Biggest busts ever, NFL / MLB / NBA

[Ulysses]

Inspired by the David Carr thread. I think this might be fun and interesting. I'm thinking guys who were hyped as being the next-big-thing. Lebron James is an example of the type of guy who would qualify, except for the fact that he rules.

So, who are your picks for NFL, MLB, NBA?

[Jingleheimer]

Herschel Walker/Ken Griffey Jr/Shawn Kemp

[imported_anacardo]

Herschel Walker a bust?! Get the hell outta here. He wasn't anything like he was in college, but you can hardly call him a bust.

I have a pretty broad historical perspective on the NFL, and it's still hard to argue with Ryan Leaf.

[pokerdirty]

[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker/Ken Griffey Jr/Shawn Kemp

[/ QUOTE ]

you suck at this game.

[TheRover]

[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker/Ken Griffey Jr/Shawn Kemp

[/ QUOTE ]

Griffey?

Other than about 10 kick ass years, I guess...

[Mr_Gordon]

Ryan Leaf.

[andyfox]

John Huarte, Clint Hartung, Sean Bradley.

[J.R.]

nba LaRue Martin/Kwame Brown (does len bias qualify)
nfl Ryan Leaf/Tony Mandrich/Lawrence Phillips
mlb Josh Hamilton/Steve Chilcott

[pokerdirty]

[ QUOTE ]
Ryan Leaf.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the obvious past decade choice, but there has to be someone 'bustier' than this guy.

it is hard to say for baseball. a lot of young guys you never really hear about like in basketball or football, because college baseball isn't a huge money sport here (*tink*!). I'm sure every team has had a super star in their farm system that never panned out.

Todd Van Poppel

[Hornacek]

NBA: Len Bias, Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi, Jay Williams

NFL: Tony Mandarich, Ryan Leaf, Akili Smith

MLB: Brien Taylor, Matt Anderson

NHL (for shyts and giggles): Alexandre Daigle

[tdarko]

NFL- ryan leaf
MLB- chan ho park (getting 14 million to pitch in AA for the rangers automatically negates any arguement anybody comes at me with.
NBA- roy tarpley

[Punker]

There are a number of good candidates from recent history. In the NFL, there are so many who rival Leaf, who actually managed to play a few acceptable games. Tony Mandarich. Aundray Bruce. Steve Emtman. KiJana Carter. Andre Ware.


In basketball, Sam Bowie. Pervis Ellison.

In baseball, Todd Van Poppel maybe? Baseball picks don't get quite the hype that other major sports do IMO.

In hockey, Alexander Daigle. On a personal note, the select of Jason Bonsignore by the Oilers is still bemoaned in Edmonton and always will be.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker a bust?! Get the hell outta here. He wasn't anything like he was in college, but you can hardly call him a bust.

[/ QUOTE ]
You should talk to a Vikings fan and see what he thinks about this.

[Soul Daddy]

I guess Leaf is the poster boy for bust simply because of the media back and forth about who was the better player, he or Manning. Really, was his career any worse than Akili Smith's?

For those naming Kwame Brown, do you realize the kid is still 23? I'm not saying he's going to be anything special, but let's give it some time. Remember Jermaine O'Neal after 4 years?

[Soul Daddy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker a bust?! Get the hell outta here. He wasn't anything like he was in college, but you can hardly call him a bust.

[/ QUOTE ]
You should talk to a Vikings fan and see what he thinks about this.

[/ QUOTE ]
He could have been as good as he was in college and that trade wouldn't have been worth it. Dopes.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ryan Leaf.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the obvious past decade choice, but there has to be someone 'bustier' than this guy.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know how much bustier it gets than a #2 overall pick doing what he did to the Chargers. Not only was he the #2 pick, but the Chargers traded away two first round picks, a second round pick and a three-time Pro Bowler to move up and get him. Throw in the fact that the guy picked just above him was Peyton Manning and it looks even worse.

[Punker]

Tarpley was an all star at least once. Thats not a bust.

[mrbaseball]

Kerry Wood

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker a bust?! Get the hell outta here. He wasn't anything like he was in college, but you can hardly call him a bust.

[/ QUOTE ]
You should talk to a Vikings fan and see what he thinks about this.

[/ QUOTE ]
He could have been as good as he was in college and that trade wouldn't have been worth it. Dopes.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well yeah, but still...

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]
For those naming Kwame Brown, do you realize the kid is still 23?

[/ QUOTE ]

the hype had him well on his way to becoming the next MJ by now. he has a chance at redemption but he is a huge bust right now. JO wasn't anywhere near as madly hyped

[miajag81]

Ryan Leaf
Brien Taylor
Sam Bowie

just off the top of my head

[Soul Daddy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For those naming Kwame Brown, do you realize the kid is still 23?

