Thursday, April 5, 2001
[ NFL HAWAII ]
Rice in town They called him Flash. Flash 80, even if he never turned in the fastest times, even if he never really looked that fast, comparatively speaking, to the rest of us from the safety of our living rooms.
to promote his
foundation’s tour
Former 49ers great says he
can still be productive
in the NFLBy Kalani Simpson
Star-BulletinNo, he was never a speed demon. Just the best there ever was.
Not fast? Try telling that to the guys who had to stop him. All they knew he was in front of them, and then he was behind them. And then he was plucking footballs out of the sky, never, never breaking that gazelle stride of his, like he was the only player on the field. He was gone. He was already gone, with that smooth, powerful gallop, for a touchdown. For more touchdowns than anyone in NFL history.
Nobody could catch Jerry Rice. Nobody had a chance.
But then time started to gain ground.
Time catches all of us eventually. Athletically, it gets most of us early.
But Jerry Rice, in town to promote his Jerry Rice 127 Foundation Hawaii Tour, knows no such notion. His belly is full, but his soul tells him he's still hungry. That he can still do it. That he still needs to do it.
"I think that, you know, I can still be productive. I can still bring something to the table," he said yesterday.
And so he presses on, even though we can see the difference between 1987, when he was league MVP, one of the best players in professional football history, and 2000, when he wasn't.
And so even though he has had his retirement ceremony with the San Francisco 49ers, he is not retired. He refused to take the gentle, then not so gentle hints from his employers. He refused to bow out quietly. He'll wear a new uniform next season.
"I think we're going to have an opportunity to make a statement somewhere," he said. "I'm looking forward to it."
But even he acknowledges that time has taken its toll. That he may have to adapt his game to his newfound limitations. He's hanging on, fighting now, he's no longer Flash. And that's OK.
"There's a lot of young guys out there, that as a veteran, there's something I can pass on to them," he said.
You want to believe Rice when he tells you he can still play. He's very convincing with his smooth, easy smile and warm, droopy eyes. He looks young. He looks good. You know what you've seen, on the field, on the TV screen. But after hearing it from Rice's own lips, you're sure that he can pull it off for another year. Or maybe two.
It's like the end of the night, when everyone knows the party is long over, and your friend is telling you he is fine, that he can take his keys. He looks good and he sounds good and you have no reason to doubt him, except that you know what has gone on all night. And so even though he has convinced you, and you let him go, in the back of your mind you still wonder.
And pray he'll make it home.
(Proceeds from Rice's various charity sporting events will benefit the local chapters of the March of Dimes, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Easter Seals).