Wednesday, January 28, 2009


The average male life expectancy is 75 years. By then, Ken Mink’s college basketball days will barely be over.

Mink, 73, is one of the newest players on Roane State (Tenn.), a junior college about 35 miles west of Knoxville. The 6-foot, 190-pound Mink is listed as a senior on Roane’s roster. No kidding.

The records aren't clear, but he's likely the oldest person to ever play college hoops.

Mink, a semi-retired journalist who lives in Farragut, Ky. Tenn., played for Lees (Ky.) Junior College until 1956 when he was dismissed – wrongly, he says -- for allegedly covering the coaches’ office with shaving cream. It didn’t hamper his love for hoops, though.

He stayed fit through the years with various athletic activities (Golfing, snow skiing, hang gliding, hiking and basketball), but realized he could still hoop when he was shooting baskets in his driveway last fall.

"I had been knocking down shot after shot, so when I came in the house I told my wife, 'I've still got it,' " Mink told the Knoxville News Sentinel. "She said, 'You've got what?' I said, 'I can still play.' "

That prompted Mink to write various schools, asking about hoops opportunities. Roane’s coach, Randy Nesbit, gave him a shot. Mink spent the summer getting into shape, shooting baskets and playing with a senior team from the area in three state tournaments.

Now, he’s playing with guys more than 50-years younger.

For context, most college basketball players are in their late teens or early 20s. Utah State’s Gary Wilkinson will be among the oldest D-I players this season. He just turned 26.

Older athletes occasionally make their marks in college sports, which doesn’t have an age limit for eligible athletes. (Regulations in Division I sports and junior colleges relate to participating in organized sports, not age.)

However, Mink has them all beat.

He says he was a good high school player in the ‘50s and had several scholarship offers, but went to Lees because it offered a full ride. He says he averaged about 12 points a game until his dismissal.

He can still shoot (click here for video), moves pretty well for a septgenarian and has bonded with his younger teammates.

Mink is unlikely to play for more than five or six minutes a game for Roane State, which opens its season on Nov. 3. Conditioning isn’t the issue as Roane State coach Randy Nesbit says Mink can take care of himself on the court. But adjusting to today’s game and picking up the Roane offense could be a challenge.

“There’s a lot of complicated offensive and defensive schemes that I have to learn, but the other players have been helping me every step of the way,” Mink told the Roane County News.

Being a non-traditional student making a 30-mile commute from his home outside Knoxville isn’t easy, either.

Mink takes 12 hours of classes (Spanish, Computer Science, U.S. History and Criminal Justice), practices a couple hours a day and also edits the Web site Travellingadventurer.com, which he founded in 2002.

Roane’s ideal ending to the year – after the Guinness Book of World Records officials reportedly attend the Nov. 3 game – is to “get 20 points this season” and eventually write a book on his Roane State experience.

Then again, he could always shoot for another record.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Alphabet Story

A while back, there was a boy who really wanted to have a dirt bike. Because he was only 12 years old though, his mother and father did not approve of it. Crying, and crying he begged his parents to let him have one. Dad kept on saying maybe, and mom kept saying no, so he dispelled the thought. Even though his parents kept turning him down, he was determined to have a dirt bike.
For the next couple of months he started to save up his money. Going to the store, and not buying anything was a real challenge for him.His wallet was getting bigger, so one day he say a jar left ajar, and started putting his money into it. It was a pretty good size, so he figured once he filled it to the top, that it would be enough to buy his dirt bike. Just looking at his cash collection grow, was getting him excited. Keeping himself from buying anything was a real challenge. Lethargically he would go to the store, and just have to stare at all the wonderful things he could buy, but knew he could not waste a dime. Meanwhile, his collection was still growing. Nonetheless, he still wanted his dirt bike as fast as possible. One Saturday morning he noticed that his parents door was left wide open. Prancing into the room he noticed, what had to be at least 50 dollars laying on his parents dresser. Quickly shaking the thought of it, he knew that this dirt bike had to be his. Right then he realized why his parents were always nagging him to take care of his stuff. Stupefied by the thought of paying so much money for something. Then turning around and mistreating it. Usually I get gifts, and take care of them for a little while, then mistreat them. Verifying my idea, I then told myself I would take care of my dirt bike.Wafting the new leather smell on my bike seat. Xtremely happy that I reached my goal, I could not wait to go riding. Yet something was missing. Zipping off on my new dirt bike, I realized that I forgot to fill it up with gas.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

It's a Dog's World!!


I have been lying here for what seems like forever. I hope nothing happened to my family I haven't even met yet. I was awaiting to become a part of a real family, but for now I am still an orphan. Which is a mystery all on its own. Everyone that sees me always says how precious I am, and how cute I look; but no one ever ends up buying me. It has gotten so bad that if someone does not want to buy me, they will be forced to give me away for free.
I mean who would not want a labradoodle that has striking looks. Plus they don't have to spend time naming me. I was already named by the people who own the pet store. They said I looked like a Bond. I guess after James Bond. There must be something special about me. I have 5 brothers and sisters and they did not spend time naming them. Even though they got adopted in about a week, I could tell they were jealous.
I could not wait anymore. I had to get to my new family right now. I waited for someone to pass through the door then I was gone. As soon as I was outside though, I wish I would have planned what to do. I live in some place called New Pork City or something like that. I never really spent the time to learn. I was always too preoccupied with looking my best so I could get adopted.
There were so many streets I could go down, and their were so many noises I could not decipher which way was to my new home. Oh well I guess I could take that birds advice that stays next to me, I could just wing it.
I darted off to my right. I was not going to spend anytime, I wanted to see my new owners. It felt like I was running forever. I got about four blocks down the street, and I said "man this is ruff ruff ruff." My little dog feet could not go anymore. I turned around with my tail between my legs disappointed that I had failed to find my family. I guess I will just have to wait for them back at the pet store.

It's a Dog's World!!

I have been lying here for what seems like forever. I hope nothing happened to my family I haven't even met yet. I was awaiting to become a part of a real family, but for now I am still an orphan. Which is a mystery all on its own. Everyone that sees me always says how precious I am, and how cute I look; but no one ever ends up buying me. It has gotten so bad that if someone does not want to buy me, they will be forced to give me away for free.
I mean who would not want a labradoodle that has striking looks. Plus they don't have to spend time naming me. I was already named by the people who own the pet store. They said I looked like a Bond. I guess after James Bond. There must be something special about me. I have 5 brothers and sisters and they did not spend time naming them. Even though they got adopted in about a week, I could tell they were jealous.
I could not wait anymore. I had to get to my new family right now. I waited for someone to pass through the door then I was gone. As soon as I was outside though, I wish I would have planned what to do. I live in some place called New Pork City or something like that. I never really spent the time to learn. I was always too preoccupied with looking my best so I could get adopted.
There were so many streets I could go down, and their were so many noises I could not decipher which way was to my new home. Oh well I guess I could take that birds advice that stays next to me, I could just wing it.
I darted off to my right. I was not going to spend anytime, I wanted to see my new owners. It felt like I was running forever. I got about four blocks down the street, and I said "man this is ruff ruff ruff." My little dog feet could not go anymore. I turned around with my tail between my legs disappointed that I had failed to find my family. I guess I will just have to wait for them back at the pet store.