Dave & Chuck the Freak talk about an 83-year-old man in Texas who is still dominating the basketball court. He goes by 'Pops' and is still out there after many medical events performing at a high level.
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00:00How long do you think you'll play basketball for, Jason?
00:14As long as the body holds up.
00:15Yeah, do it as long as you can.
00:17You could be this guy.
00:18He's 83.
00:19Wow.
00:20And he is still dominating the court.
00:23I've played with like a 65-year-old.
00:26Did he dominate you?
00:27No.
00:28Oh, okay.
00:28He did not.
00:29Oh, no.
00:30Well, judging from that footage we saw in the local news, this guy could dominate.
00:33Like, he must not have had to play much defense.
00:37You know, what a regret showing you that.
00:39He's like, look how cool this is.
00:40Oh, whoa.
00:41Oh, wow.
00:42I missed the jumper.
00:43If only there was footage of yesterday.
00:45Right.
00:45I should be impressed.
00:46I'm telling you.
00:47Always.
00:47There's never footage of this stuff.
00:48I'm telling you.
00:49You need to roll tape.
00:50I should.
00:51Yeah.
00:51You would have been impressed.
00:52But this guy, they call him Pops.
00:55Wit.
00:56He's 83 years old.
00:58Still dominating the court.
01:00Here's his story.
01:01One man is redefining what it means to stay active in your golden years.
01:05That 83 years old, James Vickers isn't just shooting hoops occasionally.
01:10He's playing full court basketball with men decades younger.
01:14Sixers reporter Juliana Jackson caught up with the athlete who is considering hanging up his sneakers.
01:19What an athlete, though, Juliana.
01:21Yeah.
01:21Five games in a single day would exhaust most athletes and, of course, myself.
01:25For 83-year-old James Vickers, it's just another day at the gym.
01:29Vickers.
01:30You, uh, please listen to all the crap medically he's been through.
01:34Just, okay?
01:34Okay.
01:35Just listen.
01:35He has been a fixture at the local Noonday Basketball Club for over 25 years, where his
01:40younger teammates call him Pops.
01:42He's faced more than just age as an obstacle.
01:44Five heart bypasses and an implanted defibrillator that...
01:47Five heart bypasses this man has had.
01:51He's super tall.
01:52Yeah.
01:52He's, like, quick, too, still on his feet.
01:55He's not, like, sometimes they'll be, like, this guy's still racing, and they're, like,
01:58pep, pep, pep.
01:59None of my veins work.
02:00He's, like, heah, heah, heah.
02:01Like, his shoes are squeaking and stuff.
02:03Oh, yeah.
02:04All of my veins are artificial.
02:05But, I mean, he is wrapped up like a mummy, isn't he?
02:07Oh, yeah, he is.
02:09He is, he is.
02:10A lot of compression stuff, for sure.
02:12Yes.
02:12That once shocked him unconscious during a game.
02:15What happened?
02:16Hold on.
02:17Hold on.
02:17Implanted defibrillator.
02:18That once shocked him unconscious during a game.
02:21Oh, he just went off.
02:22It just went off.
02:23Oh, my God.
02:24By mistake.
02:25Oh, yeah.
02:26He looks like he could collapse at any moment.
02:28Look at his face.
02:30He's 83.
02:31Look at how long his arms are.
02:33Oh, no, he's a giant man.
02:34That's probably led to some of his...
02:36Issues?
02:37...stuff, you know?
02:38Well, his heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout his body.
02:41Yeah.
02:41It's the same as, like, a big dog, you know?
02:44So, his implanted defibrillator went off during a game and, like, shocked him unconscious.
02:48Yep.
02:48He's still cold.
02:50I'll be back.
02:51I'll be back.
02:52We all would think you're dead.
02:54Right.
02:55Oh, yeah.
02:55You know, you died.
02:56With an 83-year-old goes down on the court.
02:58Oh, okay, you died.
02:58Oh, that's his last game.
02:59Yeah.
02:59And his teammates are, like, stressed out all the time.
03:03Cover pops!
03:04Cover pops!
03:04Dude, settle down!
03:06Get black!
03:06He's, like, new bad heads!
03:08He's, like, new bad heads!
