Rocky Balboa — fighting his way back as an M60 geezerpugilist
This week brought the intriguing news that Sylvester Stallone, 59, is planning to make a sixth “Rocky“ movie, in which Rocky Balboa, at age 60, makes a boxing comeback against the world heavyweight champion. Cool. Stallone sez: “I am drawing on a lot of my feelings that are in synch with many people’s feelings about facing the last chapter of their lives and how they want it to be written. Rocky goes through the skepticism of trying to go against the tide, to go against common sense.”
Boy, does that sound familiar.
We who run, jump and throw beyond the rational maximal age of, say, 25, will be interested in seeing how Rocky deals with the gap between the Mind saying, “I can still do that” and the Body saying: “Yo Adrian! Who ya kidding?”
Dan Taylor, president of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, says the movie will focus less on boxing and more on character.
“It’s about self-examination, an opportunity to see what kind of person he is and act on it,” Taylor said.
Stallone also said:
“Rocky Balboa is about everybody who feels they want to participate in the race of life, rather than be a bystander. You’re never too old to climb a mountain, if that’s your desire.”
Good on you, Rocky.
We’ll be cheering from behind the ropes — wearing a plastic poncho to keep your blood from staining our suits when you realize you should have gone against someone in your own age group.
One Response
There is a little Rocky in all of us (particularly masters athletes). I love competing in track because there are few instances in life where you have to put it on the line and show people what you’ve got.The results are seldom ambiguous: you either achieve the mark or you don’t. If you prepare thoroughly you will perform to your potential; if you don’t prepare you will usually fail. Master’s track and field has turned me into a “trial by fire” junkie.
Most of us can relate to an aging Rocky. Even the greatest athletes among us is asked, “What have you done lately?” While many people critcize Stallone’s acting ability, his films have a way of capturing the spirit of the rugged individualist. We certainly have plenty of those types in master’s track. Yo, Rocky!
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