DEREK JETER: "I STILL HAVE A SEASON TO PLAY"

The best quote of today's Derek Jeter "question and answer session" wasn't "The thing that means the most to me is to be remembered as a Yankee", we knew that already and he's already won us over. It was something that he said that was glossed over, but it shouldn't be, because it's way too important.

When asked about retirement, he stopped and said "I still have a season to play."  I love that. Let's not forget it.  We have the honor to watch this guy play 1 more year in Yankeeland.  Like I've stated plenty here on Bleeding Yankee Blue, it's not the end, not yet at least... it's only the beginning. It's going to be a great year full of tears and excitement, but we'll watch every at bat and dynamic play and know that Jeter was here!

When it came down to it, Derek admitted knowing the end was here. He said it wasn't his ankle giving him trouble. He stated his ankle was "100%", but he also said that it was because of his legs not being strong enough that he just couldn't go on last year and he was insistent on clearing that up. He also said:

"I just feel the time is right after this year. There are things I want to do. You can't do this forever.''

It's honesty... and I applaud Derek for being so opened today.  He continued about his emotions, something we never see when it comes to Derek:

"I'm emotional... but it's kind of difficult because we have a season to play. It might be different if it was the end of the year. I have feelings. I'm not emotionally stunted. There are feelings there. But I've been pretty good trying to hide my emotions throughout the years."

We joke that Jeter is a steel trap and gives you nothing, but that's the way you need to be if you're a New York Yankee.  He has presented himself in such a professional manner for a long, long time, giving the press something to print, but never letting people on his inside. Never offering too much about the Yankee organization or a teammate. He did it because there's a code of conduct and he is respectful and has pride for the pinstripes.  Something I wrote about this morning in PRIDE & RESPECT MATTERS MOST. IN PINSTRIPES, IN LIFE. Please read it... it's sincere.

Overall, today's meeting with the press wasn't a press conference about his retirement, it was a kickoff to the 2014 season.  He told his teammates a few times during the 20 minutes to try and sneak out of the room because he knew "they had work to do." That's a non-selfish player.  When someone told him that his teammates want to give him a send-off to "go out on top", he corrected them, telling them that it wasn't about "him", it was about "us" going out on top.  He reminded them all... there's a season to still play. There's a championship to still win.  It's the classiest moment in sports. A true professional. A true leader, role model and someone you can't help but admire and appreciate.

Steve Nash, the basketball player tweeted this shortly after Jeter's presser:

Derek Jeter - what an inspiration. Take note kids.
— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) February 19, 2014

I don't need to say anything more... Jeter is an icon, not just in baseball, but in all sports and we should all be damn proud.

And then there was one. Derek Sanderson Jeter.

2014 is about to be glorious. I can't wait.

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