What athlete were you most wrong about coming out of college?

[Zippy Chippy]

I feel that I'm generally pretty good at judging if someone will be a good pro or not but I was POSITIVE Jay Williams from Duke was going to be the NBA MVP like every year. Did he even play 5 years?

[Delta Cone]

Jay Williams never gave his NBA career a chance because of the lapse in judgement detailed below:

On the night of June 19, 2003 Williams crashed his motorcycle into a streetlight at the intersection of Fletcher and Honore streets on Chicago's North Side. Williams was not wearing a helmet, was not licensed to drive a motorcycle in Illinois, and was also violating the terms of his Bulls contract by riding a motorcycle. Williams severed a main nerve in his leg, fractured his pelvis and tore three ligaments in his left knee including the ACL, and required physical therapy to regain the use of his leg.

[TJDave]

Ryan Leaf

[TJDave]

Probably have to add Reggie Bush.

[Zippy Chippy]

Probably have to add Reggie Bush.

Agreed. Ricky Williams too.

[horses4courses]

I thought the guy should never have gone into the draft that soon.
Although, I felt it was a stroke of genius by his agent avoiding Tebow and Bradford by doing what he did.

My feelings were that he would be a total bust for the Jets, and that he was foolish for not playing out his senior year at USC.

During his rookie year in New York, I knew pretty quickly that I was wrong.

Good luck to him!

[PhantomOnTour]

Chad Pennington...wanted the Steelers to draft him badly (they chose Plaxico) and was sure he would be a star.
Noodle arm.

[JustRalph]

John cappalletti?

[thaskalos]

Tony Mandarich.

He was taken ahead of Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders for heaven's sake...

[newtothegame]

it may be way to early to assess...but I so far, have been totally wrong about Cam Newton. I thought for sure he would be the second coming of Jamarcus Russel. So Far, the guy has put up 850 yds plus in TWO games.
I would of lost a TON had someone, anyone offered the same proposition to me a few weeks ago.

[KingChas]

Tom Brady

[Robert Goren]

The Nebraska Dynamic Duo
Jarvis Redwine Sure he was going to be a star
Roger Craig Sure he wasn't

[ElKabong]

Joe Don Looney. All the talent in the world, complete bust.

[cj's dad]

Brian Bosworth

[slew101]

Marcus Fizer from Iowa State. I thought he be a 18-point, 10-board player for 10 years. Never did anything.

In the NFL, I thought Ryan Leaf would be very good, and Troy Aikman would be a bust.

[DigitalDownsJoe]

Ricky Williams just smoked too much pot and still performs at a pretty HIGH :cool: level. :)

Agreed. Ricky Williams too.

[DigitalDownsJoe]

Dwayne Shintzus(spelling?) He was a beast in college, and what did he ever do in the NBA?

[Marshall Bennett]

Early on in college at LSU Pat Screen was thought of by many as the next Unitas. He got hurt I believe in his senior year though, and eventually drafted by the Browns, but never played. That was many years ago. The Illinois q-back was another one drafted in the 80's, forget his name now. He turned out to be more of a problem than a good player.

[PhantomOnTour]

Early on in college at LSU Pat Screen was thought of by many as the next Unitas. He got hurt I believe in his senior year though, and eventually drafted by the Browns, but never played. That was many years ago. The Illinois q-back was another one drafted in the 80's, forget his name now. He turned out to be more of a problem than a good player.
Jeff George or Jack Trudeau?

By the way, Pat Screen died an ignominious death...sad story.
He overdosed about 16-17yrs ago.

[dav4463]

Pat Sullivan
Todd Blackledge
Art Schlister
Joe Barry Carroll
Archie Griffin

[Marshall Bennett]

Jeff George or Jack Trudeau?

By the way, Pat Screen died an ignominious death...sad story.
He overdosed about 16-17yrs ago.
Jeff George was who I had in mind. Thanks.

[ldiatone]

Ryan Leaf
me too on leaf. drafted him 1st overall in a fantasy league. P manning was 2nd in the draft. passed on manning, Doh!

[ldiatone]

who was the BB player drafted by the celtics and OD'd. in the summer?
played for Maryland??

[OTM Al]

Jeff George was who I had in mind. Thanks.

As a Purdue alum I can clearly say this is a mistake no Purdue alum would ever make. Fraud from day 1

[Valuist]

Chad Pennington...wanted the Steelers to draft him badly (they chose Plaxico) and was sure he would be a star.
Noodle arm.

He was a legit MVP candidate in 2008.

[Valuist]

who was the BB player drafted by the celtics and OD'd. in the summer?
played for Maryland??

Len "Track" Bias

[Hanover1]

Bo Jackson

[cj's dad]

Len "Track" Bias

Cruel

[cj's dad]

Gary Bradds- 6'11"center- drafted first by the then baltimore Bullets out of OSU in maybe 65-66.

Complete 100% bust

[DigitalDownsJoe]

Michael Jordan in baseball** lol wait he did have like 23 stolen bases...That whole thing was a joke..

[dav4463]

For Spurs fans only: Alfredrick "the Great" Hughes......we thought he was going to be the next George Gervin!

[Marshall Bennett]

Two from the Houston Cougars, Andre Ware & David Klingler.

[Canarsie]

You guys and gals are good let me add one to the conversation since many of my choices were put up already.

Blair Thomas

[rastajenk]

That's a good one; which leads also to KiJana Carter and Curtis Enis.

[Valuist]

Cruel

Relax. This IS a horse racing board.

