Players you liked who played for teams you didn't like

[Dvl Dug]

Inspired by @AnimeAmore's thread on players you didn't like when they were playing, but came to like (or at least not dislike so much) after they retired, I want to start another one on a related topic.

Have there been any players you liked when they were playing, even though you disliked the teams for which they played?

My dad really disliked two teams: the Cowboys and the Raiders. In the case of the Cowboys, he disliked the way they got so much media attention and he really disliked the "America's team" nonsense. In the case of the Raiders, it was their openly dirty play and the fact that their fans reveled in it. I think he disliked Al Davis too.

So you can imagine my shock when Dad was telling me about George Blanda, and I could see that Dad really respected and even liked Blanda. I said something about Blanda having played many years for the Raiders, and my dad said that he respected Blanda so much that he couldn't ignore it just because Blanda was with the Raiders for so long.
Similarly (but obviously in a different sport), Dad disliked the Red Sox, but respected and even liked Ted Williams.

I can think of a few NFL players that I liked even though I didn't like their teams.
There were Patriots players that I came to like because my neighbor, the town police chief's son who taught me how to play football, liked them so much and managed to show me why, like John "Hog" Hannah, John Adams, and Julius Adams. I went back and forth on Sam "Bam" Cunningham.
We used to call for long passes in neighborhood pickup games as "Grogan to Francis," referring to the Patriots QB and Pro-Bowl tight end, but I have to admit I never really liked Grogan, and while I thought Francis was pretty good at what he did, I was never more than lukewarm on him.

Lagartixa, really good topic & it brings with it o' bit of nostalgia too!

These days I only watch Seahawk games, but there was a time when I would watch every possible game, no matter which of the three big network stations they were being broadcast on.

Me, I mostly played outside linebacker in my younger years, so once the Seahawks become irrelevant in a season, my tendency is to become a jump-on-the-bus fan of the team that has whomever I consider to be the best linebacker, or offensive line. Admittedly, I always wanted to play offensive line, filled in a couple of times, but found that I was just too light in the ass for it. That's my nostalgia part to your thread here.

I watched the NBA turn from being a "team game" to a "focus on the stars only game." That was back in the 1980's, and it ruined basketball for me. NFL has kind of turned into that some NBA SOP with the quarterback position, and I would just like to see it return to more of a team sport again.

Let these defenses play!

 

[JPatera76]

Fitzgerald, dudes always been a class act. Wish he could've gotten a ring. Wish Seattle could've sniped him up lol

 

[nanomoz]

Lance Briggs was a beast. Probably the nastiest run defender in the last 20 years. The Bears gave those Holmgren Seahawks fits, and Briggs was an underappreciated reason why.

 

[hawkfan68]

Mean Joe Greene, Steelers.
Jim Brown, Browns
Eric Metcalf, Browns
Walter Payton, Bears
Tom Jackson, Broncos
Steve Atwater, Broncos
Eric Dickerson, Rams
Roger Staubach, Cowboys
Jack Tatum, Raiders

 

[AROS]

Larry Fitzgerald tops my list. Class, class, class all the way and an amazing WR. He would have fit in with us brilliantly during the LOB years.

 

[Bear-Hawk]

I find it kind of surprising it's not Barry Sanders, who also played for a team in the Bears' division.

Favre was more controversial, with a lot of people liking him and a lot disliking him, and Rodgers is even more so.

The last time the Bears beat Packers twice in a season was 1991. That was the year before Favre arrived. It’s been now 32 years of Packer dominance in the Favre/Rodgers era. Hopefully, Love will not make it to the HOF.

I have seen every Bears game against Barry Sanders and Adrian Peterson. They were both great, but if I had to choose, I’d take Peterson. He was more versatile, and he did more damage to the Bears over the years. Like Walter Payton, he could do everything— run, catch, block — and do it well. I hated that guy.

 

[Bear-Hawk]

My mom used to tell me stories about Super Bowl V and the days before it. I wish I'd asked why we were there, but it didn't occur to me to ask until I was thinking about the story after Mom was gone. In any case, I was less than two years old at the time of Super Bowl V, and as I understand it, we were in or near the hotel where the Colts players were staying in Miami. I don't know if we stayed at that hotel or not. According to my mom, I was reaching toward Mackey, and Mackey put me on his shoulders. And Mom made sure to tell me that Mackey made a huge catch in the big game.

My dad really liked both of those players. He told me about both a lot. I think he talked about Butkus more than Sayers, but he mentioned Sayers a bunch of times.

I really enjoyed watching Butkus and Sayers. Pity they played when Bears had no chance against the Lombardi dynasty Packers. I was a student at U.I. and enjoyed watching Butkus there, too.

 

[Aussie Seahawk]

Lagartixa - thank you for this wonderful thread. I've loved reading everyone's posts. Not so much teams I particularly don't like, but players I really liked included, in no particular order:

Walter Payton
Ronnie Lott
Barry Sanders
Ozzie Newsome
Reggie White
Mike Singletary (those blazing headlight eyes!)
Larry Fitzgerald
Richard Dent
Anthony Munoz
Daryl Johnston

 

[Spin Doctor]

Troy Polamalu - Troy was a professional and I loved the way he approached the game. On the surface, carefree and witty, on the field hit players so hard that they saw the afterlife. I hate the Steelers, but couldn't hate this guy.

