OK, it’s the Buckeye offseason, the Cavs just lost, baseball lasts forever, no OTAs yet, so it’s time for some discussion about other things, so I wanted to make a contribution. In this post, I wonder who people think are the most athletically controversial players they have seen. I say “athletically controversial” because I am not talking about politics, or criminality, or personality, per se, but rather the guy with the widest range of opinions on them, from franchise savior to the most hated man in the city/sport, both from outside fans and from within their own fan base, primarily due to what they did on the field/court, but also taking into account all of the ancillary things that go into that opinion, which are more a function of the observers, and not necessarily the athlete themselves. My list is below, so hopefully what I mean will be more clear, and you might have other opinions:
Football- Michael Vick: Again, this has nothing to do with his dog issues, though that certainly ramped up the controversy. But I have never personally seen a fan base more divided about a guy than the Falcon fans were about Vick. Everything played into that: the South, every stereotype you can think of, perceptions of what a black QB is, or should be, style of play, amazing results like winning a playoff game in GB, inexplicable losses after boneheaded decisions, everything. To the point that to this day, I hear more Atlanta people, and people in general, still talking about Vick than I do the current Falcons team. To some he was a savior. To others he was a villain they never wanted, long before the dog issue came to light. Many others didn’t seem to know what to make of him, or his unique skill set, or his penchant for doing things no other QB did…both extremely good and extremely bad. That goes for fans, coaches, teammates, media...everyone.
Basketball- Allen Iverson: To me, this one isn’t even close. I still read and hear people say he was the greatest player they ever saw. Not Jordan. Not LeBron. And they won’t take anyone else even into consideration. Many of those same people think everyone was out to f^%$ him at every turn, because he didn’t think, look, or talk like the corporate NBA and front office wanted him to. Similar dividing lines were painted inside the Philadelphia fan base. He’s one of the rare players that you can truly look at his stats and make them say anything you want, which adds to the divide. Was he selfish? Was he incredible? Did he not pass enough? Did he just not enjoy the benefit of the officiating that every other star got? We could fill a thread just debating Iverson’s career, I imagine, and hundreds of message boards have done just that. Playground legend or NBA 50 greatest? You decide.
Baseball- Barry Bonds: Even before the steroid allegations, this guy had plenty of supporters and plenty of detractors. Hank Aaron says none of his records matter, but Willie Mays acts like he is the second coming of…Willie Mays. Many of the same people lauding him at every turn (I am looking at you, Jim Rome) turned 180 on him, seemingly overnight, when the public opinion tide about steroids started to significantly turn. But no one signifies the go-go “chicks dig the long ball” steroid era more than Bonds, who many believe could have been a HOFer without them…and an equal number use that to both say he should be in the HOF and that he should never get in. Bay Area people I am not as sure about, but it always seemed like there was a contingent out there who couldn’t stand him, either. Brash, arrogant, standoffish, unquestionably talented, drew paying customers by the 10s of thousands everywhere he went...in many ways, he was, and still is, the poster child of the steroid era.
Have different players to add? Fire away. I am interested to see what people think, especially since we have so many varying ages one here.
Football- Michael Vick: Again, this has nothing to do with his dog issues, though that certainly ramped up the controversy. But I have never personally seen a fan base more divided about a guy than the Falcon fans were about Vick. Everything played into that: the South, every stereotype you can think of, perceptions of what a black QB is, or should be, style of play, amazing results like winning a playoff game in GB, inexplicable losses after boneheaded decisions, everything. To the point that to this day, I hear more Atlanta people, and people in general, still talking about Vick than I do the current Falcons team. To some he was a savior. To others he was a villain they never wanted, long before the dog issue came to light. Many others didn’t seem to know what to make of him, or his unique skill set, or his penchant for doing things no other QB did…both extremely good and extremely bad. That goes for fans, coaches, teammates, media...everyone.
Basketball- Allen Iverson: To me, this one isn’t even close. I still read and hear people say he was the greatest player they ever saw. Not Jordan. Not LeBron. And they won’t take anyone else even into consideration. Many of those same people think everyone was out to f^%$ him at every turn, because he didn’t think, look, or talk like the corporate NBA and front office wanted him to. Similar dividing lines were painted inside the Philadelphia fan base. He’s one of the rare players that you can truly look at his stats and make them say anything you want, which adds to the divide. Was he selfish? Was he incredible? Did he not pass enough? Did he just not enjoy the benefit of the officiating that every other star got? We could fill a thread just debating Iverson’s career, I imagine, and hundreds of message boards have done just that. Playground legend or NBA 50 greatest? You decide.
Baseball- Barry Bonds: Even before the steroid allegations, this guy had plenty of supporters and plenty of detractors. Hank Aaron says none of his records matter, but Willie Mays acts like he is the second coming of…Willie Mays. Many of the same people lauding him at every turn (I am looking at you, Jim Rome) turned 180 on him, seemingly overnight, when the public opinion tide about steroids started to significantly turn. But no one signifies the go-go “chicks dig the long ball” steroid era more than Bonds, who many believe could have been a HOFer without them…and an equal number use that to both say he should be in the HOF and that he should never get in. Bay Area people I am not as sure about, but it always seemed like there was a contingent out there who couldn’t stand him, either. Brash, arrogant, standoffish, unquestionably talented, drew paying customers by the 10s of thousands everywhere he went...in many ways, he was, and still is, the poster child of the steroid era.
Have different players to add? Fire away. I am interested to see what people think, especially since we have so many varying ages one here.
