10 Most Divisive Athletes in Detroit History

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And so is hatred.

Someone who can be loved by some, may be loathed by others.

There are plenty of examples across the sports world, from Kobe Bryant to Derek Jeter, and even to Larry Bird.

Sometimes, this love/hatred dichotomy is fueled by a particular interaction with a favorite team. Sometimes it is brought on by the way they play the game. And yes, sometimes it is fueled by an ugly thing like race. Whatever the reasons, some players just generate more divisiveness than others.

But instead of looking at the broad range of sports in general, we will explore those who are connected with our Detroit teams (since if you clicked on this article those are probably the teams you care about).

Here are the most divisive athletes in Detroit sports history.

10. Jerry Stackhouse, Detroit Pistons

Jerry Stackhouse was a tough guy to figure out during his time in Detroit.

Not that he was a fascinating character.

What made him hard to figure out was why more people didn't like him. He really seemed to not do anything right.

Sure, he was the heir apparent to one of the most respected shooting guards in team history, Joe Dumars. And sure, he came around at a time when the team was middle of the road at best.

But what exactly was it that made some people not like him? He was a high-flying, high-scoring, high-pedigree thoroughbred. Those are the types of traits that make people loved in basketball, right?

Some people may point to Grant Hill and say he was never embraced either and had the same type of skill set. But Hill was a vanilla player who didn't typify Detroit's rugged exterior. Stackhouse wasn't perceived as soft like Hill, and didn't have much in common with him personality-wise.

The only thing I can figure is that Stackhouse was viewed as not always giving it all, or at maybe he was viewed as never playing with a sense of urgency. During the playoffs, he was known to crumble.

Whatever the case, Stackhouse was the perfect bridge between the old school Pistons fans and the new wave of fans who were more concerned with scoring and image.

Luckily, in my view, the old school fans won out on that argument.

9. Hank Greenberg, Detroit Tigers

Now this one is sad. Hank Greenberg was one of the legendary hitters of his time, even coming close to breaking Babe Ruth's then-record of 60 home runs.

Greenberg was a class act who did nothing but produce. So where is the divisiveness you may be asking?

Greenberg was Jewish. That's it. While I won't get into any type of rant about this, it bears repeating that Greenberg was divisive to many because he was Jewish.

8. Eric Hipple, Detroit Lions

The Lions of the 1980s were a mess by all standards. While the team had some success in the 1990s thanks to Barry Sanders, the team had no such stars for the bulk of the '80s. Billy Sims was forced to retire due to injury, and the team was left scrambling for wins.

They lost out on a number of draft picks, most notable being quarterback Chuck Long.

The problem with a team without a quarterback is that they always feel out of control.

The player who best typified this decade of the Detroit Lions was Eric Hipple.

Hipple was an average quarterback by most standards. He really didn't do anything exceptionally well. But he was the best of a bunch of bad options at the most important position.

Yeah, I know, there are a number of quarterbacks who have been divisive, and I have included a few on this list. But what made Hipple so divisive was the context of the team. They had a high priced young player in Long, some castoffs like Rusty Hilger, and then there was the old vet Hipple.

Personally, I defended Hipple because he felt like the only quarterback who actually had a feel for the game. So while others hoped to see Long figure it out, or Hilger pull out a win, I wished Hipple well and understood that he was the only shot we had at a win.

7. Jon Kitna, Detroit Lions

Kitna was a decent quarterback who, like Mitchell, produced at least one very good statistical season. He was known as a tough leader who could inspire his teammates.

However, he wore his religion on his sleeve, which rubbed some folks the wrong way.

He also threw way too many costly interceptions, got sacked way too often and ultimately failed in Detroit despite huge expectations.

6. Rip Hamilton, Detroit Pistons

Rip Hamilton is one of the greatest mid-range shooters in the history of the game. That isn't just hyperbole, he really was that great.

He was the leading scorer during each of Detroit's big seasons in the 2000s, and his protective mask is an iconic image in basketball.

However, despite being the main focal point on the offense and the most dependable scorer, he never truly gained a full following.

Some viewed him as a one-trick pony who was of little use on the defensive end. Others saw him as the linchpin of an uneven offense.

