes of action, and (with luck) two or three highlights like this reel.
And yup, I'd rather watch soccer. Americans who call soccer "boring" have been brainwashed out of their minds.
Sweetness was the best I ever saw, certainly. Emmitt is 1A to Walter's #1, but Emmitt's O-line was much more highly regarded than Walter's ever was.
Doesn't make them better, but I can't recall the Bears ever having an O-lineman in the Pro Bowl, while there were big guys with stars on their helmets in Honolulu every year.
I certainly am willing to concede that Jim Brown may be the all time best in terms of pure skill, talent and achievement, but the fact that Brown seemed to be fueled by anger, while Payton's powers seemed to be related to his joy, at the very least makes me feel better about being a football fan. He is my favorite athlete ever, and no other football player was ever as fun to watch. And no disrespect to Emmitt Smith, but I doubt even his mom thinks he's better than Walter Payton.
The greatest-- and sweetest ever. The most popular man in Chicago... still.
What a good, great man. And not too bad a running back either. )