Which is more difficult to accomplish? Being a great NFL RB or a being a great NBA center

[bow to royalty]

It's hard to be great with a backfield by committee, and it's hard to have the longevity necessary to be great.

 

[5 Grand]

To be a great NBA Center you have to be Seven feet tall.

To be a great NFL running back you have to be anywhere from 5'7" to 6' (there's not too many tall running backs).

Now the number of people who are 7 feet tall of basketball playing age (20-35) is probably in the hundreds. I'd estimate there are less than 1,000 7 footers of basketball playing age.

But there's literally millions of people between 5'7" and 6'.

So if you want to be a great NFL running back you have to compete with millions of people.

If you want to be a great NBA center you have to compete with hundreds of people.

I'd say its easier to be a great NBA center because there's less competition.

Mark Eaton - 7'4"

Greg Ostertag - 7'2"

Shawn Bradley - 7'6"

Manute Bol - 7' 7"

These guys were all tall but they weren't that good. But they were good enough to play in the NBA.

I don't think there's a comparable list of NFL running backs who weren't that good but made the NFL anyway.

 

[its....JOHN B]

Center easy, great running backs pop up every year, who was the last great center? Dwight in his prime maybe, right now the closest one to being great is who Cousins? And he can't get a team to the playoffs, Towns will be great, but there are hardly any great centers in the league anymore

 

[its....JOHN B]

To be a great NBA Center you have to be Seven feet tall.

To be a great NFL running back you have to be anywhere from 5'7" to 6' (there's not too many tall running backs).

Now the number of people who are 7 feet tall of basketball playing age (20-35) is probably in the hundreds. I'd estimate there are less than 1,000 7 footers of basketball playing age.

But there's literally millions of people between 5'7" and 6'.

So if you want to be a great NFL running back you have to compete with millions of people.

If you want to be a great NBA center you have to compete with hundreds of people.

I'd say its easier to be a great NBA center because there's less competition.

Mark Eaton - 7'4"

Greg Ostertag - 7'2"

Shawn Bradley - 7'6"

Manute Bol - 7' 7"

These guys were all tall but they weren't that good. But they were good enough to play in the NBA.

I don't think there's a comparable list of NFL running backs who weren't that good but made the NFL anyway.

If there are literally millions of people between 5'7 and 6' then there are literally millions of more chances for people to be great

 

[its....JOHN B]

Leveon Bell

AP

Gurley

Beast mode

Freeman

Charles

McCoy

And a few more will pop up next year

 

[Shizlansky]

Freeman? Naw.

 

[5 Grand]

To be a great NBA Center you have to be Seven feet tall.

To be a great NFL running back you have to be anywhere from 5'7" to 6' (there's not too many tall running backs).

Now the number of people who are 7 feet tall of basketball playing age (20-35) is probably in the hundreds. I'd estimate there are less than 1,000 7 footers of basketball playing age.

But there's literally millions of people between 5'7" and 6'.

So if you want to be a great NFL running back you have to compete with millions of people.

If you want to be a great NBA center you have to compete with hundreds of people.

I'd say its easier to be a great NBA center because there's less competition.

Mark Eaton - 7'4"

Greg Ostertag - 7'2"

Shawn Bradley - 7'6"

Manute Bol - 7' 7"

These guys were all tall but they weren't that good. But they were good enough to play in the NBA.

I don't think there's a comparable list of NFL running backs who weren't that good but made the NFL anyway.

If there are literally millions of people between 5'7 and 6' then there are literally millions of more chances for people to be great

Nope. Because there's only 32 teams in the NFL and 30 teams in the NBA.

So assuming every NFL team has 3 running backs

And assuming every NBA team has two 7 footers

The odds of being a NFL running back is (3x32=96) 96 in a million

The odds of being a NBA Center is (2x30=60) 60 in a thousand

Bottom line, if you're 7 feet, you have a better chance of making the NBA than a person who's between 5'7 and 6' making the NFL as a running back.

