June 28, 20214 yr Friends and I were jawboning about the most shocking events in our lifetimes involving athletes (BTW-I'm 65). Here are our top 3 in reverse order: #3) Magic Johnson press conference announcing his retirement from NBA due to contracting AIDS #2) Bruce Jenner transitioning to Caitlyn Jenner #1) The whole Aaron Hernandez saga. From All-Pro TE to murder conviction to suicide in prison. Honorable mention to Tiger Woods for multiple marital transgressions made light in a very public way and Kobe Bryant helicopter disaster. Feel free to add your own.
June 29, 20214 yr I would have Jenner down on my list - just not a big deal to me - but I would put Jordan retiring in his prime to go play baseball very high on my list. Magic is very much #1 for me. The Oakland A's / San Francisco world series with the earthquake is also up there.
June 29, 20214 yr Magic is #1. Everyone thought he’d be dead within a few years of when he announced it. Incredible how treatment advanced soon after. The 89 World Series is a good call The Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan thing was huge, if that counts. Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson
June 29, 20214 yr Author 1 hour ago, Soxbadger said: Im thinking it's OJ Simpson. Completely forgot Simpson. Definitely top 3.
June 29, 20214 yr Author 52 minutes ago, flavum said: Magic is #1. Everyone thought he’d be dead within a few years of when he announced it. Incredible how treatment advanced soon after. The 89 World Series is a good call The Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan thing was huge, if that counts. Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson Douglas KO of Tyson definitely among biggest upsets in memory. Up there with Miracle on Ice.
June 29, 20214 yr 1 hour ago, flavum said: Magic is #1. Everyone thought he’d be dead within a few years of when he announced it. Incredible how treatment advanced soon after. The 89 World Series is a good call The Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan thing was huge, if that counts. Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson Good call on tonya Harding. That was huge. I also might be biased - but that first dream team was something else (might be because I was a kid at that time - but man was that sweet). Not too 3 - but still that first time seeing all those superstars on one team destroying the rest of the world…yeah that was something else.
June 29, 20214 yr 1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said: MJ's first retirement was a big one for me I haven't seen mentioned yet. Delete this before Chisox realizes youve been ignoring him all these years haha
June 29, 20214 yr 58 minutes ago, Soxbadger said: Delete this before Chisox realizes youve been ignoring him all these years haha lol
June 29, 20214 yr 1 hour ago, Soxbadger said: Delete this before Chisox realizes youve been ignoring him all these years haha Who? Never heard of him.
June 29, 20214 yr 4 hours ago, fathom said: Kobe dying was pretty shocking I don't know why I had forgotten this - but you are right - it was a total stunner. I remember exactly where I was for that and oddly enough I also remember where I was when I heard Magic was retiring (because growing up a Bulls fan in socal - I had many debates with Laker fans at the time re: who was better (and at that point still in MJ's career - MJ wasn't the clear cut winner).
June 30, 20214 yr I'm too young to remember anything in the early to mid 90's. Malice in the Police was pretty big. Not top 3, but top 10 for sure. Seeing NBA players swinging at fans was wild. Edited June 30, 20214 yr by ron883
June 30, 20214 yr Even though I'm gonna guess none of us were around, I'm going to say Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier, solely because up until it happened, I'm sure people figured it would probably get stopped in one way or another.
July 29, 20214 yr I’m late to the party but Ive been thinking about this. The three events that were so big I needed to call someone to talk about . . . Jack winning the Master’s in 1986 Magic’ announcement White Sox 2005 Close or considered. Miracle on Ice / Slow speed white Bronco chase / Jas started Soxtalk
July 29, 20214 yr Lisa left eye Lopez burning down Andre Risons house was pretty good. I have no idea how to spell his last name but greg louggainnis (? Greek spelling) HIV felt like it was covered for months, in a pretty disgusting way looking back. For me personally, Walter Payton dying was incredibly sad when I was a kid. I mostly missed him playing and just idolized his highlights especially as bears were terrible.
July 29, 20214 yr Recency bias, but Rudy Gobert coming down with COVID on the same night as Tom Hanks pretty much shut down the country.
July 29, 20214 yr On 6/29/2021 at 9:56 PM, SoxAce said: Immediately thought of OJ Simpson. I remember being in a crowded sports bar with all the TVs following a White Bronco driving down the highway...surreal stuff there. Not to mention that whackass trial. Whose couch is Kato Kaelin sleeping on these days?
July 30, 20214 yr On 7/29/2021 at 7:48 AM, wegner said: I remember being in a crowded sports bar with all the TVs following a White Bronco driving down the highway...surreal stuff there. Not to mention that whackass trial. Whose couch is Kato Kaelin sleeping on these days? I was in the ER at Highland Park Hospital. We stayed and watched the chase.
November 16, 20214 yr 1. OJ Simpson…still resides in our consciousness as a country. 2. Miracle on Ice…what it did for the countries psyche at the time can’t be overstated. 3. Magic Johnson seems reasonable as do a few others, but the first two have stood the test of time and stand above the rest.
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