Someone wrote a post about me a couple summers ago referring to me as a "basketball lifer" in the title. I laughed when I read it because I understood the author's perspective: I was ten or so years older than him, so it seemed like an eternity to play a sport for that long from where he stood.

But I'm not old enough to even qualify for the title. And I won't obtain it anyway.

I'd consider someone to be a lifer in basketball when he started playing at a young age (read: single digits -- I didn't), played through his scholastic years (I started in high school -- close enough), then played as much as he could as long as he was physically able (I am still physically able, so the story is done being written just yet).

I used to train a guy who's in his forties. He never played in college or the pros. He's relatively short, unathletic, and white. Last time I spoke to him, he had scaled back his hoops activity since his knees wouldn't cooperate any longer. Even back when I trained him, he used to wear a big knee brace.

That won't be me.

I was talking to a guy the other day that is in his fifties. He never played organized ball past high school but still got on the court 2-3x per week until he had to have both knees replaced at age 54.

That definitely won't be me.

Physically, I can probably go until I'm in my forties, like one of my college coaches who died of a heart attack while playing pickup basketball at an LA Fitness. All granted that I stay physically healthy, of course.

The challenge is more mental though.

Not the motivation to actually play, since basketball is pretty damned fun. I just have a standard for where I want my game to be -- and when I get to the point that I either A) Can't physically maintain that level or B) Don't want to keep doing what's necessary to maintain that level -- I'm done. Over.

That will happen before 40.

That being said, calling me a "lifer" would be disrespectful to the real lifers. Those who never made money from the game, have nothing tangible to gain from it, and still go out there anyway with zero fanfare, are the lifers. More power to them.

Me, I like the attention. The money. The fans. The brand name. That makes it all more fun. When basketball is over, I'll replace it with other things that bring those same results and other things like fulfillment, happiness, teddy bears and long walks in the park.


But when I'm done, I will be out cold turkey. Life goes on.