Who you have been wrong about?

Who are the athletes that, coming out of college, you were sure would fail, but who achieved stardom and vice-versa.

For me it's Troy Aikman on the one hand... and the Boeheim Boys, Derrick Coleman and Billy Owens on the other.

It still baffles me.

 

Vince Young on one hand. I completely agreed with Hoge's draft assessment of him.

Shawn Respert on the other. I always thought he would have a place, with that silky smooth jumper.

 

back in my prep covering days, i didn't give player of the year award to former georgia tech star b.j. elder. oops. i didn't think david greene would be any good in college, either and he ends up having more wins by a quarterback than anyone. however, everyone was calling jabari davis the no. 1 running back in the country, and i said he'd be nothing mroe than a short-down back in college. at least i was right about something.

 

I thought Emmitt Smith would be a so-so pro.

I thought Willie Totten, Jerry Rice's college QB, would be a big star.

I thought Tony Mandarich would be the greatest NFL lineman ever.

I thought Brian Bosworth would win an Oscar.

I thought Michael Irvin would have a trunk full of Emmys by now.

I thought Mary Lou Retton would be fatter.

 

It's so much more difficult predicting the preppers at the next level.... especially in football, it seems.

1 for 3 is a pretty good clip.

 

Todd Marinovich. He was factory made for success, set national records his senior year of high school and threw for 340 and 395 yards in his first two regular season starts. Last heard from pedaling away from cops on a bicycle before he was arrested about 10 blocks away. Says it all.

 

That was a no-brainer.

 

I never actually wrote about it - put it in newsprint, but I spoke my mind on 1 or 2 message boards including this one.
I thought Jerious Norwood (MSU running back) was too thin and potentially brittle to make it in the NFL.
Granted, it's just been one season, but he's found a niche with the Atlanta Falcons as a possible long-term big-time halfback.
It's still early on him, I know. But I had big doubts.

 

I was sure that when the Twins refused to extend the contract of an injury-prone corner infielder, they were making the right call.

After all, the Twins couldn't pay what he would get in arbitration, especially for a guy whose bad back kept him out half the year.

I was right about Corey Koskie. I was oh so wrong about David Ortiz.

 

Jameer Nelson -- thought that he'd be too short and slow to make it in the NBA.

Starbury -- thought that he would be the best PG in the NBA.

Walter Berry -- such a good scorer. I thought that he'd be a great pro.

 

i was so, so wrong about desmond howard.

 

I assumed Jason Bay, at best, was an above-average outfielder (about .280, 25 HR per season). On the other hand, I figured Kris Benson would have a few Cy Youngs by now.

And don't get me started on Kordell Stewart. Around 1997-98, dude was Vick before Vick. Well, minus the herpes.