I found this link on Youtube of a greatest hits highlights of Jerome Bettis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wW-1wGgq4k
I have a tendency to remember Bettis at the end. He was still good and dominant at times, but he had lost that wiggle that made him special.
Nobody finished runs better and by the fourth quarter, everyone was tired of tackling the fat kid.
Enjoy the video.
I remember in 1993 when Jerome was a Los Angeles Rams Rookie. I was a sitting in the Rams end zone (wearing my Mike Webster jersey) when Jerome ran for a touchdown right at me. He was a freakin scary beast and he steamrolled towards me like a freight train. His legs were pumping like pistons and he came to a stop at the back of the end zone, looked at me and screamed like a rabid animal. Then as I stood there, stunned, three guys wearing hollowed out watermelons on their heads danced around me to the song "whump there it is"... all of it was flashed on the jumbo tron. Not a stellar moment for my Steeler pride.
ReplyDelete3 years later when the Steelers got him in a trade I ran out to my yard and did somersaults because I knew we had a special player. Jerome's career as a Steeler made up for my momentary humiliation but I will never forget that moment.
Thing about Jerome is that he wasn't a plodder his whole career, just at the end. His game was power but he was also quick enough to take a pitch outside and fast enough to break a 40+ yarder. For example, he broke a 70+ yarder against the Steelers his rookie year when he was with the Rams.
ReplyDeleteOf course he wasn't the same towards the end of his career, but what great rb was?
I can't tell you how much I miss watching Jerome run. There will never be another one like him.
ReplyDeleteOff subject...
ReplyDeleteWill the MLB have a Posey ruler? Probably not, the NFL is getting soft in some of these rules.
Even at the end, Bussie still had those great, quick feet to pick his way through the line. I remember watching him and Chris Fu run in the same backfield and it really highlighted how quick and shifty Bettis was.
ReplyDeleteSome of my best memories of him were running over Bengals CBs. Seemed to have great games against them.
ReplyDeleteDale, I was wondering if you could comment on the Steelers 2008 draft. We selected Tony Hills in round four and Top 100 player Carl Nicks was selected in round 5. How'd we miss on that one?
ReplyDeleteIt happens. The Steelers were looking for a tackle, not a guard.
ReplyDelete32 teams passed on Nick at least four times.
My favorite Bus run never seems to make the highlights or they cut it off too quick. Against the Bengals (i think) and just as he crosses the goalline there is a tackler close enough to touch him. Bus turns to spike the ball and the tackler (CB maybe) gave a big ole flinch, like he thought JB was gonna smash him, hilarious.
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