The brightest stars burn the fastest

[Kolumbo]

Bo Jackson - easy one to answer. No one burned brighter in multiple sports in such a short time - and then it was over!

Bo Jackson is my answer to various sports queries. He could have been a Hall of Famer in either football or baseball if not for his injury. Not sure if this particular category matches his situation but I consider him the greatest athlete of all time. Quality over Quantity. He may have even become 2nd only to Michael Jordan, if not first, in terms of marketing success if he was able to play out his entire career(s). It's not like he was a bust, just one lousy tackle ruined it all for us.

NFL - 4 years - 1987-1990
MLB - 8 years - 1986-1994

Pure athleticism & speed like Usain Bolt
Power running back to match to Jim Brown and Earl Campbell
Baseball power and skill of name it

 

[UCan3]

When Bo carried the ball in the NFL, never seen the explosiveness from any other player. All your points spot on.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Fernando Mania with the Dodgers was great. He stuck around a few years, but his rookie season was electric.

He had 6 seasons where he was really good and another where he was solid. I think he made 5 all star teams. Lasorda was always brutal on his starters, overusing them and burning them out.

I also think it is 50/50 that Valenzuela was 21 in 1981. There were rumors that he was older, and if you look at his career as if he was 24 or 25 in 1981, its trajectory looks pretty normal for a one time ace.

 

[cwh20]

Thinking of UConn, RB Terry Caulley was phenomenal his freshman year. He was still okay after his injury but those years paled to that first one.

 

[Kolumbo]

Thinking of UConn, RB Terry Caulley was phenomenal his freshman year. He was still okay after his injury but those years paled to that first one.

Terry Caulley at 5'7" carried UConn into the Big East Conference along with Dan O. Terry is still 2nd all-time rushing behind Donald Brown. I was combing the stats. Donald Brown's best final year was 2,083 yards and 5.7 average. Terry's was his freshman year, 1,247 yards 5.7 average. Terry average 6.8 yards his sophomore year. Then sat out an entire year. Tremendous athletes. I've got a #44 jersey.