[/ QUOTE ]

the hype had him well on his way to becoming the next MJ by now. he has a chance at redemption but he is a huge bust right now. JO wasn't anywhere near as madly hyped

[/ QUOTE ]
Really? I remember the hype being "Does MJ really know what he's doing taking a HS player at #1?" sort of stuff.

Sure he's a bust at the moment, and he's likely never going to amount to his potential. I guess my point is that we should wait until someone's career has a real definition to it before we label them as a success or failure.

[imported_anacardo]

Emtman and Carter both got hurt. Bruce was chosen as sort of a stab in the dark in a very poor draft year. Mandarich definitely deserves some props - the rest of the top five in that class were Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders. Ware's just another spread QB that got exposed - Detmer, Klinger, Couch, etc.

[mrbaseball]

Corey Patterson too

[sam h]

NFL - Tony Mandarich. Leaf was just another QB bust among many others in the late 90s. He wasn't hyped that much more than Akili Smith or Heath Shuler or Rick Mirer or any of these other guys. Mandarich was supposed to redefine the tackle position in the NFL. People said he was the best offensive line prospect ever and he washed out after a few seasons.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker/Ken Griffey Jr/Shawn Kemp

[/ QUOTE ]

Griffey?

Other than about 10 kick ass years, I guess...

[/ QUOTE ]yeah no [censored], I guess being the Player of the 90's is a let down for some people. Plus, comeback player of the year this year.

[Russ McGinley]

Any offensive player drafted by the Chicago Bears in the last 15 years.

[TheRover]

http://espn-att.starwave.com/i/teamlogos/mlb/sml/trans/chc.gif

please...stop...

[WackityWhiz]

Joe Smith

[[censored]]

Sam Horn
Andre Ware (although Tony Mandrich in the answer)
Shawn Bradley - unlike Bowie he was healthy his entire career. This guy was being hailed as a 7ft pt gaurd who could do everything.

[Ulysses]

My football answer was Tony Mandarich. I'm a little surprised so many others have suggested him, didn't realize that opinion was shared that widely. Kind of reminds me of Eddie Murphy in the "biggest post-SNL star" poll. Only those of us who were old enough to seriously follow sports at the time can really appreciate the level of hype around Mandarich, just as you needed to be around to understand how insanely big Eddie Murphy was.

Where do you guys put Brian Bosworth on the bust-level scale? Let's say 1 is Mandarich/Leaf and 10 is some unknown guy turned MVP.

Baseball I don't really know enough to comment, but I do remember being very excited about my Todd Van Poppel rookie cards.

NBA, so many. Shawn Bradley was one I thought of. How about Danny Manning? Hopefully Yao doesn't end up being a candidate for this.

[SomethingClever]

[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker/Ken Griffey Jr/Shawn Kemp

[/ QUOTE ]

rofl

[Asufiji2004]

Pretty much agree with most replies but for NFL I gotta throw Todd Marinovich out there. USC QB primed for the NFL his entire life played only 8 games. Pretty sad.

[[censored]]

The thing about Manning is his skills were close to being what they were advertised, he was derailed by injury unlike a Bradley who had nowhere near the talent he was suppossed to.

[jdl22]

As a Blazers fan I gotta go with Sam Bowie. That was the first of many unbelievable errors made by the front office.

[miajag81]

[ QUOTE ]

Where do you guys put Brian Bosworth on the bust-level scale? Let's say 1 is Mandarich/Leaf and 10 is some unknown guy turned MVP.


[/ QUOTE ]

3. He obviously didn't come anywhere close to living up to expectations but he had a couple decent seasons.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Where do you guys put Brian Bosworth on the bust-level scale? Let's say 1 is Mandarich/Leaf and 10 is some unknown guy turned MVP.


[/ QUOTE ]

3. He obviously didn't come anywhere close to living up to expectations but he had a couple decent seasons.

[/ QUOTE ]

To his credit, Stone Cold ruled.

[JcTc]

[ QUOTE ]
How about Danny Manning?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think there are much better choices than Manning; for his first 9 years he averaged anywhere from 15.7-23.7 ppg and made two All-Star teams. Later in his career he was named sixth man of the year. Not spectacular for a #1 pick, but not as bad as some other top picks (Kandi Man, Joe Smith to name a few recent ones).

[JcTc]

My choices:

MLB: Brien Taylor, Todd Van Poppel
NBA: Kandi Man, Shawn Bradley
NFL: Tony Mandarich, Ryan Leaf, Brian Bosworth, Todd Marinovich, Tim Couch, Heath Schuler, Ki-Jana Carter, Lawrence Phillips

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Where do you guys put Brian Bosworth on the bust-level scale? Let's say 1 is Mandarich/Leaf and 10 is some unknown guy turned MVP.


