Athletes you admire from teams you don't!

[Zomby Woof]

This can be past or present. No need to be picky!

I am infamous for my hatred of the New York Yankees, but there is no way in hell to deny the greatness that was Babe Ruth. I also respect Lou Gehrig and Roger Maris.

From the San Francisco Giants, I love Willie Mays. Say hey!

In football... I loathe the Oakland Raiders, but Jim Plunkett was one helluva QB back in the day. A rival who knew how to "just win, baby."

[PVnRT]

1. I'd go with Joe Montana

Always liked him, hated the Forty-Whiners.

[TheBaldyMan]

2. almost the entire Arsenal football team.

half the French World Cup winners in there.

I have had a grudging respect for them (I am a Spurs fan, both N. London teams) since they trounced Barcelona at the Nou Camp a few years back.

[Phillycat]

3. Oh, well, Derek Jeter.

I would never, ever root for him, but he's an amazing baseball player. UNLIKE A-Rod, that fuck, who is a cheater and a crybaby punk.



I hated Emmett Smith for so many years because he would just trounce us and he was a Cowboy, but he was an amazing running back. Peyton Manning I loathe, but he's amazing.

[Zomby Woof]

6. You are precisely correct about A-rod

:thumbsup:

Or as they called him in Seattle, "Pay-rod". :D

[fishwax]

4. I prefer to think of Plunkett as a Patriot

It's hard to like a raider :) By the time I became aware of football he was already a Raider, and while I was raised to hate the Raiders it was hard not to admire Plunkett. I wound up feeling the same way about Marcus Allen, especially later in his career when he played for the Chiefs.

[Zomby Woof]

7. Plunkett annoyed me to no end

Because he defeated the Chargers when they were on the cusp of going all the way... and because he was a genuinely nice guy, which is atypical for the Raiders organization. I liked him better than Stabler, that jackass. :-)

[tk2kewl]

5. David Eckstein

AKA Doogie Houser the 12 yr old shortstop (according to my favorite radio personality: Steve Somers)

[nini]

8. Larry Bird

As a die-hard Laker fan he broke my heart a couple times. But I still admire him.

[Zomby Woof]

9. Truly!

I would add Bill Russell with Bird as a Celtic I admired from a team I loathed. :-)

[nini]

13. yes.. Bill Russell.. one of the best

Now.. there's not a soul on the Kings I can think of :D

[Zomby Woof]

14. FUCK the Kings!

:D

I am not requiring we name people from teams we hate - only IF it can be done, LOL. :loveya:

[nini]

17. mini me?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Shakespeare]

10. Peyton Manning.

I'm a die-hard Dallas fan, but I LOVE Peyton Manning. Have no use for his whiny little brother, though.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

11. ok, not an athlete

but here it goes: Dean Smith

:hide:

[jobycom]

12. Donovan McNabb. nt

[nytemare]

15. Troy Aikman, Tiki Barber

Emmitt Smith.

Hate the Cowboys and Giants, hated/hate going against these players, but man, could they play.

It is surprising that Tiki will be retiring.

Troy Aikman is a hell of a commentator, very balanced. More so than my favorite Redskins homer Joe Theismann.

[Oeditpus Rex]

16. Mays, McCovey, even Marichal

Despite what the latter did to Johnny Roseboro.

I like a lot of the old Giants — I guess because I grew up with them, on radio and sometimes teevee and in the SF Chronicle's Sporting Green (which actually used to be on green newsprint). My first ballplayer autograph was Tito Fuentes.

McCovey was such a nice guy, only a sociopath could hate him. Same with Marichal, although he had some anger management issues that Sunday in '65.

Mays was Peter Pan, as well as the greatest ballplayer ever.

Oh — when I was a kid, next to Koufax, my idol was Mickey Mantle, who would've been the greatest ballplayer ever had his legs been more flexible and his elbows less so.

[Yavin4]

18. Big Pappi And Manny

Hate the team and their fans, but love those two guys, esp. Manny who is the best overall hitter in MLB.

[regularguy]

19. Emmit Smith. Great player, seems like good guy. N/T

[taterguy]

20. Matt Doherty

I grew up loathing all University of North Carolina sports teams. However, in 1981 he made a meaningless play in an NCAA Tourney game. The play allowed me to win my math class contest to predict the score. I've always been grateful.

[buddhamama]

21. Jerry Rice

I have admired Jerry since forever. ;) I didn't like that he played for the Raiders but i rooted for him anyway.

[GOPisEvil]

22. Ryne Sandberg and Greg Maddux from the Cubs.

:)

[Zomby Woof]

23. I LOVE the Cubs

So your post is disqualified. :P

[GOPisEvil]

24. OK - Mike Matheny from the Giants.

Of course he's a former Cardinal. He was out at the end of last year with post-concussion syndrome. I do hope he can recover fully.

:P

[Zomby Woof]

25. I already posted which Cards I liked the other night

Which in a way, previewed this thread. :bounce:

[GOPisEvil]

26. I knew it sounded familiar.

;)

Oh, and let me add Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman from the Astros.

[Catshrink]

27. This will be a shocker: I love Brett Favre

but I hate the scum sucking, bottom feeding, Green Bay Slackers.

Go Bears!!!!