It is pretty much impossible to compare era's so you just have to go off accomplishments in that era but size, skill and ability of the baseline gets better over time for the most part.
Who is/isn't the best in a team game like football is way too subjective anyway. Atleast in basketball 1 player can have way more impact. In boxing everyone is on an island so easier to compare, etc
The NFL and the NBA alike both cater to the offense these days/years.
Back then the defenses had much more leeway to punish the offense.
You can't even touch an offensive player in the NFL these days, compared to a years ago.
Same goes for the NBA.
I'd love to see Lebron face defenses like the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons with the likes of Rick Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Joe Dumars etc. and see how often he got to the lane where he makes a living.
Or how about the knicks with Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason & co.
Bigggg difference between now & then...
Back then the defenses had much more leeway to punish the offense.
You can't even touch an offensive player in the NFL these days, compared to a years ago.
Same goes for the NBA.
I'd love to see Lebron face defenses like the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons with the likes of Rick Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Joe Dumars etc. and see how often he got to the lane where he makes a living.
Or how about the knicks with Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason & co.
Bigggg difference between now & then...
Why do you think there were more points scored back then if the defense was so much tougher (in the NBA, not NFL)
Probably because it wasn't as tough as you would like to remember it. You could be more physical but the athleticism of wing players just isn't close to what it is now. Neither are the defensive schemes/scouting. These teams have data on every player now down to "If guy X drives right he is 27% less effective than driving left"
NFL I assume you are speaking of?
I agree it has gone too far in favor of the offense. It is a business that is marketing a product to the masses so just like anything else it is going to tailor its game towards that.
I actually like watching elite defenses play against elite offenses, there are just so few elite defenses now. It was pretty cool to see Seattle dominate Denver in the superbowl since there hasn't been a D like that in years...
PF yes i agree, it seems now they want huge stadiums to get the most people in for the bucks and huge pts to keep the fans coming back...i just think is not about just the teams any longer and one of the reason i hate the nfl these days............plus when the nfl was on sunday and you had 1 game on monday nite that you look forward too it was fun, now it on several times a week and to me it over kill
This is game 6 of the 1987 finals between Boston and LAL. Pretty much the highest level of play in basketball at the time between 2 all time great teams.
Does anyone really watch this and think Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, LeBron James or Kevin Durant wouldn't be "half the player they are now" if they played in this game? Cmon now Hache!
Wait a sec Pats you're mistaking what I'm saying....
I'm not saying players would be half as talented back then as they are now.
I'm saying the leagues were tougher defensively and players who specialize in offensive talent these days wouldn't be putting up the same numbers as they do now.
Someone said in a thread a while back that Jordan would avg. 40pts per game today vs his 30 career avg back then. I totally agree. MJ and other stars got knocked on their azz night after night then, not to mention double & triple teamed.
Today the leagues cater to the offense, which is a fact, not an opinion.
But on the other hand I've always been one who has said a guy like Wilt Chamberlain from playing against mediocre talent, and it would be vice-versa of him not putting up those ridiculous numbers starting in the 80's, which I think is the era we can prepare those before & after to...
Someone said LeBron would be half the player 30 years ago that he is today and you said you agree. I'm saying LeBron would totally dominate 30 years ago and be amongst the best players in the league at worst. Nique gets 30 in the 80s but Kobe, Durant or LeBron doesn't? Don't think so...There isn't a time period in the history of the world that has been seen yet that these guys wouldn't be elite NBA players in. Sorry, there just isn't. Maybe eventually when the avg height of players is 7ft and they gotta raise the rims to 12 feet.
Just because the leagues cater to offense now doesn't mean there is less defense now than there was then, literally everything is better, sharper and more focused. Watch a game from the '87 finals Celtics/Lakers and the '08 or '10 Celtics/Lakers and tell me you really think someone going back 20+ years would have a TOUGHER time scoring then. Just forget who is playing in the game, forget any biases associated with which players you like more, just look at it as 10 robots from 2008 vs 10 robots from 1984. Then you are going to drop Neutral Robot X into both games....You'll get your answer....
Well Pats, you asked which parts of your posts were the problem......
If Romo was to win much of anything his teammates would have to do it for him. He is far too inconsistent and chokes in the playoffs. (Facts)
And the worst team beating the Bears part.... don't even know where to start on that one.
And Pats....... "If you had said Sanchez has so much room to improve, but under any circumstance, in any era, he would have to suck because his skills are pathetic." I would have agreed with that. Sanchez might not complete more than 7 passes in a career back when you could really cover people.
The Lebrons of the world are all about one thing these days. Themselves! As long as they get their mug on ESPN highlights, that is all they really care about. That and their "far too high" contracts".
Interesting question.... for those who really understand football.... "Throwing people open" and (my favorite) "back shoulder throw"..... How big a joke are those two descriptions. As the game has been given to the receivers and QBs on a silver platter (can't touch them.... full credit given to M. C. Hammer).... Even though all the advantages have been given to the offense, with the watering down of the QB pool the receivers still can't always get open far enough. So, the invention of "back shoulder throw". This describes a ball terrible underthrown in the past.
You can never, ever compare era's of any sport! Different rules, athletes, technology, training, doctors, drugs, society, etcetera etcetera....Athletes are bigger and faster today, the general population lives longer today (although that may soon change given how inactive we are) That being said you have to compare who dominated their era the most!! And that my friends is Steve Young! Young has the most passing titles in history!! Led the league in passing without Jerry Rice. Has the second (or third, don't know if Vick passed him) most rushing yards and the most rushing td's for a quarterback!! Championships means everything in golf and tennis, not in a team sport! Young also has the most td passes in a super bowl. Media is blind to his accomplishments. They were too much in love with Favre and Elway during his time.
Glad you mentioned Favre.... reminds me....
Clearly more like a defender with a QB number. Not overly skilled but a great competitor. John Madden always refered to how pumped up he was. Fact was he just could not throw really accurately. Somewhat of a half-ass like Rapensburger. Lucky for Favre he playerf for such an iconic organization and got all the positive press.
Interesting and good points on Young, sir.
Clearly more like a defender with a QB number. Not overly skilled but a great competitor. John Madden always refered to how pumped up he was. Fact was he just could not throw really accurately. Somewhat of a half-ass like Rapensburger. Lucky for Favre he playerf for such an iconic organization and got all the positive press.
Interesting and good points on Young, sir.