[/ QUOTE ]

3. He obviously didn't come anywhere close to living up to expectations but he had a couple decent seasons.

[/ QUOTE ]

To his credit, Stone Cold ruled.

[/ QUOTE ]

He was the first one I thought of...

How about Rick Ankiel to go along with Van Poppell

[unlucky513]

[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker/Ken Griffey Jr/Shawn Kemp

[/ QUOTE ]

griffey a bust?! are you RETARDED? the man was on the all century team!!

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]

MLB: Brien Taylor, Todd Van Poppel


[/ QUOTE ]

These guys came to mind as top baseball draft picks who flopped. For hitters, Ben Grieve was always a big dissapointment. He was a #2 overall pick. After a couple good seasons, he simply collapsed. He was 29 this year. I would have expected at least a .290-30-110 seasons out of him in his prime years.

I've never heard a satisfactory reason why he flopped so bad after starting his career well.

[bravos1]

NFL - Cade McNown, Ron Dayne, Curtis Enis (same draft year as Ryan Leaf.. yuck that was a bad year.. I guess Manning, Randy Moss, and Charles Woodson help that draft class).

Some more... Rick Mirer, David Klingler, Dan McGwire, and one of my alltime favorites.. Sammie Smith!

Oh this list could go on forever!

[unlucky513]

nobody knows more about busts in the NFL than me... i'm from cincinnati. i went through 15 years of busts.

my pick for biggest bust goes to kijana carter, but i'm a homer /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Pudge714]

For me Mandarich takes the cake for several reasons.

1. Derrick Thomas, Deion, and Barry were the three next picks
2. He was an offensive lineman how often do o-lineman bust?
3. It wasn't injury related or drug or personality related he just wasn't good enough.

A couple names that spring to mind Tim Couch, when McNabb, Culpepper, Ricky Williams were all taken after him.

Jay Williams, while he got in the motorcycle accident and everything he was supposed to be incredible, and for that matter the whole 2000 NBA Draft.
http://www.nbadraft.net/2000.htm
The only players in that draft presently starting in the NBA are Kenyon Martin, Morris Peterson, Jamaal Maagloire, Quentin Richardson, and Jamal Crawford.

[smb394]

NFL- Rashan Salaam (sp?)

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]
3. It wasn't injury related or drug or personality related he just wasn't good enough.


[/ QUOTE ]

you really think drugs, or the lack thereof, wasn't an enourmous factor in mandarich's failure?

[mrbaseball]

In "Juiced" Canseco said if he could have put Grieve on his "program" he would have made him a superstar. He claimed he was simply too weak.

[mrbaseball]

Being off the juice is what happened to Mandarich. Bosworth too.

[David04]

[ QUOTE ]
Any quarterback drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the last 15 years.

[/ QUOTE ]
FYP.

Excluding Palmer of course.

[bugstud]

[ QUOTE ]
Corey Patterson too

[/ QUOTE ]

jesus h man, these guys aren't first pick of the draft, they're first round busts.

in reponse, JOE BORCHARD /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[mrbaseball]

I'll give you Borchard, but who gets more HYPE in Chicago than the loveable losers? Most Chicagoans never heard of Borchard but they know Wood and Patterson.

[Phoenix1010]

NBA: Saying Kwame Brown or Darko Milicic isn't really fair since they both have plenty of time to turn it around. The biggest bust ever in the NBA is without a doubt Sam Bowie, and I don't think it's very close.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ryan Leaf.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the obvious past decade choice, but there has to be someone 'bustier' than this guy.

it is hard to say for baseball. a lot of young guys you never really hear about like in basketball or football, because college baseball isn't a huge money sport here (*tink*!). I'm sure every team has had a super star in their farm system that never panned out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Tucker Frederickson. He was drafted #1 by the Giants in '65, ahead of Butkus (3), Gale Sayers (4), and Namath (12).

[J.R.]

why is sam bowie a bust? iirc correctly he averaged 10/7 over 10 nba seasons. Its not superstarish and he was certainly outshined by others in the draft but to call him a bust seems so over the top for someone with a lonr and repsectabel nba career. Was he hailed as a player who would change basketball when he was drafted?

[Phoenix1010]

He was drafted second in a draft that included 4 of the top 50 players of all time, and drafted before arguably the GOAT himself. It depends on your definition of "bust." To me, if you are the worst draft choice in NBA history (results oriented), then you qualify even without hype.

[bugstud]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll give you Borchard, but who gets more HYPE in Chicago than the loveable losers? Most Chicagoans never heard of Borchard but they know Wood and Patterson.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am quite sure most sports fans know borchard, if only for the fact ken williams refused to deal him to seatlle and gave them jeremy reed instead.

[mblax10]

You can find much bigger baseball busts than most mentioned. So many top 10 picks never even got to the majors.

