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Biggest Star Fall from Grace

calamity

calamity

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In the wake of the most recent decision to keep Pete Rose out of baseball, I noticed a few over-zealous reporters argued that his was one of the worst collapses of a star athlete due to personal...uh, failings in sports history. My first thought was, "Pete was hardly the worst."

A few far worse than Petey that come to mind, somewhat in order.

1. Len Bias (dying from a cocaine overdose less than a week after being a top pick in the draft automatically puts you at number 1)
2. OJ Simpson (it's obvious)
3. Aaron Hernandez (him too)
4. Rae Carruth (he had his pregnant gf killed, for those who maybe don't recall the name)
5. Tyson (rape)
6. Tiger (whether or not his personal issues led to his total collapse on the course may be subject to debate, but behind maybe OJ, his collapse was by far the most epic)
7. Darryl Strawberry & Dwight Gooden (drugs)
8. Steve Howe (I still remember him going off on a multiple day bender right after doing an interview about Len Bias and the dangers of cocaine abuse)
9. Marvin Barnes (drugs)
10. Shawn Kemp (food)
11. Ryan Leaf (drugs)
12. Art Schlichter (maybe not a household name, but the former Buckeye's gambling problems led to numerous prison terms)

Pretty bad when the top five are either rapists, murderers or just dead.
 
Lance Armstrong perhaps...but, I didn't include him because everyone cheats in cycling. He just never got caught until he was dumb enough to un-retire and then admit he did it too.
 
That "Blade Runner" guy in South Africa.
 
calamity said:
In the wake of the most recent decision to keep Pete Rose out of baseball, I noticed a few over-zealous reporters argued that his was one of the worst collapses of a star athlete due to personal...uh, failings in sports history. My first thought was, "Pete was hardly the worst."

A few far worse than Petey that come to mind, somewhat in order.

1. Len Bias (dying from a cocaine overdose less than a week after being a top pick in the draft automatically puts you at number 1)
2. OJ Simpson (it's obvious)
3. Aaron Hernandez (him too)
4. Rae Carruth (he had his pregnant gf killed, for those who maybe don't recall the name)
5. Tyson (rape)
6. Tiger (whether or not his personal issues led to his total collapse on the course may be subject to debate, but behind maybe OJ, his collapse was by far the most epic)
7. Darryl Strawberry & Dwight Gooden (drugs)
8. Steve Howe (I still remember him going off on a multiple day bender right after doing an interview about Len Bias and the dangers of cocaine abuse)
9. Marvin Barnes (drugs)
10. Shawn Kemp (food)
11. Ryan Leaf (drugs)
12. Art Schlichter (maybe not a household name, but the former Buckeye's gambling problems led to numerous prison terms)

Pretty bad when the top five are either rapists, murderers or just dead.
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Ryan Leaf and Rae Carruth were never really good in the pros so I would not put them on this list.

Len Bias is maybe the greatest "what if" question in sports but who knows if he would have been a star in the NBA if alive.
 
Bucky said:
Ryan Leaf and Rae Carruth were never really good in the pros so I would not put them on this list.

Len Bias is maybe the greatest "what if" question in sports but who knows if he would have been a star in the NBA if alive.
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Carruth definitely was just an average NFL running back, but his crime was totally over the top. So, that's why I put him up in the top five. Leaf was indeed nothing but a high draft bust, but it's his repeat offender status that has him worthy to be on my list.
 
Peyton Manning could be a new addition
 
Lance Armstrong is probably my #1.

In many ways I am clueless as to why successful athletes have expectations to be great role models, so in the case of Tiger Woods, the whole "I'm a sex addict" was a cop out, he was a rich, good looking, famous, horny dude, big ****ing whoop, the guy was good at putting a ball in a hole, on and off the course.

But in Lances case his deception went back so far, was so blatant, he did so many bad things and used his fame and powers to go after the people that spoke the truth, he's a real monster when you peel away the layers.

Then there's Pistorious and OJ, to those cases I say unlike Lance, the sport they were good at played no role in their respective incidents.

As far as pure sporting falls from grace, none is as spectacular as Lance Armstrong.
 
Jetboogieman said:
Lance Armstrong is probably my #1.

In many ways I am clueless as to why successful athletes have expectations to be great role models, so in the case of Tiger Woods, the whole "I'm a sex addict" was a cop out, he was a rich, good looking, famous, horny dude, big ****ing whoop, the guy was good at putting a ball in a hole, on and off the course.
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Tiger makes my list less for screwing porn stars than for the total collapse of his game after getting caught screwing porn stars.

