My weekly basketball observation thread...

[Cuda1447]

I made a thread last week about the overwhelming feeling of playing in a basketball league. Well we had our 2nd game this week. It didn't go well, we got spanked. But I have one observation to take away from the game.


For whatever reason, the vast majority of people in these leagues lack any semblance of sportsmanship. It took me until a few hours after the game to figure this out. They showboated, when they dunked they would kick their legs around in the air like they were riding a bicycle. Even up by 40 with a few minutes left in the game they were full court pressing, bitching if they got called for a foul and still trying to dunk. I didn't mind them trying to run up the score. The dunking thing didn't bother me a whole lot, it is part of the game. When a guy is running at me 1 on 1 though, tries to throw the ball off the backboard and jump over me to dunk it though and then gets pissed when he gets called for the charge and starts bitching, thats where I draw the line. I mean, what. the. fuck. Perhaps I just don't fully understand the culture in basketball. I grew up playing every sport imaginable, except basketball. In every other sport, even at an extremely competitive level with hated rivals, there was more sportsmanship than this supposed rec. league.

Thoughts?

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Basketball (specifically NBA) and its culture has gone downhill since when I watched and played. I grew up in the 80s and was into it quite a bit. Being from IL, I was a huge fan of the Bulls and Jordan. I would shoot hoops at the playground and have a good time with friends. Nowadays if I tried going to the closest basketball court I'd be greeted by wannabe thugs dressed like gang bangers. From what I have seen as I drive by, the games don't appear to be friendly. Granted there are exceptions to this attitude, both inside and outside the NBA, but they are few and far between.

The same can be said for pretty much any sport but basketball seems to be the worst transition of all. Not many people play for the love of the game anymore.

 

[Juked07]

Basketball (specifically NBA) and its culture has gone downhill since when I watched and played. I grew up in the 80s and was into it quite a bit. Being from IL, I was a huge fan of the Bulls and Jordan. I would shoot hoops at the playground and have a good time with friends. Nowadays if I tried going to the closest basketball court I'd be greeted by wannabe thugs dressed like gang bangers. From what I have seen as I drive by, the games don't appear to be friendly. Granted there are exceptions to this attitude, both inside and outside the NBA, but they are few and far between.

The same can be said for pretty much any sport but basketball seems to be the worst transition of all. Not many people play for the love of the game anymore.

I don't have much of an opinion so unfortunately I can't contribute much to the thread either.. But did you just judge the culture of playing recreational basketball based on the looks of the players as you drive by?

 

[TecHNooB]

you playin in the ghetto league

 

[RavenSEAL]

Basketball (specifically NBA) and its culture has gone downhill since when I watched and played. I grew up in the 80s and was into it quite a bit. Being from IL, I was a huge fan of the Bulls and Jordan. I would shoot hoops at the playground and have a good time with friends. Nowadays if I tried going to the closest basketball court I'd be greeted by wannabe thugs dressed like gang bangers. From what I have seen as I drive by, the games don't appear to be friendly. Granted there are exceptions to this attitude, both inside and outside the NBA, but they are few and far between.

The same can be said for pretty much any sport but basketball seems to be the worst transition of all. Not many people play for the love of the game anymore.

Amen :thumbsup:

Everyone wants the big money, all sports have become is a competition of greed.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

I don't have much of an opinion so unfortunately I can't contribute much to the thread either.. But did you just judge the culture of playing recreational basketball based on the looks of the players as you drive by?

I'm saying the attitudes and behavior by players both in and out of the NBA have shifted greatly from the 80s to now. I also walk by the courts in my neighborhood and it's not a fun, inviting game they are playing. Growing up, if there was a scratch game happening we'd invite kids to join. I've heard that my neighbor's kids got turned away because the people playing on the public court "owned" it. One game broke out into a fight where the cops were called. As I'm in a quieter suburban neighborhood, I can only imagine what the larger cities have but I can imagine it being similar if not worse.

 

[zinfamous]

Basketball (specifically NBA) and its culture has gone downhill since when I watched and played. I grew up in the 80s and was into it quite a bit. Being from IL, I was a huge fan of the Bulls and Jordan. I would shoot hoops at the playground and have a good time with friends. Nowadays if I tried going to the closest basketball court I'd be greeted by wannabe thugs dressed like gang bangers. From what I have seen as I drive by, the games don't appear to be friendly. Granted there are exceptions to this attitude, both inside and outside the NBA, but they are few and far between.

The same can be said for pretty much any sport but basketball seems to be the worst transition of all. Not many people play for the love of the game anymore.

This. Basketball is by far my favorite sport. But the NBA has been dead to me for a little more than a decade. I can't watch that game--it isn't basketball.

