Barry Sanders: Did Anyone Ever Retire MORE at the top of their game?

jbrent95 · 07-03-10, 11:33 AM

Jim Brown???

Doc JS · 07-03-10, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by jbrent95

Jim Brown???

this is the correct answer...

end of thread...

Doc

rm18 · 07-03-10, 12:25 PM

Kurt Warner hands down

Chi_archie · 07-03-10, 12:38 PM

Jim Brown vs Barry Sanders is very close.... and very debatable

but I gotta think that Sandy Koufax Easily trumps them both...

reopen the thread Doc???

FrozenMAN · 07-03-10, 01:01 PM

jim brown with ease....kurt warner????? are you kiddin me dude????

will2survive · 07-03-10, 01:09 PM

Chi Archie: I thought that you knew more than this.How about JIM BROWN---as good as it gets--Barry Sanders isn't a dimple on his ass

Doc JS · 07-03-10, 01:21 PM

Originally posted by Chi_archie

Jim Brown vs Barry Sanders is very close.... and very debatable

but I gotta think that Sandy Koufax Easily trumps them both...

reopen the thread Doc???

Well..I've got Brown in front of Sanders by more than a little bit. Sanders was very elusive. No question. But there were many games where Sanders just wasn't an impact player. That was seldom the case with Brown.

Yes, defensive players were worried about being embarrassed by Sanders. But they were worried about being run over, around, or through by Brown.

When Brown retired, he was the best in the game. When Sanders retired, he was one of the best, but not definitively THE best. Big difference in my book.

On to Koufax. He was certainly very dominant when he retired. But he retired largely due to arm problems. He knew he couldn't continue to be as dominant as he had been because of the injuries. That's why I have him behind Brown.

I'm sure you've probably heard the story about when Sandy was taking golf lessons after he retired and the pro told him he had to keep his left arm straight (he was learning to play golf right handed). Sandy replied, "If I could keep my left arm straight, I'd still be pitching in the major leagues!"...

Doc

hoopster42 · 07-03-10, 01:24 PM

Sandy koufax!!!

rm18 · 07-03-10, 01:27 PM

depends if you mean personal game or their sport, Kurt Warner retired better than he was over the course of his career. The answer would be Floyd Mayweather or Michael Jordan for their sport, but Warner for personal game

seaborneq · 07-03-10, 01:28 PM

Magic Johnson. Look at what all the great players of all time were doing at 30 and tell me Magic was not at the top of his game. MJ could be on the list if he were not on retirement/suspension and came back.

Chi_archie · 07-03-10, 01:37 PM

forget the bullshit on why, where, when, who, how, they retired.........

who had a better last year in the pros?

Jim Brown or Sandy Koufax?

a 27-9 1.73 era with 317 strike outs ( triple crown pitching winner by the way)

that doesn't happen too often

coloradobuff · 07-03-10, 01:38 PM

jim brown..then barry

podunk · 07-03-10, 01:40 PM

jim brown

james4512 · 07-03-10, 01:41 PM

vegas dave

/thread

will2survive · 07-03-10, 01:45 PM

Chi--you're favoring baseball over football-(biased)---Jim Brown was an elite athlete-----Might be the best of all time.Did you know that he was the best Lacrosse player ever.This is no joke.Jim Brown--end of story

Chi_archie · 07-03-10, 01:59 PM

again.... lets keep to the thread title....

and not make it about the best athlete to ever retire near the top....

or the best major sports player that also was a great college indian sport player....

Sandy Koufax's last season in MLB was way more impressive than Brown's last NFL season

sorry

seaborneq · 07-03-10, 02:10 PM

19.4 points, 12.5 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per game are Magic's stats during his last season at 31 years old. Better than his career averages and no worse the second best player in the NBA. Of course MJ was storming through at the time. Had the Lakers won the series this would be a no brainer.

Chi_archie · 07-03-10, 02:21 PM

seaborne, you are conviently forgetting to mention that.... MAGIC CAME BACK!!!!!!!

and he wasn't all that impressive.....

secondly, his last season's stats are NICE..... but are they really league leading/dominating stats like Sandy's or Jim Browns?

Sandy led the league in everything!!! Jim Brown lead the league in rushing

warriorfan707 · 07-03-10, 02:23 PM

John Elway

seaborneq · 07-03-10, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by Chi_archie

seaborne, you are conviently forgetting to mention that.... MAGIC CAME BACK!!!!!!!

and he wasn't all that impressive.....

secondly, his last season's stats are NICE..... but are they really league leading/dominating stats like Sandy's or Jim Browns?

Sandy led the league in everything!!! Jim Brown lead the league in rushing

His team was in the Finals up 1-0 with home court advantage. I would put contribution to winning a championship as part of retiring great. Who's counting Magic's comeback. That was a fraud.

obamaismyuncle · 07-03-10, 03:19 PM

The answer to this question is no. Kirby Puckett was at the top of his game but had to retire due to health issues.

keyboarding · 07-03-10, 03:30 PM

Chris Chelios.

stealthyburrito · 07-03-10, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by obamaismyuncle

The answer to this question is no. Kirby Puckett was at the top of his game but had to retire due to health issues.

stingray14 · 07-03-10, 03:36 PM

Jim brown

Tree Rollins · 07-03-10, 03:37 PM

Michael Jordan. 1st retirement.

will2survive · 07-03-10, 04:47 PM

no offense but this is ridiculous: Jim Brown---this is a no brainer---he quit football to have an acting career---anyone who gives a different answer--with the exception of Koufax is incorrect. Any real sports fan would know.I'm 38 going on 39 and know my sports history and know that Jim Brown is the answer to this thread

philswin · 07-03-10, 04:52 PM

1. Jim Brown 2. Sandy Koufax 3. Barry Sanders - If Sanders would have played 3 more years at approx. 6 mil a year. bet he wishes he had that 18 mil now.

hoopster42 · 07-03-10, 06:14 PM

heres one none of you thought of, marvin hagler

hoopster42 · 07-03-10, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by Tree Rollins

Michael Jordan. 1st retirement.

doesnt count because he came out of retirement twice actually. this is about who actually walked away from the game for good

JohnGalt2341 · 07-03-10, 06:17 PM

Originally posted by Tree Rollins

Michael Jordan. 1st retirement.

2 votes for this.

hoopster42 · 07-03-10, 06:18 PM

guys, isnt it clear that the OP is asking for who walked away from the game forever

JohnGalt2341 · 07-03-10, 06:19 PM

Fair enough... I'll give you that. How about Rocky Marciano?

Chi_archie · 07-03-10, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by hoopster42

heres one none of you thought of, marvin hagler

????

didn't he finish his career with a loss? if you are gonna go boxing, at least do the obvious with Marciano

hoopster42 · 07-03-10, 06:23 PM

Originally posted by Chi_archie

????

didn't he finish his career with a loss? if you are gonna go boxing, at least do the obvious with Marciano

he was on the downside of his career and he knew it, so was he at his peak? no. marciano was clearly on the downside when he walked away