obxyankeefan
Well-Known Member
there's a lot of give and take here - championships are a huge boost to a pro athlete building their legendary status. This might not be a great example, but people don't continue to buy cars from John Elway car dealership if he doesn't have a double SB winning swan song on his way out the door. He doesn't get the front office job without those SB rings. Bronco fans would still love the guy, but they wouldn't still be celebrating him 25yrs later without those titles, it would just be fond memories that any of them would trade in an instant for a future SB victory.
Different sport, but Don Mattingly is still one of the most beloved Yankees of all -time. He is also the only major Yankee player that did not win a title.
Barry Sanders is still loved all over the greater Detroit area.
Part of the legend of Earl Campbell is he kept losing to the Steelers in the AFC Championship game.
Certain players mean more than a championship, but they are few and far between.