Rich History of Running Backs Continues

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Stranger

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http://mydamrams.tripod.com/index-215.html

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poster created by fearsome foursome (no better)
No position has held the luster as brightly as the Ram's running back.

The Rams have been blessed with hot running backs year after year throughout history.

Consider names from the past such as Eric Dickerson (NFL's all-time single season record-holder), Willie Ellison, Lawrence McCutcheon, John Capalletti, Dick Bass, Cullen Bryant, Greg Bell, Jerome Bettis, Charles White, Wendell Tyler, Tank Younger and Dan Towler (and add to this list: Stephen Jackson; Marshall Faulk & Todd Gurley). The Rams have almost always been loaded in the backfield with a guy who can push the ball up the field play after play.


Ever since Grantland Rice immortalized the Notre Dame backfield by comparing it to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, sportswriters have striven to come up with similar eponyms that would preserve certain players or teams for posterity.

Only occasionally have they succeeded, however.

In pro football, one of the few such appellations to stick belongs to the Los Angeles Rams' storied Bull Elephant Backfield of Dick Hoerner, Paul (Tank) Younger and Dan (Deacon) Towler.

Together with quarterbacks Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin, the Elephants amassed 5,506 total yards, a team single season record which has stood for many years.

Towler registered the most impressive statistics of the Bulls. In six seasons (1950-55), he picked up 3,493 yards and posted an average gain of 5.2 yards per carry.

"The idea tor the bull elephants," Dan recalled, "came during the 1950 season. We were playing a game in a sea of mud, and the coaches alternated backfields hoping to rest us. The coach then realized he had three fullbacks of equal running ability and saw what a powerful weapon he would have with two 200 pounders leading a third.

"The next season, all of us were used together in rushing situations, as the year progressed, we were used as a unit more and more. We won the title that year, and I feel the `51 Rams was one of the greatest teams ever."

TANK YOUNGER

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DEACON DAN TOWLER

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JON ARNETT

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OLLIE MATSON

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DICK BASS

Bass spent nine years with the Los Angeles Rams, rushing for 1,033 yards in 1962 and 1,090 yards in 1966, when the NFL season was 14 games long.

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LES JOSEPHSON AND WILLIE ELLISON

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From the early 50's with the famous "Bull Elephant Backfield" to Marshall Faulk. The Rams have had some great backs.


LARRY SMITH
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JIM BERTLESON

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CULLEN BRYANT

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JOHN CAPALLETTI

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LAWRENCE MCCUTCHEON

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WENDELL TYLER

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ERIC DICKERSON

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GREG BELL
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MARSHALL FAULK

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leoram

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Just so you know, I posted mine first. It only looks like I copied you. It goes to show, great minds think alike...
 

Prime Time

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darn, sorry about that. I could see them when I posted it. But now I can't see them either.

It happens. Thanks for making the effort. (y) Enjoyed the article though.

Now the pics are back. I'm sensing -X- is behind this. :sneaky:
 

Stranger

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9
Just so you know, I posted mine first. It only looks like I copied you. It goes to show, great minds think alike...
Sorry, if I double posted. I didn't see yours.

As far as the images, I can't get into edit my post. I guess too much time has passed.

What's interesting is that if you click on hte link in the OP, and open up the original article as a separate tab in your browser, the images will display in this thread. So, Tripod - the service hosting the images, much block them in some way. Weird.
 

Prime Time

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As far as the images, I can't get into edit my post. I guess too much time has passed.

What's interesting is that if you click on hte link in the OP, and open up the original article as a separate tab in your browser, the images will display in this thread. So, Tripod - the service hosting the images, much block them in some way. Weird.

It's referred to as hotlinking. Those pics posted on another site will suck up their bandwidth.
 

BriansRams

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Regarding L. McCutcheon, remember that playoff game against the Vikings in the late 70's when McCutcheon was on his way for a TD around the right side, but Alan Page barely got a hand on him (horse collar) and pulled him down!?!?!?!? THAT was horrible.

That tackle (if missed) would have put us into the Super Bowl I think, because it was a close game. I was 9 years old, completely bummed out and sad for a month later. THAT'S how much of a Rams fan I am, and have always been (in case any of you question it)

:)
 

Stranger

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Hugh
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12
Regarding L. McCutcheon, remember that playoff game against the Vikings in the late 70's when McCutcheon was on his way for a TD around the right side, but Alan Page barely got a hand on him (horse collar) and pulled him down!?!?!?!? THAT was horrible.

That tackle (if missed) would have put us into the Super Bowl I think, because it was a close game. I was 9 years old, completely bummed out and sad for a month later. THAT'S how much of a Rams fan I am, and have always been (in case any of you question it)

:)
yup, those are some pretty tough memories.

I posted an interesting follow-up story about the Vikings in the following post :)
http://ramsondemand.com/threads/gurley.37187/#post-554778
 

jap

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Regarding L. McCutcheon, remember that playoff game against the Vikings in the late 70's when McCutcheon was on his way for a TD around the right side, but Alan Page barely got a hand on him (horse collar) and pulled him down!?!?!?!? THAT was horrible.

That tackle (if missed) would have put us into the Super Bowl I think, because it was a close game. I was 9 years old, completely bummed out and sad for a month later. THAT'S how much of a Rams fan I am, and have always been (in case any of you question it)

:)

McCutcheon had such an explosive takeoff. I remember during one of the old NFL Superstars competitions, Lawrence was representing the Rams during the final (60-yard or 100-yard?) sprint. At the starting gun, Lawrence literally burst to the front of the pack over the first 10 yards like he was shot out of a cannon. The incomparable OJ won the overall competition as expected with his sprinter's speed. Nevertheless, McCutcheon's near instantaneous start is the picture that always comes to my mind whenever anyone uses the phrase "shot out of a cannon." A couple of Marshall's runs presented a vivid picture of that phrase too, where he glided behind his blockers until daylight appeared and then, BANG!, he was gone!!!
 

Stranger

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Hugh
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14
McCutcheon had such an explosive takeoff. I remember during one of the old NFL Superstars competitions, Lawrence was representing the Rams during the final (60-yard or 100-yard?) sprint. At the starting gun, Lawrence literally burst to the front of the pack over the first 10 yards like he was shot out of a cannon. The incomparable OJ won the overall competition as expected with his sprinter's speed. Nevertheless, McCutcheon's near instantaneous start is the picture that always comes to my mind whenever anyone uses the phrase "shot out of a cannon." A couple of Marshall's runs presented a vivid picture of that phrase too, where he glided behind his blockers until daylight appeared and then, BANG!, he was gone!!!
wow, you just reminded of that. those superstar competitions were fun to watch.