Saying goodbye to an MVP is one of the hardest things you can do as a sports fan, but thankfully for Wisconsin's unmatched base of diehards, the worst of it is now behind them. The Aaron Rodgers era is long over, the dust is clearing on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and Brewers star Christian Yelich doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
During an interview with MLB.com's Adam McCalvy in the wake of the Giannis trade, Yelich reaffirmed his commitment to Milwaukee and plans to retire a Brewer:
“I would like to have this be my last team,” Yelich said. “It just feels right to finish here, and I’m proud of what we’ve done here as a team. I think at this point in my career, it would be really weird being anywhere else.
“I just don’t see it or want it. And we’re still really good.”
This is nothing we haven't heard before. Even Rodgers and Giannis sang sweet nothings into the ears of Wisconsin sports fans about how they didn't want to play for another franchise. But their journeys are far different from Yelich's, and while they might've thought they knew what they wanted out of their career, Yeli knows for sure. That future runs through Milwaukee.
Christian Yelich's path to Wisconsin sports supremacy is different from Giannis' and Rodgers' in a meaningful way,
Aaron Rodgers was 21 when he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers. Giannis was only 18. So often, young men at that stage of their lives think they have everything figured out. They think they know who they are, what they want, who they're going to be, and what it's going to take to get there. But rarely does that wind up the case, as both of them learned. They gave everything to their respective franchises, and their franchises gave everything back, but it ultimately wasn't enough.
Christian Yelich has a much different story. He was 26 when he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, and already had a taste of that glamorous Miami lifestyle with the Marlins. He was already a Silver Slugger winner and MVP candidate before actually winning one with the Brewers in 2018.
At a time when he could've scoffed off a trade to a smaller market, Yelich embraced what it means to be part of the Brewers. He immersed himself in the community and became part of it. He planted roots in the Brew City during a time when so many other athletes weren't willing to commit to the franchise. And in turn, he's been a foundational piece in the greatest regular-season era of Milwaukee Brewers history.
Now, the Milwaukee Brewers are a legitimate World Series contender, and Yelich has a chance to grow his legacy into something even deeper. At 34, with 14 MLB seasons to his name, Christian Yelich's storybook ending is in sight. Let's hope the Brewers are able to give it to him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google