Every now and then I’ve got to sit down with the old timers and get some wisdom. Even in this thing we call sports. On Saturdays in the black community men go to the black country clubs in every community in America to talk politics, sports and whatever else comes up. It’s called the barber shop. You go even if you don’t need a hair cut. The best debates and discussions take place there. Why? Because everybody’s go an opinion good or bad. Boyz will be heard at the barber shop.
Boyz will be quick to tell you what they know even if they’ve never seen or legitimately have no knowledge of what they’re talking about. It just sounds good. As fun and as though provoking as it is to holler at boyz in the shop. We many times miss the opinions of the old timers because they don’t or can’t get out much.
So I sat down with my 91 year old cousin Smitty down in Fort Worth Texas on Saturday because he loves sports. We talk over the phone at least 2 or 3 times a week and sometimes more often than that if it’s busy in the news. Smitty’s seen every sports superstar to have ever lived. When boyz are dismissing cats like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson and Bob Cousey from greatest players discussions it’s crazy.
He’s seen every running back to ever play. He remembers when players were working part-time jobs when the NFL season was over just to make ends meet. So check out my conversation with Smitty while we sit in his kitchen. This is how our phone conversations go every week.
