Phew, Andrew Luck sure gets you thinking…

I’ve mentioned in at least one past blog post that I am a former college football player.  I played through 4 seasons at a D2 program in Central Missouri.

What I can understand entirely is the significant strain the sport of football places upon even the stoutest and strongest of athletic human body-frames.

I don’t precisely know how or why, but I grew up big.

Standing now at a good 6 foot 2 inches tall, 285 lbs., it takes a pretty healthy dose of resistance to prevent me from moving wherever it is I want to move.

In football, you experience this resistance in a way no other sport than hockey could offer.

During Monday’s “Dan Patrick Show” broadcast on our sister-station, Portland’s 750-AM “The Game”, the esteemed host discussed and reminded his listeners about how brutal the game of football can be.

He’s not kidding.

And at the NFL level – let me tell you – the amount of sheer skull cracking mayhem that occurs from down to down can be jarring.  The speed – the bravery – the selflessness of the players is astounding in many instances.

Guys will slam into each other, happily, at full speed, twist limbs, take violent cheap shots, “go for the knees”, etc…

So I know for certain – how Andrew Luck likely lost his “joy for the game” of football after so many injuries.

Goodness, could you imagine it?

Injury, pain and rehabilitation for what amounts to 3 and a half or 4 years of life.

He has a new wife and a new baby on the way.  He has a ton of money he could help the world with.  He has tight connections in Indy which could bear great fruit for him, not to mention his prospective value as an NFL TV analyst or commentator…

Not to mention one other thing also…

If Andrew Luck were to take the “Brett Favre Route” and come out of retirement sometime in the near future, I’m told that the Colts organization might welcome him back with open arms.

The question would remain for Colts fans to support such a move, given the circumstances.

In any case, it is fascinating to truly consider what has just occurred with Luck.

For the first time, a prospective NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback candidate…quit football before age 30.

We’ve see other NFL guys do it.  LB Patrick Willis, WR Calvin Johnson, as well as RB’s Barry Sanders and Jim Brown, but but never have we seen such a bold move made so early by a true franchise Quarterback.

It really makes you wonder now – who will be next???