Better to burn out than fade away?

[RocknRollKitty]

Since people are always asking this about bands, what about players? To me, it hurts to see Jerry Rice, the greatest reciever to ever play the game, drifting from team to team, playing less and less, being traded for 7th round draft picks. I can understand his love and passion for the game, and not wanting to give up, but in a way it somehow diminishes the legend to end up this way and become a joke to some. A lot of greats have done this, including Johnny U and Joe Namath. Wouldn't it be better to go out on top on your own terms? Now of course most people's first reaction would be 'whatever they want', and of course, but I'm asking in YOUR opinion, if you were the player, or if it were your favorite player, is it better to burn out or fade away?

 

[speedracer]

Since people are always asking this about bands, what about players? To me, it hurts to see Jerry Rice, the greatest reciever to ever play the game, drifting from team to team, playing less and less, being traded for 7th round draft picks. I can understand his love and passion for the game, and not wanting to give up, but in a way it somehow diminishes the legend to end up this way and become a joke to some. A lot of greats have done this, including Johnny U and Joe Namath. Wouldn't it be better to go out on top on your own terms? Now of course most people's first reaction would be 'whatever they want', and of course, but I'm asking in YOUR opinion, if you were the player, or if it were your favorite player, is it better to burn out or fade away?

I don't think there's a problem with being a great player who now sucks, and if the team still has a use for him, fine. (Think about Chris Mullin in his last days. There are probably other examples, but they escape me right now.)

But a great player who refuses to acknowledge that he now sucks, that's kind of sad.

 

[DaveC]

You're exactly right.

There's nothing sadder in sports than an aging great who's lost his touch and is trying to relive past glories.

It's like if U2 started putting out shittier and shittier albums as time went on and eventually whittled down to playing theatre venues and casino shows. It's just not right.