Schilling makes his final pitch...

Ballplayers have a hard time retiring these days.

Brett Favre, my favorite quarterback over the past decade or so, can't seem to do it, and there are many more who struggle to hang up their old jersey for good. But some athletes would rather stay in the spotlight rather than head off to a quiet, secluded beach somewhere and enjoy retirement. They certainly have the funds to do so.

As I gulped down my first cup of coffee this morning (a dangerous time...if I have my laptop up and running), I noticed in my local paper that former Arizona Diamondback and Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is contemplating running for office and for the senate seat held by the former Democratic Senator Edward M. Kennedy, I might add.

Edward must be rolling over in his grave. But, don't laugh, anything is possible these days. It wasn't long ago, back in 1988, when the former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura ran as an Independent for the governorship of the state of Minnesota. He won! And don't get me started on the Franken debacle. I'll need another cup of coffee or two for that one.

I also remember Bill Bradley, the great basketball player,who made a name for himself at Princeton. A three-time All American in the mid 1960s, Bradley went on to play for the New York Knicks, retired, and then went on to win a New Jersey senate seat two years later. He even ran in the 2000 primaries against Al Gore for President of the United States. Here in the state of Arizona, we had the great Mo Udall, who played basketball at the UofA in the late 40s, spent one year with the Denver Nuggets (NBL), and then went on to be our State Representative for 30 years.

Actually, the retired professional athlete is not old by any means. My goodness, they could clock in at a job for another 20 years and still not be my age. In reality, I'm retired and they are just in a mid-life crisis.