The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Brady showing way for athletes in their 40s
Tom Brady could pave the way for more athletes competing into their 40s, Mark Podolski writes. That group could include LeBron James, who turned 33 in December.
Imagine LeBron James — who’s just 33 — playing seven more seasons.
Or Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor — a young pup at 24 — playing 16 more seasons.
USC quarterback Sam Darnold won’t turn 21 until June 5. The USC quarterback could be the No. 1 overall pick to the Browns this April. Imagine him finally being the Browns’ savior at QB — and then playing the next 19 seasons to age 40. Browns fans might faint after Year 4 or 5 of that process.
Or Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky — who turned 23 last August — sticking around for 16 more seasons.
It’s improbable for all, but not impossible.
Patriots QB Tom Brady — now 40 — is changing that thinking. There are a lot of factors linked to his ability to last. He plays for a franchise that’s rewritten the NFL record books, but most important he’s taken care of himself. Some argue it’s extreme, but for him it’s worked.
The luxury pro athletes have that most of us don’t is they can afford personal chiefs, nutritionists, trainers and other types to make staying in elite shape a top priority. Brady shared his diet to Boston. com, including the nine things he won’t eat. Here they are:
• No GMOs (or genetically modified organisms, i.e. plants, animals, or organisms manipulated in a lab) • No salt • No white sugar • No white flour • No olive oil (Brady prefers coconut oil)
• No peppers, mushrooms or eggplants • No caffeine • No dairy • No fruit Reportedly, his diet consists mostly of plants and lean proteins. He also does not drink alcohol.
Whether you’re a believer in Brady’s diet — he reportedly drinks up to 25 glasses of water each day, along with protein shakes and smoothies — it is remarkable the way Brady continues to produce. He’s been injured once is his career. In 2008, he blew out his knee in the opener and was lost for the season. The future Hall of Famer said he wants to keep playing well into his 40s, and at this rate, it could happen.
He insists his diet and preparation are the key to staying power. It will be interesting to watch if any others follow Brady’s lead of going past that 40-yearold threshold many say is a no-no for pro athletes.
James seems like the logical candidate to join Brady. With the likes of Lindor, Darnold and Trubisky, it’s impossible to predict.
James turned 33 in December, so he would need to play seven more seasons to get to 40.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced he was retiring on June 28, 1989, at age 42. He played 20 NBA seasons. Jabbar might be the player James is chasing. The former sky-hook loving center is the NBA’s alltime leading scorer with 38,387 points.
James recently joined the 30,000-point club, and is now No. 7 on the alltime list. Playing until he’s 40 would give James 22 NBA seasons. Barring any health issues, he would surpass Abdul-Jabbar in four to five seasons. Entering this season, James had averaged just a shade more than 2,000 points per season.
Back to Brady, who some experts say is an “extreme athlete.” Others have said his diet is dangerous. It’s all in response to Brady’s “TB12Method,” which is outlined on his website, and his book, “The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance.”
Now more than ever, Brady needs an edge. Turning 40 isn’t easy from a health standpoint. (I should know, I’m about to be 48).
They say Father Time is an opponent pro athletes can never beat in a race, but don’t tell that to Brady. He just might be the inspiration for the next generation following him.
Contact Podolski at MPodolski@News-Herald. com; On Twitter: @mpodo.