Temple 3 - Thought, Word and Deed

ESPN reports this may be it for New York Jets running back Curtis Martin. For those who don't know, Martin is a great guy who had it rough coming up - but learned character and perseverance from those closest to him. Curtis Martin is a hero in many circles and a role model in most others. He has had a tremendous career and will retire as the #4 running back all-time in terms of yards.

Everyone likes to debate who the greatest running backs are/have been in the history of the NFL. I'm no different. ESPN asks the question: Is Curtis Martin one of the Top 10 backs in the history of the NFL?

Answer: I don't think so. Martin has played for 11 years with the New England Patriots and New York Jets. He was a "Parcells Guy." That means he played with toughness, character and it means he did not turn the ball over. Keyshawn Johnson was/is a Parcells Guy (even though he is no longer a Cowboy). You don't have to be spectacular, but you have to get the job done.

Martin is currently 3rd in career carries, 4th in yards, and tied for 10th in touchdowns. Wow. He's also 7th in career yards from scrimmage. Amazing stuff. So, what's the problem? Why not Top 10?

Here's why:

1) The top 10 spots are locked with legends who outperformed Martin in almost every measurable way and either contributed to redefining the position (and are visually synonymous with broken ankles or impaled chests) or played championship level football.

My Top 10: Jim Brown, Walter Payton, OJ Simpson, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith (not crazy about him, but I gotta give him props), Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, and Gale Sayers (though not in this particular order).

I won't get much argument here on any of these choices precisely because their performances are etched in our memories. If Curtis Martin has a signature game, it was probably a game I attended...he ran for about 200 yards on the Colts in Giants Stadium in the snow. He mauled them, but those Colts were not a team who could stop the run if they borrowed four Patriots, four Steelers and three Bears. Sure, he had some great games with the Patriots, but none of that is burned into my mind. He doesn't even have a signature move.

Marcus Allen's dive over the top of the pile; Barry Sander's spin moves that turned around entire defenses; Earl Campbell planting his helmet in the chest of a LA Rams linebacker (poor sap!); Dickerson's leg kick and long stride; Faulk lining up wide and beating your team's best corner for a TD in the 4th quarter...

I would already put LaDanian Tomlinson ahead of Martin. Only a few guys have had the RB HOF Trifecta - 300 carries (durability), 1500 yds. (productivity), 10+ TDs (legacy). Tomlinson's already done that 5 times. Check out how many times your favorite player has done that. When it's all over Edgerrin James and Shawn Alexander will rank higher in my book.

I would put Tony Dorsett ahead of Martin. I could even see putting him ahead of Eric Dickerson. If I lived in Buffalo, I wouldn't want to hear Curtis Martin mentioned in the same breath as Thurman Thomas. It's a good thing I don't live in Buffalo - but I can understand how they feel. Was Curtis Martin better than Franco Harris or Jerome Bettis? That's tough because of the differences in running styles, eras of the game and more.

I can see all of that vividly - and I can see the steady, excellent, but unspectacular Curtis Martin piling up some big numbers - but it's not enough to crack the Top 10...and there is nothing wrong with that. Hats off to a great competitor and a better man. Canton is not far off.

my man cnulan hit me off with a link (below)- and I'm inserting this quote of note to highlight something of interest:

The Long War

Israeli Prime minister Ehud Olmert has stated that the Israeli offensive against Lebanon would "last a very long time". Meanwhile, the US has speeded up weapons shipments to Israel.

"There are strategic objectives underlying the "Long War" which are tied to oil and oil pipelines.

The air campaign against Lebanon is inextricably related to US-Israeli strategic objectives in the broader Middle East including Syria and Iran. In recent developments, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice stated that the main purpose of her mission to the Middle East was not to push for a ceasefire in Lebanon, but rather to isolate Syria and Iran. (Daily Telegraph, 22 July 2006)

At this particular juncture, the replenishing of Israeli stockpiles of US produced WMDs points to an escalation of the war both within and beyond the borders of Lebanon.

I've been in an ongoing conversation with my peeps over at P6 about whether or not Israel has underestimated Hezbollah and whether or not a larger game is afoot. I think our nonaligned positions can be summed up thusly:

ptcruiser would assert that Israel has clearly underestimated hezbollah and is in the midst of an unwinnable 4GW conflict. the tactics of the israelis are not sufficient to win this particular fight and there is no measure of support from the US that is sufficient to tip the balance. i hope that's a fair recapitulation of his points - he'll correct me if i am in error.

my position is that israel only appears to have underestimated hezbollah because the goal is not to end this fight quickly and decisively, but rather to drag this out and engage syria and iran into a broader fight - with the assistance of the us. i believe the us and israel want and need this fight in order to establish a formal military presence in high priority pipeline areas around the caspian sea. quite frankly, hezbollah and lebanon are beside the point (literally).

further, i believe we will see a rolling back of media coverage on this issue and the initiation of a new wave intended to change the terms and tactics. today, the financial times took this issue off the front page. cnn shifted its focus to the closing of the alaskan pipeline by BP and the related increase in gas prices. and the new york times is leading with a story about the senatorial race in connecticut. the story re: lebanon-israel is a personal/human interest story, rather than an ongoing exposition of the situation as it unfolds. i don't believe any number of katusha strikes will change the direction of media coverage. i believe the winds of change are in the air - and this story will begin to take on a different shape.

