If you were a pro athlete..

[Young Drachma]

I stole this poll from danpatrick.com, but I just wanted to start the discussion..

Would you rather be in the Hall of Fame or win a Championship ring?

[rkmsuf]

Championship.

Hall of Fame is for suckers.

[Lathum]

I say HOF. It's a testament to your entire career. Alot of players win titles just by being right place/ right time.

[Logan]

Somehow I managed to click the wrong button (figures, in the one poll I actually vote for instead of just post), so take one away from HoF and put it to the championship side.

I've won "championships" in little league, rec leagues, high school, summer leagues, softball leagues, beer pong tourneys...you name it. They all rock and are immensely rewarding. If there was a "Regular Guy Lifetime Achievement" Hall of Fame, it would be cool to be in it, but I wouldn't trade it for those championships that I celebrated with whoever I was playing with at the time.

However, if I'm a pro athlete, I can make more money by signing my name "HoF '12" than I could "2012 World Series." So I would probably choose that.

[RendeR]

The Hall of Fame is a popularity contest. Something that *I* will never win in any position I ever hold in life. The people in the Halls of Fame in major sports represent goals to aim for, longevity, statistics.

Fuck all that.

I want to be the Champion. Above all else.

[Young Drachma]

It's fun winning titles in high school/college. So I can't possibly imagine how much fun and how sweet it must be to claim a championship ring in a major sport or a grand slam in an individual sport. Hall of Fame is okay and all, but it's so watered down in most sports that there isn't even really a point.

Being one of the greatest on paper would be cool and all and to have people constantly say "Hall of Famer" before they say your name, but...a title would be awesome, even if you're just a bit player.

[st.cronin]

The question is phrased wrong - the question should be, would you want a 3-5 year career where you don't make a lot of money but are a key player on a championship team (maybe like Doug Williams), or do you want a 10-15 year career where you retire a multi-millionaire (like Dan Marino).

That's a tough choice.

[gstelmack]

Why don't you ask Junior Seau, a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, why he didn't retire before this season, why he's still playing as old as he is?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Why don't you ask Junior Seau, a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, why he didn't retire before this season, why he's still playing as old as he is?

for the bitches obviously

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

The question is phrased wrong - the question should be, would you want a 3-5 year career where you don't make a lot of money but are a key player on a championship team (maybe like Doug Williams), or do you want a 10-15 year career where you retire a multi-millionaire (like Dan Marino).

That's a tough choice.

I phrased it simple on purpose. It's not intended to be a "have your cake and eat it too" question.

[molson]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Why don't you ask Junior Seau, a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, why he didn't retire before this season, why he's still playing as old as he is?

I'm sure if I asked him, he wouldn't trade his career for that of say, Marty Moore, who has a Super Bowl ring (and probably a post-fooball career 9-5 job)

I really think the ridiculous emphasis on championships and "rings" is a fan and media-made phenomenon.

[rkmsuf]

If as a pro athlete you are sitting there thinking about the hall of fame during your playing days you are a mimbo.

Hall of Fame is something for old men to sit there and say "oh, love me, kiss me, love me."

I say BFD to the hall of fame.

[watravaler]

I'd want to be the best player I can possibly be, if I'm not lucky enough to have talented teammates, and therefor do not win a title, so be it...HOF all the way...

Of course, ideally I'd get both, but I'd rather be good, as opposed to some benchwarmer who finds himself at the right place at the right time. See Jud Beuchler for example...

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by molson

I'm sure if I asked him, he wouldn't trade his career for that of say, Marty Moore, who has a Super Bowl ring (and probably a post-fooball career 9-5 job)

I really think the ridiculous emphasis on championships and "rings" is a fan and media-made phenomenon.

I hope not because it's the only thing keeping millionaires playing with millionaires interesting.

[Antmeister]

Definitely Championship Ring, but I would have to be a contributer to getting there.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Antmeister

Definitely Championship Ring, but I would have to be a contributer to getting there.

Would you rather be Jim Leyritz than A-Rod?

[Swaggs]

Hall of Fame here.

I'd much rather have a long and prosperous, 10-15 year career where I achieved a lot and made a lot of money than to be the upback on the punt team or utility infielder on a champion team.

[Oilers9911]

Give me the best of both worlds, like say a Glenn Anderson. One of the best forwards in the game, won a boatload of Stanley Cups but just falls short of the HOF. I'm not sure how you vote Clark Gillies into the HOF but not Glenn Anderson.

[Kodos]

I'm sure Dan Marino would have traded his HOF membership to get a championship.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Why don't you ask Junior Seau, a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, why he didn't retire before this season, why he's still playing as old as he is?

Maybe he's like Favre and absolutely loves to play football??

