The brightest stars burn the fastest

[Jaydumo20]

We can try to keep it basketball related but I'm cool if you go off of the hardwood and onto the field.

Name an athlete who unexpectedly captivated a city or the country for a short time but faded just as quickly.

(It doesnt mean they were out of the league necessarily, but became largely a common after their quick burst of stardom)

 

[HooperScooper]

Baseball: Mark “The Bird” Fidrych. From the same town the Karabans currently live in.

 

[boog204]

We can try to keep it basketball related but I'm cool if you go off of the hardwood and onto the field.

Name an athlete who unexpectedly captivated a city or the country for a short time but faded just as quickly.

(It doesnt mean they were out of the league necessarily, but became largely a common after their quick burst of stardom)

Linsanity was incredibly cool for about 6-7 games.
Before my time, but Mark Fidyrich had a ridiculous year and then was basically gone.
In my early Yankee fandom days, Donnie Baseball was the best player I'd ever seen. Then his back decided to make him ordinary.
DRose was a MVP and then...
Penny Hardaway was Magic Johnson 2.0 and then...

 

[ucinnc]

Kevin Maas. The next Babe Ruth… for two weeks

 

[Apollo]

Linsanity was so much fun for a few weeks.
For those Yankees fans out there, Shelly Duncan smashing HR’s practically every at bat to start his career… and Joba Chamberlain being unhittable in his rookie year were fun. I haven’t followed baseball that much recently so don’t know where either of them are these days, but don’t see their names in many headlines.

 

[B1GEast]

Jeremy Lin

Joe Charbone

 

[prankster]

Sidd Finch

Sidd Finch

 

[CCSUblue]

Sidd Finch

Sidd Finch

Could throw a fastball 168mph.

 

[CCSUblue]

Linsanity was so much fun for a few weeks.
For those Yankees fans out there, Shelly Duncan smashing HR’s practically every at bat to start his career… and Joba Chamberlain being unhittable in his rookie year were fun. I haven’t followed baseball that much recently so don’t know where either of them are these days, but don’t see their names in many headlines.

Shelly was coaching in the org as recently as 2023. Joba been out of the league for a decade, how time flies!

 

[cwh20]

Fidrych was my first thought too.

Joe Charboneau. He had a song about him and everything.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I remember Chris Shelton led the league in homers for a period.
Also, RB Chris Johnson

 

[CCSUblue]

Peyton Hillis got a Madden cover from one season and was never effective again.

 

[willie99]

Ben Gordon vs Ray Allen and the C's was absolutely sensational in one playoff series. He never shined like that again

I was so proud watching those guys make 3 after 3 after 3 after 3

How about Rocco Mediate in the 2008 US Open

 

[UC1995]

Shane Spencer for the Yankees had a crazy September and they were calling him the he next Mantle.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Peyton Hillis got a Madden cover from one season and was never effective again.

That's the best

 

[HooperScooper]

That's the best

The fact that I said to myself, “Who is that?” proves your point.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

That kid from St. John’s in the 90s. Totally forgot his name. From the Dominican Republic

 

[nomar]

Linsanity to me.

25 ppg on 58% TS%, 9 apg. He led a terrible team to an 8-1 record (albeit against a relatively soft schedule).

There's no one way to judge this, but I think what makes Lin stand out is that he just wasn't that good a player, but was just possessed during that stretch.

Fidrych had a phenomenal season and then actually kept pitching well in his second year before tearing his rotator cuff.

This is all subjective, but Linsanity was unlike anything I've ever seen.

 

[nomar]

That kid from St. John’s in the 90s. Totally forgot his name. From the Dominican Republic

Felipe Lopez. But he was never good at SJU.

 

[storrsroars]

Fidrych is the obvious answer as he was huge nationally.

Was trying to think of teams I followed. For the Mets, I'd go with Mike Vail.. Dude was called up in August 75 and starting in his third game went on a 23 game hitting streak, which tied 3 others as the longest streak for a rookie in MLB history. Much was expected of him for 76, but he was below replacement.

Pedro Ciriaco did it twice, for the Pirates and Red Sox. He was a supersub who had a knack for big moments and had like a month in both Pittsburgh and Boston where he became a folk hero. Ultimately was not consistent once he got more ABs and became a mere mortal.

 

[boog204]

Forgot about the other Yankee flash in a pan guys. Spencer, Maas, Shelley... Then there are even briefer guys like Sam Militello, who was unhittable for two or three starts in the early 90s, then blew out his arm and was never able to throw a strike again. I feel like the Yanks have a random minor leaguer come up every now and again that makes people get excited, and then they're just gone. Andujar is one.

Brien Taylor was the #1 pick and thought to be a future star before he destroyed his shoulder in a fight.

 

[Deepster]

I think Tim Lincecum qualifies. He really only pitched 8 seasons and had 2 Cy Young awards, 3 WS rings, 2 no hitters and led the league in K's 3 separate times.

 

[alexd]

Felipe Lopez. But he was never good at SJU.

Averaged 16 ppg over 4 years... first team all BE his Sr. year.

 

[Tenspro2002]

As a Red Sox fan, it has been infurating to watch the Yankees turn these nobodies into (brief) stars.

Here's another: Aaron Small. Replacement level pitcher for a decade. Goes to the Yankees and becomes Cy Young worthy for 3 months.

 

[nomar]

Averaged 16 ppg over 4 years... first team all BE his Sr. year.

OK, I should have said "great." He's the opposite of who the thread is asking us to name.

I said he wasn't "good" because he was supposed to be LeBron. But instead he was a decent/good CBB player who played at pretty much the same level over his 4 years. 17.8 ppg, 16.2, 15.9, 17.6.