# Who is the "Face of the Franchise" for each major sports team in your city? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 27, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058 "2012-10-27T17:50:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/61 "2012-10-29T21:16:50Z")
Since Houston came up: Current: Texans: JJ Watt Astros: ??? Do 107 loss teams have a “face”? Jim Crane the owner, I guess. Rockets: Jeremy Lin (eta: the Harden trade might change this one up) All-time: Texans: Andre Johnson Oilers: Earl Campbell. Warren Moon probably comes in a close 2nd. Astros: Biggio or Bagwell Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon ---
**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:** [October 29, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/62 "2012-10-29T21:21:09Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Since Houston came up: > > Current: > > Texans: JJ Watt > Astros: ??? Do 107 loss teams have a “face”? Jim Crane the owner, I guess. > Rockets: Jeremy Lin (eta: the Harden trade might change this one up) > > All-time: > > Texans: Andre Johnson > Oilers: Earl Campbell. Warren Moon probably comes in a close 2nd. > Astros: Biggio or Bagwell > Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon Wouldn’t the Astros face for now be Jose Altuve? I’d go for Moon over Campbell, but I wasn’t in Houston for the Campbell years so I won’t kick over that, either. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/63 "2012-10-29T21:41:38Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > No one’s done the LA Lakers yet, so… > Current: Kobe Bryant > All-time: I think it’s impossible to pick just one. Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem, Magic, etc. Just Basketball? Gonna throw in the hockey…letting someone more knowledgeable do basketball…and as for football…:dubious: Hockey: Kings: Current: Dustin Brown or Jonathan Quick All-Time: Wayne Gretzky Ducks: Current: Corey Perry, Ryan Getlaf All-Time: Teemu Selanne ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/64 "2012-10-30T20:25:52Z")
**Padres** Current - Probably Chase Headley All-Time - Tony Gwynn, and no one else is really close. Trevor Hoffman would be a distant #2 **Chargers** Current - Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates second All-Time - This is actually a pretty tough call. I’ll go with Junior Seau, but it could also be Dan Fouts or LaDainian Tomlinson (with a few old-timers voting for Lance Alworth) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/65 "2012-10-30T21:03:44Z")
> [@davidw](#): > > Giants All-time has to be Lawrence Taylor. When it was current? Yes. Taylor lost the retirement game. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/66 "2012-10-30T21:05:06Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > …and as for football…:dubious: The OP asked for “major” sports team, not pro, so I’ll throw in USC (and most of them are on the take, so they’re practically pro) **USC** : Current: Reggie Bush. You say he doesn’t play there anymore? So what. The past 3 three seasons have been all about the sanctions or emerging from the sanctions; the current coach is there because Pete Carroll hightailed it to Seattle before the sanctions came down, so I say it’s Bush. All Time: OJ Simpson. Cause I’m a Bruin As for my Bruins: Current: Um…uh…the freshman quarterback looks pretty good. He should be awesome by his junior year…let me get back to you… All Time: Troy Aikman Soccer (the \*other \*football): LA Galaxy: Current & All-Time: David Beckham. Chivas: We have _2_ soccer teams? Basketball: Lakers: Current: Kobe Bryant All Time: A lot to choose from, but I’ll go with either Kareem or Magic Clippers: Bwah-ha-ha… Baseball: Dodgers: All Time: Oh man…where do you even start? Steve Garvey? Sandy Koufax? Fernando Valenzuela? Tommy Lasorda? Jackie Robinson if you want to include Brooklyn? Angels: All Time: Either Nolan Ryan or Rod Carew ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/67 "2012-10-30T21:09:20Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > The OP asked for “major” sports team, not pro, so I’ll throw in USC (and most of them are on the take, so they’re practically pro) > > **USC** : > Current: Reggie Bush. You say he doesn’t play there anymore? So what. The past 3 three seasons have been all about the sanctions or emerging from the sanctions; the current coach is there because Pete Carroll hightailed it