Brett Favre, Josh Beckett and 25 Sports Stars Who Aged Overnight
You don't have to have an AARP card to be considered old in the sporting world.
In fact, you don't even have to be over 30.
There have been some surprising fallouts over the seasons across all of the professional sports, but these 25 guys best exemplify what it means to achieve mediocrity late in their careers.
Without further adieu, introducing the 25 sports stars who wish they weren't a part of this list.
25. Marc Bulger, QB Baltimore Ravens
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Once Marc Bulger stepped in at the helm for Kurt Warner in St. Louis, the Rams thought they had stumbled upon another franchise quarterback.
A career third-stringer, Bulger lead the Rams for several years, highlighted by three seasons of over 3,000 passing yards and two trips to the Pro Bowl, in 2003 and in 2006. He was even named MVP of the game on one occasion.
So, what happened?
After signing a massive, lucrative extension that made him among the highest-paid players at the time, Bulger's 2007 season was disastrous. From that point forward, the veteran had a tough time getting it going, and was ultimately released in April 2010.
24. Russell Martin, C Los Angeles Dodgers
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Martin burst onto the scene in 2006 with a vengeance, and the Dodgers couldn't have been happier with their young stud behind the dish.
In 2007, Martin had an extraordinary year. He batted .293 with 19 homers, 87 RBI, and an incredible 21 stolen bases as a catcher. Furthermore, it was clear that the Canadian had established himself as an integral piece of the offense.
Since that magical season, Martin simply hasn't been the same. He's seen his numbers drop in every category across the board, culminating with a very disappointing .248/5/26 line in 2010 before losing his season to a hip injury.
23. Baron Davis, PG Los Angeles Clippers
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If talent was all that mattered, Davis would be a surefire bet for the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately for the out-of-shape, cocky point guard, it goes far beyond that.
After he showcased his tremendous skill set with the Charlotte Hornets, B-Diddy moved on to Golden State, where he struggled mightily to stay healthy. Constantly sidelined with nagging injuries, Davis was able to stay healthy for the 2007-08 season, which he parlayed into a ridiculous contract with the Clippers.
The "other" team in L.A. would sure like a do-over, as the veteran hasn't exactly provided the type of ROI that they were hoping. He hasn't been a leader on the floor or in the locker room, and if he wants to regain any shape of his former self, perhaps he should spend more time on the hardwood and less on the red carpet.
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22. Ilya Kovalchuk, RW New Jersey Devils
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Has there been a more scrutinized $100 million dollar man in sports?
After signing an absolutely insane deal with the Devils in the offseason, Kovalchuk has rightfully served as the scapegoat for the woeful situation that is the New Jersey Devils. A 40-50 goal scorer for the majority of his career, the veteran has just nine points through his first 16 games of the 2010-11 season.
This is only the first year of a 15-year pact with the team, and one that the Devils will surely regret by the end of its tenure.
21. Jarrod Washburn, SP Free Agent
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While Washburn was never a star in his own right, he is the definition of a middle-of-the-road rotation member capable of keeping his club in the game.
After a magical first half of the season with the Mariners in 2009 that re-ignited his career, Wash was dealt to the Detroit Tigers in a move that was supposed to help them reach the postseason.
How did that turn out, Tigers fans? Absolutely awful. He amassed a 7.33 ERA over eight starts before he was removed from the rotation and Detroit fell short of its ultimate goal.
Despite his success with Seattle, the veteran sat out the 2010 season entirely, and it's far from guaranteed that he'll be back in 2011.
20. Jerry Porter, WR Free Agent
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Before WR Jacoby Ford exploded onto the scene for the Raiders, Porter was still the closest thing that the team had to a deep threat and he hasn't been in Oakland since the 2007 season.
Porter had two seasons with the Raiders where he finished just shy of 1,000 yards receiving and established himself as a legitimate weapon to stretch the field. Like any free agent of the time, the veteran WR spurned Oakland in an effort to collect a paycheck and signed a big contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars that included $10 million guaranteed before the 2008 season started.
