He's obviously one of the great athletes of the last
century, but y'all are starting to wild out with the
"he was the best running back I've ever seen," was "the
best pure baseball talent ever," etc


Fall back


The truth is this: Bo Jackson's career is still more about
what he could have been than what he did.

In football, he put together 7-10 game seasons that were
great; that does not make a great season, let alone career.
So niggas in here talking about "he was better than Walter
Payton" are smoking tea bags.

Bo NEVER HAD A 1000 YARD SEASON

And y'all putting him up there with AD and Walter Payton?

Y'all forget that what makes running back so difficult is
the grind; its defenses smashing your ribcage in every single
week for four months

In baseball, he had apeshit/amazing moments, but had runs where
he couldn't have hit a softball tossed over-40 beer league style


I think we all assumed that he'd develop a better eye, become
a smart hitter and evolve into a HOF caliber player...problem
with that assumption is this: baseball don't work that way. You
just don't gain those little bat control nuances like that


So let's chill a bit


Y'all hype Bo mostly because you seen highlights


----------------------------

Young Broadway Star Urgently Needs a Bone Marrow Donor. Is it you? http://MatchShannon.com/







O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Yes, he was a phenomenally gifted athlete that made some extroardinary plays. BUT, how exactly was he THAT much better (or even as good) than guys like AD, Barry, Sweetness, Marshall Faulk, etc? All those guys put up insane numbers in college too. All of them put up exceptional #s in the pros over the course of a full 16 game season for nearly a decade straight. Bo did have a handful of ordinary games as a pro. Let some folks tell it, he was ripping off 90 yard highlight reel runs every other carry.

small to give him any serious accolades. It won't stop me from mentioning him though. I saw him play (not just highlights) he was absolutely incredible. Dude was averaging 6.8 a carry that last season.
6.8 a carry son.

_________________________________________
The Combat Jack Show is the best hip-hop related internet radio show
http://thecombatjackshow.com/

I put bread on your head like powdered toast man

<---https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DL9AVTQ

>Y'all hype Bo mostly because you seen highlights

actually most people who have only seen his highlights don't mention him among the greats. grainy youtube footage can only have so much of an impact. its usually the ones who actually watched him play that remember how he impacted a game.

BA:
.235, .246, .256, .272

OBP:
.296, .287 (only decrease in any percentage), .310, .342

SLG:
.455, .472, .495, .523

OPS:
.750, .758, .805, .866

OPS+
94, 108, 124, 142

He played in 24 fewer games in 1990 compared to 1989, otherwise his HR, RBI, H, and TB would have likely shown the same steady progression.

*Jews you*

"this is okp tho, reading is completely optional" (c) desus

Proceed with caution. I am overtly racist.

<-- In Pigpen we trust

The main factor in improving those numbers was his declining strikeout percentage. I'm not sure that would have dropped below 25% (it had gotten down to 28.1% in 1990). I suppose that it's possible that he would have turned into Sammy Sosa but I'm betting something more along the lines of Reggie Sanders in terms of career arc. Inconsistent production mired by injuries, great power/speed, lots of Ks. Just never quite put it all together for long enough.

In a semi-related post, the Reds were really snake-bitten for a minute there with black power-speed outfielders. Reggie Sanders, Eric Davis, and Kal Daniels were all monsters.

>In a semi-related post, the Reds were really snake-bitten for
>a minute there with black-power speed outfielders. Reggie
>Sanders, Eric Davis, and Kal Daniels were all monsters.

*Jews you*

"this is okp tho, reading is completely optional" (c) desus

Proceed with caution. I am overtly racist.

<-- In Pigpen we trust

not to mention he never went to training camp or even got into football shape. He went straight from catching fly balls and hitting curves to the football field. That shit is impressive as hell.

How do you pick your agendas? I used to think they were race based. But every once in a while you come with something like this.

November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!

I think the race one stand out for some reason, but I always
been on some next shit, god

And Bo would come right into the season beastin, putting up numbers in a limited amount games...

