Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bob Lobel: Turning 70



By Bob Lobel  @boblobel

Well, not many of us saw that coming! Patriots 41, Baltimore 7. It’s just not possible they could lose to Buffalo at home Sunday, is it ?  

Remember it’s been flexed to a 4:25 game as the back end of a CBS doubleheader. Anything is possible in the NFL these days.  More people seem to be getting hurt since the NFL went on its phony safety mission. Do you think it’s possible the Patriots knew Wes Welker was damaged goods when they let him go with a low bid?

How could they not know he was one more hit away from taking weekends off when he never took them off before. I cannot believe that they didn’t see the wear and tear from the bone crunching hits he absorbed over and over again here.  

He should just walk away and call it a career. Considering what we now know about CTE, thanks the Boston University brain study,  it may be too late for Welker even if he hung it up today. There is no other player I worry about more than Welker and his future health, based on the visual evidence we all have seen while he was playing in New England. 

Enough said, and I hope for the sake of his family that I am so wrong.

A great holiday shout out to Chris Nilan. The “last gladiator” has written a stunning book, called “Fighting Back.” He is so much more a hero now that he has battled and, for now, overcome, drug and alcohol addiction, than he ever was as an enforcer in the National Hockey League. I say “for now” because this is a day-to-day contest.  He is winning the biggest fight of his fighting life, and I can only say how proud I am to know him and call him a friend. 

Another observation. Based on 10 years in a dog life, when you're born on the Fourth of July or 9/11 or Christmas Eve/day or New Years Eve/day, everyone close to you remembers that it's your birthday. When it’s on Dec. 24th or 25th, not only do they remember, but there are fewer birthday gifts since one present will work just as well as two. The fact that they remember, they think, is plenty of gifting. 

My friend Laura Sinclair was born on the 24th. She just wrote a terrific book called “Over 50, Overweight & Out Of Breath.” Do yourself a favor and check it out. Carlton Fisk has a birthday on the day after Christmas. Just as easy to remember. 

Me? It’s Christmas Eve. Strange as it seems, it’s been that way every year I can remember. 

My favorite present, although I don’t know if it was birthday or Christmas, was when I was 6.  My parents gave me a Santa Fe Lionel diesel train engine. It was yellow and grey.  It still is, cause I still have it. This is a birthday that has become the most difficult ever experienced.  Plenty of times we hear 40 is the new 30, or 50 is the new 40, or  even 60 is the new 50. I have yet to hear that 70 is the new 60, nor do I expect to. 

Even if I did, I wouldn’t believe whoever would be foolish enough to say it. 

The year I was born, the average age of the American Male was around 65. Now it’s 75-80.  I can do the math… I always hated math and now I know why.  There is only one remedy for what ails me this Christmas season. It’s ok to look back but, not dwell in the past.  

It’s not very comforting to look ahead to what the future holds, so I guess living in the moment is pretty much the only option. 

I love “quotes of note”.  The best one I found, and it was yesterday on a card, had these words of wisdom: “FALLING DOWN IS PART OF LIFE. GETTING UP AGAIN IS PART Of LIVING IT.”    

“10” was a terrific movie. “10” in dog years was all about the loyal dog.“10” in dog years, for me, as I crawl to the finish line, is a little more daunting. My lesson is now very clear.  When people ask what was your favorite moment or experience professional or personal it’s an obvious and simple answer: “It hasn’t happened yet!”

7 comments :

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Bob! I enjoyed watching you and Liz for many years. You were, and still are a class act.

Sallee Emond said...

Happy Birthday, Bob! Hope you had a happy day! You are missed on TV! Miss hearing "wish we had players like that" and the "panic button".

Anonymous said...

I am 62, I have had 22 major surgeries,been on a chemo drug for Chrons since 86.Spent all of 86 at Brigham,watched Celtics,Pats& Sox compete
For titles,the real drug that helped the most.9 years
Ago at 53 I started cycling,at age 60 I was in top
3% in country for age doing 7000 miles a summer.7/3/2012 on my bike ,
I had almost reached destination when I was hit
by motorist,my life changed forever.They replaced all
The disks in my back with cages ,cadaver bone & my
Own stem cell.The next day they fused my entire
Lumbar spine through Thoracic 11 &12. My shock
Absorbers are gone, but I am back on a interactive training system at home , Where I ride all the tour de
France tracks. Hope to be back outside riding next
Summer!My youngest who's a surgeon tells me
I am too mean to die. You are Damm right Bob,Living
Begins when we get up! I would 've written you
Bob when I heard about your physical issues ,Didn't
Know where. Enjoyed your work from beginning !
rshaw7777@mac.com

Nancy Gorman Arsenault said...

Happy Birthday Bob! As a 54 yr old Mom now, of 11 yr old triplets and a 12 yr old, I am realizing that there is no predicting how life will turn out at any age! All we can hope is for good health to get through it! Aaah for our younger years! Hope you have great years ahead...your old buddy Nancy

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Bob! I really enjoyed you everywhere over the years, and especially on the 5Th Quarter and Sports Final. It's great to read your thoughts and your "spiritual" evolution of realizing the importance of living in the moment. I have a feeling that you have a lot of living yet to do, so by all means continue sharing!

TalkCampingNH said...

I miss you Bob watched you for years and listened to you on BZ radio. Saw you a few times back in the day at the Hampshire Hills charity events in Milford NH and loved how you blushed when people would call you Bobby. Congrats you are the best.

Chuck Lundberg Milford NH

O. Leo Leahy said...

Hi Bob,

You've been on my mind lately. I was planning on taking a trip this spring to Washington DC and wanted to know if you knew where I could take the kiddos to see a live Komodo Dragon while I am in the nation's capital. Please let me know.

Also, I wanted to know if you were able to take in the concert this summer in Lunenburg of the McBeebee Twins orchestra. Clyde and Claude the non-identical twin band leaders were at the top of their game again this year. Shortly after their concert they broke up the band and took their frozen custard truck to the Cape for the busy summer business.

Your friend,

O. Leo Leahy