I grew up watching this man dominating the sport with the SOONERS and later with the LIONS. Billy Sims was no fuckin' joke! The LIONS made a great choice in drafting this stud so high. If it wasn't Detroit, it would have been another team. He gave everything he had to the game. He had a great NFL and College career and I will NEVER forget him!

@brianperry4754

Жыл бұрын

If Billy Sims had reached his potential and the Lions were successful, they may have never even gotten Barry Sanders. Imagine if Pittsburgh or Atlanta had drafted Barry Sanders, the other teams who drafted RBs in 1989 in top 10 of the draft? The Chiefs don't need a running back in 1989, because they have Okoye and Atlanta picked Deion...1989 Atlanta with Barry Sanders may re-balance the NFC West. Yes, the Niners are still great, but would a Everett led Rams team be better than the Falcons?

Sims was good but Barry's the 🐐

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

I agree

@loydkline

Жыл бұрын

Love / ❤️ jumping over the goal line

@bryanrussell9906

Жыл бұрын

I agree I'm old school I watched both play. Sims was excellent but hell no he was no Sanders aka The Human Crab Running Back. Hell no.

@loydkline

Жыл бұрын

@Bryan Russell Billy Sim was a great college football 🏃‍♀️ running : , super great at jump over goal line

@bryanrussell9906

Жыл бұрын

@@loydkline Billy ran that ball with intensity and passion. He was a very different type of RB as compared to Barry. Barry was a natural glider out there on the field. Billy was a helluva hard RB out there no disrespect at all. He ran with a lot of heart.

He was one of my favorites and still considered as one of the best of his era's. If he had remained injury free I think he would have been elected to the pro football hall of Fame... No doubt!!!👍

Marcus Dupree is a great mention for Oklahoma running back legends

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

True!

@jasonlommen4769

Жыл бұрын

MD, the best that never was.

@dc7236

Жыл бұрын

Hes also a great mention as far as the best HIGHSCHOOL football players ever

@loydkline

Жыл бұрын

@@petegrillo4187 college football, NFL 🏈 legend

@Navi_GTR_

Жыл бұрын

He had one of the best 30 for 30 episodes that you tubers are picking up the slack from.

Thank you young man for showing appreciation for Billy Sims.

🎯 Nobody, NOBODY was a Better Runner then Barry.

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Agreed 100%

@AndrewCantonTV

Жыл бұрын

Walter Payton was

@dexterwalkervideos

Жыл бұрын

@@AndrewCantonTV No he was not…..

@eugenedantzler4485

Жыл бұрын

Gayle Sayers was nice with it too

@loydkline

Жыл бұрын

Walter Payton get my vote::

Billy was pure magic. Had he not had his career cut short, we'd be talking about him and Barry Sanders as two of the best Rbs in history.

Reminds me of my electric football days. With the lions, I had Billy Sims, Rick Kane and Dexter Bussey as the running backs. Maaaan, those were the days!!!

@areguapiri

Жыл бұрын

Most people on here don't know what "electric football" was. That game was amazing!

Billy Sims was the MAN!!!! He was rushing for 1k when getting 1k in rushing yards was a huge feet in the NFL

Eric Dickerson is the greatest Running Back I've ever seen.

@bryanrussell9906

Жыл бұрын

The Ultimate Glider! He made it look easy. Incredible field vision and was just hard for a defender to get a solid lick on him. Excellent top end speed. A personal favorite of mine too.

Good to see younger generation guys checking out the what ifs.

Pound for Pound Barry Sanders was one of the three greatest football players ever!!! Billy was great but Barry was special!!!

the lions had him and sanders=o rings -nice job Ford family

@timhunter8945

Жыл бұрын

Don't forget Megatron

@shakazulu2781

Жыл бұрын

Had he had a line ???

@shakazulu2781

Жыл бұрын

What if for real 🤠

@BrianVanBuren-tu2ef

6 ай бұрын

keith dorney was all. pro. david hill was good te--payton did not have a great line@@shakazulu2781

Billy was the greatest Lion of All-Times. Period.

He was great! I never forgot. He now owns a chain of bbq restaurants, one of which is in my hometown…

Billy Sims was a worthwhile number 1 pick , and would have been a Hall of Famer were it not for his unfortunate knee injury

Billy was the man!

I really think Billy Sims and Curt Warner were easily on their way to HOF induction if not for their injuries.

Awesome video and nice to see the professional career of a forgotten legend get some attention. If Billy hadn't suffered that injury there is a chance, considering the era, that he may have become the all-time leading rusher in NFL history. His ability as a dual threat RB and workhorse was far ahead of his time and it's a shame that he's mostly remembered for his college accomplishments

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

I appreciate you so much! Thank you! And absolutely agree!

