The Semifinals: Vote for the TEN greatest football players on this list.

[Rain Man]

After many polls over the past few months, we have narrowed down the greatest football players of all time to the following list of 31.

We will now narrow this list down to the top ten, so vote for TEN players.


As a note, if any Broncos fans attempt to stuff the ballot box, as happened in a previous poll, your guy will be disqualified for cheating. We will monitor this by making the poll public.

VOTE FOR TEN PLAYERS.

[Skip Towne]

Hey, you left Eric Hicks off the poll.

[Rain Man]

He just missed the cutoff.

[Miles]

What, no Randy Moss?

[Eleazar]

Where's the BJ option?

[Skip Towne]

What? No John Riggins?

[Rain Man]

I went with

Barry Sanders - perhaps the most electrifying player ever

Jim Brown - perhaps the best runner ever

Walter Payton - perhaps the best all-around running back ever

Dan Marino - perhaps the best passer ever

Johnny Unitas - perhaps the best field general ever

Sammy Baugh - a nod to a great early star who was a top 60-minute player on all three phases of the game

Joe Montana - perhaps the best pressure QB ever

Jerry Rice - the stats speak for themselves

Reggie White - Can you imagine a defensive lineman with almost twice as many sacks as Derrick Thomas? Amazing.

Deion Sanders - Whether you hate him or merely dislike him, he is the greatest cornerback ever, and would've been an amazing receiver as well. I read today that he scored 19 touchdowns on defensive and special teams returns. That's unfathomable.

[go bo]

Where's the BJ option?who's getting a blow job?

[Hammock Parties]

I voted for Elway. I feel dirty.

[Rain Man]

I voted for Elway. I feel dirty.


That's disgusting. There's no excuse for stuff like that.

[chiefs4me]

Hey, you left Eric Hicks off the poll.



Yea...what's up with that....ROFL



this is gonna be so much fun...here I go skipper, to make my picks..:p

[chiefs4me]

harder then I thought...my picks are

Lanier
Payton
Taylor
Montana
Rice
Sanders,B
Brown
Unitas
Allen
Marino


I just couldn't make myself pick Elway.....:shake:

[Skip Towne]

harder then I thought...my picks are

Lanier
Payton
Taylor
Montana
Rice
Sanders,B
Brown
Unitas
Allen
Marino


I just couldn't make myself pick Elway.....:shake:
I figured you would write in Eric Hicks.

[chiefs4me]

I figured you would write in Eric Hicks.




ROFL

[patteeu]

IMO, John Elway was the best football player I've ever seen. I can't believe there are 2 QBs ahead of him in this poll.

[Rain Man]

IMO, John Elway was the best football player I've ever seen. I can't believe there are 2 QBs ahead of him in this poll.

You make me sick.

[Area 51]

harder then I thought...my picks are

Lanier
Payton
Taylor
Montana
Rice
Sanders,B
Brown
Unitas
Allen
Marino


I just couldn't make myself pick Elway.....:shake:

Props!!!! I couldn't vote for Elway if he was the only choice!!!!

[patteeu]

Montana isn't even the best QB the 49'ers ever had, much less the NFL. He did collect some nice hardware though.

[Simplex3]

Montana isn't even the best QB the 49'ers ever had, much less the NFL. He did collect some nice hardware though.
Montana was one of those guys that just made everyone else better. My favorite story about him is still this one:

http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016306.html
Take the 1989 Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals. The San Francisco 49ers were down by three points with 3:20 left when Montana spotted -- no, not an open receiver -- but a personality. "There, in the stands, standing near the exit ramp," Montana said to tackle Harris Barton. "Isn't that John Candy?" And then he led the 49ers 92 yards, throwing for the winning touchdown with 34 seconds left.

[Rain Man]

Montana isn't even the best QB the 49'ers ever had, much less the NFL. He did collect some nice hardware though.

It's an interesting comparison because they were such different styles. If I was drafting a team from scratch, it'd be hard to vote against Young, though.

A couple of other guys that I wish had made the finals were Don Hutson and Merlin Olsen. Young got fewer votes than I expected, too.

[Garcia Bronco]

Payton
Night Train
LT
Elway
Montana
Rice
Butkus
D. Sanders
Bruce Smith
Marino

[Area 51]

Payton
Night Train
LT
Elway (go figure!!)
Montana
Rice
Butkus
D. Sanders
Bruce Smith
Marino

Doh!!!

[Amnorix]

I tried to spread teh wealth around the positions.

I went with Lanier, Reggie White, Nitsche, John Hannah (homer pick perhaps), Munoz, Montana, Deacon Jones, Jerry Rice, Deacon Jones and LT.

And honest to God that is one sick group of NFL players.

One common theme -- every one of the guys other than Montana and Rice are just nasty, hard-nosed SOBs.

[Amnorix]

I missed Deion Sanders. I'd have to bump someone off for him, much as I dislike him. I've got no DBs on my team, and I don't think Lott quite beats any of teh guys I listed.

