The List: Most overrated of all time
Just in case any of y'all needed something to talk about around the watercooler, here's something for you: Who are the 10 most overrated athletes of all time? ESPN.com's Jeff Merron has put together his own list. A few of them I agree with, a few of them I vehemently disagree with. Then again, this was a question with no right or wrong answer.
- Joe Namath
Namath was a great quarterback for only a few seasons. He's been properly credited for leading the Jets to a Super Bowl III win (and a few bonus points for being cool enough to know he didn't have to pass to beat the Colts). Namath was an icon, a product of his times, and he played the New York tune in perfect key, fur coat and all. But as a player ... there have been dozens of better QBs in modern times. Some surprisingly lousy career stats to consider: 173 TD passes, 220 INTs, completion percentage of 50.1.
Indeed. If Namath had played for Cincinnati, would anyone have even noticed?
- Phil Rizzuto
Rizzuto was a fine shortstop who had one truly great season -- his MVP year of 1950.
If Rizzuto had played for, say, Pittsburgh, he would be a footnote in baseball history. Apparently, wearing pinstripes makes all the difference.
- Lynn Swann
Hmmm. In nine seasons, he was a Pro Bowler only three times. Averaged less than 40 catches per season. A couple of great playoff performances, but lots of so-so ones. In terms of career stats, you can't get more straightforward than the footballreference.com summary: "Lynn Swann is not in the all-time top 50 in any major category." So why is he in the Hall of Fame?
Hmm...perhaps he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers during their glory years? Swann was a gifted receiver, to be sure, but Hall of Fame material? Not in my book.
- Jose Canseco
Wow. We knew Canseco was overrated, and he's especially unlikable these days, but just checking out his stats in an objective fashion, you'd be less than impressed. A .266 BA and just six 100+ RBI seasons in an offensive era, a so-so .353 OBP. Terrible in the postseason -- a .184 batting average and .398 slugging percentage
Yeah, overrated would be something of an understatement. Of course, if your Hall of Fame criteria includes domestic violence, questionable behavior, and truly horrific defensive skills, Jose's your man. Frankly, one shouldn't be elected to the Hall of Fame for being a flippin' idiot.
- Deion Sanders
Spectacular to watch in his prime, dominant on pass defense (although a notoriously weak tackler), but he asked for too much money, and undeservedly got it.... Oh, and he was a mediocre baseball player, despite the hype and two Sports Illustrated covers (only one less than Barry Bonds!).
Yes, he was fast, and yes, he was flashy, but can anyone tell me when Deion actually made an honest-to-God tackle? Of course, if your HOF criteria includes self-promotion at the expense of the team, Deion's goes to the head of the class.
- Pete Maravich
Pistol Pete, perhaps the most spectacular college player ever, was a very good, but not great, NBA player.
Unfortunately, we're talking about professional athletes here, not college stars. While Maravich was certainly a gifted baller, his career at LSU is what he will be remembered for.
- Nolan Ryan
If you wanted to go see a game with lots of K's, lots of walks, and not much in-between, Ryan was your man. In his long career, he racked up some spectacular achievements -- for example, 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters. Other spectacular marks included 2,795 walks and 292 career losses, which put him, with a 324-292 record, not far above .500.
Granted, he pitched most of his career for mediocre teams, but he never won the Cy Young Award (Steve Carlton, his contemporary and also a strikeout pitcher, won four Cy Youngs). A great hurler, but not, as many fans believe, the greatest in baseball history.
Now, this one I take issue with. You don't pitch until you're 206 years old (at 100 MPH) without being a truly great pitcher. Most of Ryan's records will likely outlast all of us. I doubt we will see his like anytime soon. Yes, he pitched for mediocre teams, but the man could THROW, and, as Robin Ventura will attest, he could throw down as well. In an era when pitchers are handled with kid gloves, Ryan displayed an almost superhuman durability.
- Pete Rose
He's got the most hits in baseball history, but that doesn't make him the greatest hitter in baseball history, as many casual fans believe. Rose kept himself in the game for five years after he should have retired, and he hurt the Reds as a player his last couple of years. Don't get me wrong: Rose was great, and he worked his tail off, but his his hits record is greatly overplayed. He didn't even come close to Ty Cobb at the plate:
Rose: BA: .303; OBP: .375; SLG: .409, career high of 82 RBI, 198 SB
Cobb: BA: .366; OBP: .433; SLG: .512, seven seasons of 100+ RBI, 892 SB
Good. Someone finally makes an argument without using the "G" word. Yes, Rose gambled, and betting on baseball is wrong. Still, there are wife-beaters, drug abusers, and alcoholics in the Hall of Fame. If you question Rose's career statistics, you've got a solid argument, but leave the personal failings out of it.
- O.J. Simpson
Simpson had one incredible year, and two other great ones. But if you check out his career stats, what you'll find is five fine seasons and six so-so ones in which he gained less than 700 yards on the ground. Not much of a receiver, either -- in his 2000-yard season, Simpson caught a grand total of six passes.
Again, another case of a miserable human being that many have written off solely for that reason. A good football player certainly, but definitely a very overrated one.
- Apolo Ohno
Ohno already deserves a spot in SI's "Where are they now?" issue. A couple of questions: Why was he an SI cover boy last year when he was in a minor sport that had only been in the Winter Games since 1992? We could think of a dozen winter Olympians more deserving of that slot. Anything intriguing about him? Nah ... he's no Barry Zito.
Apolo Who? Exactly....
What? No Dennis Rodman? No Scottie Pippen?
Of course, now it seems like about 3/4 of the Astros roster is highly overrated, but this list contains a few names that richly deserve to be there. If sports are just another form of entertainment, then you will always have those who achieve fame and fortune in spite of themselves. (e.g.- Tom Green, Jay Leno, Phil Mickelson, Terrell Owens- ad infinitum, ad nauseum)
Anyone else have any ideas? Can you think of anyone who deserves to be on the list but weren't mentioned??
