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Overrated athletes
- Thread starter toweringinferno
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OJdaKiller
Member
To be overrated you have to have achieved less than you're given credit for.
Rodgers was Super Bowl and League MVP..I believe he set a single season record for QB rating. Guy is a top 3 QB in the league..He's been a top 10 qb in the league from the moment he was a starter.
It's hard to overrate a guy that's achieved a lot in a little time and is on the top of his game...Rodgers isn't a Favre..He doesn't choke..If the team loses it's not because of a dumb int...Guy has to carry the entire team because the defense is a bottom 10 defense..Scoring 30 pts isn't enough for the Packers to win every game so he has to exceed that...All without a running game until last year.
Actually overrated qbs would be:
-Flacco...The guy sucks year in and year out...The Ravens are one of a handful of teams in the league where Flacco is capable of starting..I'd take Josh McCown over Flacco any day of the week..I think Flacco is on the same level as a McCown..Cutler, Palmer...They all help their team win equally..
-Kapernick..I thought this guy was going to be the next RG3 (rookie year type play)..Granted it's only his 3 year, so I don't think it's fair to say he's bad, just isn't a top qb...He was an upgrade to Alex Smith..that isn't hard to be...Romo is an upgrade to Alex Smith..Matt Ryan is a big upgrade from Alex Smith..Ryan gets half the publicity as Kapernick and is twice the QB.
OJdaKiller
Member
Throw Rivera on there too...
I just think Jeter is overrated defensively than anything else. People talk about his gold gloves, his jumping throws, and that one catch where he "flew into the stands". The dude has a negative dWAR for his career, his highest dWAR was 1.1 back in '98. He also played his home games in hitter's park in a division where 4 out 5 teams have hitter friendly ballpark + always had good players around so it's naturally he'll put up good offensive numbers.
Aaron Rodgers had a great group of receivers to throw to and a top 5 defense the year he won the Super Bowl. You could argue that the Clay Matthews forced fumble in the 4th quarter was the most critical play in the game, since momentum was on Pittsburgh's side.
He hasn't done anything since then, other than be one-and-done the year he won league MVP. A 5-4 post-season record, with 4 of those wins coming 4 years ago when they won the Super Bowl. Two losses already at Lambeau Field, while Favre had 3 over the course of 12 playoff games at home.
See the thing with Rivera is that he hold the most career saves record.... that's no small feat. I remember him being dominant at the peak of his career as well... none of that can be said of Jeter.
Ninja Scooter
Member
A QB that put up great stats and won a Super Bowl had good receivers and a good defense? You don't say?!?
The problem is I think people have already decided which athletes they don't like and skew the facts to fit their narrative. "He's 5-4 in the playoffs, but 4 of those wins came the year they won the Super Bowl!" So what? They don't count? Nothing you said about Aaron Rodgers should be a negative. The same things could be applied to nearly every other successful, winning QB in NFL history.
He didn't play great in either Super Bowl game, so let's not deflect blame from the performance he led on offense.
And for those saying Peyton Manning because of his post-season history, Brady's numbers since Spygate in the playoffs haven't been exactly stellar.
If he goes to a better team and gets lesser stats, it doesn't make him a worse player. He would be great on a team like the Warriors where he can feed off Curry.
OJdaKiller
Member
I'm a Packer fan but even I can see Rodgers receivers aren't that great....Jennings...hmmm..how's that working out for him...James Jones..wonder how this great receiver will do in Oakland? With Rodgers he led the league in Tds...Rodgers has the same effect on receivers that Manning does..He makes avg receivers good and good receivers great...Jordy Nelson isn't a great receiver..But I think Cobb is..
Wins and Super Bowl rings are team accomplishments...Qb's imo, should be ranked on their individual accomplishments first, then team achievements second...Rodgers can't play defense too...So "his" record in the playoffs, isn't on him..It's on the team..
Plus he's classy...He handled the whole Favre replacement in the absolutely best way..He said nothing and had his play do the talking..While Favre was egging him on, he's never shot a word back...The guy is above it...
