American Pharaoh’s Retirement Advice for Kobe Bryant
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American Pharoah, left, and Kobe Bryant will soon both be retired from professional athletics. (American Pharoah photo by Eclipse Sportswire, Bryant photo courtesy of Keith Allison/Wikimedia Commons)
All-time great NBA player Kobe Bryant recently announced that he will be retiring at the end of this season. Bryant, a fierce competitor in his heyday, will undoubtedly find himself wondering how to spend his new-found free time. As he makes the transition from the rigors of training and competition to a life of fixed-income and beachside cabanas, here are some tips from horse racing’s heroic recent retiree American Pharoah on how to enjoy life away from professional sports.
1. Some retirees supplement their income by getting a job as a greeter at Walmart. Bryant could get a view of a slightly more posh post-career job by paying a visit to American Pharoah in his new digs at Ashford Stud near Lexington, Ky.
2. Pony up for American Pharoah’s $200,000 stud fee and breed a mare to him. Getting into horse racing will help Bryant satisfy the competitive craving that will undoubtedly pop up from time to time.
3. Connect with the fans. Bryant has been behind a veil of fame since coming into the NBA as a teenager. Go out and engage with the people who supported your career for so long, just as Pharaoh has done with visitors to his abode at Ashford.
AMERICAN PHAROAH WITH FANS
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
4. Savor the feeling of people finally getting “off your back.” For Pharaoh this relief was felt in a literal sense while Bryant has carried his teammates en route to victory, famously putting up 81 points in one game.
5. Catch up over a meal at Denny’s, and order their signature breakfast offering, so Bryant can find out what a “grand slam” tastes like … if they pull the right strings, maybe he can qualify for that senior discount.
6. Buy a retirement home. After going through 19 grueling 82-game seasons chock full of travel, purchase a dream home and post up for a little bit. Pharoah endorses this approach while living a life of luxury on a horse farm in Kentucky.
DREAM HOMES FOR HUMAN AND HORSE
Photos courtesy of Nyttend/Wikimedia Commons and Navin75/Wikimedia Commons
7. Enjoy the 2016 Breeders’ Cup, which is conveniently set to be held Santa Anita Park outside of Bryant’s home base of Los Angeles. American Pharoah could reserve a box of six so Bryant can bring some of his old teammates out to enjoy a day at the races.
8. Don’t let your fitness fade. Whereas Pharoah will be turned out to pasture every day to maintain his vitality, Bryant can get into yoga, paddle boarding, or just hoop it up occasionally at the local YMCA.
9. Do as many greats do and pen a memoir so others can follow in your footsteps. Pharoah wishes he could do the same, but with a lack of opposable thumbs, that’s unfortunately never going to happen.
10. Stay retired. Don’t pull a Michael Jordan and try to make a comeback. Have faith in your decision and, even if you think you “still got it,” go out with grace. Your fans want to remember you at your best, just as we’ll remember American Pharoah as a Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner.