The second greatest Vol ever (NFL)

#76
#76
Nationdom said:
Peyton is the best offensive of player in the history of the NFL, Reggie is the best Defensive player ever, and Whitten is the best TE ever. All three Vols. Pretty impressive.
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Kiiiiiiiiiiiind of a stretch. But nice try.
 
#77
#77
Only Volnation can have a thread praising the Vols history turn into a name calling slugfest.


Negafans, I tell you...
 
#78
#78
Any all Pro/vol list without Jim Bob Cooter on it is void... lol

Was gonna say Heath Shuler but that would have been too unbelievable..;)
 
#79
#79
n_huffhines said:
You can compare eras, you just have to qualify the comparison. Nobody knows what Manning would do wit Belichek, but that doesn't mean we can't compare Brady and Manning.
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Sure, you can compare Manning and Brady because they played in the same era. You cannot compare Otto Graham or Johnny Unitas with Manning or Brady.


Instead of 6'8" and 260, Atkins may have been 6'10" and 320, if he had been a player today. No way to know.
 
#80
#80
The biggest problem with "best" anything is it can get pretty subjective and obviously it's even harder with team sports.

The era thing isn't really what a lot of people make of it regarding talent but it's in numbers. In basketball I think it was Red Auerback that said something along the line that any of today's good players would be good back in the day but a truly great player doesn't need an era to succeed. Does anybody really doubt Wilt Chamberlain/Bill Russell/Oscar Robertson/etc wouldn't be good enough in today's game? Of course they would be. Similarly "most" football guys from back in the day suffer in comparison to the guys playing today but the freaks would absolutely be able to play. Atkins is easily on that list. Couple interesting reads for those that don't know much about Atkins. (or even those that do)

Bears Hall of Famer Doug Atkins 'was the strongest man in the world' - Chicago Tribune

Chicago | Bears in the Hall - Doug Atkins
 
#81
#81
MyBloodRunnethOrange said:
Casey Clausen did win 2 of the 3 starts he had against Florida.
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The team won 2 of his 3 starts. This ain't tennis or golf. For example, Casey was clutch and did some great things, but he didn't do any more for his team in a win that Manning did in the '95 loss to Florida.
 
#82
#82
Based purely on NFL careers. Without studying the stats. Personally, I think you have to have at least 8-10 years in the league:

Group A: White, Manning, Atkins

Group B: Hacksaw Reynolds. Stanley Morgan, Jason Witten, Bob Johnson

Group C: Chad Clifton, Anthony Miller, Al Wilson, Jamal Lewis

Other good NFL players: Craig Colquitt, Dale Carter, Willie Gault, Roland James, Terry McDaniel, many more
 
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#84
#84
KBVol said:
The team won 2 of his 3 starts. This ain't tennis or golf. For example, Casey was clutch and did some great things, but he didn't do any more for his team in a win that Manning did in the '95 loss to Florida.
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The individual vs team disconnect is one of the strangest things in sports to me. Literally the greatest individual player in any team sport can be playing on the worst team in that sport.
 
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#85
#85
Jax_Vol said:
Based purely on NFL careers. Without studying the stats. Personally, I think you have to have at least 8-10 years in the league:

Group A: White, Manning, Atkins

Group B: Hacksaw Reynolds. Stanley Morgan, Jason Witten, Bob Johnson

Group C: Chad Clifton, Anthony Hancock, Al Wilson, Jamal Lewis

Other good NFL players: Craig Colquitt, Dale Carter, Willie Gault, many more
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Hancock? Any chance you were thinking of Miller instead as that would make a lot more sense.

I'd also like to add who I think might be the most underrated Vol of all time, college or pro...Terry McDaniel.
 
#86
#86
hndog609 said:
Hancock? Any chance you were thinking of Miller instead as that would make a lot more sense.

I'd also like to add who I think might be the most underrated Vol of all time, college or pro...Terry McDaniel.
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Yes, Miller...my bad. Might be more D group but played a long time.

Yes, Terry McDaniel is a good one. Roland James was another good one.

Haven't studied the stats to know how to separate out those.


Vols have put a bunch of good ones in the NFL.
 
