13 Athletes with Complicated Legacies
Has Deflategate tarnished Tom Brady's legacy? This is a question sports pundits will likely be debating for months, or even years, to come.
Brady isn't the only athlete with a complicated legacy, and some situations are murkier than others. There are many possible reasons to debate the concept of legacy. Perhaps an athlete's great career sputtered, or it was marred by controversy. Or perhaps, like LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, it will forever be compared to the greatest of all time.
Today, it's time to settle the debate on the following 13 athletes. What will their lasting legacies in sports be? Here are my two cents.
LeBron James
1 of 13
Achievements: LeBron James has played in six NBA Finals and won two. He is an 11-time All-Star and four-time NBA MVP. Even though his Cleveland Cavaliers lost the 2015 NBA Finals, there were more than a few people who thought he deserved the Finals MVP anyway.
Why it's complicated: James will go down as one of the greatest ever—no doubt about it. Still, there are those who wonder if his fourth Finals loss means anything for his lasting legacy. Others think he must win a title in Cleveland to cement his greatness. On top of it all, there is the ongoing LeBron vs. MJ debate. Is James now, or will he ever be, as great as Michael Jordan?
Verdict: The Jordan question aside, James is an NBA champion, MVP and Finals MVP. He could retire today and still be one of the best to ever play.
Kobe Bryant
2 of 13
Achievements: Kobe Bryant is a five-time NBA champion, 17-time All-Star and the 2007-08 NBA MVP. He sits third on the NBA's all-time scoring list, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.
Why it's complicated: Bryant's predicament is similar to that of LeBron James. Is he on the same level as Michael Jordan, and if not, would a sixth ring accomplish that for him? Debate has raged for years about Bryant's legacy as it relates to Jordan.
Verdict: Bryant is an all-time great, but even a sixth ring wouldn't advance him past Jordan. It would probably just make the debate more interesting.
Peyton Manning
3 of 13
Achievements: Peyton Manning is a Super Bowl champion, 14-time Pro Bowler and five-time NFL MVP. He holds the league records for most passing yards (5,477) and touchdown passes (55) in a season.
Why it's complicated: Manning's teams have not struggled to make the playoffs, generally speaking, but they have struggled to advance. On nine occasions, Manning-led teams have failed to make it past their first playoff game, and Manning's 11-13 playoff record pales in comparison to his closest contemporary counterpart. (Tom Brady has a 21-8 playoff record.) In 2014, the Denver Post (h/t Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com) called Manning's "A Legacy Under a Cloud."
Verdict: Even if he never wins another Super Bowl, or another playoff game for that matter, Manning will be remembered as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever.
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Ronda Rousey
4 of 13
Achievements: Ronda Rousey is the undefeated UFC women's bantamweight champion. She used a grand total of 130 seconds to put away her last four opponents. She just won the ESPY Award for Best Fighter and shows no signs of slowing down.
Why it's complicated: Rousey's greatness is not in question. However, her legacy might suffer if she continues to steamroll opponents so convincingly. The absence of a legitimate challenge to her dominance could eventually diminish her accomplishments.
Verdict: Nah. Rousey is a total boss, and history will remember her that way.
Dan Marino (and Other Greats Who Never Won a Title)
5 of 13
Achievements: Dan Marino was a nine-time Pro Bowler. His 61,361 career passing yards are good for third on the all-time list and were tops at the time of his retirement in 1999.
Why it's complicated: Dan Marino is just one of many great athletes to never win a championship—Charles Barkley, Barry Sanders, Ted Williams, Karl Malone. The list goes on and on. The question for all is this: Does the lack of a title affect a great athlete's legacy?
Verdict: A lack of a championship shouldn't diminish the greatness of an athlete like Marino. Even he agrees. When asked if he would trade the Hall of Fame for a Super Bowl victory, Marino said succinctly, "No," according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Lance Armstrong
6 of 13
Achievements: Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France an astonishing seven consecutive times from 1999-2005.
Why it's complicated: After years of staunch denials, Armstrong admitted to doping throughout each of his seven Tour victories and received a lifetime ban from cycling. One of his worst crimes, however, was how he handled the whole thing. Armstrong himself admitted to being "arrogant" and "bullying people" during his 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey, according to a transcript from BBC.
Verdict: Had Armstrong not handled things so poorly, things might have been different. As it stands, he will be remembered as a cheater, a liar and a "jerk."
Tom Brady
7 of 13
Achievements: Tom Brady has been to six Super Bowls. His four victories are tied for the most ever by a quarterback. He is a three-time Super Bowl MVP and two-time NFL MVP. He has led the league in passing yards twice and in passing touchdowns three times. One could legitimately argue Brady is the best QB to ever play in the NFL.
Why it's complicated: Heading into the 2015 season, Brady is facing a four-game suspension by the NFL for his alleged involvement in deflating footballs during the AFC title game. His suspension was upheld on appeal—reportedly in part because of Brady's perceived lack of cooperation. Now, he's taking the fight to court, further casting a shadow on his golden-boy image.
Verdict: This too shall pass. Suspension or no suspension, Brady's reputation will survive this hit, and football will remember him as one of the greatest ever. Deflategate will eventually be a mere footnote, if that.
