Nothing Last Forever

by Julian Martinez

"... and here's the throw from Markakis. Richardson is safe, Derek Jeter ends his final game
with a walk-off single. Derek Jeter, where fantasy becomes reality."

That was the call from Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay as Derek Jeter made his final 
at-bat in front of the home crowd. That swing propelled the Yankees to a 6-5 victory over
division rival Baltimore Orioles. This swing of the bat was the perfect punctuation point on a
20 year career. 

From the time he was drafted in 1992 to his final at-bat in 2014, Jeter wore pinstripes. This is
a rather uncommon sight to see in todays sporting environment. 

It is never easy to see a franchise player put on another jersey. Chicago sports fans had to
cope with seeing Michael Jordan as a Wizard, the Bay Area bemoaned the sight of Montana
in Kansas City.

To Montana's credit he led the Chiefs to two playoff berths and a conference
championship game. Jordan as a Wizard averaged 20 points per game but his teams
failed to make the NBA postseason both years he was there. This coming NFL season we
will see two notable players wearing different laundry when the NFL begins year 101.

Philip Rivers the longtime quarterback of the San Diego / Los
Angeles Chargers signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Rivers NFL journey
began in 2004 following one of the more memorable draft day trades in league history. He
began as the back-up quarterback to future Hall of Famer Drew Brees and upon Brees'
departure started every game for the team between 2006-2019.

The second was the biggest storyline of this entire off-season. Tom Brady, the 199th
selection in the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady, the six-time Super Bowl champion and three-time
league's Most Valuable Player. Brady, the unquestioned greatest of all-time. Brady, the
newest member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The idea of Brady wearing anything other than a New England Patriots' jersey seemed so
unfathomable, many dismissed it early on. However, the fractures in his relationship with
Bill Belichick grew daily. Following a phone call that reportedly "didn't go well" it was all but
a done deal he would be elsewhere. The question  was where and on Tuesday, March 17,
2020 we got our answer. 

For both these quarterbacks the question remains, where will their career fall on the 
Montana-Jordan spectrum. Maybe one of these two even has a Peyton Manning run left in
them. The questions we already know the answer to though is both are leaving behind
fan bases that will greatly miss them.

It so happens on the Slumpbuster media staff we have two examples of that and below are
their thoughts.. Although Brady and Rivers have chosen a new path for themselves in many
ways they became family to those that grew up admiring them. As a famous disney movie
once said "family means nobody gets left behind... or forgotten."

Dear Philip Rivers

​Hello, my name is Aris Blakeney. Let me start off by giving you some of my back story. I’m a 26-year-old Chargers fan. I live in Albuquerque New Mexico, and I was born in San Diego. So, as you can probably deduce, I’m a Chargers fan. New Mexico doesn’t have an NFL team, so most teams prevalent here are the Cowboys, Broncos and Raiders. However, if you look hard enough you can find just about any team here in town.
 
 I wasn’t always a Chargers fan, however. I was actually raised, as many children are with their parents’ team, a Cowboys fan. I have many baby and young child pictures with Cowboys hats, t shirts, and jerseys. I have autographs from Emmitt Smith and Herschel Walker.
 
I have always loved the game of football. I have played since 3rd grade up through senior year in high school. I’ve also coached and been a referee. I’ve continued my love for the game into adult hood by leading a fantasy league and participating in 2 others and by joining forces with a few friends and creating a sports podcast. And it’s a damn good podcast I might add.
 
As a kid you really don’t pay too much attention to the games on tv, you just watch because your family is watching the games. You don’t know the nuances of the game. The only thing you know is that your team is good and every other team sucks.
 
My first real memory of the NFL came in January 8th, 2005. A playoff game, NY Jets vs SD Chargers. I was in the 5th grade. I remember that game vividly. The chargers lost on a game winning field goal in overtime. It was during that game that I realized the city I was born in San Diego had a football team. The city where I live would never have get an NFL team, but there I was watching a NFL game with a team from where I was born. It was in that moment that my heart burst with joy and I made a decision from then on, I would be a San Diego Chargers fan!
 
