10 Sports Stars We Shouldn't Give Up On
Outside observers enjoy watching the falls of famous individuals.
It is something that plays out on websites such as Twitter every day. People make jokes about celebrities they've never met. Sports fans mock professional athletes who make miscues during games and who get benched. People are constantly ready to move onto the next big thing, the next hot story or the next great young athlete.
Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III has become a punchline as of February 2016. It seems as though it was during a different lifetime when Colin Kaepernick was leading the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl. Tiger Woods has already been replaced by Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy.
An athlete's career can end in an instant. One wrong step, one bout of bad luck or even one significant emotional scar can turn a once-great athlete into a shell of their former self. Those who are never able to recover from such setbacks become lost to history as cases of what could or even should have been.
With that said, nobody should be digging graves for the careers of the 10 sports stars mentioned in this piece. Each of them will have opportunities to prove doubters wrong and once again achieve greatness on big stages. Some have not even hit what should be their physical primes.
Don't give up on these athletes just yet.
Colin Kaepernick
1 of 10
As was explained by Geoffrey C. Arnold of the Oregonian recently, there are already rumblings that new San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly and team owner Jed York are not on the same page regarding quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick's roller-coaster ride with the 49ers came to a screeching halt in 2015, when he was benched and replaced by former Jacksonville Jaguars starter Blaine Gabbert.
Any hopes Kelly was acquired by the 49ers to reboot Kaepernick's career may have been premature.
Kaepernick could, at the very least, be a serviceable National Football League quarterback. We've seen him be one in the past. The Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Houston Texans are teams that could use upgrades at quarterback. All would do well to give Kaepernick, who turned just 28 years old this past November, a look.
A team could do a lot worse than providing Kaepernick with a chance to revive his career.
Rafael Nadal
2 of 10
It is safe to assume the start of 2016 did not go as Rafael Nadal would've envisioned. Nadal was bounced from the Australian Open by Fernando Verdasco in a shocking first-round defeat. Salt was then poured into that wound when news.com.au awarded Nadal with the fictitious "Wooden Spoon" honor given to the person deemed to be the worst overall player of the tournament.
Ouch.
There were signs during the 2015 season that Nadal was no longer the player of old. Forehand shots that used to be precise were short. What were the best defensive skills in the world were non-existent. The confident and sometimes seemingly cocky Nadal had been replaced by an athlete who appeared to no longer trust himself.
As Christopher Clarey of the New York Times explained, Nadal's fans have reasons to believe he has one more big win left in the tank:
"Although Nadal nostalgia is certainly in order, the panic button is not worth punching just yet. Men's players are thriving like never before past the age of 30. And Nadal did play convincing, aggressive tennis down the stretch in 2015 in a phase of the season during which he has often slumped, recovering the sting and depth in his forehand, the whipping stroke that has been his signature shot.
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Nadal will turn 30 years old in June.
Nick Foles
3 of 10
A casual observer could easily feel sorry for Nick Foles. It was only back during the 2013 NFL season when Foles seemed to be the future franchise quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. Foles even earned a spot in the 2014 edition of the Pro Bowl, in which he shined and was one of the standout players.
Things quickly deteriorated for Foles in Philadelphia. Head coach Chip Kelly sent offensive weapon DeSean Jackson packing. Kelly brought in Mark Sanchez, who was looking to revive his career following a flameout with the New York Jets. Foles was understandably not the same player in 2014, and he was traded to the St. Louis Rams before the 2015 season. In St. Louis, he was benched by the Rams in favor of Case Keenum.
Foles is probably not going to evolve into the next Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Cam Newton or Aaron Rodgers. That's fine. Put Foles on a team that has reliable playmakers and a head coach who would believe in him for more than a few months, and you would get solid quarterback play so long as he was able to remain healthy. Foles only turned 27 in January.
His best days could be ahead of him.
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Sidney Crosby
4 of 10
The supposed demise of Sidney Crosby is a topic that has popped up every National Hockey League season over the past several years. Rumors and stories the Pittsburgh Penguins could or should trade Crosby and Evgeni Malkin while their values are still high have become so commonplace they were mocked by Ryan Lambert of Yahoo Sports blog Puck Daddy in December.
The fact Crosby and the Penguins looked rather lackluster during the majority of the first half of the 2015-16 NHL season didn't help matters.
The Penguins could need Crosby to be at his very best if the club is to qualify for a playoff berth in the spring. Crosby and company were headed in the right direction before the All-Star break, per the Associated Press (h/t USA Today):
"The team that struggled to score early in the year has found the back of the net four times in its last six games and Crosby has 10 points during his current seven-game scoring streak thanks in part to a renewed effort to shooting the puck and spending more time around the goal.
While Crosby is encouraged, the two-time MVP doesn't consider his team's interest in getting toward the blue paint second nature, at least not yet.
'It's something on a game to game basis, you really have to remind yourself and work to get there,' he said.
'Just because you've done it four or five games in a row means you're going to get there in the next one. It's a tough spot to go...there's a lot that goes in it but the results look easy when it goes well.'
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Crosby's hot streak continued following Sunday's All-Star Game. He bagged a hat trick and an assist in a thrilling 6-5 Pittsburgh win over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. Crosby has now scored 11 goals since the start of the new year, more than anybody else in the NHL, as reported by Fox Sports.
Tiger Woods
5 of 10
It should be immediately pointed out this is in no way a prediction that Tiger Woods is going to mount an epic comeback and win a major in 2016. It is, in fact, more likely Woods does not play a meaningful round of golf this year as he attempts to get his body in the best physical shape possible for his age (40).
