The law firm I work for subsidizes a city league basketball team I play on. The new season started this week, which helps explain the lack of posts lately.* I've been mildly excited about playing, since it does wonders for my ego to muscle people up in the post, put the ball in the basket, and have the other team realize their only hope is to keep me from getting the ball.
What'd I'd forgotten, though, and what I was reminded of Thursday night, is that sometimes I end up playing with a certain type of person that I'll refer to affectionately as "that guy." Whenever I end up playing with "that guy," I come very close to hating the game of basketball. Let me describe "that guy" for you: he's usually a guard, on my team, goes through several stretches in a game where he simply refuses to pass, talks trash to the other team as though he's the best person on the team (he's not), and complains constantly to the referees every time down the court, during time outs, dead balls, and at half time. Even his own teammates start thinking he's a jerk, and spend most of their time scheming for ways to get the guy to shut his mouth (instead of playing basketball).
I absolutely hate it when someone on my team complains to the referees. I've known very few people who've ever had more legitimate gripes against referees on a consistent basis than I do. Put simply, I never get calls. I'm bigger, stronger, (and dare I say, smarter?) than 98% of the people I play against, which, at every level I've ever played at, has meant that the referees try to compensate by letting my opponents get away with murder.
Here's the thing: I never complain to the referees.** In part because I think I'm above it (I figure I don't need their help), but also because its a fruitless exercise in whining, normally done by those insecure enough to let someone else be in control.
Alas, someone who fits this description is on my team, and he has me wanting to retire from the game all over again. We lost Thursday's game at the buzzer, which wasn't a big deal to me. What was a big deal was that I did not enjoy the game, and contemplated leaving the team if I have to endure another game with that guy.
So, on the chance that guy is reading, please just keep your mouth closed. I can deal with you hogging the ball, perhaps even the ignorance that leads you to trash talk the guy guarding you. However I simply cannot and will not deal with your constant whining to the referees, and the fact that your need to constantly berate them while pleading your cause ruins any chance the rest of us on your team have of getting any calls.
Otherwise good luck to you. One of us will be finding another team.
*One also need look no further than the fact that EA's NCAA Football 2007 is out. My online handle is "clarkabc22" if you've got the game on the PS2 and an internet connection, I defy you to try to stop the Cougar offense or get back the tenacious 3-3-5 defense (On the video game, of course. I'm watching the 'real' Cougars play the AZ Wildcats right now to see if their offense is as good as mine. I can tell you right now they don't run the option as well).
**Once in high school I scored 25 points in the first half of a basketball game. At the start of the second half I started noticing the refs weren't blowing the whistle any more. So did the other team. The other team got progressively worse -- first slapping, then outright hanging on my arms and head. It was frustrating enough that I did eventually look to the referee as we ran back down the court and said to him calmly "Look, I know what you're trying to do. I just don't want to end up hurt." Amazingly, the whistle started blowing again. (I love telling that story).
No comments:
Post a Comment