Mark McGwire
8 of 13
Achievements: Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa captivated the nation during their home run chase in 1998. McGwire won the race that year, smashing 70 home runs and breaking Roger Maris' decades-old record.
Why it's complicated: Both McGwire and Sosa were later suspected of PED use, and their names became common utterances in conjunction with baseball's steroids era. After years of denials, McGwire admitted to steroid use in a 2010 statement to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). Even before his admission, McGwire has never received more than 24 percent of the Hall of Fame vote.
Verdict: He may never make the Hall of Fame, but McGwire is still respected in baseball. He currently serves as a hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Alex Rodriguez
9 of 13
Achievements: Alex Rodriguez has 678 career home runs (as of August 4), good for fourth on the all-time list. He is a 14-time All-Star, three-time American League MVP and World Series champion.
Why it's complicated: In 2009, Rodriguez admitted to Peter Gammons of ESPN that he used PEDs from 2001-04 while with the Texas Rangers (after his name was leaked from a list of players who tested positive in 2003). Five years later, he allegedly admitted to additional PED use in connection with the Biogenesis scandal. And like Lance Armstrong, A-Rod wasn't exactly a prince through it all.
There is a silver lining for the slugger, however. After serving a yearlong suspension in 2014, A-Rod is having a great year for the New York Yankees, taking small steps toward redemption, on the baseball field anyway.
Verdict: Like other stars who have lied about, then later admitted to, steroid use, Rodriguez's legacy will always be complicated. And even if he hits 100 more home runs, he will never get the steroid stink completely off.
It should be noted that Alex Rodriguez and Mark McGwire aren't the only players whose legacies were complicated by admitted steroid use. They are simply two of the bigger names.
Tiger Woods
10 of 13
Achievements: Tiger Woods has won 14 majors. His impressive list of career achievements includes the following: He has won at least six events in six of his professional seasons, and he holds the PGA Tour record most consecutive tournaments making the cut (142 from 1998-2005).
Why it's complicated: Scandal in Woods' personal life erupted in 2009, severely damaging his reputation among fans and sponsors. Besides that, however, Woods also hasn't won a Major since 2008. In fact, his golf game has suffered more than a few setbacks in recent years, and just this June, he shot the worst round of his career. Still, it's not incomprehensible to think Woods could revamp his game and break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major wins.
Verdict: The personal scandal has faded, and Woods will always be remembered as one of golf's greats. However, if he truly is finished winning majors, fans will also remember his career's lackluster ending.
Pete Rose
11 of 13
Achievements: Pete Rose holds one of MLB's greatest records. With 4,256 career hits, he is the all-time leader. He is also the career leader in games, plate appearances and at-bats. On top of that, he was a 17-time All-Star and the 1973 National League MVP.
Why it's complicated: Rose was banned from baseball in 1989 by then-MLB Commissioner Bart Giamatti for betting on games as the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. He eventually admitted to the offense in 2004 in an interview with ABC News (h/t ESPN.com). Current MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has not outright dismissed the idea of reinstating Rose. However, even if it happened, Rose would likely have a steep uphill journey toward the Hall of Fame.
Verdict: Rose might eventually be reinstated, but it would be a shock to see him make the Hall of Fame. People will continue to disagree on the harshness of his punishment, but he will forever be remembered as the hit king who bet on baseball games.
Barry Bonds
12 of 13
Achievements: Barry Bonds is baseball's home run king—for both a single season and career. He won the National League MVP seven times, including four consecutive wins from 2001-04.
Why it's complicated: Bonds has dealt with steroid allegations for years, allegations which he has always denied. Even after a 2003 conviction for obstruction of justice in connection with testimony given to a grand jury, Bonds maintained his innocence. And recently, his conviction was overturned on appeal.
Still, in three years on the Hall of Fame ballot, Bonds has never received more than 36 percent of the vote. And there is that whole thing about his rapidly expanding hat size.
Verdict: Bonds has never admitted to PED use, and wrongdoing has never been proven. Still, his name is associated with baseball's steroids era. Jimmy Rollins told the Associated Press in April (via the New York Times), "Mud in water. No matter how clean it is, it will still be remembered as muddy water."
Roger Clemens
13 of 13
Achievements: His numbers say Roger Clemens is one of the greatest pitchers of all time: seven Cy Young Awards, six 20-win seasons, 354 career wins, career ERA of 3.12.
Why it's complicated: After his name first appeared in conjunction with PED use in the 2007 Mitchell Report, Clemens has strongly denied any PED use. Like Barry Bonds, he was accused of perjury and obstruction—charges which he was cleared of in 2012. Also like Bonds, Clemens' Hall of Fame voting percentage hasn't reached 40 in his three years of eligibility.
Verdict: Even though there is no proof of PED use, Clemens has long been losing in the court of public opinion. Short of a massive shift in the mindset of most Hall of Fame voters, Clemens won't make it in, and the steroid allegations will remain with him.
It should be noted that Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens aren't the only baseball players who have been accused of, and denied, PED use. They are just two of the big names.
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