houstonlibrarian Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Greatest Oilers Ever1. Bruce Matthews2. Earl Campbell3. Warren Moon.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gto250us Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I guess that I would be Earl Campbell. But then again that is not saying much. Sort of like asking what was the best B movie, or the best Studebaker of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Without question Earl Campbell. He is arguably the best powerback of all time, save maybe Jim Brown. Second would be George Blanda with Bruce Matthews bringing up the rear. Speaking of Earl. I've had the distinct honor of getting to know him and his son Tyler a little, and can tell you that they're both class acts. In fact, Earl befriended my son and has given him several great Oiler items. Here's a pic of an old "Sports Illustrated" with Earl on the cover, along with two framed/autographed photos he passed on to my son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFlinch Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I guess that I would be Earl Campbell. But then again that is not saying much. Sort of like asking what was the best B movie, or the best Studebaker of all time.The Oilers have had some pretty amazing teams through the years, but just faced some obstacles that proved to be too large to surmount. During the Luv Ya Blue days, Bud Adams was too cheap to build a team beyond just Earl Campbell, and one player alone wasn't going to take them past Terry Bradshaw's Steelers. During the run and shoot days, Bud Adams was too cheap to build a team beyond just the offense. He took it a step further than he did with Campbell, but it still wasn't far enough. That said, it's hardly like rating the best of B movies. There have been a number of tremendous players that made this city home, but no amount of great players can ever overcome crappy top management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gto250us Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 ... but no amount of great players can ever overcome crappy top management.You got that right. Just compare the Rooneys with Bud "The Dork" Adams and you can see why the Oilers came ups short and a dollar late. Or is that .. well never mind.I think another reason they may have fallen short, is with Bum Phillips. I could never understand a word that guy says. Nothin but mumbles. I bet all those players from outside east Texas had the same problem. Hell, Tony Campbell may have been the only player who understood what the damn coach wanted done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glzuma Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 W. K. HicksNeed a big play? Count on WK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I think another reason they may have fallen short, is with Bum Phillips. I could never understand a word that guy says. Nothin but mumbles. I bet all those players from outside east Texas had the same problem. Hell, Tony Campbell may have been the only player who understood what the damn coach wanted done.Yeah your right. There's nothing worse than a coach that takes a team that had lived in the basement of the NFL for years, and turning it into what was arguably the second best team in the league in 78 and 79. He also took them to the playoffs in 80, took an O-line that was filled with hacks and made them damn respectable, was genuinely loved by his players and the entire city of Houston.Bum was a gem indeed with great antidotes and a kind heart. He was also a great motivator that took a team with mediocre talent and made them play like hell. Bum was one of the few things that Bud did right.Your analogy is WAY off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I guess that I would be Earl Campbell. But then again that is not saying much. Sort of like asking what was the best B movie, or the best Studebaker of all time. "that's not saying much?" Do you have any knowledge of the history of football in the 70's? Campbell was a phenom when he came into the league. He was MVP three straight years, rushing leader for three straight years, holds the 3rd best single season rushing total (and that was taking 1 game off) and was inducted into the Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility. As I said above, Earl is arguably the best power back of all time. How you can equate him to a "B' movie is beyond me. The man was a constant highlight reel. Here's a few of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I'm surprised that more Oiler supporters aren't commenting to this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Watching Earl Campbell play football was an awsome thing. Where Walter Peyton or O. J. Simpson (yeah, I know he's a creep but he could run with a football) seemed to glide, slither, and spin through the defense Campbell EXPLODED through it. He just exhibited so much raw power that was amazing. When he was tackled, usually by two or more opponents, he would get up so slowly you might think he had been injured. Looking back, I believe he was just conserving his energy for his next explosive run.I say Campbell was the best to ever wear Columbia Blue but there were some other players who, if not "great" at least made for some good memories of watching the home team. A few of those would be Rob Carpenter, Mike Barber, "White Shoes" Johnson, Elvin Bethea, and Robert Brazile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights2Bastrop Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I'll go with Earl, but I have to put in a vote for Ken Houston, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Number 84 in your programs but number 1 in your hearts.........Billy "White Shoes" Johnson !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gto250us Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 There was no way that the Oilers would ever top the Steelers in the late 1970's. Compared to the Steel Curtain, the Oilers were just a bunch of grease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 There was no way that the Oilers would ever top the Steelers in the late 1970's. Compared to the Steel Curtain, the Oilers were just a bunch of grease.That's funny because the Oilers won the regular season matchup with the Steelers from 78 through 80 four games to two. It is true that the Steelers were a fabulous team, but the Oilers held they're own against them, and had a very good chance to beat them in the 79 championship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emirate25 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I would say Warren Moon. Earl Campbell did not play long enough with the Oilers to be the greatest player of all time in the organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I would say Warren Moon. Earl Campbell did not play long enough with the Oilers to be the greatest player of all time in the organization.Campbell played 7 years for the Oilers and Moon played 10 years. Hardly a difference, especially considering that Moon's first season finished at 2-11 and his next two were finished at 5-11. His next year (strike year) he played only a partial season as well. Campbell however made an immediate impact on the Oilers, and was a clutch player through and through. Moon on the other hand had his share of chokes with his playoff appearances and that was with a MUCH better football team than what Campbell had. Moon was a great passer, but he was no Earl Campbell.Campbell still owns this debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retama Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Yeah, I have to go with Earl Campbell #1. More character than Moon, too.Other Oilers of note:Hoyle Granger- Loved watching that big cajun run, still one of my all-time favorites.Jerry Levias - Something of a White Shoes Johnson before White Shoes came along.Charlie Hennigan - First player to catch 100 passes in a season and nobody remembers him. Classic "possesion reciever." Hell, isn't that what a reciever is for, CATCHING the ball?Fred Willis - Solid back from the bad old days.Bruce Matthews, Mike Munshak (sp), Bob Talamini - Good line grunts.Ganland Boyette, Elvin Bethea, Sid Blanks, Kenny Houston, George Webster, Charley "The Human Bowling Ball" Tolar, Jim Norton, John "Country" Sawyer, Carl Mauck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Mojo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57Tbird Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 No one has mentioned Dan Pastorini. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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