 

[Miramonti]

This is why I played mostly in church leagues when I was playing more. It's not guarantee by any stretch, but definitely was better sportsmanship on average (chicago.)

 

[Via]

You're just WAY out of your league (pun intended).

If you guys were competetive you wouldn't have to deal with that sort of stuff. On the bright side - if your team can stick it out and finish the season you'll probably be pretty well off in a lesser division next season.

 

[hans007]

i've played a lot of basketball over the years.

i played in a league in SF one year. our team was easily the youngest team, and we got our asses kicked weekly. why?

because the older 40 somethings in the league i believe were trying to relive their youth. they wanted to be whatever they used to be, so we just got beat the crap out of constantly. shoving pushing etc. i got elbowed in the head just standing under the basket by some 40 year old so hard i lost a contact. things like that. we just wanted to play a relatively fun but not "its the nba finals" style pickup game.

and the league only had 1 ref (really cool guy by the way). but bad sportsmanship is all about guys who think they SHOULD be winning. its all ego because they don't want to accept in their minds that they aren't what they used to be.

my other observation over the years is this. i'm 5'11 and asian. i'm pretty athletic , when i was younger i could dunk a tennisball. tthat said going to college and everything you'd see the same thing from short guys as you do old guys.

short guys want to play basketball and believe they are good. generally being short isnt super helpful unless it makes you lightning quick. i generally play point guard and this led to al ot of issues. like when you are going up against a guy who is say 5'3 and he gets frustrated you get elbowed in the kidney. or they under cut you as you are jumping. like after college i honestly tried to avoid games where everyone was asian and short. being taller than other people means you get more vengeance taken out on you out of frustration. its almost like the shaq effect.

that said, the best times i've ever had playing basketball were with people who really knew how to play. some of the other people in this thread made comments about ghetto leagues. i grew up in a suburb and saw tons of fights at parks etc. saw a group of guys go to their car to get a gun once so i think suburbs honestly are not necesarrily good either.

i lived near oakland for 5 years and went to a an oakland magic johnson 24 hour fitness and played regularly. the place as you would imagine being in west oakland, had lots of what most people here would probably think were ghetto guys. lots of super athletic black dudes but you also got a mix as everyone from alameda, to berkeley, etc went to this gym to play. probably some of the most skilled players i've gotten to play against and probably the best sportsman ship i've ever seen. people didnt play dirty, never saw a fight there ever and people honestly respected everyone. i mean i was no where near as athletic as these guys, but i remember things like guys saying nice things just because i would try to actually box out or full court press an opposing guard. a lot of the guys were regulars and they'd eventaully recognize you and you'd at least somewhat get to know people. cheap shots and the calling ridiculous fouls crap rarely happened. so it was unexpected but eventually i figured people who really love playing, dont do all that crap because you know you'll get injured and just ruin the game for someone.

 

[HendrixFan]

This. Basketball is by far my favorite sport. But the NBA has been dead to me for a little more than a decade. I can't watch that game--it isn't basketball.

That is sad because it was a little past a decade ago (the 2003 draft class) that changed the direction of the league as players reverted back to playing more team oriented basketball. The rule changes during that time, both offense and defense, have pushed the team aspects even faster.

I'm saying the attitudes and behavior by players both in and out of the NBA have shifted greatly from the 80s to now. I also walk by the courts in my neighborhood and it's not a fun, inviting game they are playing. Growing up, if there was a scratch game happening we'd invite kids to join. I've heard that my neighbor's kids got turned away because the people playing on the public court "owned" it. One game broke out into a fight where the cops were called. As I'm in a quieter suburban neighborhood, I can only imagine what the larger cities have but I can imagine it being similar if not worse.

I can, and have, gone to some of the toughest courts in town and found basketball to be basketball. Someone owns a court when they win, winners always stay on. You win and you take over the court. It is that simple. A few years back I used to play at an outdoor court at a church that for whatever reason always had 50+ people running games, 7 days a week. One night we held court for nearly four hours, from a little after 5 to 9.

Being relatively short and absolutely white, I typically have problems showing up at a court and getting runs in. Once I do show my game I can usually get in on most games. Winners hold court, so you have to pick wisely. If you don't know the person you probably won't pick them.

You also have to understand that different courts have different skill levels. If I wanted a tough game and to really test my skill level I would go play at Montopolis or Dittmar. Best pickup games in town growing up. If I wanted to play more for fun or I was bringing people that weren't as good that I was playing with, I'd go to different church courts or apartment courts. If I hadn't played or even picked up a ball to shoot in months I would go to the parks in the white suburbs.

 

[TecHNooB]

^ totally get what you mean by owning the court, but I doubt that's what happened to the neighbor's kids. Some kids literally mean, "I own the court, you can't play on it."