With free agency and large contracts, loyalty with athletes and teams in some ways is a thing of the past. I grew up watching Carl Yastrzemski, Larry Bird, George Brett and Brooks Robinson.
What did they have in common?
Yes they were all great players, but they also all played for one team. Yes one team–something that current great players like AROD, Shaq, Manny Ramirez and many others can’t say.
The question is, what athletes wearing what uniforms make you feel a little uneasy–make you feel very uncomfortable? As I write this posting, there is a chance that Brett Favre–a mainstay in Green Bay and in my opinion is Green Bay–might be playing for their arch rival the Minnesota Vikings. Ouch! That one hurts.
For me to think about Walter Payton playing for anyone other than the Chicago Bears just wouldn’t have been right!
Here are some other players that would leave a bad taste in my mouth if they played for these teams:
- David "Big Papi" Ortiz playing for the NY Yankees
- Paul Pierce playing for the Los Angeles Lakers
- Peyton Manning playing for the New England Patriots
- Mickey Mantle playing for anyone but the NY Yankees
- Tim Duncan playing for the Dallas Mavericks
Okay. Now your turn:
- What do you think of my choices?
- Who are some of the players that you couldn’t see playing for another team?
- What moves happened in the past that made you scratch your head?
I look forward to your comments.
MIchael Halberstam says:
Jeter Playing for anyone other than the Yankees. (But you knew Iwas going to say that)
Whitey and Yogi playing for the Sawx.
Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz playing for other teams.
Rithcie Ashburn playing for the Mets.
Elston Howard playing for the Red Sox was painful.
David Beckham playing with anyone other than Posh Spice.
Michael Jordan……what was he thinking!
howard burack says:
Seeing Bobby Orr in a Chicago Blackhawks uniform wasn’t right. Nor was Joe Montana wearing 19 for the Kansas City Chiefs. Emmitt Smith in Arizona Cardinal red was odd. Brian Leetch should have only worn the New York Ranger colours as opposed to finishing his career with the Maple Leafs.
Jeff Adler says:
I could not see Joe Namath playing anywhere other than Broadway, or Tom Seaver playing for anyone other than the Mets. Somehow both those things happened. I am glad Tony Gwynn spent his whole career with the Padres. I was particularly glad to see Darrell Green turn down higher paying options elsewhere to spend his whole career with the Washington Redskins.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Jeff,
Good comments. I always thought Darrell Green was a classy guy – now that i know he did that my respect goes up even higher. I thought he would make a great football sportscaster – I hope he gets a chance down the road.
Merrill
Jeff Adler says:
Darrell does not seem to have an interest in sportscasting — clearly all he would have to do is ask for an opportunity in Washington. He is a deeply religious man (as he emphasized at least a little bit too much in his Hall of Fame induction speech last year), and seems to have devoted virtually all his time and passion to The Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation ( http://www.dgylf.org/ ). Although the foundation is not focused exclusively on the DC area, all indications are Darrell believed he could best accomplish his objectives for it by spending his whole career with the Redskins.
Glad to see Darrell gets some respect in Dallas. You won’t hear it talked about much, but deep down Washington fans thought Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith were classy guys. It was great to see Troy limit his uniforms to the Cowboys and the NFC Pro Bowl, and a shame Emmitt had to bear the embarrassment of a Cardinals uniform for his last two years. Now Michael Irvin was another story. I think the prison uniform he wore in The Longest Yard was much more appropriate for him than a Cowboys uniform. About 20K Redskins fans in attendance at last year’s Hall of Fame induction created a deafening roar which prevented Irvin from speaking any time he attempted to take the stage. It was our way of telling him he no longer deserved to wear the uniform.
Chase says:
I think it would be weird if Jerry West didn’t play for the Lakers…he was such a faithful player, playing for them all his years! I heard he is playing in the legends sports challenge. I would love to see him again!
Bob Graham says:
back in the 80’s Sports Illustrated did a story on the Celtics/Lakers rivalry and had Bird and Magic pose for a picture wearing each other’s uniform (i.e. Bird/Lakers Magic/Celtics). The overall effect was chilling.
