6th grade, at school. The regular gym was being used for something I can't remember (I was in athletics gym so a lot of different teams would run practices in there) but there was a goal in the interior courtyard between the gym and the auditorium (there were also some behind the school but for some reason I was playing inside). Anyway, in sixth grade I didn't have a lot of skill because I was fairly new to the game but I was terribly athletic and could jump out of the building. We were playing 3 on 3 and I was matched up with this bigger, ripped (for middle school), older guy. We ended up spending most of the game in a rebounding battle that I was continually winning. He was pissed that this skinny white 6th grader was beating him so he undercuts me during one rebound and I fall straight onto my back on the hard concrete. I couldn't breathe for a few seconds but once I could I got back up and kept playing. 9th grade, at school. My friends and I play five on five versus some Vietnamese guys. We were killing them and then they broke out their "for some reason we have longer than usual fingernails so we will use them for scratching" offensive scheme. We played until game point, told them they were a bunch of b****es, and left. 9th grade, behind school. Playing 4 on 4 with friends/acquantances. I was guarding a guy who was much bigger than I was (my 6', 150 to his 6'2 230) and I was killing him. We were friendly but he got mad and during one rebound he basically hopped onto my back (grabbing his arms around my neck). The suprise made my body react fnny so basically I landed on one knee - straight onto the concrete and carrying his weight on top of me. Hurt like hell and blood started flowing but I stupidly kept playing. Later that night my knee completely went out on me when I tried to stand up. And thus began my now lifelong battle with my knees so that now I am never supposed to play.
I find the timing of this thread pretty ironic. Just last night, myself, Ognilecaf, and josh123 had an experience that sparked a lengthy discussion about the kind of crap that has gone down on basketball courts in our lifetime. We even joked about starting a thread about the whole thing. (See Ognilecaf's signature) What he left out though, is that we actually ended up with next (I guess they "gave it back" to us), we won our game and then they had their next against us. We won the first game against them, and of course they requested to "run that **** back", and upon doing so they got beat again and then everyone went home and they didn't say one single word to us. I hate r****ds like that, but we definitely got the last laugh.
I would hate to play in the leagues that some of y'all are playing in. I've got a few Bball experiences like that. At the Mall of America there used to be a huge sports bar that had an indoor hoop that was caged off so people wouldn't get hit by stray balls or people diving after rebounds. One would figure that basketball alchohal and cyclone fencing don't mix and after a few years they took out the court. A buddy and me where playing there one day after watching college football and we were challenged by a couple of big guys. I'm rather short and my friend was pretty skinny so these guys figured they would make short work of us but we were faster more athletic and had less to drink than they did so they start tackling us into the fencing. Before things could get out of hand the bouncers came by and kicked us all out of the court and the bar. In grad school I was playing pickup ball with some of my classmates and one guy decides to play thug ball. He litterally tackles one guy and then while I was going up for a rebound he grabs my arm and pulls me down. The next play where I'm near him he goes up for a rebound and I footswept him dropping him flat on his @ss. Best part is that he didn't even realize I did anything to him and attributed it to his own clumsiness, although he didn't grab my arm again. While Judo comes in handy every now and then on the bball court sometimes it sucks playing with other martial artists. I was playing a pickup game with another guy who does Judo and Jujitsu. He's on the other team and I'm playing a phenomenal game. I get the ball on a fast break and take it down the court. He's the last guy to beat and I put an SF3 crossover move on him and get past him. As I jump and bring my arm up to take the shot he grabs my arm and slams me down hard on the court and then tells me, "I wouldn't have done that if I didn't know you did Judo."
I think people are smart enough to know not to **** with me. I **** b****es up. and then i **** their credit history. buy a car now b****. buy yourself a house.
