The Atlantic - Latest Comments in Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

gary schellhouse — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:36:52 -0000

i have follewed earls career from high school to the pros and still say to this day he was the best back i ever saw . hope your back sugery went well @ recover soon

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:55:35 -0000

The closest resemblance is Dwyane Wade. Quickness, power, and willingness to sacrifice his body. It is a shame that he plays another sport.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

mjm — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:02:59 -0000

I will never publicly admit that any back was better than Sweetness, but I loved watching Earl.

As an aside, I can't believe that Eric Dickerson doesn't get more love. Short career, yes, but rather dominating while he played.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

KarenZ — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:12:45 -0000

I first met Earl Campbell when he was being recruited by the University of Texas, so I tend to remember him as a young man. It breaks my heart to see him now, and I have a hard time believing that he really would do it all again.

One good aspect of his situation is that he is financially comfortable. Most NFL players don't make as much as the stars, and college players aren't paid at all, yet they undergo tremendous physical punishment. Playing big time college ball can be a tough way to get a free college education.

I say this as a native Texan who decided at age 12 that I wanted to attend the University of Texas so I could go to the football games. But, then, as the girlfriend of a player (my tweenage dreams came true), I saw the ugly side up close. The recruiting, the "help" on grades, the thousands of hours spent on practice and training -- it's a ruthless system.

As long as the Longhorns are playing, I'll root for them, but I'm sad to say that college football often disgusts me.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Stacy — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:01:22 -0000

"What's your rooting interest so I can look forward to MB3 paying your linebackers a visit?"

I'm a Rams fan, okay?!? Leave me alone. We played you last year. Stay away!!

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

mattf — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:14:57 -0000

In fifth grade our term for a great play on the street, sandlot, school field, whatever, was "Earl Campbell."

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Ta-Nehisi Coates — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:33:02 -0000

"Ta-nehisi, do you ever dream of working for the Dallas Cowboy organization like I do?"

DO I????

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Matt J — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:05:07 -0000

No sweat. We're the fans you love to hate.

Just stumbled in here today and didn't realize TNC was a Boys fan. One more reason to love this blog.

I get your point. It makes what Campbell did all the more impressive. He was a truly a god amongst men.

What's your rooting interest so I can look forward to MB3 paying your linebackers a visit? (rubs hands deviously)

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Stacy — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:49:10 -0000

No, Matt J, I realize its not about carries. But it certainly makes it easier to play a bruising styles when you have fewer carries. And like I said before, Barber splits carries even more than most backs. But really, I was just giving you a hard time because you're a Cowboys fan like TNC.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

like totally down — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:11:55 -0000

If I was MY bubble you were worried about Tom B, you can relax. I know that the NFL basically condoned the use of steroids way back in the 70s. (I heard Lyle Alzado's brother say that Alzado began using roids in 1969!) My point about the NFL and its pension (which I should have stated more clearly)is that if the NFL ever admitted that they knew about the rampant steroid use from the 70s onward, they might face liability claims for allowing steroids to physically destroy so many players (pardon the split infinitive). I recall a case of an ex-NFL player who was addicted to painkillers who tried to sue the league because they were his original pushers. I believe he lost his case.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Matt J — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:46:38 -0000

The question wasn't number of carries but style. When it comes to punishing backs few playing today are as brutal as Barber. His stiff-arm is more like a right cross. He relishes contact with or without the ball. Dude loves to block.

Barber will be carrying more of the load this year although he will be splitting time with Felix Jones. Most NFL backs split time. Even Purple Jesus and LT have second bananas. Nobody in the NFL will ever carry the load that Campbell and the other great backs of the past did. And that's a good thing. It adds up to longer careers and more highlight reel moments.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Max Edison — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:31:03 -0000

I saw a game back in the early 1970s when Earl Campbell played linebacker for the Tyler team. He was so dangerous, and so productive as a running back, that the coaches moved him to offense full time. Otherwise he would have killed several poor ball carriers.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Stacy — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:36:47 -0000

Marion Barber splits carries. Like, more than most backs...

NEXT!!!

