Best / Worst sports comeback from retirement

[Crazy Levi]

Best - Gotta be George Foreman. He took 10 years off in complete obscurity, then returned for an extremely profitable 10 years, won the UNDISPUTED and linear heavyweight championsip, and then retired without any apparent damage mentally or physically. It's been another 13 years since his second retirement and he appears to have escaped the fate of most of his contemporaries (ali, Frazier, Quarry).

honorable mention would go to Randall Cunningham, who had a nice (though brief) return with the Vikings.

Worst- boxing is full of them, so it seems unfair to include or single out the various disastrous flops like Leonard, Quarry, Ali, etc.

I'd probably go with Bjorn Borg. That poor old swede actually returned from his 10 year retirement to the pro tour with a wooden fucking racket, as if he'd just stepped out of a time machine. I don't think he beat anybody upon his return.

Honorable mentions go to Jim Palmer, Lyle Alzado, and Mark Spitz.

[JakeYonkel]

Jordan took 3 years off and came back to score 20+ a game in his late 30s.

I know dick about hockey but I know Lemieux took a couple years off and came back and was decent too.

And hey how about Roger Clemens? Ha..

[Crazy Levi]

Jordan took 3 years off and came back to score 20+ a game in his late 30s.

I know dick about hockey but I know Lemieux took a couple years off and came back and was decent too.

And hey how about Roger Clemens? Ha..

Jordan's first comeback to the Bulls was a hit.

His second comeback was lame. He put up decent #s for the wizards (when he was healthy) and sold a lot of tickets, but neither of those teams even made the playoffs and he fucked up the chemistry of a decent young team. I thought it was hilarious when they fired him upon his 2nd retirement, he thought he was going to cruise right into a front office role.

[JakeYonkel]

His first one doesn't count. Nobody "retires" at age 29 at the top of their game. I'm one of the conspiracy theorists that think he got banned for a year for gambling but Stern didn't want to make that public since he was the face of the league and its biggest star.

[JakeYonkel]

Oh, how about Magic Johnson? He came back like 5 years after he retired and wasn't a total flop, just to prove he could go out on his own terms.

[Facedown]

John Daly?

[Crazy Levi]

Oh, how about Magic Johnson? He came back like 5 years after he retired and wasn't a total flop, just to prove he could go out on his own terms.

Nah...that comeback was completely unspectacular. A guy like Magic Johnson should be able to come back and not exactly suck, I don't think he surprised anyone.

And if anything, it just delayed the epic win of the "Magic Hour."

[Crazy Levi]

His first one doesn't count. Nobody "retires" at age 29 at the top of their game. I'm one of the conspiracy theorists that think he got banned for a year for gambling but Stern didn't want to make that public since he was the face of the league and its biggest star.

Jim Brown and Barry Sanders retired at 29!

But after that humiliating "baseball" career of Jordan's, we all knew he'd be back.

I don't buy that conspiracy theory it's silly.

[JakeYonkel]

Football is a different animal than baseball or basketball.

Most high profile backs are D-O-N-E done by like 31-32. The body has taken too much abuse.

QBs and kickers stick around til they're 40 because they're not getting killed on every play.

Baseball players, and to a lesser extent basketball players can play into their mid to late 30s and still be successful.

So yeah, Sanders was at the top of his game, but maybe he had the foresight to get out before he wound up spending his next 50 years in pain having played for the LIONS. And yeah, he said his love for the game was destroyed by playing for them. So, there's something to be said for that. In fairness I don't know enough about Jim Brown to comment.

But Jordan was 29, in great shape, just won his third straight championship, with a noted history of gambling addiction. Something smells funny there. Plus it's not like he retired to play golf. He kept himself in shape playing minor league baseball for a year! C'mon.

[Tymaster]

Holyfields "first" comeback was epic.

[demolition23]

But Jordan was 29, in great shape, just won his third straight championship, with a noted history of gambling addiction. Something smells funny there. Plus it's not like he retired to play golf. He kept himself in shape playing minor league baseball for a year! C'mon.

Dude's Dad had been murdered three months prior to his first retirement. That explains his decision-making process at that point in his life at least as convincingly as a conspiracy for which I've never seen any hard proof in 17 years.