TVP fits on my list, most others mentioned do not.

Ben McDonald, Shawn Abner, Brien Taylor, Josh Booty, CJ Nitkowski, Ben Davis, Ariel Prieto is a short list of disapointing high draft picks.

How about the Mets 4 rookie starters from the mid 90's; Bill Puslipher, Bobby Jones, Jason Isringhausen & Paul Wilson. Before Izzy became a closer all 4 were pretty disapointing.

[Josh W]

Just to throw a name out there that hasn't been mentioned yet...

Mike Harkey. When the M's drafted Griffey, they were strongly considering going with Harkey instead. The Cubs got him, and were happy about it.

Now...?

Josh

[bugstud]

[ QUOTE ]
Just to throw a name out there that hasn't been mentioned yet...

Mike Harkey. When the M's drafted Griffey, they were strongly considering going with Harkey instead. The Cubs got him, and were happy about it.

Now...?

Josh

[/ QUOTE ]

substantially better choice than other cubs mentioned, though brooks kieshnick or however it's spelled is another good recent one. Injuries are mostly to blame on harkey though iirc

[Voltron87]

kevin brown

[Benholio]

http://akamai.edeal.com/images/catalog1723/folder4501/img772579med.jpg

[bugstud]

man, he played well enough, just not a superstar. imo busts are just that utterly fail

[Benholio]

[ QUOTE ]
man, he played well enough, just not a superstar. imo busts are just that utterly fail

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, true, I just remember his baseball card being the nuts, then being worthless!

[Chris Daddy Cool]

[ QUOTE ]
For hitters, Ben Grieve was always a big dissapointment. He was a #2 overall pick. After a couple good seasons, he simply collapsed. He was 29 this year. I would have expected at least a .290-30-110 seasons out of him in his prime years.

I've never heard a satisfactory reason why he flopped so bad after starting his career well.

[/ QUOTE ]

i saw ben grieve in his early years with the a's. he has such a pretty swing with good power. never understood how that can happen.

[Josh W]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
man, he played well enough, just not a superstar. imo busts are just that utterly fail

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, true, I just remember his baseball card being the nuts, then being worthless!

[/ QUOTE ]

Jerome Walton anybody?

[Victor]

big daddy wilkinson.

[Jack of Arcades]

It's really hard to have busts in baseball, when half of all first rounders don't even make the bigs.

[goofball]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker/Ken Griffey Jr/Shawn Kemp

[/ QUOTE ]

Griffey and Kemp?

Other than about 10 kick ass years, I guess...

[/ QUOTE ]

fyp

[Sponger15SB]

This was a topic on FSN's sports list.

Leaf was #1, forget the rest except for that heismann trophy winner who didn't even play in the NFL, forget his name. QB for nebraska...

[bugstud]

[ QUOTE ]
This was a topic on FSN's sports list.

Leaf was #1, forget the rest except for that heismann trophy winner who didn't even play in the NFL, forget his name. QB for nebraska...

[/ QUOTE ]

eric crouch. or tommy frazier. neither really had nfl-type skill sets

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
Tarpley was an all star at least once. Thats not a bust.

[/ QUOTE ]
when you are a lottery pick and then 4 years later your nose caves in from the amount of coke snorted i think that is check marked as bust /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
Leaf was just another QB bust among many others in the late 90s. He wasn't hyped that much more than Akili Smith or Heath Shuler or Rick Mirer or any of these other guys.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, he was.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
man, he played well enough, just not a superstar. imo busts are just that utterly fail

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, true, I just remember his baseball card being the nuts, then being worthless!

[/ QUOTE ]

Jerome Walton anybody?

[/ QUOTE ]

Good call. Same for whoever said Ankiel.

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
man, he played well enough, just not a superstar. imo busts are just that utterly fail

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, true, I just remember his baseball card being the nuts, then being worthless!

[/ QUOTE ]

Jerome Walton anybody?

[/ QUOTE ]

Good call. Same for whoever said Ankiel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's a Cards flavored one for you Clark - Jim Lindeman. I remember thinking he was a lock for ROY.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
man, he played well enough, just not a superstar. imo busts are just that utterly fail

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, true, I just remember his baseball card being the nuts, then being worthless!

[/ QUOTE ]

Jerome Walton anybody?

[/ QUOTE ]

Good call. Same for whoever said Ankiel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's a Cards flavored one for you Clark - Jim Lindeman. I remember thinking he was a lock for ROY.

[/ QUOTE ]

He could mash. Or not.

Big Joe Magraine (sp?) was the next Cy Young too.

[johnnybeef]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker/Ken Griffey Jr/Shawn Kemp

[/ QUOTE ]

Griffey?

Other than about 10 kick ass years, I guess...

