Most and Least Polarizing MSU Athletes

[StateCollege]

The Tolu thread got me thinking. Who are the most beloved MSU athletes that pretty much any State fan remembers positively and which players will automatically start a fierce debate if they are even mentioned. Players that you either loved or hated. I'll start with a few.

Universally Beloved
Dak
Anthony Dixon
Fred Smoot
Palmeiro
Will Clark

Most Polarizing
Will Rogers
Nick Fitzgerald
Kylin Hill
Aric Holman
Lamar Peters
Renardo Sydney
Wes Rea

 

[The Peeper]

-You left off Tommy Kelly and Willy Gay from the controversial list......
-and Wes Rea, controversial? He couldn't hit a breaking ball but I didn't hear about the controversy

 

[dawgman42]

Put Keffer McGee in that first group. And Randy Thomas.

Add Malik Heath to the lower list

 

[Dawgg]

Fitz?
Is he controversial?

I talked to Aric for a little while during the Women’s Final Four weekend in Dallas in 2017. He was dating Ketara Chapel at the time. I was surprised nobody seemed to know who he was, which is kind of funny in retrospect, but the men’s team was kind of an afterthought by that point in that season. We had some empty spots at our table at the hotel restaurant, so I offered them to him and some kids he had with him. They sat down and we talked for a little bit before Ketara’s mom came over and got them. He seemed like a good kid.

 

[POTUS]

If by controversial you mean someone on whom the fanbase's opinion was divided sharply, I'd nominate Tyler Russell. He's not really a controversial person but there was a lot of gnashing of teeth about his talents versus the system Mullen was trying run.

 

[dorndawg]

He wasn't exactly controversial (in fact, he was very likeable the few interactions I had around campus), but The Big Feces Marcus Campbell was the most frustrating athlete ever.

 

[StateCollege]

Fitz?
Is he controversial?

I think Fitz might be the most controversial athlete in MSU history. He was the ultimate "you either love him or hate him"

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I think Fitz might be the most controversial athlete in MSU history. He was the ultimate "you either love him or hate him"

Bro you have to define controversial. To me, it's that they are causing some type of bad controversy. Up and down play isn't controversy. Fitz and Wes Rea were NOT controversial. Kylin Hill was.

Maybe it should be 3 categories: Loved, Split, Hated.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I don't know what category you would put him in, but we have to put Sydney in there somewhere

 

[StateCollege]

Bro you have to define controversial. To me, it's that they are causing some type of bad controversy. Up and down play isn't controversy. Fitz and Wes Rea were NOT controversial. Kylin Hill was.

Maybe it should be 3 categories: Loved, Split, Hated.

I defined it in the OP. Controversial = players that were either loved or hated. Feel like that's pretty straightforward.

 

[aTotal360]

If Jake Mangum and Tanner Allen aren't on your beloved list, you need to start over.

 

[Msuirondawgs]

Beloved-
Dampier
Ricky Joe
Magnum
Marcus Grant?
Tanner Allen
Landon Sims
Horatio Webster
Pig Prather?
Russell Walters?

 

[POTUS]

I defined it in the OP. Controversial = players that were either loved or hated. Feel like that's pretty straightforward.

I think the word you're looking for is polarizing.

 

[ckDOG]

Fitz is the most under appreciated football player we've ever had - and surely at QB. If I could have nothing but a Fitz suit up for us from here on out, I'd take that deal. Guy was a playmaker, intense, hated some OM, and bleeds MSU.

His only real negative was he was the guy that followed Dak. Which for some reason, our dumbass fans interpreted into some kind of negative.

 

[kired]

Josh Robinson in the polarizing list. He was a beast until Mullen didn't let him get 200 yards in that Kentucky game and then it was like he shut down. But he played a big part in our run to #1.

 

[StateCollege]

I think the word you're looking for is polarizing.

Good call. I have edited the OP to be more clear

 

[BulldogBlitz]

Least polarizing...Bart hyche.

 

[FlotownDawg]

The most polarizing debate begins and ends with Will Rogers.

 

[retire the banner]

You left off Patrick Hanrahan in universally beloved

 

[stateu1]

Under the radar loved: Michael Gholar

 

[TNDawg1]

Back in the day we had an outfielder from Kentucky who flipped our own fans off. It would have been a much bigger deal now but I’m pretty sure Gene had his skuttlebutt up and running. It wasn’t completely lost on folks. I think he made his peace and is in good standing. I heard an interview with him in the last few years and he seems to root us on.

 

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

The Tolu thread got me thinking. Who are the most beloved MSU athletes that pretty much any State fan remembers positively and which players will automatically start a fierce debate if they are even mentioned. Players that you either loved or hated. I'll start with a few.

