Greatest Athlete to Have His Career Cut Short by Injury?

**yisman** · 06-25-12, 01:19 AM

McGrady never really won anything even at his peak.

Lot of key injuries in the old days, not all career enders.

Mickey Mantle, Bobby Orr, Bo Jackson, Sandy Koufax, Gale Sayers, Bill Walton,

Someone mentioned death. Len Bias.

**Goat Milk** · 06-25-12, 01:23 AM

Originally posted by yisman

McGrady never really won anything even at his peak.

Lot of key injuries in the old days, not all career enders.

Mickey Mantle, Bobby Orr, Bo Jackson, Sandy Koufax, Gale Sayers, Bill Walton,

Someone mentioned death. Len Bias.

Tmac and Penny both shit on Walton I think. Tmac has a couple scoring titles and first team all nba. He was as good as durant is now in his prime but an even better passer. always had a shit team.

**yisman** · 06-25-12, 01:27 AM

Walton won an MVP and a Finals MVP.

He's a classic case because he had constant ankle and foot injuries that derailed what could've been a really great career.

McGrady was very talented, but he wasn't a winning player.

**Goat Milk** · 06-25-12, 01:29 AM

Yisman check out the tennis section

**wantitall4moi** · 06-25-12, 06:01 AM

Always good to see these threads, because there are a ton of trash heap guys who didnt make it who had they been injured and not been able to play would have been on everyone's short list.

What if Ryan Leaf had gotten hurt? How many people would think he was going to be a star? Or ...pick a Clipper daft pick in the last decade. The fact that everyone points to Shaun Livingston and his injury and cites that as to why he isnt what he 'should have been' proves my point.

Bo Jackson probably comes the closest since he actually did a little something in a few sports but to think he might have been a hall of famer in either of them is a stretch. he had media hype and Nike backing him worse than anything we even see today. He was decent but borderline 'star' in both sports he played, but he did at least do something. Some guys that get listed didnt do jack shit and because they dominated on a low level everyone projected them to be something awesome.

Best thing that could have happened to a guy like Matt Leinart and his reputation would have been to get blown up in that joke of a senior year he played. Because had he gotten an injury that made him unable to play people never would have found out how bad he sucked. Of course he doesnt care he got millions for getting drafted and suckering people to think he had talent but so do a lot of guys I suppose.

But it is hard to call guys great when they never did shit to begin with.

**wantitall4moi** · 06-25-12, 06:03 AM

But take the old baseball guys who went into the Wars of their day and lose years in their peak, while not the same thing have a much bigger impact on their legends than these so called greats who couldnt carry their jock strap. What would a guy like Ted Williams have for numbers had he not gone to war for a few years?

**Ez Money 77** · 06-25-12, 06:23 AM

My first live football game was Bo Jackson's last.

**stevenash** · 06-25-12, 06:47 AM

Originally posted by k13

Bo Jackson = overrated

Was never that great at either sport except a few plays he made which got kids excited.

You know Bo won a Heisman at Auburn, and was the first player ever to be ab all-star in 2 different sports

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 06:55 AM

Bo was not going to get alot better in baseball. He was a very talented and exiting player, but he wasn't going to hit for tremendous average, and he was going to strike out a ton.

He coulda been one of the greatest RB's ever, had he chose to focus on that sport....

**Fieldysnuts44** · 06-25-12, 07:51 AM

Originally posted by BEANTOWNJIM

THIS ONES A NO BRAINER

LEN BIAS

Len Bias ODed on Crack,never played a second in the NBA.Has to be Bo Jackson,the excelled at two professional sports.

**str** · 06-25-12, 08:46 AM

Mickey Mantle / Sandy Koufax

Hoist The Flag

IMO

**Adamho** · 06-25-12, 08:48 AM

Gale Sayers

**LT Profits** · 06-25-12, 08:51 AM

Since you said "athlete", Bo Jackson HAS to get the nod over the guys that played one sport.

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 10:45 AM

all of these guys are athletes

**LT Profits** · 06-25-12, 11:03 AM

Originally posted by Chi_archie

all of these guys are athletes

Yes but Bo was the only one that was an All-Star in two sports. Jordan and Sanders only tried baseball, Jackson excelled in it.

