Sayers dies

[Jockey]

Even as a lifelong Bears hater, I loved Gayle Sayers.

He is one of 2 athletes who I think would be consensus picks as their sports greatest player (similar to MJ) if they could have avoided injuries. Both Sayers and Mickey Mantle had devastating knee injuries early in their careers that took away so much from their games. Sadly, knee injuries had a much greater adverse affect on players back then than they do now.


RIP, Gale.

[MU82]

I love Gale Sayers. And I'd like all of you to love him too.

Seriously, nice tribute Jockey. I never saw him play except in grainy videos, but he sure looked spectacular in those.

BTW ... no "y" in his first name.

[ChuckyChip]

Even as a lifelong Bears hater, I loved Gayle Sayers.

He is one of 2 athletes who I think would be consensus picks as their sports greatest player (similar to MJ) if they could have avoided injuries. Both Sayers and Mickey Mantle had devastating knee injuries early in their careers that took away so much from their games. Sadly, knee injuries had a much greater adverse affect on players back then than they do now.


RIP, Gale.

I would add Bobby Orr to your list.

[The Sultan]

No doubt he was a great player, but saying he would be roughly akin to the MJ of the NFL is a bit much.

[Jockey]

I would add Bobby Orr to your list.

I almost added him, but I don't think he still could have surpassed Gretzky.

[The Big East]

Sayers was a tremendous individual and will be missed.

I had the good fortune of being seated next to him at dinner at a Golf Outing about 11 years ago, and over the course of several days I got to spend some decent time with him . He was an active business man at that point with a sharp mind. He was also in incredible shape.  I was saddened when I learned  a few years later he had dementia.

There is no question he is one of the All time greats in the NFL. When I asked him what the key to his success was, he said he had very strong peripheral vision which allowed him to make maximum use of his god given talents in the open field.

[GooooMarquette]

RIP.

[JWags85]

Sayers played only 5 full seasons. And one of those, 1968, he didn't even play double digit games.  But even still, he was a no brainer HOF selection, still the youngest inductee in history, and is a consensus top 25-30 player in history by many writers.  Absolutely astounding.

As a Bears fan, just LOVE that the Bears had 2 of the top 10 RBs of all time for 20 seasons combined and won 1 SB with them   

[Hards Alumni]

Sayers played only 5 full seasons. And one of those, 1968, he didn't even play double digit games.  But even still, he was a no brainer HOF selection, still the youngest inductee in history, and is a consensus top 25-30 player in history by many writers.  Absolutely astounding.

As a Bears fan, just LOVE that the Bears had 2 of the top 10 RBs of all time for 20 seasons combined and won 1 SB with them   

Could be worse.  Packers have two first ballot HOF QBs for almost 30 years and two Superbowls to show for it.

[The Sultan]

Sayers played only 5 full seasons. And one of those, 1968, he didn't even play double digit games.  But even still, he was a no brainer HOF selection, still the youngest inductee in history, and is a consensus top 25-30 player in history by many writers.  Absolutely astounding.

As a Bears fan, just LOVE that the Bears had 2 of the top 10 RBs of all time for 20 seasons combined and won 1 SB with them   

Could be worse.  Packers have two first ballot HOF QBs for almost 30 years and two Superbowls to show for it.

Better than none.

[Hards Alumni]

Better than none.

Yes, it is nice to not be Fran Tarkenton, Jim Kelly, or Dan Marino in that respect.  But I'm not sure we could set the bar much lower than 2 Superbowl wins in 30 years with 2 HOF QBs.

[CTWarrior]

Could be worse.  Packers have two first ballot HOF QBs for almost 30 years and two Superbowls to show for it.

It could be worse than that.  I started rooting for the Jets in 1969 season, and I haven't seen a Super Bowl at all.  Browns and Lions fans at least in the same boat.

[cheebs09]

Yes, it is nice to not be Fran Tarkenton, Jim Kelly, or Dan Marino in that respect.  But I'm not sure we could set the bar much lower than 2 Superbowl wins in 30 years with 2 HOF QBs.

I thought this way at one point. Then I watched the Buffalo Bills 30 for 30. Nothing is ever a given. It's really hard to win a Super Bowl. Brees has only 1. Peyton didn't get his second until very late.

[The Sultan]

Yes, it is nice to not be Fran Tarkenton, Jim Kelly, or Dan Marino in that respect.  But I'm not sure we could set the bar much lower than 2 Superbowl wins in 30 years with 2 HOF QBs.

Eh, I going to be grateful for what I enjoyed and who I got to enjoy it with rather than be negative.  Sports is isn't important enough to dwell in the "what could have been."

[Hards Alumni]

Eh, I going to be grateful for what I enjoyed and who I got to enjoy it with rather than be negative.  Sports is isn't important enough to dwell in the "what could have been."

lol wut.

[Eldon]

Yes, it is nice to not be Fran Tarkenton, Jim Kelly, or Dan Marino in that respect.  But I'm not sure we could set the bar much lower than 2 Superbowl wins in 30 years with 2 HOF QBs.

Focus on the journey, not the destination.

30 years of mostly-great, winning seasons. Some really fun seasons and great memories.

[dgies9156]

Focus on the journey, not the destination.

Brother Eldon:

The journey for the Bear fan across much of the last 55 years has been over a rutted, two lane road with broken pavement that rides through abandoned toxic waste dumps, worn out manufacturing plants and heavy doses of orange, sodium vapor lighting. Every now and then there is a grove of sickly trees, a brownish, weed-infested lake and a couple of rats partaking on a dead bird carcass.

Gayle Sayers was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disastrous ride that is way off the main roads and far removed from where Bears fans want to be. The 85 Bears was another -- almost as if someone rebuilt the interstate to end where the Bears somehow got lost and found themselves.

For the Bear fan, the real journey begins when their owner buys the equivalent of a BMW -- a quarterback who can guide them to heights they've rarely been since 1985. Trubisky is the Bears equivalent of going to the BMW dealer and instead of buying the 735i with the V-12, they bought a four year old Hyundai and paid what they should have paid for the 735i! It's too bad they never had a team worthy of Mr. Sayers' talents.

[warriorchick]

It's too bad they never had a team worthy of Mr. Sayers' talents.

Gale Sayers was the Ernie Banks of the Bears.

[WhiteTrash]

Gale Sayers was the Ernie Banks of the Bears.

I agree. Mr. Banks, Mr Sayers & Mr Butkis deserved better.

[tower912]

Lions fan says celebrate the SBs your team has won.   Be glad they didn't waste a decade of one of the greatest running backs, or a decade of one of the top wide receivers.