OT: RIP Jim Brown

[thecore762]

Gold standard!
RIP Legend!

 

[n6249c]

RIP to arguably the greatest football player of all time & a wonderful human being.

Greatest football player of all time, for sure.

A flawed but great human being. Not sure the gal he threw off a second story balcony would whole heartedly agree he’s wonderful. Or the wife who called cops when he threatened to kill her as he broke her car windows with a shovel during a domestic dispute. He did wonderful things with his social activism, but he wasn’t a perfectly wonderful guy. Keep things in perspective.

 

[NormZauchin]

RIP a Syracuse legend. Earned 10 Varsity letters in college for football, basketball, track and he was one of the greatest lacrosse face-off men of all time!

Can easily be called the greatest player in NFL history.

As intimidating as he was on the football field, I imagine that Brown was even more fearsome with a lacrosse stick in his hands.

 

[captain stone]

The greatest to ever play the position.

Vision, intelligence, toughness...

And a physical freak who out-weighed All of the DBs, Most of the LBs and even some of the DLmen he faced!

RIP, JB.

 

[RIP#40]

RIP to arguably the greatest football player of all time & a wonderful human being.

Except for the small matter of abusing women. F him.

 

[Sect140]

He used to council black convicts in prison. He got the Brown’s head coach to go with him. That coach is now the Patriots HC….

Many times he has called Bill a hero for all the charity work he did in the inner city of Cleveland when he was the head coach.

 

[DarrylS]

In my mind the greatest, I cut my NFL teeth on Jim Brown with my friends father who taught us all about the pro football in the 50's. I was a Browns fan until 1969, when I realized the AFL was for real and not just another failed start up.

Our lives converged in 2000 when I was working at the RI Juvenile Correctional Facility and was asked to help out at Jim Brown sponsored "Amer I Can" graduation. As a mid manager I was asked to greet the guests and to insure their needs were met. I briefly met Jim Brown and his entourage, then greeted an very unassuming Bill Belichick in his non descript green suit he used to wear. The program commenced and remember the words uttered by Brown about BB, this is the actual quote:

"I don't compare myself with anyone. Let me tell you about someone I do admire. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots has contributed more to the work I surround myself with than any black athlete in modern times--financially, intellectually, every way. He's been in the prisons with me. He's met gang members in my home; he's met gang members in Cleveland. He's put up money. He's opened up areas of education for us very quietly and very strongly. Imagine what would happen if Michael Jordan did the same thing."

After the ceremony I had the chance to mingle and had my pix taken of #32 with others.. got Brown to autograph a football and had a great night with a great man. Unfortunately, I thought BB was just another JAG coach stumbling through Foxboro on his way to another team and did not seek out his company.

 

[DarrylS]

Many times he has called Bill a hero for all the charity work he did in the inner city of Cleveland when he was the head coach.

Here is the quote you refer to, which I witnessed in 2000 at an Amer I Can graduation at the RI Training School:

"Brown: I don't compare myself with anyone. Let me tell you about someone I do admire. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots has contributed more to the work I surround myself with than any black athlete in modern times--financially, intellectually, every way. He's been in the prisons with me. He's met gang members in my home; he's met gang members in Cleveland. He's put up money. He's opened up areas of education for us very quietly and very strongly. Imagine what would happen if Michael Jordan did the same thing."

 

[1960Pats]

My first favorite player was a tossup between Brown and Johhny Unitas until the Pats came along. At the beginning of the age of the boob tube the NYFL always force fed us Giant games in Boston. That was when I got my first glimpse of both of those players.

 

[captain stone]

My first favorite player was a tossup between Brown and Johhny Unitas until the Pats came along. At the beginning of the age of the boob tube the NYFL always force fed us Giant games in Boston. That was when I got my first glimpse of both of those players.

Yep, my favorite NFL teams before the merger were the Baltimore Colts for having defeated the Vagiants twice, and the Readskins & Eagles for being in the same division as the Vagiants & Cowboys...

 

[maust]

My first favorite player was a tossup between Brown and Johhny Unitas until the Pats came along. At the beginning of the age of the boob tube the NYFL always force fed us Giant games in Boston. That was when I got my first glimpse of both of those players.

