RIP Bart Starr

[1960Pats]

Incredible human being.
Incredible player.

Top four quarterback in NFL history, along with Brady, Montana, and Graham.

RIP

I looked it up and saw that I was 7 when Starr started playing in the NFL and 22 when he stopped. I feel blessed to have seen him play.

RIP

 

[1960Pats]

The loss of the generation of iconic sports legends is coming too frequently now. All four sports have lost men recently who paved the the way for the players who benefit from the opportunity and riches that come with today's games. Bart Starr's death comes on the heels of the great tributes to John Havlicek that made so many of us pause and think about how fleeting time and life truly is.

I was thinking of Hondo the other day when the announcers of the NBA game were talking up the way Steph Curry never stops moving.

I remember Starr when I was a youngster but I had already developed a dislike for the NFL back then. The Packers were (and still are) a part of the 'evil empire'.

Starr was a class act though and may he rest in peace.

 

[scott99]

Great player and a legend. I remember when they used to have a book club when I was a kid in grade school, I might’ve been 6 or 7 (late 60’s early 70’s). I remember always buying the sports books. First full book I ever read was a biography of Bart Starr.

RIP Bart, and my thoughts go out to his family and friends.

 

[libra957]

First Qb to win a superbowl, forever legendary. RIP.

 

[scott99]

Holy crap, found the book on Amazon. Came out in 1967, I think I read it in 1969 or 1970.

 

[Triumph]

Back when men were men.

Tough SOB.

 

[Jackson 2]

Incredible human being.
Incredible player.

Top four quarterback in NFL history, along with Brady, Montana, and Graham.

RIP

Johnny Unitas.

 

[SBLIII]

Incredible human being.
Incredible player.

Top four quarterback in NFL history, along with Brady, Montana, and Graham.

RIP

1) Brady
2) Manning
3) Montana
4) Marino

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Johnny Unitas.

I won’t put up a big fight about an opinion like this, but I have Unitas fifth, so we are basically in agreement and hair splitting. The closest call in the top 5 is Starr or Unitas at fourth.

1. Brady / Graham (neither of them can be surpassed for any good reason - flawless resumes)
3. Montana
4. Starr
5. Unitas

After that there’s a big gap. You have a slew of players jockeying for 6-10 like Baugh, Manning, Elway, Staubach, Lane, Young, etc.

But I would put Starr above Unitas because Starr was the champion of his era, whereas Unitas was the clear runner-up. Unitas had a great supporting cast and coaching as well, though he only won 2 championships, unless you count SB 5 where he was essentially Peyton Manning ‘15 and was knocked out of the SB in the first half. If there’s any doubt about the talent around him, consider that Earl Morrall won a league MVP award when Unitas got injured. Unitas also failed to win a championship with Shula, though they had the league’s best record and were heavy favorites multiple times. He essentially didn’t lead his team to another title after year 4 in 1959, which was another 13 seasons of disappointment.

In the biggest moments, Starr was incredibly clutch and gutsy, always finding ways to win. He has many legendary moments (Brady-esque), whereas Unitas has many big records but short on the legendary championship moments stack.

During the 1960s:

Colts - 92-42-4 (ZERO championships)
Packers - 96-37-5 (FIVE championships)

Looks a lot like the Brady-Manning rivalry in the 2000s. Both teams were superpowers with talent and coaching. One QB was awesome when it counted; the other wasn’t.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

1) Brady
2) Manning
3) Montana
4) Marino

Please, read this.

Otto Graham - Wikipedia

 

[SBLIII]

Please, read this.

Otto Graham - Wikipedia

I don't rate them as compared to their era, more so based on their individual ability. Graham and Unitas in todays NFL would be nobodys. Manning and Marino would completely destroy their opponents in the 60s. It didn't help their cases that they played against farmers back then.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I don't rate them as compared to their era, more so based on their individual ability. Graham and Unitas in todays NFL would be nobodys. Manning and Marino would completely destroy their opponents in the 60s. It didn't help their cases that they played against farmers back then.

Unitas a nobody in today’s NFL but had 50+ straight games with a TD in an NFL where throwing 20 a season was Hall of Fame level? Imagine how good he would be with the defensive back rules, QB protection, and advanced passing concepts of today’s game.

Did you actually watch Peyton Manning’s career? There is only one better QB in NFL history than a choking dog who racked up one-and-done duds like no one else? The guy never won a championship without being carried by his team across the finish line. Ranked ahead of Montana? Huh?? Does the postseason factor in here?

In this “progressive QB” model, which seems to be pretty popular, the top 10 should consist of Rodgers, Brady, Brees, and Manning, but they’ll soon be replaced with the next crop who are technically better pound for pound. Also, while people love to throw around passing rules being more favorable now, it’s the same thing as comparing the 80s to the 60s. In the 60s, the average QBs rating was in the 60-70 range. I have no idea why we presume that Manning or Marino would put up anything close to the same production when it would have been batsht crazy and borderline impossible with those rules.

I think you have to look at players in relation to their era, and how dominant they were compared to their peers (which makes win % and championships the ultimate equalizer for competition and rules.). I do think post-merger is important, though, since we double the size of the league and a multi-round playoff system makes championship appearances a lot more difficult.

 

[Triumph]

1) Brady
2) Manning
3) Montana
4) Marino

Johnny Unitas is the best of all time.

Called his own plays and there was no roughing the QB unless the hearse hauled him off. Guys back then wete not as fast, strong or big, but they still could hit and hurt you.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Johnny Unitas is the best of all time.

Called his own plays and there was no roughing the QB unless the hearse hauled him off. Guys back then wete not as fast, strong or big, but they still could hit and hurt you.

Starr played in the same era, under the same rules and also had play-calling responsibilities. Graham’s was very similar.

 

[Triumph]

Starr played in the same era, under the same rules and also had play-calling responsibilities. Graham’s was very similar.

My Fatber was a sports encyclopedia.

He always told that Untas was the GOAT.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

My Fatber was a sports encyclopedia.

He always told that Untas was the GOAT.

But my dad was a better sports encyclopedia that was smarter and more updated. He always told us that Starr > Unitas.

 

[bormio]

But my dad was a better sports encyclopedia that was smarter and more updated. He always told us that Starr > Unitas.

Unitas won 2 titles early on, back to back. Then never won it all again. Packers were in the way, and they got obliterated in the one title game they reached in ‘64. Could have been Brady’s fate without the last 3 SB wins.

 

[DarrylS]

Always thought it was folly to compare a QB of the 50's, 60's, 70's etc. to the GOAT of today. Comparing Graham, Unitas, Starr to QB's of today is impossible as the game is completely different now than it was then. Each were outstanding in their own right and deserve stand alone credit for their accomplishments..

Consider that Bart Starr during the 1966 regular season (14 games) completed 156 of 251 passes for 2257 yards, 14 TD's and 3 int. without regard for what looks like poor numbers comparing them to today's standard, he was the NFL's MVP..

This thread was about Bart Starr who in his day was viewed as the best, despite working in those ice box conditions in Wisconsin.. remember the first Superbowl, was still a Cleveland Browns fan then(as I grew up on them), at that point realized that the AFL was real and not just another reasonable facsimile thereof..

Bart Starr was a great player and an excellent human being.. RIP.