Shaq tells Mike Tyson retiring to The Villages in Florida is ‘the dream scenario,' here's why
If you don't know, The Villages is one of the largest retirement communities in the U.S., spanning three counties and boasting more than 80,000 residents aged 55 and over.
Most Floridians who know about The Villages have likely heard a rumor that went viral in 2023, about the community's high rate of STDs and a 'loofah code' that Villages residents allegedly use to signal to others what their sexual preferences are.
That, coupled with true stories of seniors getting caught having sex in public places in the retirement community, created quite a reputation for The Villages – so much so that Shaq wants to move there because of the rumors, he told Mike Tyson on his podcast recently.
'For years, The Villages has been batting down stories that claim there's a higher incidence of sexually transmitted disease there than in Miami,' Columnist Frank Cerabino wrote for The Palm Beach Post in 2023.
Here's what Shaq said about his 'dream retirement scenario' and a quick explanation of what the real 'loofah code' at The Villages is.
More on Shaq: How he 'flipped the script,' expanding fortune after retirement
What is the name of Shaq's podcast? Shaq calls retiring to The Villages his 'dream retirement scenario'
Shaq's podcast, 'The Big Podcast with Shaq,' is a weekly show that he hosts with sportscaster Adam Lefkoe, covering a wide variety of topics, from sports to personal life and entertainment. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Last week, with Mike Tyson there as a guest, Lefkoe asked Shaq what his 'dream retirement scenario' is.
Shaq said that he doesn't want to be in an old folks' home and doesn't want his kids to have to take care of him.
'The dream scenario is: There's this place called The Villages. The Villages is an old folks' home, but they have the highest rate of STDs. I want to be there,' Shaq told Lefkoe and Tyson. 'When I get to 65 and I can't move, take me down to Ocala, Florida. Just drop me off my boy.'
Did Shaq ever live in Florida?
Yes! Shaq now lives in Texas, but has owned four different Florida homes in his robust real estate portfolio, according to Architectural Digest. If you didn't know, Shaq played for the Orlando Magic for four NBA seasons in the late '90s and a decade later won a championship on one of his three seasons with the Miami Heat.
The NBA legend has owned two homes in the Miami area and two homes in the Orlando area.
The Villages rumors: "Loofah code" at Florida's largest retirement community more about confused than enthused
What is The Villages in Florida known for? Villages 'loofah code' went viral
The Villages is primarily well-known for its size. With more than 80,000 residents – around 79,000 in 2020 – it's one of the biggest (if not, the biggest) retirement communities in the U.S.
'The Villages is home to the world's largest recreation department, has more golf courses than any other community in the world, is home to three town squares (with a fourth one just announced) where residents go to eat and shop and enjoy free nightly entertainment, and is home to roughly 100 restaurants,' Floridaforboomers.com says.
But it isn't The Villages' recreational opportunities or golf courses that have caught online attention. Like Shaq, many people have heard rumors in the last few years that The Villages is a community of very sexually active seniors who use a 'code' to learn each other's sexual preferences.
A theory on Reddit took flight in 2023, when someone posted about the different-colored loofahs that residents put on their cars. But according to Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino and Ryan Erisman, who publishes the 'Inside the Bubble' blog about life in The Villages, the stories about residents using color-coded loofah signals aren't true.
According to reports and comments from former employees on the original Reddit thread, the 'loofah code' is actually a way for some seniors to locate their car in parking lots.
Contributing: Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: The Villages in Florida is Shaq's 'dream retirement.' Here's why
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Golden State Warriors jersey history - No. 20 - Bill Turner (1970-71)
The Golden State Warriors have had over 600 players don the more than 60 jersey numbers used by their players over the more than 75 years of existence the team has enjoyed in its rich and storied history. Founded in 1946 during the Basketball Association of America (BAA -- a precursor league of the NBA) era, the team has called home the cities of Philadelphia, San Francisco, Oakland, and even San Diego. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Warriors Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. For this article, we begin with the sixth of 29 players who wore the No. 20 jersey for the Warriors. That player would be Golden State forward alum Bill Turner. After ending his college career at Akron, Turner was picked up with the 27th overall selection of the 1967 NBA Draft by the (then) San Francisco (now, Golden State) Warriors. The Cleveland, Ohio native would play parts of the first three seasons of his pro career with the Dubs before being dealt to the (then) Cincinnati Royals (now, Sacramento Kings) for a single season in 1969 before returning to Golden State for two more seasons, coming to an end when he was waived in 1972. During his time suiting up for the Warriors, Turner wore jersey Nos. 12, 22, 20, and 34, and put up 5.2 points and 3.5 assists per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
ESPN's Kendrick Perkins believes Lu Dort is the 5th-best defender in NBA
When you win an NBA championship, expect an entire summer's worth of praise from the national talking heads. That's what the Oklahoma City Thunder have experienced fresh off one of the greatest campaigns the league has ever seen. The Thunder had a historic 68-14 regular-season record. They broke the NBA record for the largest point differential ever. That dominance carried over to the playoffs as they brought home the Larry O'Brien trophy. They destroyed the opposition with their defense, as most of their game-sealing runs happened from turnovers created. A key contributor to their championship run was Lu Dort. In a locker room filled to the top with world-class defenders, it was Dort who his teammates campaigned for to represent them in the Defensive Player of the Year race. Dort ultimately came up short in fourth place, but was rewarded with his first All-Defense Team honors. Something the Thunder feel like should've happened years ago, as one of the league's best one-on-one defenders since he debuted as an undrafted rookie in 2019. Ranking the five best defensive players, ESPN's Kendrick Perkins gave Dort his flowers on the "NBA Today" program. He listed him as the fifth-best defender in the league. His teammate, Alex Caruso, was surprisingly ranked in first place. Evan Mobley, Amen Thompson and Victor Wembanyama rounded out the top five as the second-to-fourth best defensive players in that order. "Defensive tackle, linebacker, whatever you want to call him, a pest. The opponents hate to see him coming because of the physicality. Screeners hate to screen him because they can't. He's going to go through or fight over screens," Perkins said. "A key reason why the Thunder won the NBA championship this year. He addresses the problem of perimeter defense." It shouldn't be surprising to see the Thunder have two of Perkins' five best defensive players. They had one of the greatest defenses ever. That side of the ball led them to an NBA championship. Dort is the reason why only a handful of perimeter players dropped 30-plus points against OKC this past season.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Pau Gasol congratulates Luka Doncic on Lakers contract extension
Los Angeles Lakers mystique is alive and kicking, as 26-year-old superstar Luka Doncic agreed to a three-year contract extension on Saturday. He will be under contract with the Lakers for at least the next three years, and he has now set himself up to receive a gargantuan payday in 2028 when he will be eligible for a supermax extension. Doncic immediately made an announcement on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account that he's giving back a bit of his newfound wealth to help others. He's going to give out $5 million to help 77 young athletes achieve their dreams, and he has also become an ambassador for the Take Back Sports initiative, which encourages kids to play sports. Former Lakers star big man and two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol congratulated Doncic on not only his extension but also his philanthropy. Gasol wasn't just a Hall of Fame player for the Lakers — he's also one of the most compassionate people who has ever played in the NBA. He has been involved in humanitarian efforts such as UNICEF and the "Hoops for St. Jude" charity program, and he and his brother Marc started the Gasol Foundation to promote healthy lifestyles and fight childhood obesity. Months ago, just after coming to the Lakers in that huge February trade, Doncic donated $500,000 to help with the recovery efforts following the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires that ravaged the Southland this past winter. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Pau Gasol congratulates Luka Doncic on Lakers contract extension