to Seattle before the sanctions came down, so I say it’s Bush. > > All Time: OJ Simpson. Cause I’m a Bruin > > As for my Bruins: > Current: Um…uh…the freshman quarterback looks pretty good. He should be awesome by his junior year…let me get back to you… > All Time: Troy Aikman > > Soccer (the \*other \*football): > LA Galaxy: Current & All-Time: David Beckham. > Chivas: We have _2_ soccer teams? > > Basketball: > Lakers: > Current: Kobe Bryant > All Time: A lot to choose from, but I’ll go with either Kareem or Magic > > Clippers: Bwah-ha-ha… > > Baseball: > Dodgers: > All Time: Oh man…where do you even start? Steve Garvey? Sandy Koufax? Fernando Valenzuela? Tommy Lasorda? Jackie Robinson if you want to include Brooklyn? > > Angels: > All Time: Either Nolan Ryan or Rod Carew Jackie Robinson. I have Brooklyn fandom running in my veins and its obvious to me. The man has his number retired across all of baseball. And he was a hall of famer in his own right beyond his historic role. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/68 "2012-10-30T22:02:27Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > **Retro** -The all-time Ram has to be Eric Dickerson But he played when the franchise was in L.A., and most fans in St. Louis would be pretty “meh” about him. Warner is a god on the other hand. But I’m not a Rams fan so… ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/69 "2012-10-30T22:59:40Z")
Montreal: Current: Habs: Carey Price. An argument could be made for PK Subban, but I’m probably being influenced by the fact that he’s currently doing the local weather. 😕 Alouettes: Anthony Calvillo Expos: N/A Impact: I don’t know…maybe Marco Di Viao? All-time: Habs: Do I have to pick? Dryden, Roy, Lafleur, Beliveau, Richard… Alouettes: I think Anthony Calvillo is currently carving out that spot for himself. Perhaps Sam Etcheverry is still holding a claim to the spot, or Tracy Ham. Expos: Moisés Alou? Pedro Martinez? I don’t know, I never followed baseball, but I know those two names, so that has to count for something. Impact: I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/70 "2012-10-30T23:10:52Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Cincinnati: > > Current: > > Bengals: AJ Green or Andy Dalton > Reds: Joey Votto > > All Time: > > Bengals: Anthony Munoz > Reds: Pete Rose Bengals: Anthony Munoz, Ken Anderson, or Boomer Esiason Reds: Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, or Barry Larkin ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/71 "2012-10-31T09:51:23Z")
Phoenix: Current: Diamondbacks: Justin Upton Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald Suns: Steve Nash ☹ All-time: Diamondbacks: Luis Gonzales Cardinals: Tougher, but probably still Larry Fitsgerald. Aeneas Williams was terrific, and Jake Plummer was the most famous QB the team had over a longer stretch than a season or two. Suns: Interesting here. I’d still go with Steve Nash (and he has those MVPs). But Kevin Johnson deserves it, too, and played longer in Phoenix. Oh, and the Coyotes are here, I guess. They play some sort of weird ice game, though. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/72 "2012-10-31T12:18:20Z")
> [@Jules\_Andre](#): > > Phoenix: > > Current: > Diamondbacks: Justin Upton > Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald > Suns: Steve Nash ☹ > > All-time: > Diamondbacks: Luis Gonzales > Cardinals: Tougher, but probably still Larry Fitsgerald. Aeneas Williams was terrific, and Jake Plummer was the most famous QB the team had over a longer stretch than a season or two. > Suns: Interesting here. I’d still go with Steve Nash (and he has those MVPs). But Kevin Johnson deserves it, too, and played longer in Phoenix. > > Oh, and the Coyotes are here, I guess. They play some sort of weird ice game, though. Randy Johnson doesn’t make your all time cut for the D-backs? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/73 "2012-10-31T13:35:04Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Boston: > > Patriots: Tom Brady > Celtics: Paul Pierce or Rajon Rondo > Bruins: Zdeno Chara > Red Sox: David Ortiz > > All time > Patriots: Tom Brady > Celtics: Larry Bird or Bill Russell > Bruins: Bobby Orr > Red Sox: Ted Williams No other Boston fans around here besides us? 