There are plenty of guys who come in the league and they are very good for 4-5 years but for any number of reasons they dont last. Strahan was so good for so long. He really was a remarkable player.
But I'd love to find a place for Spider Lockhart. He may not have the Pro Bowls or SB appearances of some of those cited, but part of that was being an outstanding player on some of the most piss poor defenses in NFL history.
Tiki Barber was a better player than Frank Gifford. It's very difficult and almost pointless to compare players between eras, but going on objective analysis, the only thing Gifford could do better than Tiki was pass.
And of course sentiment weighs heavily on these things. Gifford was the Golden Boy further immortalized by his broadcasting career. Tiki is the persona non grata for perceptions about things he said about Eli and Coughlin.
Gifford was the most versatile player the NFL has ever seen.
Played DB, HB, and Flanker and was very good at all of them. Even played a little QB one summer. Place kicked FGs and XPs, punted, and was arguably the best HB option passer of all time, certainly one of the two or three best ever at it. And had a nice long career with the GIANTS. This is the stuff that HOF careers are made of, and he certainly belongs on this list.
(That he wasn't on top of ESPN's list of most versatile players, in fact he wasn't even on the list, renders all ESPN opinion about anything to do with football completely and totally worthless.)
Looking at them objectively:
Barber was a great and well rounded HB. Aside from being effective with the ball in his hands, he excelled in pass protection and was one of the best receiving backs the Giants have ever had. He was also a good punt returner early in his career.
Gifford was ridiculously and uniquely multi-talented. His proficiency with the HB option pass came from being USC starting TB in college, he ran their offense and learned to read all the levels of a defense with the ball in his hands.
Despite that ability, Steve Owen played him on defense. Gifford made his first pro bowl at that position, while serving as a jack of all trades, punting, place kicking and returning punts and kick offs.
Under Vince Lombardi's direction, Gifford was the NFL MVP at HB. After missing the 1961 season with a spinal injury, Gifford returned at age 32 and learned the new position of FL in 1962 and made the pro bowl at that position in 1963.
I respect what Barber did for the Giants on the field during his career, but honestly, the NFL has not featured many players like Gifford. He was one-of-a-kind.
but of course Harry belongs in anyone's top 10. I would not have had a problem at all if you put Tiki in the top 10. If we win Super Bowl XXXV I think the perception of him as a Giant great would be a little different, obviously his post career comments have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Being 46 I can't comment on the old timers, I have to take those who speak about them at their word as to their greatness.
And of course sentiment weighs heavily on these things. Gifford was the Golden Boy further immortalized by his broadcasting career. Tiki is the persona non grata for perceptions about things he said about Eli and Coughlin.
(That he wasn't on top of ESPN's list of most versatile players, in fact he wasn't even on the list, renders all ESPN opinion about anything to do with football completely and totally worthless.)
Barber was a great and well rounded HB. Aside from being effective with the ball in his hands, he excelled in pass protection and was one of the best receiving backs the Giants have ever had. He was also a good punt returner early in his career.
Gifford was ridiculously and uniquely multi-talented. His proficiency with the HB option pass came from being USC starting TB in college, he ran their offense and learned to read all the levels of a defense with the ball in his hands.
Despite that ability, Steve Owen played him on defense. Gifford made his first pro bowl at that position, while serving as a jack of all trades, punting, place kicking and returning punts and kick offs.
Under Vince Lombardi's direction, Gifford was the NFL MVP at HB. After missing the 1961 season with a spinal injury, Gifford returned at age 32 and learned the new position of FL in 1962 and made the pro bowl at that position in 1963.
I respect what Barber did for the Giants on the field during his career, but honestly, the NFL has not featured many players like Gifford. He was one-of-a-kind.