Question #45: Michael, Michael?
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- August
- 25
Hey, Jordan did it. Favre did it. Clemens did it. Mario Lemieux did it. Every boxer in the world has done it.
So why can’t Michael Strahan come out of retirement?
And is that the answer for the Giants now that Umenyiora is out for the season?
I wonder if Strahan’s ego would let him NOT come back in a situation like this, where he’s needed, where he can ride in on a white horse and be a hero. On the other hand, if he un-retires and comes back and gets hurt, or if he doesn’t play well, or if the Giants have a sub-standard season (and it will be almost impossible for them to top last year), would he regret coming back instead of having rode into the sunset as a champion?
What do you think?
3 p.m., Sam says:
This is one of those situations where the solution just seems too easy, too simple: the Giants suddenly have a need for a defensive presence, a guy who can get himself ready to play quickly and step in as a leader. Michael Strahan has proven himself to be all of those things, including having the ability to get into game mode without the rigors of training camp.
So why not make this happen? I don’t buy the stuff about “riding off into the sunset.” It’s a concept that has little permenance yet gets big play. In truth, we remember what a player has done not the manner in which they left. Except in the rarest and most dramatic cases, ending a career isn’t about the moment of conclusion; it’s about all that came before it.
Strahan would be a great addition and could help fill the void Osi’s injury left behind. Bringing him back seems almost too easy an answer.
I’m not a believer in the “riding into the sunset” theory. Besides, money will always overrule any “perfect ending”. When the Giants dump a truckload of money on Strahan’s front door, he’ll make up some lame excuse about “still feeling the desire to compete” or some other nonsense. Just wish once, that whenever some athlete decides to unretire, they’d just come out and admit “dude – who could pass up $28 million?? – I may be old, but I ain’t senile.”