There are lots of ways to classify athletes and one of them is time.
You can be an apple-cheeked rookie, a veteran with experience, a grizzled veteran with lots of experience. You can also be a guy who is living on his reputation – somebody who once had a lot to offer but someone who the world has passed by.
It's a rare athlete who knows when the only thing keeping him in the game is his reputation, his past exploits. But you can find them in almost every sport. Some people would argue that Brett Favre is a prime example.
I was reminded of this again last week when Andy Roddick was bounced from Wimbledon. Here's a compilation of some of the guys whose futures are all behind them.
Andy Roddick – He's only 29 and he's married to Brooklyn Decker, so life can't be all that bad. But he got ousted at Wimbledon in straight sets by a nobody. When was the last time that you can remember Roddick being in the hunt in a major tournament? It's been a long, long while. He won the U. S. Open in 2003, but that was eight years and 32 major tournaments ago. At one point he had a serve that turned opponents inside out. He still has a big serve but now it gets handled. American men's tennis is so bad that we all still pin our hopes on Roddick, but the odds are his career as a threat in majors is just about over.
Tiger Woods – When last we saw him, he was trudging off after shooting a 42 on the front nine of the Player's Championship. That's a 42. His leg hurt. Some reporters saw him skipping up a flight of stairs after he withdrew. Bad leg? Hmmmmm. I don't think Tiger has turned into a dog, but his life has been full of deceit. Just ask his former wife. He may be lying about the injury. Maybe the thrill, the drive, the pursuit of Jack Nicklaus, is gone. Everybody keeps saying "just wait until Tiger gets back." But the last time he won was two years ago. And now there are so many good young players that the idea of the rest of the field being afraid of him seems ridiculous.
Shaq – I know he has decided to retire, but it probably comes a couple of years too late. The only thing bigger than Shaq was Shaq's reputation. People thought that Shaq could be the missing piece to help them win a title, when the only thing missing was his ability to get up and down the floor. As incredible as it sounds, he became a player who could be pushed around in the last couple of years. This from a man who played the game like a rock and owned the area around the basket.
Donald Driver – I know this seems like heresy, but Driver is now living on his reputation and it might well be time for him to hang up his cleats. I know he's a wonderful guy with perhaps the best smile in the world. He does a lot for charity and is the kind of athlete who is a great role model for kids. Last year his receiving yards dropped by 50 percent from a season earlier. He's as tough as ever, but he doesn't have the speed he used to have and his body seems to be paying a toll for all of the brutal hits he's taken over the years. It's probably wise to say goodbye to Driver while his image still sparkles.
David Stern – In 1982 I was in the first row of a very crowded bus taking people from the hotel to the NBA All-Star game in New Jersey. This short little guy got on the bus and sat down across the aisle from me. A blonde, his wife I was sure, moved to sit on his lap. He nearly spat on the floor as he said, "Are you trying to wrinkle my pants? Sit somewhere else." It was Stern and the incident was a glimpse into the man who was to become NBA commissioner. Stern has presided over an unprecedented period of growth and expansion for the league. He's used his skills and brains and ruthless nature to guide the league. But his time is over. He has become a tool of the owners. He doesn't lead this league, he just follows the wishes of the owners who are determined to break the players' union. If anyone is serious about fixing what's wrong with the NBA, they need to find a new commissioner.
Danica Patrick – This is a tough one for me. She's beautiful. She's colorful. She is the GoDaddy girl and has been in two Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. She may be moving to NASCAR full-time. If so, she stands a chance to resurrect her career. She has a reputation bigger than just about any other race car driver. But she doesn't have the record to support it. She is in danger of becoming Anna Kournikova (although that may not be an all bad thing). But right now she lives off her reputation not her performance.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.
Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
