Still playing soccer at 40? Really? Idiot.....

I'm starting to hear the phrase "Man it sucks to get old" more and more. I kind of get it since I recently turned the big 4-0. I'm trying to convince myself that "It's just a number, it's just a number, it's just a number"...mostly because I don't feel like I'm 40, most of the time. Also, mentally, I still feel like I'm 21. I refuse to grow up all the way, but when I hear that number...."40"....."40"......I just can't believe it. Remember when we were kids and you thought of someone at age 40 and in your mind they looked like this:

Well, I'm sorry but I don't feel like that. And hopefully I'm a couple of decades from looking like that as well. That being said, one activity I still involve myself in is playing indoor soccer. Playing soccer is about the only thing I do that makes me feel my age and humbles me and convinces me that, yes, I am in fact 40 years old. My old fart buddies and I play for the powerhouse that is "Knee Brace Mafia", (division "F"-Over 30 Mens league). After each game you tend to hear a lot of that phrase "Man it sucks to get old." It's humbling because before each game your mind is still trying to convince you that you're still that same kid, thinking that you are going to tear it up and run circles around the other players, just like the "old days." Seriously in my mind before each game I swear that I am going to go out there and look like this:

But, it's only a matter of time before my body tells my mind "Settle down, Sparky, those days are over." And about midway through the first half I realize that I actually look and feel like this:

Creak, Creak, Squeak.....

What is also just terribly sad is our substitution patterns now that were are older than dirt. When we were young we used to get so mad when the coach would pull us off the field. If it were up to us we would play the entire stinking game. Now?????? Well now, we get mad when you're bent over in the box, sucking wind, seeing stars, begging for an oxygen mask, and the guy you are subbing in and out with starts running towards the box wanting you to go in for him! "Dude! You just came out!" is often yelled at the direction of the old fart daring to come off of the field. It's completely opposite from when we were younger. As far as our name "Knee Brace Mafia", it's kind of a clever reference to the fact that half the team has to wear knee braces, ankle braces, heck probably even neck braces just to be able to play. You can hear the squeaks and creaks all over the field running back and forth with all the protective armour being used on that field. We look more like robots than soccer players. If the owners of the soccer arena really cared about their customers they would install Ben-Gay dispensers all over the place on the old man field and in the boxes where we try and catch our breath. I think I'll make that suggestion. Makes sense to me. Either way, I may be flirting with danger continuing to play, but overall I still enjoy it and there's nothing like that feeling before the game when my mind lies to my body telling it that I'm still a good player. I've included a recent picture of the boys from "Knee Brace Mafia":

Let's do this boys!!!

Have a good week!!!!