Sports Q: Who is the most overrated athlete in Boston sports history?
Debate the answer with Chad Finn and other Boston sports fans at The Sports Q.
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Who is the most overrated athlete in Boston sports history? I would go with Derek Sanderson. His reputation and flamboyance far surpassed his playing career where he was a 3rd line center at best. Despite that many boys around here born during his playing career were named Derek. – John H.
Well, 25 years later, I hope all those boys named Derek changed their name to Nomar. It would have been the right thing to do.
Most overrated? Hmmm. I don’t think it’s a superstar. Ted Williams, Bill Russell, Bobby Orr, Tom Brady, Larry Bird … all were (or are now) properly rated as all-time greats. Russell, the greatest winner in the history of American team sports, might even be underrated. There are probably some Patriots fans that underrated Brady. Yes, I mean you, Person Who Wanted To Keep Matt Cassell in 2009. I know you’re out there.
It’s probably someone whose popularity exceeded his production. Sanderson was hugely popular on and off the ice, but he was also pretty darn good. From the 1967-68 season through the second Stanley Cup-winning season in 1971-72, he had 122 goals, 259 points, and 600 penalty minutes. That’s a player who was doing some work.
The first name that came to mind for me was Trot Nixon. He was a good player. From 2001-03, he averaged 26 homers and 90 RBIs, with a .279 average and an .883 OPS. But he was often injured, overrated defensively, didn’t have a long peak, and got way too much leeway for mental mistakes because he played hard, scowled and wore a dirty hat, looking every bit the Dirt Dog. He was good. Just not as good as many fans remember him to be.
Others? I think Celtics fans slightly overrate Kendrick Perkins, especially what he was after the knee injury, because he was so tough and likable. (I will agree with this – they win Game 7 of the 2010 Finals if he’s healthy. No way Pau Gasol gets 18 rebounds with Perk out there.) I imagine Tuukka Rask will get some votes here because he hasn’t won a Cup as a starter. I can’t really come up with a recent Patriot – so many of them tend to be underrated – but I’ll say the rightfully beloved Steve Grogan probably wasn’t quite as productive as the memory suggests.
What does everyone else think? Who is the most overrated Boston athlete of all time? I’ll hear you in the comments.
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