I'd personally probably prefer a guy like Mike Haynes, however, over Deion. I'm trying to come up with a really hard-nosed team of guys. Haynes was a great, great player. Maybe not quite like Deion, but I'll take his locker room personality.

The rest of the guys on my team would stuff Deion into a locker every day for having such a big mouth.

[Rain Man]

I missed Deion Sanders. I'd have to bump someone off for him, much as I dislike him.


Maybe you could take back one of your two votes for Deacon Jones. :)

[DaKCMan AP]

Walter Payton
Ronnie Lott
Reggie White
Lawrence Taylor
Johnny Unitas
Joe Montana
Jim Brown
Jerry Rice
Dan Marino
Barry Sanders

[patteeu]

Lets compare what the losses of Joe Montana and John Elway meant to their teams.

In the 6 years* after Montana left the 49ers, San Francisco racked up 4 Division Championships, 1 Conference Championship, and 1 Superbowl Championship. (And if you count the '91 season as Joe's last since he missed most of '92 with an elbow injury, they actually won 5 Division Championships in 6 years without him).

In the 6 years* after Elway left the Broncos, Denver has won ZERO championships of any kind. They haven't won a playoff game during that period, either.

The obvious conclusion is that Elway was far more important to his team than Montana was to his. A reasonable inference is that Montana's greatness was enhanced by the good players around him while Elway did everything on his own (with a little help at the end from Terrell Davis, of course).

If Elway had come to KC for the last two years of his career instead of Joe Montana, it would have been uncomfortable for us Bronco-hating Chiefs fans, but he would have brought us a Lombardi Trophy instead of just a a chance to look at the Hunt Trophy while Jim Kelly raised it in the air.

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

* I used 6 years, because that's how long Elway has been retired.

[Garcia Bronco]

Doh!!!

Best QB to ever play the game. You can't deny it. The only man you can throw in the face of that is Montana...and I f I had to pick bewteen Joe and John...well then I'm doing alright.

[Rain Man]

Best QB to ever play the game. You can't deny it. The only man you can throw in the face of that is Montana...and I f I had to pick bewteen Joe and John...well then I'm doing alright.

I'd personally put Marino, Young, and Unitas up there.

[Area 51]

Best QB to ever play the game. You can't deny it. The only man you can throw in the face of that is Montana...and I f I had to pick bewteen Joe and John...well then I'm doing alright.

Like anyone would expect you to pick otherwise? The uniform is all that matters to you and you know it. Your objectivity is tainted when it comes to anyone dressing in a donkey uniform. Face it you are just as much of a homer as anyone.

I'd rather have the local HS QB than Elway (Unless he was a Chief). Do you get the point?

[Rausch]

Sammy Baugh is getting ****ing hosed.

Who else voted for him besides myself and Skip (who was lucky enough to be there for his whole career.)

[shakesthecat]

Sammy Baugh is getting ****ing hosed.

Who else voted for him besides myself and Skip (who was lucky enough to be there for his whole career.)

:)
Buncha un-edumucated fools around here.

[Amnorix]

The obvious conclusion is that Elway was far more important to his team than Montana was to his. A reasonable inference is that Montana's greatness was enhanced by the good players around him while Elway did everything on his own (with a little help at the end from Terrell Davis, of course).

Look, we're talking about two of the best QBs to ever play, I think most of us can ignore Elway's uniform long enough to acknowledge that.

But your analysis is off. Waaaay off. Montana was replaced by ANOTHER Hall of Fame QB. Elway has been replaced, to date, with the NFL QB equivalent of Larry, Moe and Curly.

Montana was also replaced only slightly after the peak of his career, because there he had a younger, great backup in the wings. Elway was ridden until he didn't want to play anymore. Immediately after he left, their BEST player during their two year SB run (which was TD, not Elway) had his wheels fall off.

Having lost two of their best players in a short timeframe, their little era was done.

IMHO Dan Marino might just be better than either of those guys, but he never won a SB, so everyone gives him a big discount. He didn't win a SB, of course, because he never had any kind of remotely adequate running game, his defenses were "okay" at best, and he wasn't surrounded with unbelievable talent.

Duper and Clayton were pretty darn good, but neither is in the SB, or ever will be. Other than maybe Dwight Stephenson, their superb Center, I'm not sure anybody from any of Marino's 17 years as an NFL Triggerman has any chance at all at getting into the hall.

[And thsi from someone who hates Marino...]

Let me put it this way -- Elway and Marino were both superb. Marino had a better arm and quicker release. Elway had more overall athleticism and could run.

But neither one could win a SB for years and years and years and years. When TD showed up, suddenly Elway got his two rings.

Montana was pretty consistently surrounded by talent, not least of which is that guy Rice, who is at least the greatest WR of all time, and possibly the overall NFL GOAT.

But this comparison of post-retirement team accomplishments is meaningless.

[Area 51]

Look, we're talking about two of the best QBs to ever play, I think most of us can ignore Elway's uniform long enough to acknowledge that.

