"Weekend" Warriors...

the_ouskull · Post by **the_ouskull** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 11:40 pm

So, do any of you still play the game that we like to post about so much? If yes, how often and at what level? If not, when did you quit? Why?

I still (at 31) play Intramurals. I think that I'm OU's all-time leading IM scorer. Not because I'm overly good, but because I've been playing on and off for going on 13 years. :D

I hit 4 first half threes in our game tonight. Then the other team went from a 2-3 to a Box / 1 and my unathletic ass was the 1. 0 second half points. :cry:

...I felt like OU at Hilton.

So, what about the rest of you?

the_ouskull

Mook · Post by **Mook** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 12:27 am

I used to play all the time.....three knee surgeries and one ankle surgery later my playing has seriously tapered off.....that and the fact that I'm 38!!

I played four or five times a week from the time I was sixteen until I hit 30. First knee surgery was at 18, I tore my ankle up at 22...that was the end of any athleticism I had..after that I still played alright. I was a pretty good shooter from deep...I'm not a real bragger, but I had very good range. Second knee surgery at 35....after that, I've played three times. Last time out was prior to Christmas this year with my brother. There were thirteen guys there and eleven of them were noticeably better than me....which sucked. Basically, I consider myself retired. It sucks, but I guess that is what happens when you get old. I thought I'd miss it, because I absolutely loved to play hoops....odd thing is that I don't miss it at all. Probably because over the years your skills and athleticism erode to a point where the game isn't much fun anymore.

I run now, so I still stay in shape, but hoops is basically over.

the_ouskull · Post by **the_ouskull** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 12:56 am

You don't have to tell me about the athleticism... before I blew out my knee at 20, I could dunk with both hands. (I'm not real tall, but I had a 38" vertical.) Since then, needless to say, the years and the beers have limited my game considerably. I'm still a shooter, and I can put the ball down occasionally (and hopefully get fouled before I get to the rim 'cause I don't have much of what the homies like to call "finishing lift" or anything...) but my game's been in the tank by college standards for at least three years now. I made it fine through blowing two knees, but the ankle three years ago was the end of my athleticism as I knew it.

I still have some dunking pics, thank God. Otherwise, I wouldn't even believe myself.

the_ouskull

Bizzarofelice · Post by **Bizzarofelice** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 2:06 am

I use to play in the rec center in my hometown. I'd be the tall guy shooting free throws until the neighborhood (with the emphasis on "hood") high schoolers invite me to play half-court with them. Being 6'4'', I was always the second tallest behind the 6'9" 275 lb guy so I'd have to guard him. There would be kids flying by dunking and swishing threes while I just hoped to not get injured setting a pick. As my knees started to click while I walked up steps, I got off the treadmill and stopped playing hoops. My knees don't click anymore these days, but my pants don't fit the same.

Harvdog · Post by **Harvdog** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 2:22 am

The last time I played I f-uped my ankle and it still hurts. I used to play in high school. I was the 6th man off the bench. Coach put me in to commit hard fouls on the other teams 4 and 5. I could shoot the 3 and dunk. I can barely grab the net now. I think I have added 60 pounds since high school. But then again that was 15 years ago and I ain't 18. :wink:

Shine · Post by **Shine** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 3:34 am

I have a hoop in my driveway. Besides imitating Jimmy Chitwood there, nah don't play much anymore.

OUMO · Post by **OUMO** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 6:22 am

Hoops stopped for me in 1999 when I became a vampire and started working 2nd and 3rd shifts.

Mook · Post by **Mook** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 3:05 pm

One other minor detail I forgot and something that cuts into not only hoops time, but all free time in general.....TWO SMALL KIDS!!!!!!!!

King Crimson · Post by **King Crimson** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:20 pm

i shoot the rock in the mornings a couple times a week at the CU rec center. I'm still money beyond the arc.

i don't play pick up games cause going full court might kill me.

indyfrisco · Post by **indyfrisco** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 6:06 pm

I played IM in college and played one season right after college. I'm 28 now and started playing in my church pick-up league on monday nights. This was right before Christmas when I started. We had the big snow, 28" in 2 days where I was shoveling constantly.

