Yeah, I Said It: 10 Disastrous Moves Athletes Might Make in 2016
Athletes are forced to make serious and difficult decisions nearly every year of their careers.
Players who enter free agency in professional leagues must choose where they want to work and live, and they must also do what they feel is best for their families and their bank accounts. Younger would-be pros who play sports such as college basketball and college football have only a certain amount of time to decide if they are ready to leave school early.
2016 could be a pivotal year for each of the athletes featured in this piece because of decisions and/or moves they may have to make between now and December 31.
LeBron James reclaimed his status as a hometown hero in the summer of 2014 when he announced that he was returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers following a four-year stint with the Miami Heat. The possibility exists that James could once again break Cleveland hearts and leave the Cavs a second time this coming summer.
James is, of course, not the only player who could make a move that would change his National Basketball Association career. Kevin Durant may decide in 2016 that he is ready to leave the only NBA club that he has ever known. Malachi Richardson could look to cash in on the 15 minutes of fame that he earned during the NCAA tournament.
Some of the individuals featured in this piece could negatively affect their legacies by making disastrous moves in 2016. Others may unintentionally finish off their careers by making unwise choices.
No pressure, gentlemen and ladies. We're only talking about your reputations, livelihoods and futures.
Malachi Richardson
1 of 10
It is possible that those of you who are not diehard college basketball fans and have zero ties to Syracuse had never heard of Malachi Richardson before March 2016. There are good reasons for this. Richardson was not, as of the end of February, advertised to be a top NBA draft prospect for 2016. Syracuse was, at best, a bubble team that had 19 wins and that only learned it would be playing in the Big Dance on Selection Sunday.
Then came March 18 and the first day of the tournament for the No. 10-seeded Syracuse Orange. Syracuse began a run that saw the Orange win four straight games. Syracuse beat Gonzaga with a late rally, and the Orange defeated top-seeded Virginia to earn a berth in the Final Four.
History will remember Richardson as a top star for Syracuse during the team's historic journey to the Final Four. The freshman guard led all scorers with 21 points in Syracuse's victory over Dayton (h/t ESPN.com). Richardson was also the leading scorer in Syracuse's upset over Virginia.
Inconsistent play was a knock on Richardson during the regular season. That trend, as ESPN analyst Chad Ford explained, continued during the NCAA tournament (h/t Syracuse.com):
"Richardson has been on the NBA radar all season, but really as a wait-and-see prospect. He's a long, athletic and versatile offensive player who can shoot the 3 and slither to the basket — but he has been wildly inconsistent all season. That inconsistency has largely carried over into the tournament. After a strong start against Dayton, he shot just 4-for-21 from the field against Middle Tennessee and Gonzaga. But then the Virginia game happened.
After starting 0-for-7, he exploded in the second half with 21 points, three huge 3s and a couple of big steals, helping carry Syracuse to the Final Four.
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Richardson put 17 points on the scoreboard in Syracuse's 83-66 loss to North Carolina on Final Four Saturday.
Nobody could blame Richardson or any young athlete for wanting to get paid as soon as possible. Perhaps Richardson will be able to bolster his draft stock before the NBA Finals end. From looking at his numbers over a full season, it seems that Richardson could benefit from spending at least one more season in college and working underneath head coach Jim Boeheim.
Josh McCown
2 of 10
Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown deserves praise for being a loyal soldier. McCown sacrificed his body for the Browns on the first drive of the 2015 regular season against the New York Jets. The journeyman veteran did all he could to try to mentor Johnny Manziel. McCown has said and done the right things since signing with Cleveland in March of last year.
The 36-year-old now needs to see the writing on the wall.
By acquiring Robert Griffin III, who flamed out with the Washington Redskins, new Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson delivered a clear message: Jackson does not see McCown as his starting quarterback heading into training camp.
That decision from Jackson is reasonable. Jackson and everybody else who watches the National Football League already know what McCown is and will be as a starter. While Griffin's stint with the Redskins ended with the QB as a non-factor on the roster, the former starter who was once Offensive Rookie of the Year turned 26 years old this past February. Jackson may believe that he can help RG3 find the form that allowed the QB to help the Redskins make the playoffs.
McCown should now do whatever possible to push for a move out of Cleveland.
The Browns not only have Griffin on the roster. Cleveland will likely be drafting a quarterback later this month, perhaps doing so with the second overall pick. This could leave McCown on the outside looking in while in the twilight of his career.
Could McCown potentially start for the Los Angeles Rams, the New York Jets or another team in 2016? Maybe, but the only way he can find out is to execute a departure from the Browns as quickly as possible; unless, of course, McCown is just fine ending his career as a backup and an afterthought on the roster of what could be the worst team in the NFL in 2016.
