HOFer Charlie Sanders - Anyone See Him Play

[NorCal Aaron]

Stats don't seem that impressive. Anyone remember his play?

[Lori]

Before my time... but seven Pro Bowls in ten seasons, plus selection to the All-Decade Team of the '70s over already-enshrined TEs Dave Casper and Jackie Smith, would seem to be fairly respectable credentials.

 

Here's his bio from the Lions website, including a couple of quotes favorably comparing him to John Mackey (high praise indeed): http://www.detroitlions.com/document_displ...ument_id=447316

[Bill from NYC]

Before my time... but seven Pro Bowls in ten seasons, plus selection to the All-Decade Team of the '70s over already-enshrined TEs Dave Casper and Jackie Smith, would seem to be fairly respectable credentials.

 

Here's his bio from the Lions website, including a couple of quotes favorably comparing him to John Mackey (high praise indeed): http://www.detroitlions.com/document_displ...ument_id=447316

 

Lori, I only saw Sanders toward the end of his career, but I can state in all certainty that Dave Casper was better than either Sanders or Smith, perhaps both of them combined.

 

I know that times change, the game has changed, players are bigger and faster, etc. That said, a young Dave Casper (imo) could step into this football league right now and still make the Hall of Fame. He blocked better than many OTs, had GREAT moves and glue hands. There were absolutely zero faults in his game (unless one insists on pure speed from a TE), AND he caught touchdowns in the clutch.

 

Mackey? He was faster than Casper and hard VERY hard to tackle, but simply not as strong. Again imo, Pete Metz was a poor mans Casper, and HE was outstanding.

 

In short, Dave Casper was one of the best players I have ever had the pleasure to watch play football, and that says a ton.

[Kelly the Dog]

Jackie Smith didn't do much for me, and Casper was a great player, but Sanders was an equally great player. The Lions' quarterbacking (Landry and Munson as passers)and WRs were hideous most of his entire career but he was clearly their best player. And one of the two two players in the game at his position for about a decade. Very big and fast and athletic with soft hands and a very good blocker. He would be a great TE in the game right now if he came around in this era, well ahead of his time.

[NorCal Aaron]

I saw all the posted materials when the class announcement was made - Sanders was clearly an excellent player given his skills, the era, and his circumstance (playing for the Lions), but given that Reed was dissed, I wanted more observational details on what gave Sanders the nod.

 

Thanks to all.

[MarkyMannn]

Jackie Smith didn't do much for me

 

Bad choice of words as JS is gay................not that there's anything wrong with that

[bdelma]

He was a bull, nobody could tackle this guy.

[Spiderweb]

Jackie Smith didn't do much for me, and Casper was a great player, but Sanders was an equally great player. The Lions' quarterbacking (Landry and Munson as passers)and WRs were hideous most of his entire career but he was clearly their best player. And one of the two two players in the game at his position for about a decade. Very big and fast and athletic with soft hands and a very good blocker. He would be a great TE in the game right now if he came around in this era, well ahead of his time.

 

 

While BNYC raves over Casper, who was everything he said he was, Sanders was faster and more athletic. A great TE who had miserable QB's throwing him the ball. All around, it would be a tough choice between Casper and Sanders, but I'd probably lean towards Sanders. Jackie Smith finishes well behind both Sanders and Casper.

[ektin]

Bad choice of words as JS is gay................not that there's anything wrong with that

I don't think that was Jackie Smith, but Jerry Smith tight end for the Redskins.