[JakeYonkel]

I know. And I'm sure there won't be hard evidence any time soon.

But listen, as long as people can claim there were missiles fired at the WTC and the buildings were rigged with explosives, this is my tinfoil hat to wear.

[Cyber Spirit]

What about Bjorn Borg with his wooden rackets.

[Crazy Levi]

What about Bjorn Borg with his wooden rackets.

I covered that one in my original post. He actually did switch to a graphite racket later on in his comeback, but he still couldn't win a match.

[Cyber Spirit]

What about Bjorn Borg with his wooden rackets.

I covered that one in my original post. He actually did switch to a graphite racket later on in his comeback, but he still couldn't win a match.

Sorry,im a poor speed reader.

[DoubleVodkas]

Rocky Balboa.

[thejuggernaut]

His first one doesn't count. Nobody "retires" at age 29 at the top of their game. I'm one of the conspiracy theorists that think he got banned for a year for gambling but Stern didn't want to make that public since he was the face of the league and its biggest star.

Jim Brown and Barry Sanders retired at 29!

But after that humiliating "baseball" career of Jordan's, we all knew he'd be back.

I don't buy that conspiracy theory it's silly.

Barry Sanders was 31 and trapped on a hopeless team. Not even close to being in the same galaxy as Jordan's situation.

[thejuggernaut]

His first one doesn't count. Nobody "retires" at age 29 at the top of their game. I'm one of the conspiracy theorists that think he got banned for a year for gambling but Stern didn't want to make that public since he was the face of the league and its biggest star.

That, and the fact that everyone knew Jordan had the refs in his pocket because he was the franchise. The gambling was just the kind attention the NBA didn't need.

[thejuggernaut]

But Jordan was 29, in great shape, just won his third straight championship, with a noted history of gambling addiction. Something smells funny there. Plus it's not like he retired to play golf. He kept himself in shape playing minor league baseball for a year! C'mon.

While playing baseball on franchise owned by guy who signed his basketball cheques.

[thejuggernaut]

But Jordan was 29, in great shape, just won his third straight championship, with a noted history of gambling addiction. Something smells funny there. Plus it's not like he retired to play golf. He kept himself in shape playing minor league baseball for a year! C'mon.

Dude's Dad had been murdered three months prior to his first retirement. That explains his decision-making process at that point in his life at least as convincingly as a conspiracy for which I've never seen any hard proof in 17 years.

Whacking Jordan would be.........not good at all. Whacking his father.......sends a pretty strong message.

News of Jordan's gambling breaks.

Within weeks, Jordan's dad is whacked.

Jordan comes back, wins a title and starts playing a yearly "pay me or I retire" game, commanding salaries almost ten times that of when he "retired".

If you're into racketeering and OC, it does not behoove you to admit to that. The action speaks loudly enough to send a message.

It certainly wouldn't be in Jordan's interests to mention that's why it happened.

[thejuggernaut]

Holyfields "first" comeback was epic.

Eh, I dunno.

Beating Tyson was huge, as he attained the same result as two past their prime fighters that he would have in their primes.

Even though he's my favorite heavyweight ever, his "second career" was highly manufactured.

As a Holyfield fan, it was nice to watch him be "successful" but it also has become painful because a combination of the manufactured second career and the piss poor money handling deluded him into thinking he can still cut it, and forced him into having to live that delusion.

[johnk5150]

But Jordan was 29, in great shape, just won his third straight championship, with a noted history of gambling addiction. Something smells funny there. Plus it's not like he retired to play golf. He kept himself in shape playing minor league baseball for a year! C'mon.

While playing baseball on franchise owned by guy who signed his basketball cheques.

I think it was the least Reinsdorf could do considering Jordan was making only 3 million the year of the 3RD CHAMPIONSHIP IN A ROW.

[Leppardmania]

Rocky Balboa.

He won that fight, btw.......the judges robbed his ass!

[thejuggernaut]

But Jordan was 29, in great shape, just won his third straight championship, with a noted history of gambling addiction. Something smells funny there. Plus it's not like he retired to play golf. He kept himself in shape playing minor league baseball for a year! C'mon.

