Running back: Name the best
Aug. 27, 2008 @ 1:27 p.m. by Joannaby joanna
As always, I’m looking for ways to keep you, our dear readers, coming back. This just came to me — I want you to name the best running back. This can be a type of post that we can continue with other positions, but I thought I’d make the first one easy.
Now, there are several ways that you need to answer this question.
1. The best running back ever at any level
2. The best high school running back in Kansas this season (feel free to write more than one, otherwise we’ll just get a whole bunch of Bryce Browns)
3. The best high school running back in Kansas in history.
4. The best running back you have seen in person
My answers
1. Walter Payton. Sweetness always lived up to his name
2. Bryce Brown (I’ll follow with Demarcus Robinson, Joseph Randle. I’m sure there are some kids across the state that I can’t remember off the top of my head.)
3. Centralia’s John Riggins (you can’t say Bryce Brown. He’s present, not history. I didn’t go with Barry Sanders because he might be the best back the state produced but he hardly played his senior year at North.)
4. Bryce Brown
Now it’s your turn.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Joanna,
How dare you not talk about Garden Plain, I guess you don’t think they are good enough or something.
1. Logan Dold
2. Whoever is GP’s RB this year…
3. Logan Dold
4. Logan Dold
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August 27th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
G, hilarious. Hilarious, hilarious.
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August 27th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
1. Bo Jackson period unmatched speed and power im not old enough to have seen Jim Brown 2. BB and no you dont need to list any more. 3. ditto 4 Bo Jackson I dont think people even have a clue how powerfull this cat was he is a complete freak of nature.
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August 27th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
1. Emmit Smith
2. Bryce Brown or Terrance Jones
3. John Riggins
4. Emmit Smith or Joe McKnight (sleeper Heisman)
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August 27th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
DeAngelo Evans was a beast in high school. He would have put up the same numbers in the city league. Also Leon Edwards (Southeast), and Tyrone Phillips (Northwest). Also Costello Good (West High).
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August 27th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
1. Jim Brown– No one else had his ability with his force of will. And he would be just as good today.
2. Bryce Brown
3. DeAngelo Evans
4. Marcus DuPree– injuries and bad decisions cut him down but the times I saw him he was, as a true freshman, a beast.
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August 27th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
1) Barry Sanders.
2) Watch out for Aaron Wilson at Derby.
3) Barry Sanders.
4) Darren Sproles broke ankles.
Leon Edwards was a good call, but Phillips and Good were overrated. Especially Phillips, he had no heart. De La Rosa from Garden City (class of 1992) was better. Goolsby from Dodge City (class of 1994) was a monster to tackle. Even Eric Vann (’94) from El Dorado had his moments but I wouldn’t put him in the ‘good’ category.
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August 27th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
1. Jeff Smith-SE
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August 27th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
1) Walter Payton
2) Bryce Brown, and then several others a couple notches down. Too many to name.
3) Don’t know. Haven’t seen a lot of great ones and not exactly flooded with tape of Riggins in high school. :) Not sure what he was like at Paola, but Brian Shay was pretty tough at Emporia State.
4) Been to many NFL games, but since your answer was Bryce Brown I’m guessing you mean best HS back I’ve seen in person. Saw Sproles a couple times. Jake Sharp.
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August 27th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
1) Walter Payton
2) Bryce Brown
DeMarcus Robinson
3) Jeff Smith, SE
4) Barry Sanders
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August 27th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
1) Barry Sanders
2) Bryce Brown…others: Javon Williams- Olathe E, Joe Randle, Deveon Dinwiddie (slot),
3) Based on production in high school- Bryce Brown- based on career after high school- Barry Sanders
4) In Person… Terrell Davis…while his career was short, he was dominating in Denver’s Super Bowl run, and I’m definately not a Bronco’s fan.
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August 27th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Barry Sanders/ Jim Brown. Never saw Brown, but everyone else is second to Barry. If you ever saw him in person it was incredible.
