Why Barry Sanders walked away

[1a2b3c]

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/sports/article.adp?id=20031125152709990001


"Among all the runners to play the game," William Sanders used to say, to Barry and anyone who would listen, "Jim Brown was a man among boys."

William had seen his son win the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma State in 1988, and had seen him chosen by the Detroit Lions with the third selection of the 1989 NFL draft. The father had also seen his son win Rookie of the Year honors in his first season, and had seen him dazzle the game with moves so breathtaking they made grown men sit up and cry out in disbelief. But the old man continued to tell the young man that the bigger player (Brown was 6-foot-2, 230) from three decades before was a better player than the smaller player (Barry was 5-8, 200) from the 1990s.

"I’ve never been fond of public attention or a lot of dealing with the media. I don’t mean to sound aloof; being in the spotlight just isn’t in my nature… I never valued so much that I thought it was worth my dignity or Walter’s dignity to pursue it amid so much media and marketing attention."

Barry Sanders has no second thoughts about his decision to leave the game -- or about the stealthy way he did it (he announced it in a note to the Wichita Eagle on July 27, 1999 without talking to the Lions) -- but he does regret the fact that he and the Lions had so little team success during his decade there. In the book, he is candid about what he believes are management failures in retaining key players and building team cohesiveness.

So add ‘em up for Barry Sanders -- the 15,269 yards, the 5.0 average (second only to Jim Brown’s 5.2), the 109 touchdowns (after every one of which he simply handed the ball to an official), the 10 Pro Bowl selections, the four rushing titles (and three second-place finishes), the 76 100-yard games, the Rookie of the Year award in ’89, the Player of the Year honor in ’97 -- and, for him, it still comes down to 0 for 10 in the Motor City.


Sorry to put this in late breaking news, since its only sports news, but i love Barry Sanders. Barry and i both share the same hometown. I got to follow Barry while he was in high school. I drive by his home football field. He was the greatest to play the game in my opinion and its sad to not see him playing the Packers on Thanksgiving.

[MrSlayer]

1. Barry was incredible.

A great runner and a class act to boot. You never saw dancing, taunting or pulling off his helmet when he scored, he just gave the ball to the ref. The best in my lifetime for sure.