The underrated career of Charles Roberts

[Arnold_Palmer]

I was looking at his stats the other day. I know he gets a lot of flack because of the grey cup in 2007 and his sharp decline in 2008 but he averaged about 1500 yards and close to 6 yards per carry for five straight seasons and the amazing thing is during his prime we had one one of the worst offensive lines in the league and guys like Tee Martin under Center. Also back to back 2000 all purpose yards. I love me some Andrew Harris but Roberts was truly spectacular. As a kid growing up during his prime and being a short fast runningback I remember emulating his game and I have to say he doesn’t get enough love. 

[Mark H.]

Agreed. But that '07 Grey Cup is kind of a big deal. 

[Arnold_Palmer]

1 minute ago, Mark H. said:

Agreed. But that '07 Grey Cup is kind of a big deal. 

I won’t hold it against him. He carried our team for several years. He always brought his A game on the field. I don’t care what he did off of it. He has to be the most spectacular running back I’ve ever seen in the cfl in terms of making the man miss, especially in open field. 

[Mark H.]

9 minutes ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

I won’t hold it against him. He carried our team for several years. He always brought his A game on the field. I don’t care what he did off of it. He has to be the most spectacular running back I’ve ever seen in the cfl in terms of making the man miss, especially in open field. 

Fair comment. He was indeed a rare talent. Far too many great talents did not win a GC while wearing Bomber colours. Top 3:

1. Milt Stegall

2. Charles Roberts

3. Doug Brown 

[Arnold_Palmer]

Just now, Mark H. said:

Fair comment. He was indeed a rare talent. Far too many great talents did not win a GC while wearing Bomber colours. Top 3:

1. Milt Stegall

2. Charles Robert

3. Doug Brown 

All three deserved a ring. Absolute legends. 

[17to85]

Yeah roberts is a but of a forgotten  great around the league. It always makes you wonder what the guy might have been if he gave a **** at all about being professional.

[Pete Catan's Ghost]

No player has ever provided me more joy watching him play. 

Edited September 12, 2021 by Pete Catan's Ghost

[Blue_Dragoon]

20 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

Agreed. But that '07 Grey Cup is kind of a big deal. 

My sentiments exactly.

[Arnold_Palmer]

15 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Yeah roberts is a but of a forgotten  great around the league. It always makes you wonder what the guy might have been if he gave a **** at all about being professional.

He played with tee Martin and the worst offensive line in the league and still put up 1600 yards and over 2000. Give him today’s o line and he feasts and wins multiple Grey cups. 

Edited September 11, 2021 by Arnold_Palmer

[17to85]

The change of direction and explosiveness he had was just incredible. 

[Goalie]

Imagine he didn't smoke and actually tried to get better. Dude got by on God given natural talent and was the greatest RB I've ever seen in my Bomber lifetime 

Edited September 11, 2021 by Goalie

[Arnold_Palmer]

7 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Imagine he didn't smoke and actually tried to get better. Dude got by on God given natural talent and was the greatest RB I've ever seen in my Bomber lifetime 

He always tried hard on the field. He gets a bad rep but he gave it all he had on the field. He was phenomenal 

[Goalie]

3 minutes ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

He always tried hard on the field. He gets a bad rep but he gave it all he had on the field. He was phenomenal 

Oh I meant off the field. Amazing talent tho 

[Noeller]

Here's the thing about who deserved a Cup.... Stegall andnl Brown deserved it. Roberts.... I don't know that he ever earned it. 

[Nolby]

I was just looking while at the game today,Roberts isn't in the ring of honor and deserves a spot up there if guys like Doug brown are.  Roberts for years absolutely dominated,he should be up there.

Edited September 12, 2021 by Nolby

[wbbfan]

Blink is one of the most physically talented backs I've ever seen. Either side of the border any league. 

He did more with bad olines and offensive systems then is believable. I blame a lot of his drop off to that. 

Yes he was a party animal and not a pro with his body. But he was 165 lbs between the tackles runner. That's nuts. 

The gc come on with Glenn we win. With out we lose. Can't put that on him and not put 01 on khari milt Cameron etc. 

Cornish Reynolds blink Pringle Harris. The best backs of the last 30 years. 

34 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Here's the thing about who deserved a Cup.... Stegall andnl Brown deserved it. Roberts.... I don't know that he ever earned it. 

He carried our team more and longer than many guys. More than brown. 

2 hours ago, Goalie said:

Imagine he didn't smoke and actually tried to get better. Dude got by on God given natural talent and was the greatest RB I've ever seen in my Bomber lifetime 

Honestly then he never sees the cfl. 4.6 40. High 4.4 low 4.5 he's a career kr in the NFL. 

[17to85]

8 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

The gc come on with Glenn we win. With out we lose

Yeah well maybe don't show up to a game where a rookie qb needs help hung over.

[Rod Black]

He was a a ton of fun to watch. He could score anytime he touched the ball. Like most people, he had a few slip ups in his private affairs given his age. If you meet him, you’d like him. 

[Mike]

Unbelievably talented but it’s not hard to remember him for the guy who stiffed my friend on rent money after the Bombers set him up with a place to live and the guy who I saw picking up used smokes off the ground outside the bar two years after retirement.

Unmatched in terms of god given talent but a real serious bum.

[wbbfan]

22 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Yeah well maybe don't show up to a game where a rookie qb needs help hung over.

I personally saw blink single handedly destroy the riders on LD when he was either hung over or still drunk. Youd be surprise how many of his games were like that. It was an early morning game and I saw him out at 2 or 3 am with 2 chicks and 2 bottles. Thought he was gonna be NFG. But he wasnt. He shouldnt be like that, but youd be surprised how many star athletes battle with all kinds of addiction. 

 

20 minutes ago, Mike said:

Unbelievably talented but it’s not hard to remember him for the guy who stiffed my friend on rent money after the Bombers set him up with a place to live and the guy who I saw picking up used smokes off the ground outside the bar two years after retirement.

Unmatched in terms of god given talent but a real serious bum.

It sucks, but to an extent  we have to separate artists from their flaws. Roman polanski and woody allen made great movies but where some of the worst people. 

[rebusrankin]

Great player, one of the all time best running backs.

[SpeedFlex27]

Players aren't perfect. They have character flaws like all of us. Some are nice. Some aren't. Some have big egos & some don't. Some are smart & some are stupid. Some like people. Some don't. Some are selfish & think only about themselves. Some will work with charities, sports organizations & give you the shirt off their back. Some are crooks. Some are saints. None of them asked to be role models although some recognize that it helps to be that way.  

[bearpants]

16 hours ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

I won’t hold it against him. He carried our team for several years. He always brought his A game on the field. I don’t care what he did off of it. He has to be the most spectacular running back I’ve ever seen in the cfl in terms of making the man miss, especially in open field. 

I would typically agree…. But what irks people about the 07 game is that what he did off the field directly affected what he did on the field… and that’s hard look past…

[17to85]

1 hour ago, bearpants said:

I would typically agree…. But what irks people about the 07 game is that what he did off the field directly affected what he did on the field… and that’s hard look past…

The biggest part to me was it was a game where everyone knew they needed to lean on him. And he was awful. Hard to forgive that despite all the good things he did. 

[Jesse]

My all-time favourite football player. The reason I watch football, tbh.

 

I don't think I can call him underrated though. He's well known as our best (or second best) RB in team history,