Luis Suarez
3 of 10
Sometimes, the best thing a person can do is make a clean break from a situation.
Liverpool supporters longing for the days of the club competing for a Champions League spot and for a Premier League title could not be blamed for missing Luis Suarez. Suarez scored 31 goals and took home multiple Player of the Year honors for the 2013-14 season (h/t BBC.com) while with Liverpool, but he left the club following the 2014 FIFA World Cup to link up with Barcelona.
That decision has worked out perfectly for Suarez. Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar scored a combined 121 goals in their first season as a unit, a record number of tallies for any trio in the history of Spanish football (h/t the Guardian). Barcelona won the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League last season. The Blaugrana could repeat that feat again later this year.
Suarez nevertheless may have raised some eyes with comments that he made in February.
"But if I had to return to the Premier League, I would only go to Liverpool," Suarez said, per Sky Sports. "I wouldn't go to another team. It wouldn't be a move for money. I'd also love to play again for Ajax, as they allowed me to develop as a player in Europe."
Suarez also talked about missing the "unpredictable nature" of the Premier League.
We would caution Suarez to remember everything—the good and also the bad—about his time with Liverpool.
Suarez was handed an eight-match ban after he was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra during a match (h/t BBC.com). He was hit with a 10-game suspension after he bit Branislav Ivanovic (h/t BBC.com). Suarez's final meaningful action during a competitive game while still a Liverpool player came during the 2014 World Cup when he bit Giorgio Chiellinii.
Suarez has, to his credit, mostly been on his best behavior since joining Barcelona. The 29-year-old seems to be settled, and he is enjoying more success than ever before during his club career. You can't go home again, teaches the old adage, and Suarez would do well to remember that and leave Liverpool in his past.
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Holly Holm
4 of 10
Holly Holm has been on quite the emotional roller-coaster ride over the past six months of her career.
Sports fans who do not follow the Ultimate Fighting Championship on a weekly basis were likely unfamiliar with Holm at the start of November 2015. That changed, however, when Holm shocked the world and knocked the previously unbeaten Ronda Rousey out to win the women's bantamweight championship at UFC 193.
Holm was immediately thrust into the national spotlight and featured in interviews on programs such as SportsCenter. The world waited in anticipation to learn when Holm and Rousey would again enter the cage, this time for a rematch that would show if Holm's win was a fluke or if the Preacher's Daughter was the real deal.
A rematch was not meant to be, however, as Rousey's camp and the UFC were unable to agree upon a date. Holm understandably moved on to a title defense against Miesha Tate at UFC 196 this past March. The champion was a round away from defending her title via, at worst, a draw when Tate caught her with a rear-naked choke that put Holm out cold.
While a future Tate vs. Rousey fight is penciled in on UFC calendars, Holm currently has nothing special on the horizon.
A fight against Cris "Cyborg" Justino isn't the answer for Holm in 2016.
There may one day come a time when Holm fighting Cyborg makes sense for the former UFC champion. That day probably isn't coming in 2016 for several reasons.
Cyborg has not yet proved that she can weigh in at 135 pounds for a UFC fight. She has done nothing as a UFC competitor heading into a scheduled bout against Leslie Smith at UFC 198 next month. Beating Smith, even with an impressive showing, would not be enough for Cyborg to deserve a fight against a woman who held UFC gold at the start of March.
Nobody could blame Holm for feeling frustrated after the loss to Tate. With that said, a victory over Cyborg later this year would not propel Holm any higher in the UFC title picture than she would be if she just waited to see what happens with a potential Tate-Rousey showdown. A loss to Cyborg, however, could be catastrophic for Holm's hopes of another shot at the title.
The cliche is true for Holm. The waiting is going to be the hardest part.
Kevin Durant
5 of 10
Kevin Durant is going to get paid this summer. That, as of early April, is the most that we know for sure about the situation involving the 27-year-old who has spent his entire career with the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise.
Take a quick spin around the Internet this spring, and you'll find scenarios that link Durant with multiple different clubs. ESPN's Calvin Watkins recently wrote about how the Houston Rockets will attempt to recruit Durant. The Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors could all be in on the Durant sweepstakes.
Andrew Sharp of SI.com wrote in late March about why Durant signing with Golden State may not be the best move for the Warriors:
"For one, the Warriors really would have to gut their roster to make this possible. It's a significant risk on Golden State's part, and it would be a risk for Durant, too. He'd be coming into Steph Curry's team, likely following a 73-win season, and costing them key contributors like Bogut and Iguodala. Meanwhile, there'd be the pressure to not just keep things going, but to somehow improve on perfection (while not screwing up some of the greatest chemistry the NBA has ever seen). It's a lot to handle.
