Throughout life, we find ourselves asking the question, “what if” to numerous topics. As it pertains to sports, there are a lot of these moments.
What if Roberto Clemente never hopped on the plane to Managua to provide supplies to victims of the earthquake?
What if Barry Sanders and Jim Brown didn’t retire in the prime of their career. Would they be No. 1 and No. 2 on the all-time rushing list instead of Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton?
What if Twitter or social media sites were around when John Rocker said his racial remarks or when Michael Jordan battled his gambling addiction? How would the Twittersphere react to O.J. Simpson’s highway chase or Pete Rose betting on baseball?
What if the Portland Trailblazers could actually draft? What if they took Michael Jordan second overall in the 1984 draft instead of Sam Bowie or Kevin Durant instead of Greg Oden No. 1 in the 2007 draft?
What if Ken Griffey Jr. never got hurt? Is there any doubt he’d be the home run king?
What if Mario Lemieux didn’t fight to keep the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh? Would Pittsburgh actually have a team?
What if Ben Roethlisberger or Kobe Bryant were found guilty of rape? How much would that have changed the landscape of their respective sports?
What if Dale Earnhardt didn’t crash fatally at Daytona?
What if Joba Chamberlain, Ki-Jana Carter, Bryan Bullington or Sergio Garcia actually lived up to the hype?
What if the Colts selected Ryan Leaf instead of Peyton Manning?
What if Barry Bonds never took steroids?
What if Lance Armstrong didn’t cheat? Would he have still won?
What if Pitt hired someone other than Jamie Dixon to take over for Ben Howland. Would the program be where it is today?
What if Pitt never fired Dave Wannstedt? Would they have been better off?
What if Todd Graham actually found his dream job?
What if the MLB actually punished their players for getting in trouble? Instead of fining Carl Crawford for wearing different shoes to honor Jackie Robinson, what if the league issued a fine to Yovani Gallardo for his DUI?
What if Jackie Robinson never broke the color barrier?
What if Joe Paterno would’ve actually taken the needed measures to stop Jerry Sandusky?
What if the Pirates would’ve taken Matt Wieters, Madison Bumgarner or Jarrod Parker instead of Daniel Moskos in the 2007 MLB Draft?
What if the Dodgers decided Yasiel Puig needed time to mature in the minors?
What if the Pirates tanked purposely to land Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper?
What if Rafael Nadal didn’t lose in the first round of Wimbledon? Would Andy Murray still be the champ?
What if Mike Tyson never bit Evander Holyfield?
What if the WWE was real?
What if Drew Bledsoe never got hurt on the hit from Mo Lewis? Would Tom Brady be, well, Tom Brady?
What if Maz would’ve flown out to center instead of the walk-off home run?
What if Santonio Holmes didn’t get both feet in?
What if LeBron James never made the decision?
What if Steve Bartman never went to Wrigley Field that day?
What if Reggie Bush didn’t give Matt Leinart that extra push?
What if the Penguins didn’t win the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes?
What if Jose Bautista would’ve figured it out as a Pirate?
