Like Jeter and Manning, Kobe Leaves Us With Thrilling Finish

The great ones don't need to leave the sports world with an exclamation point in their final game. Their body of work speaks for itself and the one final memory isn't necessary to cement greatness. It is an added bonus. Some of the best have struggled with retirement, unsure of when to call it quits. Brett Favre and Michael Jordan come to mind. Others, like Barry Sanders, seem to leave us too soon. In the past few years, we have been blessed to watch three stars in three different sports retire at the right time, and give us one more memory to hold on to.

Kobe Bryant became the latest superstar to close out his career -- 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers that included five championships, an MVP award and back-to-back scoring titles. His 60-point game in the season finale was a vintage Kobe performance that included deep threes, fadeaway jumpers and enough bricks to build a house. But nevermind the bricks or the inefficiency because the point is this: Kobe gave us one more lasting memory. Sports are meant to be fun and Wednesday night at the Staples Center was fun with a extra side of amazing.

Earlier this year, Peyton Manning closed the book on an illustrious career, riding off into the sunset after a Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers. Manning, who has gone through his fair share of injuries in recent years like Bryant, wasn't the Manning of 2008, but he was still something to marvel at.

In 2014, Derek Jeter finished his 20 year career with an opposite field walk-off single in the final game of the regular season. The hit was textbook Jeter and added to an already rich legacy in Yankee pinstripes. Sure, it wasn't 2001 Derek Jeter diving into the seats and going to the playoffs, but it was a final memory that we will never forget.

For me, I don't know the NBA without Kobe Bryant, I don't know the NFL without Peyton Manning and I did not know the MLB without Derek Jeter. Those three have been in the league since I was a young boy. I have binders at home with their trading cards, I have worn their jerseys and I have watched them play countless times. It never gets old watching the great ones.

But when Jeter hit the ball through the right side on September 26, 2014, I knew I would never see him swing a bat again. As Peyton held up the Lombardi trophy in February, it was clear that this was it. And as Kobe poured in basket after basket Wednesday night, I wanted the game to last forever. I wanted three overtimes and I never wanted to stop watching Kobe play. But the clock hit zero on the game and simultaneously hit zero on Kobe's career.

After 20 years for Jeter and Bryant, and 17 for Manning that's it. There is no more, but there are the memories and the final ones are memories I'll have forever.

Sorting Through The Colts Predicament

Has there ever been a more interesting build up to the NFL Draft than this year? The Indianapolis Colts' dismal season earned them the first overall pick and what they have now is a conflict. Peyton Manning's well-documented neck injury kept him from playing the entire 2011-12 season and the Colts suffered greatly. It is clear how much of an impact Manning had on that team and it is realistic to think that, if he was healthy, Indy would have won at least 10 games. He's that good. However, there is no way to tell if he will ever be fully healthy again and that is why the Colts have tough decisions coming up. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is widely regarded as the top quarterback in the '12 Draft Class and he is nearly a lock to be shaking Roger Goodell's hand first on draft day. But what about Peyton Manning? A few years ago it would have been ridiculous to say that Indy might cut Manning, but now it's a real possibility. In this post I will discuss what each group/player should do with the current situation, starting with Luck.

Andrew Luck, Stanford QB
If I'm Andrew Luck then I am begging the Colts to take me. Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre don't exactly have the ideal relationship but look at Rodgers now. It doesn't hurt to learn from a living legend. If Manning is still in the blue and white Luck should come in with the mindset that his time will come. If he does his work and keeps quiet then there is no reason why Manning shouldn't welcome him in with open arms. Sure, Luck could get drafted and step into the quarterback role right away, but let's look at how well that has gone for guys like Ryan Leaf, Cade McNown and Joey Harrington. Elite quarterbacks in college usually end up in bad situations and they never reach their potential. A guy like Alex Smith has finally found what he was looking for, but it took him years. Rodgers is in pursuit of his second Super Bowl and has established himself as one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL. I could see the situation in Indy being very similar to Green Bay's a few years ago.

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts QB

Nobody likes to have to check over their shoulder to see what's waiting behind them. That's especially true for a future Hall of Famer. We see it all the time in sports, a legend's career is coming to a close and the future star is waiting. That is a rough time period for any veteran. However, we don't know how good Manning could be if he gets back on the field. He may come back and be his old self. That is highly unlikely though, and if the injury is as bad as it sounds, then he should retire. That's my opinion but it makes sense. Retire a Colt and go out on good terms with the organization, the fans and his teammates. Also, a neck injury isn't something to mess around with because the ramifications of reinjuring it could be costly. Now, if doctors clear him and say he can go play then by all means he should go out and play. I just want to see him in a Colts jersey and if that doesn't happen then I would like to see him retire. He is a top five quarterback in history and will be in Canton as soon as possible so there is nothing left for him to prove. Don't be a Brett Favre. That's the best advice I could give Peyton Manning.

