Greatest wide receivers

VNV Nation · 08-05-2002, 07:44 PM

This position's a little difficult, it's a bit like comparing Jim Thome and Fred McGriff to Roger Connor and Cap Anson: you've got guys playing in an era where DBs could mug you all the way down the field, catching 45 balls a year and averaging 25 yards a catch, to guys playing with the five-yard contact rule making 85 catches a year and averaging 12 yards a catch. With teams requiring as many as four quality wideouts, and no shortage of athletes who can run and catch, WR is usually the deepest position in the league -- although true, game-breaking receivers may be as rare as ever.

1. Jerry Rice -- gets my vote for greatest player ever. True, wide receivers probably aren't as important as quarterbacks, but Rice is the guy who made a good 49ers team into perhaps the most dominant team of all time. Obliterated countless records, and was the undispute No. 1 at his position for more than a decade. Scored 195 touchdowns, the most by any player, and only two other wideouts have reached 100.

2. Lance Alworth -- the best receiver from the high-octane AFL.

3. Cris Carter -- All he does is catch touchdowns.

4. Raymond Berry

5. Charley Taylor -- also played RB,

6. James Lofton -- Played most of his career in cold weather, second all-time in receiving yards, was a longball threat until the day he left the league.

7. Don Maynard

8. Michael Irvin

9. Steve Largent

10. Art Monk

I expect Randy Moss will be No. 2 by time he retires...

LeGrandOrange · 08-05-2002, 08:46 PM

Rice is "the man". Unquestionably. No offense to all quarterbacks or running backs. He's not too far away from being the all time leader in all purpose yards (which may not stand for long if the penultimate returnman, Brian Mitchell, keeps playing), to go along with every other accomplishment. Few players dominated a position or a league in general like Jerry.

I'll suggest that Rice's temammate Tim Brown should be included with them, great reciever and was a great punt and kick returner to boot. Of course, who ya gonna replace?

And Lofton should be in the hall of fame, let's leave it at that.

VNV Nation · 08-05-2002, 09:27 PM

Here are some of Rice's records, along with the No. 2 guy:

Most receptions lifetime
Rice 1,281
Carter 1,020

Receiving yards lifetime
Rice 20,386
Lofton 14,004

Touchdown receptions, career
Rice 185
Carter 129

Touchdowns, career
Rice 196
Emmitt Smith 159

Most seasons, 1,000 yards receiving
Rice 13
Brown 9

Most games, 100 yards receiving, lifetime
Rice 68
Maynard 50

Receiving yards, season
Rice 1,848
Bruce 1,781

Touchdown receptions, season
Rice 22
Clayton 18
St. Sharpe 18

sweaver · 08-05-2002, 10:11 PM

Randy Moss is going to have to actually decide he wants to play before making it in the top 10, let alone #2.

moose · 08-05-2002, 10:26 PM

this reminds me of the "best right fielder of all time" thread

LeGrandOrange · 08-05-2002, 10:38 PM

This is why "wide reciever" is pluralized.

SmedIndy · 08-05-2002, 11:02 PM

I think Maynard needs to be ranked higher. Different era, you know, and we've had debates about era on baseball.

Moss, feh, good riddance. He and Michael Irvin, I could really live without....

Skip · 08-05-2002, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SmedIndy
Moss, feh, good riddance. He and Michael Irvin, I could really live without....

Absolutely.

LeGrandOrange · 08-05-2002, 11:14 PM

Irvin was an absolute jerk, but he was pretty darn good. He tried very hard to have Deion's attitude and swagger, but he failed to get a few things Deion did have...the ability to be a good interview, and fashion sense.

In spite of his "shortcomings", Irvin could easily be considered one of the best recievers of the past decade. He was a big time playmaker, and Moss is even bigger. If he wants to be.

Could be worse...it could be Keyshawn. I wish he would just go away. Only good thing he's done is make Wayne Chrebet popular.

VNV Nation · 08-05-2002, 11:22 PM

I hated Michael Irvin, but boy was he good. He was great before Troy Aikman was great, and he was great after Alvin Harper was traded (and turned out to be a bust anyway).

One guy I loved was Mike Quick. He put up hugicle numbers for some awful teams.

SmedIndy · 08-05-2002, 11:32 PM

I'd rather have Marvin Harrison over Irvin or Moss. Marvin hustles every play and acts like he's scored touchdowns before.

