In his recent book, ESPN.com writer Bill Simmons dedicates a chapter of his Book of Basketball to "what if's". For example, what if the Portland Trail Blazers had drafted Michael Jordan instead of Sam Bowie or what if this or that trade didn't happen, where would players be, how would have championships been handed out differently.
This is a small take on that. What if players could come home again? For some players this happens - look at Allen Iverson this week. After struggling last season with the Pistons and appearing in only three game for the Memphis Grizzlies this season, he was signed by the team he started his career with - the Philadelphia Sixers. Philadelphia has embraced him again and he will work his derriere off for the fans to show his appreciation.
On the flip side of the coin is someone like Roger Clemens. After Clemens worked his way out of favor with Red Sox nation, there was no way the fans at Fenway would ever accept him back, even if a World Series was at stake.
A couple of other examples, you let me know in the comments below if you think they would be welcomed home;
- Barry Bonds: Bonds the home run king was run out of baseball after all the steroid allegations. His original team the Pittsburgh Pirates are in dire straits. They need to attract fans to the ball park and bringing back Bonds would be one way to do this. The fans in San Francisco loved Bonds because he was there bad guy, would fans in Pittsburgh feel the same, I think they would.
- Brett Favre: Favre retired a Packer. Then he retired a NY Jet. Now he is a Minnesota Viking. Although the Packers aren't his original team - the Atlanta Falcons are, many people consider the Packers and Favre inseparable. After all that has transpired with Favre even a one day press conference so he can "retire" a Packer seems to be out of the question.
- Matt Sundin: Had to throw a former Toronto Maple Leaf in the mix. Sundin is another player who retired only to figure out that he still had some juice left in his legs and played his final season with the Vancouver Canucks. Again, the Leafs weren't his original team, but the Quebec Nordiques don't exist anymore. If the Leafs needed someone for a playoff push would they welcome the captain back? With open arms, I say. The blue and white jerseys with number 13 would be all you would see.
- Vince Carter: Do I even have to write this paragraph? After being traded in 2004 to the New Jersey Nets for a bag of pucks, Carter made comments that he didn't give his all while a Raptor and has repeatedly smiled, laughed and "doesn't understand" why Raptors fan boo him whenever he returns to the Air Canada Centre. If a Toronto Raptors General Manager EVER tried to bring him back, he would be punted onto Bay Street faster than you can say "Vincent Lemar Carter"
- Joe Montana and Jerry Rice: Although both are now retired, they finished there storied careers with teams other than the one they made their biggest splash, the San Francisco 49ers. Montana went on to play two seasons with the KC Chiefs, while Rice played bounced around to the Raiders and Seahawks before going to training camp with the Broncos. He never played in a game and then retired (and I guess we have our answer to my quesion) on August 19, 2006 the San Francisco 49ers announced that Rice would sign a contract with them, allowing him to retire as a member of the team where his career began. On August 24, he officially retired as a 49er, signing a one-day contract for $1,985,806.49. The number represented the year Rice was drafted (1985), his number (80), the year he retired (2006), and the 49ers (49). The figure was ceremonial, and Rice received no money. Obviously, Montana and Rice meant alot to the 49ers franchise and both would have been welcomed back at the end of their playing days.
Who else can you think of and would they be welcomed home?
