Semi-OT Retired NBA players aren't the only athletes who claim they'd put up ridiculous numbers in the current era

[D.Brasco]

It's not just former NBA players saying today's game is soft and they'd average tons more points than in their era.

Seems pretty endemic in sports in general.

[theforumblue]

bo knows.

[Duke4life831]

And just like former NBA players, both of these guys are very wrong. It also just goes to show how much better NFL media is compared to NBA media. Whenever former high level players in the NBA say this, ESPN and Fox sports run multiple segments talking about it. This instagram post was from 15 weeks ago and I have no clue when either one of these guys said their statements, because the vast majority of NFL media doesnt talk about this stuff. They talk about what is actually happening on the field.

[Quattro]

Not sure how much has changed with respect to RBs. A lot more protections for QBs and WRs but RBs take most of their hits in the trenches.

I saw Bo play back in the day and I have no doubt at all that had he stayed heAlthy and played full time football that he would be spoken of in the same breath as Jim Brown and Barry Sanders.

[tdot_steel]

He is right. RB's not as much as they still get hit and they do not last as long as before.

But the new rules favor the passing game. Watch a game from the 1970's and 80's, pass interference was rarely called.
Getting after the QB was a part of the game. Can't breathe on Brady now.

Watch on YouTube

[CS707]

Bo's whole shtick was/is being larger than life.

[D.Brasco]

And just like former NBA players, both of these guys are very wrong. It also just goes to show how much better NFL media is compared to NBA media. Whenever former high level players in the NBA say this, ESPN and Fox sports run multiple segments talking about it. This instagram post was from 15 weeks ago and I have no clue when either one of these guys said their statements, because the vast majority of NFL media doesnt talk about this stuff. They talk about what is actually happening on the field.

That's a good point about these kind of statements are more amplified in NBA media. Which is probably why it seems like former NBA players are more prone to make them compared to other sports.

[Lalouie]

And just like former NBA players, both of these guys are very wrong. It also just goes to show how much better NFL media is compared to NBA media. Whenever former high level players in the NBA say this, ESPN and Fox sports run multiple segments talking about it. This instagram post was from 15 weeks ago and I have no clue when either one of these guys said their statements, because the vast majority of NFL media doesnt talk about this stuff. They talk about what is actually happening on the field.

that's cuz basketball is a simple player dependent game. it's a 1on1 game so the better athlete wins, which is why contenders are all star heavy. football is system dependent and a player simply doesn't succeed on his own.

that is why basketball's cross era comparisons and goat talk is never-ending. it's probably also why basketball has such a recency bias and quick to forget the past.

i dunno. it's not like the nfl machine doesn't purposely do it so much as it is so pointless to even try

[KembaWalker]

Jerry Rice should have his records stripped for admitting to using stickum.

[SuperPawgHunter]

I don't understand what's so difficult to comprehend.

The NBA has publicly acknowledged the measures they've taken, since the early 2000s to increase scoring.

If you even go back to when hand checking was banned, the very next season it affected numbers. They have done even more things since then. I read an article where Adam Silver said the NBA was pleased by the results they've gotten from attempts to increase scoring.

As for Bo, I mean, he's a freak athlete in any era - so while I'm not sure about the numbers he stated, it stands to reason less physicality will allow him to maximize his numbers even more.

[Slacktard]

Bo Jackson ran a sub 4.20 40 (according to several scouts who timed him at Auburn's pro-day). He would fit in any era... but how coaches handled his position today would probably be different than it was in the early 80s just with the change to passing offenses dominating vs rushing offenses(his era)

[AbeVigodaLive]

Conveniently, Bo didn't mention baseball.

Heck, he was leading the league... striking out 172 times in his BEST season.

[LuDux1]

Forward pass = three point shot

[Perishable517]

He is right. RB's not as much as they still get hit and they do not last as long as before.

But the new rules favor the passing game. Watch a game from the 1970's and 80's, pass interference was rarely called.
Getting after the QB was a part of the game. Can't breathe on Brady now.

Watch on YouTube

Wasn't a sack, penalty.

Sent from my HTC U11 using RealGM mobile app

[SkyHookFTW]

Bo Jackson was one of the most physically gifted athletes I ever saw, but his hype is a bit ahead of what he did on the field. Bo Jackson had 555 total touches (run/pass) in four seasons. That is low usage for a RB, especially one who is considered top-tier star potential. Yards per carry of 5.4 is superb, elite level, but only averaged 73 yards per game. I always wondered how Bo would have performed if they upped his usage. Nagging injuries were no help. Reminds me of Joel Embiid in that regard. Elite potential (if not already) but always wondering about the next injury. Because the Raiders had Marcus Allen he didn't have to be rushed onto the field, but I wonder how much more--or less--he would have been if just tossed into the fire, so to speak.

His on-field destruction of big mouthed, over-hyped do-nothing Brian Bosworth was classic though. Someone please post the video.