Been having back problems since and doubt I will play again competitively. I want to be there for my kids. Just golf, treadmill and weight room for me now. I've had two epidurrals of cortisone and steroids into my lower spine thus far. You can only have so many of those. I want to avoid the fusion.

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 5:08 pm

I finally stopped attempting to participate in the sport we call basketball about 4 years ago. I finally realized that I am short, indian and unless I am squared up, left alone behind the arc I don't have a snowballs chance in hell of ever scoring on anyone with even the slightest athletic ability on a regular basis.

Football (QB) and Baseball (Catcher) were always the sports I excelled at. Pretty Decent wrestler early in High school as well but when I moved to Shithole (Austin), Texass they didn't have it but at one high school in the area and it was out of my district so I couldn't get a special transfer to participate

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:28 am

Last time I played was at the local YMCA in like '95.

I got schooled badly by guy's 10 years younger and my back hurt when I got home. My wife had to drag my ass in the house 'cause I couldn't get out the car.

I could post up some grandmothers in wheelchairs though, I means to tell ya'.

War Glory Days.

Ang · Post by **Ang** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 5:21 am

I played in jr high, then not in high school because at that time my high school didn't have girls basketball. After that, I played in driveways every time I had a chance, and always won the horse games, and a few one on ones against upstarts who thought they could take me :) When I grew up and actually had a driveway of my own, still played in neighbors driveways all the time but we never had a hoop over our driveway til we moved back here to the moat. First house we had here...that big ole hoop was something the sellers asked if we wanted them to take off and I said NO WAY! We had many an afternoon just playing around the slab and shooting at night with the shop light illuminating the area. Fun stuff.

I never played in a real league as an adult til I was 42 years old (6 years ago). First time in my life I played full court basketball. When I played as a girl, it was that half court shit.

Finding that league was a travel of it's own. I met some women who had played college ball, and they all worked at the same place. They started a Monday night pickup game, coed. Usually it was 3 on 3 half court, or 4 on 4 full court, mostly guys but a few women...so 2 or 3 guys on each team and 1 or 2 women. We played like that for 6 months or so. Along the way, we got a solid crowd going...enough to make 2 teams with 3 men and 2 women. Awsome games each week. I learned so much, actually became a whole court player instead of just a shooter. Plus we just all were playing hard and having fun. I set a pick too late one night and a guy got pushed hard into me from the guy on my team he was guarding...and the back of his head just crashed against my face. I really thought something broke. It hurt. So I went to the ER in my basketball shorts and shoes with my kid who was there to play with the other kids. The X-ray person immediately looks at a face hit on a woman and wonders if it was domestic. I just told her....look at my shorts and shoes, ask my kid. Believe it or not, I really was just playing basketball. My face was blue and green on that side for a week, and I had to go teach my class at OSU. Not a pretty sight.

Once we played at that place for awhile and got a regular group, the place where we were playing decided that we needed to play a fund raiser for them, because it was a therapy place for disturbed kids, and most of the players were psych tech folks. So we played a fundraiser, with our two coed teams against each other. That was a hoot! Close full 40 minute game, played 2 20 minute halves, ended up a 65-62 game. Fun game.

After that, the women got together and played a season at the local competive sports place. We were mid-pack in the league, had a whole lot of fun and I was (at 42) one of the oldest and least experienced of the group. The team decided to go REALLY competitive, like some of them thought they could try out for the WNBA or something...and didn't ask me or Lola (the only other 40 something player) to stay on with the team. Thing is...the person putting together this new team assumed that our anchor player, T, would go along with the new idea. T was kind of pissed off that they didn't invite Lola and me, and dumped the team for a really competive team and then proceeded to beat the pants off everyone in the league. I had lunch with T a few months after that, and she just said..."Hey, you gotta know who your friends are. Those girls thought they could dump you and Lola and keep me. They were wrong."

