# Most popular athlete who was a jerk **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 15, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357 "2009-12-15T14:34:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/61 "2009-12-16T21:22:08Z")
Um, yes, he was. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/62 "2009-12-16T22:09:09Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Manduck: > > Interesting, I recall Reggie being so beloved that even after he left the Yankees, he was cheered as a visitor in Yankee Stadium. > > But maybe he was booed in cities where he never played for the home team? Reggie Jackson was detested in Yankee Stadium early for because he dissed captain Thurman Munson and didnā€™t get along with Yankee manager/nutcase Billy Martin. Later on Yankee fans decided they loved him. In the Bill James ā€œHistorical abstractā€ Jackson is listed as least-admired star of the 1970s (Willie Stargell was most-admired). ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/63 "2009-12-16T22:56:13Z")
I think Joe Namath would qualify. When he was at Alabama, his on-campus nickname was Greasy Joe. He was a drunk, a jerk, and a slob with poor personal hygiene. Apparently, he was frequently involved in fistfights in bars, and he went for weeks at a time without showering.His cocky, showboating behavior is what first earned him the nickname ā€œBroadway Joeā€. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/64 "2009-12-16T23:54:07Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I believe you, I just find it odd and sort of amusing that he would turn his rage into a multimillion dollar enterprise selling indoor grills. I recall the commercials, I donā€™t think he was marketing the grill to the needy. I do have to say though that short of a real outside kind of grill, those things were pretty versatile for cooking indoors. I misread this, by the way; I thought Iā€™d mildly offended you or something. I meant ā€œseriouslyā€ in agreement (like ā€œDude, totally!ā€), not that I thought you didnā€™t believe me. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/65 "2009-12-17T15:50:08Z")
I encountered Norm Cash and Hank Aguirre several times in bars. They were two of the most approachable and nice guys you would ever meet. But Denny McClain believed he was special. He had a prima donna attitude. In response to a reporters question about his attitude, he told him, When you are discovered to be a special athlete, you are young and everybody is trying to do things for you. You are a kid and things just keep coming your way. From the age of 15 he never had to pick up his own luggage. He wasnā€™t mature enough to handle it. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/66 "2009-12-17T23:42:44Z")
Iā€™m tempted to start a ā€œmost popular athlete who **wasnā€™t** a jerkā€ thread. Who were the great athletes who were genuine good guys? ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/67 "2009-12-18T04:22:49Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > Yeah, just one man in baseball canā€™t simply WILL his team to a title. They throw the ball, he hits it, period. Maybe makes a catch or two. Whatā€™s a brother gonna do other than that, to make his team win? > > But yeah, a prick. Even here in SF, people think heā€™s a prick, just our prick. > > Joe One player can and does make a difference. If you donā€™t think so, watch Willie Stargell in the 1979 series. He literally put that team on his back and carried it to a title. True, he didnā€™t pitch, he didnā€™t catch all the balls. But at the plate, he took care of business. Bonds, on the other hand, had a long reputation for failing when the pressure was the greatest. He blew three straight playoff series in Pittsburgh in the early 90ā€™s, and he failed to throw out Sid ā€œIā€™m running on bone because the cartiledge in my knee is long goneā€ Bream scoring from second base on a single at home plate from short left field. (ok, Iā€™m still bitter) These are things the stud player does. Derek Jeter makes that diving catch in the stands. He makes the flip to Posada to get the runner at home. He has clutch hits when the pressure is on. Thatā€™s what Iā€™m talking about. Bonds has incredible numbers, no question about it. He was one of the most feared hitters of all time (especially in his late 30ā€™s, when he discovered HGH and 'roids.) But he never delivered a championship anywhere. I understand he canā€™t do it alone, but a clutch hit, a defensive play, whatever, makes all the difference. Iā€™d take Jeter any day over Bonds. Bonds choked everywhere. I think he had a good WS with San Fran, but they still lost in 7. (yes, I hate Barry Bonds. What a prick) And itā€™s good to hear that Steve Carlton is a decent guy off the field. That was the first story I heard about him that was positive. Maybe he just doesnā€™t like to be in the spotlight. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/68 "2009-12-18T10:33:33Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Iā€™m tempted to start a ā€œmost popular athlete who **wasnā€™t** a jerkā€ thread. Who were the great athletes who were genuine good guys? Stan Musial. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/69 "2009-12-18T11:00:35Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Iā€™m tempted to start a ā€œmost popular athlete who **wasnā€™t** a jerkā€ thread. Who were the great athletes who were genuine good guys? For an Atlanta Braves fan, Dale Murphy. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/70 "2009-12-18T12:29:44Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > For an Atlanta Braves fan, Dale Murphy. This jibes with everything Iā€™ve ever heard about Murphy. Iā€™m not a fan, but every account of the manā€™s character that Iā€™ve heard has been glowing. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/71 "2009-12-18T13:46:49Z")
