Top Athletes: Should they go out on top OR play as long as they can?

[yvr girl]

I'm torn on this one...

On one hand, it's nice see someone make the graceful exit...to go out on top.

On the other hand, top athletes are capable of the astonishing performance later in their career, and they are a joy to watch.

What do you think?

[qnr]

1. As long as they still enjoy it and can make a living from what they enjoy,

let them have fun.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. They should play only so long as they want to.

[a kennedy]

3. I hope Brett Favre can play forever......

:woohoo:

[elocs]

9. The way the Packers look this year,

Favre will wish that he had retired last year. If he get seriously hurt this year he will with the same thing. He doesn't need the money, so it seems like he is just feeding his ego. The better they are, the harder it is for them to know when to quit. Few can go out on top like John Elway.

[a kennedy]

13. I know, it's just painful to watch him running all over the place....

although a lot of his best passes are thrown when he's running for his life. :) He's the only QB that really is great at that. I'm afraid it's going to be a long, long season. :cry: :cry: :cry:

[elocs]

21. Sports aside,

it seems that Favre has chosen football over his family. He has a teenage daughter who lives with relatives while her dad lives in Green Bay and plays for the Packers half the year. Those are years and times with his first born daughter that he will never get back. As far as football goes, Favre has nothing left to prove. He has won a Super Bowl and will go into the Hall of Fame. The Packers will be lucky to go 8-8 this season and there will be no more Super Bowls for Favre with Green Bay. By continuing to play he only risks injury, potentially a serious injury, whereas if he had retired he would still be in good physical condition and be able to enjoy time with all of his family. I have enjoyed watching Favre play, but I wish that he would have retired healthy and gone back to Mississippi to enjoy his retirement and his family. He has more money than he will know what to do with and life is more than about sports.

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. Elway=Eww icky. should never have been given a chance after

what he did with the colts.

I think the Packers will do better than most expect.

[elocs]

17. John Elway played his entire 16 year career with the Denver Broncos.

He retired after winning his second and consecutive Super Bowl in 1999 over the Atlanta Falcons after beating the Packers in the Super Bowl the year before. Very few professional athletes are able to make the decision as to when the best time to retire is and few choose to go out on top if they even have the opportunity.

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. John Elway is an ass who whined like a baby and cried that he

would play baseball if he was stuck with the Colts when he was drafted. As one who considers good sportsmanship to be of the most importance, I could give a crap what he did after. He is an inflated Ego. Sorry. He sucks as a human being. :hi:

[elocs]

23. Oh, that's what you meant.

My point simply was that he was a great athlete who retired when he was on top. Not many even have the opportunity to do it that way. I am sure there are many athletes who are sorry excuses for human beings.

[Robeson]

10. Me too! I hope he plays for the next 5 years....

....:evilgrin:

[a kennedy]

14. You are naughty Robeson......

and may the best team win the NFC North. :toast:

[Broken_Hero]

4. If it was me

I would play until my body couldn't take it anymore. Most of the athletes, the impression I get, is that they truly love the game, and the emotion I see surronding them, while doing their retirement speeches, or whatever, they truly do seem to miss the game...

[idgiehkt]

5. as long as they want to do it they should

because it makes me feel better to see old decrepit people like me out there still trying to play sports

[LeftyMom]

6. Some of them need to take more care with thier long-term health.

In boxing, you can only get the snot beat out of you for so long until they end the fight. In most other sports you can scramble your brains and grind your knees to a powder, as long as you still play well enough to take the field. I sometimes wonder if there should be a procedure for letting a guy know that for his own safety it's time to hang up his cleats.

[Kickoutthejams23]

7. Depends on the sport Golfers can play well past their prime.

In team sports however I think it's best to hang up the cleats a few years shy of embarrassment. (I'm looking your way Farve)

[Aristus]

8. Go out on top.

I always think of Johnny Unitas' last season or two with the San Diego Chargers.

Not the best way for "Mr. Quarterback" to go out. :(

[xchrom]

11. depending on the sport -- some athletes are going to change

what we used to think of as the ''age barrier''.

athletes -- like much of the general population{reports of obesity noted} are taking better care of their bodies -- training better, longer and harder.

thereby extending their careers -- and i think it's grand.

[Spider Jerusalem]

12. That depends...

different sports make different demands on the body--golfers can remain competitive into their 50's; about 35 or 40 is the maximum for basketball players because of the wear and tear on the knees and slowing of reflexes; around 35 or so is about the maximum for a boxer (that reflex thing again, and also the cumulative effects of taking punches to the head--Ali, Joe Louis, and the Quarry brothers should be object lessons to any boxer who thinks he can keep going after he's lost a step and slowed down).

[bigwillq]

15. Play as long as they're healthy

I feel players should play as long as they want to as long as they're not threatening their health.

Athletes play (for the most part) for the love of the game and should continue to play as long as they want.
Most athletes know when it's ready to let go.

But like Michael Jordan, who some people ridiculed when he kept "retiring", he kept coming back because he loved playing. He loved competing. There is not anything wrong with that.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Thank you bigwillq....

I know I would play as long as I could. Right now, in Detroit, they are complaining about the older players on the Tigers, and it blows my mind. The team has the best record in Baseball. :hi:

[MrCoffee]

18. I saw Hakeem Olajuwon's last pro game...

and it hurt me to see the greatest center in the history of the NBA playing in his condition. He was just an old guy, and it was obvious how bad his knees were hurting him, and all i could think about was what a marvelous player he used to be.

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

25. Who did he play for his last season?

It wasn't houston was it, I know Patrick Ewing didn't finish up with New York. It just looks strange seeing a player in any sport play their entire career somewhere then tries one last season with another team.

I mean like
Michael Jordan as a Wizard
Babe Ruth as a Brave
Joe Montana as a Chief
Hank Aaron as a Brewer

[LSK]

19. did Jordan tarnish is reputation with his comebacks with the Wizards?

He could have gone out on top.

[Hissyspit]

24. I want to go out on top AND play as long as I can.