No players anywhere in sports lore can feel more "validated" than these two. Both at the end of "highlight reel" careers accomplished the ultimate dream of their respective sport Both struggling and desperately looking for the elusive dream before their fading flames snuffed out In spite of all the parallels, I feel Gary Payton is more "justified" than any other. I felt Gary Payton's grief coming so close in L.A . I saw Gary Payton's doubt when his stats dropped and his age went up. I could see Gary Payton on the brink of defeat before mustering up the courage to give it one more try. Gary Payton's story is a great one in sports. It shows that determination and focus pays off no matter where you are. No taking anything away from Jerome Bettis but Gary Payton was just a stronger "gloom and light" story to me.
2006-08-29 21:53:44 · 2 answers · asked by icyhott4urmind 1 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Other - Entertainment
Jerome Betts, by far. He is 4th in all time rushing yards need not say more.
Gary Payton's story might have been better if he would have shut his mouth and not kept telling you how good he was.
2006-08-29 21:59:37 · answer #1 · answered by mixwithanything 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO PLAYERS IN SPORTS LORE???
Did you just START watching sports?
Um... how about Lance Armstrong? Comeback from Cancer
Alonzo Mourning? Um...(same team as Gary cameback- from- nothin' Payton!) hello... Kidney?
Greg LeMond? Dude was SHOT!!! ...and came back to win the Tour deFrance!
Joe Montana? Cameback from two potential career ending injuries to get within a game of a 5th Super Bowl.
Mario Lemieux? Hodgkin's... and came back to be an MVP... hell, he even retired and cameback AGAIN after back injuries. One of the NHL's all-time greats!
Seabiscuit? Horses DON'T come back from leg injries to live... let alone race again!
Monica Seles? The chick was STABBED on court!!!
Ben Hogan? Dude was in a head on crash with a BUS... and won 6 major golf titles AFTER that.
Tommy John? career ending arm injury... and they saved him with a surgery that they NAMED after him.
Obviously you've never heard of Jim Bradock aka Cinderella Man. Shattered his hand and suffered through the depression.
Herman Maeir? (WHO? you say.) Olympic skier who LOST A LEG... and still managed to go on and win World titles!!!
Alex Zanardi (Ok, so who's THIS?) Formula 1 driver who lost BOTH legs... and still a WORLD Championship race!
So, sorry dude... Payton and Bettis were nothing more than talented athletes that hung around long enough to be carried into the winner's circle.
They came back from NOTHING... especially when you compare them to those that I mentioned above.
2006-08-30 05:13:53 · answer #2 · answered by baseballfan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