At the age of 32, Ricky Williams has little business still being a quality running back in the NFL. Yet in the absence of injured Ronnie Brown, Williams has become a force for the Miami Dolphins, averaging 4.39 yards per carry, scoring five touchdowns and helping the Dolphins climb back into the AFC playoff picture.
At the age of 36, Ryan Giggs should probably be out of club football and in the announcer’s booth with Jon Champion by now. Yet there he is on the pitch for Manchester United, still scoring, still setting up his teammates and still contributing at the highest levels. He’s even winning awards for his longevity.
So what do these two geezers have in common beyond thriving past their expiration dates? Would you believe it’s yoga?
As the Guardian mentioned yesterday, Giggs has been practicing Hatha Yoga since 2003, and many believe that this has healed Giggs’ dodgy hamstrings and prolonged his career. Some have also suggested that yoga has helped shift Giggs’ reputation from typical party-boy footballer to mystical Premier League shaman — even though Giggs himself calls it “just stretching really.”
Williams, of course, would suggest it’s a little more than that. After all, he stumbled upon yoga when he disappeared into the California hills a few years ago, and he became a dedicated yoga practitioner and instructor. When he made his comeback two seasons ago — mostly because of that $8.1 million judgment the Dolphins held over him — he showed he hadn’t lost much of the rushing power that won him the Heisman Trophy at Texas in 1998. Perhaps he’s more centered now. Perhaps his body is just that much bendier than everyone else’s and can take the punishment. Either way, he’s making an impact at an age when most running backs (*cough* LaDainian Tomlinson *cough*) are too beat up to compete anymore.
When Williams has no further debt to the Dolphins, he’ll probably disappear into the hills again, where he can teach yoga — and perhaps resume smoking weed — all he wants and not worry about any billionaires’ lawyers knocking on his door and asking for a refund. Giggs probably won’t follow him up there, but if the two of them ever meet for a salad and a toke, someone really ought to be there to film the conversation.
Maybe I should have a chat with my buddy Elsie about this. I could use something to help me be a better blogger in 2010.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Jeff // Dec 16, 2009 at 11:37 am
Perhaps Williams is even stronger proof that marijuana has therapeutic uses after all?
Though come to think of it, the fact that Williams has missed three whole seasons due to suspensions and injuries (’04, ’06, ’07) helps him a lot with the age thing. Similarly, 31-year-old Thomas Jones is 4th in the NFL in rushing, but he was never really a featured back. Both Jones and Williams have around 2100 career carries – a good 700 less than the 30-year-old Tomlinson, and 400 less than Jamal Lewis, another 30-year-old theoretically “past his prime.”
From what it looks like, most talented RBs begin their decline at around 2500 carries and retire at around 3500. So Jones and Williams still have another solid season left in them by that metric.
2 Elsie // Dec 16, 2009 at 11:46 pm
And yes, dear Dave, we so have to have a chat
I know nothing about football, so I cannot honestly comment on Williams and Giggs, but I do know that I’ve had elite athletes in my classes and have watched them struggle just as much as anyone else. They always end up coming back because whatever their sport, they end up recognizing that yoga is helping them stay at the level they want to be in.
As much as yoga is a physical practice (and yes it includes stretching) it’s also a lot more. If you just do the postures, without anything else, you end up making better choices and refining your ability to optimally live your life. When this happens generally speaking, you inquire more about this whole yoga thing and recognize that there’s a method to this 5,000 year old madness. Hey, maybe there’s something to it
I do know many NFL teams have a yoga teacher. I’ve been wanting to work with professional athletes in a team setting but I’ve never pursued it. Mind you, if I was the Steelers in house yoga teacher, they would not have lost 6 in a row
Oooooh better blogging you bet Dave! although you are doing just fine
3 Rob Marrs // Dec 22, 2009 at 6:08 pm
A really interesting post – never knew that about Giggsy. Torres should start doing it yoga!