[Yossarian]

Mibbe, but what better? Dan Marino or Trent Dilfer?

entry into HOF ensures a legacy that being in the right place at the right time just doesn't.

[Calis]

Yeah vague question, I went with HoF just because that would assure that I had a pretty solid career at least, whereas a championship ring I could win riding the pine.

With the career being the same regardless of choice, I'd pick the championship. That just has the memories and such attached to it that getting put in the hall wouldn't.

[Lathum]

I equate the HOF with a long succesfull career and the financial well being it comes with.

[Swaggs]

With the way the question is phrased, I think you have to take the Hall of Fame.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Why don't you ask Junior Seau, a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, why he didn't retire before this season, why he's still playing as old as he is?

Guys like Seau are sell out IMO.

Seau may not be the best example because he still plays at a pretty high level, but guys like Malone and Peyton who are obviously done but hang arounn another team to get a championship are sell outs.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I'm sure Dan Marino would have traded his HOF membership to get a championship.

Yes, but I doubt he'd trade the the career success and money that the HOF ultimately rewarded for one championship.

I don't it's possible for players to put the same emphasis on winning that fans do. At some level, it has to be a job. You have a very limited control of the success of your team.

I mean, if the company you work for isn't doing well, it sucks, but you mainly think of how this effects YOU. I don't think it's THAT different in pro sports, just because you have more outsiders emotionally vested in your success.

[MJ4H]

Anyone that would answer HOF would be a liability to a team. In a team sport, the team comes first, and that means team accomplishments mean more than individual accomplishments. If you don't put the team first, I wouldn't want you on my team.

[molson]

Originally Posted by MattJones4Heisman

In a team sport, the team comes first, and that means team accomplishments mean more than individual accomplishments. If you don't put the team first, I wouldn't want you on my team.

A middle-manager at a paper factory says the same stuff, but at the end of the day, everyone's still worried about their own career and financial security first.

[Young Drachma]

I think it's intriguing that so many people have caveats on whether they'd want to win or whether they'd want lots of personal success. I guess having been the bystander on championship teams, as well as playing on bad ones for most of my athletic career, I feel like nothing is better than being on a winning squad, especially once you find your niche on that squad.

Even the 12th man on a basketball team or 25th man or last guy on the football team has a role. Might not be sexy or glamorous, but given what these guys make even at the league minimum, the money is a foregone conclusion and so, as long as I could have my health and still get a front seat to being on a stellar squad, I wouldn't trade that for anything.

I guess being on a team and being able to play a lot and say, never reaching the pinnacle, but getting close would be okay too. Say, playing on a team that reaches the finals but loses. We get a ring, right? I'm down for that, even if it's not the pinnacle.

Now if the championship team was miserable? That might be different. But so long as I like my teammates and we're having a good time? I think it works.

Championship teams have an aura about them though, even at the lower levels and once stuff clicks, man..I can't think of anything better. Not just as a player, but even as a coach.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

It's fun winning titles in high school/college. So I can't possibly imagine how much fun and how sweet it must be to claim a championship ring in a major sport or a grand slam in an individual sport.

I think that's an interesting distinction. At the college/high school level, you truly are a TEAM. A the pro level, you have a family to support. I realize a lot of people roll their eyes at that considering how high even the minimum salary is in the major sports, but the life of a pro athlete is very short. If you make $7 Million over a modest career, that sounds great to most of us, but after taxes, agent fees, probably at least two houses due to nature of your job, that's not exactly an unlimited wealth you can retire in paradise on. There must be a lot of stress on a young, non-superstar player with no education to stay in the league as long as possible. I think he's worrying about his next contract more than a championship.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by molson

I think that's an interesting distinction. At the college/high school level, you truly are a TEAM. A the pro level, you have a family to support. I realize a lot of people roll their eyes at that considering how high even the minimum salary is in the major sports, but the life of a pro athlete is very short. If you make $7 Million over a modest career, that sounds great to most of us, but after taxes, agent fees, probably at least two houses due to nature of your job, that's not exactly an unlimited wealth you can retire in paradise on. There must be a lot of stress on a young, non-superstar player with no education to stay in the league as long as possible. I think he's worrying about his next contract more than a championship.

They make enough money to take a class on how to manage their money at whatever college they went to. I don't buy this "woe is me" bullshit related to the large sums these guys make and blow it on fast cars, blow and loose women and then want us to feel bad for them.

I do think the leagues should provide health care for indigent athletes who are vested in their league pension after a period of time, but besides that? I don't wanna hear it. I understand that it's all relative.

But we all pay the bills too. And they have access to stuff that "average" people don't dream of. No one forces them to work in pro sports anymore than anyone forces any of us to do the jobs we do.

