What is the best athlete that go their career ruined by off the field issues?

[HawkeyeInCentralIowa]

There’s a lot of ways you could go with this. My personal pick would be Shawn Oakman. He got falsely accused of rape, and it kept him from being a top 3 round pick in the NFL. Two years ago, it was uncovered that the girl who accused him lied about the whole thing. He lost out on millions and millions of dollars as a result.

 

[seminole97]

Amazon marketer for a Chinese reseller?

 

[WisestIowan]

 

[HawkeyeInCentralIowa]

That’s a good pick

 

[DaveSnedeker]

Len Bias?

 

[Nole-4-Life]

Lawrence Phillips gotta be up there.

 

[bdg8]

 

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

Len Bias?

Yes. He was the precursor to LeBron James.

As a Celtics fan, I can only imagine what 1986-87 and beyond would have looked like with Parish, McHale, Bird, Bias, DJ.

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

Josh Gordon

 

[WisestIowan]

 

[Hawkeye_311]

Tiger Woods. How many years has he lost with car accidents and crazy ex wife stuff?

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

Drugs: Ricky Williams. Non drug: this young lady who is being labelled as the next serena William's that keeps dropping out of matches due to anxiety. I feel bad for this one.



Iowan: Shane Peterson. If you knew him you know. My BIL was a MLB Player for over a decade. I grew up next door neighbor to Matt Nickell who had a cup of coffee in the MLS. I myself was a collegiate athlete and Shane could do things that none of us could compare to. Left handed, 5-10, and could dunk a full ball, had a swing like Ken Griffey JR, could stop and start better than any athlete I have ever been around and the dude never even played high school varsity because his grades sucked. The Drake program Begged him to finish high school so he could play there and he laughed it off. To this day the biggest waste of talent I have ever seen and he was one of my best friends.

 

[bdg8]

Josh Gordon

Great pick. The dude was so talented and productive for that short window. Didn’t he have like 1600 yards receiving one season

 

[TheCainer]

Maybe some of the older Twins fans on the board will remember this guy, Lyman Bostock. He was a rising baseball star in the 70's who met a tragic fate.

https://www.sportscasting.com/the-m...tock-forced-changes-to-indiana-insanity-laws/

 

[NoleinATL]

Len Bias?

This is the correct answer, the battles between Jordan and Bias could have been legendary.

Few Honorable mentions
Michael Ray Richardson ( lifetime ban for cocaine)
Josh Hamilton-even though he had a decent run and the Angels gave him a ton of money, the talent wow, he could have been an all-time great
Darryl and Dwight- two of the best that ruined their careers with drugs

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

Tiger Woods. How many years has he lost with car accidents and crazy ex wife stuff?

And pills.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

Art Schlichter

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

Great pick. The dude was so talented and productive for that short window. Didn’t he have like 1600 yards receiving one season

Led the league. At age 22.

 

[HawCory]

I often wonder how good Al Bundy could have been had he not knocked Peggy up.

 

[tumorboy]

Rae Carruth

 

[Bonerfarts]

 

[tumorboy]

OJ Simpson well it ended his broadcasting career.

 

[Razorhawk2]

Darryl Strawberry

 

[SSG T]

Rae Carruth

This was actually the first name to pop into my head. Isn't he still in prison?

 

[seminoleed]

This guy--and it's not even close. But what can we expect from a stinkin' Gator coached by Urban Lier?

 

[Derekd3408]

Alcohol caused Aldon Smith to lose out on a 100MM+ contract and his prime.

 

[seminoleed]

Add to the list Michael Vick and Jamies Winston as well.

 

[tumorboy]

This was actually the first name to pop into my head. Isn't he still in prison?

No got out in 2018. Served 18 years.

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

Jamarcus Russell has left the buffet and entered the chat.

 

[tumorboy]

Ray Rice

 

[BubsFinn]

Marcus Dupree
The guy was Bo Jackson, just not as smart, and without the work ethic. With the right coach, he could have had a great college career and a lucrative pro career. Switzer was not that coach.

 

[SSG T]

No got out in 2018. Served 18 years.

Huh, I knew he had parole possibilities, but I hadn't heard he was out.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

This was actually the first name to pop into my head. Isn't he still in prison?

He's been out since October 22nd, 2018. Was incarcerated for ~19 years.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Great pick. The dude was so talented and productive for that short window. Didn’t he have like 1600 yards receiving one season

Not only that he did so on a terrible team with a terrible quarterback.

Although I have to say if we wait a year or 2 the answer to this question could easily be Deshaun Watson.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Could have won at least one super bowl....


But the dogs....those damn dogs....

 

[Jerome Silberman]

Pat Tillman

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Justin Blackmon

Could have been a HOF WR. Had like 5 DUIs in his first two years. But it did lead to a great FFL name for me one year- Orange is the New Blackmon

 

[pink shizzle]

Alcohol caused Aldon Smith to lose out on a 100MM+ contract and his prime.

And assault weapons charges.

 

[SoonerBeAHawk]

Marcus Dupree
The guy was Bo Jackson, just not as smart, and without the work ethic. With the right coach, he could have had a great college career and a lucrative pro career. Switzer was not that coach.

I thought it was his crazy uncle and wannabe agent that led him astray more. He had a great season or two under Switzer. I think Switzer even abandoned the bone for the I to facilitate MD. Finally, after his uncle led him to Southern Miss (?) I believe he got injured.

He was no doubt, a freak athlete.

 

[GES4]

There’s a lot of ways you could go with this. My personal pick would be Shawn Oakman. He got falsely accused of rape, and it kept him from being a top 3 round pick in the NFL. Two years ago, it was uncovered that the girl who accused him lied about the whole thing. He lost out on millions and millions of dollars as a result.

Do you guys even Iowa?

Connie Hawkins.