When It's Your Time...

Michael Strahan was able to walk away from the game on top, but most athletes are unable to do so...

THE GREAT ATHLETE. All sports fans have that favorite athlete who they absolutely LOVE to watch. We watch them put on amazing displays of greatness every night. Whether your favorite athlete is Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, John Elway, or even Derek Jeter, we all have been awestruck by their supreme talent. We wish they could play forever, but we know that can't happen. Father Time is something an athlete can't fight.

With that said, when should an athlete retire? Honestly, I believe that every athlete will know when its their time to retire. In a perfect world, every athlete will want to retire after winning that coveted championship. You know, the whole "go out on top" routine. But this isn't a perfect world. Only a few athletes were blessed to retire that way. I can name the ones that I remember. David Robinson after winning his NBA Finals with the Spurs, Jerome Bettis after winning Super Bowl XL with the Steelers, Michael Strahan after helping his New York Giants pull the stunning upset of the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. 

There is a flip side to this as well. Many athlete's continue to play despite their age, and I feel that it is a tragedy. I understand that athletes want to be able to have a championship on their resume, but it won't happen for everyone. They have to understand that when it's their time...it's their time! Sooner or later, the team will cut them to make room for the next great talent, and they will soon be a memory. I always believe that an athlete should retire on their terms and not when they don't have any other choice or are forced out. What do you think?