Killing the sacred cow.
By
Big Stu
‘’Growing old is just a helpless hurt’’-Willie Mays
Theres no doubt that from 1982-1999 Cal Ripken Jr. was one of the best players in the game of baseball, a national treasure and ambassador for the game. But for the last 2 years of his career….Man did he suck. And because he was the great ‘’Cal’’ no one had the heart to tell him or the balls to criticize him. Not the fans, not the media, not the Orioles management. He grounded into double plays like it was going outta style. Porn actors have more range than he had at the end of his career. Some people will say he ‘’deserved’’ those last 2 years of grounders whizzing by his arthritic ankles and fastballs blowing by his church league softball swing. But didn’t the fans that had supported him and made him rich and famous deserve to see their hero get a proper exit? I understand that some athletes lose it outta nowhere. Not everyone can have John Elway’s story book exit, going out as the leader of the best team in football. Its not like he lead them that well in his last 2 years (combined record 137-186). Would he be remembered better by most of the general public if he had retired after the 1999 season, when he hit a career high .340? Probably not. But would he have saved younger fans that were just getting into baseball at the time the disappointment of seeing one of the games greats diminish his own legacy? Yes. Should he have learned from Willie Mays quote above? Yes. But I guess when everyone around you is still referring to you as ‘’The Legendary’’ like it’s a pro wrestling gimmick, u would start to believe your own shit. On Oct. 6th 2001 Ripken’s career ended, not while he was carried off on his teammates shoulders, like Elway, or by sinking the title clinching shot, like MJ, but watching at the end of another losing season from the on-deck circle as Brady Anderson swung and missed. Every one of his fans deserved better….although none would ever admit it.
By
Big Stu
‘’Growing old is just a helpless hurt’’-Willie Mays
Theres no doubt that from 1982-1999 Cal Ripken Jr. was one of the best players in the game of baseball, a national treasure and ambassador for the game. But for the last 2 years of his career….Man did he suck. And because he was the great ‘’Cal’’ no one had the heart to tell him or the balls to criticize him. Not the fans, not the media, not the Orioles management. He grounded into double plays like it was going outta style. Porn actors have more range than he had at the end of his career. Some people will say he ‘’deserved’’ those last 2 years of grounders whizzing by his arthritic ankles and fastballs blowing by his church league softball swing. But didn’t the fans that had supported him and made him rich and famous deserve to see their hero get a proper exit? I understand that some athletes lose it outta nowhere. Not everyone can have John Elway’s story book exit, going out as the leader of the best team in football. Its not like he lead them that well in his last 2 years (combined record 137-186). Would he be remembered better by most of the general public if he had retired after the 1999 season, when he hit a career high .340? Probably not. But would he have saved younger fans that were just getting into baseball at the time the disappointment of seeing one of the games greats diminish his own legacy? Yes. Should he have learned from Willie Mays quote above? Yes. But I guess when everyone around you is still referring to you as ‘’The Legendary’’ like it’s a pro wrestling gimmick, u would start to believe your own shit. On Oct. 6th 2001 Ripken’s career ended, not while he was carried off on his teammates shoulders, like Elway, or by sinking the title clinching shot, like MJ, but watching at the end of another losing season from the on-deck circle as Brady Anderson swung and missed. Every one of his fans deserved better….although none would ever admit it.
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