MONDAY COMMENTARY – KEEP GOING

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

AS I WAS DRIVING BACK THROUGH THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS ON THE WINDING TRANSCANADA HIGHWAY SUNDAY, A NOTIFICATION POPPED UP ON MY PHONE THAT TOM BRADY HAS ENDED HIS RETIREMENT AFTER JUST 40 DAYS, AND WILL RETURN TO THE NFL FOR A 23^RD SEASON.

THE INITIAL REACTION, WAS A SMILE. I LOVE TB12, AND FIGURED HE JUST COULDN’T STAY AWAY.

I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM CANMORE, WHERE I’D WATCHED AN AJHL PLAYOFF GAME AND SPENT THE PAST WEEK DISCUSSING WITH PLAYERS AND PARENTS THEIR FUTURES.

SUNDAY WAS AN ELIMINATION GAME FOR THE EAGLES, AND MANY OF THE KIDS WERE FACING THE END OF THEIR JUNIOR CAREERS. FORTUNATELY THEY WON, TO STAVE OFF THE INEVITABLE FOR AT LEAST A FEW MORE DAYS OR WEEKS.

BUT IT TOOK ME BACK TO ALL MY YEARS IN JUNIOR HOCKEY, WHERE THE 20-YEAR OLDS ALWAYS FACED THAT REALLY SCARY REALITY OF WHAT TO DO WHEN IT’S OVER.

THESE PLAYERS ARE CONSIDERING CANADIAN UNIVERSITY – WHETHER THEY STILL PLAY HOCKEY OR NOT – BUT ALSO U.S. COLLEGES OR TRYING THEIR HAND IN THE PRO’S WHERE THEY MAY ONLY EARN 500-DOLLARS U.S. PER WEEK. OF COURSE THERE’S ALWAYS THE OPTION OF HANGING UP THE BLADES AND ENTERING THE WORKFORCE.

ONE WELL-GRIZZLED DAD, A MINER FROM B.C., AGREED WITH ME THE KIDS HAVE THE REST OF THEIR LIFE TO WORK. THE MINE’S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE, BUT THE HOCKEY WON’T.

SO BACK TO TOM BRADY, WHO ACHIEVED WHAT SO FEW PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES ACTUALLY GET TO – TO LEAVE ON THEIR OWN TERMS AND RIDE OFF INTO THE SUNSET WITH NO REGRETS.

BUT HE WOULD’VE HAD A REGRET. AS TOM HIMSELF SAID, HE BELONGS ON THE FIELD AND NOT IN THE STANDS.

SO WHETHER YOU’RE A 44-YEAR OLD QUARTERBACK, A 20-YEAR OLD HOCKEY PLAYER, A MIDDLE-AGED FARMER OR A GREYING BROADCASTER, YOU’RE BEST TO KEEP GOING UNTIL SOMEONE TELLS YOU THAT YOU CAN’T ANY LONGER.

AND LEAVE IT ALL OUT ON THE FIELD.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY.

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live and listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)