Going purely off of memory, the Nuggets have a pretty good record against the big 3. You can pretty much guarantee that Miami wouldn't have made the finals if they were in the west this year. Miami was allowed to rest any player they wanted in the east because their only competition was Indiana.
I have nothing personal against Rodgers. I don't believe anything I said was sugar-coated as a personal attack on him (I am not even a Lions/Bears/Vikings fan). I am only saying he is overrated because he hasn't accomplished much since what he did 4 years ago. His only other playoff win came off a team playing with a backup QB.
I agree he handled replacing Favre great, and the break-up between Favre and Green Bay couldn't have gone any worse. However, his class doesn't determine whether he is overrated or not.
I like to determine a QB's success by their post-season success. You can't be a slouch at the QB position to make the post-season, but the play in the post-season is what really counts.
Sure Super Bowl wins are team accomplishments--I mean football is the ultimate team sport, but it doesn't stop people from using it as a comparison point for QBs. Who do most people like to say is the best QB in the history of the league? Most people say Joe Montana, and the first thing they bring up is his 4 rings.
He's been in the league, 6 years now? He has 1 out of 6, which he got early on in his career. All I am saying is I'd like to see more from him when the games actually matter. He is good enough to do more, and I think he will. But for now, I am saying he is overrated because he hasn't done much in 4 years.
Sickness702
Member
Bradley is a smaller fighter with no power that had to come up in weight to fight pacquiao.
KidA Seven
Member
Iverson is overrated. Inefficient chucker who wasn't a good defender.
The only reason everybody likes him is because of his size and that he scored a lot of points.
The only reason everybody likes him is because of his size and that he scored a lot of points.
Some of the responses in this thread are just mind blowing. Do you even know what overrated means?Iverson
I think it was mostly because he looked slick.
Have you ever seen him play or seen what he accomplished?
I agree. I don't even watch NASCAR but based off what I hear he like never really wins but manages to be the face of the "sport." HIS fans pretty much just ride on the legacy of his father.
Sickness702
Member
I'm not saying he is a bad player because his stars would fall. I am saying he won't be "that guy" anymore. Right now everyone is crazy about him but they weren't acting that way when he was playing for UCLA. I suspect that once he lands on a decent team he will fade back into being a good player but not a superstar caliber player.
KidA Seven
Member
He was an inefficient scorer. People think Kobe was inefficient, although he was really above average, but not amazing compared to LeBron or Jordan. Kobe shot 46% most seasons. Iverson shot 42% most of the time and his 3pt/FT shooting was well below Kobe's.
Not to mention that his defense was trash. Racking up steals meant nothing when his defense was trash. Even though his supporting cast wasn't good enough offensively, they were ranked 5th (If I remember correctly) in defense in 2001 with Dikembe being a multiple Defensive player of the year. He did not deserve his MVP in 2001 when you consider that there are two sides of basketball. Kobe and Shaq deserved it more.
He's the definition of overrated.
BruiserBear
Banned
This is hilariously inaccurate. His NFL stats are fantastic, if you take into account the fact that he played partial seasons because of his baseball career, and he missed training camp every year. His average yards per rush for his career is 5.4, which is incredible. Barry Sanders career average was 5.0. Walter Payton's is 4.4.
njean777
Member
Please define fold? He was the best player on his team this year and was the most consistent, if you call that folding then I don't know what you are smoking. He cannot win the whole game by himself, if he could, he would probably still be on the Cavs. Lebron is not overrated, he is the best player in the league and I think you are delusional if you do not see this.
I kind of agree. To add to the list and bring it to the more modern era I would say James Harden is currently the most overrated "superstar" in the NBA.
His defense is abysmal, he doesn't play within the flow of the offense which harms his teams effectiveness, is a chucker, has been pretty bad in big games. If he didn't get star calls and was a master of the flop he would probably be one of the most inefficient starting 2 guards in the NBA right now.
theignoramus
Member
Wiggins doesnt have Lebron's basketball IQ or floor vision,which is the main thing that propels the teams he's on to title contending status. The guy makes everyone around him better. He's an excellent playmaker, and an excellent individual defender too.
bucknuticus
Member
You shut your mouth
theignoramus
Member
LBj is not one of my favourite players, but it feels like there's this vocal minority of people that reflexively underrate him because they're sick of ESPN oversaturating their programming with LBJ talk , they dont like the Jordan comparisons he gets, or they dont like the person they believe him to be.
