Biggest Waste of Talent in Sports History?

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]
people seem to have a hard time agreeing on what defines "waste of talent"

[/ QUOTE ]


I think that stepping away as the #1 in your sport when you're still very, very near top form at the age of 25 could be conisdered a 'waste' by some.

Again, I'm asking IF he should receive consideration. I'm really not sure.
Because he clearly was awesome when he did play.

When he retired that early I believe it would not have been unusual for fans and peers to have said, "What a waste."

[Golden_Rhino]

[RickAstleyFan]

Jeff George is a good one.

He did have a TON of talent, but mostly wasted results.

[talentdeficit]

alexandre daigle is the correct answer.

he was among the best qmjhl players ever, he received the highest salary for a prospect ever, the senators were investigated for tanking the season to draft him first and he had an excellent rookie season as an 18 year old.

then he gave interviews where he said, 'i don't enjoy hockey, but i can't make this much money doing anything else', he started a promotions company in an attempt to quit hockey, actually quit hockey for two years in an attempt to become a hollywood star and skipped practices to hang out with pamela anderson. he's still kicking around as a professional hockey player, but in switzerland.

[Quicksilvre]

Len Bias is a very good pick; I doubt the Celtics would be as crappy now as they would have been with him (yes, even all these years later).

Still, though, I'm going with Maurice Clarett. At least Bias had more college fame than Clarett did. Tyson, Gooden, Strawberry, Ricky Williams, etc. all had success in the pros for a while, and Wie is still way too young. Todd Marinovich would be a pretty good choice, though. Also, way too few people are mentioning Ryan Leaf.

[Victor]

anyone remember jay burson?

[selurah]

Larry Bird

[hedxcold]

wow, i think jeff george looks younger now (or at least, looked younger a few years ago) then he did when he was drafted

[Gregatron]

The most convincing argument I have heard so far is for Dwight Gooden.

[Tom Ames]

John Daly gets no love? The guy did win a couple of majors, which is more than most pro golfers can claim. But still a waste of enormous talent not to have accomplished more.