**d2bets** · 06-25-12, 11:17 AM

Gayle Sayers is the correct answer.

**FuzzyDunlop** · 06-25-12, 12:11 PM

Look at these skills Bo had...

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by LT Profits

Yes but Bo was the only one that was an All-Star in two sports. Jordan and Sanders only tried baseball, Jackson excelled in it.

yeah I think its semantics.... was Jackson the best athlete, that played two sports out of the athletes we've mentioned in this thread? yes..

are the other players mentioned great athletes that just only played one sport? yes....

Was Bo Jackson head and shoulders above Deion in baseball? he was better and had more potential. But in a similar amount of AB's Bo's OPS of .784 compared to Deion's OPS of .711 is not as huge a difference as our first thoughts indicate, well mine anyways.

I think you could also so that Deion was the more accomplished football player when it is all said and done. Bo coulda done better had he focused on it and not gotten injured. Bo, had alot of polishing to get done in both baseball AND football to better use his raw athleticism and freakish speed, strength combo.

Deion got the most out of his football skills and accomplished way more.

again, that's all moot, because Deion wasn't on this list of injured athletes.

Another side argument is that, I think there arguably were better two sport athletes than Bo Jackson in our sports history...

**doylfish** · 06-25-12, 12:34 PM

Another 'moot point' because it doesnt include injured athletes, but shows how
injuries can overrate certain players. It doesn't take much for a great athlete of one sport to be a good athlete in another sport.

Look at John Smoltz, I would consider him to be a 'great' pitcher throughout his career; hall of famer when eligible. Well just so happens he's also a scratch golfer. That's pretty darn good as well. Same as Jerry Rice. Or even Tony Romo (and I would put Bo on the Romo scale)

Now I'd also say John Smoltz was way better at baseball than Bo ever was 'going' to be and ditto for Jerry Rice in football. Just because Bo played two highly followed sports and got hurt doesn't mean he was the best ever, he was overrated in both. IMHO, like someone brought up earlier the backing from Nike way overhyped him

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 12:42 PM

Dave Winfield coulda been great in nba, MLB, or nfl. A lot of great raw athletes had skills on multiple sports that would allow them to have been very good in two sports like Bo.

There are dozens of names like that beyond the obvious. Guys like elway, Jackie Robinson, conners, track/football guys like Willie gault and Woodson. Football TEs ane hoppers and vice versa. Danny aing, Charlie ward ect. Roy jones jr.

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 12:44 PM

the top of my list of accomplished two sport athletes would have to be Dick Groat.....

I don't think anyone reached as high and excelled in two sports as much as Groat did!

and he's a great golfer on the side!

**LT Profits** · 06-25-12, 12:44 PM

Originally posted by Chi_archie

yeah I think its semantics.... was Jackson the best athlete, that played two sports out of the athletes we've mentioned in this thread? yes..

are the other players mentioned great athletes that just only played one sport? yes....

Was Bo Jackson head and shoulders above Deion in baseball? he was better and had more potential. But in a similar amount of AB's Bo's OPS of .784 compared to Deion's OPS of .711 is not as huge a difference as our first thoughts indicate, well mine anyways.

I think you could also so that Deion was the more accomplished football player when it is all said and done. Bo coulda done better had he focused on it and not gotten injured. Bo, had alot of polishing to get done in both baseball AND football to better use his raw athleticism and freakish speed, strength combo.

Deion got the most out of his football skills and accomplished way more.

again, that's all moot, because Deion wasn't on this list of injured athletes.

Another side argument is that, I think there arguably were better two sport athletes than Bo Jackson in our sports history...

But we are getting off topic, BO was the one that had his career cut short among the guys we've mentioned.

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 12:46 PM

yeah, i'm derailing the thread....sorry, I'm too lazy to start a new one

people can still chime in on injured players that we haven't thought of...

I think Bo is the clear winner on injured players from the Majority. With Sandy Koufax being 2nd in my mind

**LT Profits** · 06-25-12, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by Chi_archie

yeah, i'm derailing the thread....sorry, I'm too lazy to start a new one

people can still chime in on injured players that we haven't thought of...

