Bo Jackson: No Two-Sport Athletes Because Talent Pool Much Deeper

[eliteballer]

“Stick to what got [Wilson] in the headlines, not baseball,” Jackson said Tuesday, via CSNChicago.com. “Twenty-five or 30 years ago when I did it, I’m not trying to say anything negative about other athletes, but the talent pool wasn’t that deep. In this day in age, with all the high-tech training, computer-engineered workouts and the proper food and diet, if you try to concentrate on two sports, I guarantee you’re going to ride the bench in both because the talent is that deep. Stick to whatever sport you’re comfortable with and let everything else go.”

Jackson, whose made baseball his primary sport and football a mere hobby, would have that same advice even for a modern-day version of himself.

“I probably couldn’t, no,” Jackson said regarding his ability to play two sports at the professional level. “Just because the talent pool is that deep now. If my kids want to do both sports, ‘No. No. No.’ . . . If you try to do both you’re going to be riding the bench in both. You’ll never get to that level that you want to get to if you split your time between multiple sports.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/18/bo-knows-not-to-play-two-sports-in-2014/

[TheMarkMadsen]

Reserved

This gonna be good

[navy]

He's right....

[33teeth]

Love his humility. :rockon:

[oarabbus]

Bo would know. Bo knows.

[Cold soul]

Bo speaks the truth here. The talent pool today is much greater than it was 20-30 years ago heck even 10. Bo knowns.

[moe94]

Refreshing to see an athlete not be blinded by nostalgia or ego.

[Cold soul]

Refreshing to see an athlete not be blinded by nostalgia or ego.

That's so rare today isn't it?

[GimmeThat]

but wouldn't the deep talent pools provide great athletes to strive under both system because of how excellent their teammates are?

[oarabbus]

Let us not forget who this guy was. A top 10 greatest athlete of all time, easily a 2-sport HOFer level talent were it not for injuries.

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RaidersBoBenglas.gif

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/2541303/bo-jackson-runs-wild-on-donks-o.gif

http://38.media.tumblr.com/45fb3e6c49530c02a5986e55d6d2a1e4/tumblr_mk1u0bpQ9C1rsyr8ao1_400.gif

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/4671365/bo-jackson-destroys-deion-sanders-o.gif

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/KCBoFenway.gif

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BoAuburn.gif



http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/KCBoScale.gif This one is after he got a replacement hip :biggums:

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Well no shit. Anyone can see that just by looking at the monumental growth of AAU and whatever the football equivalent is called over the last decade.

[LosBulls]

Let us not forget who this guy was. A top 10 greatest athlete of all time, easily a 2-sport HOFer level talent were it not for injuries.

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RaidersBoBenglas.gif

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/2541303/bo-jackson-runs-wild-on-donks-o.gif

http://38.media.tumblr.com/45fb3e6c49530c02a5986e55d6d2a1e4/tumblr_mk1u0bpQ9C1rsyr8ao1_400.gif

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/4671365/bo-jackson-destroys-deion-sanders-o.gif

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/KCBoFenway.gif

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BoAuburn.gif



http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/KCBoScale.gif This one is after he got a replacement hip :biggums:


Ive seen the Bo Jackson 30 for 30.. but holy shit these gifs... :eek: :eek:

[King Jane]

outdated primitive athlete knows hed be a scrub against todays hyper athletes that r better trained and more evolved, whats new? nothing to see here

[GimmeThat]

outdated primitive athlete knows hed be a scrub against todays hyper athletes that r better trained and more evolved, whats new? nothing to see here


wisdom

could be the cause as to why some evolve

[Marchesk]

Wilt > Bo

[LAZERUSS]

outdated primitive athlete knows hed be a scrub against todays hyper athletes that r better trained and more evolved, whats new? nothing to see here

Hmmm...

Bo ran the fastest ever recorded 40 yard time at the NFL combine....some 30 years ago.

[Bless Mathews]

Hmmm...

Bo ran the fastest ever recorded 40 yard time at the NFL combine....some 30 years ago.


Word.

Slayed.

No Jackson. Goat athlete. No doubt. End of story.

He's right too. Everything is specialized. My homies son is in 6th grade. Dominating aau. And football. This is last year his dad is letting him play football. Focusing on hoops.

