Today in getting over it

 There are few things sadder in this life than people who cannot let stuff go. You know who I'm talking about: Those dreary humans who nurse grudges like family heirlooms, or who refuse to speak for years because of some beef grown so old it's become more mythology than fact. 

And, no, I'm not just talking about all those Georgians and Alabamans and Mississippians with "Fergit, hell!" stickers on the bumpers of their F-150s.

This morning, for instance, I'm talking about Mark Gastineau.

You remember him -- or, I don't know, maybe you don't. Back in the 1980s he was the linchpin of a fabled New York Jets defensive line known as the New York Sack Exchange. He became famous during that time for his elaborate dance moves whenever he took down a quarterback, which split America into two relatively equal camps.

"God, what an annoying tool" was one camp. "Dance, Gastineau, dance!" was the other.

 Anyway, one year Gastineau spent so much time in opposing backfields he rang up an astounding 22 sacks, which was in NFL record. It stood until Jan. 6, 2002, when Michael Strahan sacked Brett Favre to bring his season total to 22.5.

Favre may or may not have taken a dive on the play to help Strahan out. What the hell, it was the tail end of the last game of the 2021 season, the play was meaningless, no big deal. Right?

Wrong. Because then came 2023.

"Wait," you're saying now. "2023? The hell does 2023 have to do with something that happened in 2002?"

Well ... this is where we get to the sad part.

ESPN, see, just released a clip from an upcoming 30-for-30 about the Sack Exchange in which Gastineau confronts Favre at a 2023 autograph signing about deliberately trying to help Strahan knock him off the single-season sack record. Favre says he understands why Gastineau is upset (although behind closed doors he's probably saying, "God, what an annoying tool"), and says if  he took a dive, it wasn't directed at Gastineau. In all likelihood, Mark Gastineau never crossed his mind at the time.

That's not the point, though.

The point is, Mark Gastineau is 68 years old.

And in 2023 -- 22 years after the Favre-Strahan play, and 40 or so after Gastineau's glory days -- he's still all butt-hurt about it.

That's more than just sad. It's pathetic. Makes you want to shake your head and say "Geez, dude, you're 68 years old. Get over it. Go play with your grandkids or something."

Of course, those words would likely be wasted breath. They usually are with those who can't let stuff go, because ... well, because they can't let stuff go. If they could, they would have already.

Then again, this is coming from a guy who still refers to Francisco Cabrera as "Francisco (Bleeping) Cabrera" because his base hit kept my Pittsburgh Pirates out of the World Series in 1992. So there's that.