[Mudcat]

Two names come right to mind for me.

Guy Lafleur - Had a spectacular career all with one team - the legendary Montreal Canadiens. He won 5 Cups and personal awards and records up the wazoo. Multiple 50 goal seasons - with a 60 thrown in for good measure. Retired, got elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Storybook stuff. An icon.

So why give a bad aftertaste to the whole thing with a comeback to New York Rangers after 3 years of inactivity. And why, after seeing that there was nothing left in the tank, let it drag on for three years including a move to the Quebec Nordiques? Last three seasons for an icon: 18, 12 and 12 goals.



Michael Jordan - I know that hs last two years in Washington he averaged over 20 ppg and plenty of players would kill for that. But didn't Jordan already have the perfect finish to a career, hitting the championship winning jumper against Utah in '98?

Bad aftertaste.



Oh and I have to add Willie Mays' last season with the Mets.

[Willie Bee]

Muhammed Ali maybe should have quit a few fights sooner. Brett Favre might be on this list in the future or even right now.

[BuddyBear]

I cringe when I see Hakeem Olajuwan in a Toronto Raptors uniform

[BrentCrude]

Most players even when they stay too long and get old don't totally embarrass themselves but if they retire for an extended period of time and make a comeback they always look pathetic.Same goes for old timers games.Even if the guy retired at 34 and looked ok at the end of his career he can play in an oldtimers game 4 year later and he plays like a girlie man.It doesn't take long for the rust to set in for these guys.

Football is the worst as far as this goes but in general athletes get sick more and die younger than your pizza eating beer drinking and chocolate eating cigarette smoking slob that sits on the couch every night watching the games.The most fit people that are olympic type athletes are wimps when it comes to always being at death's doorstep from usually uncommon illnesses.

Same goes for thoroughbred horses where they look and perform great but are so fragile healthwise and break down so easily.Being bred to be a conditioned athlete can be a curse and the wear and tear on a body takes it's toll.

I can see why sports stars even 20 years ago stayed in the game too long because the salaries weren't as good but if a guy makes 50 million in his first 3 or 4 years nowadays I would advise him to quit at age 27 and live off the fat of the land and still have your health.

[BuddyBear]

Bret Favre may be on this list real soon with years like he had last year.

[bigboydan]

ricky henderson

this guy is still out there trying to catch on with another MLB team.

[Illusion]

Ozzie Smith and Cal Ripken both stayed too long.

[tacomax]

George Best.

[Mudcat]

Gotta be dozens of boxers who fit the category. Just to pick one: Roberto Duran.

He was considered one of the very best for a long time but currently has 16 losses (and counting???)

[bigboydan]

larry holmes is another one that held on way too long.

this guy was still fighting when he was 52 years old.

[isetcap]

Most players even when they stay too long and get old don't totally embarrass themselves but if they retire for an extended period of time and make a comeback they always look pathetic.Same goes for old timers games.Even if the guy retired at 34 and looked ok at the end of his career he can play in an oldtimers game 4 year later and he plays like a girlie man.It doesn't take long for the rust to set in for these guys.

Football is the worst as far as this goes but in general athletes get sick more and die younger than your pizza eating beer drinking and chocolate eating cigarette smoking slob that sits on the couch every night watching the games.The most fit people that are olympic type athletes are wimps when it comes to always being at death's doorstep from usually uncommon illnesses.

Same goes for thoroughbred horses where they look and perform great but are so fragile healthwise and break down so easily.Being bred to be a conditioned athlete can be a curse and the wear and tear on a body takes it's toll.

I can see why sports stars even 20 years ago stayed in the game too long because the salaries weren't as good but if a guy makes 50 million in his first 3 or 4 years nowadays I would advise him to quit at age 27 and live off the fat of the land and still have your health.

This is a quite thought-provoking post. I actually never gave it much consideration and I'm not convinced of the accuracy but there may be something to the notion that "a body only has so many miles in it." I am convinced that removing overwhelming physical and mental stress from your lifestyle is the best thing a person can do to maximize their longevity.

[onlooker]

Karl Malone.

Evander Holyfield should be at the top of everyones list. That guy dont know when to give up.

[Stumpage]

Steve Carlton.....It was just depressing to watch his last 10 or so starts. Guys were sprinting up to the batter's box, they couldn't get there fast enough to fatten their batting averages.

[Willie Bee]

The Bambino probably hung around a season or two too long while chasing the dream of managing a club. Of course, he did go out with a bang, hitting three taters in a game just prior to walking away a few days later.

[scottyy11]

arnold palmer......jack nicklaus............and many other golfers who keep showing at the masters with no chance to win

[goldengoat]

roy jones jr has lost it and is in semi-denial

ken shamrock is a punching bag to the new age MMA athletes

[Illusion]

arnold palmer......jack nicklaus............and many other golfers who keep showing at the masters with no chance to win

No doubt, how many times has Jack played in his final Masters anyway?

[mschild]

I remember watching some of Lafleur's final season and I'm glad I did, some of his goals were spectacular.

[Mudcat]

I could probably get myself lynched in this country (and maybe Detroit) for saying this but: Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe.

People like to wax poetic about the romance of how he played until he was 52 and played with his sons.

I put him on this list because he played until he was 52 and played with his sons. Just hanging on for the sake of hanging on, a shadow of the player he once was.

He even made one of those stupid manufactured comebacks by playing one shift with the Detroit Vipers in the 90's - just so he could say he played in 6 consecutive decades.

I don't go for that stuff.

[Willie Bee]

You might be right, Mud. But all I know is I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Howe's skate together with Houston in the 1970s when they were playing in the old Coliseum. Most of us Aeros fans were pretty new and ignorant to hockey, but it was still a lot of fun.

[bigboydan]

Robert Parish?

i forgot about parish.


your 100% correct though bud. this guy i thought should have retired about 8 years earlier than he did.

infact, that whole celtics team should have retired after that great run they had in the 80's.

[bigboydan]

ok, heres the ultimate guy who's stuck around way too long.

Mark Rypien is making a comeback for the raiders