Gale Sayers - Extremely over rated?

[dlphg9]

So as I was in the middle of doing some research for a post I went down a rabbit hole and eventually found myself looking at Gale Sayers stats. I may be completely off base here, because admittedly I have never watched any Gale Sayers highlights and am basing this on stats, but how in the hell is he in the HOF? Hell USA Today had him ranked as number 21 all time, 247sports has him ranked as 48 all time.

He played for 7 seasons, but only played a total of 4 games in years 6 and 7 combined. He only had 2 1000 yard seasons and those were the only times he led the league in rushing. He only had 2 seasons in which he had double digit receiving + rushing TDs. He was amazing at punt and kick off returns, but that was only for his first 3 years.

His career accomplishments aren't really that great, besides being AP 4 times. He never even got to play in a playoff game, so he obviously doesn't have any SB championships. He isn't even in the top 100 for career rushing yards, hell he's barely even in the top 150 coming in at 145th. He had a massive amount of rushing TDs though... 39...

He was good at 1 thing when it came to carrying the ball and that was fumbling. He almost has as many fumbles (34) as he does rushing TDs (39). Hell in a couple of seasons he had significantly more fumbles than rushing TDs.

Yr/Rush TDs/Fumbles

1/14/9
2/8/2
3/7/8
4/2/7
5/8/7
6/0/1
7/0/0

Out of 7 years he fumbled more than he rushed for a TD in 3 of those years.

He does have a few things on his resume that are pretty decent. He averaged 5.0 ypc over his entire career, was a fantastic returner during his first 3 years, and his rookie season he had 14 rush TDs, 6 receiving TDs, 1 kickoff return TD, and 1 punt return TD. I think his rookie season may be the reason he is so highly regarded. He is just incredibly over rated and seems to get a boost from being injury prone.

Someone prove me wrong.

[lawrenceRaider]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Just got done watching some highlights and I would take Jamaal Charles over Sayers. God I hate watching old highlight vids. Everyone looks so god damn slow. Sayers was a great athlete back then, but if he played now he wouldn't be shit.

You sir have invalidated any opinion you put forth at any point in the future as well as everything you've said in the past.

May God have mercy on your soul.

[Molitoth]

I've seen much better Running Backs at my local Guitar Center.

[Kman34]

Brian’s Song..

[Nickhead]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

You sir have invalidated any opinion you put forth at any point in the future as well as everything you've said in the past.

May God have mercy on your soul.

Yeah. He’s gone full reerun fer sure.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

You sir have invalidated any opinion you put forth at any point in the future as well as everything you've said in the past.

May God have mercy on your soul.

You dont think old highlight videos make the players look slow?

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

You dont think old highlight videos make the players look slow?

They look slow because the playback is slower than actual. Go to settings and speed it up to 1.5x. That's about actual speed.

[gblowfish]

Gayle Sayers was one of the most gifted running backs to ever lace them up. And this is coming from a Mizzou guy who hates Jayhawks. He scored six TDs in one game, in the mud.

[big nasty kcnut]

**** off gayle was inhuman!

[oldman]

Originally Posted by Ubeja Vontell

I don't get what the AFL has to do with anything.

That's because you're an ignorant slut.

The AFL was considered by most NFL fans and teams as inferior because the AFL was considered more offense oriented. Take a look at Paul Hornung, Lenny Moore, or Frank Gifford's stats. There were quite a few seasons they had more receiving yards than rushing.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

He carried the ball like a loaf of bread.

Yeah I am old enough to remember him playing he did have poor ball protection skills and ran backward losing yards but he was a homerun hitter. The Bears were pretty bad the years I remember him. Shady really modeled his game after Gayle. Fun player to watch but the coaches of that day I bet were very frustrated with him slinging that ball out from his body. Would have been interesting to see what Hank Stram would have done with him.

[Ubeja Vontell]

Originally Posted by oldman

That's because you're an ignorant slut.

The AFL was considered by most NFL fans and teams as inferior because the AFL was considered more offense oriented. Take a look at Paul Hornung, Lenny Moore, or Frank Gifford's stats. There were quite a few seasons they had more receiving yards than rushing.

Still don't get what the AFL had to do with anything, much less Hornung, Moore and Gifford. Moore and Gifford slot receivers today.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Imagine if he had gone to the Chiefs instead with that dominant defense they had in the 60’s. He could have won multiple championships and might be remembered as the greatest of all time (or close to).

Now, you really wanna talk about overrated RB’s in the HOF? Terrell Davis (only 3 good years, product of zone blocking scheme in which backs like Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson had similar success running). Jerome Bettis (I’m big, hard to tackle and played forever so I should be in the HOF) There’s a couple RB’s who have no business being in the HOF.

[Ubeja Vontell]

Originally Posted by TomBarndtsTwin

Imagine if he had gone to the Chiefs instead with that dominant defense they had in the 60’s. He could have won multiple championships and might be remembered as the greatest of all time (or close to).

Now, you really wanna talk about overrated RB’s in the HOF? Terrell Davis (only 3 good years, product of zone blocking scheme in which backs like Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson had similar success running). Jerome Bettis (I’m big, hard to tackle and played forever so I should be in the HOF) There’s a couple RB’s who have no business being in the HOF.

Abner Haynes did great as the Chiefs RB.

The most overrated HALL OF FAME RB is..........Floyd Little. He has no business there at all, not at all.

Davis had a few fantastic seasons.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Davis had one fantastic season and two really good ones.

But he was a product of their running scheme. It’s why you saw Denver’s rushing attack plug right along without missing a beat when they inserted the likes of Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by TomBarndtsTwin

Imagine if he had gone to the Chiefs instead with that dominant defense they had in the 60’s. He could have won multiple championships and might be remembered as the greatest of all time (or close to).

Now, you really wanna talk about overrated RB’s in the HOF? Terrell Davis (only 3 good years, product of zone blocking scheme in which backs like Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson had similar success running). Jerome Bettis (I’m big, hard to tackle and played forever so I should be in the HOF) There’s a couple RB’s who have no business being in the HOF.

Thats no shit