#87
#87
Thunder Good-Oil said:
Doug Atkins is third.
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Doug Atkins may be first and is no lower than 3rd. Football did not begin in the 70s. He was not only great, the other teams were scared of him. If you young folks don't believe how great he was, google him.

Also, he was named the SEC player of the quarter century of 1950-1975.
 
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#88
#88
Jax_Vol said:
Based purely on NFL careers. Without studying the stats. Personally, I think you have to have at least 8-10 years in the league:

Group A: White, Manning, Atkins

Group B: Hacksaw Reynolds. Stanley Morgan, Jason Witten, Bob Johnson

Group C: Chad Clifton, Anthony Miller, Al Wilson, Jamal Lewis

Other good NFL players: Craig Colquitt, Dale Carter, Willie Gault, Roland James, Terry McDaniel, many more
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I"d put Chad Clifton in Group B and also include Tim Irwin in Group B. Irwin was named to the all time Vikings team.
 
#90
#90
Backwards K said:
Doug Atkins may be first and is no lower than 3rd. Football did not begin in the 70s. He was not only great, the other teams were scared of him. If you young folks don't believe how great he was, google him.

Also, he was named the SEC player of the quarter century of 1950-1975.
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Take the comments in context. I WAS THE ONE THAT BROUGHT ATKINS INTO THE DISCUSSION. The OP was proclaiming Witten as the second greatest NFL Vol. A poster pointed out White is ahead of Witten. I pointed out that Atkins is ahead of Witten as well. I'm familiar with Doug Atkins. He was inducted into the NFL HOF while the 1982 Worlds Fair was going on. It was a big deal. My dad and Doug Atkins often enjoyed adult beverages together in local establishments. I'm familiar with the man's career and have some stories that I'd never post on this or any internet board.
 
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#92
#92
Thunder Good-Oil said:
It's very much debatable. Atkins played in an era of a barely integrated NFL.
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You and BigOrangeTrain must be democrats.

Debatable was not meant to be taken literal. Is this more to your liking;

"In my most humble opinion, Mr Manning, Mr. Atkins, and Mr White are the 3 greatest Vols in that order"

"But, if you don't agree, please enlighten me with your vast knowledge"

I will say this, Dick Butkus was never afraid of Reggie White, Atkins on the other hand...:)
 
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#93
#93
Nasavol said:
You and BigOrangeTrain must be democrats.

Debatable was not meant to be taken literal. Is this more to your liking;

"In my most humble opinion, Mr Manning, Mr. Atkins, and Mr White are the 3 greatest Vols in that order"

"But, if you don't agree, please enlighten me with your vast knowledge"

I will say this, Dick Butkus was never afraid of Reggie White, Atkins on the other hand...:)
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It's debatable. I'm not surprised that Butkus didn't fear Reggie since he must have been about 10 years old when DB retired. And I always vote Libertarian in the presidential elections.
 
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#94
#94
Thunder Good-Oil said:
Take the comments in context. I WAS THE ONE THAT BROUGHT ATKINS INTO THE DISCUSSION. The OP was proclaiming Witten as the second greatest NFL Vol. A poster pointed out White is ahead of Witten. I pointed out that Atkins is ahead of Witten as well. I'm familiar with Doug Atkins. He was inducted into the NFL HOF while the 1982 Worlds Fair was going on. It was a big deal. My dad and Doug Atkins often enjoyed adult beverages together in local establishments. I'm familiar with the man's career and have some stories that I'd never post on this or any internet board.
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I knew Atkins, and I have a couple of stories that I wouldn't put on here either.
 
#96
#96
Thunder Good-Oil said:
If you have any about the 6-6, 280# man drinking with Doug, don't post those either. That'd be my father.
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When I first met Doug, he was driving an old rust colored Mercury Capri (about early-mid 1970's model). He had the seat all the way back, and reclined, and it looked like he was almost sitting in the back seat. He was selling something on the road, maybe working for Tipton Distributing. I'm not sure about that. My stories don't include another man that big. That must have been quite a pair.

I was surprised to find him driving a little car like that, but he really didn't make a fortune back then playing football, and I'm not sure if the NFL had pensions then.
 
#99
#99
From opposing players

Admired and respected

Manning, White, Atkins. Check

Feared that you may not live to see tomorrow

Doug Atkins. Check Mate
 
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