04/18/24
August 20, 2006
Rice To Retire With 49ers Next Week.: I like the move to sign a contract with San Francisco and then immediately retire. Somehow the idea of him retiring from any other team just wouldn't seem right. Just as I'm sure he'll be presented as a Niner when he goes into the Hall of Fame. The halftime honors in Nov is a nice touch. I'm not an SF fan, but I'll still miss watching him play.
posted by commander cody to football at 02:09 AM - 25 comments
I give Jerry rice the credit for common sense that Junior Seau lacks! Rice has been a standout receiver for years and is still better than alot of the younger ones, on top of the fact that he always did his job with class as opposed to the showboating that goes on today. A bengals receiver comes to mind!
posted by brownindian at 08:10 AM on August 20, 2006
Would that Bengals receiver be name Chris Collinsworth? lol
posted by panteeze at 08:16 AM on August 20, 2006
Great career, decent man. Even his legendary training regimen could not forestall the inevitable,and few worked harder at their craft. That he retires as a 'niner is fitting, with Joe, Steve, Ronnie, and the other members of those great teams.
posted by mjkredliner at 08:49 AM on August 20, 2006
Greatest of all time. Yes. But should have retired 3 to 4 years ago. Wasn't a fan though. Thought he was kinda of an egotistic. That Monday night game at home against the Lions comes to mind, jumping up and down like a school girl after Herman Moore came one reception short of leading in receptions. Then boasting about his "victory" lead. Please.
posted by Cyr78 at 09:02 AM on August 20, 2006
Jerry was always a class act to watch. Retiring with any other team than the 49ers would not have been right. Jerry and Joe, Joe and Jerry. These names should always be said as one.
posted by tedjc at 09:06 AM on August 20, 2006
Good for him, it's been great watching him all of these years. The only thing bad I have to say about him is when he tried growing dreadlocks. The shiny dome was a much better look, in my opinion.
posted by wingnut4life at 09:57 AM on August 20, 2006
I'd like to see Rice suit up for one more game in San Francisco (preferably on a Monday night) , make one more catch for a gain, and then walk off to a thunderous standing ovation that he deserves. I believe that a player of his achievements should have such a shining moment on that field.
posted by judgedread at 10:13 AM on August 20, 2006
Let me be the voice of dissent because I don't like this trend of signing with the old team to retire. The 49ers decided that they didn't want him as he aged and Jerry Rice decided to hold on a long time. Now, everyone wants to pretend like none of that happened and, even worse, that none of it mattered. He should retire as a Bronco since they were the only ones who wanted to give him a chance when he was well past his prime.
posted by bperk at 10:18 AM on August 20, 2006
I can't say as I agree, bperk. Although I do feel these signings-for-retirement's-sake are a bit lame, Rice will always be remembered, in football history, as a 49er. Just because teams have to move on with personnel moves, for whatever reason (some working out, some not), doesn't mean he shouldn't be somehow linked, at the end, with the team he enjoyed his greatest accomplishments with. I've always believed Rice should have called it quits a few years back, but that's his call, and he earned the right to hang on if he felt like it. When Jerry Rice has his name mentioned 20 years or so from now, those who watched him will automatically delve into stories of him with Joe Montana, Roger Craig and John Taylor, not with any of the Raiders, Seahawks, or Broncos.
posted by dyams at 10:34 AM on August 20, 2006
I am in the camp that says Rice should have retired a long time ago. There is just a peak when greatness becomes mediocre. Being from Green Bay I emphatically say the same thing about Brett Favre. I do think Rice should have announced his retirement before minicamp. It may have affected the Niners draft picks. No doubt he is a hall of famer, I saw him catch a lot of passes that seemed uncatchable.
posted by Psycho at 11:40 AM on August 20, 2006
Jerry Rice is the reason I watch football today.he is no doubt the greatest receiver,and one of the top players overall.I do have to wonder however what this is about.he retired last year.why are they waiting until now to do this?I think it is just a p.r. stunt.if football would make the changes necessary that would enable teams to keep their stars,these symbolic contracts would not exist.it's a damn shame that rice,lott,craig,and many other did not really retire as 49ers.
posted by mars1 at 11:57 AM on August 20, 2006
I'm a Niners and a Jerry Rice fan, live in the Bay area. However I agree with some others here, he played a little too long. My only fear about this retirement thing is that once they sign him to the short contract, he'll insist on going out there!!!!!!!!!
