In all professional sports, your longevity as a player is very short.

On the average, football players last 3.5 years. Basketball player last 4.5 years. Baseball players are out three to four years.

If you can last for five years and retire at age 30, you are lucky.

Injuries are a major problem because of the intensity of the game; the human body can only take so much of the pounding of competition.

Cooper Flagg is only 19 years old. Just a kid, first round draft pick, extremely successful in the NBA. He already is injured, can’t play, on injured reserve.

The old players know the game. They don’t want to get a career-ending injury, but they don’t want the younger generation getting the big pay check.

It is unbelievable how some of the veterans last so many years and not getting a serious injury.

Most of these old players should retire and give the younger generation a chance to feed their families. They have millions of dollars and assumedly, really don’t need the money.

But that is the reality and the old dogs aren’t giving up their paychecks as long as they can play and be competitive.

Terao Nakasone
Kīhei