Another one bites the dust, I guess I'm getting old.

[Way2slow]

I see my wife's 9th grade boyfriend and hometown greats just passed away.  Ray Guy the Football Hall of Fame punter for the Oakland Raiders.  He was the Quarter Back for Thomson High School in the late 60's, a couple of years after I graduated before he went to Southern Miss.  I played foot ball with his older brothers, Al and Larry Guy.

 

[Captain Phil]

Before he died my grandfather told me everyone he ever knew was gone.  I didn't understand it at the time.  I do now. 

[Way2slow]

Yep, they just had a class reunion for my graduating class.  I didn't go because the last one they had I didn't know/remember but a couple of the people there.  This time they combined two years and heard there were not many even then. Of course, it was a small school, there was only 76 in my graduating class.  

[Darth-Baiter]

all the reason to not waste the time granted us!!

 

 

[TnRiver46]

Well if you ain’t getting older then you’re dead, so you’re doing it right 

[Sam]

15 hours ago, Way2slow said:

I see my wife's 9th grade boyfriend and hometown greats just passed away.  Ray Guy the Football Hall of Fame punter for the Oakland Raiders.  He was the Quarter Back for Thomson High School in the late 60's, a couple of years after I graduated before he went to Southern Miss.  I played foot ball with his older brothers, Al and Larry Guy.

 

I remember Ray. Outstanding punter from Southern Miss.

 

What I remember most was the shock and horror of NFL fans when Ray was selected by the Raides in the first round back in 1973.

 

Did Al Davis and John Madden lose their minds??? 

 

No. They did not. Just another "looking forward" move by Al Davis.

 

Ray showed everyone what advantages they could have from a strong kicking and special teams program. Now, there are punters, kickoff kickers, on-sides kick kickers, field goal kickers, and extra point kickers. And everyone watching the games know when they screw up!

[Way2slow]

Never will forget when he kicked a bulb out of the Gondola in the Super Dome, I thought they all were gonna go nuts.  

 

As for getting old, I've always said, I had rather get old than not.  I might feel like crap when I do at my age, but every morning I'm able to get out of bed is a good one.  My biggest problem is convincing my 40-year-old brain, my 75-year-old body shouldn't be doing all the crap it has it doing.  Crap like I had a 100ft tall pine tree with a 36" diameter stump that was a little closer to my house than I was comfortable with being that big.  So, I've spent the week with a chainsaw making that pine tree disappear, nothing left but a short stump we are going to plant flowers around to hide it.  Had all the neighbors checking to see what was going on when that big sucker hit the ground.  While I was at it, I cleaned up almost 200ft of fence line that the junk growth was trying to take over that side of the yard.  Old farts ain't supposed to be doing that kind of stuff.    Don't care much for watching television and can't stand to sit around doing nothing,  gotta be doing something with my hands or brain.  

 

[GaryH]

9 minutes ago, Way2slow said:

Never will forget when he kicked a bulb out of the Gondola in the Super Dome, I thought they all were gonna go nuts.  

 

As for getting old, I've always said, I had rather get old than not.  I might feel like crap when I do at my age, but every morning I'm able to get out of bed is a good one.  My biggest problem is convincing my 40-year-old brain, my 75-year-old body shouldn't be doing all the crap it has it doing.  Crap like I had a 100ft tall pine tree with a 36" diameter stump that was a little closer to my house than I was comfortable with being that big.  So, I've spent the week with a chainsaw making that pine tree disappear, nothing left but a short stump we are going to plant flowers around to hide it.  While I was at it, I cleaned up almost 200ft of fence line that the junk growth was trying to take over that side of the yard.  Old farts ain't supposed to be doing that kind of stuff.   

That’s what keeps you young. Even if it’s only in your. Mind.

[Bird]

Remember Ray well back in the 70's, outstanding punter.

Side note:

Actually got to meet Kenny Stabler and got an autographed football from him.

Some years later my girls were tossing it around in the yard and left it lay.

I didn't see it and grounded it up with the lawn mower ?

[DitchPanda]

1 hour ago, Bird said:

Remember Ray well back in the 70's, outstanding punter.

Side note:

Actually got to meet Kenny Stabler and got an autographed football from him.

Some years later my girls were tossing it around in the yard and left it lay.

I didn't see it and grounded it up with the lawn mower ?

So your daughters were tossing around your autographed football and that lead to its demise? Are they still grounded?

