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SmooBoy wrote:ShanDerrick Charles could have been special.

ShanDerrick could easily have been as good as his brother if he had not had the injury problems in high school and at SMU.

I came along a few years after Doak. (Meredith's era) Doak was a different type of athlete than Dickerson. Doak could do everything including playing defense, punting, receiving and passing. Dickerson was strictly a running back. He was very good and very fast. But I'd have to give the edge to Doak overall.

Waggoner was better than Dickerson or James as a freshman. I doubt he would have been better in the long run and if he had stayed healthy, probably someone would have transferred. I thought that Shanderrick Charles was superior to Dickerson or James as a freshman but his size may have held him back a little.

Dickerson...Dupard...James...Atkins...Morris...Maxson...Whittington...Rote....The Doaker...we have been blessed with GREAT backs over the years...best BACK, I'd say Eric...

Best pure running back- ED, no doubt. Best all-around back- the Doaker.

GO PONIES!!!

Doak Walker = 2 NFL championships with the Detroit Lions

Barry Sanders= 0 NFL championships and only one playoff win with the Detroit Lions.

Eric Dickerson was very very great and you know he didn't even look fast on TV, he was so smooth. As an out and out runner with the ball, I'm sure he was better than Doak Walker. But that's an apples and oranges comparison. My vote goes to the Detroit Lion, Doak Walker. I mean neither Billy Simms or Barry Sanders ever matched him for winning in a Detroit Lions Uniform. You said best to come out of which means leaving and going on to WIN..... A Cowboys fan once told me about Barry Sanders that to be a Champion, you had to win Championships.

Eric Dickerson never even played in the Super Bowl.

Edit: I hope that you guys don't mind the new guy putting Doak up against Barry Sanders wearing the same shirt to make my argument for your player. Doak Walker MIGHT have been the best back of all time. NOBODY can win in Detroit, except Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Isaiah Thomas, Sparky Anderson, Kaline, etc. IE the best of their era (and in the case of Howe the best of all time) Doak Walker was the total package.

Apples vs oranges comparison. Different era of backs. different roles

in Sports they ought to put an asterisk next to any record achieved before integration because the Best probably weren't even allowed to play

I believe that Doak Walker is one of the very few players from his era who would make it in the NFL today if he so chose. He was every bit the athlete that Wes Welker is and around the same size. He might not be a running back but certainly as a receiver, kick returner or even DB.

Since we are celebrating the 100 Year Anniversary of this great university---I vote for the First 50 years of SMU's history the best Back would be Doak Walker and the last 50 years of SMU's history would be Eric Dickerson as the best back...how about that for political correctness?

SHAWNBREY