This board has been pretty dull lately, so I have taken it upon myself (as I always have to do) to raise the quality content. Yes, folks, it is story time again. This new topic is, "Why Basketball." In other words, why is basketball your game of choice, why not baseball or cricket? What makes it special in your life? Ooh, ooh, me first! Well, I alwasy played sports. First (starting at age 5) I played soccer for about 9 years, played baseball for about 4 'till I got nailed in the eye and decided no more of that. Long distance running, track. I started playing a little in elementary school because it was something I had yet to try. I did not really get serious, however, until middle school. I guess it was because of my middle/high schools. They were predominantly black and basketball served as a kind of status maker. I was always in athletic gym because of my cross-country/track abilities, so I was with all of the hardcore players. I was determined to be able to play with the "big boys" (they were big in both ability and size). It made me even more determined when I would get comments like, "I don't want any white guys on my team!" etc. Anyway, because of all of my years of running, I had really strong legs, so was fast and could jump like crazy - yes, I eventually could dunk (when I got to high school). Magic Johnson is what drew me to watching the game (in elementary school). Then, the Rockets vs. Celts Finals really got me into the Rockets. I really did't get serious watching basketball, though, until I got serious playing it. So I guess that is the short version - mostly because of my environment (and being tall and skinny - I reached my current height of 6' in 8th grade). ------------------ EZLN
At first i loved ALL sports. If it involved someone winning and activity(i dislike games in which noone wins) i was into it. Hell, i watched a lacrosse tournament! But in the end, Basketball stuck out. It represented something cool. The first thing i saw after i moved from michigan to texas was the 93 finals. Also, baseball is boring, football-im not sure just not as fun as basketball, soccer-average final scores are usually less than 6 added up! Tennis-I like tennis just not as much as basketball Golf- I like golf but not enough activity if ya ask me.
Well, I started liking basketball way before I started playing it. I started liking basketball when I watched my first game in 91. Then I went on to see the Rocks win the championships and it was like "Wow, i want to do that someday" I didn't really get into playing basketball though until 5th grade. Before that, I had always just hanged out on the playground playing kickball (favorite sport) or soccer. I sucked at soccer but I was pretty good at kickball. Then in 95, I told my dad to put me in this Katy Youth Basketball league and he did. I was 3rd string in the last division on the sorriest team. Now that's sad. Then, I suffered an injury (torn muscle in left foot) which kept me out for like 3-4 weeks. I was dissapointed and mad, but I started researching more about basketball and watching it on TV more and getting into it more by more. By the time I came back, we were in the playoffs and I got my first points of the season on a turnaround fadeaway jumper from the left side from about 15 ft out. I was surprised, REAL surprised. Then, next time down the court, their coach was getting mad at the player that was gaurding me, he kept yelling at him to stay with me since I kept cutting through everywhere. That really boosted my confidence level and let me know that I was good and people should have to gaurd me or something like that..anyways, I caught the ball beneath the basket and did a dreamshake and got 2-3 players standing still. Everyone was standing still it was freaky because I thought they had called a timeout or something. Man, I remember it now. So I was so much in shock that I had an open lane with people standing around that I chunked up an airball. We went on the lose that game but got 2nd place in district trophy. The next year, I was determined on getting my game better. Even though I was hated on the playground because I was the new kid and I was indian (go figure, how much more screwed can you get?) people didn't want to pick me. The came 7th grade. I had moved again (so far I've gone to 9 schools and I'm in 9th grade) and this time I had gone to basketball tryouts. I wasn't really confident of myself and didn't try to get the ball, instead I stood around waiting to be passed the ball when we ran scrimmages. I was cut. That was a devastating blow but I learned that I needed to turn my fat into muscle if I ever wanted to play professional ball. I played on the courts behind our school, before school, after school, skipped lunch, everyday. Then came 8th grade, I tried out again. This time I made it. I was so happy that I went home with my jersey on and I showed it to everyone I knew. But guess what, I sat on the bench the whole year. I probably got about 7 minutes total playing time last year. I was mad at my coach because the guys that were infront of me I knew I could beat. We once at practice had a 1-on-1 tournament where we had to play our teamates at our position to see who was better til 5. I beat the starting SG 0-5. I told coach, he said it was luck. I sat on the bench til the end of the year, just waiting for my chance to come around. It did, but only when I got pissed. I have this game on tape somewhere. It was the game where I got into a fight with my own teamate. Coach had put me in and I had missed 2 free throws which I knew I should've made so I was naturally ticked as I came to the bench. I asked for a water bottle and the only one left was between one of my black teamates legs. No offense to any black folk, I just mean to say that by black, he was strong, mean, and a PF. So anyways, I told him to give the bottle to me and he said "hell nah, this is mine, why don't u find another one" so i tried to get it but he pulled it back. I then got up on the bench and he pushed me off to the other side. I found a water bottle on the other side and he was turned around looking at me. So I opened the bottle up, drank some, and threw some at him. He was PISSED. I went and sat down right beside coach (smart thinking eh?) and he came over behind me and smacked me on the head, I turned around and smacked him HARD on his back. Coach heard us and turned around and yelled at him to go sit down. Guess what? Our starting SG and him quit that night, walking off the court in the 3rd quarter flicking off the coach and walking home (this was an away game)I got more playing time that game because right after I had this little incident I was putting my shooting shirt on getting ready to sit for the rest of the game, and coach says "What are you doin fariz, I want you back in there your games not over yet" I went in 2 more times and got the most playing time I had ever gotten. Plus I had 2 points. The guy threatened to fight me when we got back to school and I said alright 4 o-clock the next day after school. I had practice from 3-4 so I told him I'd meet him after practice (since he'd been kicked off the team) I went at 4 o clock outside to see where he was and someone told me he took the metro home. LOL So anyways, now we reach this year. 9th grade, after learning from previous experiences, I have learned that I now have to be aggressive in order to get more playing time. Eventhough I still don't act aggressive. I need to work on that. I made the HS basketball team after everyone said I wouldn't and now I'm enjoying more playing time this year in 3 games then in 10 games all of last year. I will try to improve my vertical over the summer because that is the only way that I will advance to the next level. I'm only 5'5,120 LBs and have a 26 in vertical. I need about a 40 to dunk. Does anyone have any programs? Thanks for letting me get it all out. ------------------ Francis out top, 9 seconds on the clock, he gives a no look pass to Cuttino Mobley, 4 seconds left, Mobley passes to an open Langhi in the corner with 1 second left! Langhi at the buzzer.......YES!!! How Sweet It Is!!
