If you were a great athlete and you could only pick one. Championship or HOF which would you pick?

CHOPTALK · Jun 27, 2012

Just saw an interview with Tomlinson and the interviewer asked him about not winning a championship.

LT said something interesting.

He said yea I did not get a championship but I will go to the HOF.
He said he would rather go to the HOF then win a championship.

At first I hated the answer, thought it to be selfish, but upon self examination I could see where I would think the same thing if I were in his shoes.

So I ask the question.

If you could only be one or the other and not both. Would you rather win a championship or go to the HOF without a championship.

Would you rather be Dan Marino or Trent Dilfer?
Would you rather be Ryan Sandberg or Mark Lemke?
Would you rather be John Stockton or John Paxon?

PatsFanatic · Jun 27, 2012

Marino, Sandberg, and Stockton I guess.

I mean a championship is great for your team and your fans. But the hall of fame is for the greats!! The fucking custodians get a ring (I have no problem with custodians just saying).

Jstack34 · Jun 27, 2012

Id rather have a great career like Stockton and win a championship but not get in the hall of fame, but if you mean have hall of fame talent and produce or be a role player for a team that went on to win a title, I take having hall of fame talent

HacheMan · Jun 27, 2012

I think more than half of professional athletes would secretly rather make the Hall Of Fame vs winning a Super Bowl, but there's no way most people will admit this openly because of the criticism they would receive in being called selfish.

Think about it... Which has more recognition.... A Super Bowl that everyone remembers a team by, or your name in the Hall where your great career flashes in fans' heads when they see it...

CHOPTALK · Jun 27, 2012

Hache Man said:
I think mire than half of professional athletes would secretly rather make the Hall Of Fame vs winning a Super Bowl, but there's no way most people will admit this openly because of the criticism they would receive in being called selfish.

Think about it... Which has more recognition..... A Super Bowl that everyone remembers a team by, or your name in the Hall where your great career flashes in fans' heads when they see it...

And dont forget about the money.
HOFers make more money then role players on championship teams.

PatsFanatic · Jun 27, 2012

I would guess the vast majority of HOF's have championships....so the argument is....blah

Betallsports · Jun 27, 2012

Tough question, guess at first thought HOF

CHOPTALK · Jun 27, 2012

PatsFanatic said:
I would guess the vast majority of HOF's have championships....so the argument is....blah

Lots of HOF'ers with no championships.
Especially in football.

Tomlinson is just the latest example of many.

PatsFanatic · Jun 27, 2012

yeah, maybe not vast majority, overstating it a bit.

But now that I think back to some greats, Football has to be the leader in that category. Especially with the number of players on each team.

TomGshotput · Jun 27, 2012

Dilfer, Lemke and Paxson weren't truly great athletes, so those are silly comparisons

The Hall-of-Fame is merely recognition for greatness, it does nothing to determine greatness

Whether or not Jeff Bagwell, Cris Carter or Kevin Johnson make the Hall-of-Fame does not decide how great they were. That is completely out of their control. The Championships they didn't win was something they had some control over (and those three are far, far better than Tony Perez, John Stallworth and Jamaal Wilkes)

jwblue · Jun 27, 2012

Not really a debate for anyone.

HOF career.

A HOF career means set for life financially.

Not true for a championship.

It is easy for HOF player to say they would trade greatness for a championship when they have money in the bank and it is a hypothetical question.

If it was possible, would any HOF player trade accolades, fame, and fortune for a championship? Heck no.

TomGshotput · Jun 27, 2012

jwblue said:
A HOF career means set for life financially.

In football, baseball and basketball what great players from this century haven't earned $50 million before they've made the Hall-of-Fame?

jwblue said:
If it was possible, would any HOF player trade accolades, fame, and fortune for a championship? Heck no.

The Hall-of-Fame represents only a small fraction of accolades, fame and fortune that come to great athletes

jwblue · Jun 27, 2012

TomGshotput said:
In football, baseball and basketball what great players from this century haven't earned $50 million before they've made the Hall-of-Fame?

The Hall-of-Fame represents only a small fraction of accolades, fame and fortune that come to great athletes

It depends what we are comparing.

Are we talking about a good career where the player is set for life with a championship vs HOF career and no championship.

or

A career where the player is not set for life with a championship (Mark Lemke) vs HOF career and no championship.

If it is the former, we have a discussion.

I still think HOF career is what most people would choose.

Doug · Jun 27, 2012

I think a lot of players don't care about either, just the money part of it. Guys like Manny R, A-Rod, etc. Some may even resent the extra time a post season takes from their off-season.

TomGshotput · Jun 27, 2012

jwblue said:
It depends what we are comparing.

The question was pretty straight forward: If you were a great athlete and could pick one. . .

Are there really people who define Mark Lemke as a great player?

shdw01 · Jun 27, 2012

CHOPTALK said:
Would you rather be Dan Marino or Trent Dilfer?
Would you rather be Ryan Sandberg or Mark Lemke?
Would you rather be John Stockton or John Paxon?

IMO this is a horrible comparisson. Obv you want to be the guy who had a long and successful career.

I bet you if you went up to Dan Marino, Stockton, etc. in their final years and ask them which would make them happier they would say a championship.

you can't compare the bench guy on a winning team to the star on the losing team. Everyone would rather be the star.

Dude · Jun 27, 2012

As for LT I lost all respect for him after that playoff loss to the Patriots years ago. He is a whiny little C&*T.
I think in football it boils down to if your a QB it is a Championship. You are never really considered an immortal in the NFL if your a QB and didn't win a championship.
Look at Kelly and Marino 2 greats but the first word out of someones mouth is they never won the big one.

Dude · Jun 27, 2012

jwblue said:
Not really a debate for anyone.

HOF career.

A HOF career means set for life financially.

I beg to differ on that set for life financially. How many times in the last say 3 years are we reading about players declaring bankruptcy and not being able to pay the child support to there 10 children. Lawrence Taylor, Rodman, Pippen and a host of others.

If you were a great athlete and you could only pick one. Championship or HOF which would you pick?

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