posted by robslob at 12:35 PM on August 20, 2006
I think that most of these sign and retire contracts are more for the sake of the player and management to show that they have discussed what happened before and put it behind them. The Cowboys did the samething with Emmit. I don't have a problem with it but I could live with out it. I also think that Rice shouldn't have retied before last year. He was still one of the top possetion recievers in the league over the last few years. Didn't have the speed or the jumping but he could still make some awsome catches. One of the best players of all time I think.
posted by kidrayter2005 at 12:36 PM on August 20, 2006
I too am one who thinks he should have retired a few years ago, but still it's not like he embarrassed himself the last few years. He just wasn't quite up to his outstanding best. As for retiring with his old team it is sort of lame, but it doesn't hurt anyone so what the hell.
posted by commander cody at 12:51 PM on August 20, 2006
Let me get this straight. In this era of players being on 5 or 6 teams in a 10 year career, a guy who spent the vast majority of his stellar career with one team shouldn't retire with them? Why? Because, at the end, the team needed to rebuild for their future and it wasn't practical to keep him, while he knew he still could contribute and couldn't stand to quit yet? I'm not sure I agreed with the 9ers, but apparently Rice understood it. He spent his entire adult life driving himself until the tank was beyond E and the fumes were gone, too. It wasn't realistic to expect him to retire when he knew he still had something left. That doesn't change his history. Jerry is, and always will be, a 9'er at heart. He wants to retire as one. The team wants him to, as well. I can't see why it would be a big deal to anyone. Some of these one day deals may be stupid. This one is definitely not.
posted by ctal1999 at 01:19 PM on August 20, 2006
Goodbye Mr. Rice and thank you for all the memories. You will always be a 49er to me. And has for those he think he should have retired a few years ago, maybe, maybe not, he showed us the age catches up to all of us.
posted by redwolf at 02:10 PM on August 20, 2006
You will be missed Jerry ! You and Joe will always be # 1 in my Heart !
posted by chieffette at 02:33 PM on August 20, 2006
I think we all forgot one big aspect in the whole Rice/49er thing. The niners wanted to keep him, it's just that their salary cap would have made him take a pay cut when they signed him as a restricted free agent, and he wouldn't do that. They would have loved to have him on for another few years
posted by zachaweenus at 02:36 PM on August 20, 2006
I'm really sick of hearing people say he should have retired years ago. F that. It's his life and if he wants to play until he's 70 who the f are we to tell him no. Just like i should not be able to tell you when to retire from your chosen career we should shut our mouths about sports figures. The only sport wich i belive it is acceptable is boxing due to health problems exe. Ali. Other than that it's his life to live. Shut Up.
posted by tupacalypse at 03:39 PM on August 20, 2006
Greatest of all time. Yes. But should have retired 3 to 4 years ago. Wasn't a fan though. Thought he was kinda of an egotistic. That Monday night game at home against the Lions comes to mind, jumping up and down like a school girl after Herman Moore came one reception short of leading in receptions. Then boasting about his "victory" lead. Please. If he was egotistic then what is T.O.? or Chad johnson? Being excited about keeping a record or someone else not breaking it is part of he game. Don't bad mouth the GREATEST of all time because of one incident.
posted by Babyb at 10:35 PM on August 20, 2006
The sign-and-retire gimmick is a PR stunt that's utterly meaningless. Rice didn't retire as a 49er except in the most superficial sense, but I guess it's a good excuse to celebrate a great player's run with the team and get the press to write about it again. If I were Rice, I wouldn't want to come back to the team that dumped me. But the move's probably motivated by marketing as much as nostalgia, since he's most saleable in San Fran.
posted by rcade at 11:06 PM on August 20, 2006
Jerry Rice is an important part of 49er history without the charade. I don't even know that anyone will remember whether he signed as a 49er or not.
posted by bperk at 10:03 AM on August 21, 2006
The current Niner owners need all of the good press and ticket sales that they can get. This is a much better deal for the Yorks than for Rice.
posted by irunfromclones at 04:50 PM on August 21, 2006
Maybe it is clones, but if it wasn't what Jerry wanted, he could (and, I have no doubt, would) tell the 9ers to stick it and retire in silver and black. He ends up happy, the fans end up happy, and the team gets a much needed boost. Seems like it makes sense for the entire city of San Fran.
posted by ctal1999 at 10:46 PM on August 21, 2006
great wide receiver, probably the greatest. But like holyfield, he should have retired before last year. Congrats Jerry, you were fun to watch.