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Sexagenarian Madden fan proves being old and a gamer aren't mutually exclusive photo

I’ve been telling people forever that I’ll be playing videogames until the day I die. Of course, we all make promises to ourselves -- things we’re absolutely sure of at the time -- only to break them years later. I always thought I’d keep watching The Simpsons until it went off the air, but the quality of the average Simpsons episode has dropped so precipitously that I stopped tuning in to the show regularly years ago.

But one man, someone who’s much older and wiser than me, intends to keep such a promise. The MaddenMania forums can be found over at Operation Sports, and one of the forumites there, user Poundtherock, isn’t your typical gamer. He partakes in high-level online Madden leagues at the ripe old age of 66, and he believes that videogames have improved his life in a number of ways:

“Most importantly, when I bought the PS2, I knew that it would help keep the mind alert and hands and fingers nimble, although reaction time diminishes regardless,” poundtherock said.... “My stick skills will never be like a kid’s, but I can hold my own most of the time and get lucky and win some.”
“Spending a lot of time at home, video games and game forums was an avenueto [sic] travel without leaving the house,” said poundtherock. “You may never actually meet that person you encounter, but many become ‘cyber’ friends for life that would take your back in a second.”

It’s great to see someone who’s not relatively young and/or in the games industry actually coming out and discussing the positive aspects of videogames, and specifically, the online communities that form around them. I especially love his version of the promise I discussed earlier: “My wife has orders that she is to have me buried with the controller in my hand and the PS3 by my side.” *Raises glass* Not yet, Poundtherock. Here’s to many more years of Madden for you, sir.

[Via Operation Sports -- thanks, Matt!]


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17 comments | showing # 1 to 17

mix's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 14:41
mix
That is a great story!

I also believe that I will be playing video games untill the day I die as they have always been a part of my life. I would watch my mom play Dr. Mario when I was little. When I purchased the PS1 my mom was fond of Crash while at my dads he loved Mario64.

Games are just awesome stuff.
KyleGamgee's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 14:50
KyleGamgee
sexygenerian
Justice's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 14:55
Justice
Clean your mouth out with soap Samit!
greeneggsnsam's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 15:09
greeneggsnsam
While my Grandad doesn't play games, he always jokes with me about having better consoles than me. When I got a PS2, he joked about having a PS3, and now I have a PS3, the joke is about PS4. It's awesome because he sees games as a medium that, if he wasn't so busy, he could get into.

This is a great story, by the way.
Electro Lemon's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 15:26
Electro Lemon
I don't care for madden, but I'd just like to say, thats one of my favorite Pixar shorts.
Alexradl's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 15:26
Alexradl
Wow, that's awesome. It's pretty rare to find people that age who are involved in gaming and even online communities.
bleep's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 15:49
bleep
I want to like this story, but I've read so many, "Elderly man plays video games" stories related to the Wii that Im kinda burned out on them....
scottoid's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 16:04
scottoid
that guy gets grandpa of the year, hands down
kawitchate's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 16:20
kawitchate
what an awesome story. what i like about it is that he's not intimidated by a man's controller. stupid elderly and their Wiis.
mistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 17:01
mistic
great story! wish that was my grandfather :-)
DaedHead8's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 17:09
DaedHead8
What a cool dude. I can say with certainty that I'll be playing videos games until I die, although I've never cared for madden.

Also, Samit, I understand its not what it used to be but you should at least DVR The Simpsons. The new episodes aren't that bad.
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 17:22
MechaMonkey
God bless his old gaming heart.
Too Much Coffee Man's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 18:17
Too Much Coffee Man
I remember seeing a wii set up @ the clubhouse on a retirement/golf course community my uncle plays at. All 60 & 70 year olds & there was always a group of people playing it whenever i went in.

& ditto on what deadhead said re: simpsons. Theyve still got some good funny left in new episodes. not every1 1 is a home run, but some of them are still really funny. :D
SDogg554's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 18:40
SDogg554
ZOMG! i know that picture! i have that pixar short on vhs.
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 21:04
Dexter345
A heartwarming tale. But I don't know what sexagenarian means.
coffeesash's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/10/2008 23:39
coffeesash
It means being in your 60s
sexa = 6 in latin
genarian is something to do with being of a generation.
septuagenarian = in your 70s
septua = 7 in latin etc...
Poundtherock's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/11/2008 00:24
Poundtherock
Wow! This is amazing! I happen to Google my name looking for something and lo and behold, clicked and was sent here.

The internet world is small!

First, thanks, Samit for posting the story via Matt at OS. Chris Sanner @ OS did a fantastic job with the full story and was very gracious in his remarks.

And last but not least, thanks to the members here for all your kind comments. If my doing what I love to do helps just one gamer to continue to "not grow old," then a another bridge has been crossed.

Love the pic at the top. I saved it and might work on it as an avatar in the future....just got to get a PS3 controller in his hand, lol, and get rid of the chessboard.

I still post some at MaddenMania a/k/a Operations Sports, but of late concentrate posting at Vetz Balling: http://www.vetzballin.com/index.php. If any of you stop by and visit, post up a "Hi" with a Destructoid remimder so I know where you are from.

I shall check back here. Again, thanks for your kind words!

PTR
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