When I woke up this morning from a peaceful eight-hour slumber, I felt this irritating pain in my neck. It felt like I couldn't turn it without wincing. On top of that, my left foot was in agonizing pain. It was almost as if my ankle was twisted like a pretzel.
Mind you, I'm 34 years old and will turn 35 in September. Therefore, don't expect me to make a miracle run in the NFL any time soon. That's especially true if my ankle looks like Stephen Curry criss-crossed it to death.
But that brings a broader point to the surface. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm getting older and am slowly losing my youth.
Yep. Pretty soon, I'll be thinking about where I want to retire next.
Maybe Vancouver sounds like an ideal place?
Does Bali sound good?
Maybe Belize or Costa Rica should be at the top of the priority list?
Whatever the case, I'm looking forward to the days I don't have to punch in for work anymore. Growing older is something not many people want to think about. We yearn for the youthful times when we didn't have to worry about taxes or paying our bills.
But now? Those times have passed. Ironically, that also translates to the Vegas Golden Knights, who are in the middle of a Stanley Cup window being open. They already have one championship under their belts and would love another. So what can the team learn about aging and taking it in stride?
How the Vegas Golden Knights can tackle the aging elephant in the room
Looking at the Golden Knights, you wouldn't think the team was a senior citizens home. After all, they have the 13th-oldest roster in the NHL (average age of 28.70, according to Elite Prospects). But you wouldn't know that with stars such as Tomas Hertl (31 years old) and Mark Stone (32 years old).
The roster has older players whose production will be tough to replace. How do you replace an imposing slot player who's a threat on the power play? Where do you find a guy who's a viable two-way forward and captain? These are questions that Kelly McCrimmon must eventually answer.
But in the meantime? Worry about the present. That means capitalizing on your current Stanley Cup window and maximizing the talent you currently have.
That means playing the full 60 minutes of every hockey game. That was the biggest problem in Game 1, where the Golden Knights only got one shot in the second period. They didn't give Calvin Pickard much of a challenge, only firing 17 shots overall.
If the Golden Knights can forget about their woes in Game 1 and come out strong on Thursday, they'll be fine. They must understand they only have finite opportunities for another Stanley Cup, though. That means doing whatever it takes to win, regardless of your age. Hopefully, nobody wakes up with their ankles feeling funny.