Making The Right Moves

High school and college when players eligibility is up they move on. There are no decisions made whether they need to put a player on injured reserve, when the player career is over there is no lingering effect as to how much longer a player can play at their level and age.

Pro sports if they find someone better than you, you are out the door looking for work. Two years ago the Green Bay Packers made the decision Brett Favre was on the back side of greatness. Looking at Green bay they made a good decision.

2008 Favre's quarterback rating was 81 while his replacement Aaron Rogers was 93. So far this year Favre has had his greatest year ever and he has a 108 quarterback rating. His replacement Aaron Rogers has a QB rating of 103. Yes Favre is having a great year but Green Bay's decision two years ago was the right one for the Green Bay Packers.

Four years ago San Diego decided to let Drew Brees go and he left for New Orleans. Bree's first four years in San Diego he had a QB rating of 85, His replacement the next four years Philip Rivers has been 95.6 which after last Sunday's games make him the #1 active quarterback in the NFL at quarterback rating second all time only to Steve Young at 96.7..

To give you some perspective of quarterback ratings the average all time rating is 77. Brees since he has been in New Orleans is at 99. His career rating is 91.4. Brett Favre's career QB rating is 86. The point I'm trying to make here is everyone New Orleans, San Diego, and Green Bay have all won at the decisions that were made.

Now the other side of the coin is when players can't make the plays any more. The Carolina Hurricanes are faced with that dilemma. My favorite player from the day the Hurricanes got him from the Philadelphia was Rod Brind'Amour Who can forget his goal in the Stanley Cup when he stole the puck and scored on a vacant net when Brind'Amour caught the goalie behind the net. It won game one in 2006.

17 missed most of the 2008 season with a knee injury and at his age he has never gotten back to being Rod Brind'Amour. He's 39 now and was a healthy scratch for the Hurricanes last night. I think it is time for Brind'Amour to retire. He should be the next number to hang in the rafters at the RBC. The Hurricanes found a place for Ron Francis when he retired, they need to find Roddie a desk at the RBC. He's been to good a Hurricane to let go.

Rod Brind'Amour could help the Hurricane decision by retiring. I would really hate to see him finish this year somewhere else and then retire.