Viva Murillo!

You learn something every year, don’t you? I try to learn something, and while some lessons still evade me (like learning not to rely on Patriots since you’ll never know how bad their injuries are), I think I picked up a few things from this past season. Here are a few:

• I learned that older players can still perform at a high level. Brett Favre (40) and Matt Stover (42) were both effective for their respective playoff teams. Favre rejuvenated the Vikings and Stover became the oldest player to play in a Super Bowl. Professional football is a young man's game, but you can't discount the older guys completely.

• I learned that the older guys can make big mistakes, too. Favre's untimely interception derailed a scoring opportunity for the Vikings in the conference championship game, and Stover's field-goal miss in the Super Bowl (albeit a long kick) took the air out of the Colts' sails after a nice drive. The opportunity to succeed includes the opportunity to fail.

• I learned that some guys know when to hang it up. Kurt Warner has a Super Bowl ring and a couple of MVP awards, so he has nothing to prove. He also led the Cardinals to a Super Bowl in 2008 and another playoff run last season, so he can still perform. But he's walking away while he's still healthy and able to enjoy his retirement years. He's not being forced out of the game and he's not hobbling away. He's leaving on his own terms, and that's a fitting cap on a successful career.

• I learned that some guys don't know when to hang it up. Can someone explain what Daunte Culpepper brings to the table at this stage of his career? When Drew Stanton is considered a viable option instead of you, it's time to let it go. Culpepper doesn't make the Lions better when he's on the field, and that means he won't make anyone in the NFL better. I live close to the University of Central Florida, where he destroyed school records. But it's over.

• I learned that "never giving up" is sometimes a bad trait. Al Davis needs to pull the plug on JaMarcus Russell. He's not producing and he doesn't seem to care about getting better. His feelings won't be hurt by getting benched, traded or released. I really don't think he cares one way or the other. The team is better off with Bruce Gradkowski. That's a sentence I never expected to write.

• I learned that torches get passed pretty quickly in the NFL. I knew that already, but it’s amazing how quickly it happens. Remember when LaDainian Tomlinson put fear into defenses the way Chris Johnson does today? Now Tomlinson isn’t even valuable enough for the Chargers to bother keeping at his salary. It happens to every player, but I really liked Tomlinson. Maybe he’ll carve out a Marcus Allen-type role somewhere.

• I learned the torch passes even quicker in fantasy football. Remember when Adrian Peterson owners wouldn’t even consider trade offers? They’re not exactly panicking today, but they are more willing to listen and even proposing deals themselves. Now it’s the Chris Johnson owner who won’t trade their best player. Will that change after next season?

• Speaking of which, what will happen after next season? A lockout? Will there be a 2011 season? A Super Bowl? Football fans have been pretty spoiled for almost 30 years; labor peace has been taken for granted. But there’s a real problem on the horizon, and it’s not just owners on one side and the players on the other. “Have” and “have not” owners are at odds as well, and we all hope it gets settled sooner rather than later. I’m just not all that confident right now.

Finally, I learned that sports always has the opportunity to create lasting impressions. My favorite memory of the Super Bowl isn’t Freeney’s amazing sack of Drew Brees, or Tracy Porter’s game-clinching interception of Peyton Manning. It wasn’t The Who or a commercial (although seeing Letterman and Leno together was pretty funny). It was the image of Drew Brees holding his son (wearing headphones to protect against the loud chaos around him) with tears in his eyes. We always hear about players complaining about money or focusing on the business side of the game. But that moment was about victory and family, and sharing great moments with the ones you love.

Hopefully you got to do that on Sunday as well, at home or at a party. So enjoy the memories, get a little rest and look forward to the 2010 NFL season. The stakes are high for your next fantasy squad. We have no idea what’s in store for 2011, so we need to make next season count. Watch some playoff hockey, enjoy the NFL draft, and I’ll see you in the summertime.

You can reach Michael Murillo at vivamurillo@gmail.com.

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