Jim Brown, is he the greatest or overrated?

just spent about 10 minutes watching highlights of Jim Brown on the NFL Network and they were dubbing him greatest of all time, but is that really accurate? because in the highlights I saw a bunch of undersized or smallish looking players making many sloppy & lazy tackles as if they weren't trying hard, but I have a feeling that several of today's players would have turned his lights out & stopped him on alot of those runs.

[bradentonian]

Brown was a man among boys, that's for sure.  All those "undersized or smallish" guys had no problems taking down other players - Brown just trucked right through them all.  I know some debate who was the best RB of them all, but for me it's always been Brown.

just feel that today's players are much bigger and faster and more hard hitting, and someone would be lighting him up good every week to the point of him being unconscious and unable to continue playing in that game.

[4bucs]

If you ever saw Brown play you wouldn't have embarrassed yourself with this post.All his rushing records were done in 12 and 14 game seasons and I think in just 9 years...which was remarkable.

it's not an embarrassment but rather an observation from watching many many highlights of his, and unless you are old as dirt you probably never watched him play live yourself to be so sure about it.

[Boid Fink]

it's not an embarrassment but rather an observation from watching many many highlights of his, and unless you are old as dirt you probably never watched him play live yourself to be so sure about it.

Dude, I am quite sure 4Bucs knows what he is talking about, and I am sure he watched him play...

[dbtb135]

because in the highlights I saw a bunch of undersized or smallish looking players making many sloppy & lazy tackles as if they weren't trying hard

Thats probably what Jim Brown said when he saw Marlon McCree and Clinton Hart failing miserably at tackling Adrian Peterson en route to 296 yards.......

it's not an embarrassment but rather an observation from watching many many highlights of his, and unless you are old as dirt you probably never watched him play live yourself to be so sure about it.

Dude, I am quite sure 4Bucs knows what he is talking about, and I am sure he watched him play...

well my mistake then because I did not know we had any 70 year olds posting on here, because my dad watched him play too and he is 75.

[watson]

it's not an embarrassment but rather an observation from watching many many highlights of his, and unless you are old as dirt you probably never watched him play live yourself to be so sure about it.

Dude, I am quite sure 4Bucs knows what he is talking about, and I am sure he watched him play...

well my mistake then because I did not know we had any 70 year olds posting on here, because my dad watched him play too and he is 75.

I watched him play and he was all that and more.  He absolutely dominated in almost every game he played.  Go back and check the record of the Browns when he was playing.  He was as tough as they come and would just run over defensive players.  I was not a Browns fan so it made for some long days. 

[NotDeadYet]

    I saw him play in the 60's. Definitely one of the all time greats. A real tough guy. Check the last sentence from his HOF bio.

http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=33

    BTW, for stat freaks, Brown would've had 1000 yard seasons 9 straight years, except for a meaningless carry when he was tackled for a 5 yard loss near the end of the last game of the season, which caused him to finish with 996 yards.
    Saying anyone is "the greatest of all time" has always seemed meaningless to me, because time never stops as players retire and are replaced with new players. Any time you try to quantify "greatness", you create the potential for someone to come along and better it.
 
    I was a Packer/Lombardi fan, and this guy was Jim Brown's chief rival. He lacked Browns speed and agility, but was regarded as an all-time NFL tough guy:

http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=211

[SON-OF-ZELL]

He also is regarded s the GREATEST LACROSSE PLAYER EVER.  He was unstoppable in that sport also.

[Rusty]

Jim Brown and overated should never be in the same sentence again. The G.O.A.T.

[Lamond]

A true "Man among boys".

[bobbern]

"well my mistake then because I did not know we had any 70 year olds posting on here, because my dad watched him play too and he is 75."

my god, for those of us that did see Jim Brown play, in person, we aren't ancient   

I do remember that Brown was usually the last one up from the ground and last to the huddle .... he said he did that because he was "resting" between plays .... so you never knew if he was hurt or not .... maybe it was a ploy to deceive the defenses into thinking he was hurt .... then he would just run over everyone again .... 9 years without missing a game, remarkable

[JavaBuc]

He also is regarded s the GREATEST LACROSSE PLAYER EVER. He was unstoppable in that sport also.

I hear he was also a helluva swimmer and could more than hold his own on a hockey rink.