Joe Flacco vs. Johnny Unitas first five years

[1/28/01]

I love when one little comment spins off into these back and forths (that I no longer jump in the middle of) ;)

[poescrows]

I love when one little comment spins off into these back and forths (that I no longer jump in the middle of) ;)

Just when I was gong to jump in myself, along comes a voice of reason!

[Tank 92]

I love when one little comment spins off into these back and forths (that I no longer jump in the middle of) ;)

 

 

chicken

[1/28/01]

Just when I was gong to jump in myself, along comes a voice of reason!

Wow....ha, I am rarely called that :D

[1/28/01]

chicken

Was drinking red, so we had steak...

For real though, I used to be right smack in the middle 2 and 3 years ago. Im wiser now ;)

[TheJerz]

Johnny Unitas invented those kinds of stat lines. No offense to Joe, because I believe that in a different way, the league now is just as hard to produce offense as it was back then. Now it is about intense study and training on both sides of the ball as well as special teams. The coaching is better now, not much is left to surprise teams and GMs make sure they can compete athlete-wise when it comes down to man on man. Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry were probably the best QB-WR tandem of all time. They had Lenny Moore and Alan Ameche as well, both fantastic players in their own right. I'd take Johnny over Joe but I think this team has a chance to win multiple championships which would change the discussion entirely. 

[Bltravens]

The same old argument for athletes who were phenomenal in different eras, could they play today?

 

Some athletes just transcend sports and eras.  Gordie Howe, Rocket Richard, Bobbie Orr are guys who played hockey when no one wore helmets and goalies had just started wearing masks in Orr's days.  Those guys, if they were 25 years old could throw skates on today and ride with kids today and those 3 guys didn't do much for off season training.

Unitas is the same way for football, he transcend's eras.  Nobody pressing his WRs at the LOS?  Having 5 options to throw to?  Rest assured Unitas would be alright in today's NFL.

[Fred Sanford]

The argument about complex playbooks now is hilarious.  Unitas was well known for being, likely, the smartest quarterback of all time, including Peyton.  He called his own plays, he dissected defenses at their weakest points, he was unstoppable in the clutch. 

 

The other argument about toughness and how big and fast guys are today is laughable as well.  Watch the hits Johnny U took, almost every game he took as much of a beating as Flacco's endured in 5 years total.  Learn about Sam Huff, Chuck Bednarik, Butkus, Ray Nitschke, and players of their ilk in that era and the horrible things they got away with in piles, including biting and eye gouging.  Guys today are big and fast, sure, but a) get penalized if they do anything but lightly assist a quarterback to the ground, and  b ) spend their off time in hot tubs getting pedicures, collecting jewelry and shiny cars, not working 16 hour shifts in steel mills.  In this scenario, Unitas is somehow held to a 1950's training regimen while his opponents are given today's.  Put Ray Berry, John Mackey, Lenny Moore, Jimmy Orr, Tom Matte and the rest on today's supplements and they'd be fine.  Given what they did when people were concerned about tackling like a man rather than lunging at a guy, bouncing off and falling to the ground like a buffoon, they'd show these guys what legends are made of.

[The Raven]

Yup

[Purple Nurple]

How can you compare two men from two different ages in arguably two different sports?

[Tank 92]

Was drinking red, so we had steak...

For real though, I used to be right smack in the middle 2 and 3 years ago. Im wiser now ;)

 

 

Eh. It was something to do while recovering from chasing the lawnmower around. Pick and choose, ignore most.

Had to defend The Golden Arm! 

[1/28/01]

Eh. It was something to do while recovering from chasing the lawnmower around. Pick and choose, ignore most.
Had to defend The Golden Arm!

Trust me, if didn't read everything that I would say from you and a few others, I would have jumped in. Well done!

[poescrows]

How can you compare two men from two different ages in arguably two different sports?

 

Correct. I'm old enough to have seen Johnny U play @ Memorial Stadium in the '60's. Its a completely different game today. The game is far faster now, ie: these guys are in way better shape,trained better, conditioned better,etc. because theya re a major financial investment. But, the game was more brutal then, ie: helmet spearing, H2H contact, chop blocks, horse collar tackles, etc. were all considered part of playing the game. Just watch one of those game films from the '50s, '60s, and into the '70s and count how many "roughing the passer", "roughing the kicker" or "roughing the QB" calls are made........zip. Ya can't really compare players from then to now, as PN said, its "two different sports".

[GrimCoconut]

Yup

[Tank 92]

Trust me, if didn't read everything that I would say from you and a few others, I would have jumped in. Well done!

 

 

Gracias. I almost got my throwback 19 out of the closet while writing. 

 

No one compares to the Lithuanian Bomber!

[repooponus]

compare him to big ben

[Dudeman]

_{This is an interesting thread and debate.  The stats are comparable, and some could argue that the two share a similar demeanor and play style.} 

 

_{Obviously the difference is in the way the game is/was played and the over-all talent level of the average player has changed dramatically.} 

 

_{Nevertheless I believe that a Hall of Famer could play in any era of the sport.  Obviously there are tons of factors to bring into the equation, but if we brought Johnny U in his prime to the 2012 Super Bowl Ravens I believe we could still win it all.} 

 

_{In so many ways Johnny U was the trendsetter that helped make the classic drop back passer what it is today.  In so many ways there is no Joe Flacco without a Johnny U.}

 

_{Man it would be interesting to have a time machine.....imagine the possibilities!!}

[jraven22]

Please don't. They played in completely different eras, so it's an inaccurate comparison.

[AsianRice]

Joe's arm and physique + Unitas' minds = football god....

[billick]

Unitas invented the 2 minute drill, and discovered the pass pattern. It was then called down and out.

 

Johhny U., JIm Brown, and Ed Reed are the three greatest players ever.

 

What is remarkable about Flacco's success, is that he has done it without a superstar at WR. Aikman had Ervin, Montana had a bunch of Famers.

 

Not exactly chopped liver, but Joe has not had a Marvin Harrison type.

[billick]

Yes,he was an innovator and the greatest of his era,but in his era players didn't have the muscle building supplements,advanced training regiments and video technology to study the game like we have today.As I just told Frozen Joe Flacco fan,if he grew up in this era there's a chance he couldve been the Manning or Brady of today's game,but if he came straight from his prime years to play football for the ravens this fall,there's no guarantee it would work out so well for him.

Hello, if he played today, he would be 100 years old. If he played in thei era, he would be a modern QB, and would have the same benefits.

 

Wake up !!

[AsianRice]

I got something in my mind; it's like comparing to someone who dances moonwalk abit better than Michael Jackson....

[Tank 92]

I got something in my mind; it's like comparing to someone who dances moonwalk abit better than Michael Jackson....

 

 

What?  LMAO!!!!

[Gordo52]

<sub>This is an interesting thread and debate. The stats are comparable, and some could argue that the two share a similar demeanor and play style.

Obviously the difference is in the way the game is/was played and the over-all talent level of the average player has changed dramatically.

Nevertheless I believe that a Hall of Famer could play in any era of the sport. Obviously there are tons of factors to bring into the equation, but if we brought Johnny U in his prime to the 2012 Super Bowl Ravens I believe we could still win it all.

In so many ways Johnny U was the trendsetter that helped make the classic drop back passer what it is today. In so many ways there is no Joe Flacco without a Johnny U.

Man it would be interesting to have a time machine.....imagine the possibilities!!</sub>

State would've been mine. There's no doubt in my mind. If only coach woulda put me in, guaranteed.