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re: Joe Namath was a very, very overrated quarterback in the 60's and 70's...

Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:19 pm to
Posted by H-Town Tiger
Member since Nov 2003
59184 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:19 pm to
quote:

James Harris from the 70's Rams should be on there before Luck. As well as Bob Griese...


Griese maybe, but James Shack Harris was a part time starter at best.
Posted by lsutigers1992
Member since Mar 2006
25317 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:22 pm to
The biggest reason Staubach isn't higher was that he was only a full time starter from 1972-1979--I believe.

But I disagree with the logic.
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
61457 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:33 pm to
I saw Namath play and I never had the feeling watching him play that he was overrated.

He was the first QB in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards, and he did that during a 14 game season (1967). No one else did that until 1979, when Dan Fouts broke the 4,000 yard mark during a 16 game season. Think about that for awhile. Namath played in a pre-'West Coast offense' era where lower completion percentages were not uncommon. He threw deep often, which results in fewer passes completed and more interceptions, but more yards gained overall. He didn't play in an offense where he threw a lot of 5 yard slants and quick outs.

I found this quote:
quote:

Namath threw for 4,000 yards under old rules that gave much less protection to both the quarterback and receivers. Namath's play on the field in the years before his knees seriously limited his mobility helped evolve the quarterback position and the NFL style of play from a run oriented ball control game to today's more open passing style. Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh stated that Namath was "the most beautiful, accurate, stylish passer with the quickest release I've ever seen." Hall of Fame coach Don Shula stated that Namath was "one of the 3 smartest quarterbacks of all time."

So I'll vote no, not overrated.
This post was edited on 3/27/15 at 1:37 pm
Posted by lsutigers1992
Member since Mar 2006
25317 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:38 pm to
So you're saying he's the Roger Maris of pro football? I don't know if that helps or hurts your argument .
Posted by Jcorye1
Tom Brady = GoAT
Member since Dec 2007
71681 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:42 pm to
Well when you're not scared of throwing interceptions, you can throw for a ton of yards.

Heck, you can ask Andrew Luck :D
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
61457 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:46 pm to
quote:

So you're saying he's the Roger Maris of pro football?
You lost me there. How does what I wrote have anything to do with a baseball player? In which part do you see a correlation?
Posted by TTsTowel
RIP Bow9den/Coastie
Member since Feb 2010
91654 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:46 pm to
quote:

I saw Namath play and I never had the feeling watching him play that he was overrated.
I'll strongly disagree and leave it at that.
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
61457 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:48 pm to
quote:

Well when you're not scared of throwing interceptions, you can throw for a ton of yards.
Namath was fearless, no doubt about that. And confident to the point of over-confidence. A lot of his interceptions came from trying to squeeze the ball into too tight an area.
Posted by lsutigers1992
Member since Mar 2006
25317 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:50 pm to
One great season in a career of mediocrity =/= HOF.
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
61457 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:51 pm to
quote:

I'll strongly disagree and leave it at that.
Of course, that's the purpose of threads like this. We're just sharing opinions. Let it be noted, however, that I actually saw Namath play (I'm 59), and you didn't. So I'm giving you impressions I had WHILE watching him play, not while reading his career stats.
Posted by TTsTowel
RIP Bow9den/Coastie
Member since Feb 2010
91654 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:53 pm to
quote:

One great season in a career of mediocrity =/= HOF.
Exactly, and my OP says it all.

Joe Namath was an inaccurate turnover machine that ended his career with an all-time losing record.
Posted by TTsTowel
RIP Bow9den/Coastie
Member since Feb 2010
91654 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:55 pm to
quote:

Let it be noted, however, that I actually saw Namath play (I'm 59), and you didn't. So I'm giving you impressions I had WHILE watching him play, not while reading his career stats.
Good for you.

As previously stated, I saw him play some, too (just not in real time). I didn't just look at stats, even though they pretty much tell the whole story in this case.