Despite the contract being for six seasons, Porter lasted just one with the Jags, hauling in 11 balls for 181 yards and a TD before he was released at season's end.
Not a bad paycheck for less than 12 months worth of work.
19. TJ Houshmandzadeh, WR Baltimore Ravens
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A fine possession receiver when he was at the height of his game, Houshmandzadeh's stock has slipped considerably over the last few seasons.
After three straight seasons with 90-plus catches for the Bengals (including his first and only 100-plus season), Housh signed an enormous deal with the Seahawks that overpaid him more than any other in the NFL.
His skills were on the decline from the moment he walked through Seattle's doors, and it's the best investment that the Vikings never made.
Proving that he was never a legitimate No. 1 option, TJ lasted just one season in Seattle before being cut prior to the start of this season. Despite being picked up by the Ravens, he hasn't done much to prove he's got much left in the tank.
18. Jarome Iginla, RW Calgary Flames
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Iginla hasn't had a season of less than 30 goals since 1999-2000, but that's exactly what he's working toward this season.
With just three goals and seven assists through 16 games of action, the veteran's skills seem to be in sharp decline in the early going. Furthermore, his minus-6 rating is not exactly a sign that he's going to break out of his funk anytime soon.
Further exacerbating Iginla's struggles is the fact that he plays on a not-so-hot Flames team that is going to struggle all season long. If he fails to break the 25-goal plateau, the 33-year-old will surely raise some eyebrows league-wide.
17. Carson Palmer, QB Cincinnati Bengals
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It's too bad that Palmer has fallen so far off, because he was beginning to make something special of his once-promising career.
The former No. 1 pick hasn't had much success since battling injuries over the last few seasons, with 2010-11 being his most troublesome time to date. Looking ineffective and flat-out bad at times, Palmer has really looked like a shell of his former self thus far.
The perfect illustration of how statistics can be misleading, watching Palmer play erases any good feelings evoked from his numbers. It's very possible that he could be a cap casualty heading into next season.
16. Dante Hall, WR Free Agent
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The most electrifying return man in the NFL at the peak of his career, the "human joystick" fell off very quickly once he joined the Rams.
Best remembered for his days in a Chiefs uniform, Hall was better than Devin Hester could ever dream about. Regularly torching the opposing special teams unit for big returns, Hall's elusive ability was second to none.
Although his numbers were never eye-popping, Hall was a lock for a weekly appearance on SportsCenter's Top 10, and it was often at the No. 1 spot.
15. Manny Ramirez, OF Free Agent
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After making $45 million over the last two seasons, Ramirez will be lucky to make 10 percent of that in 2011.
Proving to be a monumental bust for the Dodgers in his final season with the club, Ramirez spent the majority of the season hurt in Hollywood before being sent to the Chicago White Sox on a straight waiver claim.
Despite his transition to the American League, Manny wasn't really Manny as he had just one home run with the team despite a regular presence in the lineup. No longer capable of playing in the outfield, Ramirez will hope that he can find another AL team willing to give him a shot as their everyday DH.
14. Erubiel Durazo, 1B Free Agent
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Although he had trouble staying healthy in the early part of his career with Arizona, Durazo's talents were undeniable.
In 1999, Durazo came out of nowhere to hit .329 with 11 homers and 30 RBI as a rookie for the D-Backs and lay stake to his claim as the starting first baseman. Although he was limited over his next three seasons with the team, the big lefty contributed everything he could in every at-bat.
In 2003, Durazo landed in Oakland, where he had the best two seasons of his career, finishing both of which with over 20 homers. Unfortunately for him, injuries were once again a factor and in 2005 his career was derailed forever.
Ah, what could have been.
13. Rudi Johnson, RB Free Agent
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In the early part of the decade, Johnson was a model of consistency, amassing 12 touchdowns per season for three straight years (2004-07). Not surprisingly, Johnson's only three seasons of over 1,000 yards rushing were those same seasons.
Then, almost as if he were performing some sort of awful magic trick, Johnson's numbers took a disastrous turn for the worse in 2007-08. Averaging just 2.9 YPC, the veteran was no longer the effective runner that he had been previously in his career.
