sports Sports stars and comparison with their kids

[W_L]

I am a big football and Basketball fan, with a little sprinkling of Hockey (I did win GA's hockey 1x )

 

Something I have noticed in recent years, a lot of sports stars have kids, who also play the same sport.

 

The thing though is that there are comparisons between their fathers and their abilities:

 

In college basketball, I was following both of Michael Jordan's sons as they progressed in the NCAA, hoping to see them get into NBA at some point.

 

However, neither, Marcus nor Jeffrey Jordan, showed any strong drive and they were never drafted.

 

In football, the best family legacy is the Manning family of course with Archie, Peyton, and Eli (As I Patriots fan, I have to say "Damn your seed, Archie!", but as a football fan I am really impressed by their ability)

 

 

Still not every son follows in their father's footsteps in terms of equal performance,

 

Look at Simms' kids (Nope, no "The sims", but Phil Simm's former QB of NY Giants and super bowl 21/25 winner).

 

Both Chris and Matt Simms have had crappy careers as backups or practice squad benchwarmers with lackluster performances, when they were called up to play.

 

The NFL actually has a ranking for these comparisons of Fathers and sons

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000937380/article/the-2018-nfl-fatherson-rankings

 

And then the future, if Tom Brady's photos of his two sons: John and Ben are any indication, we might be seeing the start of a new cycle. Will they be even greater than the Manning kids? (God I hope so and I'd be okay with John starting and Ben backing up as Patriots, then alternating   ) Or will they be like the Simms, good on paper, lackluster in reality.

 

 

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Ultimately for me, as sports fan, I think we should let their kids be kids.

 

Yes, if they do play the sport, they can't avoid comparisons to their fathers, but until they do, just enjoy the ride. Jordan's kids played and couldn't reach the NBA, Simms' kids played and reached the NFL, but have had crappy careers with almost nothing to show for it, and Archie Manning's kids are considered all-time greats, even though I hate Peyton and Eli.

Edited February 4, 2019 by W_L

[Billy Martin]

I agree, let kids be kids, unless they follow their father into the same sport, once at the college level. Even then, everyone should be fair about it.