[Valuist]

Michael Jordan in baseball** lol wait he did have like 23 stolen bases...That whole thing was a joke..

MIght've had the slowest swing I've ever seen for a non-Little Leaguer. You don't see too many who've done the MLB/NBA thing. Long arms= great for basketball; terrible for hitting. Ainge is one guy who did both and wasn't a pitcher but he sure wasn't much of a hitter.

[PhantomOnTour]

MIght've had the slowest swing I've ever seen for a non-Little Leaguer. You don't see too many who've done the MLB/NBA thing. Long arms= great for basketball; terrible for hitting. Ainge is one guy who did both and wasn't a pitcher but he sure wasn't much of a hitter.
Wasn't there a pitcher who also played for the Harlem Globetrotters...Bob Gibson!
Ron Reed also played in MLB and the NBA.

[Valuist]

Wasn't there a pitcher who also played for the Harlem Globetrotters...Bob Gibson!
Ron Reed also played in MLB and the NBA.

Those were pitchers. Long arms are not a detriment to a pitcher like it is to a hitter.

[Wiley]

Joe Barry Carroll

Boston's Auerbach drafted Joe 'Barely Cares' then made I think a straight trade with Golden State for Robert Parish to help seal the great 80's Celtic team. Saw Carroll while I was in college at Illinois when he starred at Purdue, could dominate undersized types, but as many before him got manhandled against guys his own size in the Pros.

Jeff George, great arm head case, did have a couple of good years in college at Illinois, hung around forever as a mediocre pro.

Rick Mirer, another state of Indiana product, I thought had potential, he was worse than George in the pros though.

[Striker]

Boston's Auerbach drafted Joe 'Barely Cares' then made I think a straight trade with Golden State for Robert Parish to help seal the great 80's Celtic team. Saw Carroll while I was in college at Illinois when he starred at Purdue, could dominate undersized types, but as many before him got manhandled against guys his own size in the Pros.

Jeff George, great arm head case, did have a couple of good years in college at Illinois, hung around forever as a mediocre pro.

Rick Mirer, another state of Indiana product, I thought had potential, he was worse than George in the pros though.
Multiple Jeff George bashers on the board. I don't know how anyone can say an athlete that had a career over 10+ years in the NFL, as a starter from 90-97, was one of the most overhyped athletes to play a sport. Was he an elite NFL QB in any of his years, of course not. I would totally agree with you that he was a mediocre professional athlete. To say he had "good" years at Illinois is an understatement. He was an All-American for 2 years and passed for over 5,000 yards in college. The headcase part gets no argument here though. Maybe expectations were too high because of what he did at Illinois and then was drafted #1. Someone like Ryan Leaf who lasted for 4 years, but really only played in 2 seasons, definitely fits this thread more IMO.

[Wiley]

To say he had "good" years at Illinois is an understatement.
Your probably right Striker on his level of play in college, good is an understatement, but I was just thinking of how many other nice quarterbacks Illinois had in the 80's so it is hard for me to use great. Wilson, Eason, Trudeau, those guys put up big numbers in college too and were similar to George in the pros, George the best of the lot in the pros.

[OTM Al]

Multiple Jeff George bashers on the board. I don't know how anyone can say an athlete that had a career over 10+ years in the NFL, as a starter from 90-97, was one of the most overhyped athletes to play a sport. Was he an elite NFL QB in any of his years, of course not. I would totally agree with you that he was a mediocre professional athlete. To say he had "good" years at Illinois is an understatement. He was an All-American for 2 years and passed for over 5,000 yards in college. The headcase part gets no argument here though. Maybe expectations were too high because of what he did at Illinois and then was drafted #1. Someone like Ryan Leaf who lasted for 4 years, but really only played in 2 seasons, definitely fits this thread more IMO.

That's the point though. The guy was so hyped, and perhaps had the physical gifts, that he kept getting a chance over guys that were probably better all around. Coaches probably figures they could fix him. The only thing that kept him around for that amount of time was the hype. He was hyped coming into college. His first year at Purdue was a major disappointment and he left because either his mommie didn't like how the coach was using him (I'm not kidding about this) or the coaching staff got sick of his mommie. Take your pick. After Illinois, his hype machine rolled on, but the reality was never close to the hype and he never had the all around game. Million dollar arm, nickle head.

[Striker]

That's the point though. The guy was so hyped, and perhaps had the physical gifts, that he kept getting a chance over guys that were probably better all around. Coaches probably figures they could fix him. The only thing that kept him around for that amount of time was the hype. He was hyped coming into college. His first year at Purdue was a major disappointment and he left because either his mommie didn't like how the coach was using him (I'm not kidding about this) or the coaching staff got sick of his mommie. Take your pick. After Illinois, his hype machine rolled on, but the reality was never close to the hype and he never had the all around game. Million dollar arm, nickle head.
Totally believe the mother issue. I have a few members of my family that were on the football staff at U of I when Juice Williams was there and they said the things she would do and say at games, and how she would talk to coaches was just absurd and ridiculous.

[cj's dad]

Greg Oden - looked 4o years old and played like it

[Casino]

That's a good one; which leads also to KiJana Carter and Curtis Enis.

BLAIR THOMAS!

[ElKabong]

BLAIR THOMAS!

Jon Hufnagel (who I actually liked, qb at Penn St)

[GameTheory]

Greg Oden - looked 4o years old and played like it

But he appears to have the same kind of dog that I do (boston terrier/beagle mix) -- which is pretty rare -- so he gets extra points for that:

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