Gale Sayers, Jim Brown, Barry Sanders...Dave Chappelle???

One of the beautifully tragic things of Dave Chappelle not returning for what would have been his third season of "Chappelle's Show" on Comedy Central was that he'll be forever immortialized for what he did without ever having gone downhill. The goofy kid from D.C. who I first saw in Mel Brooks' "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" created what was the funniest show on cable since "In Living Color".

Sure, we'll always wonder how much better his show could have become, but he never had a bad show or had to deal with ratings displaying diminishing returns over the years as the show spiraled downwards towards unprofitability. He went out - albeit unceremoniously - on his own terms.

And in so doing he shares a trait with some of the greatest pro sports running backs ever to grace the gridiron. Men like Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Gale Sayers and Barry Sanders - those who transcended the game and left at the height of their careers. We all wonder what could have been but smile at what was. It's not like music, where tragedy, disease, substance or unspeakable jealousy took from the world gifted artists, whose presence was beloved but absence in death made their talent legendary. People like John Lennon, Bob Marley, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. Dave's still around (sort of).

If he ever comes back in the near future, he'll be huge - a landmark media moment.