You can kind of see those things of beauty in this picture.

You know it’s a slow news day when I’m talking about Ray Allen’s calves. (Boston Herald)

“He has the best-looking calf muscles in the NBA,” said agent Lon Babby, who believes Allen, especially in light of his new two-year deal, actually may have another contract in store before his career ends.

“Go back to Seattle, when he was taking questions about whether he could still play at a high level by the time he turned 35,” Babby said. “In my experience, guys who are Hall of Fame players don’t decline. Reggie Miller comes to mind in that way.

“I don’t think the Celtics even raised the issue with me of whether he would decline,” he said. “It becomes a question of whether Ray wants to continue making the commitment, and nothing else.”

In a completely heterosexual way, those calf muscles ARE a thing of beauty. They could pop an eye out. You just know Johnny Drama is jealous.

But, uh, Lon Babby, Hall of Fame players certainly do decline. There’s this little thing called age that affects them just like it does anybody else. And, uh, age just happens to affect shooting guards worse than anyone else. Because he keeps himself in immaculate shape (the same piece I linked to talks about Ray riding 31 miles — 31 miles! — on his bike just two days after the Game I am Still Trying to Forget), Ray has a better chance than anyone to outrace age… but let’s not pretend Hall of Famers are ageless. Otherwise, Bill Russell would have won about 45 rings so far.