 

[its....JOHN B]

To be a great NBA Center you have to be Seven feet tall.

To be a great NFL running back you have to be anywhere from 5'7" to 6' (there's not too many tall running backs).

Now the number of people who are 7 feet tall of basketball playing age (20-35) is probably in the hundreds. I'd estimate there are less than 1,000 7 footers of basketball playing age.

But there's literally millions of people between 5'7" and 6'.

So if you want to be a great NFL running back you have to compete with millions of people.

If you want to be a great NBA center you have to compete with hundreds of people.

I'd say its easier to be a great NBA center because there's less competition.

Mark Eaton - 7'4"

Greg Ostertag - 7'2"

Shawn Bradley - 7'6"

Manute Bol - 7' 7"

These guys were all tall but they weren't that good. But they were good enough to play in the NBA.

I don't think there's a comparable list of NFL running backs who weren't that good but made the NFL anyway.

If there are literally millions of people between 5'7 and 6' then there are literally millions of more chances for people to be great

Nope. Because there's only 32 teams in the NFL and 30 teams in the NBA.

So assuming every NFL team has 3 running backs

And assuming every NBA team has two 7 footers

The odds of being a NFL running back is (3x32=96) 96 in a million

The odds of being a NBA Center is (3x30=60) 60 in a thousand

Bottom line, if you're 7 feet, you have a better chance of making the NBA than a person who's between 5'7 and 6' making the NFL as a running back.

all your numbers tell us is its more likely for a 7 footer to make it to the NBA than its is for a 5'7 to 6' to make it to the NFL, but it's not explaining why there are plenty of great running backs and hardly any great centers

 

[PanchoYoSancho]

Depends on what your definition of "great" is. If you're just referring to talent, that's one thing. But if you're talking about the ability to be great, the answer is running back easy. If you're a great Center you're gonna be great regardless of what's around you. Sure it helps to have perimeter players get you the ball in spots for you to succeed, but basketball is primarily a 1-on-1 game when you have the ball in your hands. A running back has to rely on touches, schemes and have the talent around him to succeed. You can have the most talent on the field, but if your O-line is shit and they're stacking the box cause they dont respect your QB you're fucked. A great Center may have to deal with double teams, but if he has serviceable shooters or a good pick-n-roll he can make them pay. In the NBA, great players always get the ball in their hands. That's not always the case in the NFL.

 

[playmaker88]

yah great and all time great are vastly different marked by defining moments/accolades/ longevity and the icing on the cake rings

 

[HustleThaDon]

What's with all these poles? This ain't the reason smh

 

[DOPEdweebz]

What's with all these poles? This ain't the reason smh

1. *polls

2. You still posted here

3. Bye hater.

 

[aneed123]

Center is harder ain't too many 7 foot people walking around. Add in its a guards league now. U don't have to be a huge person to be a great rb

 

[5 Grand]

To be a great NBA Center you have to be Seven feet tall.

To be a great NFL running back you have to be anywhere from 5'7" to 6' (there's not too many tall running backs).

Now the number of people who are 7 feet tall of basketball playing age (20-35) is probably in the hundreds. I'd estimate there are less than 1,000 7 footers of basketball playing age.

But there's literally millions of people between 5'7" and 6'.

So if you want to be a great NFL running back you have to compete with millions of people.

If you want to be a great NBA center you have to compete with hundreds of people.

I'd say its easier to be a great NBA center because there's less competition.

Mark Eaton - 7'4"

Greg Ostertag - 7'2"

Shawn Bradley - 7'6"

Manute Bol - 7' 7"

These guys were all tall but they weren't that good. But they were good enough to play in the NBA.

I don't think there's a comparable list of NFL running backs who weren't that good but made the NFL anyway.

If there are literally millions of people between 5'7 and 6' then there are literally millions of more chances for people to be great

Nope. Because there's only 32 teams in the NFL and 30 teams in the NBA.