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Sharp also did well to point out the obvious about such a marriage. Durant signing with Golden State would be as clear a case of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" as we have seen in the NBA in some time.
LeBron James will never be able to eliminate some people's perception that he couldn't lead a team to an NBA title on his own. Even if he does help the Cleveland Cavaliers win a championship, he will have done so with the second Big Three of his career, following his days of playing alongside Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat.
These Warriors are, on paper, better than those Heat teams. Golden State is on the verge of winning more regular-season games than any team in history. The Warriors may be a couple of months away from repeating as NBA champions.
Durant will be rich beyond rich regardless of the decision that he makes. He can build a legacy to call his own if he does not go ring-chasing and sign with Golden State.
Ryan Fitzpatrick
6 of 10
Christopher Russo had one clear message for free-agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick during the Mike and the Mad Dog reunion show at Radio City Music Hall on March 30 (h/t NJ.com): "Sign the contract!"
Russo was, of course, talking about the game of chicken that Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets continue to be playing during the current NFL offseason. Let's ignore, for the moment, that Fitzpatrick played what was statistically the best season of his NFL career while with the Jets (h/t ESPN.com) and instead focus on the reality of Fitzpatrick's situation this spring.
No team has, as of the posting of this piece, shown all that much interest in Fitzpatrick. The Cleveland Browns moved on to Robert Griffin III. The Denver Broncos acquired Mark Sanchez and may also be shopping for Colin Kaepernick, per ESPN's Jeff Legwold. Neither the San Francisco 49ers nor the Los Angeles Rams have made it worth Fitzpatrick's while to move out West.
Fitzpatrick will turn 34 years old during the 2016 NFL season. Now is not the time for him to hold out for the best possible deal. Doing so could land him on a different team, where he would have to learn a different offense in the 11th hour and only months before the start of the upcoming campaign.
Granted, Fitzpatrick signing with the Jets is not just on the player. Both he and the Jets need to come to a compromise—and soon. It is what is best for Fitzpatrick and for a Gang Green side that cannot afford to give Geno Smith the keys to the offense during the summer.
Gareth Bale
7 of 10
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has found himself mentioned in summer transfer rumors literally every year since his breakout 2010-11 campaign with Tottenham Hotspur. Even Bale making the move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 and Bale notching game-winning goals in the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals during his first season with the club did not erase the whispers that the Welshman could again be playing in the Premier League sooner than later.
That tradition is set to continue through the spring of 2016.
Uche Amako of the Daily Express linked Bale with Manchester United in February 2016, a rumor that was also touched upon by Samuel Stevens of the Independent in March.
The logical question has to be asked: Why would Bale even consider leaving Real Madrid for a Manchester United club that needs more than just one spectacular player to compete for hardware next season?
Assuming that Stevens' story is accurate, Real Madrid are not unhappy with the Welsh wonder. The Spanish giants may even be on the verge of offering Bale an improved contract to keep him from being tempted to return to the English top flight.
As Jon Doel of Wales Online explained earlier this month, Bale has found joy in his professional and personal life since relocating three summers ago. Bale has landed endorsement deals, recently welcomed a new addition to his family and has worked on learning the Spanish language.
All would do well to remember that Bale will turn 27 years old in July. Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale's Real teammate, turned 31 years old this past February. Assuming that Real are on the verge of rebuilding the club's squad in an attempt to overtake rivals Barcelona atop La Liga next year, keeping Bale and selling Ronaldo is what makes the most sense.
For Bale, remaining in Spain for at least the next couple of seasons is the right move for his career and also for his financial wealth.
Ronda Rousey
8 of 10
What is Ronda Rousey thinking as it pertains to her UFC career roughly five months after her loss to Holly Holm? Opinions on that vary per who is speaking on the matter.
Miesha Tate, currently holding the championship Rousey previously possessed, spoke with TMZ Sports back in early March about fighting Rousey a third time:
"Tate says she's 100% down -- but says she's not sure the feeling is mutual.
"I don't even know what [Ronda] is thinking right now ... it seems like her motivation to stick around was to have Travis Browne's baby. So, I don't know."
Tate was referring to Rousey's interview on "Ellen" -- when she said the only thing that pulled her out of her post-fight funk after the loss to Holly Holm was the thought of starting a family with Browne.
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UFC President Dana White presented TMZ Sports with a different update on Rousey back on April 2:
"White appeared on the "TMZ Sports" TV show on Friday on FS1 and told us he JUST had dinner with Ronda the other night ... so we had to ask for an update.