Stuff like that is but one example why ppl marveled at his rare athleticism

Art Shell said in ALL his years of playing and coaching, Bo was thee only RB he ever saw who seemed like everytime he carried the ball he looked like he was going to break it for a TD. (even the run where he injured his hip he ran for like 60 yds. before being brought down)



>not to mention he never went to training camp or even got
>into football shape.

grassrootsphilosopher

But at least wilt actually had insane numbers

As they said in the doc
Bo was the one of the first highlight athletes
And he had a insane marketing campaign much like MJ which I think
Effects people more than I am comfortable with


Anyone who says he was better than sweetness
Is a fuckin idiot

>But at least wilt actually had insane numbers
>
>As they said in the doc
>Bo was the one of the first highlight athletes
>And he had a insane marketing campaign much like MJ which I
>think
>Effects people more than I am comfortable with
>
>
>Anyone who says he was better than sweetness
>Is a fuckin idiot

_________________________________________
The Combat Jack Show is the best hip-hop related internet radio show
http://thecombatjackshow.com/

I put bread on your head like powdered toast man

as well as Bo's

He could have been
but he aint

and maybe if he only had his focus on one sport or the other he would have been up there, but he shouldn't be considered among the great RBs

the two are not mutually dependent.

>the two are not mutually dependent.

let me rephrase: he was a great RB, he is not among the greatest.

Bo was a once in a lifetime talent for sure, but it's always easier to say a player would have this or would have that.

Just like everyone is sure Barry would have broken every record, hey may have but saying he would have for sure. is an argument you can't lose.

No different than Tupac was the greatest ever argument. It's really hard to be the best for a long time, and people forget that alot and just assume someone who was the best for a short time and never got the chance to keep going would have kept going at that same pace for the whole time.

What he did in those first four years or so had him on the GOAT trajectory. Statistically, anyway.

Oh well... Shit happens. Shit like blowing out your ACL and MCL.

*shrugs*

now, held it, that's a different story. it's still pretty likely, had he played two more full seasons he had a chance to post the same totals emmitt did, three would have been for sure.

And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

----
bshelly

"You (Fisher) could get fired, Les Snead could get fired, Kevin Demoff could get fired, but I will always be Eric Dickerson.” (c) The God

...but it was also really annoying to watch because it was basically one quote after another talking pure unfiltered hyperbole.

It woulda been nice for them to have had a bit more nuanced analysis of his game. He struck out a ton, didn't hit a great average... They could've talked about how he was getting better, and the sky was the limit for his potential, but he really wasn't anywhere near being a great player YET.

Instead, they made it look like he was doing Ken Griffey Jr or Albert Pujols things. He wasn't.

Additionally, they made it seem like Tecmo Bowl was exactly like the real world NFL when Bo Jackson got the ball.

>...but it was also really annoying to watch because it was
>basically one quote after another talking pure unfiltered
>hyperbole.

...but it was appropriate, because a huge part of the Bo legend
is embodied in impressions, memories, legends,etc. And that's not to shit on
what he did, because what he actually did...informed the myths.

Like, the story about him killing hogs. Sounded like bullshit until
"the throw."

If that makes sense.

>It woulda been nice for them to have had a bit more nuanced
>analysis of his game. He struck out a ton, didn't hit a great
>average... They could've talked about how he was getting
>better, and the sky was the limit for his potential, but he
>really wasn't anywhere near being a great player YET.

Yeah, I hear that....but again: Bo Jackson's legend was more
about his ability than his accomplishments.

My beef is mistaking the former for the latter.

I don't have a problem honoring the legend of Bo.

But don't say that he was better than fucking Adrian Peterson.

Get all the way the fuck outta here with that shit.

His ability was completely off the charts in both sports,
nobody denies that. And at the end of the day, there's a
a reason nobody can be an all star in two sports. It isn't
really possible.

>Instead, they made it look like he was doing Ken Griffey Jr or
>Albert Pujols things. He wasn't.

>Additionally, they made it seem like Tecmo Bowl was exactly
>like the real world NFL when Bo Jackson got the ball.

Not really...I thought that diversion was appropriate. We were so
mesmerized by this dude's gifts, that people could program
shit like that in a game and we were all like "okay."

I feel the spirit of your opinion; I'm arguing something slightly
different though





----------------------------

Young Broadway Star Urgently Needs a Bone Marrow Donor. Is it you? http://MatchShannon.com/







O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

I had the pleasure of seeing Bo Jackson play both football and baseball, and I'll never forget it.

