When your idols get old

[Guest Redhawk]

"When Apollo died, a part of me died." -- Duke, Rocky IV

 

Upon learning that Mike Tyson got KO'd by a no-name British fighter last week, I finally had to accept that one of my favorite athletes of all-time was washed up. Whereas Tyson used to chew up and spit out the best the UK had to offer -- like Frank Bruno, for instance -- now he had been knocked silly twice by big Brits Lennox Lewis and Danny Williams. Whereas Mike used to win fights before the bell rang through sheer intimidation (watch Tyson v. Seldon), now it seems like he either has to KO the guy in Round 1 or he's in for a long night. It just makes me feel really old, because I grew up idolizing (as a boxer, not a person) the prime Iron Mike.

 

Now, a 22-year-old saying he feels old sounds strange, but I think everyone above the age of 15 has those moments where you feel old. And, as I was explaining to my Dad, sports fans probably have more of those moments than non-sports fans, since star athletes have much shorter shelf lives than, say, actors or singers. For me, almost every player I grew up idolizing is retired or getting there: Reggie Miller is damn near 40. Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars are GMs. Tim Hardway is retired. Even Shaq is getting up there...he's been in the league for TWELVE years! Eric Metcalf and Mark McMillian, the two football players I grew up most admiring, are both retired from the NFL. Mike Tyson won't ever be heavyweight champ again. Mike Powell hasn't long jumped in years. Deion Sanders is a TV talking head. Aeneas Williams is headed there. Shawn Kemp is playing minor league basketball and Gary Payton looks like Danny Ainge could cross him up out there.

 

Sucks, doesn't it?

[Crimson Platypus 0]

As far as the getting old thing goes I look at it differently. First I had to see all of the college players being younger than me. Now... I'm getting to the point as to where the pro guys are mostly my age and younger. (ugh)

[Steviekick 0]

Your talking to a Utah Jazz fan here...how do you think I feel seeing Karl Malone playing and still being ringless! It never hit me until he got injured last season. I guess I was in denial.

[Guest Staravenger]

I'm in the same camp for Tyson. I've been watching his fights since I can remember, and he always makes me excited to see him fight, but since his loss(es) to Holyfield, he hasn't seemed the same. Sure, he can knock out scrubs, but he's no longer a dominant champion who can put even the best fighters on their ass in just a few minutes.

[Dr. Tom 0]

It happened to me when Cal Ripken retired. I'd been watching him since I started watching the Orioles, basically, in 1982. When he hung up the cleats, I realized it was the end of an era not just for the team, but for all the kids who had now grown into adults on the wrong side of 25. When Ripken retired, I realized that it was very likely the team's next 3B would be younger than I was, and that was a little disconcerting.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I was a huge fan of Ken Griffey Jr. during his days with the Mariners. With him it wasn't necessarily that he got old; he just couldn't stay healthy. If this trend continues for the rest of his career, he could be one of those guys who's discussed in the "what if" category.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Not this time, Bruiser.

 

Mike Tyson is a worthless piece of subhuman shit.

 

I came here to talk about an "idol," or at least someone I identified with my hometown team, getting old and hanging it up.

 

Mike Tyson is a worthless piece of subhuman shit.

 

Really, that's the only reason I came here. Why would I have something bad to say about Tyson... ?

 

EDIT: Bah, it doesn't work when you edit your post.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Heh, for the record, I went back and edited my original post when I saw that Tom had not slammed Tyson in his original post.

[Guest Staravenger]

Forgot to mention I don't "Idolize" Tyson, it's just he was the one mainstream athlete that made me want to watch all the time.

 

I'm just someone who hates change in teams I follow. Of course, I have been watching Clemens pitch for years, so I guess I'd count him, but I'd expect some Yankee fans to go "BOO TURNCOAT@2822boo Houston!".

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

I think Mike Tyson's entire persona is just a gimmick. It works, and it always will. How else does a washed up fighter still gain more press than any boxer in the past 20 years?

 

I am pained to watch many of my older NFL heros retire...or be forced into retirement. Most notably, Rod Woodson. One of the greatest defensive players ever to play the game, and who at 40, is still better than 95% players at his position. Too bad injuries finally slowed the guy down. He and Jerry Rice are a rare breed, and it'll be weird knowing that they are a year or so away from retirement. Woodson most likely will retire now.

[DerangedHermit 0]

How about changing the title of this thread to "When your idols get old and don't retire"?

 

Jesus fucking Christ, Messier! RETIRE! (he still had 18 goals last year...but the guy was old 10 years ago)

 

John Franco! RETIRE!

[Guest Staravenger]

I thought Messier retired at the end of the last season... or was it a "He hasn't decided yet" deal?

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

I thought Messier retired at the end of the last season... or was it a "He hasn't decided yet" deal?

Hasn't decided...

[DerangedHermit 0]

I thought Messier retired at the end of the last season... or was it a "He hasn't decided yet" deal?

You would know it if he retired, because it would be a huge deal. Although, I've heard rumors that he might retire if the season is cancelled.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

Watching Michael Jordan, the ultimate winner and competitor, go out and bust his ass for a Wizards team that just didn't care was one of the sadder things I've ever witnessed. That dive onto the floor against the Knicsk I believe said it all. He smacked his face on the floor diving for a ball while the rest of his team stood there.

 

Also watching Scottie Pippen limp through the last 2 regular seasons and playoffs wasn't a particularly fun experience either.

 

Basically, I feel bad for any guy who is known for giving it all he's got. And then he gets old and giving all he's got just doesn't cut it anymore. That's just depressing to me.

[the max 0]

Watching Steve Yzerman get old and fight numerous injuries is kind of disheartening.

 

Other than that, I haven't run into this yet. Bourque's quality went down, but he won his Cup and retired. Bird retired when he realized that he couldn't realistically cut it anymore. And I never idolized anyone on the Red Sox enough to say that their production decreasing was depressing. I'm sure I'll run into that when Manny and Pedro stop producing.

 

Other than that, my idol in sports was Cam Neely, so watching him deteriorate in front of my eyes was horrible.

[Art Sandusky 0]

When Brett Favre starts to show signs of slowing down (I didn't see him not being as good the last two seasons unlike the various talking heads who were speaking of friggin' RETIREMENT), it'll be really depressing. I can't imagine him retiring, mostly because I don't want to. Joe Montana in a Chiefs uniform was sad, and seeing the guys who were huge in the 80s/90s all bow out over the years is sad as well. The Bills, Broncos, Dolphins, Cowboys, and 49ers just aren't the same without Kelly, Elway (even though I despised him), Marino, Aikman, and Young.

[Steviekick 0]

Watching Michael Jordan, the ultimate winner and competitor, go out and bust his ass for a Wizards team that just didn't care was one of the sadder things I've ever witnessed. That dive onto the floor against the Knicsk I believe said it all. He smacked his face on the floor diving for a ball while the rest of his team stood there.

There was a little more to that, since everyone on the Wiz squad hated him.

[Guest Anglesault]

Watching Mattingly as a coach and Guidry come out as Old Timers and actually look old.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Seeing that 63-7 Jags/Dolphins playoff game (Marino's last) was really depressing.