This past Sunday, Jerry Rice, the NFL's career leader in catches and touchdowns and the only receiver to ever play after age 40, was asked to take a seat on the Oakland Raiders bench in favor of Alvis Whitted.
Yes, the same Alvis Whitted, who, in seven illustrious years in the NFL, accumulated 413 career yards via 43 receptions. This was the man called upon to replace possibly the most accomplished athlete in NFL history.
The latest news on Rice, who recently saw his record streak of consecutive games with a catch end at 274, brings to debate the age-old question of when is the proper time for stars to step away from the limelight and walk off into the sunset?
The answer to me is quite obvious: No sports guru, writer or historian should attempt to dictate an athlete's life based on age and production during one's career.
Now the primary argument against this is that staying in the game severely tarnishes the nostalgia and memory we as an audience have of that particular sports figure. No better situation exemplifies this point more than Michael Jordan and his last years with the Washington Wizards. Those who uphold this particular argument wanted Jordan to end on top in a storybook image, as he eludes Bryon Russell and drills the game-winning shot to defeat the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals.
This would have been an ideal way to remember arguably the best player of all time. However, for Jordan himself, he still had something more to prove. As we are all aware, Jordan's return to the league was anything but glorious, and it was hard for many people to watch a man who embodied the essence of winning game after game, playing with a less than mediocre club. This was said by critics to forever destroy the way Jordan's legacy would be remembered and seemingly make the six titles he won disappear.
But for Jordan, the return was worth it, even if it was for only his satisfaction. He proved to himself that he could still compete with athletes half his age. His competitive drive still burned within, and he needed a way to release that no matter how his audience viewed it.
A similar scenario is unfolding in the case of Rice, who was traded from the Raiders to the Seahawks Monday in a last ditch attempt at a final championship run. Many called for the end of Rice's career even before he joined the Raiders, but he too shares the same drive that Jordan possessed.
Ten years from now when we reflect on both of their careers, the furthest thing from our minds will be the Washington Wizards and the Oakland Raiders. We will still continue to see Jordan hitting that last shot over Russell and Rice catching a long touchdown pass from Joe Montana. These are the memories engraved in our heads, and they will continue to live on no matter how their final years panned out.
So the ultimate answer to the question lies within the athlete, and not in those who dedicate their lives to writing about them. It is not our place to tell Rice when to retire or even to tell Ricky Williams to resume just so we can have a pleasurable memory of them.
At times it is difficult to watch the people we idolized as children not perform at the same level they did in their youth. What we must value instead is how they have grown as a person and as an athlete throughout their respective careers.
Just because Jordan left the game on an average note and Rice will soon do the same, that is not how their saga will be remembered. The images of them in their prime and glory will continue to hold strong, and their latter years will just become another chapter in their storied lives.
Jon's column runs every Wednesday. If you think he should retire, e-mail him at jrmcnamara@wisc.edu.
