Apart from the increasingly plump stomach that supposedly causes young women to think that an older man is prosperous and highly desirable as someone willing and able to buy Prada handbags and Jimmy Choo shoes, one of the few redeeming aspects of the twilight years as a male basketball player is being able to play on the same court alongside one’s own sons or daughters.
Some of the STILL HERE (CLASSIC GENERATION) have been fortunate enough to stay vertical and mobile long enough to do exactly that, and the pleasure of seeing the STILL HERE (NEW AND IMPROVED GENERATION) growing into good basketball players and even better human beings is truly rewarding to the maximum.
This past weekend STILL HERE fielded two squads in the Olmstead Falls 3-on-3 tournament in the Over 50 division. Participating were Damon Skinner, Bart Skinner, Paul Stallings and Pete Chabra on one team; Steve Meadows, Rick Burgess, Paul Wellener, and Mark Bruner on the second. Although we old men played hard and certainly got in our share of exercise, laughs and postgame beers (the usual), we basically had our collective asses handed to us (the usual) by a few sharpshooting teams.
Of greater importance than our losses, however, was the gratifying fact that a third STILL HERE team --- the STILL HERE JV --- also played at Olmstead Falls. Our junior varsity squad was comprised of Jeremy Skinner (son of Damon Skinner and nephew of Bart Skinner), Jeremy’s friends Jory Wilder and Alex Avery, plus Abram Bruner (son of either Mark Bruner or Bob Campbell, depending on whom you believe). We’re pleased to report that the young guys were able to do what the old guys couldn’t ---- they won the entire tournament in the open age division --- and did so convincingly, doing all those things we “mature” men no longer quite manage (running, jumping, shooting, breathing, being able to reach our own shoelaces)!
So ---- on behalf of all the old men of STILL HERE:
“Welcome to the team young guys! For years we’ve taken great pleasure in sharing time with all our brothers. We’re proud to now do the same with all our sons!”
P.S. We’ll try not to give you too much fatherly advice from the sidelines. You obviously do pretty damn well on your own!
P.S.S. We still think we’re faster, stronger and more handsome than the younger generation. Do us a favor and let us think so for a few more years!
