The Gipper Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 The post I just made brought up something interesting that I heard discussed on the radio today. That is: What super promising players had their careers curtailed by a devastating injury. This is a woulda, coulda, shoulda been a great player. Here are a few examples I can come up with, not limited to just football: Ernie Davis, died of Leukemia Joe Charboneau, back injury Marcus Dupree, knee Ki-Jana Carter, knee Steve Emtman, ?? Sam Bowie, feet Herb Score Tony Conigliaro A few others had good careers, yet they were still limited by injury: Bill Walton, feet Grant Hill Albert Bell Bo Jackson Don't forget Roy Hobbs, gunshot wound (and for reality, there was Sean Taylor) Name some others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLEVELandMILIDH Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 La'charles Bently-knee Maurice Clarett-Brain-since I went to school with him Korey Stringer-heat stroke during Vikings Mini-camp Also Pat Tillman, might not of been a Hall Of Fame caliber player but I have mad respect for him. From a fantasy hero to a true hero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertime Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 La'charles Bently-knee Maurice Clarett-Brain-since I went to school with him MC what a waste. Shame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownshirt Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 MC what a waste. Shame Derrick Anderson-Brain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted May 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 A couple of others: Brad Daugherty, somewhat because of his back Mark The Bird Fidrych and Ray Chapman....only person ever killed on a major league baseball field Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canton Mike Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Darryl Stingley...Patriots receiver rendered a quadriplegic after a hit by Jack Tatum. Stingley passed away in 2007. Joe Delaney...Chiefs running back who died attempting to save children from drowning. A real HERO in my book. Only played 2 years. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombo Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 The post I just made brought up something interesting that I heard discussed on the radio today. That is: What super promising players had their careers curtailed by a devastating injury. This is a woulda, coulda, shoulda been a great player. Here are a few examples I can come up with, not limited to just football: Ernie Davis, died of Leukemia Joe Charboneau, back injury Marcus Dupree, knee Ki-Jana Carter, knee Steve Emtman, ?? Sam Bowie, feet Herb Score Tony Conigliaro A few others had good careers, yet they were still limited by injury: Bill Walton, feet Grant Hill Albert Bell Bo Jackson Don't forget Roy Hobbs, gunshot wound (and for reality, there was Sean Taylor) Name some others Lyman Bostock ... murder Zombo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Duk Koo Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertime Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 RAC-eating disorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pl4tinum Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 jamir miller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furnier Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 DON ROGERS - Brutal hitter and knew how to cover. Defensive backfield general. Hall Of Famer for sure. BO JACKSON - I know he was already mentioned, but I'm mentioning him again. Guy was in a league of his own when he got hurt. Would have rivalled the immortal Jim Brown. DERRICK THOMAS - Nice career cut short early. STEVE OLIN - Was just coming into his own. DWJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunkandstoopid Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Brady Quinn's already got people defending his performance based on a cracked pinkie... hopefully it's healed by the time season starts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunkandstoopid Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 On a serious note... Magic Johnson - HIV virus in the prime of his career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AdaM Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 DON ROGERS - Brutal hitter and knew how to cover. Defensive backfield general. Hall Of Famer for sure. BO JACKSON - I know he was already mentioned, but I'm mentioning him again. Guy was in a league of his own when he got hurt. Would have rivalled the immortal Jim Brown. DERRICK THOMAS - Nice career cut short early. STEVE OLIN - Was just coming into his own. DWJ I remember back in I think it was 1991, I was 6 years old and had just heard of the boat accident. My Steve Olin rookie card went from being worth $3 to $99 the next week. Then I lost it in a move along with a Hank Aaron card my grandpa gave me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AdaM Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 On a serious note... Magic Johnson - HIV virus in the prime of his career. Pretty sure Magic was 31 when he announced he had HIV. I don't think any athlete is considered in their prime at 31, but he probably could have played a few more seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunkandstoopid Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Pretty sure Magic was 31 when he announced he had HIV. I don't think any athlete is considered in their prime at 31, but he probably could have played a few more seasons. Oops, he played longer than I recalled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AdaM Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Oops, he played longer than I recalled. He tried to come back a couple times I think, but the tank was already empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaak Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 I don't think any athlete is considered in their prime at 31, but he probably could have played a few more seasons. depends on the sport. MMA athletes hit their prime in the low to mid 30's. Then have about a 4 year window to be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaak Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Len Bias Bernie Kosar (awkward, clumsy, uncoordinated, lead feet and all, the guy was brilliant on the field, and his career was cut short by a broken elbow.) Lou Gerigh(sp?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted May 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Lyman Bostock ... murder Zombo Was he the victim? Or the perpetrator? Who was that guy from the Carolina Panthers who had his ex-girlfriend killed because he didn't want to deal with a kid, give up his lifestyle, and pay child support. Rae something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NebBrownsFan Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Was he the victim? Or the perpetrator? Who was that guy from the Carolina Panthers who had his ex-girlfriend killed because he didn't want to deal with a kid, give up his lifestyle, and pay child support. Rae something. That would be Rae Carruth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambridgeho Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 How about Eric the Hitman Turner. He was only 31 and died from cancer. DAN SNYDER (Na 25tional Hockey League, Atlanta Thrashers). REGGIE LEWIS 27(NBA, Boston Celtics. Nick Adenhart 24(Angels). They all are so tragic, but life goes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NebBrownsFan Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 How about Eric the Hitman Turner. He was only 31 and died from cancer. DAN SNYDER (Na 25tional Hockey League, Atlanta Thrashers). REGGIE LEWIS 27(NBA, Boston Celtics. Nick Adenhart 24(Angels). They all are so tragic, but life goes on. Len Bias 22, Boston Celtics. Died from a cocaine overdose 48 hrs after being made the 2nd overall pick in the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLEVELandMILIDH Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Ken Griffey Junior-he's still playing but imagine what he could have done if he stayed healthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl34 Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Len Bias 22, Boston Celtics. Died from a cocaine overdose 48 hrs after being made the 2nd overall pick in the draft. While Len Bias was tragic, it was also of his own doing. I don't feel nearly the sympathy for him as, say, Hank Gathers who dropped dead on the court of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. My list: 1) Bo Jackson. I don't think this could be stated enough. He would have smashed records. 