Sylvinho, the unheralded but professional and competent left back for FC Barcelona, shut him down (with help from the rest of his back four, of course) barely two weeks ago in the European Champions League final.

Sylvinho probably made a million bucks a year before he retired, as the final was his last game, at least as a pro in Europe. He was no star, he was a Grudz who did his job and did it right.

Every sport needs more of these guys.

Carry on.

Mikey #71 wins the thread.

As for perfect endings, my vote goes to Sandy Koufax. He walked away from the game at age 30 after having won 53 games over his last two seasons and leading his team to back-to-back pennants. Obviously it is a shame that his elbow problems curtailed his career but I think it was great that he was able to recognize that a few more seasons of baseball glory were not were having a crippled left arm for the final 40 or 50 years of his life. Many players have held on for too long. Koufax is one of the few who retired while still on top.

If you’re not Tivo’ing 30 Rock, give your television away.

Also, since you seem to enjoy the odd Amadeus reference, you should see the 13th episode of season two, in which Dr. Leo Spaceman races down a hallway, his cloak flaring behind him, to rescue Don Geiss from a diabetic coma, while NBC Page Kenneth Parcell peers around a corner bearing a lit candle, all set to Mozart’s Requiem. It also has this amazing exchange about writing a “porn video game,” which includes a popular internet meme of sorts about robotics and identity:

Frank: A porn video game? It can’t be done. Look, Trey, history’s greatest perverts have tried it. Walt Disney, Larry Flynt, the Japanese. But they can’t do it, because of The Uncanny Valley. Lemme show you something. Check out this chart. You see, as artificial representations of humans become more realistic, they reach a point where they stop being endearing and become creepy.

Tracy: Tell it to me in “Star Wars.”

Frank: All right. We like R2D2. AND C3PO.

Tracy: They’re nice.

Frank: And up here we have a real person. Like Han Solo.

Tracy: He acts like he doesn’t care, but he does.

Frank: But down here, we have a CGI stormtrooper, or Tom Hanks in “The Polar Express.”

Tracy: I’M SCARED! GET ME OUTTA THERE!

Frank: That’s the problem! You’re in the Valley now. And it’s impossible to get out.

Tracy: That’s where you’re wrong. I was born to design a video game where characters get weird with each other for golden points. My genius will not be denied. I’m like Mozart. You like that guy that was always jealous of Mozart.

Frank: Salieri?

Tracy: NO THANK YOU. I already ate. You will not deter me. The world is gonna remember the name Tracy Jordan!

Has Pete Rose ruined the concept of the player-manager in baseball? I hope not, it’d be fun to see another one. Just pick one who doesn’t gamble.

Maybe Jeter will be the next player-manager. I could see that, five years from now as manager of the Yankees, still playing himself at SS instead of A-Rod.

Ed Delehanty(HOF’r) dropped from sight – he fell between the train trestles after a night of drinking. Unfortunately, it was a bridge near Niagra Falls. They found his body a few days later… below the falls.

How did Rico Carty finish?