03:08That once shocked him unconscious during a game.
03:10This would have sidelined most players permanently.
03:13Despite these challenges, however, Vickers returns to the court day after day.
03:17Double socks.
03:17Following a strict exercise regimen and preparation routine.
03:20It's just, listen.
03:23You gotta be determined and you gotta be dedicated to doing all the right things to make it possible
03:31when you stand for it.
03:33I once punched Bobby Knight in the face.
03:35In hardwood, Vickers admits he may be nearing the end of his remarkable basketball journey.
03:39Look at him!
03:40But his message to others remains clear.
03:41If you showed some heart like that, Jason.
03:42His son is following in his footsteps, still playing competitive basketball himself at age 58.
03:47Whether he retires at 84 or 90, Vickers has already secured his legacy.
03:51Proving that with determination, dedication, and a little bit of luck, the game of life has no age limit.
03:56I had a great time meeting with him.
03:59Yeah, that's how I pictured Jason at, like, age 83.
04:01Yeah.
04:02Because he plays basketball.
04:03Still going.
04:04Still going.
04:05Yeah.
04:05That dude, that old dude literally plays it better than I could.
04:08I mean, he's faster seemingly.
04:10He's pretty damn good for 83 years old.
04:11He's like, all I need is two socks, two elbow wraps, two knee wraps.
04:15Just wrap his body up like that.
04:17Nump pads, elbow pads, wrist cards.
04:18All you can see is his eyes.
04:22If something hits me, I'm dead.
04:26If you see me go down, just wait.
04:29I'll be back up.
04:31Might just be the old ticker getting shocked by mistake.
04:35Sometimes it shocks, a little zap will do that.
04:37Go!
04:37Oh, no, he's down!
04:39Pops!
04:39Pops!
04:40Back!
04:40Oh, he's okay!
04:41Woo!
04:42Let's go!
04:43I mean, he's sweating.
04:44You don't see old people sweating.
04:45No.
04:46Like, I thought my dad was impressive because he played, like, hockey until he was, like,
04:5076 or whatever.
04:52That's impressive.
04:53Yeah.
04:53That is impressive.
04:53Yeah.
04:54But, you know, it's, this is a different thing.
04:59Like, five surgeries on his heart.
05:0183 is a big deal.
05:02Five heart surgeries.
05:03That's crazy.
05:04You're risking a lot.
05:05That's so crazy.
05:06Well, I think he's probably like, I'm ready to go.
05:09Yeah, exactly.
05:09I'm ready to go.
05:11Gonna push it to the limit today.
05:13Yeah, every time.
05:14I think I'm gonna dunk today.
05:16Every time.
05:16Yeah.
05:16I'm dunking on everybody today.
05:18I'm getting in a fight today.
05:21He really has a lot of gear on, though, and I guess you have to.
05:24You have to.
05:24Especially the double, a lot of compressions.
05:27Compress, compress.
05:28Compress, compress.
05:30Half an hour just to put his outfit on.
05:31Oh, my God.
05:31I'm going to run the double socks.
05:32You wear double socks, too?
05:34Oh, you do.
05:34What's the purpose of double socks?
05:36Well, I have ankle guards sometimes, so I have a compression sock, and then I wear,
05:41like, an ankle sock like that.
05:42Like little weak ankles?
05:43Yeah.
05:45No, I just don't want to roll my ankle.
05:46I get it.
05:47I get it.
05:48Yeah.
05:48Yeah.
05:49So, I wear double socks.
05:50Okay.
05:51I'd block him.
05:51I mean, if he rolls his ankle, that's it.
05:54Oh, yeah.
05:54Get me in.
05:55I want to find this game.
05:57Just go block him.
05:59You just want to dominate him?
06:01I think you come up to about his belly button, don't you?
06:04I've blocked bigger guys, man.
06:06Doesn't he look like 6'2", 6'3", at least, right?
06:09Oh, I think, yeah.
06:10If not, taller.
06:11I'd cook him up.
06:12Oh, yeah?
06:13You got some ups?
06:14I'd cook him up.
06:15Big talker.
06:16Let's set it up.
06:17Let's do it.
06:17Get him on the horn.
06:18Jason versus the 83-year-old.
