The average professional athlete’s career does not last very long. The average career length of an NBA player is just under five years. For an NFL player, it’s an even-shorter 3.5 years. While many of these players make plenty of money during that short span, their playing careers are a small portion of their life. In other words, they still need something to keep them busy after they retire.
That something is pinball for former Sixer and Net Todd MacCulloch. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via CBSSports.com’s Eye on Basketball, MacCulloch will be competing in the World Pinball Championships in Pennsylvania this week along with over 400 other participants.
“I’ve always loved pinball,” MacCulloch told the Post-Gazette. “Now that I can’t compete (in the NBA), pinball has filled that void of camaraderie.”
The 7-footer must be pretty good, as he ranks 193rd in the world according to his profile on www.pinballrankings.com. He reportedly has around 60 pinball machines in his home. MacCulloch will probably put more stress on his back bending over a pinball machine than he did in his NBA career, but we’re glad he’s found something he loves doing and is good at. As long as he’s not betting mortgage payments on games like many other athletes, he should be fine. That’s what it’s all about, right?