12/21/24
July 12, 2018
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Those are great!
posted by bender at 11:09 AM on July 12, 2018
This shared on Facebook by my cousin in Trinidad.
posted by Howard_T at 11:16 AM on July 12, 2018
Nice!
posted by billsaysthis at 11:23 AM on July 12, 2018
Mike Trout may be the most underrated sports superstar in history (paging @grum)
posted by billsaysthis at 11:29 AM on July 12, 2018
1) He's not flashy or demonstrative in any way, except for celebrating the occasional home-run-stealing-catch.
2) The most exciting thing about his personal life is that he's a weather nut. It's hard to find an elite American athlete with virtually no social impact like Mike Trout (either positive or negative).
3) As the article points out, he doesn't lead/dominate in any of the traditional statistics that casual fans know about. It would be like someone pointing out to you that the most valuable player in the NFL since 2012 was Russell Wilson, based on the AV stat (Approximate Value). It's hard to reconcile that information based on all the traditional stats that NFL fans use to measure players.
4) He hasn't had enough opportunity to shine when the world is watching. A lack of playoff appearances and starting most of his regular season games after 9pm for 3/4 of the nation definitely kills his chance to grow.
There was a similar player who won multiple MVP awards and was not as appreciated during his time of traditional stats as much as he should have: Joe Morgan. He never led the league in the triple crown stats (HR, RBI, AVG), but viewing all of his stats in through the lens of modern statistics shows that he was one of the greatest position players since integration.
posted by grum@work at 12:22 PM on July 12, 2018
It's hard to find an elite American athlete with virtually no social impact like Mike Trout (either positive or negative).
Trout feels like a Tim Duncan to me. A truly great player who is just not interesting at all outside the game. The weather nerdery is cool, though.
posted by rcade at 01:01 PM on July 12, 2018
Tim Duncan, Mike Trout, Sidney Crosby...is there an NFL player that is still active (or recently retired) that has been HOF level great but absolutely boring in every other way? Larry Fitzgerald, maybe?
posted by grum@work at 01:15 PM on July 12, 2018
There was a similar player who won multiple MVP awards and was not as appreciated during his time of traditional stats as much as he should have: Joe Morgan.
Too bad he's Joe Morgan, though
posted by NoMich at 01:17 PM on July 12, 2018
is there an NFL player that is still active (or recently retired) that has been HOF level great but absolutely boring in every other way?
Geno Atkins comes to mind, but I'm guessing you were looking for a higher profile player than a defensive tackle.
posted by tahoemoj at 01:20 PM on July 12, 2018
Adam "Pacman" Jones all the way.
posted by NoMich at 01:25 PM on July 12, 2018
Morgan was appreciated but he played his prime years with Rose, Bench, Griffey, Foster, Conception, etc. who also were the best players at their respective positions at the time.
Trout is clearly the best player on his team but isn't likely to see many playoff games unless there are drastic changes. Unlike some other fielders he makes most any play look easy mostly because his positioning, knowledge of of opponent, and coverage is unmatched.
posted by cixelsyd at 01:32 PM on July 12, 2018
Adam "Pacman" Jones all the way.
In re: yesterday's footage of the airport fight. Even when he's (apparently) in the right, Jones is the human physical embodiment of a shouted "WORLDSTAR!!!"
posted by tahoemoj at 01:49 PM on July 12, 2018
I have to admit, I wasn't too terribly sad that the asshole that started the started the fracas is the one that ended up in concussion protocol*
* - I really hate violence and fighting. It makes me sad for our human condition, but come on man, don't start shit with other people, especially professional football players
posted by NoMich at 01:55 PM on July 12, 2018
Tim Duncan, Mike Trout, Sidney Crosby...
Man, not Crosby. Too easy to dislike for the early career attitude when hockey has had so many more unassuming greats like Niklas Lidstrom.
NFL is tough. Barry Sanders? Joe Thomas?
posted by deflated at 02:33 PM on July 12, 2018
The question concerned *active* NFL players.
posted by NoMich at 03:01 PM on July 12, 2018
Blackhawks free themselves from remaining 3 years of Marian Hossa's contract in deal with Arizona
posted by tommybiden at 07:28 PM on July 12, 2018
Gotta put Ray Bourque's name into the discussion. He was a quiet, unassuming gentleman at all times off the ice. He was signing souvenir pucks for a local fund raiser some years ago. I took my son to meet him, and Bourque was very gracious to sign my son's tee shirt in addition to the pucks.
posted by Howard_T at 09:12 PM on July 12, 2018
Bourque is a great comparison. Best player at his position for many years on a non-contending team.
posted by cixelsyd at 09:23 AM on July 13, 2018
non-contending team
The Bruins went to the playoffs for something like the first 15 seasons of his career and got to the Finals twice.
posted by yerfatma at 02:49 PM on July 16, 2018
The Croatians accidentally rolled over a photographer in their goal celebration. He got fantastic shots.