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Matt J — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:00:51 -0000

I have no idea how I double posted. Sorry.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Matt J — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:58:14 -0000

Only one mention of Marion Barber on this thread. Shameful. They don't call the guy, "Marion The Barbarian," for nothing.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Matt J — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:53:57 -0000

Only one mention of Marion Barber on this thread. Shameful. They don't call the guy, "Marion The Barbarian," for nothing.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

kickoffconnect.com — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:56:04 -0000

Just read this in Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine ...

Earl Campbell rushed for more than 1,00 yards in the 1973 high school playoffs. Just in the playoffs!

In Texas that's six games (if you go all the way to the championship, which he did) against the best teams in the state.

Awesome.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

MikeSchilling — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:31:16 -0000

love Gayle

Gale.

I love Earl too, but you could see it coming. No one who plays like that will have a long career or be healthy at the end of it.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Stephan Hein — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:11:23 -0000

While he;s not nearly as good, CLinton Portis has the same combination of speed and power and runs as recklessly, sacrificing his body for a few extra yards

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

T-web — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:06:09 -0000

"I read somewhere, I think it was in The Nation, that NFL players from the 50s and 60s have lifespans that are reduced by about ten years."

I can't remember the player or team, but during a recent salary dispute, a lineman argued that he deserved a higher salary becase few 350 lb. people live past their 60s. It was a pretty jarring comment. The guy knows he's giving up years of his life to maintain the size his team wants him to be, and so he wants to be handsomely rewarded. Hard to argue with that.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

CB — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:57:00 -0000

I was very young when Earl C dazzled us for the Oilers. I dont think anyone today compares to his style of running. But do you see Marion Barber's explosive, run-you-over way of playing somewhat similar?

I have been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys since I was four years old (I am 38 now)

My dad says I could name the starting offensive line for them at age 4.

Pretty good for a woman, huh?

Ta-nehisi, do you ever dream of working for the Dallas Cowboy organization like I do?

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Tom B. — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:45:22 -0000

I hate to burst your bubble, but the NFL is already dealing with an abundance of retired players who were juicing. It's widely accepted that the Steelers and Raiders teams of the late '70s (especially on the defensive end) were fueled largely by steroids. Injuries involving torn ligaments (which are weakened by steroids) skyrocketed starting in the mid-70's. And certain freakish performances like Mark Gastineau's sack record (admitted that he was on steroids) or the career paths of Herschel Walker and Erik Dickerson (granted this is speculation on my part, but there's not a doubt in my mind that the insanely fast rise and sudden decline and injury-plauged mid-careers were brought on by steroids) are pretty much the result of steroids.

While I have no doubt that there are still tons of players juicing, the fact that the NFL implemented testing at all in the mid-80's has lead the scale of steroid abuse to decline (basically it's easier to get away with taking steroids if you only do it in the offseason and only take low doses, instead of injecting massive quantities each day like Lyle Alazedo and Mark Gastineau admitted to doing). Essentially while NFL steroid use may well be just as or more widespread as it's peak in the late 70's and early 80's, insane steroid overdoses that have horrific negative impacts on health are almost certainly down.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

like totally down — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:24:59 -0000

Bob hope joked that Bum Phillips had a play for every situation--a hand off to Earl Campbell

Campbell is definitely my favorite running back, and that Real Sports episode broke my heart.

I read somewhere, I think it was in The Nation, that NFL players from the 50s and 60s have lifespans that are reduced by about ten years.

I think the reason the NFL is so stingy with its pension is because they are scared about all the guys who will be wrecked by steroids in the future.

To borrow a phrase from Kris Kristofferson, steroid users are *trading in tomorrow for today.*

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Bill Mill — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:28:19 -0000

Jeremy Shockey, in his first two years with the Giants, ran like Earl Campbell.

Nowadays he's nothing, but those two years he was *great*.

Re: Earl Campbell: Or football as performance art

Wells Lamont — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:43:34 -0000

Here's an idea: Tim Tebow? Or is that too far outside the realm, being both in college and a QB? Or does that make him all the more unbelievable?