[/ QUOTE ]yeah no [censored], I guess being the Player of the 90's is a let down for some people. Plus, comeback player of the year this year.

[/ QUOTE ]

not to mention that hes gonna be a hall of famer

[James Boston]

[ QUOTE ]
Todd Van Poppel


[/ QUOTE ]

I remember watching him pitch for Oakland's AA farm club in Huntsville. I do recall the hype when he was called up, and he didn't amount to anything.

[bugstud]

MLB #1 picks (http://www.sports-wired.com/draft/index.shtml)

names on this list that come to mind -
josh hamilton, adrian gonzalez (both still have time/talent)
Matt Anderson
Paul wilson (though he's been a bad regular long enough he's not really an enourmous bust)
Brien Taylor
Ben McDonald
David Clyde

football (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/3542822)

some more football ones

[JoeC]

Not the BIGGEST busts, but guys who haven't been mentioned yet

NFL - Kordell Stewart
MLB - Kris Benson
NBA - Joe Forte

[bugstud]

[ QUOTE ]
Not the BIGGEST busts, but guys who haven't been mentioned yet

NFL - Kordell Stewart
MLB - Kris Benson
NBA - Joe Forte

[/ QUOTE ]

benson is kinda in the paul wilson class, guys that are decent but not what was expected of the #1 overall pick.

[john smith]

Billy Beane?

[bugstud]

[ QUOTE ]
Billy Beane?

[/ QUOTE ]

ni han

[Jeremy517]

[ QUOTE ]
Not the BIGGEST busts, but guys who haven't been mentioned yet

NFL - Kordell Stewart
MLB - Kris Benson
NBA - Joe Forte

[/ QUOTE ]

Kordell Stewart wasn't even a first-round draft pick.

[Jeff W]

[ QUOTE ]
Kordell Stewart wasn't even a first-round draft pick.

[/ QUOTE ]

Also, IIRC he is a 2-time pro-bowler.

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
Matt Anderson

[/ QUOTE ]

[censored] matt anderson /images/graemlins/mad.gif

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
Good call. Same for whoever said Ankiel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is he still around? Still trying to make the switch to centerfirld or something? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[JayLear]

[ QUOTE ]
Inspired by the David Carr thread. I think this might be fun and interesting. I'm thinking guys who were hyped as being the next-big-thing. Lebron James is an example of the type of guy who would qualify, except for the fact that he rules.

So, who are your picks for NFL, MLB, NBA?

[/ QUOTE ]
NFL: Todd Marinovich
MLB: Todd Van Poppel
NBA: Glenn Robinson

[JayLear]

[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker a bust?! Get the hell outta here. He wasn't anything like he was in college, but you can hardly call him a bust.

[/ QUOTE ] Herschel Walker wasn't even the most wrong he listed. How do you list Griffey Jr. as a bust?

[brettbrettr]

[ QUOTE ]
Herschel Walker wasn't even the most wrong he listed. How do you list Griffey Jr. as a bust?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think he was joking, no?

[Punker]

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Brad Daugherty, C, North Carolina
2. Boston Celtics: Len Bias, SF, Maryland
3. Golden State Warriors: Chris Washburn, C, NC State
4. Indiana Pacers: Chuck Person, SF, Auburn
5. New York Knicks: Kenny Walker, SF/PF, Kentucky
6. Phoenix Suns: William Bedford, C, Memphis State
7. Dallas Mavericks: Roy Tarpley, C/PF, Michigan

Tarpley had a much better career than any of the players drafted above him that year, with the exception of Daugherty.

[Kevmath]

How about Harold "Baby Jordan" Miner?

[CollinEstes]

Didn't read through the whole thread so I don't know if he has been mentioned but how about the guy that got drafted between Hakeem and Jordan.

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
Pretty much agree with most replies but for NFL I gotta throw Todd Marinovich out there. USC QB primed for the NFL his entire life played only 8 games. Pretty sad.

[/ QUOTE ]
I can't believe this thread got this far before someone mentioned Marijuanavitch.

[JayLear]

[ QUOTE ]
How about Harold "Baby Jordan" Miner?

[/ QUOTE ]
Any player labeled "The Next Jordan" can pretty much be assumed a bust.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Good call. Same for whoever said Ankiel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is he still around? Still trying to make the switch to centerfirld or something? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

The biggest baseball bust of the past 20 years may be Brien Taylor.

[BreakfastBurrito]

I see Drew Henson hasn't been mentioned yet.

Brian Bozworth. He got Munsoned.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
I see Drew Henson hasn't been mentioned yet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Two sport bust!

I like Lawrence Phillips on this list as well.

