[Solitary1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elrod-tom /img/forum/go_quote.gif Johnny Unitas...it's close, but he wins out IMHO over Joe Montana. He was league MVP three times, league champion in 1958 vs the NY Giants (some call it the greatest game ever played), and again in Super Bowl V vs the Dallas Cowboys. Named to the Pro Bowl 10 times, he is also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (elected in 1979...his first year of eligibility). His career passing yards exceeded 40,000 (he was the first to do so), and he threw a TD pass in 47 consecutive games. The most impressive thing to remember about Unitas is that he did all of this in an era before rules changes really opened up the passing game. The 47 straight games with a TD pass in that era is really remarkable. Oh, and by the time his career is over, I think that Tom Brady will be held in similar regard. What that guy has accomplished so early in his career is remarkable.

Unitas, 'nuff said.

 

[EricP]

I have to say Brett Favre. This as a Vikings fan, I hate the Packers with all of my frozen heart.

That said, the man is great because he has put up some of the best numbers of all time without a supporting cast. He never had a Jerry Rice, like Montana or Young. He never had an offensive line like Aikman or Elway. He doesn't have the pedigree like the Mannings, and he has never had the legendary coaches like Staubach and Unitas had. The other thing that he has that in my mind puts him over the top is a drive for victory unmatched in the NFL, ever, with the notable exception of Walter Payton. He plays the game, even now, after 16 years, with absolute joy. He would play for free every Sunday because he loves the game, and that's an attitude none of the QBs listed after Bradshaw had. And his talents have remained seemingly undiminished by time. Yes, his stats have diminished the last few years, but look at his team! The Packers are awful. If you watch him play, his throws are just as accurate, just as powerful, and just as effective as they ever have been.

 

[Hoppergrass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyfrenchman27 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Dan Marino is obviously the greatest QB to ever live. Evaluating a QB by super bowl rings is like judging a person by the state they live in...

yeah but you live in california, so what do you know.

sorry. i just couldn't resist that one.

 

[grawk]

Evaluating a qb by the # of superbowl rings is like evaluating a general by the success he's had at war. A quarterback's job is to lead his team to victory. If he can't do that, it doesn't matter how many passes he completes for how many yards, how many times he got intercepted, or what color his boxers are. Few things matter more than the # of rings in determining how good a quarterback is.

 

[mr_baseball_08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Evaluating a qb by the # of superbowl rings is like evaluating a general by the success he's had at war. A quarterback's job is to lead his team to victory. If he can't do that, it doesn't matter how many passes he completes for how many yards, how many times he got intercepted, or what color his boxers are. Few things matter more than the # of rings in determining how good a quarterback is.

I assume you're being sarcastic.

 

[AdamCalifornia]

Thanks for pointing out. I've changed to Elway JOHN in the Refresher.
Fortunatley, it was properly stated Elway John in the Poll.

A propos 'asking your father or grandfather' it was just a suggestion.
It might be interesting to you what they think about it.

See you on Joe Montana's

Side of the Moon

 

[Tuberoller]

As much as I hate to admit this, I have to go with Brett Favre. He has done more with less than just about any other star player. Montana and Young both had Jerry Rice. Farve never had a super receiver or great running game to fall back on and he still won. He has won everything and loves doing it. I'm confident that after he retires more folks will appreciate him and all that he has done on the field. I once heard a rediculous stat that Favre has thrown touchdown passes to 77 different receivers. I can't find it now but that seems nearly impossible. I did hear Madden say that "Favre will pass to your grandmother if he thinks she can score with the ball". I think that sums of the best of all time.


I think the many of the others, Montana, Elway, Young Bradshaw, A. Manning all had much better teams around them. Brett Favre is and will always be the face of the Packer and easily the best Packer player ever. When he's done he will hold all the records and will have hopefully silenced the critics. I'm sure after that Peyton manning will come along and break them all again but Favre is the best ever.

 

[grawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_baseball_08 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I assume you're being sarcastic.

Why would you assume that?

 

[SiBurning]

This thread is really taxing my memory and taking me back.

At one time, Fran Tarkenton was my favorite. Always liked and respected Bradshaw. Hated the Cowboys, so Staubach's off my list. Wish I'd seen more of Joe Namath, since he was on the home team. I was at an impressionable age and when he put on the tights... The baby face commercials and dingo boot ads in comics were one thing, but I couldn't abide men in tights. Hated batman for that too. (Hey! I did say this was taking me back some.) Of the younger guys, John Elway impresses me most.

