
There was a "reality" game show on ABC called "The Great American Dream Vote," in which competitors ... actually, I don't know what they did. The show didn't last very long before being cancelled. Somehow, I get the feeling that this did not deprive the American public of some great work of visual art.
Anyway, there was a fellow on the show by the name of Jim Davis, a 43-year-old English teacher at Andover College (that's not him pictured, at least, I don't think it is) ... and his dream was to be the oldest rookie in the NFL, and if he won on the show, he'd have a chance to make that dream come true. The final episode never aired, but ABC did come through on their promise ...
they've hooked Davis up with an official tryout with the San Francisco 49ers.
He's taking this very seriously. He's training hard, he's in good shape, and he likes his chances. I admire the guy, and I'm glad he's doing this, but the realist in me says ... come on, you're 43, trying out in an industry populated with the world's greatest athletes, many of them all goosed up on HGH, who work for employers who are known to universally favor younger athletes.
But hey, miracles do happen. Roy Hobbs got a shot with the Knights. Rick Vaughn overcame poor vision and a lack of control. Henry Rowengartner's arm healed funny after breaking it, and he became a star with the Cubs. Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny beat a bunch of animated aliens to save their freedom. All those things
happened.
Seriously, though, best of luck to Jim Smith. Whatever you want to get out of this, I hope you get it.