SkyNet
09-05-2005, 10:59 PM
saw this on the news tonight... its a real shame Nolan didnt let him finish his career with one more season as a 49er, so he could end his career as a 49er. Im not a huge fan of Nolan to be honest, even though i love the 49ers. Its a damn shame, his career had to end this way... He was gonna be a 4th string reciever for the Broncos, and he just decided to call it quits. I hope he can step up into Broadcasting now though... maybe he can get on with Steve Young, that'd be fucking awesome!
Here is the article thanks to NFL.com
Rice's Brilliant Career Ends
Announces Retirement After 20 NFL Seasons
*** UPDATED 8:33 P.M. MDT ***
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When Jerry Rice is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame six years from now, the engraved plaque below his bronze bust will bear no mention of the summer he spent trying to eke one more season out of his brilliant career.
VIDEO: RICE'S PRESS CONFERENCE
RICE: A CAREER IN PHOTOS
But those who shared meeting rooms and a locker room with Rice will remember the three months where he donned jersey number 19, seeking only one more chance to contribute -- a chance that ended Monday when Rice opted to retire rather than be the No. 4 wide receiver and face deactivation during some weeks of the season to come.
"He'll have a lasting impact on everybody in this organization," Head Coach Mike Shanahan said. "I really believe he's the best player to play the game."
NFL history may forget that Rice was a part of the Broncos, because he leaves without playing in a regular-season game or making a regular-season catch. The Broncos, however, will not.
"When he goes in the Hall of Fame -- which they should do tomorrow, why waste time? -- we shared a little bit in that," wide receiver Rod Smith said. "Even though there wasn't a regular-season catch or anything like that, we shared a little bit in that."
The final sharing came in the team meeting room, just moments after it had cleared of dozens of reporters and cameras there to chronicle the press conference at which Rice announced his retirement. After his teammates had assumed their usual perches in the chairs of the room, Rice walked in and spoke to the Broncos one more time before departing.
"For him to explain to us what made him different -- and that's something that he shared with everybody in that room -- that's why I say his impact is going to be here," Smith said. "When we go out on the football field, he's out there with us, because a part of him is in all of us, the words of encouragement and seeing how he went about his business. It's awesome."
Added Shanahan: "He just walked up on stage and everyone -- players and coaches -- stood up and gave him a standing ovation."
Rice will still know that he gave it his best, that when his career ended, it came to a close with nothing left undone, not even one last opportunity left unexplored. That may be the lingering memory that the Broncos have of the NFL's all-time leading pass-catcher, who announced his retirement at a Monday morning press conference, just two hours before his now-former teammates strode onto the field for their first regular-season practice of 2005.
"I think came in and gave it my best shot," Rice said. "I still wanted to play. It didn’t happen. I’m still going to hold my head high and stay positive. I’m still going to watch these guys and support them. I feel like I have a bond with them now. On those given Sundays, I’ll be there watching."
Rice left Broncos headquarters content and certain about his decision. But the moment was not without emotion -- particularly early in his press conference, when the 20-year veteran in tears as he made his opening statement, which included thanks to his coaches, the Broncos and his family.
"I said I wouldn't do this," Rice said, dabbing tears from his eyes as he spoke. "I think the tears that you see (are because) I've really enjoyed this ride. It's been great.
"I never thought I would see this day," Rice added. "I feel pretty good about it."
Shanahan told Rice that he would not be one of the top three receivers and that he couldn't guarantee that he would dress out for every game, citing the presence of three kickers and a long snapper as part of the team's game-day plans.
"I talked to Jerry here a couple days ago and I informed Jerry that he would not be one of our top three wide receivers, and I could not guarantee him ... that he would dress out every game, " Shanahan said. "I told him that I’d still love to have him on this football team, but he’d have to think about that role -- if he’d like to play that role."
Rice pondered the issue over the weekend, then came to his decision that being the No. 4 and potentially watching games in sweats from the sidelines wasn't for him.
"I know you can be productive in other ways, but I felt I had a better chance if I was on the football field," Rice said. "It didn't work out, but I'm still going to hold my head high."
Rice's wife, Jackie, said he called her Saturday while she was watching their son Jerry's football game to tell her the news.
"He dropped it on me at my son's football game," Jackie Rice said. "I was told a little bit before halftime (that he would) not return. Considering the situation here and not being able to be the third receiver, it had a lot to do with it, but I also know a lot of other things had a lot to do with it."
Family, in particular. Rice's eldest daughter began her freshman year at Georgetown University late last month. His two younger children are diving head-long into sports.
"He told my oldest daughter he's coming to visit her at Georgetown," Jackie Rice said. "She's been bragging about how beautiful the Potomac River is, that it's a must-see, that you've got to come visit, so he told her he's coming to visit her this weekend. Our son had his first football game on Saturday, and he's got 15 more to go. Our youngest daughter started her first sporting event, which is volleyball. So I think the kids want him around now. They really want him around."
Added Jerry Rice: "My son -- he’s playing football for the first time this year; he’s a freshman. My daughter just told me walking downstairs, 'Well Dad, you know what? You can come to my volleyball games now.'"
Indeed, that is most important.
"His wife finally gets to get him back after 20 years," Smith said. "His kids are growing up and now he gets to go and be a father again."
And someday, his family will join him when he takes his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There may not be any mention of Denver on his plaque, but there will always be memories of his final NFL days.
