What brings purpose to life at age 34 when you have everything you could possibly want but nothing to hitch your dreams to? Former NFL star Peter Boulware thought politics might be the answer, but that was before he lost.

At least once every few days, someone walks into Findlay Toyota in Henderson, Nev., spots the 6-foot-8 car salesman with the familiar face and wonders, "Is that Ed O'Bannon, the former UCLA star and NBA flameout?" Yes, it is.

Why would a 13-year big leaguer, retired since 2003, suddenly resurface as a rookie ball hitting coach in Billings, Montana? It's complicated.

By every tangible measure, Bret Boone's comeback last year at age 39 was a failure, as he failed to get back to the major leagues and walked away from the game for the second time in two years. But in Boone's view, it was a success.

Former NBA player Kenny Anderson, who has seven children by five women and blew through more than $63 million in salary, is hard at work on a comeback -- as a man and a father.