Biggest "what ifs" in sports history?

doubledragon

What are some of the biggest "what ifs" in the history of sports?

doubledragon

Yes, I started wondering about this subject while reading an article on Bo Jackson's hip injury.

erikthredd

What if Len Bias didn't OD on cocaine just two days after the Celtics drafted him with the #2 pick in the '86 draft. He was considered a legit future superstar type of prospect coming out of college that was heading to a Boston team that just won the NBA championship the week before the draft. Had he not overdosed the Celtics run as a championship contender might have lasted longer than it had.

doubledragon

@erikthredd said:
What if Len Bias didn't OD on cocaine just two days after the Celtics drafted him with the #2 pick in the '86 draft. He was considered a legit future superstar type of prospect coming out of college that was heading to a Boston team that just won the NBA championship the week before the draft. Had he not overdosed the Celtics run as a championship contender might have lasted longer than it had.

This would have been one heck of a showdown in the NBA.

erikthredd

What if Jordan didn't decide to go play baseball while he was still in his prime. The Bulls might have won 8 straight Finals rather than two 3peats.

doubledragon

@erikthredd said:
What if Jordan didn't decide to go play baseball while he was still in his prime. The Bulls might have won 8 straight Finals rather than two 3peats.

Very good point, I think they would have won 8 straight.

Steven59

What if Jim Brown didn't retire at age 29 after only 118 games? All time leading rushing record never to be broken??

thisistheshow

Larry Bird's back problems, by all accounts, began in the summer of 1985 when he decided to do the work on his mother's driveway versus paying someone. What if that never happened? Unquestioned GOAT?

2dueces

Wide right.

doubledragon

What if Ted Williams hadn't been in WW2?

erikthredd

@thisistheshow said:
Larry Bird's back problems, by all accounts, began in the summer of 1985 when he decided to do the work on his mother's driveway versus paying someone. What if that never happened? Unquestioned GOAT?

I can just imagine what the team could have looked like had their luck not taken a nosedive off of a cliff. Adding these '86-89 draft picks in Len Bias,Reggie Lewis,Brian Shaw & Dino Radja to an aging core of Bird,McHale,Parish,DJ & Ainge could have been great to see.

1951WheatiesPremium

@erikthredd said:
What if Len Bias didn't OD on cocaine just two days after the Celtics drafted him with the #2 pick in the '86 draft. He was considered a legit future superstar type of prospect coming out of college that was heading to a Boston team that just won the NBA championship the week before the draft. Had he not overdosed the Celtics run as a championship contender might have lasted longer than it had.

I think Len Bias and Reggie Lewis could have kept that dynasty a dynasty with a longer end date.

thisistheshow

@2dueces said:
Wide right.

.....
Sorry, buddy.

thisistheshow

@erikthredd said:

@thisistheshow said:
Larry Bird's back problems, by all accounts, began in the summer of 1985 when he decided to do the work on his mother's driveway versus paying someone. What if that never happened? Unquestioned GOAT?

I can just imagine what the team could have looked like had their luck not taken a nosedive off of a cliff. Adding these '86-89 draft picks in Len Bias,Reggie Lewis,Brian Shaw & Dino Radja to an aging core of Bird,McHale,Parish,DJ & Ainge could have been great to see.

.......
Bird, without the back problems wouldn't have even really been aging. I think his prime would have extended.

erikthredd

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@erikthredd said:
What if Len Bias didn't OD on cocaine just two days after the Celtics drafted him with the #2 pick in the '86 draft. He was considered a legit future superstar type of prospect coming out of college that was heading to a Boston team that just won the NBA championship the week before the draft. Had he not overdosed the Celtics run as a championship contender might have lasted longer than it had.

I think Len Bias and Reggie Lewis could have kept that dynasty a dynasty with a longer end date.

Like I mentioned in my previous comment,It would have been great to see what that stacked roster would have looked like going forward but the East also got alot tougher too though with Detroit making three straight Finals,winning two, then Chicago winning the next three.
There's a lot of what if's in my scenario but any of them would have been better than how Boston's run ended with Bird's back issues,the Bias & Lewis deaths due to cocaine use and the rest just fading off into retirement or getting traded.

erikthredd

@thisistheshow said:

@erikthredd said:

@thisistheshow said:
Larry Bird's back problems, by all accounts, began in the summer of 1985 when he decided to do the work on his mother's driveway versus paying someone. What if that never happened? Unquestioned GOAT?

I can just imagine what the team could have looked like had their luck not taken a nosedive off of a cliff. Adding these '86-89 draft picks in Len Bias,Reggie Lewis,Brian Shaw & Dino Radja to an aging core of Bird,McHale,Parish,DJ & Ainge could have been great to see.

.......
Bird, without the back problems wouldn't have even really been aging. I think his prime would have extended.

