Paul O’Neill hit 21 homers.  Tiki Barber rushed for over 1,600 yards.  Jim Brown scored 17 touchdowns in his last year.  These athletes walked away while they were still at the top of their games.  But this week we saw another example of a person taking one curtain call too many: Brett Favre.

They hung on too long

In his final year, Willie Mays was a shell of the great ballplayer that he once was.  Mickey Mantle was on the decline for several years when he finally retired.  In order to squeeze another year out of his career, Johnny Bench embarrassed himself at third base.  Just this year, Jason Giambi tried to find the old magic back where he started, and put up abysmal numbers.  As the old saying goes, you’ve got to know when to walk away.

Old soldiers never die…

Which brings me to Brett Favre.  I’m a Giants fan, so I have no axe to grind with him leaving the Jets.  In fact, his lousy performance in his last playoff game helped the Giants get to the Super Bowl.  I’m just disappointed that he agreed to play for the Vikings.  I’m sure there are several old #4 jerseys being burned as we speak in Cheesehead Nation, and I can’t blame them for their outrage.  It would be the same for me as if Derek Jeter signed with the Red Sox.  But what gets me is, he thinks he’s still got it.  If you followed the second half of the last football season, you know that’s not the case.

…they just fade away

I see this happen at work.  A notice will go up for a retirement party for so-and-so.  About a month later, I’ll see the retiree in the hallway.  He’s back on the job, and out of his wife’s hair.  The problem is, he’s past his prime.  Maybe well past his prime.  Over the hill.  He doesn’t have the chops anymore.  He may think that he does, but he’s only fooling himself.

Roadblock to progress

Or the case of a guy who was waiting for a severance package, a “golden handshake” that will finally push him out the door.  The problem with this guy was that he was in limbo.  His power had been taken away, given to a younger successor.  But his presence was a hindrance to his successor, who felt the need to defer to the old lion.  People went around the successor’s back to get approval from the old lion.  It undermined the successor’s authority.

Cut the rope

The mere presence of these guys causes a problem for the company:  it can’t move forward.  In order to move on in a new direction, the company needs to cut its ties to these guys.  That’s what the Packers did last year.  The Vikings are hoping for a miracle that will only last for one more season, when they should be thinking about the future.

I wonder how many weeks it will take the Vikings to regret their decision to sign Favre.

Follow me on Twitter: CorpBarbarian

• Are Your Savings on Track for Retirement? Photo by aussiegall A Business Week article by Amy Feldman helps you evaluate your retirement savings.  You can read the original article by clicking here: Sizing Up Your Nest Egg The article offers data points for your retirement savings, in order for you to gauge if you're on the......
• The Time Machine Yesterday was H.G. Wells' birthday.  I've always enjoyed his science fiction stories, especially The Time Machine.  It's tempting to want a do-over, just like when we were kids.  I don't know about you, but there are several decisions that I've made in my life that I'd like to have......
• Success is Boring Strevo (back in a while) Earlier this season, William Peterson, Grissom on CSI,  one of the top-rated shows on TV, walked away from the role that put him on the map.  The reason that he gave was that he wanted to do something different.  Like theater.  Many people thought......

• Viking Classic in Madison Drawing Top Winners Nine previous majors winners along with the last four of the Viking Classic winners have come to be among the players committing to be playing in the upcoming Viking Classic, as the deadline for committing to the tournament passed on October 23, 2009. The defending champion, who is Will MacKenzie,......
• Saints beat Vikings in OT, 31 - 28 [/caption] NEW ORLEANS (AP)—A 40-yard field goal in overtime by a little-known kicker could become as famous as jambalaya in these parts. The New Orleans Saints, a team with no home and an uncertain future five years ago, are heading for their first Super Bowl. By battering Brett Favre......
• Emails from Christmas past I got an email this morning that said: (The following is an e-mail from the past, composed on Monday, December 26, 2005, and sent via FutureMe.org) The Christmas cards you bought last year are in the garage with the Christmas stuff. Why am I posting this email on a personal......