Bo Jackson. How much has been hype built up over the years

[BD Sullivan]

The fact that he made both the ASG and Pro Bowl in 1989--for the respective seasons is seen as an unbelievable accomplishment. However, in baseball, he had a habit of fading during the second half--first half career BA .263/second half .231. As much as they hype his 1989 baseball season, they seem to neglect (as already noted) that he led the American League in strikeouts with 172. Somebody once described him as Dave Kingman with speed, since he seemingly either hit a home run or struck out. He had a knack for doing something highlight-worthy (i.e. image-hyping): tape-measure home run, throwing out a runner, etc., and conceivably, he had the potential to make the HOF in either sport. Instead, he chose to be a flash in the pan in both.

"chose"?

Choice meaning that he was never good enough (on a consistent basis) to be an all-time great, instead of simply focusing on one sport and developing his talents (especially in baseball) to the fullest.

[oldecapecod11]

It is unlikely he "chose" to be a flash-in-the-pan in either sport.
It is more likely he chose the exceptionally difficult task of competing at the highest level in two sports.


{Edited by moderator}


The over-lapping seasons caused Jackson so enter the more physically demanding sport probably not
in "football" condition.
There is a difference and it is not learned playing with coloring books or repeating the words of others
which do nothing to prepare one for the grueling, albeit shortened because of baseball, nfl season.


{Edited by Moderator}

There are not too many nor will there ever be many who achieve the success of a Gene Conley or Otto Graham.
Praise the attempt; don't demean the effort.
"When I look back, I don't know how I did it, I really don't. I think I was having so much fun that it kept me going."
~ Gene Conley

[rhickok1109]

As a college football player at Auburn, was outstanding, he was by far the best player avaliable in the 1986 NFL Draft. Why he could also enter the following year's draft I have never understood ánd why Tampa Bay couldn't keep his rights and try to gain something for him in 1987 (unlike the drafted players who jumped to the CFL or USFL just a couple of years before) hopefully someone can explain it. I concur with Rupert, but something that I could say about his NFL career is that I don't remember much of it outside the MNF game at Seattle (his 90-yard TD run and the TD run over Brian Bosworth) and his injury vs. Cincinnati, it's seems to me that I remember him mostly as a Kansas City Royal. On the other hand, Deion Sanders in the seasons he combined the NFL with the MLB, I do remember him mostly as a football player. My father, who liked more baseball over football, said that both Bo and Deion were his favorite football players and always asked me if they wore the same numbers in the NFL and in MLB.

A team only holds rights to a drafted player until the following year's draft. If he hasn't signed with them by then, he can be drafted again by another team.

[NWebster]

Wonder how we'd think of Frank Thomas were he a two sport pro?