On the TUNNEYSIDE of SPORTS March 14, 2016 #584 Up next…A Tribute – to “Omaha!”
After further review…Of the 583 “TunneySide of Sports” columns/blogs written, only three have been designated as “tributes”, and those were to highly-deserving but deceased individuals whom I knew as friends. This tribute is to one still very much alive: Peyton Manning, who this week announced his retirement as an active on-field football player. After 18 years – the echo of his jersey number –Manning stated in his speech: “Life is not shrinking for me; it’s morphing into a whole new world of possibilities.” It looks more like he’s “refiring” than retiring.
Leaving something which has been a major part of your life is never without a lump in your throat or tears in your eyes, as Manning showed in his exit speech. Anyone who has experienced this kind of departure knows words don’t come easily. Life, whether it’s your choice or someone else’s, presents these “time-to-move-on” philosophical challenges. As Manning said, “It was just the right time.” Yet his message was more about others who helped him along the way, than it was self-aggrandizement.
We’ll avoid speculating on what “possibilities” may be awaiting him. Further, we’ll let others discuss his on-field records. Let’s focus on what’s inside Peyton Manning by discussing the “M-A-N” in Manning. He said one of the “best decisions” he ever made was to remain at the University of Tennessee for his senior year. He could have easily declared himself eligible for the NFL draft after his junior year; his talent to play at the professional level was obvious then, but he chose to play out his college commitment. We see so many talented athletes, permitted by legal edict, all too often leave school early, and declare themselves for the draft. While there are many pros and cons on these type decisions, those who chose to leave early will never replace that lost college experience. Then too, realize that the average length of a pro football player’s career is 3 ½ years. What opportunities lie ahead for him the next 60 plus years after he leaves the field. Sure, the immediate impact of financial reward is tempting, but how many have we seen squander their riches?
The other message that “M-A-N”ning clearly explained was how grateful he was to all his teammates, coaches, mentors, trainers, and workers around the T*E*A*M’s practice facility, all the way to the attendant who opened the locked gym doors early so he could work out. Manning said: “There were other players who were more talented, but there was no one who could out-prepare me. And because of that I have no regrets.”
Will you use the talents you have to prepare yourself as Peyton Manning did?
To contact Jim go to www.jimtunney.com or email jim@jimtunney.com.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Ub8mJo-r0