A guy who worked a pro golf tournament for a while told me some golfers are not that friendly. He thought it was because golf is not a team sport , it was everyone looking out for #1. They donā€™t need to hang out with other golfers. There are a few team events like the Ryder Cup but they are a small part of the sport and most guys donā€™t go to those events. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/72 "2009-12-18T14:00:51Z")
Some have said that the reason the Europeans have done so well in the Ryder Cup is that they do hang out together (or at least did until making the big bucks) and it does foster a team spirit. They travel together from tournament to tournament and share hotels, whereas the Americans fly in and out in their personal jets and there is much less camaraderie. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/73 "2009-12-18T15:52:14Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > One player can and does make a difference. If you donā€™t think so, watch Willie Stargell in the 1979 series. He literally put that team on his back and carried it to a title. Honestly, this is crap. Thereā€™s some argument to be made that Bonds let the pressure get to him in Pittsburgh; in his days in San Francisco he carried that team as far as a single position player could. Does anyone still think Dusty Baker is a genius manager? He was awesome down the stretch in every pennant race San Francisco contended in, and if anyoneā€™s had a better postseason than Bonds in 2002, Iā€™d like to see it. I mean, no one goes around calling Tony Gwynn an underachiever, and where are his rings? ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2009, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/74 "2009-12-19T08:38:27Z")
Marty McSorley gets plenty of T.V. time. He hit a guy in the back of the head with a hockey stick. Thatā€™s assault with a weapon. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2009, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/75 "2009-12-19T11:21:50Z")
From experience: Scottie Pippen was a lousy tipper. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/76 "2009-12-19T15:09:09Z")
> [@furt](#): > > From experience: Scottie Pippen was a lousy tipper. Good point. Heā€™s always struck me as profoundly unpleasant. And any player whoā€™s REFUSE TO GO IN in the waning seconds of a playoff game canā€™t be described as a good guyā€“unless he saves a baby from a burning building or something. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/77 "2009-12-19T17:21:59Z")
> [@Theodore\_Striker](#): > > A second for Pete Rose, he defines the term ā€œself serving assā€ well. He is still beloved by a lot of folks in Cincinnati who know him only as the hustling hometown boy who made something of himself and was hard done by the man. Anyone who has met him in any other setting than an autograph signing will tell you he has the class of a hairy boar. In the early 1980ā€™s Pete Rose would come to Santa Maria, CA to appear at a Community College fundraiser because an ex teammate of his was the coach. My brother attended one of the events with his son and he said afterward as he was walking to his car, there was Pete, all alone, walking to his rental car. My brother ran over to him and said ā€œPete, Im one of those guys who used to boo you at Dodger Stadium back in the dayā€ He said Rose laughed and said , ā€œhey you paid for your ticket , you were entitled to boo.ā€ He said he couldnā€™t have been nicer and there he was, all alone, doing a favor for an old friend, in a small town 3 hours from Los Angeles. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/78 "2009-12-21T05:31:30Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > He was awesome down the stretch in every pennant race San Francisco contended in, and if anyoneā€™s had a better postseason than Bonds in 2002, Iā€™d like to see it. Well put. (Game Six was just on MLB Network. Iā€™m hard up for baseball but thereā€™s no way I was going to watch that.) And yes, heā€™s a a prick, but heā€™s our prick. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/79 "2009-12-21T06:02:20Z")
Tony Stewart used to get in trouble pretty regularly for beating up people trying to interview him. Everything else Iā€™ve heard about him off the track has been positive though. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357/80 "2009-12-21T08:09:07Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > Tony Stewart used to get in trouble pretty regularly for beating up people trying to interview him. Everything else Iā€™ve heard about him off the track has been positive though. Maybe people stopped trying to interview him :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-popular-athlete-who-was-a-jerk/521357.md?page=5)