Most Overrated (Part II)

[SF Dolphin Fan]

This was an interesting original post and driving into work I thought of the most overrated player in the history of the game. None other than Joe Namath. Namath was exciting, he was the first qb to throw for 4,000 yards during a running era, his deep arm was highlight material. But when you look at Namath's career it is hardly Hall of Fame caliber. Jets fans like to comare Namath to Marino and even claim he's better because of Super Bowl III. I believe Namath more closely compares to Curt Warner or Vinny Testaverde. He had a couple of good seasons like Warner, but probably most closely resembled Testaverde in style and performance. I believe that Namath is the only qb with a sub 50 percent career completion percentage and more ints than td's in the Hall of Fame.

And let's re-visit Super Bowl III. It's that game really that put him in the Hall IMO. Coming out and predicting that the Jets would beat the heavily favored Colts and then helping them do just that was great theatre. Namath was very solid in that game putting together a Trent Dilfer type of game for the Jets. He didn't win it for NY, didn't carry the Jets on his shoulders, didn't even have to throw a pass in the fourth quarter, but he played a solid game and didn't lose it for them. Bottom line, though, the Jets won the game because they were able to run on the Colts and picked off I believe four passes (2 near the endzone when in looked like Baltimore would score). Namath did his part.

Don't get me wrong. Namath wasn't bad and he did have to endure some pretty bad Jets teams along the way. He played through some bad knees etc. But had he played anywhere besides NY, I doubt Namath would even have made the Hall of Fame ballot.

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

I have always felt that Joe Montana was the most over rated player I have seen in my lifetime. I do think he is a great player, but he isn't the god that people like to say he is. Also the fact that he was surrounded by one hell of a team and got to throw the ball to the best wide reciever to ever play the game, one of the better catching tight ends and one of the best recievers out of the backfield. Those 49er teams were just totally amazing on offense. Another thing that always bothered me was the drive. Unless Montana has the power to make defenders drop passes that are thrown right in their hands.

I also always felt that Dave Krieg was pretty under rated. I came to that conclusion when the Seahawks were an ok team and then they got rid of Dave Krieg and they became the 2nd worst team in the league.

 

[finfansince72]

That game put him in the Hall no doubt about it. Its pretty absurd to think that anyone with more int's than td's could even be considered. Less than 50% comp percentage, thats pretty much absurd.

 

[Zeke0123]

Gotta give the guy some props for his Balls tho... Imagine if they would have lost that game he would be the biggest schmuck in nfl history that took some guts.

 

[burger13]

Gotta give the guy some props for his Balls tho... Imagine if they would have lost that game he would be the biggest schmuck in nfl history that took some guts.

wait......he isn't the biggest schmuck in the history of the NFL???


"I wanna kiss you."

 

[#84Fan4Life]

Gotta give the guy some props for his Balls tho... Imagine if they would have lost that game he would be the biggest schmuck in nfl history that took some guts.

I don't know about that. It seems to me when players make guarantees and they are right then it gets blown way out of proportion. Now when they are wrong their guarantee is quickly forgotten and quietly fades into history.

As far as overrated I have to agree Namath is far overrated. He has more career pics (220) than TDs (173). I personally remember him for his great quote: "I want to kiss you Suzy." while being drunk off his *** on Sunday night football.

I would also agree that Montana gets too much credit (as all QBs do) for winning the Super Bowls. Montana has the best WR and maybe even player ever. Roger Craig was no joke either. Another example of the QB getting too much credit is John Elway. He was a great QB but never could win the Super Bowl. Then Terrell Davis shows up and dominates the league and Elway gets his 2 titles. Terrell Davis was the major reason that Elway finally got his rings but I don't think many people give TD credit for what he did.

 

[ricky williams]

i don't think joe gets too much credit. he won 4 superbowls. he had the greatest talent w/ new west coast but he never screwed up. put so many other qb's in his shoes and the pressure would have got to them. i remember him pulling at least 2 4th quater w/ 2:00 minutes left in the superbowl wins out. sometimes it's the guy who lets the people around them succeed who are the greatest qb's.

 

[hunter5nc1]

wait......he isn't the biggest schmuck in the history of the NFL???


"I wanna kiss you."

I think everyone wants to kiss her

 

[Awsi Dooger]

I have always felt that Joe Montana was the most over rated player I have seen in my lifetime. I do think he is a great player, but he isn't the god that people like to say he is. Also the fact that he was surrounded by one hell of a team and got to throw the ball to the best wide reciever to ever play the game, one of the better catching tight ends and one of the best recievers out of the backfield. Those 49er teams were just totally amazing on offense. Another thing that always bothered me was the drive. Unless Montana has the power to make defenders drop passes that are thrown right in their hands.

I also always felt that Dave Krieg was pretty under rated. I came to that conclusion when the Seahawks were an ok team and then they got rid of Dave Krieg and they became the 2nd worst team in the league.