@Longhorn.Rock_Roll61

Жыл бұрын

Yes I should have read your comment he being brought up close to my home town I remember when my school played Hooks I was a kid of course but he truly was a monster at running back

I'm a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and I remember Thanksgiving day 1983. 45-3 Lions Victory.

Billy Simms is not forgotten.....I watched him and he was awesome....I thought it was weird that the lions got Barry right after him tho.

I was a, Walter payton fan starting in 1976. Over the span of his career, I always sized up his competition each year. Oj Simpson, earl Campbell, OJ Anderson, anybody who I felt was a threat to Walter's supremacy. This monster scared me. Not only was he a threat, but the bears had to place him twice. Simbo was a bad joker. Great player!

@michaele1100

Жыл бұрын

Me too pound for pound Walter was the best

@dmvbay2535

Жыл бұрын

@@michaele1100 Let's be real. Walter was the best ALL-ROUND Back. Barry was the best PURE-RUNNER. Get that fact straight.

I wore #20 my 2nd year of pop-warner football in 1982 because of Billy Sims. ...By the way, before Billy Sims, Oklahoma had one of their greatest running backs--- Joe Washington.

Loved to watch Billy Simms, but Barry's talent was on different level.

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Agreed

Sims was the reason I switched from a Husker to Sooner once I became a college football fan. Born and raised a Bears fan. The pleasure to watch him, assuming the game was sold out: father/son memories.

My first favorite #20. I was insulted when a rookie names Barry Sanders stole his #20. That anger only lasted one game however. Billy Sims brought big electricity to the D, a magical runner, but Barry is a once in a lifetime player.

Billy Sim super great college running 🏃‍♀️ back

Billy Sims was the original badass

Billy Sims was the man!

Hello BDS, happy new year. Thank you for unlocking my memory about the NFL "Lock Out " and Billy Sims. I pray that the NFL compensated Mr. Sims during his disability retirement years. May 25, 2023.

Billy Sims was an incredible running back in college and The NFL , but the fact is he turned 25 in his rookie year in the NFL and had a lot of miles on him by the end of his college days, back when you would carry the ball every down. RBs only have so many carries in them, that is what made Walter Payton,Barry Sanders , Emmitt Smith and Adrian Peterson such freaks, especially Payton.

I was at a Pappadeaux in Dallas TX dining with my mother and saw Billy Sims with his wife valeting thier car. I didnt recognize him but my mom did, and she immediately spoke. He was very hobbled and walked with a noticeable limp - but he still made it a point to step up to look me in the eye and give me a solid man's handshake. I didnt even go into football with him, i just let him know i dnk he lived right here in North Dallas area and was very pleased to meet him. I knew his name since I'm from the South all i know is his legend but wasnt old enough to see him play. He said thats fine and asked me about my time in football (UNT 95-97) which i didnt quite expect. He's a good man and someone who sacrificed his body doing what he loved ❤ Cool little experience to say the least

I grew up watching Billy short career as a Lions Fan. Was and will always be a Billy Fan!

He had that devastating knee injury

Back then it was the southwest conference,Texas, Baylor, Houston , SMU , Oklahoma State . Hooks Texas which is close to my hometown . Barry Switzer wouldn't stop recruiting him so that's why he went to Oklahoma

@deakon071

Жыл бұрын

The story of his recruitment to Oklahoma by Switzer is a tale in itself

Billy was the truth

The greatest #20 in lions history.

As my brother used to say, see Billy run.

I will say 2 of the NFL Greatest Running Back that played for the same teams and in college Oklahoma state and Oklahoma.

Drives by his barbecue restaurant everyday

Met him in 1981 during my junior year in high school...

There is only one word to describe Billy Sims as a Running Back... INCREDIBLE... BOOMER...

@LionsOnTheHunt313

Жыл бұрын

Sooner!!! Born in Oklahoma but moved to Michigan at 9yrs old in 1989. Crazy how the Lions drafted two Oklahoma legends seemingly back to back!

Billy Sims was the truth!!!Will never forget his Lion debut against the Rams I was a 16 year old high school junior at Cooley High in Detroit was flash with swag!!!!

Sims had some great backs with him at OU. Elvis Peacock, Kenny King, David Overstreeet

Billy was fearless, powerful, and could leap like no other running back I’ve ever seen. If you needed three yards for a first down or TD, Billy was unstoppable.

@blinddogsports

9 ай бұрын

Agreed.

