NFL 100th season all-time best 100

[Pies4shaw]

This series of programs is going to run on NFL Network, starting 8 pm Friday, their time. The plan is to list the 100 best players and 10 best coaches ever in the NFL. Each program will feature an anchor (Rich Eisen), the greatest NFL commentator of them all (the marvellous Cris Collinsworth) and the greatest coach of them all (Bill Belichick), as well as guests. Tonight, they’re doing running backs. I don’t know how many spots there are in the 100 for running backs but you’d think Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Jim Brown and Emmett Smith will be there or thereabouts. I don’t suppose that Franco Harris will make it, although he was one of the most admirable and memorable players in the first great team of the modern era (the 1970s Steelers) - he’d be my sentimental favourite. No Packers will be in this list.

[Pies4shaw]

So, a little bit of info came out during today’s Colts @ Texans game. There will be 12 running backs selected. The first of those will be Jim Brown. So, 11 more will be revealed Saturday, our time.

[Pies4shaw]

Here's the complete shortlist of 24 running backs:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001078454/article/running-back-finalists-announced-for-alltime-team

Marcus Allen
Jerome ("The Bus") Bettis
Jim Brown
Earl Campbell
Earl Clark
Eric Dickerson
Tony Dorsett
Marshall Faulk
Harold Grange
Franco Harris
Hugh McElhenny
Lenny Moore
Marion Motley
Bronko Nagursk
Walter Payton
Adrian Peterson
Barry Sanders
Gale Sayers
OJ Simpson
Emmitt Smith
Jim Taylor
Thurman Thomas
LaDainian Tomlinson
Steve Van Buren

[Pies4shaw]

So, Brown and Walter Payton were the only two unanimous selections. The other 10 selected are Motley, Sayers, Simpson, Van Buren, Clark, Moore, Campbell, Smith, Dickerson and Sanders.

Two coaches were selected. Paul Brown and Bill B were the first two coaches picked.

[Pies4shaw]

Here's the final roster: https://www.nfl.com/100/all-time-team/roster

Some great names amongst them. Legends, in fact. Some of my favourites (you can't pick a "best of" from such a magnificent bunch) are Walter Payton, Jack Ham and Jack Lambert, Reggie White, "Mean" Joe Greene, Mel Blount, Ronnie Lott, Ed Reed, Adam Vinatieri (will he come back for a 25th season?), Rob Gronkowski, Forrest Gregg, Mike Webster, Larry Fitzgerald, Don Hutson, Randy Moss, Jerry Rice and - how do you choose between them, really? - Brady, Elway, Favre, Manning (P), Montana and Staubach.

Well, I pick Brett Favre. You've got to love these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5s15Kt08DQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZtp7sdy8bI