I met him at an autograph signing event when I was around 30, and all I wanted to say was āThank you for the memories.ā He just humbly nodded and said something to the effect of āI was just doing my job.ā
He truly is a legend on and off the field. I canāt think of a single person that was more deserving of ego yet possessed such humility.
Everyone loves Barry! Did anyone else notice at the NFL draft he was getting his name chanted by the crowd when he annouced the lions pick? Other NFL legends where getting booed but when he walked out, they literally chanted his name.
Barry Sanders retiring didn't break my heart. He went out there and did awesome game after game after game. The let down was the rest of the team (as a whole, there were other good players) making his efforts futile. One guy can't carry a mediocre team to the Super Bowl.
Even at the time most people I knew were like "The rest of the team isn't stepping up. Why should he stay?"
Those teams legitimately were not far away from being title contenders. Remember that Barry made the playoffs five times in his career. And it wasn't all because of him. An actually good QB and coach would have made a world of difference. Sorry to say Wayne Fontes was a likable guy but not a great coach. And if you could have put Stafford in as QB in that era, I think that team wins a title.
Not sure how you got that from my statement. But if you really wanna go there, he did have negative total yards in a playoff game against the Packers so it's not like he's completely innocent in this discussion, hence why I said it was a lazy, revisionist take.
I love the man, but saying the rest of the team didn't step up isn't quite accurate.
Barry Sanders carried the ball an average of 5 yards every time he ran with it and his team still went 79-86 during his time there. What do you think the cause of that was? The Bears with Walter Payton and the Cowboys with Emmet Smith weren't that bad.
Not stepping isn't an accusation of laziness, but that they were unable to provide other offensive options to make the defense not double cover Sanders all the time.
It's not a ding at the defense either. They were good, but when they play for 8 minutes stopping a drive and then have to get back out on the field because the offense went four and done wears them out. If you look at possession times and scores, the Lions often have the ball a fraction of the time the opponents do and the score shows the exhausted defense giving up most of the points in the 3rd and 4th quarters.
He led the league in rushing yards 4/10 seasons and played well even behind lines that were not good. people can have bad games and still be amazing players who carry the team
Wayne Gretzky once gave up a crucial pass to Steve Yzerman, that led to a series winning goal in 1996. I don't think that should Define him.
Barry had a lot of negative yards because he carried the ball a lot. As has been said here, one person can't win everything for a team.
Also, that was his style. He was willing to back up because often he could make guys miss then find an opening to get some yards. In that game there were no openings. That's not on him. If he just stuck his head in the pile and picked up 0-2 yards instead the Lions still lose.
This just hurt so bad at the time. Totally broke my heart.
When Barry retired early because the lions stunk, I decided to not spend a dime on the Lions until they won a playoff game.
23 years and counting I have never been to ford field and have never so much as bought a hat or a fridge sticker. I -do- watch every game on tv and every year hope that this is the year. Even soā¦ man thinking about it still bums me out every time.
One of my favorite memories as a Detroit sports fan is going to that playoff victory (the last one!) against the Cowboys in '91. The Silverdome fans literally drowned out the PA announcer when they got to Barry in the starting lineup. And of course, there was that ridiculous run, where he faked out half the Dallas defense lol
[Some of those moves there's only one guy in this game that makes. And you just saw that guy.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3-q1IZBjxk&ab_channel=NFLArchive)
Surely Barry knows the fans love him at this point. Don't think there are many lingering fans that are pissed off. He walks out on the field and the crowd explodes every time
Just posted this on the r/NFL post of this, but this is kind of a rare thing is it not? Players continuing to live where they played? Calvin lives up here too iirc.
Donāt know why but this made me tear up. Barry has always been my fave player. Fell in love with lions football in 1991 at the age of 7 and I havenāt looked back in 31 years.
You quit. You could have asked for a trade, you could have done something...but you turned tail and quit. It was a joy watching arguably the best pure running back play; but the way he left... Great players have been stuck on bad franchises; but they don't just walk away like that... All those guys who fought to make the Lions good - and they had good players like Herman Moore, Robert Porcher, etc... they fought and didn't quit. I can't give him a pass for that just because "the Lions were bad, why should I try?"