>I don't have a problem honoring the legend of Bo.
>
>But don't say that he was better than fucking Adrian Peterson.
>
>Get all the way the fuck outta here with that shit.

That's pretty much all that I'm saying. I wish they would've spared us the "He could've been the greatest outfielder in the history of the game" type shit. Realistically, "The Throw" is probably more impressive than any statistical feat, anyway...

-------------------------
�The other dude after me didn�t help my case. It was just like�crazy nigga factory going on.�
Dre makes no apologies for his own eccentricities. �I was young, and searching, trying to find myself,� he says. �Never did.�-- Andre B

massive ability, mythic legend, incredible athlete, etc but career ended too soon for whatever reason..

>massive ability, mythic legend, incredible athlete, etc but
>career ended too soon for whatever reason..

------------------
One Hundred.

http://deadspin.com/5564268/the-legend-of-black-superman-billy-ray-bates-flying-high-in-the-philippines

King played a while before he got hurt,but that shit killed his career. He was probably a 1st ballot HOF player before

as Bo

but

in terms of the other abilities you listed, I'd have to say David Thompson comes closest imo

He's always mentioned in one of those "what could've" been discussion like Bo

He was equally just as known for his '44' inch vertical leap as he was for his game. Jordan said Thompson is to be credited for players focusing on their vertical.

He's been described as being "Michael Jordan" before MJ but w/a jump shot. Drugs and injuries derailed what many said would have amounted to an all time great career.

grassrootsphilosopher

and the goat manigault

http://i.imgur.com/k6zAtu3.jpg

A bunch of these have been trickling out. Some good ones including Derek Jeter. I saw this at Think Factory, which took it from CBS, which took it from Reddit.

I think the highlight for me is, "Don Baylor type body"

Chuck Knoblauch has 8 "courage" according to a Minnesota Twins scout.

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

don't understand how a man his size did what he did; like he did some Rocket Ismail shit where nobody touched him and he literally ran past 8 defenders over the course of 70 yards. They all seemingly had angles to get to him, but his speed negated that...it's one of the mysteries of my childhood. So I would say, when healthy, he was the best athlete in the NFL or MLB.... in the pantheon of NFL backs, he is upper echelon just like Gayle Sayers is upper echelon- despite injuries cutting their careers short.

------------------
One Hundred.

of course his career was going to be a 'what could have been', his freak hip injury happened at 27 when he was basically 3/4 years into his MLB career & about half that in football.

He played essentially half a season at NFL running back for which he came in with no camp & then promptly balled on folks, including 6.8 yards a carry his first year with the Raiders after not having played the sport since Auburn (where he was one of the greatest running backs of his era in the SEC).

He was a Pro Bowl Running Back & The MVP of The MLB All-Star Game in the same season.

That will never be seen again in our lifetime.

Talking about 'he never had a 1000-yard season!' in a sport he was essentially joining full-bloom around Halloween sorta misses the point like BPShelly & the seamheads trying to discuss his plate effiency compared to Kevin Seitzer in his second sport which he was still in the process of mastering misses the point as well.

I wouldn't put Bo Jackson on my Top 5 running back or Top 25 baseball players list.

However I would put him at the absolute top of the all-around athletes list of my lifetime & he would absolutely deserve it.

Nobody could approach his overall ability to do all the number of things he did as well as he did.

If ESPN wants to now give a makeup call for putting him as the SEVENTY-SECOND best athlete behind Bonnie Blair, Bill Shoemaker, Ben Hogan & a fucking horse while putting Michael Jordan's paid-outta-pocket-to-suck-at-double-A-baseball-ass at #1 overall.....then so be it.

They're only doing it because of how successful the 30-for-30 is and despite it all being old news to me it made me realize how little people even a little younger than me know about Bo Jackson.

So in my mind there's nothing overrated about that, this dude is more unsung than overrated overall.

I hope to hear/see him brought up more often.

.

<---
Fuck a sig, my presence is enough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PBvOxicz-0
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================
Occupy Big Government..

Fannie, Freddie dole out big bonuses
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/67292.html

Let these niggas tell it Iverson was the GOAT. He was overrated in 2013 terms. At least Russy's a team player.