But in Lances case his deception went back so far, was so blatant, he did so many bad things and used his fame and powers to go after the people that spoke the truth, he's a real monster when you peel away the layers.
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Yes. However, Lance did not make my list because he technically did not get caught until his career was already over. His fall from grace is a bit more like that of Pete Rose. A guy already out of the game, who came back and then got caught cheating, gambling, whatever.

Then there's Pistorious and OJ, to those cases I say unlike Lance, the sport they were good at played no role in their respective incidents.

As far as pure sporting falls from grace, none is as spectacular as Lance Armstrong.
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If Lance cut off the head of an ex-wife, he would be at the top of the list with OJ.
 
calamity said:
If Lance cut off the head of an ex-wife, he would be at the top of the list with OJ.
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OJ has to win that one, most of us were pretty sure at the time that Armstrong was doping, and we americans dont much care for this sport anyways. Tyson gets a pass because we all knew he was a thug.

I think I need to go with Pet Rose, but let me think about it, I might change my mind.
 
Jetboogieman said:
Lance Armstrong is probably my #1.

In many ways I am clueless as to why successful athletes have expectations to be great role models, so in the case of Tiger Woods, the whole "I'm a sex addict" was a cop out, he was a rich, good looking, famous, horny dude, big ****ing whoop, the guy was good at putting a ball in a hole, on and off the course.

But in Lances case his deception went back so far, was so blatant, he did so many bad things and used his fame and powers to go after the people that spoke the truth, he's a real monster when you peel away the layers.

Then there's Pistorious and OJ, to those cases I say unlike Lance, the sport they were good at played no role in their respective incidents.

As far as pure sporting falls from grace, none is as spectacular as Lance Armstrong.
Click to expand...

I used to be a serious cyclist/triathlete at the time Lance started riding the tour (pre cancer). People I knew who had met him said he was a punk. But most elite athletes (and particularly cyclist) are. I really don't hold a grudge against him because I never believed him. Doping gives an unbelievable advantage (see Landis Floyds ride away from the pack to win the TDF). Everyone of his top competitors were doping he'd have been crazy not to.
 
Soho gator said:
I used to be a serious cyclist/triathlete at the time Lance started riding the tour (pre cancer). People I knew who had met him said he was a punk. But most elite athletes (and particularly cyclist) are. I really don't hold a grudge against him because I never believed him. Doping gives an unbelievable advantage (see Landis Floyds ride away from the pack to win the TDF). Everyone of his top competitors were doping he'd have been crazy not to.
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I watched a couple of the documentaries carefully explain all that.

In actuality I have no issue that he doped, at all, because it was so prevalent.

It's the lengths he went to to keep It under wraps that bothers me so much, the amount of times he invoked the fact that he had cancer as some sort of defense was pretty unreal.
 
calamity said:
Tiger makes my list less for screwing porn stars than for the total collapse of his game after getting caught screwing porn stars.


.
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Great point. I predicted it at the time, within a week of Elin assaulting his GMC loaner with a golf club I said that this would happen. It was pretty much confirmed when he let himself get talked into going for "treatment" for the imaginary ailment "sex addiction". gotta say his willingness to deny that he cant play anymore, his going out and embarrassing himself on the course year after year, was darned impressive. All part of his death wish or what ever it is, he certainly wanted to fail, but I am not clear on why. Something to do with daddy I should think.
 
calamity said:
Carruth definitely was just an average NFL running back, but his crime was totally over the top. So, that's why I put him up in the top five. Leaf was indeed nothing but a high draft bust, but it's his repeat offender status that has him worthy to be on my list.
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Yeah, Leaf got hooked on pain killers and could not kick them despite having a deferred sentence hanging over his head.
 
calamity said:
Lance Armstrong perhaps...but, I didn't include him because everyone cheats in cycling. He just never got caught until he was dumb enough to un-retire and then admit he did it too.
Click to expand...

Yup, if he didnt unretire he would have gotten away with it but his ego got the better of him. I was an avid Tour De France watcher but after what happened Im convinced all the bikers dope and I stopped watching since.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
Great point. I predicted it at the time, within a week of Elin assaulting his GMC loaner with a golf club I said that this would happen. It was pretty much confirmed when he let himself get talked into going for "treatment" for the imaginary ailment "sex addiction". gotta say his willingness to deny that he cant play anymore, his going out and embarrassing himself on the course year after year, was darned impressive. All part of his death wish or what ever it is, he certainly wanted to fail, but I am not clear on why. Something to do with daddy I should think.
Click to expand...
Yep. Total loss of touch. From world's greatest golfer to hack in world record time.
 
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