[navy]

Hmmm...

Bo ran the fastest ever recorded 40 yard time at the NFL combine....some 30 years ago.
It was a hand reaction speed though......

[ralph_i_el]

Makes sense. If you split your time between two sports, someone else is focusing all their time on one sport and will be better than you.

Bo is saying that just being a freak all-time great athlete like he was isn't enough to dominate two sports now. There are too many freak athletes to get by purely on athleticism and talent.


nobody is saying Bo isn't one of the GOAT pure athletes. Or Wilt. It's just that there are more guys nowadays that are comparable to them in terms of athleticism.

[jongib369]

Makes sense. If you split your time between two sports, someone else is focusing all their time on one sport and will be better than you.

Bo is saying that just being a freak all-time great athlete like he was isn't enough to dominate two sports now. There are too many freak athletes to get by purely on athleticism and talent.


nobody is saying Bo isn't one of the GOAT pure athletes. Or Wilt. It's just that there are more guys nowadays that are comparable to them in terms of athleticism.
Who is comparable to Wilt in terms of size / athletisisim?

[ralph_i_el]

Who is comparable to Wilt in terms of size / athletisisim?

well nobody if you actually believe he weighed 325lbs and out bench pressed pro weightlifters :rolleyes:

I'm not getting into it with you crazy ass wilt stans.

but on the real? Javale Mcgee can jump out of the building and is as tall. Andre Drummond is a beastly 280lb at 21 years old. Dwight before his back surgery. DeAndre Jordan is a freak.

Boogie Cousins takes it coast to coast just like Wilt in those vids:confusedshrug:

And we aren't even talking guys like the Admiral or Shaq.

Plus, did they even test for PEDs back then?

[SOD 21]

Hmmm...

Bo ran the fastest ever recorded 40 yard time at the NFL combine....some 30 years ago.

Yup, it was reported that Bo Jackson ran a 4.15 40 yard dash at the NFL combine, which is the fastest time ever recorded at the combine.

Unfortunately it was clocked by hand and not electronically, which would've been ideal. But multiple people were there that came up with the same time by hand.

[jongib369]

well nobody if you actually believe he weighed 325lbs and out bench pressed pro weightlifters :rolleyes:

I'm not getting into it with you crazy ass wilt stans.

but on the real? Javale Mcgee can jump out of the building and is as tall. Andre Drummond is a beastly 280lb at 21 years old. Dwight before his back surgery. DeAndre Jordan is a freak.

Boogie Cousins takes it coast to coast just like Wilt in those vids:confusedshrug:

And we aren't even talking guys like the Admiral or Shaq.

Plus, did they even test for PEDs back then?

Crazy ass Wilt stans? To live in a world where you can discredit someone so simply:rolleyes:

Anyways, I'm going to keep this short seeing as you'll get longer responses from others

How much do you think late Orlando Shaq/Early lakers Shaq could bench with that 7'7 wingspan? Dwight is on film repping between 325 and 365, neither Wilt or Shaq when they were heavier than him could possibly bench more than that in your opinion? Plus, how many centers today are on par with Dwights strength? Or in the history of the NBA for that matter

McGee is an idiot who happens to be long with hops, he doesn't have the weight/strength, speed, stamina and probably not even the hops Chamberlain had.

Drummond is only 6'9(With a great wingspan) and probably doesn't weigh much more than Unseld or Embry...Nor is he as athletic and strong as someone like Artis Gilmore (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1utx7OxiaoU)....Wilt didn't have much trouble moving those guys around, although he did have a harder time

I'm just trying to think of what todays centers offer athletically/size wise that guys like Russell, Thurmond, Gilmore, Unseld, Embry, Bellamy, Kareem didn't...

Not even Shaq and Admiral come together as a whole athletically as Wilt...

