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Time to retire boys!

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springhill

Make the drill work for YOU
Joined
20 June 2007
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Theres nothing sadder than watching a champion in decline, especially whe he doesnt know when to let go. These guys spring to mind immediately. Any others that should be added to the list?

Matthew Hayden- this is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Abysmal last twelve months. This guy is obviously putting his ego before the team. Surely its time to ask himself the Q is my presence benefitting or hindering the team? He may not be of Haydens calibre in his prime but surely someone like Chris Rogers couldnt do a worse job than Hyden is doing now

Lleyton Hewitt- C'MON! retire you sad little boy, currently sitting at No 67 in the world and sliding fast. A poor indictment on Aussie tennis when this guy is our number 1 player

John Daly- My God after his effort in Australia, what more needs to be said?

On the flip side kudos go to Michael Schumacher, saw the writing on the wall and bowed out a champion driver, any others that pullled out at the right time. Probably important that they left of their own volition rather than being given the tap on the shoulder and having it "suggested" to them they retire, rather than be publicly sacked
Cheers
 
Agree in most part.

Taking Hewitt.
Even getting to the quarters can be highly profitable.Adding sponsorship to earnings.Plenty make very good money in the middle ranks.
We Aussies expect our people to be at the top of their field.

Take Mark Woodforde. He played Southern Districts A grade tennis before he tried the Circuit---sponsored for a year by his dad. We all thought it a real toss.
But in the 11 mth of his year he won the NZ open,then invited to play doubles with McEnroe,then Woodbridge. Rest is history.
If you compare him with the top players in the world at that time he was at best mediocre.

But sure in team sports you need the best team you can muster.
Matty just isnt cutting it.Pity Love to see him in full flight!
 
tech/a said:
Taking Hewitt.
Even getting to the quarters can be highly profitable.Adding sponsorship to earnings.Plenty make very good money in the middle ranks.
Click to expand...

The way sponsorship money is drying up we could have some outstanding new talent or outcomes through comebacks how never came in the first place! Competition could reach new highs.
 

Current case example:

Rahul Dravid (similar age and calibre of batsman) has been through an even worse run of form over the past 12 months. The same calls are being made about his retirement, and the current test against England was being viewed as his very last chance.

Currently he is 88 not out, and he looks to be a totally different player than at anytime over the past 12 months.

Form is temporary. Class is permanent. I believe Hayden has another 2 years in him.
 
Shane Warne and Mark Taylor got it right. Swimming Thorpe, hard to find them in football. Sheedy had a long but good run as a coach but overstayed in the end.
 
I am a bit worried that Brett Lee is near the end as well.He is no Hadlee,Lillee or McGrath.
His main weapon was his above average pace and that seems to be in decline.
But he has done well out of it and will continue to be rewarded with all of the extra opportunities about now...India I mean
 
I don't think this is anymore obvious than in boxing.

As of late, Roy Jones Jr and Oscar De La Hoya.

The way they stood in the corner and took beatings was absolutely painfull to watch. I had to wallk out during one of them.
 
I think a lot of it is the fact that they just love the game. If your doing something you love and getting paid well for it, why leave until you have to? I dont think that they really care what the general public thinks, and why should they
 
MRC & Co said:
I don't think this is anymore obvious than in boxing.

As of late, Roy Jones Jr and Oscar De La Hoya.

The way they stood in the corner and took beatings was absolutely painfull to watch. I had to wallk out during one of them.
Click to expand...

Excellent point. Jones Jr is a perfect example. Here is a guy who was an abosolute revelation in his prime. I have never seen anyone better, since watching boxing from the 70's. A lethal combination of speed, talent and dedication.

With age, he lost his speed and decided to move up weights where he eventually ended up as a second rate slugger.

He tainted what would have been one of the greatest careers in boxing...ever.

Then again, Muhammed Ali didn't retire at the top, but his exploits in his prime still shine through.
 
Prawn, Snake, Pommiegranite...I totally agree.

Hayden will come good. A better gauge is to ask opposition teams what they think.
 
It's Snake Pliskin said:
It is a personal decision that average people should not be concerned with. It's easy to criticise from the sidelines.
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Ridiculous!!!! If it wasnt for the average person these guys wouldnt have a job! Who fills the grounds and turns on the TV to watch these elite sportsmen? The average person..... Who buys the associated products (jerseys, hats, shoes, sporting equipment etc etc the products these people are paid to wear and endorse)? The average person
If im paying good money for a ticket, especially in a team sport, i dont want to see their old luggage, i pay to see people perform and entertain... not disappoint consistently
Cheers
 
46 year old Holyfield is fighting the 7 foot Russian giant Valuev tomorrow.

Holyfield is giving away about 50kgs and is at $6 for the win.
Valuev is at $1.11 for the win.
 

Well if you are still going and paying for it obviously there isn't any problem, or enough of a problem for you to warrant not paying. Perhaps if you want someone gone you can organise a 'crowd' strike, although i doubt that is likely to happen.
 
prawn_86 said:
Well if you are still going and paying for it obviously there isn't any problem, or enough of a problem for you to warrant not paying. Perhaps if you want someone gone you can organise a 'crowd' strike, although i doubt that is likely to happen.
Click to expand...

Exactly why i havent gone to a day of this test, too many underperformers and hangers-on. IMO the only reason Hayden is desperate to stay is to reach 10,000 runs and have his name on a list, im sorry this sounds harsh but he's an egomaniac. Currently sitting at 8,500, give or take, and says he wants to play for another 2 years hmmmmm enough time to reach it...... At this rate he will have to play for another 10

I dont have to organise a crowd strike, when the day comes the selectors wake up and forget sentimentality and jobs for the boys, Hayden will go. This is the reason th Aussie will hand the ashes back to the Poms next series. As they say its harder to get out of the Aussie cricket team than get into it
 
Pommie, yeh, Roy moved upto heavyweight and actually did well, took apart Ruiz with ease. It was then coming back down to light-heavy to face Tarver where he aged. Never been the same since.

Michael, yeh the Holyfield example is the same, look at him V Toney, terrible to watch. Being schooled and taken apart by a fat former middleweight.
 
Springhill,

Yet the Aussies are still wininng and maintain the no. 1 ranking. It'll be interesting to see how the series with SA plays out.

I think some fans just expect too much. There is a lot behind the scenes in team sports. A team is a single entity and to chop and change it creates added pressure. The public can never know how much each team member contributes to things such as motivation, leadership, education etc etc. The public only ever sees the 'front' of it, which is the matches, which IMO (i have played a lot of team sports at all different levels of competition) makes up less than 50% of what the team actually does.
 
 
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