And now that we moved into a little cottage in the city, we have one of those movable hoops but the driveway is all uneven cobble in the backyard so I hardly ever have a chance to just put up a shot. I miss it. Every time we go to a game zone with the basketball thing, I'm there all night.

Waz · Post by **Waz** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 12:58 am

Ang wrote:I played in jr high, then not in high school because at that time my high school didn't have girls basketball. After that, I played in driveways every time I had a chance, and always won the horse games, and a few one on ones against upstarts who thought they could take me :) When I grew up and actually had a driveway of my own, still played in neighbors driveways all the time but we never had a hoop over our driveway til we moved back here to the moat. First house we had here...that big ole hoop was something the sellers asked if we wanted them to take off and I said NO WAY! We had many an afternoon just playing around the slab and shooting at night with the shop light illuminating the area. Fun stuff.

I never played in a real league as an adult til I was 42 years old (6 years ago). First time in my life I played full court basketball. When I played as a girl, it was that half court shit.

Finding that league was a travel of it's own. I met some women who had played college ball, and they all worked at the same place. They started a Monday night pickup game, coed. Usually it was 3 on 3 half court, or 4 on 4 full court, mostly guys but a few women...so 2 or 3 guys on each team and 1 or 2 women. We played like that for 6 months or so. Along the way, we got a solid crowd going...enough to make 2 teams with 3 men and 2 women. Awsome games each week. I learned so much, actually became a whole court player instead of just a shooter. Plus we just all were playing hard and having fun. I set a pick too late one night and a guy got pushed hard into me from the guy on my team he was guarding...and the back of his head just crashed against my face. I really thought something broke. It hurt. So I went to the ER in my basketball shorts and shoes with my kid who was there to play with the other kids. The X-ray person immediately looks at a face hit on a woman and wonders if it was domestic. I just told her....look at my shorts and shoes, ask my kid. Believe it or not, I really was just playing basketball. My face was blue and green on that side for a week, and I had to go teach my class at OSU. Not a pretty sight.

Once we played at that place for awhile and got a regular group, the place where we were playing decided that we needed to play a fund raiser for them, because it was a therapy place for disturbed kids, and most of the players were psych tech folks. So we played a fundraiser, with our two coed teams against each other. That was a hoot! Close full 40 minute game, played 2 20 minute halves, ended up a 65-62 game. Fun game.

After that, the women got together and played a season at the local competive sports place. We were mid-pack in the league, had a whole lot of fun and I was (at 42) one of the oldest and least experienced of the group. The team decided to go REALLY competitive, like some of them thought they could try out for the WNBA or something...and didn't ask me or Lola (the only other 40 something player) to stay on with the team. Thing is...the person putting together this new team assumed that our anchor player, T, would go along with the new idea. T was kind of pissed off that they didn't invite Lola and me, and dumped the team for a really competive team and then proceeded to beat the pants off everyone in the league. I had lunch with T a few months after that, and she just said..."Hey, you gotta know who your friends are. Those girls thought they could dump you and Lola and keep me. They were wrong."

And now that we moved into a little cottage in the city, we have one of those movable hoops but the driveway is all uneven cobble in the backyard so I hardly ever have a chance to just put up a shot. I miss it. Every time we go to a game zone with the basketball thing, I'm there all night.

okaaaaaaaayyyyyy. thanks for sharing.

My claim to fame is making the OUSkull fake a knee injury so he wouldn't have to step on the court with me. :D

Mustang · Post by **Mustang** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 3:44 pm

Used to be a one-on-none legend in my driveway and played almost every day in college. Once I picked up hockey though, basketball was essentially done. Now it's once a year with a yearly gathering with college buddies, which I'm hosting this year. I think there's a spare hoop or two around Bloomington....

Hmmmm.....maybe a halfcourt with Shine, IAA, Frisco, myself....