I can't go along with that. I'm in my 40s and Montana is easily the best I have ever seen. Remember, he won two Super Bowls before Jerry Rice was drafted. In fact, the '81 team had plenty of rag tag guys including the starting backfield. I attended two 49er games that year and Montana basically won both of them singlehanded. The NFC in the '80s was stacked with talent and great coaches. To dominate that conference with 4 rings from '81 to '89 was phenomenal and required the best QB of all time to pull it off.

 

[AirFishOne]

To all the jets fans who think Namath is better than Marino, Namath had a team. Marino only had 2 very taleneted recivers, but no defence. this is why i think some palyers r overated. When u have a solid team n e can be good cause if u make a mistake then ur other teamates can easily pick up. Now if Marino made a mistake it would be a costly mistake cause his defence couldnt do ne thing about it. This proves that Marino is the best QB to ever play the game.

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

i don't think joe gets too much credit. he won 4 superbowls. he had the greatest talent w/ new west coast but he never screwed up. put so many other qb's in his shoes and the pressure would have got to them. i remember him pulling at least 2 4th quater w/ 2:00 minutes left in the superbowl wins out. sometimes it's the guy who lets the people around them succeed who are the greatest qb's.

he threw the ball right into the defenders hands. They never show that highlight of "the drive"

 

[BillsChamps2oo5]

Ive just thought of another Overrated

NICK SABAN

:D Just playing guys, before you jump all over me.

 

[t2thejz]

I think everyone wants to kiss her

Suzie Kolber or however you spell it? **** that..not me

 

[Awsi Dooger]

This was an interesting original post and driving into work I thought of the most overrated player in the history of the game. None other than Joe Namath. Namath was exciting, he was the first qb to throw for 4,000 yards during a running era, his deep arm was highlight material. But when you look at Namath's career it is hardly Hall of Fame caliber. Jets fans like to comare Namath to Marino and even claim he's better because of Super Bowl III. I believe Namath more closely compares to Curt Warner or Vinny Testaverde. He had a couple of good seasons like Warner, but probably most closely resembled Testaverde in style and performance. I believe that Namath is the only qb with a sub 50 percent career completion percentage and more ints than td's in the Hall of Fame.

And let's re-visit Super Bowl III. It's that game really that put him in the Hall IMO. Coming out and predicting that the Jets would beat the heavily favored Colts and then helping them do just that was great theatre. Namath was very solid in that game putting together a Trent Dilfer type of game for the Jets. He didn't win it for NY, didn't carry the Jets on his shoulders, didn't even have to throw a pass in the fourth quarter, but he played a solid game and didn't lose it for them. Bottom line, though, the Jets won the game because they were able to run on the Colts and picked off I believe four passes (2 near the endzone when in looked like Baltimore would score). Namath did his part.

Don't get me wrong. Namath wasn't bad and he did have to endure some pretty bad Jets teams along the way. He played through some bad knees etc. But had he played anywhere besides NY, I doubt Namath would even have made the Hall of Fame ballot.

Vinny Testaverde would have blown Super Bowl III by impatiently and stupidly checking out of called running plays and throwing forced INTs, just like the '86 Fiesta Bowl. Namath won that Super Bowl very much like Griese in our two title wins, deftly understanding field position, clock management and superiority in the trenches. If you downplay Namath's effort then Griese's two Super Bowls with basically 10 or less pass attempts must also be minimized. I think we're smart enough not to go there, given the nature of our team in that era.

I attended Super Bowl III as an elementrary schooler and believe me Namath threw some clutch and pretty passes with little margin for error, to Sauer in particular as the Colts were intent on shutting down Maynard. He checked out of many plays and always ran the clock down to near zero. That was before the play clock so you had to keep it in your head. My dad sitting next to me kept raving at how close Namath would come to taking too much time but always get it off in time. He played a great game in the bigggest game of his career, maybe the most significant in NFL history. To me, that counts plenty. He also outdueled Darryl Lamonica in a great AFL title game just to get to that Super Bowl.

Otherwise, I think it's difficult to gauge Namath's career without acknowledging he was almost always damaged goods. He was a great athlete at Alabama before tearing a knee. At that point he diminished to a pocket passer then hurt his knee several more times. When the Dolphins played the Jets in the early-mid '70s it seemed like he missed half the games. Many times it seemed like Namath played when he really shouldn't be out there. No question he forced the ball into coverage as his health and arm declined but he didn't seem to fully accept it or compensate.

One of our biggest games of the '72 season was a come-from-behind 28-24 win over Namath and the Jets in the Orange Bowl. That was by far the toughest game our defense had in '72. Namath had us on our heels all afternoon. No one else put up 20 or more points on us in a competitive game, including the playoffs. Younger fans might look at the results and see a 24-23 win over Buffalo, but that was entirely misleading. We were ahead 24-16 with seconds left and running out the clock when a Buffalo lineman inexplicably burst threw the line and literally stole the handoff. He either scored or ran it down to the goal line. We weren't threatened because there was no two point conversion in that era.

 

[alopez34]

i got an over rated for u the entire Jets Defense they looked horible against the steelers c team