http://www.realclearsports.com/lists/top_10_tarnished_legacies/

 

10) Fab Five

09) Jim Tressel

08) Shoeless Joe Jackson

07) Tiger Woods

06) Denny McLain

05) The Steroid Trio: Bonds/McGwire/Clemens

04) Pete Rose

03) Joe Paterno

02) Mike Tyson

01) O.J. Simpson

Anyone care to say whether they agree/disagree?

 

OJ takes home the blue ribbon on this one, no doubt, but one person I think was noticeably absent from the list: Tonya Harding. I also think naming "Shoeless Joe Jackson" is awfully hard on one guy, considering he was banned from baseball along with 7 teammates for all doing the exact same thing...

Penn State might be up high on that list when it's all said and done.

 

 

I agree with OJ at #1.

I think Mike Tyson has made somewhat of a resurgence. I would put Tyson behind Rose and Paterno for sure.

I think Mike Tyson has made somewhat of a resurgence. I would put Tyson behind Rose and Paterno for sure.

 

Agreed I will drop Tyson down the list.

I would say Paterno should be above Tyson.

 

Also think Sosa has to be included in the steroid group.

Honestly, it's probably a little premature to put Paterno on here. Need to let it all play out before you can accurately place him on the list.

OJ is for sure number one. I mean, he did rob a guy. And murder people.

I tend to agree that Joe Jackson as an individual shouldn't even be on the list. The Black Sox in general no doubt. I also think there needs to be a place for Tonya Harding.

I think Michael Vick warrants some consideration. While he has paid his debt to society, many will never forget what he did. Not to mention he spent time - during the prime of his career - in the slammer.

 

If Tiger has a resurgence, I am not seeing why his legacy should be tarnished. He is an athlete that cheated on his wife. Take a number. A tragedy of epic proportions in his fall from grace, but not seeing his legacy of what he has done as being tarnished.

 

The Juice wins this one in a landslide.

Some sports figures who did horrible things are not on the list simply because they hadn't accomplished much, so there's little legacy to tarnish. The ones that made it were at one time towering figures but would be later discredited so thoroughly by events that they were no longer heroes, but villains.

 

I think that explains why Tonya Harding is not on there.

I think Michael Vick warrants some consideration. While he has paid his debt to society, many will never forget what he did. Not to mention he spent time - during the prime of his career - in the slammer.

 

If Tiger has a resurgence, I am not seeing why his legacy should be tarnished. He is an athlete that cheated on his wife. Take a number. A tragedy of epic proportions in his fall from grace, but not seeing his legacy of what he has done as being tarnished.

 

The Juice wins this one in a landslide.

Good call on Vick. He should definitely be on there.

How about Shaquille O'Neal for his work in Kazaam?

Art Schlichter has to figure in there somewhere.

Some sports figures who did horrible things are not on the list simply because they hadn't accomplished much, so there's little legacy to tarnish. The ones that made it were at one time towering figures but would be later discredited so thoroughly by events that they were no longer heroes, but villains.

 

I think that explains why Tonya Harding is not on there.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

I think Michael Vick warrants some consideration. While he has paid his debt to society, many will never forget what he did. Not to mention he spent time - during the prime of his career - in the slammer.

 

I do a lot of work with Business Administrators at school districts in NJ, close to Philly. Many times I will try to bring up the Eagles to have some common ground. I've been pretty suprised how many guys have said they just don't care for them anymore ever since they brought in Vick because they don't like what he stands for and can't support someone who did what he did. Granted that's probably not the majority, but I've been surprised.