GeordieMark
Member
I agree with this.
I've never seen this guy have a good game. Ok, he scored two goals the other night, but aside from that he made no impact. And one was a penalty the keeper should have saved.
Granted, he has an impressive goal scoring record for Brazil but I've got to question the standard of the opposition he has faced.
Up against decent European sides, he looks lightweight and ineffective.
He's not even close to the likes of Messi and Ronaldo.
To the poster who said Ronaldo is an overrated athlete, check out his goals and assists over the past 5 years. The guy is a beast. He's underrated by all the people who say Messi is miles better if anything.
Diprosalic
Banned
i would argue that Bosh is underrated and who overrates Deron anymore? If you told me he didn't play this year I'd believe you.
~Devil Trigger~
In favor of setting Muslim women on fire
Every great player , from Jordan to Lebron are" volume shooters"...
I think you missed the "accuracy" part of his post.
Lebron and Jordan are/were very accurate. I think Jordan had one sub 45% season and was typically above 50%. Above 50% for his career. And that was for a guard in an era where guards didn't have the favorable rules they have today.
Iverson was pretty much the definition of an inaccurate chucker. Putting up stats like 24- 27 attempts per game on 38-41% shooting for many years.
HalfBakedProphet
Member
yeah I'm sorry man. Tim Tebow gets my knickers in a twist
samus i am
Member
This is a really divisive thread.
Halcyon
Member
realraptor
Member
Chris Bosh as a Raptor was an efficient scorer. He was underrated by some and didn't have a good supporting cast.
Basketball
LeBron James - he is a great player but for this new generation of fans it is important that he be considered the GOAT. He isn't even close.
Westbrook - BUT WHAT AN ATHLETE! Yeah, he doesn't do anything with that athleticism.
Chris Paul - Sort of like LeBron in that he is great but not the WTFOMGBESTESTOFALLTIME point guard that many like to think he is.
Football
Tony Romo - Dallas is desperate for a hero. This guy gets anointed?
Flacco and Wilson - Both good but entirely dependent on a great running game and defense. Game managers at this point although I think Wilson can break out from that label in the next year or two.
Baseball
Jeter - sort of our version of David Beckham. Above average at best but receives hype that isn't deserved.
Soccer
Suarez, Ronaldo and Messi - I kid, I kid!
Neymar - overrated at this point but I think his talent will enable him to earn the praise he already receives (maybe real soon).
USMNT - yeah, not so good. Of course, only Americans think they are so only overrated here.
LeBron James - he is a great player but for this new generation of fans it is important that he be considered the GOAT. He isn't even close.
Westbrook - BUT WHAT AN ATHLETE! Yeah, he doesn't do anything with that athleticism.
Chris Paul - Sort of like LeBron in that he is great but not the WTFOMGBESTESTOFALLTIME point guard that many like to think he is.
Football
Tony Romo - Dallas is desperate for a hero. This guy gets anointed?
Flacco and Wilson - Both good but entirely dependent on a great running game and defense. Game managers at this point although I think Wilson can break out from that label in the next year or two.
Baseball
Jeter - sort of our version of David Beckham. Above average at best but receives hype that isn't deserved.
Soccer
Suarez, Ronaldo and Messi - I kid, I kid!
Neymar - overrated at this point but I think his talent will enable him to earn the praise he already receives (maybe real soon).
USMNT - yeah, not so good. Of course, only Americans think they are so only overrated here.
theignoramus
Member
His true shooting percentage was above 50% for many years though because he was getting 10 FT attempts a game and hitting 8 of them.
Like, James Harden's true shooting percentage is over 60%, even though he has almost Iverson tier shooting percentages. He's incredible at getting to the line. I think his offensive game is unpleasant to watch, as it consists of step back threes and drives to the rim where he exaggerates contact, but there's no discounting the fact hes an incredible foul magnet. Iverson was too, though he didnt flop like Harden does, he was actually getting pummelled.
