Third Hand
Of course, even McCurdy admitted that time and third-hand sources tend to distort reality.
"There's difference between fact and bluff," McCurdy avered, "I've done some incredible bluffing to scare some of my runners out of bets I didn't think I could win."
The coach likes to joke about his reasons for staying in shape, and explained, "I feel it is necessary to set standards for the coaching staff," adding with a wink, "I don't want anyone to infer that I'm talking about Stowell and Hunt," his assistant coaches.
Hayseed
But there is one other element in McCurdy's devotion to fitness, pride, McCurdy says he attributes his pride to his youth on a farm.
"I don't think it is so true now, but when I was young the old men used to pride themselves in being able to stack as much hay as they did twenty years before. They took pride in their performance."
Maybe it's vanity that keeps McCurdy going. He never tells anybody how old he is, for instance.
"No one's going to get my age because I don't want Hunt and Stowell to know," he said. "I will admit this, though when it comes to intelligence, I'm a rock of ages," McCurdy modestly acknowledged.