I met him yesterday. Still a classy guy and humble as he ever was. I enjoyed meeting him.
That is all.
That is all.
Earl Campbell
- Thread starter WhyNotaSooner
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Soonersincefitty
Sooner starter
Very cool indeed. Almost bucket list worthy.
If you don't mind, what was the occasion, event?
If you don't mind, what was the occasion, event?
It was pure happenstance. We both were at the same place, same time kind of thing, I recognized him and went over to visit with him, shake his hand and thank him for some great memories. He was soft spoken & very kind.
As weird as it may sound from a grown man, it made my day.
As weird as it may sound from a grown man, it made my day.
I never got to meet Earl Campbell, but I became a Oilers fan when I lived in Houston in the early 70's. I suffered through some really tough ouch years before Earl became a Houston Oiler. After Earl joined the team those were the best years of pro football for me ever. I'm not much of a NFL fan anymore, but I have watched enough that I would cast any vote I would be allowed to make for Earl as the best pro running back I've ever seen in person, and at least the in the top five all time, IMO. #1 in toughest. He could bring it. Damn Steelers!
The best high school football player I have aver seen. if Dkr had played him at HB rather than fullback, he would be considered the best college player ever, I think. He never got to run outside until DKR retired and Akers made Earl a veer running back.
Had he gone to OU, Barry would have played him at HB and he would have won the Heisman at least twice. one of the few men who looked like a man playing against boys as an NFL player.
And as you said, great humility. As Bum said of him when asked if Earl was in a class by himself ... he did not know what class Earl was in, but whatever class it was, it didnt take long to call the roll.
Had he gone to OU, Barry would have played him at HB and he would have won the Heisman at least twice. one of the few men who looked like a man playing against boys as an NFL player.
And as you said, great humility. As Bum said of him when asked if Earl was in a class by himself ... he did not know what class Earl was in, but whatever class it was, it didnt take long to call the roll.
Soonersincefitty
Sooner starter
Yep, Barry+Earl...Heisman twice. Agreed
That would've been patently unfair with the horses we had at OU during Earls college career. WOW!
That would've been patently unfair with the horses we had at OU during Earls college career. WOW!
Campbell was one of Switzer's top two recruiting defeats, the other being Eric Dickerson.
I do know where Campbell would have played at OU as OU was committed to the wishbone and Campbell was much more of a power-I type back.....but that's not saying he could not have been a halfback in the wishbone offense...bottom line is that Switzer would have put him where he would have been most effective.
Problem for OU was not being able to persuade Earl's mother to get her son out of Texas. At one time, Earl wanted to play at OU.
Bum Phillips was asked why Earl always got up so slowly after being tackled. Bum replied, in so many words, that Earl did not go down very slow either.
I never really faulted Bum Phillips for not getting past the Steelers in the 1978 and 1979 playoffs. Those Steeler teams were, in my opinion, the best NFL teams ever.....I believe there were 11 Hall of Famers playing for Pittsburgh at that time.
I do know where Campbell would have played at OU as OU was committed to the wishbone and Campbell was much more of a power-I type back.....but that's not saying he could not have been a halfback in the wishbone offense...bottom line is that Switzer would have put him where he would have been most effective.
Problem for OU was not being able to persuade Earl's mother to get her son out of Texas. At one time, Earl wanted to play at OU.
Bum Phillips was asked why Earl always got up so slowly after being tackled. Bum replied, in so many words, that Earl did not go down very slow either.
I never really faulted Bum Phillips for not getting past the Steelers in the 1978 and 1979 playoffs. Those Steeler teams were, in my opinion, the best NFL teams ever.....I believe there were 11 Hall of Famers playing for Pittsburgh at that time.
Can you imagine Earl and Billy Sims at the two wishbone halfbacks? There would have been two years of overlap. Or if Sims hadn't got hurt, three. If they were all concentrating on the big guy, that would have been, well, unstoppable.
I was a big time Steelers fan growing up so I hated Earl Campbell. As I got older I came to like and respect him. The guy was a hoss
Soonersincefitty
Sooner starter
Right you are Plaino.
I was watching that game live where Earl head butted All World LB Isiah Robertson (Rams as I recall) on his ass. Brutal.
I don't know why Earl was so pissed but that was fierce.
I was watching that game live where Earl head butted All World LB Isiah Robertson (Rams as I recall) on his ass. Brutal.
I don't know why Earl was so pissed but that was fierce.
That game with the Rams I attended and the Rams won the game that day. I seem to recall that it was one of Earl's last games of wearing a tear away jersey.
Isiah Robertson was never the same player after that play.
I also saw the game where Earl was hit high by Jack Tatum of the Raiders at the goal line, then he regained his balance and spun and fell over the goal line.
Isiah Robertson now runs a drug treatment program about an hour outside of Dallas called House of Isiah. A really fine man.