While playing baseball on franchise owned by guy who signed his basketball cheques.

I think it was the least Reinsdorf could do considering Jordan was making only 3 million the year of the 3RD CHAMPIONSHIP IN A ROW.

THAT'S GREAT.....WHAT IS YOUR POINT ????????????

[Crazy Levi]

His first one doesn't count. Nobody "retires" at age 29 at the top of their game. I'm one of the conspiracy theorists that think he got banned for a year for gambling but Stern didn't want to make that public since he was the face of the league and its biggest star.

Jim Brown and Barry Sanders retired at 29!

But after that humiliating "baseball" career of Jordan's, we all knew he'd be back.

I don't buy that conspiracy theory it's silly.

Barry Sanders was 31 and trapped on a hopeless team. Not even close to being in the same galaxy as Jordan's situation.

He could have gotten himself traded. Everyone can. But I didn't realize he was that old, although I also don't want to argue with you for 3 pages about it so I'll just agree with whatever point you make next.

How about Borg? There is a motherfucker who retired young.

He was 26.

[Crazy Levi]

Holyfields "first" comeback was epic.

Eh, I dunno.

Beating Tyson was huge, as he attained the same result as two past their prime fighters that he would have in their primes.

Even though he's my favorite heavyweight ever, his "second career" was highly manufactured.

Indulge me.

You say Riddick Bowe sucked and was "manufactured" (seems to be your word of the month). Yet he beat Holyfield, in Holyfield's prime. And you say Holyfield is your favorite heavyweight.

I'll go ahead and write possible answers for you from your stockpile.

A. "Show me where I aid that Bowe sucked."

B. "Show me where I said Holyfield was better than Bowe."

C. "Holyfield was clearly robbed in that Bowe fight, and he kicked his ass in the other two."

D. "How can you say Steroids help you hit better?"

E. Surprise me!

[thejuggernaut]

Jim Brown and Barry Sanders retired at 29!

But after that humiliating "baseball" career of Jordan's, we all knew he'd be back.

I don't buy that conspiracy theory it's silly.

Barry Sanders was 31 and trapped on a hopeless team. Not even close to being in the same galaxy as Jordan's situation.

He could have gotten himself traded. Everyone can. But I didn't realize he was that old, although I also don't want to argue with you for 3 pages about it so I'll just agree with whatever point you make next.

How about Borg? There is a motherfucker who retired young.

He was 26.

True, but it really wasn't an option for a guy who built a reputation as being remarkably humble after scoring.

I am guessing it was a combination of no hope in sight and he finally started to feel the aches and pains that take longer to go away and just said "fuck it".

As for Borg, hell yes.

That's why I'd make a case for him over Federer, based purely on the first 10 years of Federer's career.

[thejuggernaut]

Indulge me.

You say Riddick Bowe sucked and was "manufactured" (seems to be your word of the month).

Seems that boxing is a popular topic this month and it's a term associated with the sport.

Oh, and Bowe was manufactured. Unless you think his throwing his belt in the garbage, rather than face the man who knocked him out a few years prior, was not an attempt to avoid him.

Yet he beat Holyfield, in Holyfield's prime.

Actually, Holyfield was pretty much washed up when he fought Bowe. He was a shell of the man who fought just a year and half prior when he fought Foreman. As manufactured as Bowe was, he was younger, bigger and had fresher legs.

Such is the way it goes in boxing when names still matter, in spite of who they are attached to.

And you say Holyfield is your favorite heavyweight.

And ?

[PowerSlaveToTheGrind]

Niki Lauda had a pretty decent comeback: Retired in 1979, returned in 1982, won the F1 World Championship in 1984.

[dtmfs]

He could have gotten himself traded. Everyone can. But I didn't realize he was that old.

He tried to get traded, If i remember correctly the Dolphins were who he wanted to play for, some time in the 90's Emmit smith also wanted to be traded to Miami at for a brief period over a contract dispute..

As a Miami fan I always wondered how having either of those coupled with an old yet still dangerous Marino would've turned out. Miami's D was great from the late 90's up to around 03. they just never had an offense outside of one season with Ricky williams.