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Who is the biggest waste of talent in sports history ?

Iron Warrior

Iron Warrior

Registered User
My choice goes to Mike Tyson. I truly believe he could have been the greatest if he would have stayed focused and out of trouble. He was the world's heavyweigth champ at 20. He was a knockout machine when he was focused.

I think Darryl Strawberry is a close second, it still boggles my mind how he was caught with coke and a hooker even though he knew he had cancer.
 
Iron Warrior said:
My choice goes to Mike Tyson. I truly believe he could have been the greatest if he would have stayed focused and out of trouble. He was the world's heavyweigth champ at 20. He was a knockout machine when he was focused.

I think Darryl Strawberry is a close second, it still boggles my mind how he was caught with coke and a hooker even though he knew he had cancer.
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Ryan Leaf has to come to mind. Dunno if any of you guys remember a guy named Cecil Collins, but us Dolphin fans sure do. Also, not at all a waste of talent, but it would have been amazing to watch Barry Sanders play another 5-6 years.
 
Yeah I forgot about Ryan Leaf LOL! He's gotta be one of the biggest pussies in NFL history.

Barry Sanders is the best back of all time IMO. Would have been a treat to watch him break the rushing record. It's amazing how he never had much talent around him or a fullback for most of his career but was still able to dominate. The only thing I have to criticize him for is quitting on his teammates 1.5 months before the season began. He should have given earlier notice to the team just out of respect for his teammates who were counting on him.
 
MLB - Ken Griffey Jr. (still having a great career, but was once on pace to shatter the homerun record).

NFL - Brian Bosworth, Lawerence Phillips, Cecil Collins, Heath Shuler, Akili Smith (smith was never talented however).

NHL - ? people say Eric Lindros but I can't label Lindros a bust.

NBA - Grant Hill (Injuries absolutely ruined him), soon you can add Kwame Brown to this list - he will be the worst #1 pick in the past 15 years.
 
I remember Cecil "The Diesel" Collins. He was dominant at LSU, and I expected him to be a strong NFL player.


I think it is Bo Jackson. He was absolutely incredible. However, I am not sure if his talent was wasted, but rather it ended to early due to injury.
I spend alot of time analizing sports for job purposes and Bo Jackson was the most talented guy that I ever saw.

Another wasted talent was Archie Manning. He did not waste it, but the teams he played for were awful in ever other position. Archie Manning had the potential and talents to be a Hall of Fame quaterback, but unfortunately for him, he got stuck player for some of the worst teams in history.
 
Bo Jackson was certainly ahead of his time, but would he be the best athlete in professional today if say, he was a rookie?
Bo Jackson and Hershall Walker remind me alot of Fred Taylor today.
Only back in the Jackson's and Walker's day - they were bigger and faster than most linebackers, that wouldnt be the case today.
Jackson was clearly more talented than Walker, Walker lacked the vision to be a great RB.
 
Deoudes59 said:
Bo Jackson was certainly ahead of his time, but would he be the best athlete in professional today if say, he was a rookie?
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Bo Jackson would be dominant today. I would be willing to bet a large sum of money on that.
Bo Jackson rarely trained in the weight room. Could you imagine if he had?

However, this will be a pointless debate as it is impossible to prove either way. :icon_lol:
 
I think Ryan Leaf has to be up there. As for Ken Griffey, and Grant Hill I dont know if I put them into the same kind of wasted talent as Ryan because of injuries. How about Brian bosworth, Andy Katzenmoyer, Tony Mandarich. I have to say thanks for Tony being touted as the best lineman ever entering the draft, because it aloud Barry Sanders to come here to detroit. Watching Barry was without a doubt the best times in football to me. He was a @ss for quiting early though. Kwame Brown is also a good name to have on the list. How aobut Sam Bowie remember him he was drafted before Michael Jordan. I better go before I keep thinking of more busts.
 
Tony Mandarich is definitely a good one. What about Todd Marinovich? He was a serious bust who had been groomed his whole life to be a professional.
 
I think Bo would be good-great today.
I think that he benefited (some) from 'being ahead of his time'.
Maybe its not as applicable to baseball or football (in the past 10-15years).