Agreed and I was thinking the same with Magic too had he not contracted Aids. He had just come off a 19/12/7 statline season and had he kept playing he likely would have been the all time career assists leader right now.

Bird & Magic are already considered quite high in the GOAT debates but had they each played another 4-5 years who knows what their career stats would look like today compared to an MJ or Lebron.

Hydrant

@doubledragon said:
What if Ted Williams hadn't been in WW2?

AND.....Korea? The forgotten war.

perkdog

What if Drew Brees stayed in San Diego

perkdog

What if Bledsoe never got hurt?

keets

what if Jim Brown hadn't retired after nine seasons??

Hydrant

Speaking of "Teddy Ballgame" , I was very fortunate to have a passing acquaintance with him when he was the Senators manager. Everything the press ever wrote about him and his personality was complete Bullsh*t. He was the nicest big leaguer I ever knew. He genuinely cared about people......especially young ballplayers. He took a sincere interest and would go out of his way to be helpful and offer advise. A true gentleman. I treasure the memories of him and those times. And......He was a magnificent specimen of physical fitness even at the age when he managed the Senators. A guy who got respect. A real man. I respect his service in the military as much and maybe even more so than what he did on the field. They broke the mold when they made him. American Hero.

Hydrant

@keets said:
what if Jim Brown hadn't retired after nine seasons??

What if ballplayers were paid what they were worth during that time? That's the real question. I'm sure he made more money making movies than he ever could have playing football. Good decision on his part. And......like Koufax..... during that same time..get out while you're on top. I think Koufax was making $125,000 a year for the Dodgers. Immediately after he retired he signed a $1,000,000 deal with NBC to just show up and talk. It's a no-brainer. Times were different then. The money for the players just wasn't there.

I knew a guy who was playing for the 49ers way back when. Bottom line.......he was earning less money ($35,000?) than an over the road trucker made at the time. No joke. That's the reason guys hung it up early back then. Being a High School coach or being a salesman for an auto dealership instead of being an NFL lineman was a good career decision.

LandrysFedora

@perkdog said:
What if Drew Brees stayed in San Diego

Or what if Drew Brees passed that physical and signed with the Dolphins?

LandrysFedora

@doubledragon said:
What are some of the biggest "what ifs" in the history of sports?

Awesome thread DD! This one has me thinking!

LandrysFedora

What if Thurman Munson didn't like to fly?

LandrysFedora

What if Lyman Bostock didn't go visit his uncle that night in Gary, Indiana. Just tragic.

LandrysFedora

What if Belicheck stayed with the Jets?

doubledragon

Great responses guys, some very intriguing thoughts!

Hydrant

@LandrysFedora said:
What if Thurman Munson didn't like to fly?

That was sad. He was a damn good player. I think during one season he only committed one error. And that was a fluke. I can't remember the details. Maybe I'm wrong. Good hitter too. Tough guy.

Hydrant

@LandrysFedora said:
What if Lyman Bostock didn't go visit his uncle that night in Gary, Indiana. Just tragic.

That was a bad one. I remember the phone call from my buddy telling me about it early on the morning after it happened. Makes your head spin.

streeter

What if McCovey's ball was a foot farther to the right to Bobby Richardson?

What if Mays didn't get 1.5yrs in the service?

countdouglas

@streeter said:
What if McCovey's ball was a foot farther to the right to Bobby Richardson?

Hydrant

@streeter said:
What if McCovey's ball was a foot farther to the right to Bobby Richardson?

Then maybe Bobby would have instinctively gone a foot farther to his right and the outcome would have been the same. To add; Major league teams show videos to the players from the previous days game. To study. At least they did in the past......when players see on film the defensive plays that they made the reaction is often one of AMAZEMENT! HOW DID I DO THAT??? Answer......pure, raw, instinctive, natural talent. It can't be taught. You have it or you don't.

WingedLiberty1957

What if Tom Brady had not gotten the insane Tuck Rule call to bail the Patriots out in 2002. Raiders to the SuperBowl that year and maybe New England and Brady might have had a different destiny. That was a fumble my friends.

LandrysFedora

What if the Dodgers and Giants never moved west in 1958?

galaxy27

of all the possible what if scenarios and double d just hadddd to lead off with the Bears passing on Mahomes

doubledragon

@galaxy27 said:
of all the possible what if scenarios and double d just hadddd to lead off with the Bears passing on Mahomes

Dang it, I was hoping you would somehow miss that.

thisistheshow

@WingedLiberty1957 said:
What if Tom Brady had not gotten the insane Tuck Rule call to bail the Patriots out in 2002. Raiders to the SuperBowl that year and maybe New England and Brady might have had a different destiny. That was a fumble my friends.

......
This one was meant to be. Already written.

2dueces

@LandrysFedora said:

@doubledragon said:
What are some of the biggest "what ifs" in the history of sports?