"Shaquille didn't have quite the same athleticism that Wilt had," said Jackson. "He had the bounce and he had the speed, but he didn't have the endurance." -Phil Jackson


http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqOxKzZIYAAy3-m.jpg:medium

I'm not saying these guys wouldn't be able to get there's against Wilt....of course they would, especially the likes of Robinson and Shaq...But I think you'd be seeing this more often than the other way around....
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/ef/d3/92/efd392cf668ad252e38e2c262ce71920.jpg

http://stlsportshistory.com/blog2/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/31.jpeg

http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Wilt_Chamberlain_dunking.jpg


Also, how many times a year would Wilt face these guys who are apparently on his level in comparison to the guys he faced at his time? Like 2-4 times a year compared to what? 9+? I didn't realize there were 30 Wilt like specimens running around at the center position today...And that's just the starters. What super duper mega athletes we get to behold :eek: :bowdown:

[Thorpesaurous]

I think it mostly has to do with guys specializing at a much much earlier age than ever before. Even 20 years ago when I was in HS, it was unusual for the best guys not to play multiple sports. They were the best athletes.

Honestly that actually sound more like what he's saying. It's less that the workouts are that much more dynamic, than it is that they're more specialized.

[inclinerator]

Crazy ass Wwith that 7'7 wingspan? Dwight is on film repping between 325 and 365, neit

u do know those plates in that vid was fake right?

[jongib369]

u do know those plates in that vid was fake right?
http://youtu.be/lek3aSbUsUM

Those are fake?

[inclinerator]

http://youtu.be/lek3aSbUsUM

Those are fake?
yea.. well maybe not all of it but the middle plate is less than 45s they are show plates for videos etc

[ILLsmak]

I think dudes like Shaq and Wilt could bench 400+. Wilt because he actually benched for real... but I don't think he got to 500. Would be v surprised. Didn't someone say he hit 500?

Shaq is just big... everyone thinks that wingspan makes it impossible to bench, but these dudes are big. Ben Wallace has pretty long arms, too, and I bet he could hit 400+.

If you wanna say can these guys bench at olympic levels, no... but people on weight lifting forums like LOL I BET SHAQ CANT EVEN HIT 300. It's like get the **** out of here.

These people are ****ing mutants, for real. Plus on PEDs. At some point, their strength eclipses the 'disadvantage' of their wing span. Esp if they hit low reps and I am pretty sure all of those guy did.

Maybe they mean if they had never touched a weight they wouldn't hit 300. I can believe that, but once they started training srs... that's nonsense.

-Smak

[oarabbus]

Bo >>> Wilt

[inclinerator]

I think dudes like Shaq and Wilt could bench 400+. Wilt because he actually benched for real... but I don't think he got to 500. Would be v surprised. Didn't someone say he hit 500?

Shaq is just big... everyone thinks that wingspan makes it impossible to bench, but these dudes are big. Ben Wallace has pretty long arms, too, and I bet he could hit 400+.

If you wanna say can these guys bench at olympic levels, no... but people on weight lifting forums like LOL I BET SHAQ CANT EVEN HIT 300. It's like get the **** out of here.

These people are ****ing mutants, for real. Plus on PEDs. At some point, their strength eclipses the 'disadvantage' of their wing span. Esp if they hit low reps and I am pretty sure all of those guy did.

Maybe they mean if they had never touched a weight they wouldn't hit 300. I can believe that, but once they started training srs... that's nonsense.

-Smak

well shaq already did 315 on vid but failed 405

[dreamwarrior]

Deion Sanders wouldn't have a place on a single MLB team in this era. Both were better at football than baseball anyway.

Bo vs Deion h2h

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9HJhgKyM5Q

[Hey Yo]

MJ tried to be like Bo but didn't come close to the same results.

"like Bo, if I could be like Bo"

[ralph_i_el]

Crazy ass Wilt stans? To live in a world where you can discredit someone so simply:rolleyes:

Anyways, I'm going to keep this short seeing as you'll get longer responses from others

How much do you think late Orlando Shaq/Early lakers Shaq could bench with that 7'7 wingspan? Dwight is on film repping between 325 and 365, neither Wilt or Shaq when they were heavier than him could possibly bench more than that in your opinion? Plus, how many centers today are on par with Dwights strength? Or in the history of the NBA for that matter

McGee is an idiot who happens to be long with hops, he doesn't have the weight/strength, speed, stamina and probably not even the hops Chamberlain had.

Drummond is only 6'9(With a great wingspan) and probably doesn't weigh much more than Unseld or Embry...Nor is he as athletic and strong as someone like Artis Gilmore (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1utx7OxiaoU)....Wilt didn't have much trouble moving those guys around, although he did have a harder time

I'm just trying to think of what todays centers offer athletically/size wise that guys like Russell, Thurmond, Gilmore, Unseld, Embry, Bellamy, Kareem didn't...