2) Gale Sayers. The most unfortunate part of his story is that today, that injury wouldn't be career ending. 3) Kirk Dressendorfer- All-American pitcher at Texas (same time as Alex Fernandez was leading Miami). Coach overused him and he got drafted in the first round by the A's (same year as Van Poppel). He got to the majors within four months but had gotten a rotator cuff injury as a part of overuse and he went on to surgery and never really played again. By far the best amateur pitcher I ever saw. 4) Jeff Bagwell. Finished tied (at the time) with Frank Thomas with 449 HRs. Had a degenerative shoulder problem. Couldn't even lift a cup of coffee much less throw. Had at least a shot at 500 HRs. 5) Al Toon- What this guy and Chrebet had to live through with post-concussion syndrome is horrifying. 6) Frank Bush- LB with the Oilers (late 80s) who was all over the field on every play. Third game of his second season he suffered a career ending spinal injury. He's now Texans DC. 7) Brian Piccolo- Sorry, I cry every time. It's like a chick-flick for guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombo Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Was he the victim? Or the perpetrator? He was the victim. He was 27 and a career .311 hitter when he died in 1978. Played for the Twins, and then signed one of the first big free agent deals with the Angels. He was visiting his uncle when he tragically got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time: Bostock was able to recover his hitting stroke, and by the time the 1978 season neared its conclusion, he had the highest batting average on the Angel ballclub. With a week remaining in the season, he went 2 for 4 with a walk in a Saturday afternoon game against the White Sox in Chicago, to raise his average to .296. Following the game, as he regularly did when in Chicago, Bostock visited his uncle, Thomas Turner, in nearby Gary, Indiana. After eating a meal with a group of relatives at Turner's home, Bostock and his uncle went to visit Joan Hawkins, a woman whom Bostock had tutored as a teenager, but had not seen for several years. After the visit, Turner agreed to give Hawkins and her sister, Barbara Smith, a ride to their cousin's house. Smith had been living with Hawkins while estranged from her husband, Leonard Smith. Unbeknownst to the group, Leonard Smith was outside Hawkins's home in his car and observed the group's departure in Turner's car. As Turner's vehicle was stopped at a traffic signal at the intersection of 5th and Jackson Streets, Smith's car pulled up alongside them. Smith leaned out of his vehicle and fired one blast of a .410 caliber shotgun into the back seat of Turner's car, where his wife and Bostock were seated. Smith did not know Bostock, but Smith later claimed that his wife was frequently unfaithful to him, and that based upon his observance of Bostock getting into the car with Barbara Smith, he concluded that the two were having an affair. In fact, Bostock had only met the woman twenty minutes previously, when he and his uncle arrived at Hawkins's home. Leonard Smith said that his lethal wrath was intended for his estranged wife. However, Bostock was seated between Barbara Smith and the position from which Leonard Smith was firing. The blast missed the woman and instead struck Bostock in the right temple. He died two hours later at a Gary hospital. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyman_Bostock http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=bostock Zombo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Sterling Sharpe. He was better than his brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobalaz Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Dennis Byrd, 20 sacks and 110 tackles in his first 2 seasons before that KC game. Have to agree with Eric Turner, I loved that guy. Pistol Pete Maravich, now THERE was a real BB player. He got his time in the league though, probably could have played a bit more than he did. Pat Tillman, at least he died for something he believed in. Was a solid guy would have had a long and reliable career. Darrent Williams, lived a relatively clean life and got gunned down outside of a club. Sean Taylor, cleaned up his life and some punk broke into his house and gunned him down in the middle of the night. Korey Stringer, damn fine athlete and human being, heat exhaustion. Reggie Lewis, diagnosed with a heart disorder, forced to retire after only playing 6 seasons then died while practicing shooting hoops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Hands Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 what about terrel davis and the mile high salute? and not that he was that great but was looking promising before the appendix operation or something like that....chris simms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NebBrownsFan Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 While Len Bias was tragic, it was also of his own doing. I don't feel nearly the sympathy for him as, say, Hank Gathers who dropped dead on the court of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. My list: 1) Bo Jackson. I don't think this could be stated enough. He would have smashed records. 2) Gale Sayers. The most unfortunate part of his story is that today, that injury wouldn't be career ending. 3) Kirk Dressendorfer- All-American pitcher at Texas (same time as Alex Fernandez was leading Miami). Coach overused him and he got drafted in the first round by the A's (same year as Van Poppel). He got to the majors within four months but had gotten a rotator cuff injury as a part of overuse and he went on to surgery and never really played again. By far the best amateur pitcher I ever saw. 4) Jeff Bagwell. Finished tied (at the time) with Frank Thomas with 449 HRs. Had a degenerative shoulder problem. Couldn't even lift a cup of coffee much less throw. Had at least a shot at 500 HRs. 5) Al Toon- What this guy and Chrebet had to live through with post-concussion syndrome is horrifying. 6) Frank Bush- LB with the Oilers (late 80s) who was all over the field on every play. Third game of his second season he suffered a career ending spinal injury. He's now Texans DC. 7) Brian Piccolo- Sorry, I cry every time. It's like a chick-flick for guys. No one is asking you to feel sympathy...lol Don Rodgers is listed by someone and his was also self-inflicted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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