Ex. Dan Marino ( My opinion is YES they need to at least win something )
2007-09-25 04:42:13 · 22 answers · asked by I Speak the Truth 5 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
It's a lot easier to call a QB a legend when he has a championship. Look at the difference between Farve and Marino for example. I can call Farve a legend without thinking twice. As for Marino - well it's a stretch.
2007-09-25 04:46:09 · answer #1 · answered by MauriceChavez 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Marino is the classic example. He may have been the greatest gunslinger of our time, but he never had the running game to go along with the passing game. Elway did not win a Superbowl until he had Terrell Davis in the backfield. Winning superbowls can certainly elevate a good qb to a legendary status, but it is not the truest measure. Football is team sport and while a lot of focus is on the qb, you also have to have special teams and defense to win a Championship. Trent Dilfer won a Superbowl with the Ravens and Jeff Hostetler won with the Giants, but I do not think either of them are legendary quarterbacks. Even Terry Bradshaw was not considered a great qb, but he is elevated by the team around him. Even last year, the Bears went to a superbowl with Rex Grossman, but he is on the verge of being benched. I look at it this way, if you were starting a team and could take any qb in his prime, I would take Marino, followed closely by Elway and Unitas.
2007-09-25 12:24:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course not...you don't need a championship to be considered a legend. If this were the case, a lot of the "one-hit wonders" (Doug Williams, Mark Rypien, Jeff Hostetler, Trent Dilfer, Jim McMahon), would all be considered legends...and we all know better than that.
Legends to me would be guys like Dan Marino, Dan Fouts, Jim Kelly (the only QB to start in 4 consecutive Super Bowls), Fran Tarkenton, Archie Manning, Y.A. Tittle, Warren Moon...and the list can go on and on. These guys consistantly performed at a high level, not just their 1 time in the grandest spotlight in professional football. This list also includes 5 Hall Of Fame QB's...and not one QB on the list above (Super Bowl winners) are not, nor will ever make it to Canton.
2007-09-25 12:35:03 · answer #3 · answered by peace_walker_8 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm kinda surprised Austin didn't pick a USC QB. Anyway popular opinion is what makes a legend. Almost everyone agrees that Marino was great, so he is a legend. I don't think that you HAVE to win a Championship, but better be twice as good if you don't.
2007-09-25 11:49:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is so stupid. TEAMS win championships, a single player can't make a team win a championship. Dan Marino clearly the best example, he holds or held nearly all the QB records and did amazing things on the field, one of the best ever and no ring because THE TEAM didn't win the superbowl.
2007-09-25 11:49:21 · answer #5 · answered by jefflawdog 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
It's not fair to say "except Dan Marino". He was a great quarterback statistically, but HIS TEAM never one the Super Bowl. It would have been the same thing for Brett Farve and Peyton Manning had they never won the big game. That being said, you have to wonder if the only reason why Joe Montana has a greater legacy than Dan is because he won 4 Super Bowls. HMMMM!?
2007-09-25 11:56:52 · answer #6 · answered by Jimbo 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
To the media and public, YES, and this goes for any lead player in any sport, but there are more great ones who have NOT. Only a REAL loser would expect different in the USA. Great players know their manhood is not dictated by something so arbitrary as a championship.
Marino is a cool hard-working man with brains, brawn, and talent, but as long as he got his, he didn't care about anyone else. That's the hard truth. Jordan, Elway, Steve Young, grew up and got it done.
I will never forget the uncoordinated Elway diving over defenders like Randall Cunningham, Jordan playing with a killer flu, Steve Young collapsing at the goal line. Wanna talk about winners? Kelin Winslow of the Chargers playing with another winner, Dan Fouts.
2007-09-25 11:47:04 · answer #7 · answered by Karim D 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Not really. Dan Marino is a great example you used. He will always be known as one of the greatest of our time. The championship does help get your name in the books more though. I do agree with that part. But even without the ring Marino still has his legacy.
2007-09-25 11:46:37 · answer #8 · answered by Stefbear 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Not neccessarily. Football is the ultimate team game. It doesn't matter how good you are, you don't win without a good team. Way too much emphasis is put on titles won these days. Hell, Brett Favre probably would have won 8 Super Bowls if he played on Joe Montana's 49er teams. Marino belongs in that rare air of the very best QB's ever.
2007-09-25 11:59:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No, they can still be great.
You also need luck. Could Archie Manning (not that he is one of the greatest) have had a better career is he wasnt drafted by the expansion Saints. Some teams just dont invest in a Championship level team. If Farve stayed at Atlanta would they have given him the talent level that Green Bay did.
It is easy to just look at Championships but there are some other factors.
BTW I do believe Marino had some seasons where he had the talent to go all the way.
2007-09-25 11:49:13 · answer #10 · answered by The Lorax 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