Sports Heroes to Zeros

Is it a coincidence that most of the best examples are Red Sox (Clemens, Ramirez, Beckett)? Is it possible that Boston fans are a little too sensitive?

 

Is it possible that Philly fans boo a lot?

 

Throw Nomar and Boggs into the mix, as well.

I'll be generous and say that perhaps it's possible that Red Sox fans make a larger emotional investment in the players. As a Yankees fan, I'm sure I've been guilty of the same thing at times, but I've never been like Bill Simmons, who somehow still feels personally slighted by Clemens.

 

Tiger Woods is a leader (um loser) in the clubhouse, but here are some others:

Pete Rose
Mike Tyson
Denny McClain

I am thinking stars who ended up in dire straits at the end (Mike Webster, Jim Thorpe) don't count.

 

There was a time when Jeremy Mayfield, while maybe not one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR, was at least someone with a decent amount of fans. Now you probably couldn't get a crowd of people together to urinate on him if his meth lab caught on fire.

 

Chris Drury and Danny Briere. Those two could have ran the city if they wanted to. While Briere is still playing well, Drury is out of the league. It was Michael Peca all over again for Buffalo fans.

 

Manny is a good pick for both Boston and Los Angeles.

He went from beloved to hated in both places.

 

I would nominate Jeff Kent -- for so many years he was viewed as the anti-Bonds and fans thought he was Mr. Hard Nosed Respectful Nice White Guy. Then they had the dugout fight in his last year in SF, and at the end of that year and especially after he left, boy did attitudes turn.

 

Kent also greased the skids for his departure in spring training, claiming he got injured washing his truck, but really got hurt in a motorcycle mishap.

 

Are you serious? There's not nearly the invective spewed about Dumars as there was for Brandon Inge.

 

Same here. Haven't heard anyone calling for Dumars' head.

 

Isiah Thomas.
Billy Cannon.
Mark Chmura.
Art Schlichter.