No empathy for white misery (c) BDot

"root for everybody black haters say that's crazy, wow..."

..at the time

and i say this while acknowledging that my ranking order for rbs would be:

brown
payton
sanders

everything after that gets muddled.

still, bo would certainly rank among the highest (def top ten)

not that he was the greatest rb or greatest hitter/fielder. not even saying that he had an incredible career.

until you put that all aside and simply judge him without comparison, you really can't truly grasp how gifted he was. for someone who didn't train traditionally. someone who despised practice.

that strength
that size
that agility
that SPEED

to hell with combine stats. what he did on the field was incredible, for any era.

sure, others went on to have longer careers. a few of them actually put up great numbers and earned championship rings. still, i seriously doubt you'll find another back from that era that will say they were better than him in his prime.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*

..and miles to go before i sleep...

certainly than a great career.

as an overall athlete, he was unbelievable. as a player in either sport, he was singular in style but not effectiveness. top ten running backs? that seems like a stretch to me but of course i was pretty young when he was playing.

And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

and it was scary for a minute, however neither got to showcase it all for different reasons. however BO made you look and he was that good no matter how short the time was.

mistermaxxx R.Kelly, Michael Jackson,Stevie wonder,Rick James,Marvin Gaye,El Debarge, Barry WHite Lionel RIchie,Isleys EWF,Lady T.,Kid creole and coconuts,the crusaders,kc sunshine band,bee gees,jW,sd,NE,JB

Miami Heat, New York Yankees,buffalo bills

he was on pace to smash 1,000 yds almost every year.

1987 - 554 yds (7 games) 79.1 ypg
1988 - 580 yds (10 games) 58 ypg
1989 - 950 yds (11 games) 86.4 ypg
1990 - 698 yds (10 games) 69.8 ypg

time, that's another major factor that that people fail to recognize.

Look at Bo's ypc, that tells you how dominant he was.

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

Yeah, while there is definitely no argument to be made as far as "career", Jackson was one of the best pure running backs I have ever seen. 100% elite.

That absolutely does not make him better than Walter, Jim Brown or Barry Sanders but had he played football full-time and not had his career cut short, he might have put himself in that convo.

True breakaway speed combined with fearsome power. Not a whole lot more you could want at the position.

Any baseball discussion I will leave to others but I watched his entire NFL career and Bo was a dominant RB. He gets that Gayle Sayers pass. You can't go around saying Sayers was BETTER than Payton but you can credibly put him into a conversation about greatest backs of all time.

I'm from the lost black tribe of Israel, the Yos

http://coolehmag.com/frontEnd/

or Sanders, obviously Bo's career doesn't measure up to those guys, but as far as pure talent, there is no question.

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

The crazy thing is Bo got hurt getting caught from behind on a sideline gallop...by a linebacker.

At the time I was just shocked that that could really happen. Like, sitting in my mom's living room, shocked that (James Francis?) he got run down.

Then he missed the Buffalo game and the Raiders got obliterated. I had never seen a quality playoff team get annihilated like that at the time. I had to lost a ten dollar bet and had to pay up on the yellow bus the next day.

What a weird postseason that was, only fitting it was capped by Bills somehow losing to an inferior Giants squad.

I'm from the lost black tribe of Israel, the Yos

http://coolehmag.com/frontEnd/

>The crazy thing is Bo got hurt getting caught from behind on
>a sideline gallop...by a linebacker.
>
>At the time I was just shocked that that could really happen.
>Like, sitting in my mom's living room, shocked that (James
>Francis?) he got run down.

bo was hurt getting tackled in the middle of transitioning from cut-backs. he side-stepped a few players in traffic and was actually switching gears, accelerating through traffic. basically, the linebacker was fortunate the traffic slowed him down and he got to him before bo reached 3rd gear.

no one ever ran Bo Jackson down on a flat out run on any football field.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*

..and miles to go before i sleep...

And I say that as someone whose only jersey I ever owned in childhood was an LA Raiders 32 replica.

Bo would show up in late October with an NFL season already well under way & have you wondering why they were wasting their time handing off to a Hall of Famer instead of him.

Other than Walter, no one ever ran with such speed and power.