Picture of the Day 8/24/10 and Blog- When Heroes Get Old

[MikeF9]

Tuesday August 24, 2010
Picture of the Day

Primary Tuesday

WHEN HEROES GET OLD

Sunday, @MLB on Twitter was wishing Carl Yastrzemski a Happy Birthday. He turned 71 years old.
That kinda made me think.
Is it really possible that Yaz was that old? It then dawned on me that he retired some 26/27 years ago.
Really?
An entire generation in Boston never saw Yaz play baseball?
I still remember him later in his career. A Saturday afternoon game. A flyball to left. Yaz went back and crashed into the Green Monster. Not sure if he caught the ball, but he looked like he hurt his back. Trainers came out and were checking on him. Rick Miller came off the bench to replace him. Yaz waved Miller off, and stayed in the game. That night, Yaz was admitted to a hospital and was put in traction. The next day, manager Don Zimmer arrived at the park, and there was Yaz taking batting practice.
He's still my favorite baseball player.
And now he's 71.
I don't want to know how old Bobby Orr is. or Doug Flutie. or Larry Bird.
Heroes shouldn't get old. They should always be young and in their prime. Because that's how we remember them.
I was talking about this to Margie, saying it's hard to realize that our heroes are human and grow old. To which Margie replied, "What does that say about us?"
We're growing old, too.
And the really sad part?
I'm two years older than Doug Flutie.

[Doyle78]

well mike on july 30th along with all the birthday cards came addressed to me, aarp application. that made me feel real young. i remember your nickname in high school was bobby orr...... mine was denny doyle,  bobby orr may well be the biggest name in boston sports (i'm sure dick brown will argue that point) . i like to watch nesn when they show  classic games both red sox and bruins from the good old days. the nhl  channel will some times show games from late fifties and early sixties. then i get to see players i had only read about, its great to actually see them play. i wish nesn would do more of that and more baseball from the seventies.

[MikeF9]

Boy, I don't know, Denny. As big a Bobby Orr fan that I am, I think people would argue for Bill Russell, or Ted Williams, or Larry Bird. And that's old school. Younger Bostonians would probably argue for Tom Brady.
I think in the end it would probably be Russell. All those championships. I just remember three seasons ago, when the Celtics won, Kevin Garnett looking at Bill Russell, and saying "I just hope we made you proud of us." That was like a little boy, seeking the approval of his father.

Shaq a Celtic? Even I'M shaking my head about that one. I don't know.

What do YOU think, Mr. Brown?

[Doyle78]

you maybe right mike. my opinion is probably bias because i was never a pro basketball fan. hockey was always my favorite sport. bobby orr the best bruin??? maybe. what about esposito, hodge, buyck, neely. bill russell was a great player, the best celtic? maybe. then there is bird mchale DJ  and not to mention paul peirce. ted williams the best red sox player?? yaz, petrocelli, fisk rice........the list goes on and on and the truth is they are all heroes. we are lucky to have such fond memories of them. now days there are more and more sports figures getting headlines for all the wrong reasons we remember the last guy to hit over 400 and the last triple crown winner. our kids will remember, oh that is the guy who lied about juicing and that is the guy who had dog fights at his house and went to prision, and that is the moron who shot himself in the leg at a night club.

[Mike Raburn]

Let US face it, WE all are getting OLD.

US ALL...

Old or Mature?

I just got my 1st bi focals.
What the what???

And I actually LOVE cream corn.....................................
Really, I do.