Indianapolis Colts organization
The Colts are in the toughest spot of anybody. The easy decision is to draft Luck at number one. That's the smart thing to do and it's the right thing to do. The hard thing will be deciding what to do with Manning. Like I said above, if he can play then let him play while Luck sits and waits his turn. If the Colts think he has lost his magic then I think they should advise him to retire and offer a position on staff as a mentor to Luck. That would be the ideal situation, but the reality is it probably won't happen. I think if you are the Indy front office you just have to make sure there is good communication with Manning and make sure that the relationship isn't sullied. He has been the face of the Colts since he was drafted and it would be a shame to see him leave in anger and try to get "revenge" on the organization by signing with a division rival or another team.

In my mind the perfect situation would be that Peyton Manning gets to play two or three more years at a high level for the Indianapolis Colts while Andrew Luck sits and learns from him. Manning then retires and Luck steps in and keeps the Colts at the top of the AFC standings. The two have a good relationship, unlike Favre and Rodgers, and it becomes one of the best stories in sports. However, I'm smart enough to know that that probably won't happen. We are still a few months away from the NFL Draft but there is no doubt that this will be a story that draws much attention and will disected from every angle. Tough decisions will have to be made and we could have to say goodbye to Peyton Manning. Something that would come too soon.

Even in the Postseason, Baseball Takes a Backseat

Baseball is, and will always be known, as America's past time because it is our country's oldest game that was invented here. It is a beautiful game played in cozy ballparks in big cities with players who defy our imagination with their skills. Players bash home runs over 400 feet and take swings that look like art. Pitchers wind up and deliver pitches that fool hitters and some are clocked over 100 miles per hour. Football is widely known as "America's Game." It is exclusive to America and is played in enormous stadiums with wild fans numbering in the 100,000s at times. It's a brutal sport and one where running backs trample over defensive players. Linebackers bolt into the backfield and blindside quarterbacks, knocking them to the turf in a violent collision. They are two sports that contrast greatly yet are related more closely than most think.

In the past fifty years football, especially the NFL has grown so large and grossed so much money that baseball has been second fiddle for years now. Still, some hold to the notion that baseball is America's past time. It is a classic game with few replays, rules that haven't changed in years and divisional rivalries that evoke emotion from fans all around the globe. However, the game is slow and there is so much dead time the games take over four hours sometimes. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are notorious for playing into the wee hours of night and fans should never expect to be out of the ballpark in under three hours unless Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox is pitching.

The NFL's popularity has grown tremendously and revolves around it's star power. Although they have hardly struggled in attendance, it has been obvious that the loss of Peyton Manning has been a small step back for the powerful league. Nonetheless, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have done a fine job making sure the league stays right where it's been. The NFL got a scare this summer though as the lockout nearly took away the season. It would have been a major blow for the entire season to have been lost but what sport would have benefited the most right now? Baseball. The MLB would have drawn more fans and this postseason would be even more wild. It's incredible to me that one sport can be in it's postseason but if it's Sunday then everybody could care less. I know a baseball game isn't as exciting as guys hitting each other but it's sad that nobody wants to sit down and watch a full game.

Baseball is a classic game while football is more modern. Fans left baseball in 1994 due to the strike and the NFL could have experienced that this year. They saved themselves and, unintentionally, buried baseball once again. The MLB postseason has seen good attendance but it will never be on the level the NFL is again. The NBA lockout has worsened but many say it doesn't matter because nobody pays attention to the basketball season until football is over. I think that's an over-exaggeration but it is a good point to a certain extent. There are football fans who can not focus on any other sport and it seems football fans are the only ones like that.

So the question is: Is baseball still America's past time? It depends who you ask. To me, yes but to most it is not and hasn't been for awhile. Some call for change in the game but the only thing I want to be changed is the time in between pitches and things like that. The game can be sped up which would hold fans' interest longer. Baseball is America's past time but to some it is like an old toy, pushed aside and forgotten for the newer, bigger, badder toy. There is no doubt that the NFL is going to continue to grow and what will the MLB do to keep pace?