Was OJ Simpson the most well regarded athlete in U.S. history? (Before the murders)

[Anonymous]

Muhammed Ali didn’t dodge the draft— he refused to serve for religious reasons and was sentenced to 5 years in jail (although the sentence was thrown out on appeal)

[Anonymous]

I think you mean something other than well-regarded. Maybe most widespread appeal? Because many athletes have been well-regarded (many Olympians, etc)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely not! He was famous because of the Bronco chase.

No. He was very, very famous before that, which is why the slow-speed Bronco chase was such a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Muhammad Ali

This is the answer.

It is *an* answer. The wrong one, though. It's actually hard to come up with one that is more wrong.

Muhammad Ali is highly regarded, even beloved, now, after his death, and in the decade or so preceding it. He was a magnetic figure, and a sympathetic one, as we saw him decline from TBI. But back when he was at the height of his career, he was regarded as a draft dodger, stripped of his title, didn't fight for four years, and changed his birth name because it was a "slave name." A segment of the population revered him, yes . . . but he was absolutely not the most well-regarded athlete in American history while he was actually an athlete. My father-in-law, who was drafted and did go to Vietnam, still despises him.

Nobody asked you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dorothy Hamill? Mary Lou Retton? Chris Evert? All well-regarded. Don't sleep on the female athletes. Maybe not in as many commercials and movies as OJ but everyone knew them. Dorothy Hamill's haircut was bigger than The Rachel at the time.

Not even close

[Anonymous]

Lou Gehrig

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Muhammad Ali

This is the answer.

No Ali was very divisive. It was most likely some baseball player. O.J. was in broadcasting and movies which raised his profile. He was on Monday night football when it was big.

[Anonymous]

Babe Ruth fool

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Muhammad Ali

This is the answer.

It is *an* answer. The wrong one, though. It's actually hard to come up with one that is more wrong.

Muhammad Ali is highly regarded, even beloved, now, after his death, and in the decade or so preceding it. He was a magnetic figure, and a sympathetic one, as we saw him decline from TBI. But back when he was at the height of his career, he was regarded as a draft dodger, stripped of his title, didn't fight for four years, and changed his birth name because it was a "slave name." A segment of the population revered him, yes . . . but he was absolutely not the most well-regarded athlete in American history while he was actually an athlete. My father-in-law, who was drafted and did go to Vietnam, still despises him.

Nobody asked you

I take it upon myself to point out when people say stupid sh!t. Sorry your knowledge of American history is so lacking.

[Anonymous]

Some other old-timers to consider:

Jim Thorpe
Jack Dempsey
Jesse Owens
Jackie Robinson
Joe DiMaggio

[Anonymous]

The argument that OJ was more famous, or well regarded, than MJ because of TV commercials is really quite something. Where do you people come up with this nonsense?

Also, The Naked Gun made $78 million at the box office in 1988. Eight years later, in 1996, Space Jam made more than $250 million.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Muhammad Ali

This is the answer.

It is *an* answer. The wrong one, though. It's actually hard to come up with one that is more wrong.

Muhammad Ali is highly regarded, even beloved, now, after his death, and in the decade or so preceding it. He was a magnetic figure, and a sympathetic one, as we saw him decline from TBI. But back when he was at the height of his career, he was regarded as a draft dodger, stripped of his title, didn't fight for four years, and changed his birth name because it was a "slave name." A segment of the population revered him, yes . . . but he was absolutely not the most well-regarded athlete in American history while he was actually an athlete. My father-in-law, who was drafted and did go to Vietnam, still despises him.

you really made up some stuff here to fit your narrative

What, precisely, is made up? Please enlighten me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was there any celebrity athlete more well regarded in the States than OJ was?

I’ve heard Michael Jordan’s fame doesn’t even compare to how OJ’s fame reach was in the country. Same with LeBron and Iverson. That OJ was embraced everywhere and in movies, commercials, media.

Would you say he was probably the most well regarded athlete prior to the murders?

I think it was either Simpson or Kaitlyn Jenner (dead-name: Bruce Jenner. Winner of the Olympic Decathlon).

Jenner is a republican, BTW. And that’s fine. We republicans love America and our tradition of respect for freedom; Jenner is simply living out the right to American freedom.

Still one of the funniest memes of all time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was there any celebrity athlete more well regarded in the States than OJ was?

I’ve heard Michael Jordan’s fame doesn’t even compare to how OJ’s fame reach was in the country. Same with LeBron and Iverson. That OJ was embraced everywhere and in movies, commercials, media.

Would you say he was probably the most well regarded athlete prior to the murders?

I don't know about The Most, but he was at the top. He was loved beyond his football because he was charming, handsome and well liked. That's a large reason why many people believed in his innocence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you have to think about reach and influence.

OJ was a sports star, of which there are many. He did sports commentary - a number of retired athletes do that and achieve name recognition success. He also had a number of commercials that had broad appeal (see the running through the airport thing, which was real) - fewer athletes, but still a lot, have that level of broad commercial appeal. AND, add in a small but still broad movie/television career as an actor (not himself) - that's where it becomes relaly really rare.

And all this before super saturation of commercial product. Michael Jordan certainly approaches this level, due to the aboslute saturation of the market with Be like Mike commercials and NIKE and then his own shoes. And, he had TV appearances and even a movie. Not a good actor though. Shaq has also had TV/movie appearances, but not a good actor.

OJ wasn't a great actor, but he could hit the baseline and had that charisma that translated on screen.

Muhammad Ali I'd agree might be the most well regarded, and did all of it before there were really opportunities for the type of media saturation that other althetes had. And he started as hated when he changed his name to Muhammad Ali and tore up his draft card. His natural charisma just won out.

Jesse Palmer was a standout in college, not as well regarded in the pros, does a competent job as a football broadcaster and was a Bachelor. Now he also hosts a bunch of TV shows (a bunch on the Foodnetwork). But I'd in no way say he's as well regarded.

Who else. LeBron is trying to broaden his appeal. Terry Bradshaw. Of course: JOE NAMATH - maybe before all our time, but he probably is the only one I can think of who approached OJ levels? Maybe Joe Dimaggio, with his public life/marilyn monroe?

Yes, I love sports. Jesse Palmer is not in the same conversation.

Other than perhaps those at AVIS, this commercial was universally loved!
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/arts/television/oj-simpson-hertz-ads-commercials.html