On Tuesday, July 24, 2007, The New York Post reported that New York Jets running back, 34 year old Curtis Martin, will finally reveal the news that pretty much everyone has already known. Martin will officially announce his retirement from the National Football League on Thursday, a day before the start of Jets training camp.
Martin spent his first three seasons with the New England Patriots,
then signed with the Jets as a free agent before the start of the 1998 season. Martin missed the entire 2006 season and hasn’t played a lick in the past 19 months. He initially tore cartilage in his right knee against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 of the 2005 season. Martin continued to play and the injury flared up two weeks later against the Baltimore Ravens. He then re-injured the same knee Week 12 against the Patriots. He ended that game, and his season, with 29 yards on 15 carries. The seriousness of his injury stems from the fact that he was so badly injured that the cartilage was surgically removed and his knee was literally bone-on-bone.
(OUCH!!) Martin had rushed for over 1,000 yards in his previous 10 seasons, but finished 2005-2006 with 735 yards. After that he was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list, and pretty much stayed there the rest of his career.
In November of 2006, while attempting to rehab his ravaged knee, Martin had this to say at a news conference, “I think this is as good as my knee gets, where it is right now.” Though he realized the severity of his devastating knee injury, but it took him some time to accept the ramifications of it until recently. “It doesn’t look like it’s too bright as far as me having a further career.” Martin signed an eight year contract extension in August of 2002. He has since re-worked his contract and voided to final two years, the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Martin has also taken deep pay cuts 2 years in a row; from $2.5 million to $810,000 in 2006 and from $3.25 million to $820,000 in 2007. All of these moves allow the Jets more than $2 million in salary cap space. Through all of this the Jets have been very gracious, appreciative and supportive of him in his wish to come back. They much admired his talent, recognized the value of his sacrifice, and knew that since they had ridden his ass so hard the previous seasons they might as well give him the courtesy of payin his ass a little extra.
Now before I get into everything I
really want to say, let me state, for the record, that Curtis Martin is one of the most efficient running backs in NFL history. He spent 13 years in the league and was a playmaker, a great teammate, and one of the finest running backs of all time. Martin is atop the list for Jets all-time leading rushers with 10,302 yards. He ranks fourth in NFL history, amassing 14,101 yards, behind guys like Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. Sanders is the only other man in NFL history to have 10 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. In 2004, Martin won the NFL rushing title with an astounding 1,697 yards. I mean, we’re talkin elite here. Curtis Martin is
IN the Pro Football Hall of Fame. So please, don’t take anything said below to mean I don’t appreciate him and understand how special he was to the teams he played for, the National Football League, and his fans.
NOW - Someone please show me the clause in his contract that states that an NFL player must run himself ragged and, literally, into the ground. Exactly! There’s no law that says you have to play football until you’re washed up and worn down! There’s a simple philosophy that means more and more to me as I get older. The idea behind it is that you work hard, but you never give anyone or anything your all, your everything. There has to be something left for you;
save room for yourself. And that’s not to say get on the field and half-ass it. Or be an absentee parent. Or a part-time lover, for that matter. Whatever it is you’re doing, let that be your main focus. You benefit the most when you give it 100%. Make every day count so you know that when it’s all said and done you have no regrets, and you have your health. But always remember, that if or when that thing or person you’re doing runs out, you’ll be okay. In a violent and physically taxing sport such as football, isn’t that the main goal? Whether you’re raising your kids or lovin somebody down, keep your damn eyes on the prize! Don’t be so blinded by your ambition and determination that by the time you take those blinders off, your head, shoulders, knees and toes are all beaten up and useless. Don’t run yourself ragged chasing after those kids. You know why? Cuz by the time they’re off to college and married you’re exhausted, overweight and underappreciated. And not to mention divorced cuz you spent more time on those rug rats than your own damn spouse! Don’t get so caught up in the goodness of the cootie that you can’t see the herpes for the trees!! Don’t become so mesmerized by the tight swang, the dope dick as some would call it, that you don’t care to see that he’s not strappin and wrappin it up!! Cuz you know where that leaves you? On Maury screamin at him that you are 100% positive he IS the father!!
SAVE SOME FOR YOURSELF PEOPLE!! TAKE CARE OF YOU!! Cuz in the end, that’s really all you got…
When you look at a guy like Curtis Martin, what do you see? Because what I see is a slightly older, less wise version of Tiki Barber. Everybody was pissed that Tiki took the “easy” way out and retired “early.” If you ask me, Tiki has some damn common sense!! The beatings these players take are unbelievable!! Seldom does an RB go down without the “help” of the defense. In October of 2006, on his Sirius Satellite Radio Show, “The Barber Shop,” Tiki talked about the goals he had for his life. “I’m a diverse person. I have a lot of interests and I’ve never wanted to be solely defined as a football player. I wasn’t that way in high school, I wasn’t that way in college and I won’t compromise my ideals to be that way in the National Football League.” Tiki spent 10 years in the NFL, yet people were outraged when he decided to retire.
‘What?! You’re actually trying to bow out gracefully?! You don’t dream of getting carted off the field? Or suffering a catastrophic injury that’ll render you helpless for the rest of your life?! Ugh, you’re so selfish!’ Thank the lawd Tiki got out when he did! People were mad that his absence affected them, rather than being happy for someone who decided he didn't want to spend the next 5 years getting knocked around some more. I hate to put it like this, but we used and abused him for years! Then people have the nerve to get angry that the work horse is still viable but opts out of the exploitation! And I’m not saying it like Tiki, or any player for that matter, is a victim because for the most part, they’re willing participants and get paid damn good money to do so. And let’s face it, you can’t be an NFL running back forever. There’s a limit to the pounding and beating a body can take. Most of these guys have played football all their lives; Pop Warner, high school, college and then the pros!! That’s a lifetime of hard hits and if you’re fortunate, healable injuries. And walking off before you get carted off doesn’t sound like a sucka move to me!
I said all that to say, Curtis Martin is a future hall of famer who, if he had stopped playing when he injured his knee initially, could possibly be getting ready for training camp at Hofstra University on Friday. I understand wanting to be there for your team and organization, and the “Coach, I’m fine, put me in” mentality, but there are times when that sentiment can get you knee-deep
(oooh, bad timing) in trouble.
It never really occurred to me to try AM cuz all I really knew about it was bad reception and 1010 Wins. Mike & Mike, Max Kellerman, Stephen A. Smith, Dan Patrick, Michael Kay, Brandon Tierney!! Pick your beautiful poison!! It's a 24 hour affair!! I have abandoned my iPod and rekindled my love for the walkman! (well, that's at least until I get some more cash to by that radio converter...donations? anyone?) I've also ditched subway, and I have taken up "bussing." Who cares if it takes me 4 hours to get to Queens!?! At least I get to listen to 1050 ESPN Radio!! The TV is off, the radio is ON!! The only FM I fux with is The Wendy Williams Experience on 107.5 WBLS. One of the best things I've done with my life thus far was intern with her for a year! Wendy is the shit, and if she talked more sports we would be on the same page.
Jul 24, 2007 - Shout out to Alex Rodriguez!! The New York Yankees third baseman isn’t only making history with the leagues highest salary, but he’s also en route to becoming the youngest player in MLB history to hit 500 home runs. He hit his 499th last night in Kansas City against the Royals. No. 499 came in the 8th inning Wednesday night, and the Yanks went on to win the game 7-1. The Yanks have won 6 in a row and are looking to sweep the series tonight in KC.