Awesome thread DD! This one has me thinking!

Actually Buffalo traded that pick to Kansas City. What if they didn’t draft Allen in 2018. They’d still be moaning about that one that got away.

pocketpiececommems

What if Jim Ryun would not have gotten tripped at the Mexico Olympics in 1968?

craig44

@thisistheshow said:
Larry Bird's back problems, by all accounts, began in the summer of 1985 when he decided to do the work on his mother's driveway versus paying someone. What if that never happened? Unquestioned GOAT?

I have never heard that before. facinating. I sure wish he would have hired it out.

craig44

@erikthredd said:
What if Jordan didn't decide to go play baseball while he was still in his prime. The Bulls might have won 8 straight Finals rather than two 3peats.

this is an interesting one. I have come to believe Houston would have beaten them at least once and maybe both years. there are a few reasons. Jordan led teams and Olajuwon lead teams played 23 times with the Rockets going 13-10.

If you only count the bulls championship years, the rockest still have a winning record at 6-5. Jordan himself has said that "the big Nigerian" was the only player he ever feared in basketball.

the rockets were really the begining of the 3 point firing teams that are so popular now. the bulls had great perimeter defenders, but no one who could match Dream. Rodman, while great didnt have the size and would have to double down and help out longley who would get killed one on one. we know that even when rodman doubled, he couldnt stop olajuwon as in 1995, Hakeem killed the spurs with david robinson and Rodman doubling down to help.

Dream was a great passer out of the double as well, and would kick out to the 3 point shooters. for those couple of years with all of those shooters, Houston was a match up nightmare for most teams.

I think they would have been able to beat Jordan and the bulls, at least one of those years.

of course, we will never know.

craig44

what if the 1994-95 MLB strike never happened? Fred Mcgriff would have been a HOFer, both Griffey and Williams would probably have broken the HR record, Maddux and Clemens would both probably have leaped Warren Spahn in the all time wins list, Gwynn may have hit .400

so many what ifs...

craig44

what if Earl Weaver had started managing Steve Dalkowski before 1962?

Alfonz24

What if Billy Martin had not been killed in a 1989 Christmas Day car accident.

Unofficially, Martin and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner were preparing for another run together. One of Martin’s former players, Bucky Dent, took over for Dallas Green late in the 1989 season.

Steinbrenner didn’t believe Dent could lead the Yankees to a title, though. According to Bill Pennington’s 2016 book, Billy Martin: Baseball’s Flawed Genius, Martin and Steinbrenner met in November 1989 and discussed the possibility of a sixth Martin stint.

craig44

what if Don Mattingly had not been horsing around in the dugout in 1987

erikthredd

@craig44 said:

@erikthredd said:
What if Jordan didn't decide to go play baseball while he was still in his prime. The Bulls might have won 8 straight Finals rather than two 3peats.

this is an interesting one. I have come to believe Houston would have beaten them at least once and maybe both years. there are a few reasons. Jordan led teams and Olajuwon lead teams played 23 times with the Rockets going 13-10.

If you only count the bulls championship years, the rockest still have a winning record at 6-5. Jordan himself has said that "the big Nigerian" was the only player he ever feared in basketball.

the rockets were really the begining of the 3 point firing teams that are so popular now. the bulls had great perimeter defenders, but no one who could match Dream. Rodman, while great didnt have the size and would have to double down and help out longley who would get killed one on one. we know that even when rodman doubled, he couldnt stop olajuwon as in 1995, Hakeem killed the spurs with david robinson and Rodman doubling down to help.

Dream was a great passer out of the double as well, and would kick out to the 3 point shooters. for those couple of years with all of those shooters, Houston was a match up nightmare for most teams.

I think they would have been able to beat Jordan and the bulls, at least one of those years.

of course, we will never know.

Sure he Bulls would have had their hands full with Olajuwon but the same could be said of the Rockets with Jordan & Pippen. I don't think that the Rockets three point shooters would have been an issue for Chicago because the Bulls had numerous long legit defenders on the perimeter in MJ,Pippen,Harper. I think that one underlying factor about those Bulls teams were that they were always stocked with players that might not have been great on the offensive end but really got after it on D.

It would have been a fun matchup to see but like you said though,we'll never know.

craig44

it is a fun thought experiment. the only thing we do know is that Olajuwon's teams hold an all-time winning record against Jordans 13-10.

Tabe

What if the Cleveland Cavaliers somehow get past the Chicago Bulls in the 1989 playoffs? They were 5-0 against the Pistons that year. The Pistons, of course, won 63 games and went 15-2 in the playoffs to win their first title.

scottfishvan

What if Jordan was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers...and still was connected to Nike like he was!

doubledragon

What if Cam Newton was never drafted by the Carolina Panthers and my life would be so much better and every day would be like Wednesday!