😛 But I agree with you nearly 100%…the only slight change I might make is Bergeron over Chara, but a case can easily be made for either one. Too bad Thomas is sitting this season out, otherwise I’d go with him. And for the Celtics, an argument might be able to be made for Garnett, though I’m not a huge basketball fan, so I don’t know if he’s as popular as Rondo or Pierce. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/74 "2012-10-31T13:52:33Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > And for the Celtics, an argument might be able to be made for Garnett, though I’m not a huge basketball fan, so I don’t know if he’s as popular as Rondo or Pierce. I think you can make a good case for Garnett, but he hasn’t been here as long as Pierce and he’s not the future of the team like Rondo is. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/75 "2012-10-31T14:33:12Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > No insult intended to Yzerman, but I can’t see it being anyone other than Gordie Howe to represent the franchise. How can Gordie be the face of the franchise when (I’d guess) two thirds of Wings fans these days probably don’t even know what he looks like? I stand by Yzerman. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/76 "2012-10-31T15:42:27Z")
> [@WickedJay](#): > > Ryan Zimmerman? Over Steven Strasburg or the most famous National of all, Bryce Harper?.. For DC, Ryan Zimmerman has been the face of the Nats since the beginning of his career: [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2012/09/21/ryan-zimmerman-long-the-face-of-the-nationals-franchise-finally-gets-a-postseason/](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2012/09/21/ryan-zimmerman-long-the-face-of-the-nationals-franchise-finally-gets-a-postseason/) “Ryan Zimmerman, long the face of the Nationals franchise, finally gets a postseason.” He has played his entire career in DC and has signed a lifetime contract with them, he also has it in his contract that he can use the stadium one day a year to stage concerts, the proceeds of which go to charity. He is Mr. Nationals (not to be confused with Mr. Natural). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/77 "2012-10-31T19:44:16Z")
One could argue that Paul Bissonnette is technically the “face” of the Coyotes, if only because he’s so popular on Twitter? 😉 Don’t know what he looks like? Hello, there’s a statue of him outside the Joe, IIRC, and one of the entrances is named after him. They don’t call the guy “Mr. Hockey” for nothing. Sorry, but anyone who doesn’t know who Gordie Howe is doesn’t deserve to call themselves a hockey fan. Believe me, this isn’t a slam at Yzerman. > [@mnemosyne](#): > > Habs: Do I have to pick? Dryden, Roy, Lafleur, Beliveau, Richard… Dryden’s my favorite, but for all time, I’d go with the Rocket. (And I’m not even a Habs fan) ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/78 "2012-10-31T19:57:58Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Don’t know what he looks like? Hello, there’s a statue of him outside the Joe, IIRC, and one of the entrances is named after him. They don’t call the guy “Mr. Hockey” for nothing. Sorry, but anyone who doesn’t know who Gordie Howe is doesn’t deserve to call themselves a hockey fan. Believe me, this isn’t a slam at Yzerman. Right, but Stevie Y made the Wings relevant to two entire generations who still actively watch (or would, if the NHL were playing this season). Remember, this is a team that was nicknamed the “Dead Wings” when I was a kid in the 80’s. Yzerman is responsible for anyone caring about that team in the past 25 years. Growing up, we all knew who Gordie Howe was and what a Gordie Howe Hat Trick is, but we all wanted to _be_ Yzerman. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/79 "2012-10-31T20:49:14Z")
> [@Jules\_Andre](#): > > Phoenix: > > . > . > . > > Oh, and the Coyotes are here, I guess. They play some sort of weird ice game, though. Here, let me help you out there… Current: Shane Doan All-Time: Shane Doan ---
**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058/80 "2012-10-31T21:22:27Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Rangers: Definitely Nolan Ryan, even though he didn’t pitch for the Rangers long. Interestingly, he’s ALSO the face of the Astros, for whom he didn’t pitch that long. > [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Angels: > All Time: Either Nolan Ryan or Rod Carew How many teams can you be the face of? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-franchise-for-each-major-sports-team-in-your-city/639058.md?page=5)