Dude, I think that could be my longest post ever. ------------------ Francis out top, 9 seconds on the clock, he gives a no look pass to Cuttino Mobley, 4 seconds left, Mobley passes to an open Langhi in the corner with 1 second left! Langhi at the buzzer.......YES!!! How Sweet It Is!!
Started playing in 4th grade and was stuggling when I took some coordination and health lessons from these odd people (sorta new agey stuff my mom had me do). Suddenly, in my 5th grade year, I was leading the team in scoring and passing like a fool (that peripheral vision and hand-eye coordination stuff worked!). By then, I had discovered both pro and college bball. Calvin Murphy was my favorite. I carried his bball card around in my wallet. I also became a fan of Robert Reid and, soon, Phi Slamma Jama. Playing the game really got me interested in watching. I still like to play. Just ask rimmy. ------------------ The way to use life is to do nothing through acting, The way to use life is to do everything through being. - Lao-Tzu
Man Jeff, you gotta tell me where to learn some of that hand-eye coordination and the periphial vision skills....excuse my spelling. ------------------ Francis out top, 9 seconds on the clock, he gives a no look pass to Cuttino Mobley, 4 seconds left, Mobley passes to an open Langhi in the corner with 1 second left! Langhi at the buzzer.......YES!!! How Sweet It Is!! [This message has been edited by Rockets R' Us (edited December 21, 2000).]
It's all really simple stuff, but practiced over a few months, really makes a difference. One thing to help your peripheral vision is to hang two pieces of paper on a wall each with red dots in the center. Place the paper as far apart as you can and still see both out of the corner of your eyes when you stand about two feet away from the wall in between both pieces of paper. Once you've done that, use ONLY your eyes to go back and forth between the two dots (SLOWLY). DO NOT MOVE YOUR HEAD, JUST YOUR EYES. As you get better, move the papers further apart or even off to the sides of you and finally even back behind your ears a few feet away from your head. Think of it as a stretching exercise for your eye muscles. ------------------ The way to use life is to do nothing through acting, The way to use life is to do everything through being. - Lao-Tzu
Cool. Thanks Jeff, I'll try to do that. Got any other tips that you can drop on me that'll help me be a mad baller like you? ------------------ Francis out top, 9 seconds on the clock, he gives a no look pass to Cuttino Mobley, 4 seconds left, Mobley passes to an open Langhi in the corner with 1 second left! Langhi at the buzzer.......YES!!! How Sweet It Is!!
Mad baller? AH HA HA HA HA HA AH HA HA HA !!!! That's funny, eh Rimmy? That was like 15 years ago! Actually, there are lots of great hand-eye coordination exercises. Look for exercise books that focus on agility and coordination training. Good luck! ------------------ The way to use life is to do nothing through acting, The way to use life is to do everything through being. - Lao-Tzu
If youre looking to add inches to your vertical, those speical shoes really do work sometimes. I have a couple of friends who tried it and have since added 4-6 inches.
I'm tryin to skip the shoes. Too much $$. I have tried Air Alert 2 and it worked for me for about 3 weeks until I moved and lost the program. I want to get something like that again and so far I have tried out www.stl-basketball.com and www.higherhops.com Nothing doing. ------------------ Francis out top, 9 seconds on the clock, he gives a no look pass to Cuttino Mobley, 4 seconds left, Mobley passes to an open Langhi in the corner with 1 second left! Langhi at the buzzer.......YES!!! How Sweet It Is!!
yeah thats the same reason i didnt get them. Waste of money if you ask me. How much was the Air alert and how many inches did you add?
Air Alert was $20 bucks and I added about 3 inches in 3 weeks. The others I mentioned are free and should work out well if you do them on a consistent basis. That's my problem, consistency. ------------------ Francis out top, 9 seconds on the clock, he gives a no look pass to Cuttino Mobley, 4 seconds left, Mobley passes to an open Langhi in the corner with 1 second left! Langhi at the buzzer.......YES!!! How Sweet It Is!!
