Athletes Who Just Won't Go Away
Although we all love sports, there's no denying that seeing the same athletes over and over gets to be exhausting.
It's not that we necessarily dislike them, but because of their reputations, public image, outspokenness or, yes, even their age, some athletes have refused to go away.
Even when teams and media continue to give guys unlimited opportunities, there's still a consensus among fans who just don't understand why some athletes continue to stick around.
For that reason, here are the athletes who just won't go away—no matter how hard it is to believe that they're still here.
Sebastian Telfair
1 of 10
Still just 29 years old, former lottery pick Sebastian Telfair sure seems young to find his name on this list.
Unfortunately for him, the high school prep star who once landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated continues to stick around a league that doesn't seem to want him that badly yet keeps giving him work.
Already playing for eight teams in his NBA career—along with a short stint overseas—Telfair was released earlier this season by the Oklahoma Thunder after 16 games yet still found his name creep into conversations about a potential deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The deal with the Clips fell through, according to ProBasketballTalk's Dan Feldman, but that doesn't mean that the journeyman won't have more suitors heading into the offseason—which just seems insane to me, as there have to be younger, more talented ballers available.
Bartolo Colon
2 of 10
Just when you think that Bartolo Colon has pitched his last season, he finds a team who believes in the guy and latches onto him.
That most recent team happened to be the New York Mets, who inked the former Cy Young Award winner to a two-year, $20 million deal prior to the 2014 season, allowing Colon to play in his 17th season and ninth MLB team.
Finishing with a 15-13 record and a 4.09 ERA, the righty—who actually didn't even pitch in 2010—came into this 2015 season as the Opening Day starter and has since gone 4-0 with a 2.77 ERA in his four starts.
He may be about 50 pounds overweight and not designed to pitch in a National League where pitchers also bat, but Colon refuses to call it quits—even if all signs point to the 43-year-old doing so about five years ago.
Ryan Fitzpatrick
3 of 10
When looking for the epitome of a backup quarterback, there might not be a better example than current New York Jets signal-caller Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Recently joining the Jets via trade from the Houston Texans during this offseason, the Harvard grad seems to have been blessed with more than just smarts, as NFL coaches like what he brings to a roster every year.
Playing for five teams in his 10-year career—including a new one in each of the past four seasons—Fitzgerald hasn't put up great numbers, but he's been solid enough to continue to be one of the first to fill the backup role and compete for a starting gig—as he plans on doing with his sixth NFL team once he's fully healthy this summer.
Who knows what it will take to see this guy finally stop getting calls?
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Drew Gooden
4 of 10
As big a sports fan as I am, I seriously had no idea that Drew Gooden was actually still on an NBA roster until I saw his mug the other day during a playoff game.
Such is the case for the journeyman who was once the fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft.
When looking at Gooden's career stats, it looks more like a spreadsheet than anything else, showing games with different teams in the same season, different seasons and everything in-between.
Never an All-Star and still just 33 years old—he entered the league at 21—Gooden continues to take up a roster spot that could otherwise be used for a young player worth developing.
After initially signing a 10-day deal with the Washington Wizards in March of 2014, he's a wily veteran who is used for leadership.
A. J. Pierzynski
5 of 10
Once considered to be one of the most hated players in baseball, current Atlanta Braves catcher A. J. Pierzynski continues to be adored by front-office people, as he's still playing in the majors today.
It's no joke that after seeing the former All-Star provide commentary for the postseason the past few years, I honestly thought he retired about two years ago.
Nevertheless, there he is, playing for his fourth team in three seasons, even recently moving into the cleanup spot for the Braves after a hot start to the 2015 campaign.
At 38 years old, one might think he'll be at the end of the road soon, but don't be surprised if he pulls a Bartolo Colon and plays another five-plus years to keep with routine.
Grady Sizemore
6 of 10
A lifelong Cleveland Indians fan, I have a soft spot for Grady Sizemore—who landed three trips to the All-Star Game with the Tribe.
Hobbled by injuries after a brilliant start to his career, he ran into awful luck with his knees that limited him to a total of 396 plate appearances in 2010 and '11.
Out of baseball in 2012 and '13, Sizemore somehow convinced the Boston Red Sox to add him to their roster prior to the 2014 season, where he battled inconsistency and, surprise, injuries before being released and signing with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Agreeing to a $2 million deal with the Phils for this season, he may be a low-cost and low-risk option for the team, but the 32-year-old has the knees of a 60-year-old and can't possibly provide much production.
Brett Favre
7 of 10
I know that future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre isn't waffling between coming back or staying retired—as he often did toward the end of his playing career—but the ol' gunslinger still somehow remains in the news.
Most fans remember the beef that Favre and the Green Bay Packers had several years ago, when the longtime Packers signal-caller was more than just a little bitter about how things ended in Green Bay, even calling out his successor, Aaron Rodgers, after the dude won a Super Bowl.
Nowadays, the talk has been about the team retiring Favre's No. 4 jersey during their Thanksgiving Day game against the Chicago Bears, which is already overshadowing the game itself.
He was a hell of a player and all, but it's time to move on from talking about Brett Favre.
Jaromir Jagr
8 of 10
It sure does seem like a long time ago that current Florida Panthers right-winger Jaromir Jagr was rockin' that mullet as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, doesn't it?
Actually, you know what, it has been a long time, with Jagr now 43 years old and just completing in his 21st NHL season.
Even more bizarre is that the guy is still producing, meaning teams are still interested in having him do more than just provide leadership or a veteran voice for younger guys, as was the situation with others I've mentioned on this list.
With the Panthers signing him to a one-year deal for next season, get used to doing a double-take anytime you see or hear Jaromir Jagr—because, yes, it's the same guy we remember from the early '90s.
Pete Rose
9 of 10
I have the utmost respect for MLB hit king Pete Rose, but at some point the guy just needs to give it a rest, doesn't he?
Was Rose one of the top 20 players in MLB history? You could make a serious case that he absolutely was, boasting a career .303 batting average, playing for 24 seasons, winning one NL MVP and slipping three World Series rings onto his fingers.
Unfortunately, all of his success on the field was outweighed by his gambling scandal as a manager, which resulted in punishment by Major League Baseball and his blackballing from the Hall of Fame.
He has toned down his protest to be reinstated in recent years, but there will never be an end to this debate unless his ban is lifted and he's enshrined at Cooperstown.
It's a great sports debate, but one that is over 20 years old at this point.
Tim Tebow
10 of 10
Ah, yes, Mr. Tim Tebow.
What else is there to say about the guy now that the Philadelphia Eagles signed him to a deal last week, tossing him into the mix in their quarterback competition?
The past nine years have seen him go from playing sparingly for the Florida Gators as a freshman to winning the national title that same season and taking home the Heisman Trophy the following year. Tebow either leaves fans captivated or upset with the amount of press he gets.
One hell of a motivator and competitor, Tebow just hasn't performed well during his time in the NFL, failing to correct flaws in his throwing motion and having a completion percentage of 47.9 percent in his three years in the league.
From college star to unproven NFL quarterback to college football analyst and back to NFL signal-caller, Tebow has been seen a lot—and sports fans are a little over it by now.
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