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Thanks to Bruce Japsen and Sean Callahan for their article ["Masters athletes raising awareness of prostate cancer," GeezerJock, September 2007] on raising the awareness of prostate cancer. However, I think that it is very important to point out that not all surgery to remove a cancerous prostate gland requires weeks to recover in order to get back to normal activities, as the article states. On June 14, I had a radical laproscopic robotic prostatectomy at Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and went home the next day. In just a few days I returned to normal activities and resumed my triathlon training (60-64 age group) in several weeks. Those who are diagnosed with prostate cancer should consider this option when choosing what treatment is best for them.

William F. Moyer
Dover, Del.

Another Prostate Treatment
There is a group of men who have had prostate cancer and who are more than willing to talk about it -- namely, those who have undergone proton-beam therapy. This has a post-treatment urinary incompetence rate of close to zero. I've heard that maybe 30 percent have some form of ED that is related to the treatment and not just to advancing age. The book men need to read is You Can Beat Prostate Cancer and You Don't Need Surgery to Do It, by Bob Marckini. A person with a name familiar to all jocks has this to say about the book; "I find Bob Marckini's book to be the best source of information available to men who are at risk of prostate cancer, or have been diagnosed with this disease." -- Ken Venturi, golf pro. Go to www.protonbob.com for further information. I had this treatment in the fall of 2006. The only big trouble I had during treatment was a tennis injury caused by my pretending I was 26 instead of 76. It is unfortunate that your article did not mention this excellent treatment that many believe to be the best available. Please do your homework.

John F. Kippley
Cincinnati

Age group plea
The Villages GeezerJock Swimming Championships were held in The Villages in June. While reading the results, I noticed that the age groups are the same as the Florida Senior Games: 50-54, 55-59, on up to 80-plus. In The Villages GeezerJock Pickleball Championships that were held in The Villages in April, the top age group was 60-plus. This age group had by far the majority of participants. Please, in the future, have the age groups the same as the Senior Games. Thank you.

Dick Rossio
The Villages, Fla.

Support for Masters T&F
It is interesting in the September issue you have an article, "The joys of aging up," about the USATF National Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships, stating that over 1,100 athletes competed, and in the letters to the editor you run a note from Donald Hudson who agrees with George Mathews that USAT F does not support Masters sports. It seems George and Donald should come to the track meets and see whether there is support or not.

Lester Mount
Dallas

Kudos, Part 1
Thanks to Meghan Deerin for her recent article ["His 'Dad's' Workout," GeezerJock, September 2007], on my husband, Graham Johnston. We've had so many comments from various friends in U.S. Masters Swimming everywhere. A brief addition to Graham's resume: He recently returned from the Pan American Masters Swimming Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He set a world record at the meet, bettering his 400-meter individual medley world record at the U.S. Masters Swimming Long Course Meters Championships in August. Thanks again from Graham's "head cheerleader."

Janis Johnston
Houston

Kudos, Part 2
Please tell Meghan Deerin that she did a nice job on the story about my workout ["Strongman," GeezerJock, August 2007]. Many thanks.

Floyd Kucharski
Kingsford, Mich.

In defense of the National Senior Games
Just read my (jock) wife Ruth's August 2007 fine copy of GeezerJock. In that issue's article "All about the W's," you understated Graham Johnston's swimming credentials by omitting his many 75-79 world records at Stanford University at last year's World Masters. One of his world records was the 400-meter freestyle, the split was on the way to the 800-meter freestyle world record. I'm 78, in his age bracket, and met him at Louisville for the first time. His quote about National Senior Games swimmers, "good program for people that are not highly qualified to swim in top competition," requires some rebuttal. I swam my first Masters race in the 1989 National Senior Games in St. Louis. I won the 50-meter freestyle. I've raced in almost every National Senior Games since. I've raced in many Masters national and world meets. I won the world 50-meter freestyle in Montreal, and the world 50-meter butterfly in Italy. I find many more of the elite Masters swimmers entering the National Senior Games. Yes, there are more first time swimmers with slower times in the National Senior Games, but they are the most enthusiastic. I coach beginning Masters swimmers. One of my swimmers, widower Jim Scherbarth, 84, took his first national swimming medal, a bronze in the men's 80-84 100-meter individual medley. His 11 kids, grandkids and I were screaming for this young kid's first medal! Graham's entering the National Senior Games in itself proves the point. A place for both ex-Olympians like Graham and beginners like Scherbarth.

