Allen Iverson: 15 Sports Stars Who Should Retire Now Before It Gets Ugly
Allen Iverson is the center of rumors that may mean the end for his basketball career.
The former MVP is playing in Turkey after no one in the NBA wanted to take a chance on him and reports about his personal troubles circled around him last year. It's been a sad fall from grace for Iverson and maybe it's time to retire and call it a day.
Where does Iverson rank on the list of athletes that need to hang it up? Check inside to find out. Anyone I missed? Make sure to leave them in the comments.
No. 15: Mark Recchi
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Mark Recchi was drafted in 1988. Think about that for a second.
Recchi used to be one of the best players in the league at one point in his career and he had successful runs with the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. Now he's on the Boston Bruins and he's not a horrible player, but he's not a great one either.
At some point, this has to end, doesn't it?
No. 14: Tracy McGrady
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Injuries have destroyed what promised to be an amazing career.
Tracy McGrady is playing on a one-year deal with the Detroit Pistons and while he's been great as a role player, his lifespan isn't long for the NBA with all of those injuries, especially the knee surgeries that have taken his explosiveness away.
He may be able to extend his NBA lifespan, but I'm not sure he has much left.
No. 13: Bernard Hopkins
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Bernard Hopkins is a guy who used to be one of the more fearsome fighters in boxing.
Now, not so much. Hopkins is 45, long after when he said he would stop fighting, and now it's just sad to watch a guy past his prime try to keep things going. He's had some fights that were less than memorable and it's not how his career should have ended.
Hopkins should have walked away a long time ago.
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No. 12: Roy Jones Jr.
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At one point, Roy Jones Jr. was the world's greatest pound-for-pound fighter.
Now, he's a shell of himself. His last fight was a miserable performance against Bernard Hopkins and it's been clear for a while that it's time for Jones Jr. to just hang it up and move on to the next phase of his life. That hasn't happened yet.
He doesn't have another fight scheduled for now, and hopefully there isn't a next bout.
No. 11: Stephon Marbury
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Remember when Stephon Marbury used to be a valuable player?
Now Marbury has burned out of the NBA after an ugly divorce from the New York Knicks and then he had a total meltdown, filming his life and eating Vaseline on camera. He eventually went on to play for China and things have been weird over there.
Someone needs to find him some help, and fast.
No. 10: Fred Taylor
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There was a time when Fred Taylor was one of the best backs in the league.
Now is not that time as injuries have slowed his career and he's still in the league as a member of the New England Patriots. It's just time for him to let it go. He's lasted a lot longer than anyone thought he would have, but enough is enough.
At some point, pride has to set in.
No. 9: Ronaldo De Assis Moreira (Ronaldinho)
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At one time, Ronaldinho was the most feared soccer player in the world.
Since then, his fame has been part of his downfall as he lost discipline off of the pitch and we lost out on years and years of watching him play in the prime of his skills. He's still hanging around and turned down the chance to go to the MLS.
That's probably for the best. I don't see how playing for the LA Galaxy in that town would have helped extend his career.
No. 8: Yao Ming
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Yao Ming has just plain broken down and it's sad to see.
His feet and legs have betrayed him and it's something that we've seen before with plenty of big men before him. Yao is going to try and come back after this latest set back and surgery, but I'm not sure that's for the best.
Maybe it's time to get out while he still has his health and there are no long-term effects.
No. 7: Tim Wakefield
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I'm a Red Sox fan and I love Tim Wakefield as much as the next guy, but it's time.
He can no longer give that spot start with any sort of success and I hate to see a guy like that, who has meant so much to the Sox for so many years, play out his days as a bullpen guy. I'd like to see Wakefield go out with his head held high.
This just isn't the way it should be.
No. 6: Mike Modano
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Mike Modano decided to give it one more run with the Detroit Red Wings and it was a mistake.
Modano has been injured and has not been effective this year, only scoring two goals. He's one of the greatest American players in recent memory but this is a shame to see and you wish that he would have given it up after last year.
Hopefully this will be the sign he needs.
No. 5: Mark Brunell
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When Mark Brunell won a Super Bowl as the backup in New Orleans, I thought that would be it for the quarterback.
Well, not exactly, as Brunell has come back to play backup to Mark Sanchez in New York and there is no reason for him to still be in the league. I know he loves the game and all of that, but he's not a worthy backup and should have retired years ago in all likelihood.
This year needs to be it for him.
No. 4: Evander Holyfield
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Evander Holyfield is 48 and still fighting professionally.
Think about that. It's like my father is still boxing. Holyfield has done a lot in his career but there is no reason that he should still be going out there and taking punches at this advanced age for a fighter. It's like these people don't learn from guys that came before them and got their brains scrambled.
Hopefully he's able to keep his health.
No. 3: Shaquille O'Neal
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If you remember the Shaquille O'Neal that dominated the NBA for years at the center position, you hate to see him now.
It's been evident since the end of his time in Phoenix that he really had nothing left in the tank and now he's a role player on the Celtics. Sure, he's not terrible, but it's not how a guy as dominant as Shaq was should go out.
I'll always love Shaq and his hilarious quotes, but he should hang it up.
No. 2: Jamie Moyer
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Jamie Moyer's last two seasons have ended with a major injury.
He isn't anything close to what he used to be, but he still insists on pitching again when he's done his rehab. Not only that, but he's old enough to have had his son drafted by a major league team. He's had a good run, but it has to end.
At this point, it's more about his health than his pride.
No. 1: Allen Iverson
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Allen Iverson may announce his retirement from basketball and, if he does, it's about time.
Iverson's style of play and the numerous injuries he suffered from have taken their toll on his body over the years and now he's playing more for the paycheck than the love of the game. With all of his personal demons, it's sad to see.
He has no one to blame but himself for how this might end and it's sad but true.
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