ETA: Not to sound like a dick.
This post was edited on 3/27/15 at 1:56 pm
Posted by BigBrod81
Houma
Member since Sep 2010
18972 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 1:59 pm to
quote:

Bart Starr, Len Dawsom, Johnny U, Bob Gresie, Frank Tarkenton...all FAR greater QBs in the same 60s-early 70's era that Namath played in.


The common denominator with all the quarterbacks you listed is that they all played with far better head coaches than Namath did. Broadway Joe was a gunslinger, no doubt but he didn't have the strong minded head coach to reel him & limit his mistakes. His cannon arm & quick release lead him to taking chances that he shouldn't have. Weeb Ewbank enabled & encouraged Namath's gunslinger mentality.

LINK

Even late in the Jets Super Bowl win, Ewbank wanted Namath to keep passing when running the ball to milk out the clock was the more logical strategy. Namath took it upon himself to keep feeding the ball to Matt Snell which was the right decision.

quote:

Namath won the MVP award over Snell.

"It was a close call,'' Hill said. "Joe controlled the game. A lot of plays were sent from the sideline, but the quarterback called plays as well and changed plays.''

Boozer added, "Namath was the same positive guy he was all season long. He called the play he wanted. He was as calm and cool as he could be.''


Namath came into the AFL with a huge target on his back for signing a then record then $427,000 contract. He got his share of punishment by the opposition who wanted all wanted a piece of the flamboyant quarterback but by the time Joe's knees really began to give out, players started pulling up & not burying him like they could have. Nothing speaks more than earning the respect of your peers & Namath accomplished that. I wouldn't go as far as saying as Namath name belongs with the best to ever play but him being considered overrated is overrated. So is the emphasis of his overall career numbers.
This post was edited on 3/27/15 at 2:31 pm
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
65147 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 2:02 pm to
quote:

One great season in a career of mediocrity =/= HOF.



AP AFL Rookie of the Year (1965)
2x AP AFL MVP (1968, 1969)
AP First Team All-AFL (1968)
3x AP Second Team All-NFL/AFL Team (1967, 1969, 1972)
4x AFL All-Star selection (1965, 1967, 1968, 1969)
PFW NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1974)
AFL All-Time Team
Super Bowl III Champion
Super Bowl III MVP

Posted by BigBrod81
Houma
Member since Sep 2010
18972 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 2:08 pm to
Those type of facts aren't needed because we have stats & stuff. Those individual awards are overrated.
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
61457 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 2:15 pm to
quote:

As previously stated, I saw him play some, too (just not in real time).
Just out of curiosity, where does one find old AFL games like that to watch? I would love to watch some of those.
Posted by lsucoonass
shreveport and east texas
Member since Nov 2003
68524 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 2:22 pm to
How did he throw so many picks. Are his stats as bad as testaverde
Posted by H-Town Tiger
Member since Nov 2003
59184 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 2:32 pm to
quote:

How did he throw so many picks. Are his stats as bad as testaverde


different rules and game back then, you have to compare his numbers to his peers. but i always thought he was overrated I'm not old enough to have seen his heyday with the Jets, but do remember the end of his career when he was traded to the Rams and didn't play much.
Posted by The Mick
Member since Oct 2010
43356 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 2:37 pm to
Archie Manning was worse by far. Archie is the most overrated player in the history of sports.

edit: They both sucked apparently.

Archie career:
125 TD's, 173 INT's




Sacked:
Archie 396 sacks in 151 career games
Namath 109 sacks in 140 career games

I know the Saints OL sucked but Archie was not very elusive to say the least.
This post was edited on 3/27/15 at 2:45 pm
Posted by MadMaxwell
The Motherland
Member since Jul 2009
4599 posts
Posted on 3/27/15 at 2:38 pm to
Agreed.

The craziest stat of all is that the Baltimore Colts in SuperBowl 3 was the last team with a winning record Namath ever beat. He played nine more seasons.

If he hadn't played in NYC, he woulda never sniffed the HOF.
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