Do Championships make a player great?

[pstripling]

Please forgive me as this is just a general sports question, and not a sports betting topic. It occured to me while I was watching the Colts game on MNF that Manning is an awesome quarterback, but do I feel he is truly great? The answer is, at this time, no. Regardless what he does, unless he can win a Championship, he will not be a great quarterback IMO. Marino currently holds some of the most impressive QB records, yet I do not consider him great. No matter what he did, he lacked the leadership to get his team a Super Bowl win. Barry Sanders also falls into this category.

I should note that a championship alone does not make a player great. Dilfer is a great example. I just don't think a player can be one of the truly great players unless they have elevated their team to the pinnacle of their league.

Moss, Culpepper, Holmes, Bettis, Harrison, Manning, E. James are all on the short list of players who have had a great career, yet lack the ultimate prize. I'm sure that I am missing quite a few names that should be on this list.

Anyone agree or disagree?

[CCx]

An endlessly debatable question - the answer to the question is dependant on what one's definition of 'greatness' is: stats, or team contribution? I think since there is no official description of what a 'great' player truly is, it's tough to say.

[Zoltri]

Great post and good question.
We can all come up with examples for and against with respect to your question. IMO, if the players stats suggest greatness then he is.

Being in the right place, right time should not be the biggest factor to an athletes legacy.

[judgesmails]

I consider some players who have not been on championship teams to be great. However, the list is short and leading a team to a championship enhances a great players legacy.

Not many considered Elway to be a better player than Marino before his last two seasons. The Broncos surround Elway with a running game and an above average defense and all of a sudden he is almost universally regarded as superior to Marino. My point is both were great players before and after Elway's team won championships.