04/16/24
September 05, 2005
Jerry Rice decides to retire: after 20 amazing years in the NFL.
posted by rockin_the_suburbs to football at 07:18 PM - 31 comments
I think we all should take our hats off to the greatest reciever to ever play the game past or future . The niners office personal suck for not signing him in the off season and he should spit in the face of john york and go in the hall as a seahawlk.
posted by 9erftbl at 07:37 PM on September 05, 2005
posted by rockin_the_suburbs at 07:51 PM on September 05, 2005
Overrated. Good riddance.
posted by charlatan at 08:03 PM on September 05, 2005
Overrated? I would hope that is a joke. I would like to hear one reason his is overrated.
posted by rockin_the_suburbs at 08:07 PM on September 05, 2005
Overrated. Good riddance. I'm pretty sure that if you hold over 30 different league records, the phrase "overrated" stops being applicable. I should point out that Jerry Rice has mentioned in radio interviews in Canada that he watches the CFL on TV and has stated that he loves the wide-open play. He's also said (and insisted when someone accused him of joking) that he'd love to finish his playing career with a couple of seasons in the CFL. The massive pay cut wouldn't bother him, according to his comments.
posted by grum@work at 08:08 PM on September 05, 2005
A good estimate of his statistical legacy is provided by John Clayton on ESPN: Moss has 574 catches and would have to average 100 catches a year for the next 10 years to catch Rice. That means he would have to play until he was 38. Harrison has 845 catches and he's 33. To catch Rice, he would have to average 101 catches a year the next seven years and retire at the age of 40. Owens, who has 669 catches would have to average 100 receptions for close to nine seasons to get there. Ray Ratto's article on the same topic is, however, a far better read than either the rather stiff Clayton or the way-too-flip-and-clever-for-you Gene (obscure reference) Wojciechowski, who gets a bit tiresome for my taste.
posted by Bixby23 at 09:16 PM on September 05, 2005
Overrated? you're a moron charlatan.
posted by erkno11 at 09:26 PM on September 05, 2005
Overrated? you're a moron charlatan. That probably wasn't necessary. Feeding the troll with insults just makes them stronger.
posted by grum@work at 09:33 PM on September 05, 2005
I never liked the 49ers nor the Seahawks and I don't even acknowledge the Broncos without Elway. What I will say is that the NFL and all of sports has just lost one of the greatest not only receivers but players of all time. Also for the way he was treated by the 49ers, maybe when the hall calls him, maybe he should go in as an Independant. The way the 9ers treated him when letting him go before and not giving him one more year with them to retire by makes me believe that the business side of sports has taken over the sport side. Not to mention standing by one of the 3 or 4 reasons why San Fran was able to accomplish the superbowl in the late 80's and early 90's.
posted by melcarek69 at 09:49 PM on September 05, 2005
Thanks for the Ray Ratto Article Bixby that was a good one. Jerry Rice is truly the greatest reciever of all time. I will sure miss watching him on the field. Hats off, and thanks for all the years of great plays.
posted by jojomfd1 at 10:19 PM on September 05, 2005
If Jerry Rice is overrated, I'm a millionaire. I'm a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong way from being that. Jerry is the best wide receiver of all time. Thanks for the memories Jerry.
posted by dbt302 at 10:40 PM on September 05, 2005
It wasn't even trolling. It was a statement meant to be so absurd people would realize the flipside was the case.
posted by charlatan at 12:38 AM on September 06, 2005
Well regardless, I tip my hat to his incredible accomplishments. Not only were his accomplishments impossible to overhype, he aqchieved everything with grace, class and humility. It was a sublime pleasure to watch him play for the last two decades, and I'm honored to have had him do his thing during my time. That said, I'm glad he didn't drag it out. It was at the thin end of getting messy and play-out-the-string.
posted by chicobangs at 01:14 AM on September 06, 2005
I think the thing that truly set Rice apart from other players wasn't his ability (which is amazing) or his records... The thing that set him apart is his personality. He did it quietly, with class. (please take note T.O. and Peon - I mean Deion) He had one of the best work ethics around, especially in the off-season and most importantly he was a true team player. He passed on his experience to younger receivers and players. A true player coach. Wish more NFLers had his mindset.
posted by Stealth_72 at 03:15 AM on September 06, 2005
I don't disagree with you at all Stealth_72, but I wonder if there really aren't lots of hard working, community-minded, quiet types -- perhaps not nearly so talented as Rice in his prime -- that simply don't get the accolades they deserve. If so, I suspect it will always be thus. We just can't help but stare at bigmouth, mirror-kissing standouts like T.O., screwups like Ryan Leaf, potheads like Rickey W., and every other walking Jerry Springer show in the NFL. Either way, Rice has earned his spot in history, and not only can nobody catch him -- nobody's even close.
