It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday…

It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday

(triggered by Tom Brady’s exit yesterday from the playoffs)

The Cast

By The Fillerbuster

17 January 2023

Disclaimer:  I don’t have bandwidth to truly organize my thoughts, so although this is at least less disjointed than it used to be, it still is less of streamlined, edited bullet points as it is just writing down a couple of thoughts and spitting fire for 30 minutes.

Setting:  This whole thing is written during jury duty initial waiting period in the morning and then during lunch after getting excused.

On an oddly timed Monday Night Football NFL Playoff Game (why????), Tom Brady played a subpar game yesterday, the Cowboys rolled over the Bucs defense, and the Bucs season is now over.  I tweeted that this was a win-win game for Mr. Brady.  If he won, his legend would just be added to, and we would marvel how he took a beat up, lesser team, to beat America’s Team.  If he lost, we would marvel on how he simply got that same team to the playoffs and in contention, but then got bested by a far better underachieving team.  Either way, he was good to go in my opinion.

But, it got me thinking about how we argue about when an athlete SHOULD walk away, and how come there aren’t more athletes leaving at the top of their game.  In his personal instance, Father Time is very much against him and can’t be argued against, no matter what diet he is eating or how much water he is drinking well into his mid 40’s.  He pretty much chose football over his family, has a TV contract lined up for after, and just led the league at his position in statistics only one year ago.  He is not the younger Tom Brady, but our sample size of just how much he is not him is so small, even if aged.

There is a reason why the list of athletes is so small that walks away on top of their chosen sport.  Not all of them can walk away on top for championships such as John Elway and Michael Jordan (and then the latter came back of course).  Not all of them can walk away truly in their prime and known as absolutely the best at their position and continue their title chase like Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson.  It must be impossible to walk away when you think you can do more better than others or somehow latch on to one more title.  Bjorn Borg walked away at age 26 two years after winning TWO Grand Slams.  Rocky Marciano never lost, won 43 out of 49 bouts by knockout, and retired when he was 32.  Jim Brown retired at the age of 29 after running for over 1,500 yards (in less games, mind you).  Every athlete wants to be these athletes, but unfortunately there is a longer list of athletes who carried out their late years with subpar stats and no winning.

So, why, in my opinion?

For one, the same traits that made them the best also make them think they can prove us wrong one more time.  They believe they can use similar training and diet tricks into mid-life and things will work out the same.  They believe if they UP these action items slightly, they can extend their prime.  These points are hard to argue against, because the majority of athletes and non-athletes CAN’T imagine their prowess.  We can’t imagine how to hit those heights.  We are not one of those selectively gifted legends.  Neither are most of their peers in the sport of choice.  I don’t fault them

Secondly, they are used to summoning magic at the most unimaginable times.  They are used to being clutch.  They are used to being special.  Why CAN’T they do it for one more year?  Why CAN’T they create one or two last miracles?  We don’t know.  And THAT is the reality THEY live in.  They have been different during their entire career.  I don’t fault them for that thought either.

Third, there is the “any level of success” theory I just made up today.  It wasn’t like the Bucs were last in their division.  It wasn’t like they weren’t in the final NFL bracket that every NFL player strives to be in.  And, he was in a weak division that granted him a home playoff game.  He was teased with a chance at a few more winning games to get him another ring.  How DO you turn your back on that proximity to greatness once you are again so close?  I don’t fault them.

Fourth, and I will tailor this only to QB’s in this section, there is the level of QB in the NFL presently, and also the factor of how MANY QB’s played this season.  It is diluted.  Plus, all QB’s in the final eight teams in the playoffs are under 30 years old.  You could call that a new age, or you could call it fresh, more inexperienced meat you can outthink next year.  I don’t fault the situational positional optimism.

Fifth…options.  There are many out there.  Whether Tom was on point of not this year, you don’t think Raiders fans won’t welcome him into Las Vegas?  You don’t think the Jets would care about dissing their #2 pick in Zach Wilson?  Heck, The Hoodie might even crack a smile when he got the phone call.  Many, many athletes have played for inferior teams in their final years, but Tom would more or less be choosing THEM, rather than a subpar team filling a spot on the roster that people would want to come watch.  I don’t fault the change of scenery approach.

Sixth…age vs. ability.  If you think about it, Tom’s play might be closer to mediocre, but it is still NFL quality, with a couple more comebacks already logged in this regular season.  He IS old for any position in the league, but not below the mean for the most part.  He treats his body right, has always been a passer not relying on mobility, and what is really the difference between mid-40’s and mid-40’s plus one?  In Tom’s particular case, his yards per completion is way down this year.  He needs to try and scare secondaries with more deep throws, good result or not.  But, we know that HE knows this already.  As long as what we think is true, that football IS his life, then I don’t fault him for creating a matrix that proves this mathematically and emotionally.

Finally, competition.  When you dedicate your entire life to being the very best at your position ever, there has to be a fear of living each day without that drive and achievement goals.  And WHAT would you be leaving on the table?  I definitely don’t fault that debate and who wins.

So, Tom.  Retire.  Come back.  Make us wait on your decision.  Irritate me with media coverage for months on your every lean.  You didn’t even say any tearful goodbye after your loss to the Cowboys, so my bet is that you are already weighing options for next year.  Prove us wrong once again, and just because we say you can’t prove us wrong, that is one trait that makes you special and the GOAT.  And, I might still root against you, but what do you care?  You are one of the many, many legends weighing everything you do on the field in comparison to what you have left.  You are one of the many, many legends who is fighting a struggle between the ears after a late-career season.  You are one of the many, many legends who will miss the field, arena, or court the MOMENT you say you are retiring.  And there is no WAY you can irritate me as much as the Aaron Rodgers media coverage will. So, Tom, in the end, I still appreciated your greatness no matter whether there is anything left or not, and I know, well, can imagine, how hard it is to say goodbye to yesterday.