"Contrary to what you've heard, Derek Jeter is not the greatest person" - When ESPN host Keith Olbermann lambasted The Captain during his retirement
In 2014, Derek Jeter had his farewell tour, which several media personalities ate up, but not former ESPN SportsCenter co-host Keith Olbermann. Olbermann was not impressed with what Jeter had done during his career and let it be known.
Jeter is often considered one of the greatest Yankees shortstops in history. During his 20-year career in the Bronx, Jeter slashed .310/.377/.440 with 260 home runs and 1311 RBIs.
However, in 2014, Olbermann disagreed that Jeter is one of the best shortstops in the organization's history. In a seven-minute monologue on his show, Olbermann picked Jeter apart.
"Contrary to what you have heard, Derek Jeter is not the greatest person in human history. He did not invent baseball, he did not discover electricity, he is not the greatest shortstop who ever lived," said Olbermann.
Those are some strong words. Keith Olbermann thought Derek Jeter was overrated and wanted it to be known.
"And among all the terrific players in the history of the New York Yankees, he is not by any measure, number one," added Olbermann.
For some, there is a hang-up on just how good Jeter was. During his long and illustrious career, he had never had that one season where he truly shined above the rest in the league. He never won an American League MVP Award, which Olbermann pointed to.
While he never won an AL MVP, you cannot overlook Jeter's numbers during his career with the Yankees. He finished as a 14-time All-Star with five Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers. He is also a five-time World Series champion.
Keith Olbermann slammed Derek Jeter for Farewell Tour
Keith Olbermann was not impressed by Derek Jeter's Farewell Tour. It was filled with fan promotions, urging fans to buy special apparel, and was the talking point of the 2014 season.
"For the third farewell, Thursday's actual last Yankee Stadium game, for all we know, Jeter will sprout wings and be taken up to Mt. Olympus to play shortstop in the big leagues in the sky," said Olbermann.
It is safe to say Olbermann was happy to see Jeter retire. You rarely see sports commentators with this much disdain for a player, at least not publically.
Jeter ended his career gracefully, hitting a walk-off single in his final home game with the Yankees. It was a fitting end to a great career in the Bronx.