Further, it's often the guys who are more out for #1 than for their team who flame out faster. Because no coach or owner wants a guy like that around if he can't shine or pull his own weight, because he's a clubhouse cancer. But a team player who is productive and consistent or offers some intangibles? Those guys hang around and it's not an accident to me.

So I think the original question makes sense.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

The question is phrased wrong - the question should be, would you want a 3-5 year career where you don't make a lot of money but are a key player on a championship team (maybe like Doug Williams), or do you want a 10-15 year career where you retire a multi-millionaire (like Dan Marino).

That's a tough choice.

Not for me...I wanna be the best there is...period.
Plenty of scrubs have rings.
They give them to every player on the field.


Another way of looking at it for me, Id have loved to won a state championship in football in HS, but playing in the all state game got me a scholarship....

[molson]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

They make enough money to take a class on how to manage their money at whatever college they went to. I don't buy this "woe is me" bullshit related to the large sums these guys make and blow it on fast cars, blow and loose women and then want us to feel bad for them.

I do think the leagues should provide health care for indigent athletes who are vested in their league pension after a period of time, but besides that? I don't wanna hear it. I understand that it's all relative.

But we all pay the bills too. And they have access to stuff that "average" people don't dream of. No one forces them to work in pro sports anymore than anyone forces any of us to do the jobs we do.

Further, it's often the guys who are more out for #1 than for their team who flame out faster. Because no coach or owner wants a guy like that around if he can't shine or pull his own weight, because he's a clubhouse cancer. But a team player who is productive and consistent or offers some intangibles? Those guys hang around and it's not an accident to me.

So I think the original question makes sense.

Hold on, I'm not saying "athletes have it tough" or anything like that. But we have this belief that anyone who makes more than us isn't/shouldn't worry about money. I'm sure someone in poverty thinks the same thing about you or I.

An average 26 year old professional athlete may make $20 million the rest of his career in sports, and he may flame out and make $0. I think that's more on his mind that a "feel good" championship. Maybe he has a college degree, and he can make $35k selling insurance or something but I don't think that's a huge comfort to him.

Professional Athletes aren't set for life financially the day they sign their first professional contract, no matter how good they are with their money.

[Young Drachma]

Of course, you could get inducted into your college's hall of fame after a pro career of any major longevity, even if you weren't that good. They want to use your notoriety and try to use it to raise money or get you to donate some.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by MattJones4Heisman

Anyone that would answer HOF would be a liability to a team. In a team sport, the team comes first, and that means team accomplishments mean more than individual accomplishments. If you don't put the team first, I wouldn't want you on my team.

So you wouldn't want guys on your team who are trying to be the best player they can be, day in and day out, regardless of whether they are in a championship game or battling it out for the rite to draft 2nd the following season instead of 1st??

I'd rather be one the best players ever knowing that I did everything I could to try and win instead of riding somebody's coat tails all the way to the finish line without breaking a sweat. What kind of satisfaction is there in winning a championship but not needing a shower afterwards because you didn't even contribute??

Personally, I'd rather goto a dinner hosted by "soon-to-be" HOFer, Craig Biggio, than one hosted by World Series winner, Chris Widger.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

So you wouldn't want guys on your team who are trying to be the best player they can be, day in and day out, regardless of whether they are in a championship game or battling it out for the rite to draft 2nd the following season instead of 1st??

I'd rather be one the best players ever knowing that I did everything I could to try and win instead of riding somebody's coat tails all the way to the finish line without breaking a sweat. What kind of satisfaction is there in winning a championship but not needing a shower afterwards because you didn't even contribute??

Personally, I'd rather goto a dinner hosted by "soon-to-be" HOFer, Craig Biggio, than one hosted by World Series winner, Chris Widger.

What I'm saying is I would want guys on my team that were more interested in being part of the team than individual accomplishments. Individual accomplishments take away from the team aspect of a team sport. I would rather have the guy that fills a role on the team than a guy that causes the team to suffer because he is looking out for numero uno. Individual awards work against the entire idea of a team sport and the quality of games suffers for it. I feel quite strongly about this.

[Antmeister]

I guess the way I am looking at this is:

Do you want to have a Championship Ring with average to above average talent?

OR

Do you want to go to the HOF with elite talent yet never winning the big game?

I am not looking at this as being a bench warmer for some team. Sure HOF would be cool, but I would still take Championship Ring. There is nothing better in the world when you get to share glory with your teammates and can trust that everyone has done their part to get there. In a lot of these cases, you get along with these guys and they cover up weaknesses that you have while your cover their areas of weakness. So it is a question of whether you want to acheive success as a team or individual. I choose success as a team.

Plus Championships help to stimulate the economy of an area and brings pride to a city.

