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who is the most overrated Pittsburgh athlete ever?

troy edwards? jamain stephens? jarvis jones? tom rickett?

for the last time

THEY CAN'T BE OVERRATED WHEN EVERYBODY SAYS THEY SUCK
 
Franco Harris
Bingo! Franco by a wide margin. He had a few really good years but after 1975 he changed his running style and basically sprinted for the sideline to avoid contact and prolong his career. I've heard a lot of people say that he was just being smart but that's not what a coach or GM is looking for. They want someone to run with reckless abandon and if they get hurt, they get hurt.
 
troy edwards? jamain stephens? jarvis jones? tom rickett?

for the last time

THEY CAN'T BE OVERRATED WHEN EVERYBODY SAYS THEY SUCK

o·ver·rate
ˌōvərˈrāt/
verb
past tense: overrated; past participle: overrated
  1. have a higher opinion of (someone or something) than is deserved.

    synonyms: overestimate, overvalue, think too much of, attach too much importance to, praise too highly
    "I think his music is overrated.

    Actually all of them were overrated.
    Particularly Jarvis Jones- No one seemed to think he sucked when they picked him first in the draft. He was supposed to be an unstoppable beast and yet, he turned out to play more like wounded fragile pussy cat.

    Sure, most everyone began to realize Jones was OVERVALUED and that the experts and coaches and GM's all OVERESTIMATED how good he would be in the NFL after he started playing for the Steelers... Hence, he was overrated.
 
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Bases on career stats, both in college and the nfl, gotta be Joe Namath. Claim to fame , " I guarantee it",
got him into the hall. The fur coat and panty hose helped too.
 
Just my thoughts on reading this thread...
Big Ben is not over rated. He is rated just about right. Nobody thinks he is Brady or Manning. He is a HOF QB that will have incredible numbers when he retires and two super bowl rings. And before someone says it....stats absolutely matter.
Jerome Bettis is the second best big back to ever play the game.
Ralph Kiner!?!? He hit a home run every 14 at bats in his career. Worst call on the whole thread.
 
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troy edwards? jamain stephens? jarvis jones? tom rickett?

for the last time

THEY CAN'T BE OVERRATED WHEN EVERYBODY SAYS THEY SUCK
Of course they can. When you are drafted into the NFL in the first round and bust, you were over-rated. See how easy that was. Using all caps to make an incorrect point is a nice touch though.
 
Lavar Arrington was very overrated. For all his hype, ended up having a ho-hum NFL career.
Arrington is a good one. Even at PSU he wasn't great, he made some great plays but was pretty inconsistent and was in Paterno's dog house the one year(only there 3) Was I believe the 3rd player taken and never did much.
 
Bases on career stats, both in college and the nfl, gotta be Joe Namath. Claim to fame , " I guarantee it",
got him into the hall. The fur coat and panty hose helped too.

That's the ONE! Not really a "Pittsburgh Athlete" after high school, but the #1 most overrated athlete in all of history any sport, he had 50 more ints than TDs. That Super Bowl guarantee and win, and his flamboyant style put him over the top.
 
To me, in the end, actual numbers production is superior to "eye test" I'd take Ward over Plex and Santonio, he PRODUCED more than those 2 combined. Even compared to Fitz, Fitz only beat Hines 12.8 to 12.1 in YPC.

I hate the "eye test" (subjective, like figure skating), I prefer NUMBERS (objective).

.7 over 1,000 catches+ (700+ yards) is a lot.

Fitz will also have about 30-50% more TDs in his career. Their numbers are not close at all.
 
.7 over 1,000 catches+ (700+ yards) is a lot.

Fitz will also have about 30-50% more TDs in his career. Their numbers are not close at all.

1000 career catches and 86 TDs, and a Super Bowl MVP is "GREAT", not just good, it's top 1%.
 
1000 career catches and 86 TDs, and a Super Bowl MVP is "GREAT", not just good, it's top 1%.

It's very good, it just doesn't compare at all to Fitz, who is on another level. Ward is one of my favorite players ever but he played in the wrong type of offense. His numbers will be passed by a lot of guys from this current crop - Brandon Marshall, Julio, Antonio Brown, Jordy Nelson, AJ Green, Dez Bryant, etc.

When you think about the top WRs of the 2000s, I just don't think he struck fear into defenses like a guy like Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Torrie Holt, TO, or those I named in the current crop. He's great, just not an all-timer at his position.
 
It's very good, it just doesn't compare at all to Fitz, who is on another level. Ward is one of my favorite players ever but he played in the wrong type of offense. His numbers will be passed by a lot of guys from this current crop - Brandon Marshall, Julio, Antonio Brown, Jordy Nelson, AJ Green, Dez Bryant, etc.

When you think about the top WRs of the 2000s, I just don't think he struck fear into defenses like a guy like Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Torrie Holt, TO, or those I named in the current crop. He's great, just not an all-timer at his position.