The future of the PGA is indeed bright. Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day make up a big three who are entertaining to follow and who will compete for titles for years to come. There is just one problem: Not one of them is Tiger.
Not even close.
Woods is never going to be the best golfer in the world again. He is, however, still a superstar unlike any other athlete in the sport. Every time Woods takes the course, an event is must-see television, either because fans want to watch him return to glory or they want to witness him fail. The young guns of the PGA are fun to follow, but the game misses its icon.
We can't give up on Tiger Woods because we miss him.
David Wright
6 of 10
David Wright is never going to be the slugger of old. The 33-year-old's back problems have been well-documented. It could be considered a medical miracle that spinal stenosis did not end Wright's career and that he managed to make a comeback late in the 2015 Major League Baseball season.
As Maria Guardado of NJ.com pointed out, Wright put up solid numbers in his limited playing time last season:
"Wright still continued to produce at the plate and finished the regular season batting .289 with a .814 OPS, five home runs and 17 RBI. His batting average and OPS took a dip in the postseason, though, falling to .185 and .590, respectively.
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There is a reason, other than stats, fans should keep their faith in Wright. It is often remarked in the sports world that certain athletes "bleed" the colors of their teams. We would not at all be surprised if one were to find some blue and orange if they were to investigate the insides of Mr. Wright.
Wright is not just the clubhouse leader and captain of the New York Mets. He is the heart and soul of the club. Wright knows beyond a shadow of a doubt the Mets have the goods to make it to the World Series. Helping the Mets win a championship however he can would be the perfect end to Wright's tremendous career.
Josh Gordon
7 of 10
It is worth noting we don't yet know whether Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon will play in the NFL again. Gordon was suspended for the entire 2015 NFL season after repeated violations of the league's policy on substance abuse. He has applied for reinstatement, but Gordon is a single slip-up away from once again being banned—this time indefinitely.
It would make sense if some would want or even expect the Browns to give up on Gordon. Gordon has never proved he can abide by certain NFL rules and remain an available player. The Browns would probably get something in return if they put Gordon on the market. Cutting ties with Gordon and troubled quarterback Johnny Manziel could represent the Browns making a fresh start.
The reason for them to keep Gordon is simple enough: Gordon could be a once-in-a-generation talent if he stayed out of trouble.
Gordon was the best offensive player in all of the NFL for one month back in 2013. Yes, that was two years ago, and it is unrealistic to expect Gordon will immediately return to form after a year away from the league. Gordon at 80 percent could still be better than many who play the position, though.
Keeping him is a risk the Browns have to take.
Ronda Rousey
8 of 10
Holly Holm did not just beat undefeated Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 this past November; Holm obliterated Rousey with a perfect game plan, an impenetrable defense and multiple crushing strikes that bloodied the rowdy one and knocked Rousey out. Holm's performance was so impressive one may think a rematch would go the same way.
Not so fast.
Anybody who has followed Rousey's career knows she has had her fair share of personal and professional setbacks. Rousey has answered the bell every time, and she will get a chance to do so again in 2016 if Holm wins her first title defense, against Miesha Tate in March.
The hot takes and criticisms of Rousey will be flowing until she steps back into the Octagon. You will read and hear about how Rousey is more of a superstar than a fighter these days and how she should pursue additional acting gigs and World Wrestling Entertainment appearances instead of fights. Rousey will also have months to go over such criticisms.
Rousey would probably be a favorite in Las Vegas if the rematch were scheduled today.
Emmanuel Adebayor
9 of 10
The career path of striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been both fascinating and predictable. Adebayor finds success in his early days with a new club. He becomes adored by fans, who are saluted by Adebayor each time he hits the back of the net. Adebayor eventually becomes a headache for his manager. He then departs that club before signing for a new team.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Don't look now, but the former Tottenham Hotspur star, who was released by the club in September, is back in the Premier League. Adebayor signed for Crystal Palace in January on a short-term deal, one that will see him with the club up through the end of the Premier League campaign. The 31-year-old hit the side of the net on his Palace debut, a 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth.
As reported by BBC Sport, Adebayor was a goalscoring machine for former Tottenham coach Tim Sherwood after Spurs sacked Andre Villas-Boas. That was back in 2014, but Palace boss Alan Pardew could be the ideal manager to keep Adebayor motivated and also in a pleasant demeanor long enough to make a difference—that is until Adebayor predictably wears out his welcome.
Pardew was credited by Michael Caley of ESPN FC for both Palace and Newcastle United avoiding relegation last season.
Robert Griffin III
10 of 10
Robert Griffin III will be 26 years old at the end of February. Remind yourself of that fact each time you read or hear that Griffin is finished in the NFL.
Griffin is obviously no longer the player worthy of winning Offensive Rookie of the Year back in 2012. Multiple serious knee injuries have affected his speed and elusiveness. Any swagger Griffin had years ago should now be nothing but a memory. Whatever the Washington Redskins do regarding the status of Kirk Cousins, Griffin probably won't be with the club past the spring.
However, Griffin will be 26 years old at the end of February.
No longer a sure thing, Griffin is now a project of an NFL quarterback who needs to be rebuilt. Griffin must improve as a classic drop-back passer. He needs to realize he is going to be a backup heading into training camp and the 2016 season. Griffin needs to be humble, hardworking and willing to take a one-year show-me contract from a team.
Still, Griffin will be 26 years old at the end of February. Every team in need of a quarterback should be giving RG3 a call once he and the Redskins part ways.
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