August 30, 2008 – Dr. Dime
It must be so hard to age as an ex-professional athlete. Hell, it’s hard for anyone to get older and adjust to the changes with your body that lead to a deterioration in athletic abilities. I’m only the ripe old age of 28, yet my game is already changing to a more heady perimeter game than the explosive slashing type play of old. But back to the professional athlete for a minute. If you are a pro athelete, you are one of the best in the world at your particular sport. Times are good, you workout daily and keep your body at a level of physical fitness that the average person has no hope of ever achieving. Then as time passes one day you wake up and all of a sudden you are a step slower, or a fraction off on your timing. Must be a fluke right? Then you see the younger guys doing what you used to do. What goes through your mind? Jealousy…denial….anger…depression? Who knows….maybe one day someone should survey retired pro’s to find out.
Then there’s Michael Jordan. Part-owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats You take your average retired professional basketball player and his feelings on aging then multiply that by a factor of 20 and you may be scratching the surface of how Jordan must feel to no longer be able to play the game the way he knows he was able to for so many years. Not one of the best, but the absolute best. Ever. Amen.
I clearly don’t presume to know how Jordan feels watching basketball and specifically the NBA, but I bet there are days he gets frustrated with the Charlotte Bobcats team and just feels like maybe he can still lace em’ up and contribute to some wins. Then reality probably sets in. I wonder what he must then be thinking…”Ah well I guess I will just stick to golf with Chuck from here on in….maybe some lawn bowling or fishing in my later years….”
Why was I thinking about Jordan and the feelings of aging retired professional hoopers today? Because of this video recap I came across of the Jordan interview this season before a Bobcats game about his daily routine and role in business operations. Check it out and let me know what your thoughts are about his clear ‘itch’ to be back out there on the court, even after being well into retirement now. He mentions living vicariously through the Bobcats players a couple times. Who is he referring to? Jason Richardson? He certainly can’t be talking about Felton….hehe
