Another piece bites the dust

Yesterday's news of Ken Griffey Jr.'s retirement brought back some memories of a time where even through what is now a stained era in which the homerun ball was popular, Griffey was the total package. Yes, the numbers speak for themselves, as his numbers are Hall of Fame worthy (.284 AVG, 630 HR, 1836 RBI, 184 SB, 10 Gold Gloves), but it was the manner in which he played and the class that he carried himself with off the field that many will remember. Me personally, I will remember a consistent performer that would give the team 100%, a characteristic that would ironically catch up to him in his later years, as injuries robbed him of possibly being the one to hold the homerun record. Let us not remember Griffey for what he could have done, but for what he did. He was one of the few people that could make wearing a hat backwards cool, had a smile that could light up a room, and most of all for Seattle fans, Safeco Field is the "House that Griffey built."