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HUBBARD: Will we ever see another Chipper Jones?
CHIPPER
FILE - In this May 3, 2008, file photo, Atlanta Braves' Chipper Jones drives in a run with a double in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, in Atlanta. When Chipper Jones took stock of all of the familiar names he's on the cusp of rejoining, he wondered if it might be time to expand the Baseball Hall of Fame. "We need to see if we can erect our own room in Cooperstown," he quipped, flashing that dry sense of humor he was known for during his playing days. All signs point to Jones becoming the latest member of those great Atlanta Braves teams of the 1990s and early 2000s to enter the Hall when the next group of inductees is revealed on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018.(AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

The date was June 28, 2013. I found myself in the stands at Turner Field attending the jersey retirement for Chipper Jones — a hall of fame third baseman who played his entire 19-year career with the Atlanta Braves. 

Fans cheered, did “The Chop” and celebrated a living legend who just retired the season before in 2012. 

As I look back on that day, I remember my daddy, brother and me talking on the ride back home how we believed Freddie Freeman would be the next lifetime Brave. Freeman was just in his third season in the majors, but even then you could tell Freeman was slowly becoming the face of the franchise. 

Now, obviously, following the news of Freeman joining the L.A. Dodgers, he won’t even spend his entire career in Atlanta. 

Then, days after that, news broke that the Falcons traded Matt Ryan to Indianapolis. Again, another player who I thought would spend his whole career in the Peach State went to join another organization. 

These two events happened under very different circumstances, I know, but it still begs the question: Will we ever see another lifetime Atlanta player ever again? Will there be another Chipper Jones again? 

My guess will be no. And here’s why. 

First of all, superstars like Chipper spending their careers in one place is rare on its own. I mean, even the beloved Hank Aaron spent parts of his career elsewhere. But, more importantly, the current culture in sports doesn’t allow for players, for any sport, to stick around for long anymore. 

In the era where players can get big pay days by jumping ship or an organization not willing to pay to keep a franchise player, there is just a lack of loyalty in sports on both sides of the equation.

Simply put, our sports world today does not allow for a franchise player anymore, in my opinion. 

In fact, the only player I see proving me wrong right now is Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks. I believe he’ll be the closest for a while to become a lifetime Atlanta player. With that said, I do think, if the Hawks prove that they can’t help Young win a championship, he’ll more than likely be gone, too. 

I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see many current players who could stick around for their whole careers. Which, if it plays out like that, maybe we should’ve celebrated Chipper more than we did when he retired? 


Phillip B. Hubbard is sports editor for The Covington News. Reach him at phubbard@covnews.com