Primetime: in sports, the great ones prolong their run at the top by recognizing when it's time for a change

Sporting News, The, June 14, 2004 by Steve Greenberg

Early in his career, and even through the Bulls' first three-peat, Michael Jordan was most dangerous facing the basket. He relentlessly pursued closer shots, and his unmatched quickness enabled him to go wherever he wanted. In his second tour with the Bulls, Jordan became a better and more frequent 3-point shooter, but his bread and butter was his pioneering style of post-up play. Extremely strong but without the jaw-dropping hops of his earlier days, he planted himself a step or two outside the lane and used his footwork to free himself for turnaround jump shots.

Hey, remember this play? Of course you do. It was breathtaking--John Elway, 37 and desperate for his first Super Bowl victory, taking matters into his own feet and making a statement about himself and his team that resonates today. But in each of his final two regular seasons, Elway rushed for only one touchdown. He still had the uncanny ability to amble toward the sideline for a key first down, but he was more a pocket passer than ever. The Broncos' offense, and their quarterback, never had been better.

No lefthanded starter has thrown harder--or caused more hitters to get in touch with their inner existentialist. His wild ways started early in his career, when Randy Johnson led the American League in walks three straight seasons. He had a breakthrough with his mechanics in 1993, the year he turned 30, when he got his walks under 100 and, for the first time, his strikeouts over 300. But he didn't become Randy Johnson, Future Hall of Famer, until he left Seattle for the National League. In his first four full N.L. seasons with the Diamondbacks, starting in 1999, the Big Unit became the Big Tactician--less predictable than ever, but with amazing command. He kept his walks in the 70s and had his four highest strikeout totals--and picked up four Cy Youngs.

Scott Stevens hits like a bag of hammers--but he's no longer a brawler. Hasn't been for a long time. A long time. In his 20s, Stevens was an offensive defenseman who ate nails and gargled penalty minutes. After he hooked up with the Devils in 1991, he learned how to stay out of the penalty box without losing his physical edge. In his fourth season in Jersey, he also stopped scoring goals--and what happened? The Devils won their first Stanley Cup. This season, his 22nd in the NHL, the 40-year-old Stevens surrendered his air of invincibility to post-concussion syndrome. But not before one of the foremost stay-at-home defensemen of his era crossed over to all-time great by playing in his 1,635th game--more than any other defenseman, period.