No Love For Sammy Baugh

Everyone talks about the old timers playing in todays NFL but how would the modern player do back in the 50 or 60. They would have no one to come out in put a bandad on thier scratch. No face mask to protect those pretty faces. They may be faster, taller, heaver, but they are no where near as tough. It might not be such of a stroll in the park if they could go back in time. The old timers would take them out the night before the game and get them trashed so they were all hung over the next day. That would level the playing field some and then they would kick, hit, scrach, bite, spit (Taylor could play with the old guys) rack, etc.. until they just gave up.

I'm sure many of us grew up playing football in the backyard, old school style no pads or helmets. Does that make us any tougher than NFL players?

I don't think how much padding you're wearing makes you any less or more tough. If you're a tough guy, you're a tough guy. I'm sure there are plenty of modern era guys that could have played back then, and vice versa.

Overall though, I think with the increased size, strength and speed of the players, the modern era teams would dominate the old-time teams.

I don't know about the rest of you but I keep hitting Matty's site and I have yet to get a cookie

sorry firstdown,but football is a sport were size does matter.from a size and strength perspective,todays giants would destroy the stars of yesteryear.you have to judge players against the players from their own era.sammy baugh was a true hall of famer.but,in comparing eras,lets take the steel curtain.hall of famers all over this wonderful defense.but with a 215lbs mlb named lambert,what 300lbs lineman of today wouldnt love to be matched up against him,game after game?it would be no contest

I don't know about the rest of you but I keep hitting Matty's site and I have yet to get a cookie

I got a cookie from that website - I couldn't taste it though.

I don't know about the rest of you but I keep hitting Matty's site and I have yet to get a cookie

patience = cookies

Who said anything about beating up Sammy...

Just giving my opinion of the modern era vs. the old-timers.

I said he was a talented guy. Would he have faired the same in today's game? That's the issue we can agree to disagree on.

But in the end it's basically a moot point.

He's a legend of the game no doubt, I'm not denying that.

If you're going to speculate about how he'd fare today, you need to also think about how someone with Sammy's natural talent would perform WITH today's training, technology and year-round training. He probably had more raw talent than most players today and would still be one of the best even if he were playing in a different era.

How would Donovan McNabb be WITHOUT the obvious benefits of today's weight training. The guy is HUGE...but may be benefitting from his physique and conditioning more than raw talent, whereas the old-timers excelled only on their talent.

Like you said, it's moot, but if we were going to compare old vs. new, you'd have to try to even out training/schedules/technology/etc.

Probably too much thinking than it's worth. :)

sorry firstdown,but football is a sport were size does matter.from a size and strength perspective,todays giants would destroy the stars of yesteryear.you have to judge players against the players from their own era.sammy baugh was a true hall of famer.but,in comparing eras,lets take the steel curtain.hall of famers all over this wonderful defense.but with a 215lbs mlb named lambert,what 300lbs lineman of today wouldnt love to be matched up against him,game after game?it would be no contest

As I was just saying...you'd have to take away today's players' training/conditioning or give it to the old guys. If they're playing in the same time whether it was now or then, they'd all have equal access to the training and whatever.

Sure there WERE 300-pound guys in the 1950s, but training didn't allow them to run 4.5 second '40's...or even run at all! :D

If you're going to speculate about how he'd fare today, you need to also think about how someone with Sammy's natural talent would perform WITH today's training, technology and year-round training. He probably had more raw talent than most players today and would still be one of the best even if he were playing in a different era.

How would Donovan McNabb be WITHOUT the obvious benefits of today's weight training. The guy is HUGE...but may be benefitting from his physique and conditioning more than raw talent, whereas the old-timers excelled only on their talent.

Like you said, it's moot, but if we were going to compare old vs. new, you'd have to try to even out training/schedules/technology/etc.

Probably too much thinking than it's worth. :)

Now things are getting complicated.

My take is this, take today's great teams, line 'em up against the great teams from yesterday. Today's teams would crush the old teams. Simple as that.

Take today's players and make them grow up and train in 1940 and you get 1940's players.

Take Sammy Baugh and give him today's diet and training and I'll stand his heart and body up against ANY modern players.

sorry firstdown,but football is a sport were size does matter.from a size and strength perspective,todays giants would destroy the stars of yesteryear.you have to judge players against the players from their own era.sammy baugh was a true hall of famer.but,in comparing eras,lets take the steel curtain.hall of famers all over this wonderful defense.but with a 215lbs mlb named lambert,what 300lbs lineman of today wouldnt love to be matched up against him,game after game?it would be no contestIf you noticed in my post I said they would have to take them out and get them drunk so they are all hungover for the game. I was half hearted with what I was sayig.