We can agree to disagree, Hof F isn't just best player, it's team accomplishments+numbers.
 
troy edwards? jamain stephens? jarvis jones? tom rickett?

for the last time

THEY CAN'T BE OVERRATED WHEN EVERYBODY SAYS THEY SUCK
for the next to last time.....sure they can...suck post non warranted adulation is the definition of overrated. one thought to be the next great thing only to end up sucking is what overrated is (look mom, no caps) .
 
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Bonds, Van Slyke and Bonilla in that order with Jim Leyland as the most overrated coach or manager. Those teams not making a World Series is a disgrace and Leyland not putting Wakefield in is the worst coaching move in Pittsburgh history.
 
Bonds, Van Slyke and Bonilla in that order with Jim Leyland as the most overrated coach or manager. Those teams not making a World Series is a disgrace and Leyland not putting Wakefield in is the worst coaching move in Pittsburgh history.


Walt, after not putting Fitzgerald in the game on the goal line against UVA in the bowl game at Charlottte says, "Hey, what about me?"
 
Of course they can. When you are drafted into the NFL in the first round and bust, you were over-rated. See how easy that was. Using all caps to make an incorrect point is a nice touch though.

this thread asked who are the most overrated pittsburgh athletes, it does not ask who were the biggest draft busts that sucked from the beginning to the end

learn to read, see how easy that was? the caps should make it easier for you to read
 
for the next to last time.....sure they can...suck post non warranted adulation is the definition of overrated. one thought to be the next great thing only to end up sucking is what overrated is (look mom, no caps) .

overrated draft prospect is not overrated pittsburgh athlete

jarvis jones would qualify as overrated georgia football player, heck even they said so most of his production came against the worst SEC teams and they called it a bad draft pick for the steelers

he always sucked as a steeler, nobody rates him highly therefore he is not overrated

hope this helps
 
Van Slyke came quickly to mind. A good player, but Pirates fans acted like he was elite.
Here is one that will make Pirate fans mad, but would be agreed on by most out of town fans.

BILL MAZEROSKI
 
Van Slyke came quickly to mind. A good player, but Pirates fans acted like he was elite.
Here is one that will make Pirate fans mad, but would be agreed on by most out of town fans.

BILL MAZEROSKI

Van slyke's 29.3 WAR in his first 6 years with the pirates, before he got hurt says he was far from overrated.

It is really funny to see Pittsburgh fans call guys like van slyke and Kendall overrated because they didn't hit 35 homerun.
 
Van Slyke came quickly to mind. A good player, but Pirates fans acted like he was elite.
Here is one that will make Pirate fans mad, but would be agreed on by most out of town fans.

BILL MAZEROSKI
most out of town fans think the (arguably) greatest defensive second basemen of all time is overrated?...hmm, out of town fans must be idiots...
 
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this thread asked who are the most overrated pittsburgh athletes, it does not ask who were the biggest draft busts that sucked from the beginning to the end

learn to read, see how easy that was? the caps should make it easier for you to read
You are not only obtuse but also stubborn. It's a bad combination. I wish I could write this in crayon for you. I'll use small words. If a guy sucked from the start he would not be a 1st round draft pick. If you are a first round pick in the NFL you are highly rated. If a player were not highly rated they would not be a 1st round pick. If they turn out to be a bust, they were over-rated. It's very simple yet it seems to be beyond your grasp.
 
a house full of drug addicts would say you're lame for not shooting heroin, are they right?

if you're wrong i don't care how many people agree with you, and like i said most of the hockey world considers fleury to be erratic, inconsistent, and untrustworty

the majorityof the world is on my side, the yinzers are on yours
So you say.

Why are you trying to convince others here?
 
Van slyke's 29.3 WAR in his first 6 years with the pirates, before he got hurt says he was far from overrated.

It is really funny to see Pittsburgh fans call guys like van slyke and Kendall overrated because they didn't hit 35 homerun.
I think Van Slyke is actually under rated, in terms of pirate lore, he is definitely under rated.. Another under rated pirate was Rick Reuschel, loved that dude. maybe because we traded him to giants so 1/2 his career was somewhere else.. Bill Madlock put up some sick numbers too, another guy that doesn't get the love he deserves..
 
I think Van Slyke is actually under rated, in terms of pirate lore, he is definitely under rated.. Another under rated pirate was Rick Reuschel, loved that dude. maybe because we traded him to giants so 1/2 his career was somewhere else.. Bill Madlock put up some sick numbers too, another guy that doesn't get the love he deserves..
Madlock is the only guy with 4 or more batting titles not in the hall of fame
 
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Walt, after not putting Fitzgerald in the game on the goal line against UVA in the bowl game at Charlottte says, "Hey, what about me?"
That one gets knocked down a few pegs because it was in the Tire Bowl. I'd put Walt and company not making any adjustments against Toledo as a worse move, had that game been on TV he would have been fired.
 
