Lou Richards - Legend or Shitman ?

[Ox]

Shitman.

Good guy and all but if he was so good,surely anyone who played against him and is still alive would have condoned the idea in some way.

Would love to see some stats from his career,otherwise 

Thoughts ?

[richmondrules]

TV personality, average footballer. Not bad just average. Not a Legend.

[mightytiges]

423 goals from 250 games for a guy only 170cm tall. Kicked 4 goals or more 25 times. Captained the Pies to a post-WWII flag which isn't that common an event thank god lol. That's a decent footy career in anyone's language.

http://www.stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/L/Lou_Richards.html

Lou gets knocked back because he didn't coach as far as I'm aware. Still for us who grew up with him, Jack and Bobby Davis on World of Sport plus Lou's game commentary and his kiss of death in the Sun, he did stacks to promote footy and his involvement in the game stretched six decades. I think he is stiff to miss out and I hate Collingwood.

[richmondrules]

Sorry, I should have said good average footballer.

Look, his stats are not bad and you would have to be decent to captain your club but can you honestly say that he was a legend of the game. There is nothing in what he has done that screams exceptional. There have bee many good footballers who have had comparable careers to Lou.

He was a very popular TV personality which brings him into the public eye and he's a Collingwood favourite son which brings with it a sense of false entitlement. And now you've got McChins all aggravated making noise in between homophobic jokes.

Yes Lou is a very well known football figure who had a good, possibly very good but not exceptional, football career. Does public exposure in the media make you a Legend of the game?

Perhaps it does. I suppose it all comes down to what value you place on the title of legend and what criteria you use to judge it. How many legends are we going to end up with if guys like Lou Richards becomes a legend. Perhaps Sam Newman should be one also?

[Francois Jackson]

If he played for Richmond most of you would be kicking and screaming.

he is a legend and did more for footy than most realise.

they change the rules about almost every thing to do with the game these days so why should this be any different.

[the_boy_jake]

Too much focus on stats. F*** them. When you want to step back and judge someones place in 100+ years of footy its gotta be about a bigger narrative and Lou was a loyal clubman and a great character. Legend IMHO.

[Penelope]

I read a newspaper article about this a while back and quite simply he did not qualify for entry to the hall of fame. I cant remember what the requirements were but Lou did not fulfill them. Work in the media does not count, that I remember. That is why the AFL made an alternative offer to acknowledge his contribution outside the guidelines in place, which was rejected.

Ive had it mentioned a number of times by an older mate that Lou was an average footballer who was the master of the squirrel grip, but he does hate everything Collingwood.

[FNM]

Unquestionably should be a legend of the game
Playing and promoting the game for 70 years or so.  If that doesn't make you one, nothing will

[Fishfinger]

The "Legend" status is recognition of excellence for on-field performance of a player. A change was made a few years ago to allow coaches to be eligible because they influence on-field performance.

I thought it was good of the AFL to create a way of giving Lou much deserved recognition for his contribution to the game.
He lost me when he knocked it back.  

[dizza]

no doubt he was a quality player in his time, but the "legend status" is given to individuals for their on-field career, not their on-air performance. would he still be as respected if he hadn't turned into a media personality?? i don't think so.