What If?

I usually don't like thinking about the "what if" or "only if" situations in sports over the years, but there are some occasions when I cannot help it. This is one of those times. I've come up with a list of them, but this is different in that this will be driven by you, the readers, and you can come up with your own conclusions that you can either leave in the comment section or tweet them to me (@WestCoastAR).

WARNING: These may bring back bad memories.


Basketball

What if Shaq was able to coexist with Kobe? What would've happened to the Lakers? In a related question, what if the Lakers won the 2004 Finals? Would that have improved Shaq and Kobe's relationship, or was it beyond repair already?

What if Derek Fisher missed the 0.4 shot against the Spurs in 2004?

What if Magic and Byron Scott were both healthy in the 1989 Finals? How would that have affected the series?

What if Magic didn't get HIV?

What if the Lakers held on to win Game 4 of the 2008 Finals?

What if Shaq was able to coexist with Penny? Would Orlando have any rings right now?

What if the Portland Trail Blazers were able to hang on in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Finals? How would that have affected NBA history?

Would it have made that much of a difference if Kendrick Perkins did not get hurt in Game 6 of the 2010 Finals?

What if LeBron had stayed in Cleveland?

What if the Portland Trail Blazers drafted Michael Jordan?

What if Phil Jackson, Jerry Krause, and Jerry Reinsdorf were able to put their differences aside?

What if Kobe Bryant had played for Charlotte instead?

What if the Lakers did not trade Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, or neither?

What if the Lakers did not get Pau Gasol?

What if David Stern didn't veto the Chris Paul trade?

What if James Worthy's pass was not stolen in the 4th quarter of Game 2 of the 1984 NBA Finals? What if Kurt Rambis was not clotheslined by Kevin McHale in Game 4 of that same series?

What if Charles Smith had made a layup in Game 5 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals? Or what if John Starks was able to hit the game-winner in Game 6 of the 1994 NBA Finals? How would that have affected the Knicks? Would Pat Riley have stayed longer?

What if Chris Webber didn't call timeout in the 1993 NCAA Championship? Would they have won the game, and if so, how would we remember the Fab Five differently?

What if Memphis had hit free throws in the 2008 NCAA Championship?

What if UNLV was able to come back against Duke in 1991?

What if there still was an NBA team in Seattle?

What if the Dallas Mavericks had hung on to win the NBA Finals in 2006? Or, what if they had beaten the Warriors in 2007? What would have resulted that year?

Football

What if Bo Jackson had not gotten hurt in that playoff game against the Bengals in '91?

What if Bill Callahan adjusted the Raiders' game plan and the Raiders had won Super Bowl XXXVII?

What if Matt Dodge had been able to punt the ball away from DeSean Jackson?

What if Randall Cunningham had an offensive-minded coach like Andy Reid when he was an Eagle instead of a defensive-minded coach like Buddy Ryan?

What if the '98 Vikings held on to win the NFC Championship Game? What would've happened in the Super Bowl?

What if the either the 1986 or 1987 Browns were able to win the AFC Championship Game?  What would've happened in the Super Bowl?

What if any of the Andy Reid-era Eagles teams that lost in the NFC Championship Game won? What would have happened in the Super Bowl?

What if Eli Manning had lost either of the 2 Super Bowls he's been to? How would we remember him differently?

What if Brett Favre won Super Bowl XXXII against the Broncos? How would we remember him differently?

What if Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson had been able to coexist? What would've happened to the Cowboys?

What if Brett Favre had been able to beat the Saints in the 2009 NFC Championship Game with the Vikings, or for that matter, what if he beat the Giants in the 2007 NFC Championship Game with the Packers?

What if the Saints didn't onside kick to start the second half of Super Bowl XLIV?

What if Vince Young was stuffed just short of the goal line in the 2006 Rose Bowl? How would that have affected USC's legacy?

What if USC won national titles in 2005, 2006-08 along with their titles in 2003-04? How would we think of them differently? Better yet, what if the NCAA had not punished USC as harshly as they did?

What if the Buffalo Bills won any of the 4 straight Super Bowls they went to in the early '90s?

What if Kyle Williams caught any of the punts he dropped in the NFC Championship Game?

Baseball

What if Ken Griffey Jr., had for the most part, stayed healthy? Would he be the home run king today?

What if Ken Griffey Jr., A-Rod, Edgar Martinez, and Randy Johnson were able to win a World Series in Seattle?

What if Barry Bonds, or any other steroid-era superstar you can think of for that matter, had stayed off the juice? What would've happened to their careers? (I know this may be difficult, but guess.)

What if Kirk Gibson had struck out, ground out, or flied out in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series? How would the series have turned out?

What if Doc Gooden stayed off the yeyo, or kicked the habit after getting in trouble the first time, and what if Darryl Strawberry had been able to remain the same player and stay out of trouble? How would we remember them differently?

What if the Atlanta Braves won more than 1 title?

What if the Yankees were able to shut down the Diamondbacks in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series? How would the late '90s-early '00s Yankees' standing among the all-time great baseball dynasties improve?

What if Frank McCourt had managed the Dodgers' money better?

What if Grady Little took Pedro Martinez out in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS? Would the Red Sox have won the game, or would the Yankees have won anyway the way things were going?

What if the Angels had even 1 decent reliever? How much better would they have been this season?

What if the Dodgers offense and bullpen was more consistent? How much better would they have been this season?

What if the 2011 Red Sox had held on to clinch the Wild Card spot?

What if the Giants had held on to win Game 6 of the 2002 World Series? How would we view Barry Bonds' legacy as a postseason player, since all signs were pointing to him winning World Series MVP had the Giants won.

Boxing/Other

What if Mike Tyson had not lost to Buster Douglas? How would his career have gone differently?

What if Mike Tyson had beaten Evander Holyfield either time?

What if Tommy Hearns was able to stay up and beat Sugar Ray Leonard? How would that have affected both their legacies?

What if Marvin Hagler won the decision against Sugar Ray Leonard? How would that have affected their legacies?

What if Marty McSorley's stick had not been inspected in 1993? Would the LA Kings still have won the Stanley Cup?

What if Wayne Gretzky had never been traded from Edmonton, or had been traded somewhere else instead of LA?

What if the New York Rangers lost Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals? How would we view them today?

What if the referee had allowed the final seconds to tick off in the Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor fight?