"Every way you can be good, she's good," White said ... telling us Rousey is planning on making her UFC comeback in either November or December.
"She's ready again. She's ready to fight."
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The one fact that remains true as each day and week passes is that there is no confirmed set date for Miesha vs. Rousey III. This being the case, one can say with confidence that Rousey should not fight again unless she is willing and able to go all-in both mentally and physically on reclaiming her championship.
A UFC career cannot be a hobby or a chore, and that is especially true for somebody who is scheduled to battle the top fighter in her division. Rousey, who has now been on opposite sides of knockout results, could learn the hard way that she cannot just flip the figurative switch and defeat Tate or anybody near the top of the UFC rankings.
Rousey has opportunities outside of the cage. She is going to star in the Road House reboot (h/t Variety), and Rousey could also follow the career path of former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and sign with World Wrestling Entertainment. Rousey, a pro wrestling fan who has attended WWE and independent shows in the past, was featured during an in-ring segment at WrestleMania 31 in March 2015.
Rousey committing to a fight in 2016 could be dangerous to more than just her career if she has any second thoughts about her abilities or about her love of the sport.
Alex Rodriguez
9 of 10
New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez will be 42 years old in the summer of 2017. Rodriguez's contract with the Yankees ends when New York's 2017 Major League Baseball season is over (h/t Spotrac). It was, thus, hardly a surprise when Rodriguez apparently stated that 2017 would be the last year of his storied and turbulent career.
This is A-Rod we are talking about, though, so of course things cannot be that simple.
It was on March 23 when we learned that Rodriguez had given the New York Post a different message about his plans for after 2017:
"After ESPN reported Wednesday that Rodriguez is retiring after two more years, when his current contract expires, he told The Post later in the day in an email, “I’m thinking in terms of my contract which ends in 2017. After that, we’ll see what happens. I’ve got two years and more than 300 games to play.’’
In other words, a lot could happen.
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Oh boy.
Let's start by looking at this only as a baseball matter. Rodriguez is nearing the end of his days as a productive hitter. He is a DH who can probably no longer start as an infielder. Assuming that Rodriguez will not be broken down and a shell of his former self in December 2017, there would realistically only be maybe a handful of American League clubs willing to make it worth A-Rod's while to give one more season a go.
Rodriguez's legacy as a player will forever be tarnished because of his alleged involvement with performance-enhancing drugs. There is nothing Rodriguez can do about that. Rodriguez will never be able to wipe those blemishes from his player profile.
What he can do, however, is maintain whatever exists of his legacy as a Yankees player.
Rodriguez should announce that he is walking back the retirement walk-back he delivered to the Post and leave no doubt that he will retire as a member of the Yankees after the 2017 season. A-Rod has earned hundreds of millions of dollars off his MLB contracts (h/t Spotrac). Rodriguez won a World Series with the Yankees, and he has two more seasons to try to win a ring.
You've done enough, A-Rod. Kick off your retirement tour with an official announcement this spring, and put the matter to bed once and for all.
LeBron James
10 of 10
Even a licensed professional may struggle to understand what it is LeBron James has been trying to accomplish with certain off-the-court activities over the past few months. James has been responsible for posting cryptic messages on his Twitter and Instagram pages (h/t Fox 8). He told Howard Beck of Bleacher Report in February that he would "take a pay cut" if doing so meant he could play alongside Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade.
These actions, coupled with the reminder that James left the Cleveland Cavaliers and his home of northeast Ohio for South Beach and the Miami Heat via The Decision in the summer of 2010, have naturally led to speculation that James could again depart from the Cavs if the club fails to win the NBA championship later this spring.
There's no way that James could possibly be so callous, cold and selfish that he would deliver another gut punch to the region just two years after he returned home...right?
James did not just heal an old wound by rejoining the Cavaliers in 2014. The two-time champion who won those titles with the Heat used Lee Jenkins of SI.com to pen a love letter to Cleveland and to his former fans who he hoped would again embrace him as one of their own. In that piece, James explained that he had a responsibility to the Cleveland region that went "above basketball."
What messages would James send if he left after 24 months? That he made a mistake with the moves that he orchestrated as the unnamed general manager of the Cavaliers? That his return to Cleveland was more about his brand and his bank accounts than it was about righting a wrong?
James' reputation and legacy will forever be linked with Cleveland. How so will be up to James. Will James be remembered as the man who did all he could to try to bring a title to what he has affectionately called "The Land," or will he be the guy who twice bolted when things became difficult?
James will decide that.
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