For the Haters: 13 Athletes Who Silenced the Critics
They said Draymond Green was a role player. They said Bryce Harper was overrated.
So, what now?
Athletes are subject to a lot of criticism, mostly because of a high degree of media visibility and extremely passionate fans. Sometimes the skeptics are right, and sometimes they're not. Here are a few athletes who have managed to silence their critics in recent years.
Playing well helps to calm the storm, but winning championships is what really stuffs the haters. Corey Crawford knows what I'm talking about.
Honorable Mention: Tony Romo
1 of 14
What people said: Tony Romo is no good in the playoffs.
What he did: Romo did win a playoff game this past postseason, but only one, bringing his career total to two. While some think he silenced critics with that win, on top of a 12-4 regular-season record, others aren't so sure. In fact, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the only way Romo can quiet the haters for good is to win a Super Bowl.
Derrick Rose
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What people said: Derrick Rose has dealt with more injuries than any professional athlete should have to. In November, he made some comments about a desire to protect his long-term health. Some folks took that to mean he wasn't fully committed to the Chicago Bulls or giving his rehab 100 percent.
What he did: First, he brushed off the criticism. Then, after yet another setback, he returned to the court in time for the 2015 NBA postseason. Rose looked like his old self, playing in all 12 of the Bulls' playoff games and averaging over 20 points per game. His then-coach Tom Thibodeau said, "The good thing is I think he's regained his confidence. I thought he played very aggressively," according to Sam Smith of NBA.com.
Steph Curry (and Riley)
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What people said: Bringing your daughter to the postgame press conference "hurt the process."
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Steve Smith
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What people said: When the Carolina Panthers released veteran wide receiver Steve Smith prior to the 2014 NFL season, some thought it was because of his age. Or maybe it even involved locker room dynamics. To be clear, the Panthers handled the release very diplomatically, but according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com, the team wanted younger, and cheaper, personnel.
What he did: Smith had a great year for the Baltimore Ravens, catching 79 balls for 1,065 yards and six touchdowns. Against his former team, Smith tallied 139 yards and two TDs. It would be a bit aggressive to call the Panthers "haters," but regardless of the reasons for his release, Smith sure proved to them he's still got it.
Albert Pujols
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What people said: Albert Pujols hasn't made an All-Star team or batted over .300 for a season since making the blockbuster move from St. Louis to Anaheim in 2011. Many wondered if the slugger's best days were behind him.
What he did: For one thing, he started to hit again. Mike Oz of Big League Stew reported that in a recent 24-game span, Pujols hit 15 homers and drove in 30 runs. He went from hitting .208 in April to .271 in May and .355 in June (through the 23rd). According to Oz, Pujols told reporters, "I'm locked in every day." We can see that.
Russell Westbrook
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What people said: People have said Russell Westbrook is not a team player, and he takes too many shots. Some also questioned his ability to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder when Kevin Durant went down with an injury.
What he did: Westbrook won the NBA scoring title, and he kept his team in the playoff hunt until the bitter end. He did this without Durant for much of the season and Serge Ibaka down the stretch.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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What people said: He's only decent because of his family name and all the advantages he's gotten. He doesn't have the same determination to win as other drivers.
What he did: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never really deserved this type of criticism—he's tallied 24 Sprint Cup wins in his career, including the Daytona 500 in 2004. However, his second win at the Daytona 500 in 2014 went a long way toward silencing the critics for real.
Bryce Harper
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What people said: Bryce Harper got a lot of hype when he came into the majors four years ago, but some wondered if he'd ever live up to it. Fast-forward: ESPN conducted an anonymous poll of 117 MLB players and published the results in a March issue of ESPN The Magazine. When asked who the MLB's most overrated player was, 41 percent said Harper.
What he did: Just had the hottest start in baseball. As of June 23, Harper is batting .339/.467/.722, leading the bigs in OPS+, and he's got 78 hits and 24 home runs. (That's more homers than his previous career high of 22, by the way.) Overrated, schmoverrated.
Rickie Fowler
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What people said: Rickie Fowler had something in common with Bryce Harper, until recently. According to Coleman McDowell of Golf Magazine, an anonymous poll of PGA golfers conducted by Sports Illustrated found him to be one of the most overrated players in golf.
What he did: won The Players Championship.
Cardale Jones
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What people said: Injuries forced the Ohio State football team to go through three quarterbacks during the 2014 season. When original third-stringer Cardale Jones got the nod for the Big Ten Championship Game in December, people thought he couldn't handle it.
What he did: Jones threw for 742 yards in three starts and, oh, by the way, won a national championship.
Richard Sherman
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What people said: Criticism abounded after Richard Sherman's now-infamous postgame interview with Erin Andrews. Some people even called the Stanford graduate a "thug."
What he did: Sherman silenced his critics the best way he could. First, he responded intelligently. Second, he won a Super Bowl and tweeted a photo of himself with the trophy for good measure.
LeBron James
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What people said: People have said a lot of things about LeBron James, but for now, let's just pick one: He can't perform in the playoffs. That was the schtick during his first stint in Cleveland anyway, and guess what? It was kind of true. He definitely displayed moments of inconsistency and didn't win his first NBA title until his ninth year in the league.
What he did: Even so, James has still averaged 28.2 points per game for his career in the playoffs. And although his Cleveland Cavaliers failed to win a title in 2015, they made it to the Finals despite a barrage of injuries that would've crippled most teams. James recorded two triple-doubles in the Finals, and some even thought he deserved to win the MVP despite playing for the losing team.
Corey Crawford
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What people said: Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford gave up three goals in the first period of the first playoff game. Some suggested he was the "weakest link" on his team.
What he did: Went 13-6 overall in the postseason and posted a .924 save percentage en route to a Stanley Cup title. Without a doubt, Crawford was an indispensable part of the Blackhawks' third championship in six years.
Draymond Green
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What people said: "I was a second-round pick and a lot of people said I could never play in this league. Too slow, too small, can't shoot well enough, can't defend nobody, what does he do well?" Those are words from Draymond Green after his Golden State Warriors won a championship, via James Herbert of CBS Sports.
What he did: Oh, just became an NBA champion in his third year, finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting and recorded a triple-double in the NBA Finals. Oh, and he might even command a maximum contract offer next year.
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