Dick Webber
Hendersonville, N.C.

The 40
I enjoy getting and reading GeezerJock regularly. I was recently watching the state senior games here in The Villages, Fla., and was thinking about the shortspeed athletes we have here. Some of them, like myself are very short-speed. As I recall, when football teams test their players for speed, they test them in the 40-yard dash, and not the 100. Why not incorporate a 40-yard dash into your events? There are many softball players with short speed to first base who might be interested in this event. For that matter, why not have a base-running event -- home to first, or completely around the bases? You might get quite a few athletes who would find this an attractive event to enter.

Leon Strone
The Villages, Fla.

Searching for a cure
The article on knee pain ["In search of knee pain relief, GeezerJock, October 2007] really struck a chord in me. I have experienced the same, maybe more. I had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee in 1993 and two scope jobs on my right knee, and one cleaning. After these surgeries, I also used Vioxx, thinking it was going to be the best thing since sliced bread. It did nothing. Then I tried Celebrex. Nothing. Of course, like Nikolaj Owcharuk, I too was forced off these drugs because studies conducted indicated risk of heart attacks and strokes. I also tried Bextra. Nothing. I also tried the Synvisc and Hyalgen treatments. Those lubricants were very expensive and only a short-time fix. Now I understand Celebrex is back on the market. Mind you, I am a very healthy person and have kept up with the latest updates on treatments being conducted. I have never had ligament or tendon damages. I've just had my meniscus shaved (on the flap on my right knee). If Prexige is finally approved by FDA, I would be interested. By the way, I am 70 years old. I have been playing racquetball for over 30 years. The pain I have probably is mostly from playing singles. So, currently, I play mostly doubles. I am not ready for knee replacement. My physical from my doctor stated that I am in excellent health and could live to be 103. Gee, thanks -- that's a long time with this annoying pain. I read your article in GeezerJock and had to respond. Also, partial knee replacement was considered but if it doesn't work, whole knee replacement occurs. I don't think so! I have also taken glucosamine and chondroitin and MSM for over three years. The latest treatment - partial knee resurfacing -- I read about in an article in our local newspaper for which there is going to be a seminar. I will be attending.

Tony Murguia
Cooper City, Fla.

Water work
I was surprised in your fine article about knee pain ["In search of knee pain relief, GeezerJock, November 2007] to see no mention of water work. I've had five surgeries on my right knee. The last one was in 1998 at age 51. I did not engage in any sports for four years and then decided to try basketball again. I hired a trainer who put me in the pool doing wind sprints, side steps, crossovers and running backward. After three months of regular work I was able to step right on the court and run around like a kid -- and no I am not kidding. All the guys that I had played with for years could not believe it. I take no pain killers and as long as I maintain a regular routine, I have no knee pain. O nce my legs are built up in the pool I can easily do step-ups and lunges with weights and also heavy squats. Everyone is different, but based on my experience I would throw the chemicals out the door and jump in the pool. Thanks for all your fine work on the magazine!

Lou Kern
Oakland, Calif.

Two bad words
As a former physical educator and coach, I feel compelled to tell you how much I dislike the title of your publication. I dislike it so much that I usually throw it in the recycling bin rather than open it at all. However, I did read the last issue in which I found some excellent content. I do wish you would change the name, as the two words used in the title have such negative connotations. A geezer is seen as someone old, grizzzled and dottering. A jock, at least in the settings in which I taught, was considered to be the stereotypical "dumb" athlete. Why not give our excellent and intelligent athletes the credit due them rather than using such negative terms?

June I. Decker
Silver City, N.M.

Rants. Raves. Loved it. Hated it. Tell us about it...
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