Mike's Minute: I admire Nico Porteous' call to retire

Last week when Shaun Johnson was in the studio, we were discussing retirement. 

Not mine, but that’s of growing fascination to me these days. 

When do you know? If you aren't getting cancelled, or run out of town, or falling apart, how do you know? 

John Key famously had nothing left in the tank. 

Johnson was explaining it was important for him to go out when he decided, not when he was dropped. The TV stuff he now does was something he was interested in, but didn’t know how it would unfold. 

Johnson at 34 years old seemed young enough. 

I look at people like Tom Brady in his mid 40's. One more season, one more chance at greatness, and he goes out a hero with another Super Bowl win. 

I look at Aaron Rodgers, who has signed at Pittsburgh this year. He looks like he has gone a season too long. He looks like he is looking for work, when he should really be looking for life after football. Maybe this season will make a fool of me, but I doubt it. 

But all of that pales in comparison when it comes to Nico Porteous. He is walking away from his snow sports career at 23 years old. 

He doesn’t want to use the word retirement, but equally he won't be at the Olympics anymore. 

As our most successful ever snow sport athlete, it is over. He also doesn’t know what he is going to do, or what his future looks like. But he has enjoyed videos and production so maybe that’s a path. 

How do you decide that at 23 years old? 

How do you know that it's right? 

Who advises you? How do you know they're right? 

Having spent your entire life aiming for the one big thing, sporting excellence, how do you pull the cord when you have, if you want, years to go? 

Are you one of those people who can walk away from that level of exhilaration and success and not look back? Is now knowing what's next part of the thrill? 

Will you keep the scrapbook of memories? Will you tell your kids or grandkids about the halfpipe? Will they ask how come Dad can do flips on skis when they first go to Cardrona? 

What a big call with so much ahead of him. Or was what he did plenty? Is that a good way to see life? 

I admire him. Is he reckless? Could be. Maybe he is an insightful genius. Either way, I admire him. 

At 23 years old I would have tortured myself, and probably still wouldn’t have done what he has. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Last week when Shawn Johnson was in the studio, we
were discussing retirement, not mine. But that's a growing fascination
to me these days. I can tell you when do
you know? I mean, when do you know? If you're
not getting canceled or run out of town or falling apart,
how do you know? John Key famously had nothing left
in the tank. Remember that Johnson was explaining it was
important for him to go out when he decided, not

(00:20):
when he got dropped. The television stuff he does nowadays
was something he was interested in, but he didn't know
how that was going to unfold. And Johnson at thirty
four seemed young enough to me anyway. So then I
look at people like Tom Brady in his mid forties.
One more season, one more chance at greatness, goes out
a hero with another Super Bowl win. I look at
Aaron Rodgers. If you follow the NFL, he's just signed
with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This year. Looks like he's gone

(00:42):
a season two long. Looks like he's looking for work
when he should really be looking for life after football.
Maybe the season will make a fool of meat, but
I doubt it. But all of that pales When it
comes to Nico Portius, he's walking away from his snowsport
career at twenty three. He doesn't want to use the
word retirement, but equally he won't be at the Olympics
anymoren as our most successfull ever sport exponent or snow exponent.

(01:04):
It's over. He also doesn't know what he's going to
do or what his future looks like, but he's enjoyed,
apparently videos and video production, so maybe there's a pathway there.
How do you decide that at twenty three? I mean,
how do you know that's right? Who advises you and
how do you know they're right? Having spent your entire
life aiming for the one big thing sporting excellence, how
do you pull that cord when you have if you

(01:25):
want years to go? Are you one of those people
who can walk away from that level of exhilaration and
success and not look back? I mean, is that part
of the thrill, not knowing what's ahead? Will you keep
the scrapbook of memories? Will you tell your kids or
grandkids about the half pipe when they ask carcum Dad
can do flips on skis when they first go to
Kadrona as a family. What a big call? Eh? How

(01:45):
so much ahead of him? Or was what he did plenty?
Is that a good way to see life? I mean,
I admire him personally as he reckless could be. Maybe
he's an insightful genius. Either way, I admire him. At
twenty three, I would have tortured myself and probably still
wouldn't have done what he's done. For more from the
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(02:05):
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