What truly pushed him into the divisive category was his behavior after Chauncey Billups was dealt. He openly brooded and complained to anyone who would listen. When he was asked to come off the bench he really lost it, and things only got worse from there.

Last year, he was the face of everything that was wrong with the team. He feuded with the coach, he missed time with questionable issues, and he was thought to be the organizer of a players' revolt in Philadelphia.

This pushed people into two camps. Those who were sick of the behavior, and those who respected him for what he did and refused to condemn him.

He likely is not long for this franchise, which is a shame. We shall see once the lockout ends how this plays out.

5. Scott Mitchell, Detroit Lions

In my opinion, Scott Mitchell was the weakest 6'6", 250-pound man in the history of the world.

He signed a huge contract after holding the clipboard for Dan Marino for a few years in Miami and was immediately hailed as our next Bobby Layne.

And while Mitchell did produce at least one very good statistical season, he is better known for fumbling the ball, being sacked easily and throwing terrible interceptions.

And, in some ways, I always thought that part of that was a discrimination against left handers. But I could be wrong.

Overall, Mitchell turned into a joke in Detroit.

4. Adrian Dantley, Detroit Pistons

Jerk. Black hole. Weak defender. Overrated.

These were some of the adjectives to describe Adrian Dantley.

However, he is one of the players you will never see again in this game.

He was a 6'5" post player who led the league in scoring despite posting up players who were half a foot taller than him; an unheard feat.

In Detroit, Dantley was a lightning rod for praise as well as criticism. Many thought he was all about himself and cared only about the team when it was mutually beneficial.

Others viewed him as a unique talent who was needed to counterbalance the fleet-footed Isiah Thomas.

Ultimately, he was dealt for Thomas' good friend Mark Aguirre and the Pistons won it all twice in a row. Rumors persist that Thomas engineered the deal.

Regardless, Dantley spent some great years in Detroit and helped them reach the precipice of greatness.

3. Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers

Truly, what can I say about the "Georgia Peach?" He was a great hitter, arguably the best of all time. He could steal bases like few could. He was a smart ball player who knew how to play the game.

He was also an amazing businessman who apparently had an eye for investments. He was known to be very stingy with his money, but was also willing to help out those close to him (of which there were few).

Now, on to the rough stuff that most associate with him...

It is hard to separate fact from myth with Cobb. He was thought to have shot a man, he once punched out a disabled person, he sharpened his spikes in order to generate massive physical pain on unwitting second basemen and shortstops, and he was regarded as the most miserable person on the planet for most of his life.

Also, he was thought to be one of the more racist people of his or any era.

Regardless, he is still worshipped by some, personal warts and all.

2. Brandon Inge, Detroit Tigers

Brandon Inge is probably the most divisive player in Tigers history.

In a lot of ways, he reminds me of George W. Bush. No matter how bad it may get, and how many people turn against him, there will always be about 20 percent of people who will support him 'til death.

Inge, during his prime, was an elite defensive third baseman and decent catcher. He was capable of stretches of excellent home run production. He also is a very good guy who does a ton of charity work in Detroit.

He has never been able to hit for average and he has an incredibly long swing that adds up to a ton of strikeouts. And, while he did have excellent power for a while, he also had long droughts.

This divisiveness is exacerbated by his current struggles, which have reached Mendoza-like proportions.

1. Rasheed Wallace, Detroit Pistons

First, the good:

He was the missing piece of an amazing Pistons team in 2004, arriving at midseason and catapulting the team into invincibility.

He was one of the smartest players in Detroit, capable of near dominance in the post when he wanted. He had a shot that was un-blockable, he could rebound, block shots and play excellent man-to-man defense.

He also was a marksman from deep.

Which leads me to the bad...

He spent way too much time sitting outside. No matter who poked and prodded him, he refused to spend too much time in the post, something that was downright baffling to the fans.

He became the face of what was wrong with the Pistons. He rested on his laurels, took games, and seemingly weeks, off, came to camp way overweight countless times and eventually checked out once Chauncey Billups was dealt.

Overall, he helped us win a championship—but it probably would have been better had it only been a half-year rental.