Top 10 Athlete Falls from Grace
Pete Rose. The name itself emits a certain feel of purity and baseball joy, at least it did for his decades as baseball's all-time hits leader and manager of the Cincinnati Reds in the '80s. He was a guaranteed Hall of Famer ... until allegations of betting on baseball ruined his career and image. His was a sports scandal of the highest level, and Rose later even went to prison due to tax evasion. Despite nearly two decades of strong denials, Rose finally admitted (awkwardly, in his own biography for profit) his dugout sins ... but he has still never found a home in Cooperstown, and likely never will.
Once known simply as the world's greatest golfer (possibly ever) and richest pro athlete, he had the perfect life, including his family with former Swedish model Elin Nordegren. Late in 2009, his world crashed — all innocuously starting from a tabloid story of Tiger having an extramarital affair with a nightclub manager. Then came Tiger's mysterious car wreck outside his home, sparking curiosity about his marriage. Then Tiger silence, before stern media denials of being a home-wrecker. But finally, the floodgates opened when over a dozen women revealed crouching with Tiger. Despite taking 20 weeks away from golf, Tiger and his wife split up and his game has not yet fully recovered.
Kobe Bryant has seen it all. From his ground-breaking choice in 1996 to skip college for the pros to his three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers by age 23, Bryant was living a hoops dream. Then came the shocking nightmare: the squeaky clean Bryant accused of rape in the summer of 2003. In a surreal press conference, Kobe (with wife Vanessa at his side) confessed to adultery, but denied any rape charge (the 19-year-old accuser refused to testify the following year, closing the case). Kobe's A-name sponsors dropped him, his jersey was a joke, his name a punchline. Though it took the rest of the decade, Kobe recovered the fame, NBA glory ... and yes, those ad dollars.
Ben Roethlisberger had the world in the palm of his hand. Already a two-time Super Bowl champ in his 20s as quarterback of one of the most respected franchises in sports, Big Ben was a hero to Pittsburgh Steelers fans. He almost threw it all away on several occasions (near-fatal motorcycle crash in 2006, sexual assault allegations in 2008), but shocked his team, fans and city when accused of raping a college student in March, 2010. Although he was never charged, the case details released by Georgia police were revolting, leading to a suspension to start the 2010 season under the NFL's personal conduct policy.
Oh, Tonya. Once a championship-level figure skater in the early 1990s, she failed to medal at the 1992 Olympics and by 1993 her career was in decline. Nobody saw what came next: Rival Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by a man hired by Harding's ex-husband during a practice at the 1994 U.S. Championships. Harding and Kerrigan both made the Olympic team as bitter teammates. Harding admitted to covering up the attack, but her lawyers' legal threats saved her spot (she finished eighth amidst full-scale media glare). Later in 1994, she was banned for life by the U.S. Figure Skating Association, relegating her to a shamed career full of reality TV and low-level women's boxing events.
As one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, Favre has revelled in his image as fun-loving, on-field warrior and off-field family man. Until now, as his latest scandal involving reported lewd texts sent to former New York Jets employee Jenn Sterger has shed new light on the 41-year-old. Now that he is actually getting called out for his behavior, fewer people than ever believe his "awshucks" attitude, including Wrangler jeans, which dropped him as a sponsor.
He had reached the top of his sport, winning pro cycling's treasure in 2006, the Tour de France. Only two other American cyclists have ever won the event — Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong. However, Landis was stripped of his title and banned from the sport for two years due to a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. The disgraced rider was vehement in his defense, sparking his own multiple legal challenges until finally admitting in 2010 that he had created throughout his entire career. He also then accused Armstrong and numerous others of doping, but with his credibility shot does anyone hear him?
Look at their career numbers. These are the two easiest Hall of Fame cases a voter will ever have to consider. Right? Wrong. At this point, it's anyone's guess whether these two icons will ever be enshrined in Cooperstown. Both are caught up in a steroid whirlwind, neither will admit to knowingly using. Public opinion has turned against them, with Bonds behind found guilty of obstruction of justice and Clemens still embroiled in a legal battle. Perhaps the Hall of Fame is no longer their biggest concern.
Marion Jones won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics — three gold and two bronze. But you won't find a record of those accomplishments now. Jones, who also won an NCAA basketball title at North Carolina, has since forfeited all five Olympic medals after admitting she used performance-enhancing drugs. Jones would later serve six months in jail after pleading guilty to making false statements before a grand jury.
He is perhaps the most electric player to ever lace up football spikes. Wide receiver speed with running back moves and a cannon of an arm quarterbacks only dream of. He is the ultimate video game create-a-player and was one of the NFL's most popular players with the Atlanta Falcons. But you know how this story ended. Vick bankrolled a dogfighting ring, a crime which sent him to prison. Once the most marketable player in the NFL, Vick is now in Philly getting one last chance to restore his reputation.
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