posted by Bixby23 at 05:54 AM on September 06, 2005
Too bad he couldn't have been signed for a day by the Niners so he could retire as a 49er. Jerry Rice retiring a Bronco is more disturbing than the idea of him playing in a Bronco (or, in the past, Seahawk) uniform. He was the best.
posted by dyams at 05:55 AM on September 06, 2005
It wasn't even trolling. It was a statement meant to be so absurd people would realize the flipside was the case. My apologies for calling you a troll then. You needed some sort of indicator of sarcasm (emoticon). One or two sentences is hard to read for sarcasm.
posted by grum@work at 07:46 AM on September 06, 2005
Jerry Rice is sooooooo overrated?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:29 AM on September 06, 2005
overrated, never. he is just doing the right thing. he thought he good play another year, went to training camp, found out he couldnt do it and hung it up. nothing overrated about that. how can you be overrated when you hold so many receiving records. my hat is off to you jerry. and stealing a line from bob hope thanks for the memories. you were defiantely fun to watch all them years. happy retirement mister hall of famer.
posted by hullie16 at 09:40 AM on September 06, 2005
Here's a story about Rice's college quarterback, Willie Totten:
posted by ajaffe at 10:09 AM on September 06, 2005
Hmmm, doesn't seem to have linked. Here it is: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050814/COL0504/508140353/1173/SPORTS
posted by ajaffe at 10:10 AM on September 06, 2005
Great piece on Totten and Rice. I just remember the duo coming to my hometown in Kansas to play a game against a local college. I think MVSU put up 77 points.
posted by jackhererra at 10:22 AM on September 06, 2005
Jerry Rice needs definite consideration as the great player of all time. The game of football is about gaining yards and scoring touchdowns and nobody did either of those more than Rice. I watch these guys on TV talk about how a receiver can't be because of how physical football is, but was there ever a more physical receiver than Rice, and is there nothing more dangerous to a football player than getting smashed over the middle by someone you can't see and then the very next play laying a safety out with a crackback. Also have you ever seen so many clips of a receiver dragging defenders into the end zone. I don't think so. Hats off to Rice for showing the rest of the sports world that its not OK to take plays off (Randy Moss) and its not OK to talk trash about the teammates that put you in position to make great plays week after week (TO).
posted by grad2480 at 04:58 PM on September 06, 2005
Great as Rice was, it's hard to give a receiver the "best player ever" title as they always need at least a decent quarterback to get them the ball. What do the rest of you think about that?
posted by sic at 08:41 AM on September 07, 2005
Like baseball, it's difficult to pin the label of "Best Player Ever" on any one player, because of the team concept of those sports. But Jerry Rice is the best receiver ever, hands down. He's one of the few athletes that I think should be forced to play until limbs start falling off...gonna miss watching him play...
posted by MeatSaber at 09:50 AM on September 07, 2005
Best wide receiver in history. Not the best player, but damn sure the best wide receiver ever.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:37 PM on September 07, 2005
Because football is so team oriented, a great player is still always dependent on those around him. If Emmitt Smith hadn't had the most dominant line of his era would he have gotten past Payton? If Elway or Marino had garbage lines would they have gotten their passes off? Although it seems like it sometimes Jim Brown didn't run over 11 guys to get to the end zone. Football is the one sport where you can't take over a game by yourself. The problem I have is that Rice gets discriminated against in this discussion because he's a wide receiver. All included, records, pressure performances, career longevity, Rice's resume stacks up against anyone, quarterback, running back, receiver, defensive player, whatever.
posted by grad2480 at 09:21 PM on September 07, 2005
Wide receivers will always lose to running backs, until they learn to throw themselves the ball. As great as Rice was, don't go forgetting that he played with two Hall of Fame quarterbacks and a Hall of Fame coach/general manager. I think Rice would still have been a great talent without them, but it sure didn't hurt him to have Montana, Young, and Walsh around him.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 02:41 PM on September 08, 2005
I wish he'd retired after the '03 season. If he'd stuck around this year, it would've been a case of "the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce."
posted by alumshubby at 06:17 PM on September 08, 2005
I agree. The Raiders years were OK, with some continued production. Seattle and Denver ended up being mistakes. I'll never consider those having tarnished his rep, though.
posted by dyams at 08:49 AM on September 09, 2005
Jerry Rice maybe the best ever, but I for one am glad he decided to go. Towards the end he looked way too much like "Starving Marvin" on South Park to be a football player. But hats off to the legend...