"That's a fun group of guys in there," Rice said. "I'm really going to miss them."
http://www.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/Top%20Stories/2005/rice_tears_050905.jpg
Hope he knows how many life long fans he has, ,and just what he has done for the gam ein general
Here is the article thanks to NFL.com
Rice's Brilliant Career Ends
Announces Retirement After 20 NFL Seasons
*** UPDATED 8:33 P.M. MDT ***
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When Jerry Rice is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame six years from now, the engraved plaque below his bronze bust will bear no mention of the summer he spent trying to eke one more season out of his brilliant career.
VIDEO: RICE'S PRESS CONFERENCE
RICE: A CAREER IN PHOTOS
But those who shared meeting rooms and a locker room with Rice will remember the three months where he donned jersey number 19, seeking only one more chance to contribute -- a chance that ended Monday when Rice opted to retire rather than be the No. 4 wide receiver and face deactivation during some weeks of the season to come.
"He'll have a lasting impact on everybody in this organization," Head Coach Mike Shanahan said. "I really believe he's the best player to play the game."
NFL history may forget that Rice was a part of the Broncos, because he leaves without playing in a regular-season game or making a regular-season catch. The Broncos, however, will not.
"When he goes in the Hall of Fame -- which they should do tomorrow, why waste time? -- we shared a little bit in that," wide receiver Rod Smith said. "Even though there wasn't a regular-season catch or anything like that, we shared a little bit in that."
The final sharing came in the team meeting room, just moments after it had cleared of dozens of reporters and cameras there to chronicle the press conference at which Rice announced his retirement. After his teammates had assumed their usual perches in the chairs of the room, Rice walked in and spoke to the Broncos one more time before departing.
"For him to explain to us what made him different -- and that's something that he shared with everybody in that room -- that's why I say his impact is going to be here," Smith said. "When we go out on the football field, he's out there with us, because a part of him is in all of us, the words of encouragement and seeing how he went about his business. It's awesome."
Added Shanahan: "He just walked up on stage and everyone -- players and coaches -- stood up and gave him a standing ovation."
Rice will still know that he gave it his best, that when his career ended, it came to a close with nothing left undone, not even one last opportunity left unexplored. That may be the lingering memory that the Broncos have of the NFL's all-time leading pass-catcher, who announced his retirement at a Monday morning press conference, just two hours before his now-former teammates strode onto the field for their first regular-season practice of 2005.
"I think came in and gave it my best shot," Rice said. "I still wanted to play. It didn’t happen. I’m still going to hold my head high and stay positive. I’m still going to watch these guys and support them. I feel like I have a bond with them now. On those given Sundays, I’ll be there watching."
Rice left Broncos headquarters content and certain about his decision. But the moment was not without emotion -- particularly early in his press conference, when the 20-year veteran in tears as he made his opening statement, which included thanks to his coaches, the Broncos and his family.
"I said I wouldn't do this," Rice said, dabbing tears from his eyes as he spoke. "I think the tears that you see (are because) I've really enjoyed this ride. It's been great.
"I never thought I would see this day," Rice added. "I feel pretty good about it."
Shanahan told Rice that he would not be one of the top three receivers and that he couldn't guarantee that he would dress out for every game, citing the presence of three kickers and a long snapper as part of the team's game-day plans.
"I talked to Jerry here a couple days ago and I informed Jerry that he would not be one of our top three wide receivers, and I could not guarantee him ... that he would dress out every game, " Shanahan said. "I told him that I’d still love to have him on this football team, but he’d have to think about that role -- if he’d like to play that role."
Rice pondered the issue over the weekend, then came to his decision that being the No. 4 and potentially watching games in sweats from the sidelines wasn't for him.
"I know you can be productive in other ways, but I felt I had a better chance if I was on the football field," Rice said. "It didn't work out, but I'm still going to hold my head high."
Rice's wife, Jackie, said he called her Saturday while she was watching their son Jerry's football game to tell her the news.
"He dropped it on me at my son's football game," Jackie Rice said. "I was told a little bit before halftime (that he would) not return. Considering the situation here and not being able to be the third receiver, it had a lot to do with it, but I also know a lot of other things had a lot to do with it."
Family, in particular. Rice's eldest daughter began her freshman year at Georgetown University late last month. His two younger children are diving head-long into sports.
"He told my oldest daughter he's coming to visit her at Georgetown," Jackie Rice said. "She's been bragging about how beautiful the Potomac River is, that it's a must-see, that you've got to come visit, so he told her he's coming to visit her this weekend. Our son had his first football game on Saturday, and he's got 15 more to go. Our youngest daughter started her first sporting event, which is volleyball. So I think the kids want him around now. They really want him around."
Added Jerry Rice: "My son -- he’s playing football for the first time this year; he’s a freshman. My daughter just told me walking downstairs, 'Well Dad, you know what? You can come to my volleyball games now.'"
Indeed, that is most important.
"His wife finally gets to get him back after 20 years," Smith said. "His kids are growing up and now he gets to go and be a father again."
And someday, his family will join him when he takes his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There may not be any mention of Denver on his plaque, but there will always be memories of his final NFL days.
"That's a fun group of guys in there," Rice said. "I'm really going to miss them."
http://www.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/Top%20Stories/2005/rice_tears_050905.jpg
Hope he knows how many life long fans he has, ,and just what he has done for the gam ein general