[DangerGoodson]

Christian Laettner

[Pudge714]

[ QUOTE ]
Not the BIGGEST busts, but guys who haven't been mentioned yet

NFL - Kordell Stewart
MLB - Kris Benson
NBA - Joe Forte

[/ QUOTE ]

Joe Forte is a bust, but with that logic so are 40% of first rounders in the NBA. He was not that big a bust comparatively to a Ryan Leaf type who was hyped up and drafter first overall.

[ QUOTE ]
Ryan Leaf.

[/ QUOTE ]

Biggest ever in the NFL.

[Weatherhead03]

[ QUOTE ]
Christian Laettner

[/ QUOTE ]

100% wrong.

[Soul Daddy]

[ QUOTE ]
Christian Laettner

[/ QUOTE ]
Umm... no.

[DangerGoodson]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Christian Laettner

[/ QUOTE ]

100% wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]


Look what he did in College and compare it to the pros...

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

How about Bobby Hurley?

Dutch Boyd?

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Good call. Same for whoever said Ankiel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is he still around? Still trying to make the switch to centerfirld or something? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure they released him in the spring after he couldn't cut it in CF.

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This was a topic on FSN's sports list.

Leaf was #1, forget the rest except for that heismann trophy winner who didn't even play in the NFL, forget his name. QB for nebraska...

[/ QUOTE ]

eric crouch. or tommy frazier. neither really had nfl-type skill sets

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah.. I think they tried Crouch at rec. first then safety. Was Frazier even drafted? I know he played a bit a WR, but don't remember much more about him.

[Kevin]

I feel sorry for Sam Bowie.

Portland had taken Drexler the year before - who according to college stats and accomplishments in his rookie year looked like he was going to fill the position that Jordan played for years to come. Walton had lead Portland to the NBA title just a few years away, and I believe that most people thought that they were just a big man away from getting back there. I think it was like 20 of 21 previous MVP's prior to that draft a center had been MVP, it was a big man's league. Jordan averaged 20 points a game in college and was player of the year, but I think some folks were surprised by just how much he dominated in the NBA (Dean Smith was the only guy who could hold MJ under 20 a game...stop me if you have heard that one before...)

It was a bad/risky pick only because of the health issues that Bowie had at UK. Given his college performance and knowing what they knew at the time, most every GM would have taken a healthy Sam Bowie. If Hakeem had not lead the Rockets to the title in the Jordanless years and Portland had taken Jordan and had similar success would Hakeem had been considered a bust? Did the Houston GM who had just taken Sampson the year before get a free pass?

These are questions that I have pondered while looking up at the ceiling after a bad run of cards.

Oh yeah, if the Pacers hadn't traded their #1 pick for Tom Friggin Owens a couple of years prior (who lasted all of one season) they would have been able to take Jordan and the dynasty could have been 3 hours south. The fact that Portland was able to get Bowie in the first place was a coup!

[lil_o]

david wright / amare stoudemire / clinton portis

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
david wright / amare stoudemire / clinton portis

[/ QUOTE ]

/images/graemlins/confused.gif umm like umm yeah.. whatever..

[lil_o]

david wright, on mets nuff said

amare stoudemire, microfracture knee surgery...see allan houston, jamal mashburn, chris webber

clinton portis, hasn't lived up to hype in denver

[Jules22]

not really a "bust" but i think doc gooden wasted the most talent. that guy coulda had such a good career with the stuff he had, but he got on the wrong side of the law and etc

[Tyler Durden]

One of the busts of baseball must be Brien Taylor.

[Tyler Durden]

[ QUOTE ]
Todd Van Poppel

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the correct answer.

How about Jeffrey Hammonds.

[Josh W]

[ QUOTE ]
not really a "bust" but i think doc gooden wasted the most talent. that guy coulda had such a good career with the stuff he had, but he got on the wrong side of the law and etc

[/ QUOTE ]

I wanna cry. Not because your claim is absurd, it isn't. I just loved Doc, and after 1985, what wasn't to love?

Then, his last moment of glory is no-hitting my Mariners as a friggin Yankee.

I wanna cry.

J

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
I just loved Doc, and after 1985, what wasn't to love?

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact that he was a friggin' Met?

[Josh W]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I just loved Doc, and after 1985, what wasn't to love?

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact that he was a friggin' Met?

[/ QUOTE ]

When you're 7, you think that orange and blue look good together, and that's about it. Plus they had Darryl Strawberry, maybe the neatest name to cheer for. Even more, they both had the middle name "Eugene", how cool is that?

Or, simply put...I didn't know, at the time, how wretched that was.

J

[Isura]

[ QUOTE ]
How about Bobby Hurley?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. But that car accident really changed his career (did he even play after that?).

[Victor]

he wasnt drafted very high

[Victor]

danny ferry should be waaaaaaaay up there.

[Isura]

[ QUOTE ]
danny ferry should be waaaaaaaay up there.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol, I agree. I had this video a long time ago called "50 golden greats of basketball" and danny ferry was in the video.

