Biggest NFL star ever - RedsZone.com - Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion

Chip R · 08-05-2010, 11:16 PM

I was running an errand tonight and had Brian Kenney's ESPN radio show on. He said he was talking to Mike Ditka about Favre and eventually the conversation got around to the biggest star in NFL history. This isn't necessarily the best player but the biggest star. It's easy to say that a current player would have that distinction in this 24/7 media and most of us not being able to remember stars back in the day. For my money, Joe Namath was the biggest star.

But you might have to adjust for eras. For example, Red Grange was a tremendous star when he first entered the NFL in 1925. He helped legitimize the NFL when he joined the Bears and they went on a 19 game 67 day barnstorming tour. He got in a salary dispute with the Bears and left to form his own league. How many players had the influence to form their own league? Someone like him would be the biggest star of the 20s. Maybe someone like Bronko Nagurski would have been the biggest star of the 30s. Maybe someone like Don Hutson or Sammy Baugh for the 40s.

bucksfan2 · 08-06-2010, 08:42 AM

Joe Namath was a huge star until he wanted to kiss Susie Kolber on live TV. I think his star has fallen quite a bit since then.

Jim Brown was mentioned but the man has been a disaster for the better part of a decade and is pretty toxic right now.

Mike Ditka and Dick Butkus come to mind as two guys who saw their star shine well after their NFL playing careers had ended. Heck Ditka had a SNL skit about him.

I think Favre can be one of the biggest if he wants to be. The issue that arises with today's players is they have already made millions and have a pretty nice NFL pension to go along with it. But I do think Favre symbolizes the everyman with everything he has done. Tough as nails, married his HS sweat heart, overcame an addiction, his wife battled cancer, and he has stayed a hometown boy to two cities. I do think a few years after he retires you will see him sign a contract with the Packers to be a spokesman/mascot type of guy.

GIDP · 08-06-2010, 08:50 AM

Peyton Manning and Bret Favre. You could ask anyone and they instantly would know who he is. They are both active players so maybe that helps.

Non active members, Jerry Rice is probably the most recognizable. Then again I dont really know what star means other than face recognition.

texasdave · 08-06-2010, 10:22 AM

Johnny Unitas or Joe Montana. I'd probably go with Johnny U.

improbus · 08-06-2010, 11:36 AM

Maybe I'm just young, but the whole Joe Namath phenomenon is so strange to me. Was he really that different from Ocho/TO types today? He wore the fur coats, seemed to care more about off the field stuff than on, and his overall importance to the actual football product seems to be vastly overrated. To me, there is no more overrated athlete in the history of sports thn Joe Namath.

KOBasinger · 08-06-2010, 12:23 PM

O.J. Simpson

zjr1717 · 08-07-2010, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KOBasinger

O.J. Simpson

Its amazing to me how famous O.J. was back in the day, I'm really to young to remember anything but the murder controversy and all his escapades afterward. But the murder thing has made him even MORE famous really.

Funny story, James Cameron the director(Terminator, Terminator 2, Aliens, Titanic, Avatar, etc.) was trying to decide who was going to be The Terminator in the original movie. Someone suggested O.J. Simpson, and Cameron basically said that O.J. was too nice and no one would really believe that he was a cold blooded killer. Obviously the role eventually went to teh Ahnuld.

Mario-Rijo · 08-07-2010, 09:05 AM

Jerry Rice (or Joe Montana). Dick Butkus is a pretty big football star as well.

In fact if I were doing a Mt. Rushmore of sports (5 heads) it would go:

Babe Ruth
Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky
Jerry Rice
Muhammad Ali

Dom Heffner · 08-07-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Joe Namath was a huge star until he wanted to kiss Susie Kolber on live TV. I think his star has fallen quite a bit since then.

Jim Brown was mentioned but the man has been a disaster for the better part of a decade and is pretty toxic right now.

Mike Ditka and Dick Butkus come to mind as two guys who saw their star shine well after their NFL playing careers had ended. Heck Ditka had a SNL skit about him.

I think Favre can be one of the biggest if he wants to be. The issue that arises with today's players is they have already made millions and have a pretty nice NFL pension to go along with it. But I do think Favre symbolizes the everyman with everything he has done. Tough as nails, married his HS sweat heart, overcame an addiction, his wife battled cancer, and he has stayed a hometown boy to two cities. I do think a few years after he retires you will see him sign a contract with the Packers to be a spokesman/mascot type of guy.

I think Namath's star had faded LONG before the Kolber thing.

Just due to time...

westofyou · 08-07-2010, 10:37 AM

Namath was the biggest AFL star ever.

Johnny Unitas was a bigggggggggg NFL star, as was Montana. Neither was as big as OJ though.

Betterread · 08-07-2010, 09:23 PM

Joe Montana was the biggest star. Joe Namath had about 2-3 years of complete brilliance that have not been equalled, but Montana was a star for a longer time.
OJ - come on. No way is he up there with Montana, Namath, Unitas.

kaldaniels · 08-07-2010, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

Jerry Rice (or Joe Montana). Dick Butkus is a pretty big football star as well.

In fact if I were doing a Mt. Rushmore of sports (5 heads) it would go:

Babe Ruth
Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky
Jerry Rice
Muhammad Ali

I may be wrong, but I just don't think Jerry Rice has the name recognition that you must think he has. Yeah, he did DWTS, but go out on the street and I think more people know of Peyton Manning,Brett Farve,Joe Montana, et al. Can't knock him as a player, just questioning the awareness of him.