So assuming every NFL team has 3 running backs

And assuming every NBA team has two 7 footers

The odds of being a NFL running back is (3x32=96) 96 in a million

The odds of being a NBA Center is (3x30=60) 60 in a thousand

Bottom line, if you're 7 feet, you have a better chance of making the NBA than a person who's between 5'7 and 6' making the NFL as a running back.

all your numbers tell us is its more likely for a 7 footer to make it to the NBA than its is for a 5'7 to 6' to make it to the NFL, but it's not explaining why there are plenty of great running backs and hardly any great centers

What's your definition of a "great running back".

There have been 7 running backs to get 2,000 years in a season (OJ Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, Jamal Lewis, Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson)

And there's probably about 7 "great" centers to play basketball (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwan, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaquille O Neal)

But the thing about being a great center is that you have to be 7 feet tall, which eliminates 99.9% of people.

Considering the size requirements, when a baby is born, his chances of being a great running back are greater than his chances of being a great center because the odds of that baby growing to 7 feet tall are astronomical.

 

[its....JOHN B]

To be a great NBA Center you have to be Seven feet tall.

To be a great NFL running back you have to be anywhere from 5'7" to 6' (there's not too many tall running backs).

Now the number of people who are 7 feet tall of basketball playing age (20-35) is probably in the hundreds. I'd estimate there are less than 1,000 7 footers of basketball playing age.

But there's literally millions of people between 5'7" and 6'.

So if you want to be a great NFL running back you have to compete with millions of people.

If you want to be a great NBA center you have to compete with hundreds of people.

I'd say its easier to be a great NBA center because there's less competition.

Mark Eaton - 7'4"

Greg Ostertag - 7'2"

Shawn Bradley - 7'6"

Manute Bol - 7' 7"

These guys were all tall but they weren't that good. But they were good enough to play in the NBA.

I don't think there's a comparable list of NFL running backs who weren't that good but made the NFL anyway.

If there are literally millions of people between 5'7 and 6' then there are literally millions of more chances for people to be great

Nope. Because there's only 32 teams in the NFL and 30 teams in the NBA.

So assuming every NFL team has 3 running backs

And assuming every NBA team has two 7 footers

The odds of being a NFL running back is (3x32=96) 96 in a million

The odds of being a NBA Center is (3x30=60) 60 in a thousand

Bottom line, if you're 7 feet, you have a better chance of making the NBA than a person who's between 5'7 and 6' making the NFL as a running back.

all your numbers tell us is its more likely for a 7 footer to make it to the NBA than its is for a 5'7 to 6' to make it to the NFL, but it's not explaining why there are plenty of great running backs and hardly any great centers

What's your definition of a "great running back".

There have been 7 running backs to get 2,000 years in a season (OJ Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, Jamal Lewis, Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson)

And there's probably about 7 "great" centers to play basketball (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwan, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaquille O Neal)

But the thing about being a great center is that you have to be 7 feet tall, which eliminates 99.9% of people.

Considering the size requirements, when a baby is born, his chances of being a great running back are greater than his chances of being a great center because the odds of that baby growing to 7 feet tall are astronomical.

Why even post the bolded? Are you implying there's only 7 great rb's in the history of the sport? you know the greatest running back was t even mentioned in there right? And there's more than 7 great centers, yea those were most of the all time greats but there were other great ones as well, and all those numbers you brought up thinking your a mathematician in here helps my argument not yours

 

[its....JOHN B]

Freeman? Naw.

If he has another monster year like that he's in there

 

[804]

A center having to be 7 feet tall is silly. Ewing is like 6-9, Shaq is 6-11 I believe. The size is irrelevant. The label of being a Center has a specific skill set to me, such as protecting the rim and rebounding. If you can't do those things your not a big man to me. Center and Power Forward are pretty much interchangeable, but I'll save that for another conversation.

