Put Me in Coach!

Aaron Rodgers at Training Camp  8/6/2009 dwm photo

Editor's caution - this may take on "Get off my lawn" qualities... read at your own risk.

I believe it is during the last 10 - 15 years when I started hearing about professional athletes sitting out games or getting rest to "save" them for a future game or when games really count.

Over that time, the notion became more popular, where some college football players are choosing not to play in a Bowl game so they can stay healthy and get ready for the National Football League draft.

Veteran and starting NFL players take precious few snaps in the preseason in fear of an injury that might prevent them playing regular season games.

Now, during the regular season - the talking heads and talk show hosts chime in that various big-name players shouldn't play once their club is eliminated from the play-offs to avoid getting hurt.

I understand the perspective of a college player wanting to preserve his or her draft stock, but professional athletes I expect them to holler, "Put me in coach!  I'm ready to play.  Today."

The players do want to play, I believe.

The on-air conversationalists discount getting hurt while staying in game shape or becoming injured in a car accident on the way home from the practice field.

Do they think non-playing players live inside Bubble-wrap?

In some cases, precautions are necessary.  Sometimes teams have to protect players from themselves.

There is fantastic quote from Joe DiMaggio that applies (the same idea was echoed by Michael Jordan more recently) when the famous Yankee Clipper responded to a reporter's question.

“The reporter asked, "why did you play so hard?"

"Because there might have been somebody in the stands today who'd never seen my play before, and might never see me again"

-Joe DiMaggio

Professionals are highly compensated because of their short careers and the many people who want to see them play.

With two games left for the out-of-the-running Green Bay Packers (or other teams) it makes sense that if playing isn't reckless - they should play.

Here in Cheeseland, there are calls for Aaron Rodgers to sit; to his credit, he wants to play.  So do several other Packers who could be advised to sit out the last two games.

I liked hearing left tackle David Bakhtiari say he is paid to play 16 games and if he can get out there, he is going to play.

I'm pretty sure you and I would say the same thing if we had the chance.

Risk is a fact of life for all of us whatever we do - we can't and shouldn't avoid living to avoid getting hurt (physically or emotionally).  When we do - we miss living.

Live today.