Journeyman (sports)
- This article relates specifically to sports. For other uses of the same word see journeyman.
A journeyman, in team sports, is an athlete who plays for a large number of different teams within a short time, or over a career, and who is considered to be a relatively unsuccessful player.
Such athletes may be released or traded quickly because they:
- are inconsistent in their play
- play a position that is not in high demand for their current team, making them good "trade bait"
- have a highly specialized skill which may only be needed for a short time (such as a left-handed relief pitcher in baseball).
Examples of journeymen in team sports are:
- Jimmy Jackson (12 teams)
- Chris Gatling (nine teams)
- Damon Jones.
- Tony Massenburg
- Terry Mulholland
- Tony Peña
- Jim Leyritz
- Juan Samuel
- Todd Zeile
- Jeromy Burnitz
- Jose Vizcaino
- Mike Morgan
- Heathcliff Slocumb (eight teams).
- Cory Lidle
- Karl Wilson (eight teams, including three in one season).
- Herman Edwards
- Otis Smith
- Hank Poteat
- Kerry Collins
- Pepper Johnson
It is debatable whether a journeyman is defined only by the number of teams he has played for. For example, Andre Rison and Chris Chandler played for seven teams in their careers, but were also voted to the Pro Bowl five times and twice respectively.
Non-team sports
In professional wrestling, a journeyman is a wrestler that is not signed to any one company, but instead takes independent bookings for single matches. They are normally used as jobbers by the major companies (WWE and TNA, for example), being booked to lose to the more established, contracted stars.
In boxing and MMA a journeyman is generally a fighter who either had little success relatively early in his career or wasn't able to draw a large enough crowd. As a result they often have to fight "on the road", often against local fighters who are favorites. Journeyman typically have unattractive records as a result of this. In its original sense the term is meant to denote savvy and experience but it can have negative connotations as any fighter who shows an inability to compete at a certain level can be dubbed a journeyman.
Most professional fighters can be considered journeymen. Their main purpose is to serve as fodder or experience for prospects and contenders. A journeyman who routinely upsets or troubles prospects and fringe contenders but not consistently enough to be considered a contender, is called a spoiler. Micky Ward, Sam Reese, and Emmanuel Augustus are examples of journeyman spoilers.
Some established journeyman become local fight-scene and television attractions to varying degrees. Micky Ward, Julian Letterlough, Emmanuel Augustus, Eugene Hart, Willie Monroe and Bobby Watts were considered attractions.
Some fighters have overcome their journeyman status and won World Titles such as Fritzie Zivic, James J. Braddock, Benny Paret, Freddie Pendleton, Manny Melchor, Juan Carlos Baldomir, Ronald "Winky" Wright and Glengoffe Johnson. Generally fighters are no longer considered journeyman after winning a title or competing at the higher levels.
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