Universally Beloved
Dak
Anthony Dixon
Fred Smoot
Palmeiro
Will Clark

Most Polarizing
Will Rogers
Nick Fitzgerald
Kylin Hill
Aric Holman
Lamar Peters
Renardo Sydney
Wes Rea

Add Timmy Bowers and Winsome Frazier to the list at the top.

Gary Ervin to the second list.

Removed Nick and Wes from the bottom list. You never doubted that they were 100% Dawgs.

 

[thatsbaseball]

Although it's been a while I'd have Rockey Felker on that first list. In his day he was like Moses leading State football out of it's darkest days.

 

[dawgman42]

Most Polarizing?: Dontae Walker has to be on that list. Never saw a player go from a potential Doak Walker watch list to a Weight Watchers list and walk off the eff'ing field during senior day.

 

[Coast_Dawg]

I think Fitz might be the most controversial athlete in MSU history. He was the ultimate "you either love him or hate him"

Since when? Who hates him?

 

[00Dawg]

I spent a lot of time defending Jamont Gordon, so I suspect he belongs on that second list.

 

[bolddogge]

Everybody loves Porkchop and Burke Masters and most of the CWS championship team- Landon Sims, TA, Rowdy, Bednar, Clark, Cumbest, Johnson, Skinner, Harding...

 

[615dawg]

Big Feces gets me mad just seeing that name.

He'd go for 25 and 12 against Kentucky and then foul out with 2 points against a bottom feeder.

Super D is my favorite Bulldog ever. I doubt you can find anyone that disliked him. Fun fact: He dropped 62 on yours truly's team in high school.

 

[SteelCurtain74]

I'm surprised no one has listed Jerious Norwood in the beloved category. Always one of my favorite players.

 

[BigMotherTucker]

The Tolu thread got me thinking. Who are the most beloved MSU athletes that pretty much any State fan remembers positively and which players will automatically start a fierce debate if they are even mentioned. Players that you either loved or hated. I'll start with a few.

Universally Beloved
Dak
Anthony Dixon
Fred Smoot
Palmeiro
Will Clark

Most Polarizing
Will Rogers
Nick Fitzgerald
Kylin Hill
Aric Holman
Lamar Peters
Renardo Sydney
Wes Rea

I loved Nick Fitz

 

[StateCollege]

Since when? Who hates him?

There was a large anti-Fitz contingent when he was playing. Very similar to Rogers.

 

[atomic dawg]

I spent a lot of time defending Jamont Gordon, so I suspect he belongs on that second list.

Gordon was one of the first names I thought of when I saw this list. Very much a love him or hate him player. He was the guy that could be clutch or cost you a game on several occasions.

 

[L4Dawg]

Fitz was what he was. He was a heck of a player in Mullen's system.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

"Bear" Wilson
Anthony Dixon
Jerious Norwood
Omar Conner


Scott Westerfield
Arty Cosby

​

 

[Msuirondawgs]

Most Polarizing?: Dontae Walker has to be on that list. Never saw a player go from a potential Doak Walker watch list to a Weight Watchers list and walk off the eff'ing field during senior day.

And then to prison

 

[VegasDawg13]

I loved Nick Fitz

Anyone who doesn't can get ******

 

[blacklistedbully]

First list add John Bond, Mardye McDole, Eric Moulds, Chad Bumphis, Jameon Lewis, Johnie Cooks, Fred Smoot, Josh Morgan, Nikoe Whitley, Chris Jones, Johnthan Banks & Kent Hull.

ETA Keffer McGee, Michael Haddix, KJ Wright, Daniel Boyd, Chris White, Emmanuel Forbes, Jett Johnson, Jeff Brantley, Bobby Thigpen, Michael Davis, JJ Johnson, Dicenzo Miller, & Vick Ballard.

 

[thekimmer]

The Tolu thread got me thinking. Who are the most beloved MSU athletes that pretty much any State fan remembers positively and which players will automatically start a fierce debate if they are even mentioned. Players that you either loved or hated. I'll start with a few.

Universally Beloved
Dak
Anthony Dixon
Fred Smoot
Palmeiro
Will Clark

Most Polarizing
Will Rogers
Nick Fitzgerald
Kylin Hill
Aric Holman
Lamar Peters
Renardo Sydney
Wes Rea

Dontae Walker

 

[VegasDawg13]

Shane Power(s) was universally beloved

 

[MSUDC11-2.0]

I don’t know if I would even call Sidney polarizing. Every State fan I know who remembers that era hates that guy and most blame him for the downfall on the program (probably falls more on Stans but Sidney was part of it).