Sims was amazingly electric! Loved him!!!

Billy rightfully won the 1979 Heisman Trophy . Sounds like partiality got in the way of final voting. No harm to Charles White.

Imagine Sims and Sanders were in the same backfield. That would have been something.

@lwmson

Жыл бұрын

Not really. Both would have been too proud to block for each other.

Billy is awesome! I just saw him last week. I used too play pool with billy at a local bar here in norman. We laughed at Detroits one play when both he and Barry were there. Give it too Billy and more of the same give it to Barry

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

I wish I could meet him!

Billy Simms, Bo Jackson are the Biggest what ifs. I'm going to give an honorable mention to Rashard Penny.

Sanders all time greatest runner, Payton best back and I'm not old enough to see Jim Brown but he probably is the greatest.

He's not forgotten. That barbecue is awesome. Lol

I once read someone decribe Billy Sims as "a mean Barry Sanders". I think that was pretty spot on. Billy didn't have the same level of make you miss that Barry did, no one did, but he def played with a physicality that Barry rarely displayed.

Same situation with Gail Sayers. During his interviews he would go into tears thinking how bad Doctors were, performing knee surgery. He would repeat over and over that, “They didn’t know what they were doing. They messed up my knee. I could have payed the game longer. They were quacks. They didn’t know.” Gail was my favorite running back of all time and still is m.

He’s certainly not forgotten in Oklahoma.

Good job, most KZreadr covering past great athletes want to make a long episode out it.

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

The most I’ll ever make a KZread video is 15 minutes! Unless I decide to do a future documentary. But thank you so much I appreciate it!

Sims was very highly recruited out of high school,. Barry had two offers , Tulsa and osu,

Earl Campbell. Best ever

Billy Sims was a great Oklahoma running back, but he wasn't the first, before him in Oklahoma, there was Greg Pruitt

The Lions game plan : Billy sweep right - Billy sweep left - screen pass to Billy - Punt

As a cowboy fan a dude like this I know it's not possible but what if

Sims was special Sanders very well might be the Goat but don’t forget Marion Motley, Lenny Moore,soooo many greats. Both Sanders and Sims would have been counted among them. the best I think I ever saw was Bo Jackson.. injured and had to quit football way to soon but the best athlete I ever saw.

@smokeyjoe795

Жыл бұрын

All good points though I might mention Eric Dickerson as the best pure runner I ever saw. His talent was similar to Bo Jackson. #29 carried the ball 400 times for 1808 his rookie year. With his 2nd season 2105 yards 5.2 pee carry.

@Boomhower89

Жыл бұрын

@@smokeyjoe795 pure runner possibly. He was a sweet straight up runner who on a track field would be hard to distinguish him from any other sprinters. Classy guy also. Not much on power running or elusiveness, but didnt need them.

One of the other forgotten running backs of the 80s was Marcus Dupree. He was an AWESOME player, easily on par with Billy Sims.

Billy Sims was great. He was in no way, shape or form Barry Sanders. Sanders was so elusive nobody could put a clean hit on him!! The most elusive, artistically exquisite runner ever to play football. Sims ongoing battle with injuries began well before he played a professional game. "BARRY THE PINBALL " on the other hand, had ballbearings for ankle joints. Can any fan recall a single time in Sanders career that he took a seriously hard shot? That was his secret. And his glory. Most astonishing of all, he did all that while performing behind one of the worst offensive lines ever assembled. Had Sanders played on a solid team and not retired early, he would have every record in the book for the next 5,000 years. Barry Sanders career was a ten year Highlight Reel. The only true GOAT in the pasture.

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Agreed!

Billy was the greatest of the great OU running backs. Joe Washington, David Overstreet, Stanley Wilson, Kenny King, the Pruitt brothers (Mike and Greg), Marcus Dupree (his one season was amazing), Quenton Griffin, Steve Sewell and others. If you look at the stats between Barry and Billy for the first four years of their careers they are VERY close. Billy and Gale Sayers both lost the chance to really set themselves apart due to knee injuries before the modern era of arthroscopic surgery. In my mind, Billy was a good as any running back who ever played, he just didn't have the years to prove it.

@blinddogsports

6 ай бұрын

Agreed.

@seanlemons5423

6 ай бұрын

BTW, I forgot the second best OU running back ever... Adrian Peterson. He and Billy were neck and neck, Adrian just had more years to prove himself.

One of the best backs to play the game I wish he could have played longer

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Agreed.

Billy told Wayne to pick Barry because he was great

So he was definitely a beast. A really good running back but Barry remains to be different than any n every running back that ever played. Barry did it with a weak o-line.