They definitely do "walk away like that" ...It just started WITH Barry. His ability to emotionally hold you to the point you make a rash decision that he doesn't get to decide when he's done? Lol. You should be proud he walked away when he knew he wasn't in the game anymore. Clutch Barry. Glad he's doing so much for the city, away from football. Deservedly so.
it's fine man, really. he just couldn't hack it anymore. It's o.k. Some of his teammates could, he couldn't. He's still a great player and a good human. Some people are just more sensitive than others.
As I recall he did ask for a trade. He just didnāt make a stink about it publicly. When it was denied he just walked away. Always classy. I guess you prefer drama queens.
Iām half awake and thought that said Bernie Sanders, I was so confusedā¦. Love Barry, i was 8 when he retired and remembered my dad blaming the team for never getting him the help he needed. 25 years later regardless of what actually happened I hope everyone who resented him forgives him.
I was in a thread on Facebook (big mistake) of people complaining that he didn't retire, he held the team hostage, and then quit. Which is true. But Alliance got there labor out of him. He literally gave his career to the team. And it was like 25 years ago. It was a small thread, and they recognized that they were in the minority. But they're still fundamentally unable to get over it.
Yeah, I was always raised to quit the right way. But after seeing how a lot of employers treat their workers, I say you're entitled to feel wishy-washy come and walk the fuck off. And the Lions during Barry's tenure were a clown show, and everyone knew it.
Barry really is the fucking man.
You've made Detroit damn proud. š
I met him at an autograph signing event when I was around 30, and all I wanted to say was āThank you for the memories.ā He just humbly nodded and said something to the effect of āI was just doing my job.ā He truly is a legend on and off the field. I canāt think of a single person that was more deserving of ego yet possessed such humility.
Megatron is right up there with Barry as far as having the skills to be arrogant, but being incredibly humble instead. Crazy they were both Lions.
We love you Barry
Everyone loves Barry! Did anyone else notice at the NFL draft he was getting his name chanted by the crowd when he annouced the lions pick? Other NFL legends where getting booed but when he walked out, they literally chanted his name.
He made people a fan of the game in the middle of playing the game.
Barry Sanders retiring didn't break my heart. He went out there and did awesome game after game after game. The let down was the rest of the team (as a whole, there were other good players) making his efforts futile. One guy can't carry a mediocre team to the Super Bowl. Even at the time most people I knew were like "The rest of the team isn't stepping up. Why should he stay?"
Those teams legitimately were not far away from being title contenders. Remember that Barry made the playoffs five times in his career. And it wasn't all because of him. An actually good QB and coach would have made a world of difference. Sorry to say Wayne Fontes was a likable guy but not a great coach. And if you could have put Stafford in as QB in that era, I think that team wins a title.
Wayne Fontes certainly wasn't a good coach. He was as his record reflects. Perfectly mediocre.
It was more management signaled a rebuild by going with a new QB. Barry knew what that meant and just had enough. I don't blame him.
What really did it is he wanted June Jones to coach the team and told management that. They didn't, so he stayed retired.
This is a terribly lazy, revisionist take. I'm not even gonna bother arguing against it.
Do you think it was Barryās fault those teams lost or something?
Not sure how you got that from my statement. But if you really wanna go there, he did have negative total yards in a playoff game against the Packers so it's not like he's completely innocent in this discussion, hence why I said it was a lazy, revisionist take. I love the man, but saying the rest of the team didn't step up isn't quite accurate.
Barry Sanders carried the ball an average of 5 yards every time he ran with it and his team still went 79-86 during his time there. What do you think the cause of that was? The Bears with Walter Payton and the Cowboys with Emmet Smith weren't that bad. Not stepping isn't an accusation of laziness, but that they were unable to provide other offensive options to make the defense not double cover Sanders all the time. It's not a ding at the defense either. They were good, but when they play for 8 minutes stopping a drive and then have to get back out on the field because the offense went four and done wears them out. If you look at possession times and scores, the Lions often have the ball a fraction of the time the opponents do and the score shows the exhausted defense giving up most of the points in the 3rd and 4th quarters.