Like most New Englanders back when. my Dad and Grandfather were Giants fans. I can vividly recall riding the 'football train' to NY with them for the first time, it was full of (ahem) 'adults' sucking down bloody marys at 6 am

When the Pats came along my brothers and I badgered my Dad into taking us to a game. I can still recall him saying "You mark my words, this team will never amount to anything until they get a real owner. One that cares about winning and has something in his pockets besides holes."
He wasn't wrong

 

[patfanken]

I caught this on the twitter section and felt it deserved a more permanent location. It is a GREAT and informative read.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/05/19/browns-legend-jim-brown-dies-lived-remarkable-life

 

[patfanken]

BTW- That Jim Brown quote about BB was a powerful peek inside the guy in the hoodie. It is further proof that belies all the "compainers" accusations that Bill is some self serving egomaniac who thinks he is the only one who knows what's best. The real truth is that part of Bill's LONG term success is that he is probably the most egoless HC in the NFL. I defy anyone to find a quote over the last 20+ years where Bill takes credit for ANYTHING that has happened under his watch. And a time where his DIDN'T take the blame when something went bad. Beyond being the greatest coach in NFL history, I will give him MY highest compliment that I can give. He is a good man.



Thanks for finding that quote. I remember hearing about it years ago and forgot it.

 

[Patsfan1958]

Jim Irsay's top 5 players of all time. Notice Manning is missing from it:

 

[farn]

Greatest football player of all time, for sure.

A flawed but great human being. Not sure the gal he threw off a second story balcony would whole heartedly agree he’s wonderful. Or the wife who called cops when he threatened to kill her as he broke her car windows with a shovel during a domestic dispute. He did wonderful things with his social activism, but he wasn’t a perfectly wonderful guy. Keep things in perspective.

Everyone fawns over this guy, but the less than perfect aspects shouldn’t be glossed over. Far from “great human”.

 

[Steve102]

Godspeed Legend.

 

[n6249c]

Everyone fawns over this guy, but the less than perfect aspects shouldn’t be glossed over. Far from “great human”.

Definitely less than perfect. His body of work as an activist for racial equality and justice is very extensive in both scope and duration. It gives him a stature in those areas commensurate with his athletic excellence. Those are achievements enough for me to say he is a great but far from perfect man.

 

[captain stone]

Jim Irsay's top 5 players of all time. Notice Manning is missing from it:

Irksay's a clown, though his top 5 are all pretty damn good except for HorseFace... But I have a problem identifying Anybody as the GOAT Regardless of Position; way too many variables involved to make that determination. But Jim Brown was for me Definitely the GOAT RB.

QB - Brady
RB - Brown
WR1 - Rice
OG1 - Hannah

The rest are worthy of debate.

 

[Bill Lee]

BTW- That Jim Brown quote about BB was a powerful peek inside the guy in the hoodie. It is further proof that belies all the "compainers" accusations that Bill is some self serving egomaniac who thinks he is the only one who knows what's best. The real truth is that part of Bill's LONG term success is that he is probably the most egoless HC in the NFL. I defy anyone to find a quote over the last 20+ years where Bill takes credit for ANYTHING that has happened under his watch. And a time where his DIDN'T take the blame when something went bad. Beyond being the greatest coach in NFL history, I will give him MY highest compliment that I can give. He is a good man.

Thanks for finding that quote. I remember hearing about it years ago and forgot it.

It's also why I wasn't buying the whole "Bill is pissed at Mac" narrative. It's not like BB is an immature jerk like most of the Boston mediots are. It's clear to me that if he really had a problem with Mac talking to other coaches that he'd just have a 1-1 conversation with him and straighten things out. It never made sense that he'd trade away a great asset like a starting-caliber quarterback on a rookie contract just because he spoke to his former coaches. Notice how that whole thing just disappeared. The mediots got their clicks and now they've moved on.

 

[Chevy]

Irksay's a clown, though his top 5 are all pretty damn good except for HorseFace... But I have a problem identifying Anybody as the GOAT Regardless of Position; way too many variables involved to make that determination. But Jim Brown was for me Definitely the GOAT RB.

QB - Brady
RB - Brown
WR1 - Rice
OG1 - Hannah

The rest are worthy of debate.

OT1 - Anthony Munoz? Played in the same era has Hannah, and was considered his near equal.