Sports Athlete Comeback : Should it Happen?

I was watching the FA Cup game last night with dad and truly I couldn't believe my ears when he told me the news. I thought Dad must be doing one of his "I-am-joking-even-though-I-look-dead-serious" routine but then I realised that he was telling me the truth.

Paul Scholes has resigned for Manchester United.

Don't get me wrong, as a 17 year supporter of the club, its always good to see the ginger haired legend to play in the Theater of Dreams again and lets be honest, we are honestly lacking in the midfield department desperately. And I really mean DESPERATELY.

The problem is, from what I know from my general sports knowledge that return of legends don't usually mean a good thing for whatever sports they hail themselves from. Some usually end up so atrocious that one would question to what extend should a player call it quits and stay that way?

 [Iron Mike Tyson - nomnomnom]

First up, look at Mike "Iron" Tyson. One of the greatest in the boxing history and packs a punch so mean, some of his competitors claim that you brain literally shake after a solid haymaker from him. Nevertheless, we have seen his immediate downfall ever since then and from his recent attempted comeback, a three round knockout AGAINST HIM after all the trash talk he was talking about his opponent. Tragic.

And then, enter the legend of legends Michael Schumacher. For most of you non racing fans out there, one must need to understand that this man defined the entire sport into the modern world. At one point was completely unbeatable, Schumy was a class of its own and there was nothing to stop him. I even had the opportunity to sit in the same table with him back in 1999 together with his long time rival at that time, Mika Hakkinen. Ever since then, his return to the sport has been a mediocre one, marred by either on track controversies and a shadowy memory of what he was before.

When this man decided to take a short term loan to United, I was the first one to give the WTF face. Henrik Larsson was the man that drove Swedish football to a whole new level in the modern era and until today, there is not that many from that nation that can say the same. Epic ball handling and killer finishing instincts, it a sad picture to see the man he is today who is still back in the game but completely marred by injuries and horrendous form. 

So with a few examples above, its obvious that nothing good can usually come from legends getting themselves out of retirement and coming back to play as most people would know that it would just end in heartbreak.

That is of course with one exception in one man.

Enter His royal Airness.

 [The flight of Michael Jordan]

If there is one man that can almost break that rule, it was the man that broke the laws of gravity himself. Michael Jordan announced his retirement back in 1993 after the murder of his dad and decided to stay away from the game for a while. The Bulls then got their rear behinds handed back to them in a silver spoon without him and in 1995, Jordan mentioned only two words to the press.

"I'm Back"

Turned around and nearly continued where he left off by dominating the game for another 4 more years. Even then, his second comeback was a disastrous one and some honestly mentioned that him trying to relive his glory was the biggest mistake he has ever made.

So I wouldn't know how to react with the arrival of Scholesy for the next couple of months, with fear that this may be in line to another disappointing arrival of another legend. We'll see...

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