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August 27th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
1)O.J Simpson
2)Bryce Brown
3)Laverne Smith (S.E /K.U /Steelers )
4)Barry Sanders
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August 27th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Joanna, I went back and read your post. Are you related to BB? Barry played half a season and did things I have never seen a high school back do. If you ever have a pick a bone-head coach award, this staff would have to be a favorite.
There was also a rb from North(early 70’s) who played with New England who was a tank, someone help me with the name.
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August 27th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
E.L That mans name was Don Calhoun ,another awesome back that made it bigtime
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August 27th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
E.L you must be old like me,lol
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August 27th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
E.L., Didn’t you know Bryce Brown is my son? Don’t we look just alike?
E.L., you look at production and, I’m sorry, but how can you compare Bryce Brown to Barry Sanders in high school? Is Barry Sanders one of the best backs to ever play the game, NFL and college? Yes. Yes. Yes.
But I didn’t say Bryce was a better back than Barry in high school. I said that you can’t put Bryce in the conversation of best Kansas back ever because he’s present, not history. I said my opinion was John Riggins was a better high school back.
I also said “I didn’t go with Barry Sanders because he might be the best back the state produced but he hardly played his senior year at North.”
Is that his fault? No. But it’s pretty tough to compare him — based solely on high school, not NFL and college — to other backs.
By the way, I love the old school feel here. Love hearing Don Calhoun. Wow. I tried to show I had some old school love to give by throwing out John Riggins, but Calhoun trumps me.
I liked the Bo Jackson answer, too. Man, I loved watching him play. So exciting.
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August 27th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
1. Barry Sanders
2. Bryce Brown
3. Not Sure
4. Logan Watkins
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August 27th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Chuck, we might have forgotten the best of the all. I believe he scored the first td in super bowl history by an AFL team. Plus I believe he is another North High alumn, Curtis McClinton. Very succesful and gracious man.
Joanna, points taken. I have seen both play and Barry cannot be faulted for a coach decision. Barry did things on the field that I have never seen done since.
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August 27th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
I made my husband respond. He’s humoring me.
1. Eric Dickerson
2. Joseph Randle
3. Leon Edwards
4. Rashad Washington
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August 27th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
definitely jason robben of andale high school
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August 27th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Barry Sanders
Bryce Brown
Deangelo Evans
Leon Edwards
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August 28th, 2008 at 4:59 am
E.L you are right about Curtis.But that was a little before me,lol. 1960’s I think.
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August 28th, 2008 at 7:33 am
-Barry cannot be faulted for a coach decision.
I may be wrong, but I think Barry transferred to North from West his senior year, and had to sit some.
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August 28th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Bball- Barry went to North all three years. They played him at a wideout before moving to the backfield. He played behind his older brother his junior year.
If I am going to compare numbers I would like to see avg. yards per carry.
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August 28th, 2008 at 8:48 am
2. Javon Williams, Olathe East Hawks
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August 28th, 2008 at 9:54 am
1 BARRY SANDERS
2.DON CALHOUN
3.JOHN RANDEL
4.JEFF SMITH
5.TRACEY LEVY
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August 28th, 2008 at 10:05 am
sokko ,
you must have been a Golden Buffalo.
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August 28th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Jeff Smith from Wichita Southeast in the late 70’s. Played at Nebraska and went on to the NFL with Kansas City. This dude could flat out juke the heck out of you and leave you like you were standing still.
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August 28th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
1. Walter Payton
2. Bryce Brown
3. Jeff Smith
4. Billy Sims
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August 28th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I guess I am older than most. I watched Gale Sayers and there were not many better than he was. I am the same age as Riggins and got to see him in high school. His carrer speaks for itself.
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August 28th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Bryce Brown is overhyped. My picks:
1. Logan Dold
2. Daniel Capul
3. Logan Dold
4. Logan Dold
I love how the Eagle employees city-league biased bloggers. Seriously, do yall even go outside Wichita? Garden Plain, and Andale (hate to say…) were the BEST teams last season. Where was the commentary on that? TWO (2) STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS in one district. And it wasn’t just Dold, it was the entire team working together, especially the line. What City-league schools won state titles….hmmm………how would have thunk it: 0.