Adding fuel to the fire, Rudi came back to try it again with Detroit a year later, only to finish the season with a 3.1 YPC average and a single touchdown in 14 games.
Perhaps he should have taken a page out of Robert Smith's book and gone out on top.
12. Priest Holmes, RB Free Agent
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The best fantasy football running back of all time, Holmes blew everyone out of the water with his 2003-04 season. After 24 touchdowns the previous season, the Preacher blew up for 1,420 yards and an extraordinary 27 rushing touchdowns. Additionally, he was a receiving machine out of the backfield, with another 690 yards on 74 receptions.
His magical season served as a microcosm for his overarching dominance from 2001-04—there simply was nobody better. Unfortunately for Holmes, that sure seems like a long time removed, as he fell off the map rather quickly.
Never sniffing 20 touchdowns again, the remainder of No. 31's playing days were spent plagued by injury before he was ultimately limited in his final season to just four games.
11. Brandon Webb, SP Arizona Diamondbacks
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Webb was just about as automatic as they come before his arm fell off at the beginning of 2009.
Okay, so his arm is still attached, but it's not doing much to serve him in his career as a starting pitcher in MLB. Webb pitched in just two games in '09 before hitting the DL and spent the entire 2010 season sitting on the shelf.
Still currently rehabbing his shoulder and on the long road to recovery, Webb's arm strength is reportedly nowhere near where it once was and it's hard to believe that he'll prove as effective as he was before the injury.
10. Willie Parker, RB Free Agent
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Fast Willie apparently isn't so quick anymore, as he isn't even currently employed by an NFL team.
After three straight 1,000-plus-yard rushing seasons from 2005 to 2008, all it took was a single injury to Parker for him lose his starting spot to then-rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall. After the latter took over, it was the beginning of the end for the veteran Parker.
Limited to just 389 yards rushing in 2009-10, Parker was cut by the Steelers this offseason and had to take the only job that came his way: the opportunity to be the No. 3 back on a reeling Redskins team.
And then they cut him. Yikes.
9. Martin Brodeur, G New Jersey Devils
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One of the greatest goaltenders of all time, Brodeur has really taken a step back this season.
Sporting his highest GAA since his 1991-92 rookie season, it's clear that the 38-year-old's tenured NHL career may be beginning to draw to a close. With limited mobility in the net and not much defensive prowess to help him, Brodeur looks as beatable as ever before in his career.
Brodeur has two shutouts this season in just 16 games, and while that may sound pretty good, it really just means he's been extraordinarily horrific in the other 14 contests.
8. Kenji Johjima, C Free Agent
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Doing his best Kurt Suzuki imitation, Johjima's 2006 rookie season was extremely impressive, especially at the catcher position. Hitting for solid average and power while showing great plate discipline, Johjima looked like he'd be a fixture in Seattle's lineup for the foreseeable future.
While his 2007 was slightly down, Johjima's long-term stock remained up. Then in 2008, the Japanese import took a nose-dive into unfamiliar territory: He stunk. Batting .227 with just seven homers in 112 games, his newly inked $24 million extension hadn't even begun yet.
Before getting designated for assignment in mid-2009, Johjima was batting just .247 for the season. A colossal disappointment, he's going to have a very tough time ever living up to his ridiculous price tag.
7. Dontrelle Willis, SP San Francisco Giants
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It's hard to believe that this is the same guy that won 22 games back in 2005.
After the D-Train came straight out of Double-A to take the Big Show by storm in 2003, the high-kicking lefty was the talk of the entire league. A power pitching left-handed starter with an unorthodox motion, Willis' deceptive delivery made opposing batters have fits in the batter's box.
In 2007, Willis saw his ERA balloon to over 5.00, and it hasn't come back down to earth since. He was shipped to the American League (Detroit), where he signed on for $10 million per season but never came close to earning his paycheck.
Now just 28 years old and in his fourth organization, Willis will look to resurrect his career with the reigning World Series champion Giants.
