Forgotten Superstars-Billy Sims

Today,we extend the Forgotten Superstars series to the Football universe with a player that was on his way to Canton before a knee injury that left him unable to continue his career.
Billy Sims was the 1978 Heisman Trophy winner,the top pick in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions and a Pro Bowler in three of his four full seasons before the injury that finished him in the middle of the 1984 season in a game vs the Minnesota Vikings.

Look at the numbers.
Sims rushed for over 1000 yards in the three seasons that he played most of and was robbed of two more with injuries.
Sims rushing average was 4,5 yards per carry and that ranks with the best of all time.
This was not just a runner,Sims could catch the ball as well,catching 186 passes over the course of his five year career.

Sims looked to be a possible Hall of Famer and the funny thing is this,without his injury,Barry Sanders might not have ever worn his famous number 20 with the Lions as Sims could have either had the number retired or still been playing and Sanders would been another teams hero.
Sims dominated the Big 8 during his years at Oklahoma and finished with over 3,800 yards on his Sooner career.
One could argue that he could won the 1979 Heisman as well as he finished second to Southern Cal's Charles White and would have joined Archie Griffin as the only two time winners of the award.
Oklahoma won three Big 8 titles with Sims and appeared in three Orange Bowls (winning two)

As a child and actually through high school,I was just as big of an Oklahoma football fan as I was Ohio State.
I loved the wishbone offense,Barry Switzer and the way the Sooners always played.
Sims was usually in the left halfback spot and was quite adept at taking the pitch from whatever quarterback was running the option at that particular time.
One of my neatest memories when Ryan was little was going through the grocery store
"running the option" with a roll of paper towels or whatever and optioning the "ball" back to him.
He used to always ask to do that when he was little and sometimes even when he was bigger!
So if anyone out there needs an option quarterback the next time that you are in the grocery store-you know who to call!

Billy Sims retired after the 1984 injury and now is involved with Billy Sims Barbeque,which is a four restaurant chain in the Norman/Tulsa Oklahoma area.
Sims was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995.
The University of Oklahoma honored Sims with a statue in their Heisman Park in 2005.
What an honor and the park looks so nice,I wish Ohio State would consider a similar idea for honoring their Heisman winners.

A runner that falls short only to injury,Billy Sims may not ever enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame,but his greatness makes him a forgotten superstar.....




Bullpen Notes

Sometime today,Scott Boras and Pedro Alvarez will be taking their case to the arbitrator.
Good luck to the Buccos,although I somehow think that this will not be the final word on this.

Our good friend Wilbur Miller takes an excellent look at the Pirates 40 man roster situation from top to bottom with his usual insight.
Sorry to Battlin Bob,as Wilbur looks at the Battlers guy Brad Corley as a "Non Prospect."

Jack Wilson continues to miss time with his injured finger.
Two questions remain with Wilson.
One: Will he be a Pirate in 2009?
and Two: Can he get healthy enough to at least take a run at pinch hitting or running in the Pirates last (and what could be his last Pirate) home game?

Another huge shot to the injury riddled Seattle Seahawks as starting guard (and former Buckeye) Rob Sims has suffered a torn pec muscle and will likely miss the season.
Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack will step in as his replacement.
What a season this is looking like for Seattle!

And finally,Only one month to go before the drop of the puck for Devils hockey!
The Devils will host the Islanders at the Rock on October 10th.

Photo Credits
Sims Statue:Roger Little
SI Cover:SI