[Weatherhead03]

Okay, you have to first understand that just because you are really really good in collage doesnt mean you are going to have a 30 and 10 average. He got 18 and 9 in his rookie season and was on the Dream Team. Im not sure if that qualifies as a bust.

[ucfryan]

Some guys that haven't been mentioned:

Kellen Winslow Jr - This guy should've/could still redefine the TE position in the NFL. A once a decade prospect, but his own stupidity and ego have limited him to one game.

David Terrell - consensus #1 "can't miss" prospect taken ahead of Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Chris Chambers, Steve Smith, KoRo, etc. Flopped out of Chicago, didn't catch on in NE, not sure where he is now.

Courtney Brown - another "can't miss" guy that didn't pan out in Cleveland, he's doing alright in Denver.

Mike Mamula - Buddy Ryan traded away his draft for this workout warrior who went from a 2nd round type of guy to the #7 pick in the draft after the combine. Don't mention this guys name to any real Eagles fan.

[tech]

It's hard to put Leaf ahead of Mandarich in the NFL discussion. Busting with an OL as the #2 pick in the draft deserves far more shame than busting with a QB.

[adios]

Baseball - Sam McDowell, some of the best stuff IMO ever by a pitcher. Unfortunately he was an alcoholic who now works as a rehabillation counselor for alcoholics. I know few people on this forum know who he was but it was a tremendous waste of talent. However, the best news is that he's overcome his alcoholism and is helping others.

Football - Lots of players. All the ones mentioned qualify. Perhaps the most tragic case that I've experienced is with Ernie Davis who won the Heisman Trophy in 1961; was picked first in the NFL draft by the Skins; Cleveland traded for him giving up a future HOF player named Bobby Mitchell who already was an established star as well as their first round pick; and never played a down in the NFL. Ernie Davis died of leukemia in 1963 at the age of 23.

Ernie Davis Story (http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/davis_ernie.htm)

Bobby Mitchell HOF Tribute (http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=152)

Basketball - I kind of like Victor's choice of Danny Ferry.

[Punker]

Laettner is close to belonging on this - he really was considered to be an ultra dominant player who was going to be a superstar in the NBA. He ended up at least having a passable career, so I don't think he quite fits.

[siccjay]

For sale: Autographed Brien Taylor Topps RC.

[bugstud]

I wonder what the answers are in a biggest disappointment/waste of talent question are.

[utmt40]

Whoever said Dutch Boyd is a genius... also I have to go with Jason White....I know he wasnt ever drafted but how do you go out like he did winning the awards that he did and then just give up...

[jacki]

He may have been the biggest NFL bust ever, but he sure had a sweet mullet.
http://www.jsonline.com/packer/arc/image/tony.jpg

[utmt40]

Also no one has mentioned Eric Crouch...

[MonkeeMan]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike Mamula - Buddy Ryan traded away his draft for this workout warrior who went from a 2nd round type of guy to the #7 pick in the draft after the combine. Don't mention this guys name to any real Eagles fan.

[/ QUOTE ]

Aaaarrrggghhhh!

On the plus side, he led the league in the "almost a sack" category.

[Victor]

[ QUOTE ]
Also no one has mentioned Eric Crouch...

[/ QUOTE ]

crouch doesnt count bc no one expected anything out of him. hell, they tried to convert him to te.

[utmt40]

He did win the Heisman Trophy and where is he now? At home baking cookies?

[Victor]

[ QUOTE ]
He did win the Heisman Trophy and where is he now? At home baking cookies?

[/ QUOTE ]

heisman trophies mean nothing in the pros.

for a player to be bust there needs to be some sort of hype and overrating of him. crouch was like a 6th rounder drafted as a tight end. everyone knew he would suck so he didnt bust anything.

[utmt40]

Heisman Trophy means you were the <font color="red"> best </font> college football player. This guy is a bum now is all I am saying.

[Soul Daddy]

[ QUOTE ]
Heisman Trophy means you were the <font color="red"> best </font> college football player. This guy is a bum now is all I am saying.

[/ QUOTE ]
And yet no one had any visions of him being even a marginal pro. That's all we're saying. They are two different games.

[MonkeeMan]

[ QUOTE ]
Heisman Trophy means you were the <font color="red"> best </font> college football player. This guy is a bum now is all I am saying.

[/ QUOTE ]

Heisman Trophy means you were the <font color="red"> most popular/celebrated </font> college foolball player.

So, let's say he now is sucessful outside of pro football. A bum?

[Oski]

[ QUOTE ]
Also no one has mentioned Eric Crouch...

[/ QUOTE ]

He was mentioned, and fairly early at that. He is not a bust ... he was not realistically projected to be an NFL starter at any position. He could have hung on as a scrub receiver, but he shined that on.