06:20I would love one-on-one.
06:21Whoop.
06:22Not again.
06:22You missed again.
06:24Knocks the creep keeper down here.
06:26Rebound.
06:27I guess I got another rebound.
06:28It would be tough if I lost.
06:29It's a little later.
06:30So far.
06:30Hold on.
06:31Oh, I'm back.
06:34I'm back.
06:34I'm not.
06:34You're not done.
06:35It's like when I started playing basketball, you know, the basketball was made of whale
06:38skin.
06:40It was a literal basket.
06:43Wooden basket.
06:46No, it's pretty amazing.
06:47Yeah, it is.
06:48But he is wrapped up.
06:49Oh.
06:50Legs have been through some stuff, too.
06:51Yeah.
06:52Oh, my God, dude.
06:53I mean, listen, I just know my dad.
06:56And my dad, I'll be like, Dad, what happened?
06:58He's like, oh, my arm.
06:59Yeah, the gigantic bruise.
07:01I had an envelope fell on it.
07:03Yeah.
07:03That's how you bruise easily.
07:04I'm like, an envelope?
07:05Yeah, an envelope.
07:07We get these bruises on our hands all the time.
07:09Yeah, all the time.
07:09Just from, like, hitting it on a desk or something.
07:11I dropped a penny on it.
07:12That's it.
07:13He's on the courts and taking hits.
07:15Exactly.
07:15Yeah, he's bruises all over.
07:17And he looks like he's the oldest guy by far on that court.
07:21Yeah, so for sure.
07:22Like, maybe there's guys in their 30s, maybe possibly a couple in their 40s.
07:27He's in his 80s.
07:28He's the only one I've ever seen do anything like this, honestly.
07:31Because, like, usually it's like, an 83-year-old won the race against other 83- to 95-year-olds.
07:36Yeah.
07:37It's like, this guy's like.
07:38Like, look at the guy in the, there's like a cut-off black shirt dude who's giant.
07:43Like, huge muscles.
07:45Yeah.
07:45Young.
07:46He's like, I poop my pants every time.
07:49Once you get over it, it's fine.
07:51Game on.
07:53What were you going to say there, Justin?
07:54Oh, I'm sorry.
07:54I was just going to say the news gave this guy, the guy shooting threes, they did him
07:59a solid.
08:00They didn't do me the same solid.
08:01Oh, no, they didn't.
08:02He's taking two threes and they cut away right when he misses.
08:05Oh.
08:06This guy right here at the top of the key.
08:08The old guy?
08:09No.
08:09No, the other guy.
08:10The other guy.
08:11Oh, the other guy.
08:11Oh, okay.
08:12I just wanted the solid, that's all.
08:13Yeah, all right.
08:14Yeah, it's too bad.
08:15Someone said we should call it Pops vs. the Dainty Sub.
08:18No.
08:19I mean, if you don't think there's a draw in that.
08:22Oh, wow.
08:23Of course there is.
08:23Oh, big time.
08:24There's a lot of money in there.
08:25Yeah, I'm sure there is.
08:26I bet you could look that porn title up right now.
08:29They've deteriorated Jason to the Dainty Sub.
08:32Oh, yeah.
08:32That's what we brought him down to.
08:34Yikes.
08:35I mean, just make a shot.
08:36You know, it's big time.
08:37Yeah.
08:37You got the cameras rolling, you know?
08:39You got to do it, man.
08:40You got to make it.
08:40Cross him, however.
08:42I mean, put him in the spin cycle.
08:44No.
08:45I would just love for the first crossover that Jason tries to do and him just boop, just
08:50zip it away.
08:51Oh, no.
08:52I've seen that before.
08:53I'd cross him so tough, man.
08:56He'd have another shot.
08:56Nice try, Cade.
08:57Nice try, Cade.
08:59You're really?
09:00I bet he talks crap, too, doesn't he?
09:02Oh, I know it.
09:02You know he does.
09:04An old-timey talk.
09:08We'll see if we can set it up.
09:09You're a dirty rat.
09:11Got to get me a jersey.
09:13Dinky Sub.
09:14Oh, my God.
09:15Oh, my God.
09:16For sure.
09:16We'll consider it done.