Every month Primer is recognizing a different individual for their accomplishments, cultural significance, and general awesomeness. Since February is Black History Month we decided to step up the honors for the month recognizing a new subject once every week. This week: Jim Brown.
“I loved the game. We played because we loved it.” -Jim Brown
Jim Brown was the greatest running back ever to lace up in the NFL. If you don’t agree, then you’re wrong.
You can compare Brown’s stats to anyone you please, he always comes out ahead. Sanders, Payton, E. Smith, Sayers; Brown went to the pro bowl at least two more times than any of them. He was a better average yard per carry (5.2) than any running back with at least 2,000 yards. He’s a three time MVP. He is the only running back to average 100 yards per game over his career.
He broke 1,200 yards rushing seven of the nine years he played and three of those seasons were only 12 games long (the others were 14). He is the only player ever to lead the league in all-purpose yards five times. To top it off, all of this was done in only 118 games.
I could go on (really I could) but you get the idea. And while all of this is very impressive, you don’t simply get the envy of Primer Magazine by being one of the greatest Football players ever, oh no, you’ve got to do better than that. And Jim Brown does.
Not just a great football player, Brown was a tremendous all-around athlete. He lettered in four different sports in college (lacrosse, football, basketball, and track). While at Syracuse, the track coach negotiated with the lacrosse coach to let Brown compete in the long jump in an upcoming meet. When the lacrosse coach came to the meet to watch Brown compete he found that Brown had already came in first place in three other events.
Still not enough? Consider this…
“Considered by many to be the greatest to ever play the game…” That’s what it says about Jim Brown on the website of the Hall of Fame…of Lacrosse. Brown was arguably the greatest athlete of all time in two different sports. Now that will get our attention.
Read more about Jim Brown’s amazing accomplishments here
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrowJi00.htm
http://www.sportsplacement.com/brownbio.htm
Oh yeah, and he was in The Dirty Dozen, Mars Attacks!, and Any Given Sunday.
About Kevin H. MacLean
Kevin H. MacLean currently resides in Brooklyn, NY where he enjoys people watching, writing, and dominating all comers in four-square. You can keep tabs on him at his blog http://ratedwrong.com/.
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5 People had something insightful to add, but we're missing your voice! Continue the conversation with a comment.
Kevin
Lovin’ the picture layout.
Jan 31st, 2010
JT
I think I’ll want to be somebody else. VIolence against women not really my thing.
Vandalism smashed up the windows of his wife’s 1994 Honda Accord with a shovel (15-Jun-1999)
Death Threats allegedly threatened to snap Monique’s neck, acquitted (15-Jun-1999)
Domestic Violence 1986 (charge dropped)
Assault 1985 (charge dropped)
Rape 1985 (charge dropped)
Sexual Battery 1985 (charge dropped)
Battery allegedly choked a golf partner (1978)
Assault allegedly beat up a man after a traffic accident, acquitted (1969)
Assault allegedly threw his fiancee off a balcony, charge dropped (1968)
Resisting Arrest 1968
Assault accused of raping an 18-year-old, found innocent (1965)
Battery accused of raping an 18-year-old, found innocent (1965)
Feb 6th, 2010
Kevin
Wanna supply some evidence beyond your post JT? Since I have never seen any of that information anywhere other than right here just now. Maybe that’s because ever one of the charges were either dropped or never proven. But this is the first I’ve seen or heard of any of this, and I’ve looked.
Feb 6th, 2010
Susan
Brown’s run-ins with the law and history of violence against women are actually pretty well documented. I found the same info JT cited here:
http://www.nndb.com/people/890/000023821/
A couple other sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/23/sports/sports-people-jim-brown-arrested.html
http://www.cnn.com/US/9906/17/jim.brown/index.html
In an interview from 1989, Brown denies throwing his fiancee off a balcony; he says she crawled out there and slipped and fell: http://tinyurl.com/2a72568
Greatest running back of all time: Yes.
Admirable man: Questionable
May 21st, 2010
Your awesome ideas go here: