Greatest players without a championship

[civverguy]

Which players do you think are the greatest players who have not won a championship in the league/tournaments that they played in? I think this mostly applies to team sports.

 

[Catharsis]

Colin Montgomerie's never won a Major, has he? If so, him.

 

[tcjsavannah]

Many people will say Dan Marino for the NFL. I don't agree. Baseball is littered with guys who never won a World Series, including my personal favorite player of all-time, Phil Niekro.

 

[Azale]

Dan Marino, QB Miami Dolphins (NFL)
Fran Tarkenton, QB Minnesota Vikings (NFL)
Barry Sanders, RB Detroit Lions (NFL)
Tim Brown, WR Oakland Raiders (NFL)
Jim Kelly, QB Buffalo Bills (NFL)
James Lofton, WR Buffalo Bills (NFL)
Bruce Smith, DE Buffalo Bills (NFL)
Thurman Thomas, RB Buffalo Bills (NFL)
OJ Simpson, RB Buffalo Bills (NFL)
Chuck Bednarik, LB Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
Curtis Martin, RB New York Jets (NFL)

Barry Bonds, OF San Francisco Giants (MLB)
Craig Biggio, Houston Astros (MLB)
Alex Rodriguez, Third Base New York Yankees (MLB)
Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox (MLB)

Karl Malone, PF Utah Jazz (NBA)
Charles Barkley, SF Phoenix Suns (NBA)
Patrick Ewing, C New York Knicks (NBA)
Allen Iverson, PG Philadelphia 76'ers/Denver Nuggets (NBA)
Chris Webber, PF Golden State Warriors/Sacramento Kings/Philadelphia 76'ers/Detroit Pistons (NBA)
Reggie Miller, SG Indiana Pacers (NBA)
Dominique Wilkins, SG? Atlanta Hawks (NBA)

Norman (Golf)
Jason White, QB Oklahoma (NCAA football)


Off the top of my head

 

[Red Door]

Ted Williams, Barry Sanders, Charles Barkley, and Dan Marino.

 

[Darkness]

John Stockton.
The NBA's career assists (15806) and steals (3265) leader.
He's only 5665 assists and 751 steals ahead of the number two's on those lists (Magic Johnson for assists, and Michael Jordan for steals)...

 

[Azale]

Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres (MLB)

He went to a World Series, but never won one.

 

[El Justo]

bednarik won the 1960 NFL Championship w/ the eagles, azale

hi Frank! tell Kathy we say hello!

addit: gwynn went twice

addit2: 'nique was a SF iirc

 

[dgfred]

Dan 'The Man' Marino .

 

[classical_hero]

I would say Gary Ablett. He was an Australian Rules player that Managed to three times make a Grand Final without winning it. In one of them he almost won the game for them off his boot, but he just finished short of carrying the team over the line.

 

[Strider]

Barry Sanders would be, in my opinion, the greatest athlete to go without a championship. Did the same thing as some of the greatest RB's in half the time.

 

[Azale]

bednarik won the 1960 NFL Championship w/ the eagles, azale

hi Frank! tell Kathy we say hello!

addit: gwynn went twice

addit2: 'nique was a SF iirc

Bah, that hardly counts. If the Eagles can win it, how can we take it seriously?

Gwynn went twice? Gah, I need to check up on my baseball knowledge.

@Strider, he was great, but he might also be the most overrated NFL player of all time. The greatest RB's don't put up -1 yards in the biggest games of thier careers.

 

[El Justo]

nice granted, it was before the super bowls but a championship it is nonetheless.

gwynn went to the dance in '84 vs detroit (and lost) and then again in '98 against the NYY.

 

[El Justo]

ryne sandberg never won one.

gale sayers, ken griffey, jr., carl yazstremski, dick butkus, ernie banks, ty cobb (!), elgin baylor.

i cheated and googled it

 

[Nobody]

tana umanga never won a world cup.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Barry Sanders

 

[aaglo]

Saku Koivu (Captain of Montreal Canadiens).

 

[LAnkou]

jonah lomu (Rugby)
Abdellatif Benazzih (idem)
Philippe Sella (idem)
O Driscoll (idem)
Thierry Lacroix (idem)
Puskas (Football, the true one, the one you play with feet)
Cruiff (idem)
van basten (idem)
gullit (idem)
Platini (idem, if considering World Cup only)
Oliver Kahn (idem, i think he didn't)
a bunch of football players from small countries, the list is too long to say it all
Raymond Poulidor (cycling, at least one in a solo sport)
Tony Rominger (idem)

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

He was great, but he might also be the most overrated NFL player of all time. The greatest RB's don't put up -1 yards in the biggest games of thier careers.

As a lifelong Packers fan, I remember that game fondly. Of course, to his credit if I recall correctly the only player with positive rushing yards for the Lions that day was the QB with a whopping 1 yard.

 

[azzaman333]

Nathan Buckley.