The Leader

Issue date: 8/30/06 Section: Sports

If you remember the original Dream Team from the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, then you will probably appreciate this article. The other day I happened to catch highlights of Dwyane Wade, Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony throwing down spectacular jams in the preliminary round of the world basketball championships. This made me recall the days of Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and, of course, Michael Jordan. Then I began to think—how many of the athletes that I watched as a kid are around anymore?

 

I am 22 years old now and remember very clearly when Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning were rookies. I still think of them as young players for some reason, and then I see a Miami Heat game and watch their old legs struggle to haul their aging bodies up and down the court and it hits me that my generation of superstar athletes are almost completely gone.

 

In baseball, Barry Bonds is a far cry from the speedy Pittsburg Pirate that I remember, and Ken Griffey Jr. is anything but a “Kid” (his nickname) anymore. Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz are still around from that daunted Atlanta Braves pitching staff I loved to hate, but only Smoltz is still with the Braves and I do not know what the heck ever happened to Steve Avery. Furthermore, all of these guys are getting very close to retirement.

 

Football is even worse. After what seemed like 100 consecutive Super Bowl appearances, the Buffalo Bills have not won an AFC championship since 1993. All the superstars from that era have since retired—no more Bruce or Emmitt Smith and no more Deon or Barry Sanders. But hey, Brett Favre is still hanging around!

 

Sorry hockey fans, but I never really got into the NHL so there will be no stories of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux or Ray Bourque. I did, however, dig professional wrestling! And that sure as hell has changed. No more Bret Hart or Arn Anderson; now we have to put up with WWE Diva matches and Mark Henry. Although there are some guys in professional wrestling that seem like they are never going to retire—Ric Flair has been doing his thing since 1973!

 

I know I am not very old, but I feel like it when I look up and down sports rosters these days. When I say that to my grandpa, he just laughs and says, “Wait until all of the players from your generation are dead!”

 

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