Athletes are a superstitious lot. They go through pre-game, in game, and post game rituals. Their hocus pocus includes meals, jerseys numbers, and even wearing dirty clothes. And even though there are players that believe in this mumbo jumbo, I too believe in players that are cursed with a much stronger voodoo. These are players who are truly great players but for some reason or another, they are cursed to never win a major title in their respective sports. I can’t tell you why, but I can tell you that these players never win it all and this helps me evaluate who I think will win it all each year. Two of the players listed below were on teams, (Suns and Nets) contending for the title this year, but I chose against them early on mainly because they contained two “cursed” players. Here is my list of NBA players. I could list NFL and MLB players, but I will save that for a future post. This list does not contain players cursed with inner demons like Len Bias, Shawn Kemp, or Vinn Baker.
Charles Barkley: Probably the most cursed
Jason Kidd: Cursed on and off the court, especially in marriage.
Jalen Rose: Not a great player in my book, but still cursed.
Karl Malone: Even joining the Shaq and Kobe show he managed to make them lose.
John Stockton: Maybe it was Malone who cursed the Jazz, but Stockton was there too.
Tracy McGrady: Can't even get past the first round.
Allen Iverson: The Answer is, "It's just practice."
Chris Webber: This is why the Pistons will lose in the finals to the Spurs.
Players who broke the curse just before retiring:
Gary Payton
David Robinson
Glen Rice
And then we have the luckiest player to ever play:
Robert Horry: He may have 7 titles before its all over on three different teams.
I would thing Patrick Ewing might qualify. As far as being superstitious, Jerry Rice was very much that was a had a very intensive pre-game ritual. If he keeps it up, A-Rod might be considered...lol
Steeler, Ewing is most definitely cursed as was the entire NY Knicks team.
When I am ready to bring in the other sports lists, I would also include A-Rod for sure. Who knows, maybe he will break his curse this year if the Yankees get some pitching.
Last edited by socalsportsfan on May 20th at 11:04 AM.
Just to point out, Robinson was a great player...but didn't win a championship until Duncan arrived. As for Gary Payton, well he was basically just along for the ride. He played 100 times better when he was with the Sonics, no championships there.
There are just too many variables that go into winning a championship to dismiss all the players that without a title.
I'm from Washington State, so thanks for reminding me of what could have been one of the best all time talents emploding Kemp and then trading him for Baker....it has been a tough enough NBA play offs for the teams I am rooting for and now you bring up this.....plus Stockton played high school and college about 1 hour from where I grew up...man show some pity.. please....
Dominique Wilkins. Not to mention this guy had to play with the Atlanta Hawks nearly his entire career. Not only was he cursed, but punished as well during his entire NBA existence.
Mark Price. Like Dominique, nearly played his entire career in Cleveland. Throw in Brad Daugherty as well. These guys are probably going through some intense therapy by now.
You can throw in Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon on the list of guys who got a ring prior to retiring. They probably owe Jordan a huge Thank You for trying to play baseball during their 2 championship seasons in Houston.
You can also throw in George Gervin as well. Played nearly his entire career for the Spurs. The Spurs teams he played on were not like the current Spurs. When Gervin played for them, they were one of the worst franchises in the NBA.
Jim Kelly comes to my mind. Most definately cursed. Also Dominique Wilkins and A Rod. What about Reggie Miller? He is definately qualifies for being cursed too.
or, were the last 2 years flukes, and the suns can blame this year's early exit on jalen rose?
how about ray allen? he may not be as talented as some of the guys listed, but he was real close to reaching the finals the year philly made it (...and i still think milwaukee was the 1 team who could have....could have...beaten the lakers that year...2001 if i recall), then got traded to seattle who is going nowhere now.
then there's glenn robinson. like ray allen, just missed the finals in '01, then sat on the bench as the spurs won in '05, his final season.
As a Jazz fan, it almost seemed that way for Stockton & Malone. For years, they came so close. Early on, they couldn't quite get past Magic and the Lakers. Then after Jordan retired, it seemed wide open...then Houston came up with some unbelievable basketball. Then they get past Houston, only to run into Jordan returning from retirement.
I have to agree with Cuz about Ray. But, then again, maybe the whole Sonics team is cursed about now. They don't know if they are leaving for OKC tomorrow, next year, or maybe even never (though I won't hold my breath on that one); don't know who their coach and GM will be. Ray's double ankle surgery late this season will hang as a sword of Damocles over him for some time to come, too, because they had been bothering him for quite some time, and no guarantee that he will ever come back to what he was, and the Sonics aren't too likely to win a championship again any time soon.
Cuz, Nash is close to being there. OK, after this years suspensions, maybe he is, although I still blame Jalen Rose for it. I said when they traded early this year for him that the Suns were doomed. A few bloggers laughed at me, but look whose laughing now.
Shooter, certainly the Jazz organization appears cursed as does Sloan.
Sleepless, Seattle has wone a title back in the day with Jack Sikma, so it must be Allen. Making movies as a ball player should only happen after you win a title.
i am starting to believe nash is possibly cursed as well. a change of the seeding rules, although i think they needed to make the change, couldn't get it with dallas with dirk and company. comming here and then losing stat for a season, raja getting hurt in the conf finals. and now the nose, suspensions and barbosa forgot where the basket was. sounds like a possible curse to me.