For my money, the best speech of the day was from former Cowboys OT Rayfield Wright. He played on some of the greatest Dallas teams of all time. I remember those uniforms and way all of the offensive linemen came out of their stance at the same time before the snap of the ball. Tom Landry really had some genius stuff going on with that team. Wright's speech also followed the best presenter speech. His old college coach at Fort Valley State in Georgia, L.J. Lomax did the honors. Lomax is a classic old school Black man from the South who knows how to live and how to teach. His words were well chosen. His diction and cadence was perfect. So much goes into a great speech - and my expectations were for these inductions are not often met. The speeches are online at www.nfl.com.

Perhaps the most important speech was delivered by Harry Carson. Carson should have written his speech. It was discursive and redundant - but his major points are seldom heard in those circles. Carson was eligible for induction for 10+ years before being selected. (Wright has waited 22 years.) Carson began his speech by rightfully challenging the NFL and the Players Association to look after those players who are routinely credited with making the league great. Carson took these multi-billion dollar entities to task for failing to keep their end of the bargain. In many instances, it is a shame what has happened to many of the players. Aside from the debilitating physical injuries, social costs due to the lifestyle of professional sports and the premature death, the question of sweeping this hidden story under the rug emerges on a cyclical basis.

Some players have done particularly well in life after football. Jim Brown and OJ Simpson spring immediately to mind. Of course Troy Aikman, Cris Collinsworth and others have made the jump to the broadcast booth. Some like Tim Green have parlayed a legal education into a successful career as a novelist. Still, too many others have failed to seize upon the tremendous opportunities the league does offer to radically change the trajectory of one's life. Rayfield Wright seized that opportunity to taking the road less traveled. It was his deepest desire to change the trajectory of his life and that of his mother and grandmother. He was tremendously successful in doing so - and his humility in the face of his achievement was a beautiful thing.

I suppose seeing a 60 year-old man who could still pound a grizzly into submission weep like a baby as he tells his mother how deeply her roots are planted within him, and how her protective love of him allowed him to succeed was a profound demonstration of emotional courage and honesty. It was a beautiful thing.

I'm not the only one who believes that a larger scheme is unfolding with respect to Israel's current beef with Hezbollah. That really does not amount to hill of beans, but it can make for interesting reading. Sidney Bleumenthal weighs in with plenty.

According to Sidney, the neocons next war is aimed at Syria and Iran. I think he's probably right. Still, I don't think he's really hit on the "why" of it all.

In any event, it appears that Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is has been "thrown under the bus" for being incompetent by pundits and politicos from Richard Perle to Newt Gingrich. Perhaps this is another case of affirmative action gone wild - then again, it couldn't be that because all Republican appointments have been based on merit.

Some guys have it, some don't. Reggie Bush has it. I won't try to explain. Bottom line - I like the guy and want him to have a Hall of Fame career. Do I know him? Have we met? Does it matter? Nope, nope and nope. Some guys simply have it - and he has it. "It" is not simply talent. "It" is the ability to induce love, respect, appreciation, support, and more.

Michael Jordan had it. When 'His Airness' drove the lane, defenders often moved out of his way. That may be hard to believe for the uninitiated. Why would someone who is paid to stop this guy move out of his way? Fear of embarassment!

When Jordan dunked on you or made some other unimaginable move, the fear of getting juked out of your soiled undergarments simply superceded all other considerations. In football, it's a bit different. Sure, no one wants to be embarassed, but in football, no one moves out of your way. They move into your way. To have "it" in football in something that a truly precious few have had. Jim Brown. Gale Sayers. OJ Simpson. Barry Sanders. Reggie Bush! That's right - Reggie Bush.

This short pantheon of stars have one particular thing in common...legions of defenders left in their wake wondering what happened after the snap of the ball. If you're not a football fan, it's hard to understand how substantially different these players are from all the rest. There are some with comparable numbers - but none with comparable video!

Having "It" means having the capacity to show and prove in a near-mythical way. I believe Bush has it. I haven't said this about another player since Barry Sanders. I suppose for me, the most attractive and amazing quality for a running back is elusiveness. These players have demonstrated this particular quality at a level that often defies explanation. As we wrestle with words and images, they continue to move it!