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

100%

I pick Barry #1 talent running back ever.

I’m amazed how young you are and know who Billy Simms is! Yes, Billy Simms was incredible! For you to know all this great history to be so young is amazing! Great reporting!

@loydkline

Жыл бұрын

Love ❤️ watching Billy Sim & Oklahoma wishbone offense 1970s & Barry Switzer

@petegrillo4187

Жыл бұрын

I'm not sure if you are talking to me but I'm from detroit I'm 70 years old saw billy and barry play in college and pro's both were superb players I'm not arguing with anybody

This was AWESOME or Should Say Fantastic S#!+

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!

Billy Sims and Barry Sanders and walter Payton what if those guys would have had a great offensive line can you imagine????

Please do a William Andrews video....played for Atlanta only played 5 years .The best all around running back at the time in my opinion....almost 5 yards a carry

If he went to Oklahoma I would think Texas recruited him I haven't googled it yet but your right this dude jump over two dudes and kept running that's the problem he went to the Lions just like Barry Sanders

Billy Sims. He has a Restuarant in Oklahoma.

I see a lot of ppl think Bo Jackson is the greatest running back of all times especially if he never got hurt but for me it was Barry Saunders Barry was on a different level this guy hardly ever took a hard hit and had the best moves I’ve ever seen this guy was a highlight every time he touched the ball Seeing him get tackled in the backfield for loss yards was exciting

Billy Sims was so good he was scary. But then again, his career cut short because of an injury should be a reminder of the risk for picking a running back with a high first pick, especially for a team that has never really had a good quarterback, which is a reminder why the Lions never won anything.

I’m from Detroit, it’s like they live to erase our sports history. We had greats .

He was a great back that could of made the HOF if it wasn't cut short because of injuries.

Bo Jackson was by far the best running back of all time! You must remember that Bo was a beast at baseball, track and football! If not for injury, I have NO DOUBT that he would have set the rushing record! Barry Sanders was legit, Billy Sims and Marcus Dupree were all tremendous players but Bo had size, speed and real power to punish any would be tackler! I watched them all!

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Bo is already featured in my shortest careers video! Check it out!

@teedogg816

Жыл бұрын

I love Bo but he wasnt fucking with Barry

@willisix2554

Жыл бұрын

Nope! The GREATEST RUNNING BACK In the HISTORY of the NFL was..........OJ SIMPSON!

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

@@willisix2554 I can see that argument ! 🫡

@Truthwalker887

Жыл бұрын

@@willisix2554 ain’t no way in HELL that killa is the best! He ain’t even second! Jim Brown comes before him, Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, etc…

Aint no rb better than Barry. He the goat easily over all running backs. Plus he stopped playing early too.

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Agreed.

@willisix2554

Жыл бұрын

Wasn't the BEST RUNNING BACK in the HISTORY of the NFL was OJ SIMPSON!

@smokeyjoe795

Жыл бұрын

​@@willisix2554 Their all standing in line behind #29. 2105 yards Eric Dickerson all the other back line up and ask him for favors.

@willisix2554

Жыл бұрын

@@smokeyjoe795 Not OJ SIMPSON! Oj got his 2000 yards in 14 games! And the majority of those games were played OUTSIDE! In New York, new England and Miami! Also Buffalo had no other threat, in a game against Dallas, the quarterback threw 4 passes THE ENTIRE GAME Oj Got 274 Yards! So no Oj SIMPSON stands behind NO ONE

Billy was a beast, Too bad it wasn't today doctors to help billy, I'm saying this in a good way, A bad MF 😂

You should do a video on Roger Craig. The man rushed for over one thousand yards and had over one thousand yards receiving in the same season.

Loved Billy Sims as a kid, thanks for showing the original 20. No hate for Barry Sanders, but always felt bad for Sims being forgotten so fast. The minute Barry suited up it was like Billy never existed. Fly🦅Fly

@loydkline

Жыл бұрын

Billy Sim college football legend : Billy ball wishbone offense & Oklahoma Barry Switzer

@makenomist8aboutit43

Жыл бұрын

It's like Bob Hayes and Emmitt Smith And Tony Dorsett and Duane Thomas # 22 and # 33 .😂

Lions ROOKIE TD History 1980 - Billy Sims 16 1989 - Barry Sanders 14 2023 - Jahmyr Gibbs 13 2023 - Sam Laporta 12 1950 - Doak Walker 11

Let's get something straight. Billy Simms was awesome, but Barry Sanders is the mf GOAT !!!

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

I agree 100%!