Not even Shaq and Admiral come together as a whole athletically as Wilt...

"Shaquille didn't have quite the same athleticism that Wilt had," said Jackson. "He had the bounce and he had the speed, but he didn't have the endurance." -Phil Jackson


http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqOxKzZIYAAy3-m.jpg:medium

I'm not saying these guys wouldn't be able to get there's against Wilt....of course they would, especially the likes of Robinson and Shaq...But I think you'd be seeing this more often than the other way around....
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/ef/d3/92/efd392cf668ad252e38e2c262ce71920.jpg

http://stlsportshistory.com/blog2/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/31.jpeg

http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Wilt_Chamberlain_dunking.jpg


Also, how many times a year would Wilt face these guys who are apparently on his level in comparison to the guys he faced at his time? Like 2-4 times a year compared to what? 9+? I didn't realize there were 30 Wilt like specimens running around at the center position today...And that's just the starters. What super duper mega athletes we get to behold :eek: :bowdown:


So where can I find footage of all these wilt games with him throwing these legit bigs around?

[CavaliersFTW]

So where can I find footage of all these wilt games with him throwing these legit bigs around?
You are being facetious but don't be dense at the same time. Have you not watched my 45 minute Wilt scouting video, which includes clips of guys like Wes Unseld and Nate Thurmond bouncing off Wilt? If not, that's your own fault. Go watch it, the first 8 minutes of it at least, has some clips of specifically what you request. It's only on you if you don't.

[G0ATbe]

:applause: :applause: :applause: Why can't MJ be more like this guy? He needs to just admit he played in a weak era and wouldn't be that good in todays.

[GrapeApe]

:applause: :applause: :applause: Why can't MJ be more like this guy? He needs to just admit he played in a weak era and wouldn't be that good in todays.

Um, Bo was talking about playing 2 sports and that relying on pure athleticism is no longer enough to be successful doing so at the proffessional level. Beyond that, pro sports are much more lucrative today and there's no way a team would offer a huge contract to a 2 sport athlete who couldn't focus 100% on their sport. Even if someone was capable, they'd be much better off financially choosing one sport.

[CelticBaller]

Let us not forget who this guy was. A top 10 greatest athlete of all time, easily a 2-sport HOFer level talent were it not for injuries.

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RaidersBoBenglas.gif

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/2541303/bo-jackson-runs-wild-on-donks-o.gif

http://38.media.tumblr.com/45fb3e6c49530c02a5986e55d6d2a1e4/tumblr_mk1u0bpQ9C1rsyr8ao1_400.gif

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/4671365/bo-jackson-destroys-deion-sanders-o.gif

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/KCBoFenway.gif

http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BoAuburn.gif



http://media.nesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/KCBoScale.gif This one is after he got a replacement hip :biggums:
I wish I had watched him in his prime

[LAZERUSS]

The reality is/was, Bo was among the very FEW athletes that were capable of success in more than one professional sport.

It is not as if there were many "Bo's" when Jackson was at his peak.

[SHAQisGOAT]

"Bo, you don't know Didley!"

On the real, Bo was a beast...

[oarabbus]

The reality is/was, Bo was among the very FEW athletes that were capable of success in more than one professional sport.

It is not as if there were many "Bo's" when Jackson was at his peak.

This, Bo was one of the only "Bo's" ever really. Deon Sanders is another. MJ... sorta.

[houston]

bo knows best

[tontoz]

LOL @ Bo riding the pine in the NFL. Dude was 230 and ran a 4.2 40. He would be a physical freak now just like he was then.

[GimmeThat]

Makes sense. If you split your time between two sports, someone else is focusing all their time on one sport and will be better than you.

Bo is saying that just being a freak all-time great athlete like he was isn't enough to dominate two sports now. There are too many freak athletes to get by purely on athleticism and talent.


nobody is saying Bo isn't one of the GOAT pure athletes. Or Wilt. It's just that there are more guys nowadays that are comparable to them in terms of athleticism.




I think it's a matter of whether or not you can get away with being a predictable two-sport athlete.

in Jordan's case. his inability to hit, period, did not help his case.