@"its....JOHN B" just throwing the word great around all willy nilly. Your a great back if they can't consistently stop you with 8 in the box. Gurley(hasn't done enough), Bell(isn't on the field enoug), Freeman(not consistent), ain't great, and McCoy straddles the fence between good and great.

All that said, I'll go with running back because there are so many factors out of your control. There are so many ways a center can make an impact on the floor without shooting.

 

[5 Grand]

To be a great NBA Center you have to be Seven feet tall.

To be a great NFL running back you have to be anywhere from 5'7" to 6' (there's not too many tall running backs).

Now the number of people who are 7 feet tall of basketball playing age (20-35) is probably in the hundreds. I'd estimate there are less than 1,000 7 footers of basketball playing age.

But there's literally millions of people between 5'7" and 6'.

So if you want to be a great NFL running back you have to compete with millions of people.

If you want to be a great NBA center you have to compete with hundreds of people.

I'd say its easier to be a great NBA center because there's less competition.

Mark Eaton - 7'4"

Greg Ostertag - 7'2"

Shawn Bradley - 7'6"

Manute Bol - 7' 7"

These guys were all tall but they weren't that good. But they were good enough to play in the NBA.

I don't think there's a comparable list of NFL running backs who weren't that good but made the NFL anyway.

If there are literally millions of people between 5'7 and 6' then there are literally millions of more chances for people to be great

Nope. Because there's only 32 teams in the NFL and 30 teams in the NBA.

So assuming every NFL team has 3 running backs

And assuming every NBA team has two 7 footers

The odds of being a NFL running back is (3x32=96) 96 in a million

The odds of being a NBA Center is (3x30=60) 60 in a thousand

Bottom line, if you're 7 feet, you have a better chance of making the NBA than a person who's between 5'7 and 6' making the NFL as a running back.

all your numbers tell us is its more likely for a 7 footer to make it to the NBA than its is for a 5'7 to 6' to make it to the NFL, but it's not explaining why there are plenty of great running backs and hardly any great centers

What's your definition of a "great running back".

There have been 7 running backs to get 2,000 years in a season (OJ Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, Jamal Lewis, Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson)

And there's probably about 7 "great" centers to play basketball (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwan, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaquille O Neal)

But the thing about being a great center is that you have to be 7 feet tall, which eliminates 99.9% of people.

Considering the size requirements, when a baby is born, his chances of being a great running back are greater than his chances of being a great center because the odds of that baby growing to 7 feet tall are astronomical.

Why even post the bolded? Are you implying there's only 7 great rb's in the history of the sport? you know the greatest running back was t even mentioned in there right? And there's more than 7 great centers, yea those were most of the all time greats but there were other great ones as well, and all those numbers you brought up thinking your a mathematician in here helps my argument not yours

Are you asking is it more difficult to be a starting Center and a starting Running back, or are you asking if its more difficult to be an elite, all-time great?

 

[Inglewood_B]

Center easy, great running backs pop up every year, who was the last great center? Dwight in his prime maybe, right now the closest one to being great is who Cousins? And he can't get a team to the playoffs, Towns will be great, but there are hardly any great centers in the league anymore

Dont confuse flash in the pans with great. Most of them fizzle out in a year or two. Maybe 3.

 

[its....JOHN B]

A center having to be 7 feet tall is silly. Ewing is like 6-9, Shaq is 6-11 I believe. The size is irrelevant. The label of being a Center has a specific skill set to me, such as protecting the rim and rebounding. If you can't do those things your not a big man to me. Center and Power Forward are pretty much interchangeable, but I'll save that for another conversation.

@"its....JOHN B" just throwing the word great around all willy nilly. Your a great back if they can't consistently stop you with 8 in the box. Gurley(hasn't done enough), Bell(isn't on the field enoug), Freeman(not consistent), ain't great, and McCoy straddles the fence between good and great.

All that said, I'll go with running back because there are so many factors out of your control. There are so many ways a center can make an impact on the floor without shooting.

Stopped reading after this