[Bird]

2 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

So your daughters were tossing around your autographed football and that lead to its demise? Are they still grounded?

This happened over 15 years ago.

They weren't grounded due to my lack of enthusiasm for mowing grass......it was really tall grass, higher than the width of the football ?.

[the reel ess]

On 11/4/2022 at 7:32 AM, Captain Phil said:

Before he died my grandfather told me everyone he ever knew was gone.  I didn't understand it at the time.  I do now. 

My dad told me the worst part about getting old is going to the funerals of family and friends. I'm starting to feel that way and I'm only 52.

[slonezp]

I'm the same age as you. Lost my mother, an aunt, and an uncle all in the last 3 years. Dad has been in and out of the hospital a few times recently. It sucks. 

[DitchPanda]

2 hours ago, Bird said:

This happened over 15 years ago.

They weren't grounded due to my lack of enthusiasm for mowing grass......it was really tall grass, higher than the width of the football ?.

Fair point..but they did leave your autographed ball laying outside.

[Way2slow]

Autographed footballs are a sore subject.  I mentioned Ray Guy was my wife's Jr High School sweetheart.  We had just got back to the states from Italy and stationed in New Jersey. It was late Jan 1980 (right after the Super Bowl) before we were able to get to Thomson for a late Christmas and see our families.  She and her sister were eating a a popular restaurant there and of all people Ray Guy happen to come in right behind them and had lunch with them. He was there visiting also. She said they must have sat there an hour talking and catching up on old times.  When they left, he asked for her mailing address, she gave it to him, wondering why he would want it.  About a month later she gets a package in the mail.  It was a football autographed by almost every player and coach on the Raiders team that played in the Super Bowl that year.   We moved to Robins AFB in Ga in 1981 and that football didn't make it.  We figured it was one of the packers that packed our household goods in New Jersey took it, but it was gone, never to be seen again, by us.   They didn't win that year and it wasn't a Super Bowl game ball, but it was still a nice keepsake.  

[Captain Phil]

You are only young for a short period of time.  If you live a long life, you will be old a lot longer than you are young.  Being old has some advantages. You will be wiser and will have time to reflect on your life.  You will see that you made some mistakes, everyone does.  You will also see that most of them worked out for the better.   If I was to give one piece of advice, it would be to do everything on your bucket list while you can.   Don't wait until you are too old and sick.  More money is easy to get, time is not. ☺️

[Darth-Baiter]

my mom is knocking on the final door.  

 

she isn't living her best life.  negative and full of regret.  it is sad to see.  we thought we were gonna lose her and in an effort to keep her talking I asked, "do you have an advice for us kids?".

she looked at me and said, "stay healthy"

 

that was the best she had.  stay healthy.  I was hoping for some self reflection and she says, "Be happy, enjoy life, life life to the fullest..etc."  nope, eat fiber, eat my veg, get exercise.  hahhah..

 

my wish for my mom is a gentle, dignified exit full of love, peace, and happiness..and memories of the good days/stuff.  it is all we can ever hope for as we age.  it's GO-TIME!!!  

 

lets go!  lets live this.

[Southernbasser]

I never understood why my parents would always say that things start falling apart after 40 years old. Then I turned 40, and now I realize what they meant. 

[slonezp]

11 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

my mom is knocking on the final door.  

 

she isn't living her best life.  negative and full of regret.  it is sad to see.  we thought we were gonna lose her and in an effort to keep her talking I asked, "do you have an advice for us kids?".

she looked at me and said, "stay healthy"

 

that was the best she had.  stay healthy.  I was hoping for some self reflection and she says, "Be happy, enjoy life, life life to the fullest..etc."  nope, eat fiber, eat my veg, get exercise.  hahhah..

 

my wish for my mom is a gentle, dignified exit full of love, peace, and happiness..and memories of the good days/stuff.  it is all we can ever hope for as we age.  it's GO-TIME!!!  

 

lets go!  lets live this.

I am truly sorry.

Lost mom a couple years ago. Dad's pushing the envelope right now at 82. Spent some time in the hospital the last month. with congestive heart failure. We, the kids, try and spend as much time we can with him. Called him today and he answered the phone "You checking up on me?" Yeah I am. 

 

I share this video with you. It really hit home with me. I learned more about my mother the last 2 years she was alive than all the years prior. I don't know jackshit about my dads childhood.  I'm alive 52 years and have no clue as to his first 30 years on this earth.