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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (July 29, 1999)
Editor in chief: Tim Pyle Newsroom: (541)346-5511 Room 300, Erb Memorial Union P.O.Box3159,Eugene,OR 97403 E-mail: ode@oregon.uoregpn.edu On-line edition: www.dailyemerald.com No Need =* ^ to Run Barry Sanders’ premature retirement is the latest in a disturbing series of superstar exits A>W. All right, this is getting ridiculous. First, Michael Jordan. Then, Wayne Gretzky and John Elway. Now? Barry Sanders. Instead of computers crashing as the new century nears, professional sports and their fans are the ones suffering. Maybe the four aforementioned super stars retired precisely because of the infa mous 2000 bug — they didn’t want their paychecks irretrievably lost in the mix or scheduled flights to their next arenas nixed. All millennium madness aside, sports stars are calling it quits at an alarmingly rapid rate. Jordan’s and Elway’s retirements were expect ed and Gretzky’s was imminent, but Sanders’ Wednesday announcement was shocking. Opinion Tim Pyle One season removed from becoming just —^— the third player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards, Sanders, in his prime at age 31, wrote in a released statement “My desire to exit the game is greater than my desire to remain in it. I have searched my heart through and through and feel comfortable with this decision.” This from a man who probably would have broken Wal ter Payton’s career rushing record this season, needing 1,458 yards — an average season by Sanders’ spectacular standards — to eclipse Payton’s mark of 16,726 yards. Apparently, Sanders’ desires do not include being wide ly recognized as the greatest running back of all-time by claiming one of the NFL’s revered records. That is, until some young stud like Terrell Davis proved once again that records are, after all, made to broken. Regardless, Sanders’ decision to walk away after just 10 seasons while still at the pinnacle of his craft is startling. There are whispers that it is all a hard-bargaining ploy, Sanders being unhappy with his Detroit Lions’ losing ways and wanting out but knowing the Lions would never let him go under normal circumstances. But let’s at least assume for a minute that Sanders’ exit is legit, and he won’t come back a few years from now like Jordan or resurface in a different uniform (Barry, just don’t change to No. 45). Is this — the retirement of a star athlete while still young and peaking — a precursor to what awaits in the 21st century? With salaries, endorsements and all-around incomes mind-blowinlgy high for superstars today, more athletes can afford to retire young and enjoy their wealth. Such practices are not too uncommon in the business world, where brilliant, young entrepreneurs routinely get out of the game early after making their millions, make that billions. Perhaps Sanders is genuinely burned out, if not physical ly, then emotionally. There is no telling the toll the rigorous, violent NFL can take on an athlete’s psyche. Especially when he or she is losing as much as Sanders’ Lions do. Maybe Sanders just doesn’t feel like going to war any more, even if he is tantalizingly close to what the media had already pinpointed as what would be his greatest vic tory. Refreshingly, Sanders may just be that rare athlete who doesn’t care about personal glory. As a rookie, he did refuse to reenter a game for the mere purpose of securing the league rushing title. If Sanders’ decision does prove to be final, his early re tirement is as awe-inspiring, head-scratching and jaw dropping as were his invigorating, something-where-there was-nothing runs. Both are indeed unrivaled. Even with Dominik Hasek, the Buffalo Sabres’ “Domina tor” of a goaltender, trying to snag a little of the spotlight by revealing that he will announce today his intentions to re tire after next season. For the sake of fans everywhere, the retirement virus must be contained. Contained to those who really are in need of the ‘ol ex tended vacation. Tim Pyle is the Emerald's editor in chief. t&a cfirotiicCea: 0 © o Q Job r'N/oW TmATwEHA v£ THAT 5QUArf6 AwAV. ToOAV Vou wlU- , \won< For FfEE Am^LL AFTEr that you wti HfED To MAkE at >FA<n; loA M|&hT| \s m , . (M^Th YoU OHIY GET P4|0\ IF you MAKE, a ■ SAlE... ThAt's ThE onj.v wAy wF can proft cT ThE EwViroHMrflJ ANi> AL>* of THE | crjAiuriy iNI®,IT I ?4i r...How£v£r Th£ oNFcr£AT«r£wE ' ooN'r ProTECT 15 T«£ SJVWnS' 'coUItE sTuDE-Ti, The Oregon Daily Emerald is published daily Monday through Friday during the school year and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer by the Oregon Daity Emer ald Publishing Co. Inc., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. A member of the Associated Press, the Emerald operates independently of the University with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union. The Emerald is private property. The unlawful re moval or use of papers is prosecutable by law. NEWSROOM — (541) S46-SS11 Editor in chief: Tim Pyle Associate Editors: Jack Clifford, Mirjam Swanson Copy Editor Ellen Weisz Reporters: Sara Jarrett, Sara Lieberth Webmaster/Paginator: Broc Nelson Photo Editor Catharine Kendall ADVERTISING — (541)346-5511 Becky Merchant, director Melissa O’Connell, Van Nguyen, advertising assistants. Rachelle Bowden, Brian Diamond, Dan Hageman, Jesse Long, Adam Rice, advertising sales representatives CLASSIFIEDS — (541) S46-4S4S Trina Shanaman, manager BUSINESS — (541) 446-5512 Judy Riedl, general manager Kathy Carbone, business supervisor Melissa O’Connell, receptionist Roni Goldbeck, Michael Higgins, John Long, distribution PRODUCTION — (541) 346-4381 Michele Ross, manager. Tara Sloan, coordinator
