Best use of talent in sports history
 

The opposite of the biggest waste of tallent.

I nominate Tom Brady.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

David Beckham.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

David Eckstein, obviously.

Or maybe Linda Lovelace.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

John Kruk
Steve Nash
Zach Thomas

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Tiger Woods

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

mini ditka, Vince Young, David Eckstein, Kevin Durant. Unstoppable in each one's respective sport.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Steve Kerr.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

I know you guys are saying Eckstein sarcastically, but they guy does deserve some credit for being not-that-bad with relatively little talent. (Then again I'm a huge Cards fan.)

Not saying he wins this category or anything. I'd have to think on it. Interesting topic.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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David Beckham.

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Are you serious?

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Kevin McHale
Pitchers named Niekro or Gaylord
Ozzie Smith
Curtis Martin/Jerome Bettis

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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The opposite of the biggest waste of tallent.

I nominate Tom Brady.

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If you seriously vote Brady, then you also have to vote Rice, and obviously Rice would win that one.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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I know you guys are saying Eckstein sarcastically, but they guy does deserve some credit for being not-that-bad with relatively little talent. (Then again I'm a huge Cards fan.)

Not saying he wins this category or anything. I'd have to think on it. Interesting topic.

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Yeah, I know. He's definitely a good player. It's just funny how some in the media make him out to be the Lord Our Savior.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Joe Dumars?
Kevin Johnson?
Joe Montana?
Fred McGriff?

Don't flame please. Just brainstorming.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Paul Dickov

Small about 5'6" no great pace technically adequate in all departments but not really good in any one thing. Dickov has made a career for him self Playing at the highest level and even making ten appearances for his country, all off the back of hard work and being physical. Every time the ball is played to an opposition defender he chases after it and forces the defender to play it earlier then they would like inevitable defenders make mistakes and give possession away around their area.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Woods, Federer. Loads more talent than other people, nearly all of it's been capitalized upon.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Pete Rose

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

bill russell

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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David Beckham.

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Are you serious?

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If OP meant on the marketing end then Beckham would be a great answer.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

I'd go with guys who 1) maxed out their potential, 2) were lucky enough not to miss significant time for injury or any other reason, and 3) sustained a level of excellence for exceptionally long periods.

Football:

Jerry Rice
Rod Woodson
Darrell Green
Brett Favre

Basketball:

John Stockton
Jordan (even with the hiatus)
Kareem
Karl Malone

Baseball:

Hank Aaron
Ty Cobb
Barry Bonds

Hockey:

Wayne Gretzky
Ray Bourque
Mark Messier
Chris Chelios
Steve Yzerman

Tennis:

Jimmy Connors
Ken Rosewall

Track & Field:

Carl Lewis
Michael Johnson
Edwin Moses
Jan Zelezny

Wrestling:

Alexander Karelin

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Rudy! Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

So should we just name the top guys in sports history?

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Pujols

worked his ass off to get to the majors and where he is today

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Ichiro Suzuki

Michael Jordan

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

For me, this topic is basically "who is the best player to not waste any of his talent". Somebody who achieved all they could, didn't really slack off, and a great career beginning to end. Plus, maybe a little bit of the guy not being the greatest physical specimen ever. That gives me:

Wayne Gretzky

Never had a bad season (slowed down due to age, but never horrible), dominated for an extended period of time, won everything that could be won in his sport, and looks like an accountant.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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Brett Favre

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I'd vote career underachiever. Any semblance of self-discipline over the duration of his career and he'd have been unreal.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

How could the answer be anyone other than Larry Bird?

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Only white people are eligible for this title.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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Only white people are eligible for this title.

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Hence my answer of Larry Bird.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

how can anyone say jordan when he clearly did not maximize his talent for basketball?

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

I always thought Greg Maddux has accomplished the most with the least, in baseball.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Wilt Chamberlin obviously

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Probably one of the little guys in the NBA, like Calvin Murphy.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Ichiro

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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I always thought Greg Maddux has accomplished the most with the least, in baseball.

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Also a great answer.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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Wilt Chamberlin obviously

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As long as you're talking about talent in banging chicks.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Other guy is Tiger Woods. Even if he is a cyborg.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Fedor Emelianenko

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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I always thought Greg Maddux has accomplished the most with the least, in baseball.

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Also a great answer.

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Maddux is a lot more atheltic than people give him credit for though. He was still in the 90s for most of his career, and could hit and field. He just looks dumpy.

Jamie Moyer is probably a better answer in this regard.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

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Ichiro

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Given that Ichiro probalby could be a bit more productive if he made the choice to hit for more power, and spent most of his MLB career in RF when he should have been in CF, I'm not so sure.

Re: Best use of talent in sports history
 

Maddux is a great athlete.