Rule #4: Retiring isn't Quitting

My nonna doesn't know very much English. Everyday at 11am though, you can be sure she is watching The Price is Right. Although she refers to it as "The Right Price" in her broken English, and she may not always understand what's being whored out in the Showcase Showdown, she has watched Bob Barker longer than she's known me. So you think his retirement would call for parting shots of Dewar's (my nonna doesn't cry when something happens, whether its good, bad, or just a Sunday the ring of shot glasses come out.) Instead when I asked her what she thought about Drew Carey taking over she simply said of Bob Barker, "Ah, him-a too-a old-a." If my 87-year-old Sicilian grandmother can understand this, why can't a 39-year-old quarterback from Mississippi see the inevitable just as clearly?

Teammates once revered players like Brett Favre and Jason Varitek as  leaders in the clubhouse; guys that rallied their teams together on and off the field. But the line between respecting leadership and seniority, and raw talent and production on the field is becoming fuzzy. Speaking with WEEI.com's Red Sox beat writer, Rob Bradford, this week in class, he seemed confident that Victor Martinez, not the Sox captain, would start ALL of the upcoming postseason games. After hitting just .123 since Martinez's acquisition at the trade deadline, Varitek has little to back a playoff plea. Although that "C" may be stitched on his chest, the captain of five seasons will be settling the pitching staff from outside the white lines for the first time in his postseason career. The title of captain comes with responsibilities to the team, the fans, and yourself. So when those responsibilities are no longer being fulfilled, who takes the responsibility of removing that title? Office managers get fired. Politicians get impeached.  Even beauty queens have their crowns taken when Donald Trump can't use the "beautiful young lady, who's made some mistakes" excuse anymore. 

Yet, in sports the issue of pride becomes more prominent than productivity. There is an unwritten code. Sure Terry Francona will bench Varitek, but to strip him of his beloved "C" although his time has come, would be a breach of man law. The Wizards didn't tell Jordan they'd pass because he was past his prime. Just like the the Jets and Vikings had more trouble passing on Brett Favre than Michael Vick skipping out on a trip to the pound. Clubs leave the job of destroying confidence and pressuring retirement to the sports media and its loyal followers. Unless you are George Steinbrenner or Mark Cuban that is. Rather than using the writers as worse scapegoats than Cubs fans did Steve Bartman, owners like the previously mentioned make their goals clear upon players' arrivals. For them, winning is everything. If you don't produce, you will be removed. There is no emotion, no friendship, no loyalty, just playing. And more importantly just winning. And winning it all. Derek Jeter's favorite go-to quote seems to be, "There's only one goal and that's to win the World Series. Not win the division. Win the Series. And if that's not the way you look at things, then you shouldn't even be here." That is why Jeter has been so successful under the Evil Empire. 

Although Varitek still carries himself as a team leader off the field and Favre has gone 2-1 to date, the two can be considered expendable. Jay-Z once articulated, "Can't leave rap alone, the game needs me." That dependent relationship is not present for these men, but pride is fogging up their view of reality. The only hardware better than a championship trophy is a Hall of Fame induction, and squeezing out one more unproductive season isn't helping anyone's cause. And ESPN is always searching for more talking heads to get yelled at by Skip Bayless.  Retirement isn't all that bad, just ask Bob Barker.