OJ Anderson and the HOF

he was already building a HoF career at the Cardinals.

it is perplexing.

if a guy is just on the line, and I'm not saying OJ is just on the line, then he is much better off NOT being a Giant if he wants to get into the HoF.

tearing us a new one twice a yr as a Cardinal so theres that but he did win his SB with us. And him over Bettis is a no brainer agreed.

about BB. He basically said BB owes so much of his success to Parcells. He felt that Parcells really was the mastermind behind the Defense. He is rooting for the Pats because of his Giant connection with BB.

OJ Anderson played on those lousy Cardinal teams when everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball. And still he trucked through guys and ran around guys. He was terrific! Absolutely a better player that Jerome Bettis. HOF sucks.

He was one of the very best of his time.

He was a superstar with the Cardinals ... one of the best backs ever ... and then when he came to the Giants, he was a physical monster ... his careers with the two teams couldn't have been more different in his playing style ... but the thing is, he was a GREAT player for both teams ... he very successfully reinvented himself with the Giants and not many players have that capability

Yards from scrimmage: STL = 10494 NY = 2841

While he did win championships with the Giants he tallied up all his HOF worthy stats as a Cardinal

Yes. Bettis, Leroy Kellly , even Gale Sayers, who is a peak value sort of selection are no better than Anderson.

The "pants".....it's the "pants".....

In comment 12117657 RetroJint said:

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Yes. Bettis, Leroy Kellly , even Gale Sayers, who is a peak value sort of selection are no better than Anderson.

OJ is a HOFer, but he's not in Sayers' class..Sayers, Jimmy Brown snd Barry Sanders sre the best 3 backs I've ever seen..

especially if Floyd Little is in....which is beyond laughable...

Anderson was also a tremendous receiver, too.

A victim of playing in St. Louis and a voting body who really isn't that bright...

In comment 12117667 Doomster said:

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The "pants".....it's the "pants".....

Absolutely right. Looked like he took a big dump in his pants pre-game.

Seriously, I don't know about OJ in the hall. This is not to compare him to Bettis but rather to the others who are already there. Reality is that he is NOT on the same level as players like Jim Brown, Sanders, Walter Payton, etc. So, are they lowering the bar by allowing some of these other players like Bettis in?

I never saw Sayers or Brown. I'm wondering where you would put Walter Payton on the list? Fourth?

While I tend to agree that Bettis wasn't a Hall of Famer, he is 6th on the all-time rushing list and gained 3,000 more yards than Anderson. Both played a similar game and were productive until the end of their careers (neither lingered to compile numbers!). OJ averaged 4.0 ypc, Bettis 3.9, so not much difference there. If I had to give the nod to one, it would have to be Bettis.

To me, a better comparison to OJ is John Riggins. Although more of an old school fullback than halfback, Riggins has only 1,000 more yards than OJ, with a similar 3.9 ypc average. Again, he would probably get my vote over OJ, but doesn't really measure up to Bettis. Bettis was a bruising workhorse for many years.

From Bettis to Riggins to OJ, you get further and further from the HOF bar.

I don't even consider Floyd Little in the discussion. His entry into the Hall is a joke and using him as a measuring stick would open up the floodgates to many, many RBs.

A bigger slight than OJ is actually Tiki Barber. Not that I think of him as a HOFer either, but it's amazing that he hasn't even been nominated for discussion. Tiki retired at number 11 on the all-time yards from scrimmage list. Every player ahead of him on that list was inducted in his 1st or 2nd year of eligibility. 8 of the 10 were 1st ballot HOFers. Tiki hasn't even been nominated. T.O. since passed him on the list and is eligible next year. We'll see what happens with him, but I would bet a large sum that he will be nominated next year. Tiki even compares favorably to another OJ - that being Simpson. The murderous Juice only gained about 800 more yards than Tiki over the course of their careers (granted, in different eras) and both averaged 4.7 yards per carry. In addition, there have been only 29 RBs in the history of the NFL to gain over 10,000 rushing yards. Tiki and Juice are tied for 3rd on that list in ypc at that 4.7 average. The only two ahead of them are Jim Brown and Barry Sanders.

Again, I don't think Tiki is a HOFer, it just doesn't make sense that his name is never even in the conversation. It speaks volumes to the NY bias - George Young, Joe Klecko, even Harry Carson had to wait all those years.

And for the record, I have all the love and respect in the world for OJ Anderson. Tiki Barber, not so much.

And don't even get me started on some of these RBs getting in while Terrell Davis doesn't....

the second coming of Jim Brown. I was so pissed that the Giants were not able to draft him.

Never the best in the game, only 2 Pro Bowls. Compiled some good career totals, but not quite good enough.

Love what he did with the Giants, but he's not a HOFer.

Put down the crack pipe, some of you. Especially anyone who mentions Anderson in the same sentence with Gayle Sayers. Selection to 2 pro bowls isn't an HOF career at RB.

Career numbers & get yourself into a program, Lou. Sayers is the RB equivalent of Joe Namath.

In comment 12118161 Marty in Albany said:

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the second coming of Jim Brown. I was so pissed that the Giants were not able to draft him.

Same here.

In comment 12118558 RetroJint said:

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Career numbers & get yourself into a program, Lou. Sayers is the RB equivalent of Joe Namath.

Sayers had his career cut short by injuries. But he was 1st team All-Pro his first 5 years in the game -- the best runner in the game. He only played 4 games after that. But for those 5 years he ran with a magic never seen before.

And it was a different era: despite his short career he retired around 15th All-Time in yards.

In comment 12118558 RetroJint said:

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Career numbers & get yourself into a program, Lou. Sayers is the RB equivalent of Joe Namath.

If you even suggest judging Sayers by his career compilation stats, obviously you never saw him play, and there's little point holding a conversation with you.

Sayers was literally incomparable to other RBs like Taylor was to other LBs, maybe even moreso...

In comment 12117801 Carthonfan said:

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I never saw Sayers or Brown. I'm wondering where you would put Walter Payton on the list? Fourth?

Sure and arguably 3rd

In comment 12120548 BlueLou said:

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If you even suggest judging Sayers by his career compilation stats, obviously you never saw him play, and there's little point holding a conversation with you. Sayers was literally incomparable to other RBs like Taylor was to other LBs, maybe even moreso...

Sayers was the best pure runner that I've ever seen. I was liking watching a ballet dancer - nobody could get a hand on him.

The RB that hasn't been mentioned that is a favorite of mine as an all-time great RB - the opposite of Sayers - is Earl Campbell. Big. Fast. And didn't dance - he bowled you over.

should be "It was like watching a ballet dancer ..."

Very reasonable comparisons that are likely more deserving - Bettis had a long, healthy career and the aura of the Steelers, but for most of his career he was a simply a pretty good RB.

And if you think Earl Campbell is a HOF (I do) - Anderson should be one as well.