Old? Who you calling old?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/06/2009 (5945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Most of the 60 or so still in camp with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers had already left the field for the comforts of the locker-room, but there was all-star defensive tackle Doug Brown running wind sprints after practice.

It was an attempt to make certain he remains the football player we’ve come to know.

Perhaps the fact that he had just finished his ‘extra work’ and was still trying to catch his breath were contributing factors, but when Brown was given the news that TSN analyst Chris Schultz had called him "old" the night before, it took no prodding for him to fire back.

"The only thing that’s old is Chris Schultz’s moustache. That look is so old. That’s Magnum P.I. That’s how old I am," quipped Brown, comparing Schultz’s upper-lip hairdo to the famous ‘stache worn by Tom Selleck during his 1980s run as Thomas Magnum. Brown wasn’t done yet as he decided to lash TSN broadcaster Dave Randorf as well.

"When I was growing up I used to watch Chris Schultz get in his red Ferrari and drive around Hawaii chasing bad guys with Higgins. Randorf is Higgins. He’s the guy sort of in charge."

Pro football is fickle and a what- have-you-done-for-me-lately business that in particular can be very picky about age.

First, the decision-makers want a player to have experience, then seemingly just after that seasoning is gained, folks start talking about one’s age and whether or not a player still has the goods.

Take for instance the two big men that hold down the middle of the Blue Bombers defensive line, tackles Brown and Tyrone Williams. Seems, despite these two still producing at a high rate, that highly regarded TSN analyst Schultz is guessing he’ll begin to see some wear and tear on these two giants.

"Winnipeg is a little older on defence. Dougie Brown, as much as I love the kid, he’s 34 or 35. I know what it’s like to be 35. If you looked Doug Brown in the eye, he’d have to tell you he’s not 24 anymore. The two defensive tackles are a little bit older," Schultz said on a Winnipeg radio show Friday.

Williams took Schultz’s comment in stride. But he did have a calculated answer for the one-time Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman.

"Define old? Ask Chris Schultz that. Tell him to define old for me and then he can check my stats and see there’s no drop-off," said Williams.

For the record, Brown is 34 and last season earned his fifth selection as a division and league all-star and the East Division’s defensive player of the year honour.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Head Start

Weekday Mornings

A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day.

Sign up for Head Start

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"Two things become debilitating when you get older. Injury is the first and I’ve been extremely fortunate in that area. The second is motivation and I’ve never had a lack of that. You can check my medical sheet and talk to my trainer Jeff Fisher. We’ve always had that push," said Brown. "You can look at numbers and age is one of them, but so are strength and speed tests and I wish I had these numbers when I was 24."

Williams clocks in at 36 and had 49 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in 18 games with the B.C. Lions last season.

"There’s plenty of gas left in this tank," he said. "I wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t."

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

bomber report C3