Shaddap - ya showoffs ya....

Gosfgiants · 08-05-2002, 11:48 PM

How about Terrell Owens? He is a great receiver. His only problem is that he thinks the offense should run through him. Marucci made a peace offering in training camp, so he may just shut up and play. I wouldn't mind having on my team, big mouth and all.

Watch out for Keyshawn Johnson. Now that the Bucs have someone who can design an offense, he may explode into the Moss, Harrison, Owens level.

If Randy Moss had Jerry Rice's work ethic he could bury all of Rice's records. He's that talented. Too bad he's such an <bleep>hole.

pwdennis · 08-05-2002, 11:56 PM

Remembering that the rules in the early 70s were changed to enable receivers to get open (previously they could be bumped all the way down the field) these are my choices

1. Lance Alworth -- the best receiver I ever saw. Under today's rules he'd have routinely caught 140 passes a year.
2. Raymond Berry - small, slow, but ran the best pass routes
3. Jerry Rice - great receiver, would have been a star in any era
4. Lionel Taylor - probably the best hands of any receiver I have ever seen. Slower than Ray Berry, if he had better speed he would be #1. Most of his catches occurred in heavy traffic.

5. Don Maynard
6. Cris Carter
7. Charley Taylor
8. James Lofton
9. Steve Largent
10. Art Monk
11. Tommy McDonald
12. Michael Irvin

moose · 08-06-2002, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SmedIndy
I'd rather have Marvin Harrison over Irvin or Moss. Marvin hustles every play and acts like he's scored touchdowns before.

Shaddap - ya showoffs ya....

hey

, moss @ 50% is still more talented than harrison at 100%, so i'd take him.

but if you do, can I take harrison?

SmedIndy · 08-06-2002, 12:47 AM

In football, talent isn't everything.

Just ask Jeff George....

08-05-2002, 11:48 PM	#12
Gosfgiants NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 1,136	How about Terrell Owens? He is a great receiver. His only problem is that he thinks the offense should run through him. Marucci made a peace offering in training camp, so he may just shut up and play. I wouldn't mind having on my team, big mouth and all. Watch out for Keyshawn Johnson. Now that the Bucs have someone who can design an offense, he may explode into the Moss, Harrison, Owens level. If Randy Moss had Jerry Rice's work ethic he could bury all of Rice's records. He's that talented. Too bad he's such an <bleep>hole. __________________ It'll always be Pacbell Park Beat LA!!!

08-05-2002, 11:56 PM	#13
pwdennis NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winter Springs, FL Posts: 2,503	Remembering that the rules in the early 70s were changed to enable receivers to get open (previously they could be bumped all the way down the field) these are my choices 1. Lance Alworth -- the best receiver I ever saw. Under today's rules he'd have routinely caught 140 passes a year. 2. Raymond Berry - small, slow, but ran the best pass routes 3. Jerry Rice - great receiver, would have been a star in any era 4. Lionel Taylor - probably the best hands of any receiver I have ever seen. Slower than Ray Berry, if he had better speed he would be #1. Most of his catches occurred in heavy traffic. 5. Don Maynard 6. Cris Carter 7. Charley Taylor 8. James Lofton 9. Steve Largent 10. Art Monk 11. Tommy McDonald 12. Michael Irvin __________________ "I would submit that if the world survives for a million years, perhaps its finest hour may be that in the last half of the 20th century, when the power to blow up the world rested in the hands of a few men in two very unsophisticated and suspicious countries, we didn't do it, and one American, Richard Nixon, moved the cold war away from permanent confrontation toward victory. How could any wrong that he did compare with that?" - John Sears

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08-05-2002, 07:44 PM	#1
VNV Nation Membership Suspended 11/19/02 Join Date: May 2002 Location: VNV Nation Posts: 2,952	Greatest wide receivers This position's a little difficult, it's a bit like comparing Jim Thome and Fred McGriff to Roger Connor and Cap Anson: you've got guys playing in an era where DBs could mug you all the way down the field, catching 45 balls a year and averaging 25 yards a catch, to guys playing with the five-yard contact rule making 85 catches a year and averaging 12 yards a catch. With teams requiring as many as four quality wideouts, and no shortage of athletes who can run and catch, WR is usually the deepest position in the league -- although true, game-breaking receivers may be as rare as ever. 1. Jerry Rice -- gets my vote for greatest player ever. True, wide receivers probably aren't as important as quarterbacks, but Rice is the guy who made a good 49ers team into perhaps the most dominant team of all time. Obliterated countless records, and was the undispute No. 1 at his position for more than a decade. Scored 195 touchdowns, the most by any player, and only two other wideouts have reached 100. 2. Lance Alworth -- the best receiver from the high-octane AFL. 3. Cris Carter -- All he does is catch touchdowns. 4. Raymond Berry 5. Charley Taylor -- also played RB, 6. James Lofton -- Played most of his career in cold weather, second all-time in receiving yards, was a longball threat until the day he left the league. 7. Don Maynard 8. Michael Irvin 9. Steve Largent 10. Art Monk I expect Randy Moss will be No. 2 by time he retires...