Lebron excluded(because he does seem to have a fervent base that thinks he's the GOAT or close to it)
Does anyone outside of a delusional minority think that about any of those athletes?
I think CP3 is the best pure point guard in the game today and before his injury years ago was making a case as a top all time player for his position but at this rate will never catch someone like Stockton.
Westbrook is a top SG in this league but he shouldn't be playing point full time. People talk about Iverson and that is the mold of Westbrook. A shooting guard in a PG's body who will tend to dominate the ball too much if you give him the reigns and ignore most of his teammates.
I think every NFL fan agrees with that assessment of those guys. Romo is pretty much a joke at this point and everyone knows Flacco and Wilson aren't superstars. Kaepernick is another in that mold.
Harden and iverson are/were both beneficiaries of star calls.
I made a big post on it in the NBA thread but Harden attacks the basket and plays around the rim about as much a guy like Tyreke Evans yet Harden had almost 300 more FT attempts then Evans(over 100% more) and Evans only played about 20% fewer minutes.
You see what happens in big games like the finals or this years playoffs when Harden isn't getting his regular season star calls and he turns into an inefficient mess. Because his game is basically stand around on D and do nothing except occasionally swat for a steal or gamble in the passing lanes and then either run to the rim with a circus shot or take an inefficient jumper.
As to both of them, iverson and harden, they get to the line I'll give you that but so did/do guys like Jordan, Bryant, Durant, James, Love, Davis, Paul but they also manage not to be black holes in terms of offensive flow and shoot efficiently from the floor. Iverson and Harden are both me-first players that have a very selfish game that gives them good stats but isn't conducive to championship basketball IMO.
professor_t
Member
How in the hell could he have won in Cleveland? Name the good supporting players on that team that could have helped him win a title. If you think a superstar can do it entirely on his own, you haven't been paying attention.
I'm not even a LeBron fan, but the fact that he actually made it to the finals with Cleveland is more impressive than anything he did in Miami.
captmcblack
Member
Jeter was just lucky.
Lebron isn't shit.
Iverson never even won anything, just a chucker.
Mariano Rivera is merely above-average.
Advanced statistics.
GAF
Lebron isn't shit.
Iverson never even won anything, just a chucker.
Mariano Rivera is merely above-average.
Advanced statistics.
GAF
I agree. Not a big fan either but I argued with another guy about that and people who think he should of chipped in Cleveland are delusional. No modern star could of chipped with that team/coach. I'm not even sure in-his-prime Jordan could of done it.
Lebron dragged a pitiful Cavs team to the finals but came up against the dynastic and experienced Spurs in Duncan, Parker and Ginobolis prime. With one of the most efficient offenses in the league and the best defense. I don't even think Jordan on that team could of overcame that.
Yes people make those claims all the time or, at least, find it worth a serious discussion. "Best pure point guard today" doesn't really resonate with me because having a "pure" point guard these days isn't a great thing. If such a thing was the most important criteria I'd take Tony Parker for the category every single time.
I don't put Kaep into that mold because his offense doesn't do anything unless he makes very difficult plays. By any advanced analytics the 49ers running game is total crap and their receivers don't get open.
"Eastern Conference" pretty much explains everything. Yeah, it was pretty bad even back then although it has managed to plummet to indescribably terrible levels this year. Honestly, making it to the Finals from the East just isn't a real accomplishment at this point which is why LeBron needs to prove he can make it there from the West if he wants to be talked about in such glowing terms. He won't though as he knows he has a free ride to the Finals as long as he doesn't. Once there he can hope the West team is beat up, tired, has a bad series or gets unlucky and maybe wins 50% of those series...
The Albatross
Member
LEARN HOW TO THROW A FUCKING FOOTBALL ANDREW!
I remember this because Luck is my fantasy QB. Pretty sure he was getting hard pressure on this play and had to dance out of the pocket. Learn to protect your golden child franchise QB, Indy.
Luck is not over-rated.
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