Where were the columnists at GP Midnight Practice? Practice started far earlier than you mentioned in your “Practice Begins” article. Apparently, you are ignoring other schools, or just plain not looking.
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August 28th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
A) Take a chill pill man.
B) Hutchinson was better than Garden Plain and Andale. You can’t compare teams from 3A, 2A, etc to teams in 6A. And please, please, go read the Times Sentinel, or something, if you want non-stop Garden Plain Andale attention. Heck, there are probably several 6A, 5A teams that would have beaten Andale/Garden Plain last year. (And if you think that isn’t true, bring it).
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August 29th, 2008 at 12:14 am
The best running back in history is Logan Dold? Not Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith? Wow, your opinion is clearly worth nothing now, you don’t even know what you are talking about. And I’m willing to bet Dold is the best you’ve ever seen because you don’t watch much. Bryce Brown may be overhyped, but he is more talented thatn all the other backs (ESPECIALLY Daniel Capul).
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:38 am
I’ll assume Logan Dold is better than he showed in the Shrine Bowl.
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:53 am
GP08, You are right, I wasn’t at midnight practice. Sorry, I was sleeping. Does that mean that I don’t like Garden Plain? Come on. Come on.
I wrote a first day of practice, and everyone started on the same day, so how is that wrong?
I wrote on another comment that I did a search of 2007 in our archives, looking for Garden Plain and Logan Dold. I found 67 references in less than two months. Not sure how Garden Plain is getting dogged.
I know you consider The Eagle biased to the City League, but understand two things — we focus on 25 teams where our circulation is the most. The City League makes up nine of those teams. That’s a pretty significant percentage.
But Garden Plain and Andale get a whole lot of love. A whole lot. Why wouldn’t we cover them? They win.
Seriously, though, I can’t see myself defending every decision we make on game coverage and stories every week on the blog. If you think we’re haters, nothing I can do about it. Let’s just remember 67 — the number of times Garden Plain and Logan Dold were mentioned in less than two months.
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August 29th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Its too bad GP can’t let their state title speak for itself…
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August 29th, 2008 at 10:53 am
RIKROK,
Be nice,Logan is a good kid and yes he is better.Somtimes things happen,we have all been there.He proved himself at a few camps and we will see him playing .Now is he as good as some say on here?And is 2A and 3A different then 5A and 6A. WELL,guess it depends on where you live…lol .I know I have seen 8 man - 6A …
And I know what I think.Just remember don’t blame the kid for what people say about him.
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August 29th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Well, my point was, there are better stories to cover.
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August 29th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
1. Barry Sanders
2. Bryce Brown
3. ??
4. Priest Holmes
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August 29th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
My above reply went on the wrong topic, do disregard it.
Where was Bryce at state? Watching from the stands.
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August 29th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Sorry, guess I should apologize for my rudeness. Bryce Brown is a great RB, perhaps the best in the state. I’ve become arrogant, and I ask you forgive my former posts. Hutchinson had a great team too, and their RBs are awesome as well.
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August 29th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
GP08 :
It’s ok for you to back Logan ,he’s a great player and I think he will be a good college player.Fact is we should all be pushing for all the Kansas players to do good and not trying to hold them up cuz there not from one school or another.Theres room in Kansas for several great backs and alot of other postions.If don’t do anything else lets keep the negative talk about the kids out,I thank you for your apology.
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August 30th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
GP08, Chuck is right. It’s OK to back Logan.
Last year, he would have been right in the mix of this discussion for top running back in the state.
And I think sometimes on the Internet, we’re pretty hard on people who come out strong for something they like. I don’t have a problem with it. It’s so much better than hearing about all the negativity.
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August 31st, 2008 at 2:25 am
1. All Time -
—Barry Sanders / Walter Payton, Walter is my all time favorite, but Barry was amazing.