08-05-2002, 08:46 PM	#2
LeGrandOrange Membership Suspended 4/11/04 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 3,783	Rice is "the man". Unquestionably. No offense to all quarterbacks or running backs. He's not too far away from being the all time leader in all purpose yards (which may not stand for long if the penultimate returnman, Brian Mitchell, keeps playing), to go along with every other accomplishment. Few players dominated a position or a league in general like Jerry. I'll suggest that Rice's temammate Tim Brown should be included with them, great reciever and was a great punt and kick returner to boot. Of course, who ya gonna replace? And Lofton should be in the hall of fame, let's leave it at that.

08-05-2002, 09:27 PM	#3
VNV Nation Membership Suspended 11/19/02 Join Date: May 2002 Location: VNV Nation Posts: 2,952	Here are some of Rice's records, along with the No. 2 guy: Most receptions lifetime Rice 1,281 Carter 1,020 Receiving yards lifetime Rice 20,386 Lofton 14,004 Touchdown receptions, career Rice 185 Carter 129 Touchdowns, career Rice 196 Emmitt Smith 159 Most seasons, 1,000 yards receiving Rice 13 Brown 9 Most games, 100 yards receiving, lifetime Rice 68 Maynard 50 Receiving yards, season Rice 1,848 Bruce 1,781 Touchdown receptions, season Rice 22 Clayton 18 St. Sharpe 18

08-05-2002, 10:11 PM	#4
sweaver Netshrine Cleanup Hitter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Mountain State Posts: 8,883	Randy Moss is going to have to actually decide he wants to play before making it in the top 10, let alone #2.

08-05-2002, 10:26 PM	#5
moose Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Socs Posts: 3,400	this reminds me of the "best right fielder of all time" thread

08-05-2002, 10:38 PM	#6
LeGrandOrange Membership Suspended 4/11/04 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 3,783	This is why "wide reciever" is pluralized.

08-05-2002, 11:02 PM	#7
SmedIndy NetShrine's Historian Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Zionsville, IN Posts: 10,569	I think Maynard needs to be ranked higher. Different era, you know, and we've had debates about era on baseball. Moss, feh, good riddance. He and Michael Irvin, I could really live without....

08-05-2002, 11:14 PM	#9
LeGrandOrange Membership Suspended 4/11/04 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 3,783	Irvin was an absolute jerk, but he was pretty darn good. He tried very hard to have Deion's attitude and swagger, but he failed to get a few things Deion did have...the ability to be a good interview, and fashion sense. In spite of his "shortcomings", Irvin could easily be considered one of the best recievers of the past decade. He was a big time playmaker, and Moss is even bigger. If he wants to be. Could be worse...it could be Keyshawn. I wish he would just go away. Only good thing he's done is make Wayne Chrebet popular.

08-05-2002, 11:22 PM	#10
VNV Nation Membership Suspended 11/19/02 Join Date: May 2002 Location: VNV Nation Posts: 2,952	I hated Michael Irvin, but boy was he good. He was great before Troy Aikman was great, and he was great after Alvin Harper was traded (and turned out to be a bust anyway). One guy I loved was Mike Quick. He put up hugicle numbers for some awful teams.

08-05-2002, 11:32 PM	#11
SmedIndy NetShrine's Historian Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Zionsville, IN Posts: 10,569	I'd rather have Marvin Harrison over Irvin or Moss. Marvin hustles every play and acts like he's scored touchdowns before. Shaddap - ya showoffs ya....

08-06-2002, 12:47 AM	#15
SmedIndy NetShrine's Historian Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Zionsville, IN Posts: 10,569	In football, talent isn't everything. Just ask Jeff George....

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