Certainly the comparsion is accurate in basketball and hockey.
If Lebron James launched his career in the 80s -- would he be better than Jordan? (it would depend on how many championships we won -- thats what ultimately separates Jordan from ever other superstar)

If Teemu Sellane, Pavel Bure, Jaromir Jagr played in Gretzky's era - I have no doubt that they would have scored more goals than Gretzky. But Wayne is still the best ever. Mario second
 
size said:
Tony Mandarich is definitely a good one. .
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That's who I was thinking! Remember that HUGE spread in SI when he was a senior-talked about his diet, weight training, what a force he would be in the NFL, etc. etc. What a fuckin joke. :think:
 
You can't fault Barry Sanders for the timing of his retirement. Do you feel like YOU abandoned your teamates (co-workers) the last time you quit a job? Did YOU give 1 and a half months notice?

I don't fault guys like Leaf, Shuler, and Akili Smith, they just didn't have the talent, and it is the teams that made the mistake.

To me, its the guys that throw their careers and lives away chasing the white powder.

And of course guys like Collins, Riddick Bowe (who had more talent than anyone I've seen when motivated), Ike Ikebuchi (who WOULD be the heavyweight champ right now) and Rae Curruth, who not only did in their own career, but are now in the hole.
 
size said:
What about Todd Marinovich? He was a serious bust who had been groomed his whole life to be a professional.
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This dude was a HUGE mental case. Last I heard he was caught using drugs and last played in the AFL. He was supposed to be the next Kenny Stabler for the Raiders.

About the grooming part, he was being pretty much forced to be an athlete by his father since he was a child, didn't have a burger until his teens cause his dad was strict with him.
 
Skark said:
You can't fault Barry Sanders for the timing of his retirement. Do you feel like YOU abandoned your teamates (co-workers) the last time you quit a job? Did YOU give 1 and a half months notice?
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I see your point of view. The reason I critcized him was because I was looking at it from an ex-community college player's point of view cause I'd be mad if I were busting my ass and the guy we rely on the most quits on such short notice since learning an NFL offensive system can take some time
 
One of the most intriguing things about Bo Jackson was that he wasn't even as dedicated to football as other football players since he was playing about 8-10 games a year for the Raiders. He'd be a 1500 yard rusher in today's NFL. HIs acceleration was incredible, extremely physically gifted for the 80's and early 90's
 
I thought of another one. Does anybody remember Brein Taylor? He was the lefty pitcher out of highschool that was throwing 98mph. The yankees signed him to a record signing bonus for someone out of the draft. They signed him for like 1.5 million back in 1991.
 
Len Bias. Obviously a different situation as all the players named but this dude was considered one of the greatest talent coming out of college. Sad story....
Sage
 
Rogue Drone said:
Not the worst, but in contention - Andre Ware, Ron Dayne, Jerry Rice, Aleksandr Karelin.
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Jerry fu&%ing RICE......are you kidding us :trout:

The GREATEST player of his position of ALL TIME :hammer:

Really, what more can the guy do? He wins Super Bowl titles, All-Pro about 15 times, and still effective at 42. And has the BEST work ethic of anyone.

Yeah, I guess the Niners regret that pick :frustrate
 
Rogue Drone said:
Got the most from limited physical tools - Doug Flutie
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After that Jerry Rice blast, I had to think twice about praising you for mentioning the player in the NFL I respect most

The best testament to Fmutie I can make is:

What do all QBs drafted from 1983-1985 have in common EXCEPT for Doug Flutie?

THEY ALL HAVE TAKEN OFF THE PADS

This guy's determination and drive is something most of us can only dream about. And he is still excited about stepping in between the lines. Last season, at age 41 he played the best game of his career against the then undefeated Vikings, my favorite team. After about 3/4 of the game, when the guy had thrown for three scores and rushed for two more in totally destroying the Vikes, I was cheering for him.
 
The entire Red Sox team is a waste of human flesh.. :)

I hate baseball altogether, so they can all be sent to prison camps and raped with spiked bats.. :)
 
For Dayne, I really think the jury is still out. In the right situation he could flourish. His problem is that Tiki Barber is such a good all-around back.

As far as Tony Mandarich, he started in the league for 10-12 years. To me, thats a pretty solid career. Green Bay just made a mistake on draft day.

For me, I'll stick with the biggest waste of talent being guys who throw their life away through drugs and crime.
 
Skark said:
For me, I'll stick with the biggest waste of talent being guys who throw their life away through drugs and crime.
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Me too, that's why I picked Tyson and Strawberry, I did forget about Len Bias, very sad indeed.
 
