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Most Shocking Events Involving Athletes


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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.

 

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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.  

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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

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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.

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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. 

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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).  

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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.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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

 

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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.

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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?

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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. 

 

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  • 3 months later...

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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