2. Current Back -
—Brown, Dinwiddie, Randle - All have special moves and acceleration that most athletes don’t possess.
3. Best Running Back in Kansas History
— High School - DeAngelo Evans
— College - Sproles/Sayers
— Pro - we don’t have a pro team
4. In Person -
— DeAngelo Evans/ Jake Sharp
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August 31st, 2008 at 8:29 pm
ChuckPoe: Wasn’t trying to be mean on Dold, but that’s the only time I saw him in game action and it was similar to what I saw at Shrine Bowl practices.
I’m just assuming I didn’t see his A-game or A-effort.
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August 31st, 2008 at 10:28 pm
RikRok:
I understand , sometimes I am in the same boat not seeing players that play in lower classes like 4/3/2A’s . I also am sure you are right about it looking diferent then he did . Although he must be doing something right ,he looked ok for the Wildcats Saturday. I know u were just stating facts .Just trying to stay positive.
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September 1st, 2008 at 1:32 pm
1. Jim Brown
2. Bryce Brown, Deveon Dinwiddie
3. John Riggins, Barry Sanders
4. Jake Sharp, Salina Central, or Christain Farubi from PittColgan
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September 1st, 2008 at 7:35 pm
GP08. Don’t get hung up on the press! The only thing that matters is the final standing’s at the end of the season. I’ve watched Logan from the time he played on the Cougar kid’s team to now. He’s a great athlete and any good or bad press or lack there-of won’t change that. As a Andale fan, I hate to see any player singled out as a star. It doesn’t happen at Andale. You don’t want to put a target on a kid’s back and motivate the other team and diminish the value of the other players on your team. Coach Puetz and Coach O’Hair do a great job of keeping it a “Team” concept. It’s going to be a interesting year for us and I hope GP has another good year.
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September 2nd, 2008 at 2:56 am
1. bo jackson
2. corey harp (andale)
3. Mark Simoneau
4. Taylor Hoover (Conway Springs 2000-2002), Logan Dold(04-07_
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September 2nd, 2008 at 9:48 am
1. How do you not give the best back to Jim Brown. Even if you didn’t get to see him play because like me you are too young, wactch his videos. He runs through, past and around anybody in his way. Bo Jackson was close too.
2. Bryce Brown is a beast and there is no doubt he is the most gifted running back around here.
3. Barry Sanders gets the nod over John Riggins. Sanders’ career speaks for itself. Too bad he had to hang it up two or three years too early.
4. Here’s one I haven’t seen on this: Adrian Peterson. Wow, what a stud. He absolutely punishes people. You don’t know how fast he is until you see him in person.
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September 3rd, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I considered Jim Brown, but I never saw him play and the only videos are “highlights.”
I KNOW he was great, but based on what I saw in videos he averaged 35 yards per carry and every one ended in a touchdown. :)
I just went with guys I had watched in person.
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September 8th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
1. All Time -
—Barry Sanders - This man caused the greatest levels of anxiety to would be tacklers that any back ever has. Ask yourself who could tackle him in the open field even 3 times out of 10?
2. Current Back -
—Joseph Randle - Best Agility, Strength, Field Vision/Presence and overall Back/Athlete playing in KS today. Remember he plays on offense after excelling on defense and most special teams - He hardily ever leaves the field and still makes more than his fair share of explosive plays (and he will get better); Bryce Brown - Very fast and explosive, dangerous overall - He will kill you with his speed and wild running style; Demarcus Robinson - sooner or later this guy will make a play and hurt you badly, don’t get caught sleeping.
3. Best Running Back in Kansas History (In my day and time)
— High School - John Randle - Nasty Play Maker/DeAngelo Evans - Beast/(Idris Elias - West High - Brute)/Rashad Washington
— College - Randle - KU/Evans - Emporia State U.
4. In Person -
— Adrian Peterson/John Randle/DeAngelo Evans/Joseph Randle/Priest Holmes/Darren Sproles/Brian Shea/Rashad Washington/Jay Crabtree/Deveon Dinwiddie/Bryce Brown
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