But your analysis is off. Waaaay off. Montana was replaced by ANOTHER Hall of Fame QB. Elway has been replaced, to date, with the NFL QB equivalent of Larry, Moe and Curly.

Montana was also replaced only slightly after the peak of his career, because there he had a younger, great backup in the wings. Elway was ridden until he didn't want to play anymore. Immediately after he left, their BEST player during their two year SB run (which was TD, not Elway) had his wheels fall off.

Having lost two of their best players in a short timeframe, their little era was done.

IMHO Dan Marino might just be better than either of those guys, but he never won a SB, so everyone gives him a big discount. He didn't win a SB, of course, because he never had any kind of remotely adequate running game, his defenses were "okay" at best, and he wasn't surrounded with unbelievable talent.

Duper and Clayton were pretty darn good, but neither is in the SB, or ever will be. Other than maybe Dwight Stephenson, their superb Center, I'm not sure anybody from any of Marino's 17 years as an NFL Triggerman has any chance at all at getting into the hall.

[And thsi from someone who hates Marino...]

Let me put it this way -- Elway and Marino were both superb. Marino had a better arm and quicker release. Elway had more overall athleticism and could run.

But neither one could win a SB for years and years and years and years. When TD showed up, suddenly Elway got his two rings.

Montana was pretty consistently surrounded by talent, not least of which is that guy Rice, who is at least the greatest WR of all time, and possibly the overall NFL GOAT.

But this comparison of post-retirement team accomplishments is meaningless.


FLAG ON THE PLAY

PERSONAL FOUL

INSULTING THE THREE STOOGES!!!!

Amnorix IS GIVEN STERN WARNING, ONE MORE TIME AND YOU WILL BE EJECTED FROM THE GAME!!!!

[Calcountry]

What, no Randy Moss?Sterling Sharpe is going to be pissed.

[patteeu]

Look, we're talking about two of the best QBs to ever play, I think most of us can ignore Elway's uniform long enough to acknowledge that.

But your analysis is off. Waaaay off. Montana was replaced by ANOTHER Hall of Fame QB. Elway has been replaced, to date, with the NFL QB equivalent of Larry, Moe and Curly.

Montana was also replaced only slightly after the peak of his career, because there he had a younger, great backup in the wings. Elway was ridden until he didn't want to play anymore. Immediately after he left, their BEST player during their two year SB run (which was TD, not Elway) had his wheels fall off.

Having lost two of their best players in a short timeframe, their little era was done.

IMHO Dan Marino might just be better than either of those guys, but he never won a SB, so everyone gives him a big discount. He didn't win a SB, of course, because he never had any kind of remotely adequate running game, his defenses were "okay" at best, and he wasn't surrounded with unbelievable talent.

Duper and Clayton were pretty darn good, but neither is in the SB, or ever will be. Other than maybe Dwight Stephenson, their superb Center, I'm not sure anybody from any of Marino's 17 years as an NFL Triggerman has any chance at all at getting into the hall.

[And thsi from someone who hates Marino...]

Let me put it this way -- Elway and Marino were both superb. Marino had a better arm and quicker release. Elway had more overall athleticism and could run.

But neither one could win a SB for years and years and years and years. When TD showed up, suddenly Elway got his two rings.

Montana was pretty consistently surrounded by talent, not least of which is that guy Rice, who is at least the greatest WR of all time, and possibly the overall NFL GOAT.

But this comparison of post-retirement team accomplishments is meaningless.


LMAO. Like any of the arguments one way or the other are going to prove one great QB was better than another.

This particular argument might not be conclusive, and it might not be persuasive to you, but it's not meaningless. You can't seriously take the position that a team's dropoff or lack thereof after a key player (or coach) moves on has no relevance to the value of that player (or coach). That would be ridiculous.

My only definite conclusion is undeniable IMO. Montana was less valuable to his team than Elway was to his. Certainly, the presence of an even better QB (Young) was a factor in that, but it's hardly the only factor. As for whether or not Montana was helped by a superior supporting cast, I think that's an easy one too. Should we compare Montana-era 49ers rosters with Elway-era Bronco rosters? We could compare on the basis of the HOF inductees if you'd like. Or the pro-bowl appearances. Or maybe you have a better measure of merit?

Montana had a couple of decent years left in him when he left the 49ers for the Chiefs, but he was on his way out and those years were far from his best. I have no doubt that Elway could have matched those Montana performances if he had decided to play for two more years. His performance in his last season gave no reason to believe otherwise.

If you were a new NFL owner and you could hire either the Montana-era personell staff of the 49ers or Elway-era personell staff of the Broncos, which would you choose? I'd pick the 49ers' staff because they built better teams. They didn't just get lucky to have one guy named Joe and a sidekick named Rice, they built a star studded team with plenty of offensive and defensive playmakers. The Broncos had plenty of good defensive players, but for the longest time, Elway was almost alone on offense for many of his years (and he fell in their laps because of his snubbing of the Colts). But he still carried his team to more Super Bowls than Montana did.

Marino has some gaudy statistics, but I'd probably take Montana and certainly take Young or Elway over him.