I think Bo is the clear winner on injured players from the Majority. With Sandy Koufax being 2nd in my mind

Sandy wasn't cut short by injury though.

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 12:49 PM

Originally posted by LT Profits

Sandy wasn't cut short by injury though.

yeah he was, arthritis of the the elbow. Guy was at the peak of his career, greatest stretch of pitching in history and he had to hang it up because his arm was falling off

**LT Profits** · 06-25-12, 12:51 PM

Originally posted by Chi_archie

yeah he was, arthritis of the the elbow. Guy was at the peak of his career, greatest stretch of pitching in history and he had to hang it up because his arm was falling off

Sorry. I thought he just CHOSE to retire to "go out on top" and explore other ventures. I must be having a senile moment.

**Nick Papageorgio** · 06-25-12, 12:54 PM

No love for Stewart Payne? Do you guys know sht about sports?

**j37hr0** · 06-25-12, 12:55 PM

Kenny Irwin Jr. Winston Cup Rookie of the Year.

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 12:56 PM

adding to the first discussion.... Alonzo Mourning and Sean Elliott even though they were able to come back...

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by LT Profits

Sorry. I thought he just CHOSE to retire to "go out on top" and explore other ventures. I must be having a senile moment.

yeah he was exploring, having a functioning arm that didn't require constant attention and medication...

from the foremost authority...Wiki!!!!

The 1965 season brought more obstacles for Koufax. On March 31, the morning after pitching a complete spring training game, Koufax awoke to find that his entire left arm was black and blue from hemorrhaging. Koufax returned to Los Angeles to consult with Kerlan, who advised Koufax that he would be lucky to be able to pitch once a week. Kerlan also told Koufax that he would eventually lose full use of his arm. Koufax agreed not to throw at all between games—a resolution that lasted only one start. To get himself through the games he pitched in, Koufax resorted to Empirin with codeine for the pain, which he took every night and sometimes during the fifth inning. He also took Butazolidin for inflammation, applied capsaicin-based Capsolin ointment (called "atomic balm" by baseball players) before each game, and soaked his arm in a tub of ice afterwards.^{[51]

In April 1966, Kerlan told Koufax it was time to retire and that his arm could not take another season. Koufax kept Kerlan's advice to himself and went out every fourth day to pitch. He ended up pitching 323 innings, a 27–9 record, and a 1.73 ERA. Since then, no left-hander has had more wins, nor a lower ERA, in a season (Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton did match the 27-win mark in 1972). In the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. In the second game of a doubleheader, Koufax faced Jim Bunning for the second time that season,^[61] in a match-up between perfect game winners. Koufax, on two days rest, pitched a complete game, 6–3 victory to clinch the pennant.^[62] He started 41 games (for the second year in a row); only two left-handers started as many games in any season over the ensuing years through 2010.}

**LT Profits** · 06-25-12, 01:00 PM

Originally posted by Nick Papageorgio

No love for Stewart Payne? Do you guys know sht about sports?

Originally posted by j37hr0

Kenny Irwin Jr. Winston Cup Rookie of the Year.

There is no comparison between a golfer or a race car driver and Bo Jackson.

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 01:02 PM

are you old enough to remember Dick Groat, LT? not as an announcer but as a player?

**Nick Papageorgio** · 06-25-12, 01:05 PM

Originally posted by LT Profits

There is no comparison between a golfer or a race car driver and Bo Jackson.

Sorry but Payne won 3 majors what did Bo ever do.

**Chi_archie** · 06-25-12, 01:09 PM

Originally posted by Nick Papageorgio

Sorry but Payne won 3 majors what did Bo ever do.

got alot of hype for being a freak of nature that could outrun anyone, run over anyone, break bats over his knee and head, hit one handed homers, 500 foot HR's, do commercials, throw bullets from the warning track to the plate on a line...

yeah he was an all-star, but he was a bit over-rated for what he had accomplished already.

off the charts potential though

**seaborneq** · 06-25-12, 01:09 PM

I thought it was Payne Stewart. Who is Stewart Payne?