6. Josh Beckett, SP Boston Red Sox
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Although Sox fans want to label him as a dominant ace, Beckett has been anything but that in recent memory; in fact, he's been almost as bad as crosstown bust and buddy AJ Burnett.
After a wonderful 2007 season, Beckett's 2008 was just mediocre. He rebounded in 2009 with a 17-win season and was rewarded at the beginning of 2010 with a $72 million extension, but if this year's numbers are an indication of things to come, the Sox will look to get out of that contract ASAP.
In by far the worst season of his career, Beckett won just six games in 21 starts, finishing with a 5.78 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. Hopefully he can find his fastball, because without it he's looking like he'll be eaten alive over and over again.
5. Brett Favre, QB Minnesota Vikings
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The only actual grandfather on the list, Favre has to regret coming back for 2010-11 despite what he says to the contrary.
After a magical 2009-10 season that had Favre throw fewer than 10 picks for the only time in his career (he had 7), the gray-haired QB has already thrown 16 this season through his first nine games. Additionally, he simply doesn't seem to have the same zeal for the game or zip on his throws.
So what exactly did the Vikes roll out the red carpet for? It certainly wasn't for a dreadful 3-6 start.
4. Yao Ming, C Houston Rockets
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A lot of people thought that Nike was making a huge mistake when they dropped Ming from sponsorship, but it turned out to be the best deal that the conglomerate never made.
Restricted by the Rockets to 24 minutes per night, Yao wouldn't be effective even if he played the full 48. Before his foot injury, the 7'6" Chinese sensation was a lock for 20 points, 10 boards and two-plus blocks a night. Now? He's lucky to reach double-digit scoring or even reel in five rebounds.
When he's out of the game, the Houston franchise has a tough time transitioning to a new style of offense. And when he's in, the offense has to be run through him.
Perhaps a divorce is the most realistic way to solve the woes on both sides, but it's clear that Yao's most dominant days are behind him.
3. Clinton Portis, RB Washington Redskins
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With six seasons of over 1,000 yards rushing, Portis' NFL success would be foolish to doubt. However, it's astounding to think that one of those magical years came as recently as 2008-09, because now he's about a blink away from being unemployed.
2009-10 was a lost season for the veteran, who despite being just 29 years old, is often thought of as one of the oldest players in the league. With just a single touchdown and 494 yards in eight games, many thought that Washington would be better suited without him.
2010-11 hasn't been kind to Portis either, as he's struggled to stay healthy once again. Limited to just 195 yards over four contests thus far, it appears that Portis could be the next RB to punch his ticket out of the league at a very early age.
2. Tracy McGrady, SF Detroit Pistons
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It's hard to believe that McGrady once averaged 32.1 points per contest, because the guy playing in Detroit right now is simply not the T-Mac the NBA once knew.
A dynamic scorer and legitimate playmaker, T-Mac was on the same level as any other NBA superstar throughout the early 2000s all the way through the 2007-08 season. After that, perhaps no athlete in league history had a sharper decline in his abilities than McGrady.
Microfracture knee surgery is one of the toughest to come back from for a professional athlete, and even superstar McGrady continues to face an uphill climb. Failing to average double-digit scoring numbers in limited action since declaring himself "healthy", his game is more than rusty—simply put, he's washed up.
1. Shaun Alexander, RB Free Agent
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After usurping fan favorite Ricky Watters for the starting tailback spot in Seattle, Alexander earned his way into Seahawks' fans hearts forever with five straight seasons of 1,000-plus yards rushing.
Most notably, Alexander's historic 2005-06 season was one of the best statistical outputs that the NFL has ever seen: 1,880 yards rushing with 27 touchdowns. An absolute beast, Alexander was sitting atop the world after what would turn out to be the best season of his career.
Then came the decline. Battling the injury bug, Alexander saw his average YPC mark drop to just 3.6 in 2006-07 in just 10 games of action. The following year was equally as bad for the former top dog, and it resulted in his eventual release from the team.
Like many aging runners before and after him, Alexander gave it one last final go around with the Redskins, only to see his flame fan out almost as quickly as it was lit.
At least memories never die.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
