Just Do It

Somebody please tell me. Who started this crazy, juvenile, inexplicable trend of grown men who are unable to make up their minds? Was Michael Jordan the first big-time athlete who retired, then came out of retirement...multiple times? Or is he just the first one I'm old enough to remember? :-) At least he had the good sense to stay out of the game for a year or two before "deactivating" his retirement. So, maybe he was tired or losing his edge, only to discover after a time of rest that he still had "it." I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

It seems, though, that this began what is now a routine, predictable pattern of athletes who "retire" from the game, in grand and flourishing fashion - cameras! families! proclamations of dedication to their kids! and tears! there must be tears! - only to announce, in similar grand and flourishing fashion, their return the following season...that is, at the close of off-season. Quite frankly, these men appear pitiful...at least in my eyes.

Can they find nothing worthy of their time outside The Sport? Is real life with a wife and kids just not enough? Are there no causes in their communities that would benefit from their active involvement? Do they possess no other skills that allow them to become contributing members of society? Or is it the absence of accolades and adulation that drives them back? Are they addicted to the spotlight? Or to the game itself? Perhaps their overblown egos tell them the game won't be the same without them? Maybe they're simply rash, inept decision makers. I don't know, but I'm sure a whole host of shrinks would love to dig into their psyches and figure it all out. Maybe they already have.

But the good news is: there are exceptions. Those who have resisted the pull to return to the game. What about those athletes who DO retire...and stay there? Like Ozzie Smith, or John Elway, or the best retiree ever...John Kruk. Talk about exiting in grand fashion...or memorable fashion anyway.

Or...how about Andy Benes? Granted, he's not exactly Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong or Brett Favre...but he did pitch successfully in the Majors for 14 years...and he went out on a fairly high note. And guess what? He found LIFE! He returned to college, is active with a local bank, and he rediscovered his family. Recently, when interviewed by McGraw Millhaven (550 KTRS) about his peripheral political involvement with the McCain campaign, he talked about life after baseball.

"Since I got done with baseball - I missed out on so much - and I'm gonna say it on your show: I was a bad husband and a bad dad, 'cause I was just never around. And I have really tried to pour my life into my wife and my kids, and be involved."

And you know what? It's not just empty radio talk. I've seen it. He drives carpool. He attends his high school daughter's softball games. And he shows up in shorts and a t-shirt, looking like every other dad...well, like a very large version of every other dad..., and sits on the hot, hard bleachers to watch his 7th grader play soccer. Living outside the spotlight as though nobody should know or care who he is. He's a dad...and one who is trying to expand his family.

"We have a 19-year-old gonna be 20 - and we're gonna be adopting a couple children less than, hopefully, 2-years-old, so we're gonna be 'The Great American Family.' We could have grandkids and kids the same age...isn't that awesome? [laughter]"

When McGraw [550's only host worth listening to, I might add...] asks whether or not he was really a bad husband, Andy replies: "I was just gone a lot. When you're involved...it doesn't matter if you're a baseball player or you collect garbage or you work for Ameren UE... you know...guys pour themselves into their jobs, and who suffers? Typically, it's our wives and our kids...the people that are most important, and I just really failed in that way. I was so consumed. There's so much pressure with baseball, and it's not important...it's a game...it's fun for the fans to go to...it's a great game, but it's not life or death and in the whole scheme of things...it's entertainment. But we put all that burden, and we get self-focused and anyway...I'm just really excited to be at home and involved with my kids' activities."

Aye, there's the rub. The man has perspective. "IT'S NOT IMPORTANT...IT'S A GAME...IT'S NOT LIFE OR DEATH...ITS' ENTERTAINMENT." Did you hear that Brett? Roger? All you middle-aged men who missed out on so much while you were soaking up the spotlight? It's O-K. There's is life after sports, but you gotta get out there and find it!

And for Pete's sake...when it's time to retire...please...JUST DO IT!