I have a GREAT story. I was in Venice Beach looking for some pickup games one day. I was sitting there watching a game going on, when one of the guys in the game gets injured. The score is 8-9 in a game to 10, and the team with 8 points needs somebody to fill in. I come in and make these two SWEET passes for the final two points, when some guy from the losing team gets really pissed off that he lost. So, he challenges me to to a best out of five shootout at the top of the key for a few bucks. We each make our first four shots, and he's talking trash the whole time. I swish my fifth shot, which puts the pressure on him. I kinda get in his head a little bit, because I'm not one of those guys that is really loud and obnoxious when I talk mess. He clanks his fifth shot, I take my money, and take off. Well, this guy knew that he just got hustled big time, so he comes by my apartment later on and asks me if I want to run a few games with him around town before this big two-on-two tournament. I reluctantly agree, because I really needed the money to pay off a debt. Our first game is against these two really big guys. They have to outweigh us by 50-60 pounds each. We end up beating them, and one of the guys pulls out a knife! After that, we hauled ass out of there. Our next game was against these two other guys. They didn't seem that special, but we had a tough time with them. I was strokin' it, but my partner's game was really off that day, and we lost. The worst part is that I bet every dollar I had on that game. So, I go back and explain things to my girlfriend, and she accuses my partner of hustling ME! Can you believe that? She gets all pissed off, and drags me down to this guy's apartment in the Crenshaw district. It turns out that he WAS hustling me! The two guys that beat us were two of his best friends, and they were hanging out watching a Lakers game! I couldn't believe it. I guess this guy's wife had a soft spot for us, so she agrees to give us back some of the money, as long as we team up to play in that two-on-two tournament. I don't want to bore everybody with the details of every game we played, but we won the tournament and the $5000 top prize. The one problem is that I'm not really good with money. As we were driving home, my partner starts talking mess about how I can't dunk the ball. Being a little hotheaded, I bet my half of the $5000 against his half that I COULD dunk the ball. As you might have guessed, I didn't dunk the ball, and I have to go home empty handed...again... I get home and explain what happened, and my girlfriend just couldn't take it anymore. She leaves my ass right there on the spot. Of course, things get even more complicated now. I never really explained my debt. You see, I used to be this hot shot college basketball player, and these two low life gangter guys paid me to throw a game one time, but I didn't throw the game, and they've been after me ever since then, wanting their money. They finally catch up to me, and give me one week to pay them back, or else... I'm in a REAL bind now. I have to get my girl back AND pay off my debt. I'm desperate, so I turn back to my former partner to help. I figured I had one shot left. You see, my GF is a HUGE Jeopardy fan, and my partner knew a guy that could get her on the show. I had to make a 3/4 court hook shot to get this guy to let my GF on Jeopardy....swish! It was the most beautiful shot you've ever seen. Next thing you know, she's on Jeopardy, and she totally kicks ass. She gets about $20,000 the first day. Backstage, I manage to work things out with her, and she takes me back. We're at the hotel that Jeopardy put her in, when she give me $2000 of her winnings to go get some nice clothes to go on job interviews. Let's face it, basketball won't be around forever for me. We're walking outside, when my partner comes up to me. This time, he needs a favor from ME. It turns out that a couple of burglars cleaned him out the day before, and he needs money ASAP. He heard about these local playground legends that were cleaning up downtown, but it cost $2800 to get in a game. Of course, I jump at the chance since I just got $2000 from my GF, but she clearly wasn't as excited. She didn't want me using her Jeopardy winnings to bet on a basketball game. She didn't really understand the concept of favors really well, and that you don't turn your back on a friend in need, especially when he had just done me the biggest favor of my life. Well, we beat these two guys, and I'm as happy as ever. I'm even happier than I was when we won that two-on-two tournament. I go back to the hotel, ready to celebrate, when I discover that she left. She just up and took off...no note, no nothing! Can you believe that? I FINALLY do something right, and it comes back to bite me in the ass. That's not the worst part, though. Remember those two guys I was telling you about that wanted me to throw that game? They show up, and had a gun pointed at my head, demanding their money. So, I ended up with no money, no girlfriend, and no job. I guess sometimes, when you win, you actually lose. When you lose, you actually win. When you win or lose, you actually tie, and when you tie, you actually win or lose....or some sh*t like that...
I'm not sure why there are always tustles on basketball courts. I'm usually not involved though. One time I was, I was playing a pickup game and after a scramble for the ball, an opponent complains that I scratched him (I don't think I was the one). I mock him for complaining about a scratch. So, he picks me up and slams me on the ground. He didn't realize, however, how many of the players there were good friends of mine. He got a knock on the side of the head, and then saw he couldn't retaliate because there were so many guys waiting for him to.
Damn, DaDa...I'm sure there was SOMEBODY out there that hadn't seen that movie that would have believed me!
LOL - it starts to get a bit unbelievable around the "Jeopardy" mark...ok maybe even earlier than that. I give you respect for typing the whole thing out. Plenty of time up you sleeves there Train obviously.
