[Trashed]

The NFL has become an overofficiated, injury laden mess with virtually no superstars and it's becoming difficult to watch. Where's Elway, Marino, Emmitt, Barry, Seau (the real one!), Rice, etc.? These new stars just don't have any level of greatness in them the way the players I mentioned did aside from Peyton Manning and perhaps Ladanian Tomlinson. Here's the top 10 players who make football great in 2006.

1. Peyton Manning: Mr. Perfect...he IS the NFL. The greatest regular season QB of all times and a joy to watch.
2. LaDainan Tomlinson: He's got it all and does it all for the Chargers. Reminds me of Barry Sanders.
3. Tom Brady: The quarterback of a dynasty albeit a fading one.
4. Carson Palmer: The second best regular season QB next to Peyton.
5. Julius Peppers: One of the greatest defensive ends of all times...unstoppable.
6. Marvin Harrison: Doesn't get the accolades of Tee-Oh or Moss but is better than both and the best wide reciver in the league.
7. Tiki Barber: Too bad this guy is retiring...the NFL needs him.
8. Drew Brees: What heart this guy has! Coming of shoulder surgery that seemingly made him better and revitalized the New Orleans Saints making the beleagured city have something to be proud of!!!
9. Larry Johnson: This guy is fast, strong and has great moves.
10. Brian Urlacher: Mr. Johnny on the spot. The best middle linebacker in the NFL and is the Bears MVP.

Those are the saviors of the NFL...but I still wish it were a decade ago.

[legend]

How can Peyton be so good and his brother so awful? The answer. Peyton is the son of Archie Manning, the former Saints' signal caller, but Eli is the son of Rick Manning, a weak-hitting outfielder who used to play for the Indians.

[Trashed]

Originally Posted by legend

How can Peyton be so good and his brother so awful? The answer. Peyton is the son of Archie Manning, the former Saints' signal caller, but Eli is the son of Rick Manning, a weak-hitting outfielder who used to play for the Indians.

Makes sense lege. I mean last nights performance was inexcusable. I felt that Eli's horrible play trickled down to the rest of the team and made them lose heart. A QB is the leader of the team and Eli led the Giants to doom. A good QB at best. I can imagine what this team is gonna be like without Tiki Barber who made my top 10 list!

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Trashed

The NFL has become an overofficiated, injury laden mess with virtually no superstars and it's becoming difficult to watch. Where's Elway, Marino, Emmitt, Barry, Seau (the real one!), Rice, etc.? These new stars just don't have any level of greatness in them the way the players I mentioned did aside from Peyton Manning and perhaps Ladanian Tomlinson. Here's the top 10 players who make football great in 2006.

1. Peyton Manning: Mr. Perfect...he IS the NFL. The greatest regular season QB of all times and a joy to watch.
2. LaDainan Tomlinson: He's got it all and does it all for the Chargers. Reminds me of Barry Sanders.
3. Tom Brady: The quarterback of a dynasty albeit a fading one.
4. Carson Palmer: The second best regular season QB next to Peyton.
5. Julius Peppers: One of the greatest defensive ends of all times...unstoppable.
6. Marvin Harrison: Doesn't get the accolades of Tee-Oh or Moss but is better than both and the best wide reciver in the league.
7. Tiki Barber: Too bad this guy is retiring...the NFL needs him.
8. Drew Brees: What heart this guy has! Coming of shoulder surgery that seemingly made him better and revitalized the New Orleans Saints making the beleagured city have something to be proud of!!!
9. Larry Johnson: This guy is fast, strong and has great moves.
10. Brian Urlacher: Mr. Johnny on the spot. The best middle linebacker in the NFL and is the Bears MVP.

Those are the saviors of the NFL...but I still wish it were a decade ago.

What no Hester the electric punt returner for the Bears?...108 yard run back yesterday...punt return TD to save the game aganist the Cards...

oh, and you forgot TO...just saying...hate him or love him...he is fun to root for or root for getting his head taken off...

[EmpireWF]

If anything, the NFL is more popular then ever thanks to this generation. The NFL is the most popular sport in America and the ratings will prove it. Although I guess you could argue for Baseball, however they always have a tough time getting people to watch games that don't include the Yankees.

[Lefty Noob]

I get what you're saying, Trashed, and I agree for the most part. Yes, the NFL is the most popular sport there is right now, but the quality of play is much worse than 10 or 20 years ago, save for a few given talents like Peyton, LT and the others you mentioned. Or maybe its just us waxing nostalgic, remembering the "Good Ol' Days" as better than they really were, I dunno.

[EmpireWF]

Of course, the tradition fundamentals (I guess you'd say) are not as fine tuned as they were in previous decades. But that's the case in every single sport. Hardly a NFL-specific problem.

But still, watching Peyton Manning or LaDainian Tomlinson is a treat as far as I'm concerned. By the time their career's are over, they will be amongst the best ever. And Peyton hasn't even won anything yet.

[Lefty Noob]

No doubt about it. But the blocking, tackling and pass coverage skills are so far eroded these days it drives me nuts. Like you said, though, its not just the NFL. The NBA is actually a far worse offender, what with all the travelling violations people get away with and whatnot. And every once in a while you get a game like the Bengals - Chargers yesterday, which was such a thrill to watch. Best pro game I've seen in years.

I don't hate the NFL or anything like that, but I can understand where Trashed is coming from. The game's not as good as it once was, IMHO.

[EmpireWF]

I can't speak on how the NFL was in previous generations because I first became a serious NFL fan around 99.

[Trashed]

I agree with Lefty 100% about the blocking, tackling and coverages being horrendous. Also might I say the officiating might as well be done by blind, retarded, baboons and you would get the same result. You can't rush the QB without getting a "roughing the passer" call! One last thing...the injuries. Lawrence Taylor played with a broken leg back in the 80s and now it seems about 40% of the NFL marquee stars are on the DL forcing us to watch a bunch of second string, special teams players mimicking being actuall NFL players. Like I said unwatchable. A great 40 yard pass for a touchdown brought back for a phantom holding call. Since 1988 I have been a huge fan of the NFL but now after yesterday (and it has nothing to do with the Giants loss) with all the above reasons being shown in my face I have had enough. When does spring training start?

[Trashed]

I agree with Lefty 100% about the blocking, tackling and coverages being horrendous. Also might I say the officiating might as well be done by blind, retarded, baboons and you would get the same result. You can't rush the QB without getting a "roughing the passer" call! One last thing...the injuries. Lawrence Taylor played with a broken leg back in the 80s and now it seems about 40% of the NFL marquee stars are on the DL forcing us to watch a bunch of second string, special teams players mimicking being actual NFL players. Like I said unwatchable. A brilliant 40 yard pass for a touchdown brought back for a phantom holding call. Since 1988 I have been a huge fan of the NFL but now after yesterday (and it has nothing to do with the Giants loss) with all the above reasons being shown in my face I have had enough. When does spring training start?

[ThePundit]

One thiing that bothers me is the officiating. I've asked this before and I'll ask again. Why is every official over 50 years old? They can't even get the replay calls right.

[Lefty Noob]

Good point, Pundit. And for that matter, why are they still part-timers?

[ThePundit]

The whole theory that that the NFL uses is that the only way the refs can get better is by actually officiating games so what would they do the rest of the year? I don't buy it.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

The whole theory that that the NFL uses is that the only way the refs can get better is by actually officiating games so what would they do the rest of the year? I don't buy it.

What would they do the rest of the year? Uh, I dunno... officiate mock games? Study rules changes? Review tapes of their performance from the previous season? Get quizzed on hypothetical situations? Get Lasek surgery? Okay, that last one was just mean...