"The Best and Worst Aging Athletes"- Who still has it? / Who has lost it?

[\S/JcDc\S/]

I know Michael Jordan is not active, but I think he still has enough that he could play productive minutes in the NBA (good for 25-29 minutes imo)

Shaq who of course plays for the Cavs now, imo still has it. I know you can question how many games he is good for in a season, but honestly his production when does play is like that of a younger man imho.

Brett Favre played like a beast in the revenge classic GB vs MN on Monday Night Football. I have not liked his back and forth, but give it up for him... He can still play

Another one from the NFL that comes to mind is Gonzalez who was traded to the Falcons. He is still well conditioned and his stamina for a full game is the same as when he was only 25-28 yoa. Impressive imo



What aging players come to your mind?

 

[Excel]

NFL

Still have it: Favre, Randy Moss, Champ Bailey, Charles Woodson
Lost it: LT

 

[ComicChick]

LT's only 30. injuries have diminished him greatly

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

LT's only 30. injuries have diminished him greatly

Good point. He is still pretty young, although on the beginning age of decline for a rb (supposedly)

 

[ComicChick]

yeah they say RB's start declining in their early 30's. but i think he's got a couple solid more years in him easily. if he stays healthy

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

Staying healthy for a RB seems to be what separates the actual greats from the could have beens.

Bo Jackson imo is a great example of this

 

[Paroxysm]

Kevin Millar is 38 and he's still plays some decent baseball.

 

[StorminNorman]

LT's only 30. injuries have diminished him greatly

Good point. He is still pretty young, although on the beginning age of decline for a rb (supposedly)

yeah they say RB's start declining in their early 30's. but i think he's got a couple solid more years in him easily. if he stays healthy

LT is gone for good, too much tread on the tires. 30 is the year that matters for a RB. Barring a freak career (like Curtis Martin) the downturn is quick and definite.

I would have ditched LT last year if I was SD.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

I dunno, E. Smith of the Cowboys was still good for some of his 30's.

 

[Excel]

Defenses are tougher now; LT just had too much touches over his 1st 7 or 8 season.

Randy Moss showed his olympian-worthy track speed once again today. Yeah, he is down a bit from his prime in 2000-2004....but there is little difference between Moss now and Moss in college it seems...he still just FLIES, even when he is visibly not running hard.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

Moss and Owens imo still have it, but Moss is on a better team.

 

[Excel]

That is true, but these guys are top 5 receivers of all time. They are going to have "it" for a while, even if its not freakish athletcism any more, its still going to better than average. I am still a firm believer Terrell Owens could be top a 5 receiver in the league. As I do with Moss, I look for difference in his game from 2007 and this year, and there are pretty much none (though Moss looks better this year than in 2007). He isnt focused at all this year (its not hard to become unfocused on a team like that) which have lead to drops we wouldnt have seen in years hes excelled, like say, 2007 or early 2008. Again, these plays, in which Owens looks to playing like a 28 year old, are barely 1 year old:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/dallas-co.../Terrell-Owens-Highlight-WK-02-vs-Eagles-2008

http://www.nfl.com/videos/dallas-co...Terrell-Owens-Highlight-WK-05-vs-Bengals-2008

Why did Romo look so good in 06 and 07 but fall off in 08 and have to rely on Miles Austin yac in 09? Because in 06 and 07, he forced to T.O. all the time. In 08, nope. In 09, hes gone.

I firmly believe the Cowboys struggles last year hinged on Romo's ignoring of T.O towards the end of the season. He began to force the short pass instead of the long, which just never works. I believe, though, that Owens has a pro bowl season or 2 left in him. Randy was virtually ignored in Oakland and ressurected his carrer when Brady forced the ball to him all 2007. Owens needs someone who will force it to him. I saw T.O. having a much bigger impact than he's had in Buffalo. I really think Chicago would be the perfect place to him: they're a big time sport city that could fall in love him enough to keep him content (as Buffalo has), they have a big time quarterback, and the thing they seem to be missing is the big time go to WR.

Owens is gonna have to go somewhere for the bare minimum ala Randy, but theres no doubting the skills there. If he can get his attitude in check, he should be ok.

 

[Erzengel]

Mariano Rivera. The quintessential closer.

No one does it better.

 

[Genesis 1.0]

Lost it (NFL): Edge James, Issac Bruce, Matt Hasselback, & Shawne Merriman.

Lost It (NBA): A.I.

Got It: Moss, Favre, Duncan, Rivera, Sharper, Champ Bailey

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Evander Holyfield. I mean the guy is nearly 50 and he's still fighting!

Sure his best days are well past him, but he can still fight. Especially since the Heavyweight division is full of nobodies.

Apart from David Haye of course!

 

[Hound55]

I'd say Shane Warne (the Charlie Sheen of cricket) could likely take to the pitch again and be pretty much where he left off.

... the epitome of human fitness that he was...

 

[greenrage36]

Evander Holyfield. I mean the guy is nearly 50 and he's still fighting!

Sure his best days are well past him, but he can still fight. Especially since the Heavyweight division is full of nobodies.

Apart from David Haye of course!

Speaking of boxing..I always had mucho respect for Bernard Hopkins..while his fights didn't get CLEANER while he aged, he still had enough gas in the tank to give almost anybody a rough night.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Yea B-Hop was a great fighter.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

LT's only 30. injuries have diminished him greatly

That and waaaaay too many carries. Usually 300 or more is a lot for backs and you see a diminish in their productivity the next season. I think he had 400+ in two back to back seasons.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Staying healthy for a RB seems to be what separates the actual greats from the could have beens.

Bo Jackson imo is a great example of this

Umm staying healthy for most athletes? Look at Grant Hill he would have truly been one of the greats if he never got hurt or if he would have had his final surgery done properly be the only one. I think he went through three or four before they got it right.

 

[ComicChick]

i agree with you on Grant Hill. Those injuries really hurt his chances of being a huge impact player

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

I think he really would have gone down as one of the greats, of course he would have needed to win a championship to do so, but he was that good. I think better than Kidd and look what he's accomplished.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Mariano Rivera. The quintessential closer.

No one does it better.

This.

 

[enterthemadness]

Kurt Warner. Potential HOF.

 

[Shemtov]

Jamie Moyer is one of the Oldest pitchers in Baseball and is still going strong.