:: Life on Planet Dan-E ::

:: Saturday, October 16, 2004 ::

:: Old and Proud ::

Now that my beloved Dodgers have been soundly eliminated (read: called the Cardinals their "Daddy"-among other things) from the playoffs I've jumped on the Houston Astros bandwagon. Not that I feel any connection to Houston or anything but I've always had a lot of respect for Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt is one of my favorite pitchers. Even back in his Yankees days when he was reviled just as much as he was revered, I loved his hard-nosed, win at all costs approach to the game.

Another reason, and this is more esoteric, is that the core members of the Astros is one of the oldest in baseball. Let me explain. I've always been a sports fan and for a while I rooted for the young guys coming into the game since they're more exciting, quicker, faster, and a few other "-ers" and also partly because I imagined it was me out there dodging tackles, throwing sliders in the 9th inning, or driving the game-winning spike into the sand. Eventually these young guys became "veterans" and while still at the top of their game, their hyped faded as more new players entered the game.

It hit me a couple of years ago: Some of these "veterans" who've been playing the game for a good five years or so, have now reached the ripe old age of 25-26. I was 28 at the time. I don't remember whose stats I was looking at when that realization hit me but I recall thinking out loud "this guy's only 25?!? Holy crap, I'm 3 years older than this 'veteran?'" I got over it. Eventually.

So now that I'm 30 I find myself rooting for the old guys more. Randy Johnson pitching a perfect game this season at age 40 was sensational. Emmitt Smith, defying odds, age, and naysayers rushing for a 127 yards at an age when most other running backs are out playing golf. Jerry Rice, my favorite athlete of all time, still doing it and doing it well at age 42. And I can't forget Holly McPeak, finally winning the Olympic medal she's dreamed about since beach volleyball became an Olympic sport. And at 36 years old, she has a better body than most chicks ten years younger. Seriously, look at this wallpapaer. I don't know any 36 year old, man or woman, that has abs that flat.

I find all these stories inspirational. Not that I need any additional motivation to keep playing sports and working out and I'm probably not going to pitch a perfect game anytime soon. But it's nice to know that I can still be the fastest guy on my friend's flag football team, or that I can play better tennis now than I played in high school, or that I can still squat 300+ pounds.

Yeah, yeah it's a long way to go to explain why I'm rooting for the Astros, I know. But still just so you know, hitting 30 isn't bad at all.

40... THAT'S gonna suck ;)

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 2:09 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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