Bonds, Van Slyke and Bonilla in that order with Jim Leyland as the most overrated coach or manager. Those teams not making a World Series is a disgrace and Leyland not putting Wakefield in is the worst coaching move in Pittsburgh history.

If those guys are overrated, wouldn't it make sense that they didn't make a WS? In any event, Bonilla and Van Slyke are probably overrated by Pittsburgh relative to across baseball. Despite his tainted legacy, Bonds was a generational talent that won a couple of league MVPs here. He is the most talented player that has put on that uniform in my lifetime. If anything he is underrated by still-jilted yinzers.
 
overrated draft prospect is not overrated pittsburgh athlete

jarvis jones would qualify as overrated georgia football player, heck even they said so most of his production came against the worst SEC teams and they called it a bad draft pick for the steelers

he always sucked as a steeler, nobody rates him highly therefore he is not overrated

hope this helps

I agree. I apply the 'overrated' label to how they are viewed here and now, not 5, 10 or 20 years ago. Clint Hurdle might be overrated by Bucco fans as a manager. But I don't think anyone considers his journeyman legacy as a player overrated, despite a top prospect at one time. Shayne Hale and Cam Saddler were overrated as 4-stars coming out of HS, but I doubt anyone is overly effusive about their place among Pitt's all-time greats.

I personally think that Brandin Knight entered that territory when Pitt retired his number.
 
Bubby "Momma's Boy" Brister....I used to luv aggravating Steelhead fan's about him when he was elevated to starter. And every time he got hit whichever network was covering the game they automatically panned to his Mom wincing about her boy getting beat up.
If I had to pick a Pitt player it would be Julius Dawkins senior year. After he pilled on some gaudy stats against some of our least competitive opponents as a Jr. he really never seemed to work to improve & rested on his Jr. year laurels.
He ran very poor & lazy pass routes, he ducked going into traffic over the middle for balls & just never seemed to take any leadership upon himself to raise the level of play his senior year.

H2 PITT !!!
 
Bubby "Momma's Boy" Brister....I used to luv aggravating Steelhead fan's about him when he was elevated to starter. And every time he got hit whichever network was covering the game they automatically panned to his Mom wincing about her boy getting beat up.
If I had to pick a Pitt player it would be Julius Dawkins senior year. After he pilled on some gaudy stats against some of our least competitive opponents as a Jr. he really never seemed to work to improve & rested on his Jr. year laurels.
He ran very poor & lazy pass routes, he ducked going into traffic over the middle for balls & just never seemed to take any leadership upon himself to raise the level of play his senior year.

H2 PITT !!!
Dawkins...hey kind of agree. Sometimes it comes down to personal viewpoints. From that era, I always thought Tommy Flynn was way overrated and always seemed to get burned. Sure it was just me, but guys just stick in your head.
 
Bonds, Van Slyke and Bonilla in that order with Jim Leyland as the most overrated coach or manager. Those teams not making a World Series is a disgrace and Leyland not putting Wakefield in is the worst coaching move in Pittsburgh history.

Total nonsense. Leyland had a true ace at his disposal in Doug Drabek. Drabek started, as he should have, and pitched into the 9th inning. If Jose Lind handles that ground ball, the Bucs likely win. You can't then bring in a knuckleball pitcher with men on base. If Drabek had struggled through the 8th inning, I could see bringing in Wakefield for the 9th. That's not what happened. You can't bring in Wakefield with men on base, you just can't.

As for the worst coaching decision, that's easy. It's Jackie Sherrill going into the ND game in 1977 without preparing a backup quarterback. This is still the most sickening Pitt loss for me. More than 48-14 (hey, they kicked our butts), more than the Carson Long game. This was possibly the best team in the country, and you don't have a backup qb who can take a snap, let alone play the position?
 
I think Van Slyke is actually under rated, in terms of pirate lore, he is definitely under rated.. Another under rated pirate was Rick Reuschel, loved that dude. maybe because we traded him to giants so 1/2 his career was somewhere else.. Bill Madlock put up some sick numbers too, another guy that doesn't get the love he deserves..
Remember between innings, the OF'ers would toss the ball back and forth keeping loose. When they were done, Van Slyke ROUTINELY threw the ball from center field, over the bullpen wall in the corner of Three Rivers and right into the glove of a player sitting on the high bench in the bullpen! I mean he hit him in the glove EVERY time.
That boy could throw a baseball!
 
Yuri Demetris. In H.S. he couldn't miss a jump shot. In college, he couldn't hit a free throw. Threw his talent away.
 
Bubby "Momma's Boy" Brister....I used to luv aggravating Steelhead fan's about him when he was elevated to starter.

I don't think he was ever really rated that high. His best season was actually as a back up to Elway during one of the Broncos Super Bowl winning years, where he filled in for a number of games and was very successful.
 
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