The first shock of seeing a player in a uniform that he didn’t belong in was seeing Dwight Evans finish out his career in an Orioles uniform. I still can’t get over seeing Johnny Damon in pinstripes. Let him come back to the Sox for his swan song and let him grow his beard again.
Another shock is Marcus Camby in a Clippers uniform. He should be playing for a team in contention, like maybe…The Celtics.
Two Yankee players that I wouldn’t mind seeing wearing Red Sox: Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Sure they’re heading into the sunset, but they are both classy players. I’d also like to see A-Rod in orange (i.e. prison garb).
Finally, the two players I never, ever want to see in pinstripes: Big Papi Ortiz and Jonathan Pappelbon.
J.R. Venza says:
Ripken in anything other than an O’s uni would be criminal.
Montana NEVER looked good as a Chief.
No one ever remembers Unitas as a Charger.
MJ as a wizard? no.
Merrill Dubrow says:
JR,
Totally agree – no idea what MJ was thinking.
Merrill
Will Morris says:
What a great question. I often remark how much I loved the good old days when players played for one team. We rooted for the players and the team, not just the uniforms. Here are a few of mine.
Stan Musial playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers
James Street playing for the Aggies
Roger Staubach playing for the Washington Redskins
Lou Brock playing for the Chicago Cubs.. oh, wait..bad trade Cubs
George Brett playing for the Yankees
Bob Gibson playing for Cubs
Dimaggio, Mantle, Ford, Berra playing for anybody but the Yanks
Bart Starr or Paul Hornug playing for the Bears
Magic Johnson playing for the Celtics
Ernie Banks playing for the Cardinals
Willie May playing for the Mets — it was ugly and sad
Eric Brall says:
I think that you have to throw Kobe into the mix – 13 years with the Lakers, since he’s 17 years old. Seeing him suit up for anyone else would just be..weird.
Ed Sugar says:
Here are some of my favorites:
Juan Marichal in a Dodger jersey – 1975
Dusty Baker in a Giant uniform
Henry Aaron in Brewer gear (I know he wanted to go back to Milwaukee to finish his career, but wrong league, wrong uniform)
Steve Garvey in Padre duds
Jackie Robinson almost in Giants gear (happened as he retired just after the trade was made in 1957
Deacon Jones (R.I.P.) in any uniform but a Rams
Ralph Houk in Red Sox gear
Ron Santo in White Sox wear
Billy Williams as an Oakland A
Hank Greenberg in a Pittsburgh uniform
Harmon Killebrew in a KC Royal uniform
Tony Dorset as a Denver Bronco
OJ as a 49er
Lance Alworth in a Cowboy uniform
Phil Esposito in NY Ranger gear
Brad Park in Boston Bruin gear
Ray Clemence in a Tottenham Hotspur kit (great English goal keeper who played most of his career with Liverpool before his transfer to the London side).
Karl Malone as a Laker
Patrick Ewing in Seattle gear
Marcus Allen in KC Chief red
I would add these two, though they did not don uniforms:
Mike Montgomery coaching Cal (after coaching at Stanford for years)
Henry Bibby coaching at USC after a great career as a player at UCLA.
Amy Shields says:
Karl Malone; while I understood (and even had to pull for him to get his ring) the rationale, I still hated seeing him do his last year as a Laker…loved the Jazz when it was Malone, Stockton, Iverson, etc. Also, Catfish Hunter as a Yankee his last couple of years. My favorite childhood memories were of Oakland A’s games with my dad. I was about 10 years old when Hunter went to the Yankees and the games were never the same to me.
Joe Baldi says:
Merrill, Joe D in a Sox uniform and ted in a Yankee uniform . Almost happened.
Reggie Miller in a Knick uniform
Lawrence Taylor in a Cowboy uniform
Cal Ripken in any uniform other than the O’s
Sal Maglie in a Dodger uniform ( it happened )
Wilt in a Celtic uniform and Russell in a 76′er uniform
The Babe in a Braves uniform ( it happened and was UGH!!! )
Chipper Jones in a Met uniform
Willie Mays in a Dodger uniform
Koufax and Drysdale in Giant uniforms
Joe