Who is the Browns best Kick Returner and MLB of all time?

by o.c.blazerfan on Jul 2, 2009 1:15 PM EDT

I'm puttng together all time teams for all the NFL squads. I am wrestling with the KR for the Browns. There are plenty of good ones to choose from, but I think it comes down to Eric Metcalf, Bobby Mitchell and Josh Cribbs. Metcalf had the most total TD's. Cribbs has best KR average. Mitchell may have been best overall, but I never saw him play. What do you Browns fans think?

Also not sure on MLB - Vince Costello, Mike Johnson or Eddie Johnson?

Thanks for your input.

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KR

Not sure about MLB but I would have to throw my KR vote to Metcalf

by North Coast Flea on Jul 2, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

Josh Cribbs by a MILE!

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Jul 2, 2009 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

Have you seen the other two play?

by Buckeye Brad on Jul 2, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

sorry.

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Jul 2, 2009 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Sometimes i assume I know to much. My bad.

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Jul 2, 2009 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Leroy Kelly made some incredible punt returns.

by elsandito on Jul 2, 2009 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

Eddie Johnson for MLB? You clearly have no clue.

by elsandito on Jul 2, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

I do have a clue.....that the Browns don't have great interior linebackers. Don't hate.

I am making a 53 man roster, and there is a lack of great MLB/ILB prospects in Browns history. So I know Eddie was a 3-4 ILB, but I am going with MLB since there are a lot of great DTs to choose from. Are there any other good MLB/ILB ideas? I think Mike Johnson and Vince Costello stand out, but is there another?

By the way, Leroy Kelly should not be mentioned with Eric Metcalf and Josh Cribbs as far as best return man in Browns history.

by o.c.blazerfan on Jul 2, 2009 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions

You do realize that you could probably put those DTs as DEs in a 3-4 or one of the DEs in a 46, if you really wanted to, right?

by rufio on Jul 2, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Tommy Thompson, Lou Saban, Mike Johnson, Vince Costello, Dick Ambrose.
These are considered the finest inside linebackers in Brown history.

Eddie Johnson was a fan favorite due to his fierce hitting, but he had a significant hole in his game. He was a glaring weakness on pass plays.

by elsandito on Jul 2, 2009 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions

The highest avg yds per return for players returning more than 50 punts in their career is held by Greg Pruitt with 11.8, while Cribbs’ avg is 10.6. (by the way, Kelly avged 10.5) Bobby Mitchell is the only other player to avg more than 11 yds per return at 11.2 although a number of others avged more than 10.
Using this same measuring stick, Cribbs and Greg Pruitt are tied on kickoff returns at 26.3 yds/return with honorable mention going to Walt Roberts at 25.9 yds/return.

by elsandito on Jul 2, 2009 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions

How do those eras stack up? Was it easier or harder to gain yards on a punt return back then?

Sometimes, it frustrates me to see NBA analysts compare LeBron to stars of other eras because the paces of the game are so different across time. Yards per return sounds like it could be an analogous statistic to assists or field goals to me (which is why I am wondering).

by rufio on Jul 3, 2009 1:29 AM EDT up reply actions

The only difference I can think of when returning punts in previous era, is that it’s only recently that punt returners are allowed space to catch the ball. Previously, a tackler could hit the returner as soon as he touched the punt. There used to be spectacular collisions as the ball and tackler arrived at the same moment.

by elsandito on Jul 3, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

I don’t know much about Bobby Mitchell, but I’d vote Metcalf over Cribbs. As much as I love Josh Cribbs, Eric Metcalf was electrifying. I still remember the game when he singlehandedly beat the Steelers.

by Buckeye Brad on Jul 2, 2009 4:15 PM EDT reply actions

Don’t forget Walt “The Flea” Roberts.

by elsandito on Jul 2, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Bobby Mitchell made some electrifying punt returns, but he was the kind of guy who thought every punt should be returned for a TD. He gave ground on what seemed 90% of his returns in an effort to shake free and usually lost yardage doing it.

by elsandito on Jul 2, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions

that game has to be one of my top 10 all time Browns memories.

by Dawg Nuts on Jul 2, 2009 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I am going to say I am far too young to even attempt to make these kinds of calls.

Did Jim Brown ever return kicks?

by rufio on Jul 2, 2009 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

Don’t think so. I know Leroy Kelly returned kicks before he took over as full-time running back when Jim Brown retired (as elsandito said above).

Speaking of Browns history, I just read two great books about the early Browns which I recommend for every fan here. I’m a big fan of sports history so I already knew a little about the subjects but I found out a lot more in these books. For a young guy like me who didn’t live through the times it was very educational. The first book was called Paul Brown: The Man Who Invented Modern Football by George Cantor and the other was When All The World Was Browns Town (about the ’64 Browns) by Terry Pluto. Good reads.

by Buckeye Brad on Jul 2, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Have you read “Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting” by Bruce Feldman?

by rufio on Jul 2, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t remember JB returning any punts, but I think he did return some kickoffs in his rookie season.

by elsandito on Jul 2, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed. I can’t qualify to make any opinion on this

by Roger Dorn on Jul 2, 2009 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Greg Pruitt, good back out of the backfield also.
Dick Ambrose was a good solid MLB

"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"

by Grockcubs on Jul 3, 2009 11:32 PM EDT reply actions

NORTHCUTT!!!

GO BROWNS!!!

by charliefryfanhaha on Jul 4, 2009 1:02 AM EDT reply actions

Biased opinion

My vote is for Metcalf, nevermind the fact that I had his jersey when I was a kid, nor I felt untouchable when I use to wear it playing pick-up games in the neighborhood. However, I believe what does it for me was the return he had against Buffalo in the 1990 playoff game for a TD.

by JDfromCLE on Jul 5, 2009 11:14 PM EDT reply actions

Wow, this is a tough one….

Going to go with Metcalf but it’s close. That game against the Steelers where he had the two returns edges him over Cribbs. That has to be one of my favorite Browns memories. I remember our cable was out and didn’t have a TV with antenna so I listened to that game on the redio. Wasn’t that a Sunday night game?

Being fair, I never saw Greg Pruitt, Leroy Kelly or Bobby Mitchell play so I was really only considering Metcalf, Cribbs, Gerald McNeil, Randy Baldwin (remember him?) and Northcutt.

by mgtbfb on Jul 6, 2009 10:05 AM EDT reply actions

Mike Johnson gets my vote for ILB. He was always among the league leaders in tackles on an IMO under-rated defense.

Pepper Johnson didn’t do too bad during his run here also.

Disclaimer, not super familiar with anyone pre Dawg Pound

by mgtbfb on Jul 6, 2009 10:07 AM EDT reply actions

I would have to go withMetcalf, he was electrifying when he touched the ball. Cribbs is outstanding, maybe in time if he spends it with us he will surpass Metcalf , but for know its Metcalf

by JDub216 on Jul 21, 2009 4:14 PM EDT reply actions