Lost careers

hammertime

RAC-eating disorder

pl4tinum

jamir miller?

Furnier

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

Drunkandstoopid

Brady Quinn's already got people defending his performance based on a cracked pinkie... hopefully it's healed by the time season starts.

Drunkandstoopid

On a serious note... Magic Johnson - HIV virus in the prime of his career.

? AdaM

@furnier said:
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

? AdaM

@drunkandstoopid said:
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.

Drunkandstoopid

AdaM said:
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.

? AdaM

@drunkandstoopid said:
Oops, he played longer than I recalled.

He tried to come back a couple times I think, but the tank was already empty.

Thaak

AdaM said:
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.

Thaak

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?)

The Gipper

Zombo said:
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.

NebBrownsFan

@the-gipper said:
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

cambridgeho

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.

NebBrownsFan

@cambridgeho said:
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.

CLEVELandMILIDH

Ken Griffey Junior-he's still playing but imagine what he could have done if he stayed healthy

Earl34

@nebbrownsfan said:
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.

JC

Sterling Sharpe. He was better than his brother.

Tobalaz

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.

Dirty Hands

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?