Larry Fitzgerald - I think just the name says it all.

Matthew Stafford - Had a soft spot for him on the Lions, not sure I like him as much on the LA Rams. I was angry when they traded for him. Funnily enough, on another football forum I had arguments about Stafford as a prospect back when he was in college. A Rams fan told me he was going to be one of the biggest busts in the last 10 years. I found it very ironic that Stafford was the QB that won a Super Bowl with the Rams. I think back to that guy yelling at me until his fingers were bleeding about Matt Stafford the prospect being a 100 percent guaranteed bust. This guy also believed that Sam Bradford was the best prospect since Peyton Manning. This thread made me relive those days and the strange sense of irony that the world has sometimes.

Calvin Johnson - The man was just a freak. When he decided to call it quits he was still one of the best, if not the best wide receiver in the NFL. He was on a different planet. This dude could do everything. Absolutely one of the most dominant careers that the NFL has ever seen. From his rookie season to his retirement he dominated the competition.

Ryan Fitzpatrick - This guy had a **** it I'm going deep, no ****s given, I'm going to do what I'm going to do despite the repercussions. The charismatic, bearded, oversized Leperchan looking SOB. For a few weeks any given season he was menace. This underdog had the party trick of transforming from JUGS machine for pleasure of the DBs to a Lion armed machine guns, decked out from head to tail with armor, coursing with enough PCP to even make an elephant blush. This guy was the classic underdog, the classic, I DIDN'T HEAR NO BELL boxer, painted with the fist of his opponent, sauntering towards his opponent drunkenly, drunk on his own brain damage pending. Fitzpatrick didn't know the meaning of "quit", FITZPATRICK NEVER HEARD THE BELL. FITZPATRICK FOR THREE WEEKS OF EACH YEAR ASCENDED TO HOGWARTZ AND CAME BACK A BATTLEWIZARD. A battle wizard armed with the knowledge that the opposing DB is a myth, the opposing DB is just a figment of your imagination. Go deep cowboy, go deep, you have that big penix energy coursing through the veins, the DBs that don't exist can't harm you. The only way through is to slay the f***ing dragon with your bearded howitzer you call an arm. You are..... FITZMAGIC

So Fitzpatrick does slay the dragon and ascends to godhood. The DB's become imaginary, the safeties part like the Seahawks bank account departs of its cash after paying Jamal Adams to get trucked by the smallest player on the 49ers. From the stratosphere, the bearded, pub-crawling menace rains down, crashing through triple coverage.

alas, nothing gold can stay. Too much magic cowboy, pick six, back to Fitzpatrick.

 

[EverydayImRusselin]

As a kid when the niners were on, I always wanted to see Merton Hanks break out the chicken dance.

 

[keasley45]

Isaac Bruce. Absolutely hated the Rams, but Bruce always seems to carry himself the right way.

 

[keasley45]

And Ricky Waters. Didn't care for him in SF. Came to really respect him in Philly but stopped liking the Eagles after the Jaworski / Harold Carmichael years. Was giddy when we got him.

 

[keasley45]

Also never liked the Redskins, but respected the heck out of Darrel Green and then Sean Taylor. One played forever at a high level and was just class. The other's life was cut short. Taylor was a cross between Chancellor and ET3. Freak of nature.

 

[Bear-Hawk]

Lance Briggs was a beast. Probably the nastiest run defender in the last 20 years. The Bears gave those Holmgren Seahawks fits, and Briggs was an underappreciated reason why.

Not many runners got past Briggs and Urlacher.

Glory days for Bears fans, remembering them, Butkus, and — of course— the ‘85 Bears.

 

[SeAhAwKeR4life]

Dan Fouts, had to hate the Chargers, as they were a division rival at the time, and we beat him almost half the time. He was just so fun to watch with all that amazing passing attack they had.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Timmy Newsome for the Cowboys. Always got the ball when it was tossed his way. To my recollection, anyway.

Roger

Marino

 

[Jac]

Dan Fouts, had to hate the Chargers, as they were a division rival at the time, and we beat him almost half the time. He was just so fun to watch with all that amazing passing attack they had.

I was fascinated by the 80’s QBs when I started watching football as a kid…Fouts, Marino, Montana, Elway, Moon. I loved when Krieg was having one of this “on days” and was like them.

 

[Threedee]

Since the OP referenced the Cowgirls, I guess Roger Stauback is an obvious choice.

 

[Bear-Hawk]

As a Bears fan, if I were forced to pick one Packer, it would be Reggie White. A phenomenal player and a nice guy.

 

[Palmegranite]

If you lived in SW Ontario, the Bills were the adopted (hapless) team and the Patriots were despised for their winning ways.
But I always liked Julian Edleman.

Gritty, heads-up playmaker with sure hands.
I like him now as a commentator as well.