My God It's Real Football News!
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by JasonComack
Sometimes news coverage really bothers me. Do we really need hours of T.O V Jessica Simpson coverage? Do we really need to hear Skip Bayless talk about how this is going to effect the season? (God I hate Skip)
I understand the appeal of such a story line, I am as big of a pop-culture whore as you'll likely find. However as this NFL season winds down I can think of many many more storylines that deserve attention.
Did you know Bryant Young is retiring? Probably not, because he's not dating a hot blonde but, he is and it's an end of a sure fire hall of fame career.
A rare feat these days Young played his entire 14 year career with the 49ers. Over that span of time he amassed 90 sacks. Even today he still plays at a high level having 6.5 sacks going into week 14. His value comes on the field as much as it does off. The man has served as the captain and leader of this team for almost the better part of two decades. For a franchise that has been so unstable for the past 5or so years he has been the one constant.
Said Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia, who spent five years in the same locker room as Young but will face him Sunday across the line of scrimmage: "The guy has been an ambassador for the team in the sense that he is everything you want not out of a player, but out of a person. He is the type of person you want your son to grow up to be like because he is all about doing what is right, not only for himself, but also his family and for the organization."
"It's such a rare trait in the game these days," linebacker Jeff Ulbrich said. "He can go make the play sometimes, but he'll grab two offensive linemen (instead). Or on a pass rush where it might look like he can get to the quarterback, instead he's pulling a tackle so another guy gets free.
It's amazing to me that a player still playing at such a high level would want to call it quits. But, unlike many other aging athletes who didn't know when to call it quits (Cough Roger Clemens Cough) Young knows when his time is up.
"The question is, when do you leave the game?" Young said. "Do you leave the game when they push you out or when you're barely walking? When's the right time? That's up to the individual. You have to listen to what your body and what your spirit is telling you."
So 49ers faithful go out to the game this Sunday and wear your red and gold 97 jerseys. We might not have much to cheer for but we can at least show our appreciation for a man who gave us all so much joy these past 14 years.
And to the national media and NFL fans all over, if you love and appreciate the game you should do the same.