It's hard to decide how to pick the best guy. Most wins, most yards passing or rushing, best player on the worst team... For me, the worst thing a quarterback can do is be a wimp and take the dive 5 yards before the nearest rusher. I hate that more than spiking the ball. As a long time Miami fan (since 72-3), I'm very biased to vote for Dan Marino, but... ugh... I have to put him near the bottom of that esteemed list. If all goes well, Marino's fast arm is... well, maybe good enough to get to the super bowl. But who do you want in the clutch?

Sorry, but I have to take a bit of exception to this talk about young'ns voting for Montana. Just how old do you need to be to have an opinion? humbuggery old farts.

 

[Head Creep]

I consider myself too young to have a good understanding of how good most of these quarterbacks were. My knowledge of Bradshaw, Young, Namath and the other greats of past generations is based solely upon occasional SportsCenter clips. But based on what I do know, Peyton Manning is the best quarterback currently playing (Favre is hard to judge these days, since he's on such a mediocre team).

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickknutson /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tom Brady is the "Uber-Headphoneus Supremus" of the football game!

It was a fumble.

 

[nfusion770]

I have been a football fan since the mid 80s. I have seen a lot of these guys, but have no idea on people like Unitas. The most dependable qb I ever remember was Montana (until he got to KC that is).

Favre is the greatest of this generation (or is it the last generation- the one before Brady and Manning), and while he often did spectacular things to win games, he also has a loose canon mentality that can completely kill him. This was much more apparent in his first years and now seems to be manifesting itself again as he ages. He did have some great receivers by the way, though not recently. Sterling Sharpe was there when he arrived and he was top 3 in the league at time. He helped develop others like Robert Brooks, Ferguson etc.

There are a lot of other guys on that list who seemed otherworldly at times- Steve Young- wow, Aikman- just won and could kill you if you challenged him to, Elway- clutch, Marino- like a fricken steam engine. I also have fond memories of Moon who, while probably not as great as some of the others, was the best QB my Vikings had seen in 20 years when he arrived in MN at the age of 38.

Anyway, pretty subjective I am sure, but I can certainly understand why Montana is still held in such high regard.

PS- I cant believe I forgot about Jim Kelly. The Bills had one loaded offense back in those days with Thomas, Reed, Loften and that TE- was it Metzellars or something?

 

[grawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SiBurning /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry, but I have to take a bit of exception to this talk about young'ns voting for Montana. Just how old do you need to be to have an opinion? humbuggery old farts.

You don't have to be old, but you probably should at least watch a few nfl films or something. When most replies are "I never saw most of these guys play"...

 

[morphsci]

Well I have also seen all of these quarterbacks play, except for Otto, and IMO Joe Montana is the best quarterback on this list. I am neither a Joe Montana nor a 49er's fan but exceptional talent transcends fanboyism.

P.S. Terry Bradshaw was a good quarterback on a great team, nothing more and Tom Brady is the Phil Simms of his generation, nothing more. IMO

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oistrakh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Michael jordan

Really scary that we think alike, or even that we thought alike just this one time. If he had been a QB, there is no telling what he could have done.

 

[morphsci]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Evaluating a qb by the # of superbowl rings is like evaluating a general by the success he's had at war. A quarterback's job is to lead his team to victory. If he can't do that, it doesn't matter how many passes he completes for how many yards, how many times he got intercepted, or what color his boxers are. Few things matter more than the # of rings in determining how good a quarterback is.

Right ... so Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer and Jay Hostetler are better quarterbacks than Dan Marino or Jim Kelly because they have superbowl rings? NOT!!! Some QB's are leaders, some are placeholders and the team wins regardless of or despite them.

And Joe Montana and the 49er's success in the Super Bowl arena was not due to Jerry Rice. Rice did not even play in Super Bowl 16 and 19 and only caught one pass in 23. He certainly was a big factor in 24.

Anyway I'm still sticking with Montana even though Bradshaw also has 4 SB wins

Here's a list:
Bradshaw, Montana: 4
Aikman, Brady: 3
Elway, Griese, Plunkett, Starr, Staubach: 2
Dawson, Dilfer, Favre, Hostetler, Johnson, McMahon, Namath, Rothlisberger, Rypian, Simms, Stabler, Theismann, Unitas, Warner, Williams, Young: 1