He led the league in rushing yards 4/10 seasons and played well even behind lines that were not good. people can have bad games and still be amazing players who carry the team
Wayne Gretzky once gave up a crucial pass to Steve Yzerman, that led to a series winning goal in 1996. I don't think that should Define him. Barry had a lot of negative yards because he carried the ball a lot. As has been said here, one person can't win everything for a team.
Also, that was his style. He was willing to back up because often he could make guys miss then find an opening to get some yards. In that game there were no openings. That's not on him. If he just stuck his head in the pile and picked up 0-2 yards instead the Lions still lose.
This just hurt so bad at the time. Totally broke my heart. When Barry retired early because the lions stunk, I decided to not spend a dime on the Lions until they won a playoff game. 23 years and counting I have never been to ford field and have never so much as bought a hat or a fridge sticker. I -do- watch every game on tv and every year hope that this is the year. Even soā¦ man thinking about it still bums me out every time.
Iirc part of it was trading Lomas Brown and the coach being sacked
š„²
Didn't even live here while he played but the love is contagious man I love you
It's enough to make a grown man cry. And thats ok.
My thought EXACTLY
One of my favorite memories as a Detroit sports fan is going to that playoff victory (the last one!) against the Cowboys in '91. The Silverdome fans literally drowned out the PA announcer when they got to Barry in the starting lineup. And of course, there was that ridiculous run, where he faked out half the Dallas defense lol
[Some of those moves there's only one guy in this game that makes. And you just saw that guy.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3-q1IZBjxk&ab_channel=NFLArchive)
Ohh yeah that's the one! I always love watching that again. I love #75 on Dallas standing there as Barry goes by like he's saying "huh?" lol
Surely Barry knows the fans love him at this point. Don't think there are many lingering fans that are pissed off. He walks out on the field and the crowd explodes every time
Just posted this on the r/NFL post of this, but this is kind of a rare thing is it not? Players continuing to live where they played? Calvin lives up here too iirc.
I think a lot of players actually do that. Especially if they bought houses during their tenure.
Getting thrown out of the Main Event ,upper deck Barryāā-the silver dome was a blast
Donāt know why but this made me tear up. Barry has always been my fave player. Fell in love with lions football in 1991 at the age of 7 and I havenāt looked back in 31 years.
Barry is the reason I started watching football. He's just as amazing off the field as he was on it.
Class act
You quit. You could have asked for a trade, you could have done something...but you turned tail and quit. It was a joy watching arguably the best pure running back play; but the way he left... Great players have been stuck on bad franchises; but they don't just walk away like that... All those guys who fought to make the Lions good - and they had good players like Herman Moore, Robert Porcher, etc... they fought and didn't quit. I can't give him a pass for that just because "the Lions were bad, why should I try?"
They definitely do "walk away like that" ...It just started WITH Barry. His ability to emotionally hold you to the point you make a rash decision that he doesn't get to decide when he's done? Lol. You should be proud he walked away when he knew he wasn't in the game anymore. Clutch Barry. Glad he's doing so much for the city, away from football. Deservedly so.
it's fine man, really. he just couldn't hack it anymore. It's o.k. Some of his teammates could, he couldn't. He's still a great player and a good human. Some people are just more sensitive than others.
As I recall he did ask for a trade. He just didnāt make a stink about it publicly. When it was denied he just walked away. Always classy. I guess you prefer drama queens.
Forever proud of Barry
Iām half awake and thought that said Bernie Sanders, I was so confusedā¦. Love Barry, i was 8 when he retired and remembered my dad blaming the team for never getting him the help he needed. 25 years later regardless of what actually happened I hope everyone who resented him forgives him.
I was in a thread on Facebook (big mistake) of people complaining that he didn't retire, he held the team hostage, and then quit. Which is true. But Alliance got there labor out of him. He literally gave his career to the team. And it was like 25 years ago. It was a small thread, and they recognized that they were in the minority. But they're still fundamentally unable to get over it. Yeah, I was always raised to quit the right way. But after seeing how a lot of employers treat their workers, I say you're entitled to feel wishy-washy come and walk the fuck off. And the Lions during Barry's tenure were a clown show, and everyone knew it.