The 2005 2006 season was the first time I really paid attention to the NFL. The team went 9-7 and I couldn’t be happier because I finally had a team of my own to cheer for. From then on, I’ve been there following every triumph and every heart break. From LT breaking the td record to every painstaking playoff loss. I even stuck with the team when it broke my heart and left San Diego for Los Angles. It was a rough transition going from a team from my hometown to the los angles chargers. But through all the ups and downs there has been on constant, you.
 
My first season as a fan, in 6th grade, the team’s quarterback was Drew Brees. However, after that season I’ve only known one thing. I have an ironman at quarterback. He’s a fiery and competitive guy who is super fun to watch and cheer for. Your drive, passion, and chirpiness during the game made a lot of people around the league hate you. But those same qualities made me a bigger fan of yours and the teams. I would love to look for mic’ed up videos of you during the games just to listen and laugh. I’ve always respected that you would never curse and used phrases like degummed and Christ all mighty.
 
I know the move to LA was hard for everyone. Some fans left the team, and few stayed loyal. I know you had your reservations about the move and opted to keep your family in San Diego and make the trek to LA every day. Even though you made that journey in style I still know it was a sacrifice, and I applaud you for your professionalism.
 
To the layman you were “terrible” last year. But if you actually sit down and look at the film you see a different story. We had numerous injuries across the offensive line. You were getting no help and under constant pressure. While under scrutiny from media and fans you didn’t pass any blame and again your professionalism shined through.
 
One glaring problems the Chargers have always had is they don’t know how to handle its superstars towards the end of their careers. Just a few to mention are LT, Weddle, Gates, and now you. These are just some recent examples, there are more with some of the superstars of the past.  
 
With all this said that leads us to today. You still want to play, and I believe you can at a high level. However, the Chargers didn’t believe you fit their vision any longer. So now we sit here with the Chargers riding with Tyrod Taylor, at the time of this writing, and you rolling with the Colts. The Colts are getting a heck of a quarterback and an ever-better person. Luckily the chargers don’t play the Colts in 2020, so I don’t have to cheer against you.
 
Mr. Rivers I just have one final thing to say to you. THANK YOU! Your football life is my football fan life. They have gone hand in hand up to this point. I have become a bigger Chargers fan because of you. It will be very odd to see #17 in a Colts uniform and not that beautiful powder blues. I will not curse your name or burn your jersey, but I will say thank you. That you for giving your all and playing through injuries and leaving it all on the field. So, in conclusion good luck next year and I hope you continue adding to your sure-fire hall of fame resume.
 
Sincerely a die-hard fan,
Aris Blakeney 

Dear Tom Brady

​ As astonishing as it might sounds, thinking back on the past 20 years you have spent with us, I don't think about all the playoff runs or championships.  I don't think about the MVP awards or the countless records you've broken.  I think about the unparalleled dedication you showed along the way.
 
    Tom Brady started playing football when he was a freshman in high school. After sitting on the bench for his first year on a JV team that didn't score a single touchdown that year, he eventually became the starter his following year.  In his 28 years since becoming a starter, he has never had a losing season.  This achievement is, by far, his most incredible and underappreciated stat.
 
    Despite this, he has never had an easy path.  He has been doubted his entire career from being the seventh in line for the starting spot at Michigan when he arrived to then being the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft.  Tom Brady has never stopped fighting to prove to people what he is capable of anything.
 
    He finally got his opportunity to prove himself in 2001 after Drew Bledsoe, the Patriots starter at the time, went down after a brutal hit while play against the division rival Jets. Tom came in and won that game, and one every game that season after that, leading the Patriots to their first-ever Superbowl title.
 
    Since then, he has achieved more than any player in NFL history.  He has ascended to the level to be considered the greatest of all time.  What makes Brady unique, though, is he has never let any of his successes get to his head or let him get complacent. He is the ultimate teammate and the ultimate competitor.
 
    This is the real reason I look up to Tom Brady. At the end of the day, he's just an average guy who works his ass off, cares about the people around him, and does his job to the best of his abilities.  He is a man we could all look to be like.  That Tom is why I thank you
 
Sincerely,
 
Bob

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Julian "Ju-Ju" Martinez

Host of The Slumpbuster Podcast;
​Former Staff Writer at NMSU Round-Up

Robert "Bob" Hrbek

NBA Contributor

Aris "The Fantasy Aristotle" Blakeney

Host of the Slumpbuster FFB Podcast

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