The biggest waste, and by no fault of his own, is/was Terrell Davis. Had he not had the knee injury, he would have easily passed Emmit Smith for the all-time yardage record.
 
think it is Bo Jackson. He was absolutely incredible. However, I am not sure if his talent was wasted, but rather it ended to early due to injury.
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I spend alot of time analizing sports for job purposes and Bo Jackson was the most talented guy that I ever saw.
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Bo was the greatest athlete in the last 100 years. He was an All-star in baseball and could have been an All-pro in the NFL too. Remeber when he ran up the wall to make that catch? Baseball people still talk about it. Here was a guy who at 240lbs ran a 4.15 40-yard dash! He was challenged to a race by noted base stealer and he told him sure all race. You can wear your track shoes and I'll run in my bare feet! The guy declined. Howie Long used to say that Bo's mother must of feed him D-bol in his oatmeal.
 
Guys that did more with less (overachievers you might say):

Jeff Garcia, Doug Flutie, Rocky, Emmitt Smith, Dino Cicarelli, Dale Hunter, Brett Boone (steroids or not)

Speaking of steroids in baseball, I've compared rookie cards of Jason Giambi, Barry Bonds, Jim Thome, Brady Anderson, Mark McGwire, Bret Boone, Eric Chavez, Ken Caminiti, Jeff Bagwell to their present day pictures - different is night and day.

Especially Jim Thome.
 
Anderson
Jim Thome

(im not gay) :thumbsup:

I only see 3 attachments -- But there are 4.
i dont get why i dont see certain attachments
 
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I'd say you could do that in the 10+ years they have been in MLB. Just check out Bobo's before and after pics in his section, that was just 6 years.

Anyone remember Reggie Lewis, captain of the Celtics back in the 90's fell flat dead playing ball, some thought because of coke, others because of a genetic heart condition.

cm5
 
cookmic5 said:
I'd say you could do that in the 10+ years they have been in MLB. Just check out Bobo's before and after pics in his section, that was just 6 years.

Anyone remember Reggie Lewis, captain of the Celtics back in the 90's fell flat dead playing ball, some thought because of coke, others because of a genetic heart condition.

cm5
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I do agree, I single out Anderson and Thome because their frames don't really look like that could naturally support all that muscle (especially thome - he has high BF however).
162 Games a year and travel - it;d would be hard to do.

I can't view Bobos before and after... I don't know why???

How many attachments did I upload, it only shows 3 that I can view - but I sent 4.
 
Deoudes59 said:
I do agree, I single out Anderson and Thome because their frames don't really look like that could naturally support all that muscle (especially thome - he has high BF however).
162 Games a year and travel - it;d would be hard to do.

I can't view Bobos before and after... I don't know why???

How many attachments did I upload, it only shows 3 that I can view - but I sent 4.
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Theres 4 up there
 
LCSULLA said:
"groan".... She's my cousin..
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really... thats cool -

when i say 'like' im refering to im attracted to intelligent good looking women with personalities. :thumbsup:
 
when i say 'like' im refering to im attracted to intelligent good looking women with personalities.
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Thank God! When guys find out that I am related to her, they always ask to be set up. But she's married,so..
 
LCSULLA said:
Thank God! When guys find out that I am related to her, they always ask to be set up. But she's married,so..
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yup im 21 too, just a kid still
i wouldnt set up anyone with my cute cousin whos my age - im not about to have anyone (even my friends) try and play her.

fox news, real and unbias :thumbsup:
 
Got another one. Dan McGwire, Big Mac's "little" brother. He was supposed to take the Seahawks to the promised land and everyone slobbered about him cause he was 6'8'' and had a cannon.
 
I didnt know that guy was Mac's brother. A bust for sure.
 
Iron Warrior said:
Got another one. Dan McGwire, Big Mac's "little" brother. He was supposed to take the Seahawks to the promised land and everyone slobbered about him cause he was 6'8'' and had a cannon.
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Hideki Irabu.

"Leagues fastest Pitch"
 
LOL on Hideki Irabu, you gotta love how Steinbrenner referred to him as a "fat toad".

Ozzie Canseco was a freakin automatic strikeout everytime he batted.
 
Iron Warrior said:
LOL on Hideki Irabu, you gotta love how Steinbrenner referred to him as a "fat toad".
QUOTE]

HAHAHA wow theres a name from the past....
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I think Dennis Rodman wins this. Exellent basketball player.............................but a really confused man.
 
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