Betterread · 08-07-2010, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

Jerry Rice (or Joe Montana). Dick Butkus is a pretty big football star as well.

In fact if I were doing a Mt. Rushmore of sports (5 heads) it would go:

Babe Ruth
Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky
Jerry Rice
Muhammad Ali

If you include the rest of the world:
Ali
Jordan
Pele
Tiger Woods
Zinedine Zidane

HokieRed · 08-07-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betterread

If you include the rest of the world:
Ali
Jordan
Pele
Tiger Woods
Zinedine Zidane

Outside Europe, sub. Maradona for Zidane.

Tornon · 08-13-2010, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betterread

If you include the rest of the world:
Ali
Jordan
Pele
Tiger Woods
Zinedine Zidane

Zidane over Beckham?

08-05-2010, 11:16 PM	#1
Chip R Rally Onion! Join Date: May 2000 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 33,215	Biggest NFL star ever I was running an errand tonight and had Brian Kenney's ESPN radio show on. He said he was talking to Mike Ditka about Favre and eventually the conversation got around to the biggest star in NFL history. This isn't necessarily the best player but the biggest star. It's easy to say that a current player would have that distinction in this 24/7 media and most of us not being able to remember stars back in the day. For my money, Joe Namath was the biggest star. But you might have to adjust for eras. For example, Red Grange was a tremendous star when he first entered the NFL in 1925. He helped legitimize the NFL when he joined the Bears and they went on a 19 game 67 day barnstorming tour. He got in a salary dispute with the Bears and left to form his own league. How many players had the influence to form their own league? Someone like him would be the biggest star of the 20s. Maybe someone like Bronko Nagurski would have been the biggest star of the 30s. Maybe someone like Don Hutson or Sammy Baugh for the 40s. __________________ The Rally Onion wants 150 fans before Opening Day. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rally-...24872650873160

08-06-2010, 08:42 AM	#2
bucksfan2 Waitin til next year Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 9,610	Re: Biggest NFL star ever Joe Namath was a huge star until he wanted to kiss Susie Kolber on live TV. I think his star has fallen quite a bit since then. Jim Brown was mentioned but the man has been a disaster for the better part of a decade and is pretty toxic right now. Mike Ditka and Dick Butkus come to mind as two guys who saw their star shine well after their NFL playing careers had ended. Heck Ditka had a SNL skit about him. I think Favre can be one of the biggest if he wants to be. The issue that arises with today's players is they have already made millions and have a pretty nice NFL pension to go along with it. But I do think Favre symbolizes the everyman with everything he has done. Tough as nails, married his HS sweat heart, overcame an addiction, his wife battled cancer, and he has stayed a hometown boy to two cities. I do think a few years after he retires you will see him sign a contract with the Packers to be a spokesman/mascot type of guy.

08-06-2010, 08:50 AM	#3
GIDP Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,419	Re: Biggest NFL star ever Peyton Manning and Bret Favre. You could ask anyone and they instantly would know who he is. They are both active players so maybe that helps. Non active members, Jerry Rice is probably the most recognizable. Then again I dont really know what star means other than face recognition.

08-06-2010, 10:22 AM	#4
texasdave Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 9,532	Re: Biggest NFL star ever Johnny Unitas or Joe Montana. I'd probably go with Johnny U.

08-06-2010, 11:36 AM	#5
improbus Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Marysville, OH Posts: 2,006	Re: Biggest NFL star ever Maybe I'm just young, but the whole Joe Namath phenomenon is so strange to me. Was he really that different from Ocho/TO types today? He wore the fur coats, seemed to care more about off the field stuff than on, and his overall importance to the actual football product seems to be vastly overrated. To me, there is no more overrated athlete in the history of sports thn Joe Namath. __________________ Variatio delectat - Cicero

08-06-2010, 12:23 PM	#6
KOBasinger Johnny Cueto Fan Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Fairfield, Ohio Posts: 264	Re: Biggest NFL star ever O.J. Simpson __________________ TWITTER : @KOBasinger

08-07-2010, 09:05 AM	#8
Mario-Rijo HOF CLASS OF '12 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 8,989	Re: Biggest NFL star ever Jerry Rice (or Joe Montana). Dick Butkus is a pretty big football star as well. In fact if I were doing a Mt. Rushmore of sports (5 heads) it would go: Babe Ruth Michael Jordan Wayne Gretzky Jerry Rice Muhammad Ali __________________ 2008 Reds Draft Prospect RZ Scouting Reports 2009 Reds Draft Prospect RZ Scouting Reports 2010 Reds Draft Prospect RZ Scouting Reports "You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one." --Woody Hayes

08-07-2010, 10:37 AM	#10
westofyou breath Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: PDX Posts: 39,339	Re: Biggest NFL star ever Namath was the biggest AFL star ever. Johnny Unitas was a bigggggggggg NFL star, as was Montana. Neither was as big as OJ though.

08-07-2010, 09:23 PM	#11
Betterread Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,106	Re: Biggest NFL star ever Joe Montana was the biggest star. Joe Namath had about 2-3 years of complete brilliance that have not been equalled, but Montana was a star for a longer time. OJ - come on. No way is he up there with Montana, Namath, Unitas.

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