Greatest Athlete to Have His Career Cut Short by Injury?

[LT Profits]

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

No I am "only" 50 so I was born as his career was winding down.

[Nick Papageorgio]

You nailed me seaborn. Payne Stewart is the man.
archie sounds like bosworth type guy to me. lol breaks bat over knee, stopped reading at that point.

[LT Profits]

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

In all fairness, Bo's career was cut down before he ever got a chance to show his true greatness, although I supposed making the MLB All-Star Game and the Pro Bowl counts for something. Besides, we go back to the word "athlete", I think it takes a lot more athleticism to excel in baseball and football than it does to play golf, which relies more on skill.

[Chi_archie]

You nailed me seaborn. Payne Stewart is the man.
archie sounds like bosworth type guy to me. lol breaks bat over knee, stopped reading at that point.

you got me, I wish I had the beautiful Bosworth hair and acting ability....

I was being a little tongue in cheek, in agreeing with statement via question, on what Bo accomplished.

hundreds of other players have done what Bo did on the field, without all the "mythical" hyped up stories

[ballahollic2]

Very solid list so far. I will add Larry Johnson (NBA) The guy would have been a beast in his career if he didn't have nagging back injuries that derailed him throughout.

[BuddyBear]

I know this is not the "best" athlete and a relief pitcher no less, but Joel Zumaya was basically Aroldis Chapman in 2006. He had a great year as the Tigers won the pennant that year and there was a lot of possibility with him going forward. But he got hurt, was never the same and is basically done with baseball now. Use to throw in the high 90s and low 100s.

[lunchbawks]

#4 Bobby Orr

[Bill Dozer]

Brandon ******* Roy....
First player that came to mind....reading the thread lots of decent names

Roy and Oden are good moden picks IMO. Funny pic google spits out btw



No one said Grant Hill!? Hill was Lebron before Lebron. Orlando was supposed to be a dynasty with him and Mcturkey. It wasnt until 5 or so years later he had an injury free year with an ankle made of popsicle sticks. Where does Hill rank?

[Chi_archie]

No one said Grant Hill!? Hill was Lebron before Lebron. Orlando was supposed to be a dynasty with him and Mcturkey. It wasnt until 5 or so years later he had an injury free year with an ankle made of popsicle sticks. Where does Hill rank?

I would say Hill is in another category with guys like Griffey Jr. and Mantle.... still had long careers, but didn't shine bright due to injuries and missed time in what should have been the Prime of their career...

They didn't really have their careers cut SHORT though.... just hampered. (while Mantle's was kinda cut short)

[will2survive]

This is the man right here....no question if you saw him play---

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Sims

[rm18]

Cooper Manning? All Mannings if healthy make the HOF.

[Chi_archie]

Cooper Manning? All Mannings if healthy make the HOF.

oh I like it! thinking outside the box... Yes he was only a HS player when he had to quit, but given the Pedigree and the Fact that everyone said he was the best Manning, gives him a boost....

although, making it as a white receiver woulda been tough

[doylfish]

how about the Pistol? 10 years was too short a career for as good as he was and his numbers at the end were probably impacted by all his knee problems

if you want to go modern, we are living in the Grady Sizemore era right now, who knows if he sniffs the field again, and from what we saw when he was healthy the guy had a legit chance at a hall of fame career. his 05-08 seasons (age 22-25) before he was even truly entering his prime were pretty wicked. 5-tool talent for sure.

[SteelRain]

Stephen Curry

[PickWinnerAllDay]

Bryce Harper

[Dark Horse]

Maybe the best striker in the history of the sport. Career cut short (in half) because terrified defenders kept kicking his ankles.

[kmarinouofm]

bo jackson and van basten above me

[seaborneq]

they hurt there knees and then were slow and couldn't jump

It did not END their careers, both played well after their injuries.....tmac is still playing. Penny was talking comeback a few years ago.

[Sport_Fish]

Vince Carter

One of my favs...he could've been so much more

[adila1401]

Brian Scalabrine for sure

[bleek88]

Penny hardaway

[Goat Milk]

Some have said Grant Hill. He was great when he came in the league. What a passer and rebounder this guy was.

I think him Tmac and Grant would have gone down as 2 of the greatest to ever play if they stayed healthy.

[easysaid]

#2 Pick of NBA 2002 Draft - Jay Williams - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_NBA_Draft

Guy would have been owning it right now.

[Tree Rollins]

Bo Jackson

/thread

When i saw this thread, i intended to click and "Bo Jackson, close thread" it. Then i saw that this post.

Yeah though, the answer is Bo Jackson.

[eastern2]

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

Not to mention stewart was already like 42 and the Tiger Woods Era had just starting beginning..

[eastern2]

Roy and Oden are good moden picks IMO. Funny pic google spits out btw



No one said Grant Hill!? Hill was Lebron before Lebron. Orlando was supposed to be a dynasty with him and Mcturkey. It wasnt until 5 or so years later he had an injury free year with an ankle made of popsicle sticks. Where does Hill rank?

Detroit ruined Hill by making him playing on the injured ankle

[NYSportsGuy210]

Definitely Bo Jackson. Mark Prior and Kerry Wood too.

[Chi_archie]

yeah, good call with Prior and Wood.

thanks Dusty Baker!!!!

what a strange career for Wood. hit his PEAK in like his 4th game ever. Guy coulda made Roger Clemens look like Joe Blanton....he had that much potential...

Prior was still trying to make comebacks last year and even this spring I think he signed a minor league contract with the bosox or yanks, but I checked in May and he hadn't appeared yet. so I don't know

edit: quick search shows this... guess he is gonna go the reliever route... hard to believe he is not even 32 yet.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=407578

double edit...

20 K's in 9.0 innings? WTF

[EricZ116]

Drazen Petrovic was well on his way to being a star.

[Chi_archie]

Drazen Petrovic was well on his way to being a star.

worst kind of injury....

[UCANT OUTCAPME]

the first thing that came to mind was Mark Fidrych
ask him what his pitch count was' they abused that man

[UCANT OUTCAPME]

if you watch him in the alcs against the yankee's
and your a tiger fan your arm hair will rise
absolutely dominating

[InTheDrink]

if you watch him in the alcs against the yankee's
and your a tiger fan your arm hair will rise
absolutely dominating

You talking about fidrych?

Cuz not to be a dick but the tigers couldn't have played the yanks in the alcs because they were both in the al east back then.

[darkhat]

Gotta go with Bo for sure.

[chico2663]

hands down greg cook. sam walsh said he was the best qb he ever saw.