Kerry Wood -- Greatest what-if ever?

OK, why Eric Davis? Sure, he had a lacerated kidney but what is there to what-if? He had a long career and there is nothing that kept him from fulfilling his potential?
And Marcus Dupree? Um, didn't he just suck after college? What is the what-if there? He had just two 100-yard games before tearing up his knee in the USFL and only gained 645 yards in his first full season there.

 

rick ankiel is another name that came to mind. so is david clyde. too much too soon for both.

bill barilko -- although he probably wouldnt have been an all-time great, just a solid defenceman.

 

Why not?

If Ted Williams (as I posted earlier) hadn't missed those 5 seasons to fight in 2 wars, chances are Bonds is chasing Ted instead of Aaron today.

 

joe roth, great cal quarterback in '76, i believe, died before the '77 draft of cancer. was the top qb prospect in the nation, a terrific pure passer who played in a great college offense with chuck muncie and wesley walker. wesley always told me roth was the real deal.

 

The guy was an All-American despite playing half the '76 season with melanoma...wow.

 

another footballer: giants dt troy archer was killed in a car crash in '78 or '79, i believe. he had randy white-type ability. he lived life in the fast lane, though. giants were fortunate lawrence taylor didn't meet with a similar fate.

 

D_B

 

Yeah, just saw that. : It happens...

 

I wasn't being a dick about it. I just pointed it out. No need to get defensive.

 

I wasn't getting defense...just post padding. No biggie.

 

Surprised Maurice Stokes hasn't been mentioned (via Wikipedia)...

Playing for the Rochester Royals from 1955 to 1958, Stokes grabbed 38 rebounds in a single game during his rookie season, averaged 16.3 rebounds per game, and was named NBA Rookie of the Year. The next season, he set an NBA record for most rebounds in a single season with 1,256 (17.4 rebounds per game). In the last game of the 1957-58 NBA season, he fell to the floor, hit his head, and was knocked unconscious. Stokes fell into a coma and was left permanently paralyzed. During the years that followed, Stokes was supported by his lifelong friend and teammate Jack Twyman. He died at 36 years of age of a heart attack.