I am confused by why money is thrown into the equation because Championship teams do pretty well when it comes to endorsements. So sure, I'll take less money to take a chance of doing something special as a team.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

The question is phrased wrong - the question should be, would you want a 3-5 year career where you don't make a lot of money but are a key player on a championship team (maybe like Doug Williams), or do you want a 10-15 year career where you retire a multi-millionaire (like Dan Marino).

That's a tough choice.

Exactly. Except, you might not even be a key player. You might be a clipboard holder for that championship team. Show me the HOF (not to mention the money, fame, and career that went with it.)

[MIJB#19]

I'm taking this question in the terms of being a member in team sports. There, if you prefer the HOF induction over winning the Championship, I think being a pro athelete just isn't your thing to begin with.

[Greyroofoo]

Jim Sorgi has a ring and Dan Marino doesn't.

I'll go with Hall of Fame.

[vtbub]

I want the ring. If I'm playing at that level, I'm playing to win. Getting into the HOF is on someone elses judgment. Winning championships depends on mine.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

I'm taking this question in the terms of being a member in team sports. There, if you prefer the HOF induction over winning the Championship, I think being a pro athelete just isn't your thing to begin with.

TO would disagree

So would countless others.

then again i've never heard a Champion say Id give it away to be a HOF'er..but certainly heard the other....

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

I'm taking this question in the terms of being a member in team sports. There, if you prefer the HOF induction over winning the Championship, I think being a pro athelete just isn't your thing to begin with.

A+ WOULD READ AGAIN

[SteveMax58]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Exactly. Except, you might not even be a key player. You might be a clipboard holder for that championship team. Show me the HOF (not to mention the money, fame, and career that went with it.)

+1

[Young Drachma]

One of my favorite quotes.

Originally Posted by Tiger Woods

"I get no fulfillment from fame. I'd much rather have anonymity but still go out and kick everybody's butt. That would be fun. As long as everyone I competed against knew I beat them, and for me to know as well -- that would be enough." - Tiger Woods

Winning is better than anything else. You think Robert Horry would take his role over say, being a star? Craig Counsell? Money is nice and all, but when you're at that elite level, being able to play with some of the best...is a feeling like no other. Even if it means being the guy three deep on the depth chart. That's not really who I was thinking about when I posted it. I was thinking of the bit player v. the star who never reached the pinnacle.

But I can understand the immortality deal, I just want no parts of that sort of fame. Too much attention when you mess up.

[molson]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

then again i've never heard a Champion say Id give it away to be a HOF'er..but certainly heard the other....

Again, I'm sure they'd give up the crappy plaque and an afternoon hanging out with fat old football players in Canton, but they're not giving up their careeer success and money for a ring. No way.

[molson]

I don't think the Tiger Woods quote is a parallel to this.

So he'd rather have success them fame - no kidding, who wouldn't. For most, fame is annoying but necessary side-effect of success in certain fields.

What I want to know is, would Tiger rather have a Grand Slam, or a successful 30+ year career (and all the money and accomplishments that go with it).

[Neon_Chaos]

Let's ask Stockton, Malone, Ewing, and Barkley how they feel about the issue.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

Let's ask Stockton, Malone, Ewing, and Barkley how they feel about the issue.

Yeah, but explain to them that they are going to be the 12th man on the bench for said team and aftert heir career ends will have to coach basketball at some community college.

I bet their answer changes.

[SteveMax58]

After this Sunday, assuming the Patriots win the Superbowl...this poll applies to whether you'd rather be Michael Strahan, or Grey Ruegamer. There is no way you can convince me that Ruegamer is more team oriented, plays harder, or leads a more desirable life in general to Strahan. As a result...I'd rather be Strahan(which I think might make a great shirt, BTW).

I think too many people are projecting their own assumptions on the way the poll is written, instead of reading it for what it does state. It does not state you are a sorta good player, or that you even play at all. The only reasonable assumptions is that you are a Pro-athlete who either (a) is on a team that wins a championship or (b) never wins a championship but goes to the HoF.

Well...of the players who do not go to the HoF, we have everything from decent starters to 3rd string longsnappers to 2nd string punters...all are pro athletes. HoF means that you were an elite athlete, and with that are the obvious assumptions of excellence, accomplishment, wealth, & fame(if so desired).

I think a lot of people are thinking of this as a fan, and thinking,"I'd be excited just to be on field level, let alone actually wearing a jersey". But the fact is, if you were at practice every day, sat the pine on gameday, and never had a kid ask for your autograph while many of your teammates(the actual HoF'ers) did...you'd probably not enjoy it nearly as much as you think. After all...being a great player takes a greater level of drive not found in somebody content to ride the bench.