A bad team and bad coach will shorten the career of any good running back. Simms and Campbell unfortunately played for bad teams and some may say bad coaches.

Sims was good, but Barry like MJ, was from another dimension.

I agree Simms was a helluva running back but he wasn't nowhere near better than Barry Sanders I mean Barry Sanders was in a whole other league.😊

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Agreed

I have been a Lions fan for more than 50 years and for my money, Billy was the best. Barry was fun to watch, but he'd lose an awful lot of yardage and set the team up in some second and third forever situations as a result of his improv act. Yeah, Barry could make moves nobody, and I mean nobody, else was capable of making. Ask Rod Woodson about that. He blew out a knee trying to cut like Barry. But Billy was a force. That guy was much better between the tackles and he had springs in his feet. I've never seen a player who could leap over a pile at the goal line like Billy. And he had more fire. He was a madman out there, competitive as hell. I'll never for get that game where ran up that Houston Oiler player's back and karate kicked another guy on the way down. It didn't even draw a flag. I think the refs were like "I don't even know what I just saw so I'm not sure if it's illegal or not." Then the Lions lost that game to a lousy Oiler team and Billy went over to the Gatorade table and just leveled it. He was pissed and when Billy was pissed the smart move was to stay the hell away. I remember prior to him being drafted there were analysts who thought the Lions should go with Charles White out of USC because he won the Heisman that year, an award Billy should have won. He would have joined Archie Griffin as the only two-time winners. Billy wasn't bashful about that either. He said "You're damn right I should have won it" when he was asked about it. And he proved the knuckleheaded analysts who said White would be the better pro wrong. White went later in the draft and as I recall he had one 1,000 yard season his entire career. No, Barry was a treat, Billy was a beast. The entire city was deflated when he tore up his knee. If the medical technology had been available to repair it like it is today he'd have a gold jacket. Billy Sims, one of the toughest sonsabitches to ever carry the rock. Pure stud. I was blessed that I got to see Billy, Barry, and Walter all play live, my three favorite backs. Even if Walter did break our hearts in Detroit on a regular basis, ya have to recognize greatness. Greatest football player I ever saw play, but that's me. His only drawback, he played for the Bears. But hey, he was still an NFC Central guy. The good old days of football.

@blinddogsports

6 ай бұрын

Billy simms is forever a legend in my heart.

You gat me fuck up Billy Sims was the best

I'm still mad i lost my autograph Billy Sims football. I met him when i was 7-8 years.

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

That’s sad! I want some of his memorabilia as well!

Barry Sanders wore 20 because of Billy Sims

I’d like to know what Barry’s opinion of Billy was/is. Barry had the same number could be significant

There is no telling what Sims would have done if his career was not ruined by that horrible turf.

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Agreed.

Billy Played At Hooks High School In Hooks, Texas 👌🏿. My Uncle Played Against Billy. Billy's Lowest Rushing Total Was 110 Yds In Highschool. My Uncle Had 103 Himself During That Game Hooks Vs Atlanta Highschool '73. We Played Against Hooks As Well From Junior High To High School. Another NFL Great From Hooks Is Jeremiah Trotter Stephen F. Austin University And Philadelphia Eagles & Washington Redskins (Washington Commanders)👊🏿. There Are More NFL And Major League Players From Our Small Class 2 & 3A East Texas Schools Also, Soon To Be 1st Ballot Hall Of Famer Jason Peters (Queen City High School). Atlanta And Queen City Are 2 Miles Apart In Cass County.

@MisterCrookedNose

Жыл бұрын

What’s up with your shift key bro?

Billy Sims.. An all time great

You don't know even one/one-hundredth of what there is of Oklahoma Sooners football. Sims was great, but there were many great running backs before him. Hell, he wasn't even the first or second Sooners running back to win the Heisman Trophy. Billy Vessels in 1952 (Son, have you not heard of Bud Wilkinson? He only set the still existing college football record winning streak, running the majority of 5 seasons - 47 straight victories, a record nearly all say will never be broken) and Steve Owens in 1969. Throw in the likes of Tommy McDonald, Clendon Thomas, Prentice Gautt, Everett Marshall, Greg Pruitt, Joe Wylie, Roy Bell, Joe Washington, all of them were OUTSTANDING and could have started for any team in the nation, many were All-Americans and every one of them played before Billy Sims.

@blinddogsports

2 ай бұрын

Yeah I admit I should’ve done a little more research on that before stating that.

I remember Billy Sims and he was good BUT he was no Barry Sanders. Jim Brown was da 🐐

NOOOOBODY was like Barry!

@blinddogsports

Жыл бұрын

Agree!