Quote vastman="vastman"No it not the measure but it is imo the key to being a legend. When sport is played for fun it’s not the winning but the taking part that counts, no argument from me. Pro RL or any pro sport is not played for fun, it may be fun playing it and it’s certainly more fun than emptying bins or at least it should be but they are not the same thing.
There is only one logic in pro sport and that is success - anything less is not necessarily failure but it is not success, at this level it simply can’t be considered as such - harsh? Yes but that’s how it works.
Hence a legend in the pro game has to also be a winner which means being in a winning team and we haven’t had one of those for fifty years. My opinion.'"
That's a well reasoned analysis but not something |I can necessarily agree with. There are several former Leeds players walking around with Premiership rings in every finger but would never be a "legend". In fact many have never risen above the ordinary but happened to be in the right place at the right time.
To win silverware in this game teams have to put together a winning sequence of 4 games to collect a trophy. A lot more difficult than it sounds and a great deal of heroic effort has to go into getting the teams into a place where they can tilt for the title.
The term "legendary" infers an almost mythical/ mystical memory of almost superhuman proportion. Surely it is what they do rather than the outcome that matters. Possibly greater legendary status is invoked on those performing heroic deeds against overwhelming odds.
By my criteria, I've seen a few legends at Belle Vue.
Neil Fox, an absolute phenomenon in any age.
David Topliss, amazing ability to make a difference and change a game in seconds
Bill Ashurst, only played on one leg for us but just a different class
Ray Price, absolutely immense presence who set such a high standard for his team.
I also think that you can't be a legend whilst still playing.
