My, How the Key Flies, by Randy Lange - NYJ.com

[124]

My, How the Key Flies

Published: Wed, May 23, 5:35pm EST

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.

This was another way to make me feel old. WR Keyshawn Johnson retired Wednesday.

It seemed like only a year ago, even though it was a year and a decade ago, that Hurricane Key blew in from Southern California and whipped up the Green & White in more ways than one. It was 1996 and the Richie Kotite Jets, as their reward for going 3-13, had the first pick of the draft. They went with Johnson and the fun began.

As he held out after that draft, there was confusion between his two agents about which media people would be involved in a conference call (or was it a conference call?) with their new star. Some writers, including myself, were left off the invite list, leading to a minor uproar even before he had signed his first NFL deal.

Johnson showed up for training camp, and I remember he was on fairly good behavior

[124]

Bump. Nobody else liked this article?

[joewilly]

yeah, good article.

[124]

yeah, good article.

I thought so and as I'm approaching 19 it makes me feel old as well.

This is one of the first big-time players, along with Curtis Martin, that I will have seen every single year of his professional career and then watch him walk off into the sunset. Its a really, really weird feeling hearing that Key and CM will retire, something I'm going to have to get used to as the years go on.

[joewilly]

I thought so and as I'm approaching 19 it makes me feel old as well.

This is one of the first big-time players, along with Curtis Martin, that I will have seen every single year of his professional career and then watch him walk off into the sunset. Its a really, really weird feeling hearing that Key and CM will retire, something I'm going to have to get used to as the years go on.

moreso, I think lange did a good job writing it. fair & unbiased without a bunch of drivel

[Arsis]

I thought so and as I'm approaching 19 it makes me feel old as well.

This is one of the first big-time players, along with Curtis Martin, that I will have seen every single year of his professional career and then watch him walk off into the sunset. Its a really, really weird feeling hearing that Key and CM will retire, something I'm going to have to get used to as the years go on.

I agree, I'm 21, and these are the first group of people i grew up watching who retired. Bernie Williams, C-Mart, Johnson it's a weird feeling watching your favorite teams and not seeing the familar faces or paying attention to the league and not hearing the familiar voices.

[drago]

I thought so and as I'm approaching 19 it makes me feel old as well.

This is one of the first big-time players, along with Curtis Martin, that I will have seen every single year of his professional career and then watch him walk off into the sunset. Its a really, really weird feeling hearing that Key and CM will retire, something I'm going to have to get used to as the years go on.

That was the same feeling i got when mattingly retired. i was 14 at the time, and my whole life i could watch donnie baseball all summer long. when he said he was hanging them up, it didn't even register.

[RSJ]

Good article. I always liked Key.