Slayer Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 I thought a good Top 25 list they didn't do on TV for their anniversary (possibly because it would have been too heavy handed) was the top 25 sports tragedies in the last 25 years. What do you think would have been on there and what list would you make? Things I can think of: 9-11 Earnhardt dies on the track Len Bias ODs Hank Gathers collapses on court Cleveland Indians boating accident
the max Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 My top 5: 9-11 Len Bias Reggie Lewis Travis Roy Cleveland Indians boating accident
Guest Staravenger Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 Not to sound stupid, but what was the Clevland Indians boating accident? I can assume it was before I became a baseball fan (unless I'm really that dumb).
the max Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 Three Indians players got drunk on a boat and crashed into a dock. http://reds.enquirer.com/2003/03/20/indians20.html Steve Olin and Tim Crews died and Bob Ojeda barely lived.
Guest Salacious Crumb Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 The car accident a few nights after the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup and ended Konstantinov's career. Who was the Lions player that got paralized during one of Sanders last seasons?
Guest Staravenger Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 I can't believe I didn't remember that (considering I've been watching sports center since 1991). Shows how some minds forget stuff, but to be fair, I was a kid then so my memory that far back isn't that great, but I knew the name Tim Crews sounded familiar.
Slayer Posted September 8, 2004 Author Report Posted September 8, 2004 Munson is one or two. I had thought about that one, for sure, but if this were under the guidelines of one of those official ESPN list thingies, it would be cutting really close with the timeline, happening one month before ESPN's birth Who was the Lions player that got paralized during one of Sanders last seasons? Mike Utley, and it was in one of Barry's first seasons (1991 or so)
The Czech Republic Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 ESPN wouldn't do it, but I'd put Owen Hart on the list.
Guest Kaspar Kucera Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 Wasn't there a fairly notable plane crash featuring a South American soccer team? Was that less than 25 years ago? Also, the Payne Stewart crash would probably count as well.
EVIL~! alkeiper Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Darryl Kile. I can't believe people have forgotten about that already. J.R. Richard's stroke would rate highly as well.
Red Baron Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Dan Snyder (well maybe TSN list, but not ESPN)
Guest Staravenger Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Darryl Kile. I can't believe people have forgotten about that already. J.R. Richard's stroke would rate highly as well. I think it has to do with people wanting to forget the incidents, but don't want to forget the person.
sfaJack Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 J.R. Richard's stroke would rate highly as well. Oh, good one. That one's particularly sad when you realize how it sent him tumbling from being a monster on the mound to homeless and living under a bridge in Houston. I think they're doing a movie about him sometime soon.
The Man in Blak Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Look, 9-11 is one of the greatest tragedies in the history of our nation - does it really require mention here, especially when you could argue that 9-11 provided the groundwork for sports to help unify the entire country? Just like Thurman Munson is the standard for Yankee fans, I think Darryl Kile would top my list, with Roberto Clemente, Munson, J.R. Richard, and the Indians boat crash rounding out my "Top 5."
Slayer Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Posted September 9, 2004 Look, 9-11 is one of the greatest tragedies in the history of our nation - does it really require mention here I believe so especially when you could argue that 9-11 provided the groundwork for sports to help unify the entire country? A good point, indeed, but when I typed this I felt I could not leave it out, just thinking of all the stories I remember, like: - Ace Bailey being one of the planes - Boomer Esiason's charity office being destroyed (thankfully no one was killed) - The athletic connections of the guys who fought back on Flight 93 - A former Buffalo Bills player who was lucky to get his heart transplant in time, because if the plane carrying his heart had been delayed in any way, it would have been grounded by the FAA's nationwide grounding And many more The unification was a definite positive end that I would not exclude
Edwin MacPhisto Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Yeah, putting 9/11 on a list of sports tragedies is a pretty big stretch. I don't mean to trivialize the deaths of Earnhardt and the like, but c'mon.
EVIL~! alkeiper Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 I'd argue the opposite. All of that are really minor connections. If we considered a few guys with collegiate backgrounds, how many others could I include? Do Andujar Cedeno and Mike Darr count?
Slayer Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Posted September 9, 2004 There was a stretch from mid '00 to mid '01 where it seemed like athletes were tragically dying right and left Korey Stringer, Bobby Phills, Malik Sealy, Earnhardt, Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin Oddly enough, with the exception of Stringer, all of those involved cars
sfaJack Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 What happened to Bobby Phills? I must have missed that one.
Guest D'Lo White Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Donnie Moore Gerald McClellan Jerome Brown
EVIL~! alkeiper Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Gerald McClellan's an excellent one. I can't believe I forgot that.
Slayer Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Posted September 9, 2004 What happened to Bobby Phills? I must have missed that one. He died in early '00 when he crashed his car while drag-racing a teammate in the parking lot of the Charlotte Coliseum
kkktookmybabyaway Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Well, 9/11 did cause football to be postponed a week -- that's a big enough tragedy for me. (I know I'm going to hell, don't remind me). Add this to my list: Tom Jackson and Chris Berman getting on TV...
Slayer Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Posted September 9, 2004 Gerald McClellan's an excellent one. I can't believe I forgot that. And I can't believe I forgot Jerome Brown Speaking of boxing tragedies, how about Deuk-Koo Kim (the boxer who died after fighting Ray Mancini)
EVIL~! alkeiper Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 What happened to Iran Barkley? I never heard anything.
CanadianChris Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 I'd put that Colombian soccer player who got murdered after scoring an own goal in the 1994 World Cup pretty high. The Drazen Petrovic crash is another one I don't see here that I would put on such a list.
Styles Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 How far back are we going? Lou Gehrig is right at the top for me... I guess I'll mention the death of Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler in last year's spring training due to heat exaustion and ephedra use...
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