How about Michael Olowokandi?


Baseball is very hard to determine the huge busts: Other sports draft players who then have to get in the mix right away to justify the hype and big rookie contracts. Thus, we get to see a lot of busts in basketball and football (especially at the "skill" positions).

With that said, (and as mentioned before) Brien Tayor and Van Poppel are good choices. However, there are tons more just like them.

So, I think for baseball, you need a rookie or 2nd year player that comes in, does well and raises everyone's expectations ... then busts out.

Like: Raul Mondesi; Jose Offerman; Joe Charbonneau; Mark Fidrych, etc.

[CarlSpackler]

NFL: Toss up between Art Schleister and Cryin Leaf, with the Boz not far behind. Mandarich is in the top 5, but everyone forgets he actually started for the Colts for a couple of years late in his career. Look up Schleister's stats and record - they're worse than Leaf's. My honorable mention here is Trev Alberts. And the worst end of the first round pick ever is Dimitrius Underwood

NBA: Chris Washburn -- way bigger bust than Bowie. Shawn Respert is my honorable mention.

MLB: Ben McDonald -- it's too bad that LSU's jackass manager pitched him every game of the CWS, and ruined his career.

Sport: The XFL

[Bump-en-Stein]

[ QUOTE ]
NFL: Toss up between Art Schleister and Cryin Leaf, with the Boz not far behind. Mandarich is in the top 5, but everyone forgets he actually started for the Colts for a couple of years late in his career. Look up Schleister's stats and record - they're worse than Leaf's. My honorable mention here is Trev Alberts. And the worst end of the first round pick ever is Dimitrius Underwood

NBA: Chris Washburn -- way bigger bust than Bowie. Shawn Respert is my honorable mention.

MLB: Ben McDonald -- it's too bad that LSU's jackass manager pitched him every game of the CWS, and ruined his career.

Sport: The XFL

[/ QUOTE ]

Joey Lawrence failed miserably as a Pop artist

So many to choose from over the past few years, mostly because of sports media wanting to claim that everyone is the next big thing . . . I apologize to Charger fans in advance (this still probably brings back painful memories): Ryan Leaf
My reasons?
1)San Diego traded two first round picks, a second round pick and three-time Pro Bowler Eric Metcalf so they could move up and draft him.
2)In three years, Leaf started 18 games, posting a record of 4-14 and a 48.8 quarterback rating.
3)Other players taken after Leaf include Takeo Spikes, Charles Woodson, Randy Moss, Samari Rolle, Stephen Alexander, Ahman Green, Brian Griese, Hines Ward, Az-Zahir Hakim, Lance Shulters, and a dozen or so O and D linemen that have been solid starters for several years.

[mblax10]

[ QUOTE ]
He did win the Heisman Trophy and where is he now? At home baking cookies?

[/ QUOTE ]

Since when have Heisman trophy winners had successfull NFL carreers?

2004 Matt Leinart USC (Quarterback)
2003 Jason White Oklahoma (Quarterback)
2002 Carson Palmer Southern California (Quarterback)
2001 Eric Crouch Nebraska (Quarterback)
2000 Chris Weinke Florida State (Quarterback)
1999 Ron Dayne Wisconsin (Running Back)
1998 Ricky Williams Texas (Running Back)
1997 Charles Woodson Michigan (Cornerback)
1996 Danny Wuerffel Florida (Quarterback)
1995 Eddie George Ohio State (Running Back)
1994 Rashaan Salaam Colorado (Running Back)
1993 Charlie Ward Florida State (Quarterback)
1992 Gino Torretta Miami (Quarterback)
1991 Desmond Howard Michigan (Wide Receiver)
1990 Ty Detmer Brigham Young (Quarterback)
1989 Andre Ware Houston (Quarterback

Last 16 heisman winners I see: Leinart, 4 stars, 2 guys who hung around the league &amp; 9 guys who had forgetable NFL carrers.

[B Dids]

As somebody who watched Ryan Leaf's whole career at WSU, his bust was so sad, and didn't need to happen.

If there was any player who needed to sit on the bench for a year or two, it was Ryan.

Physically he was far superior to Manning, but he wasn't bright, and anybody who saw him play knew that.

I'll echo what Jack said about baseball. It's just hard to call anybody a bust. Especially pitches, who by the very nature of what they do risk "busting" via injury.

There's a lot of NBA busts, mostly because people fetishize tall players who aren't very good.

[damaniac]

Drew Henson, not because he was super high profile, but because he did it in two different sports. Ouch. All that hype and we get 2/3 of a season at Michigan, a Big Ten tri-championship, some crappy years in the minors, and bench warming in the NFL. OTOH, the nice thing for him is he's completely failed in both sports, and unless he has no financial sense, he's set for life. Must be nice.