Give us a rundown of your Basketball fandom history

[Hawkmoor]

@Sothron  I used to use that pivot move as a point guard playing pick up ball around the free throw line when big guys would guard me. My natural power move is to my left.  I would catch them off guard by pivoting to my right and using it as a power move to my right, in their face like you stated.  It would catch them off guard.  I don't ever remember missing that shot. High arch.  All net.

[Sothron]

2 minutes ago, Hawkmoor said:

@Sothron  I used to use that pivot move as a point guard playing pick up ball around the free throw line when big guys would guard me. My natural power move is to my left.  I would catch them off guard by pivoting to my right and using it as a power move to my right, in their face like you stated.  It would catch them off guard.  I don't ever remember missing that shot. High arch.  All net.

When I play the local HS kids in my own goal in my driveway and I beat them with that move I  yell out "SIKMA!" like the kids yell out "KOBE!" for a game winner. 

[Hawkmoor]

@Sothron  lmao.   On a side note, whats wrong with the board?  I can't quote anyone and I can't use any emojis outside of the "like" emoji.

[Sothron]

2 minutes ago, Hawkmoor said:

@Sothron  lmao.   On a side note, whats wrong with the board?  I can't quote anyone and I can't use any emojis outside of the "like" emoji.

Go down to the bottom of the page where it says "theme" click on the arrow next to it and make sure it says default theme. It seems to be fixing all the problems we've had lately.

[shakes]

my basketball fandom story is pretty unique in that it is split into two time periods.

Time Period one = BBS3 (before back surgery #3)

My basketball fandom started at age 10 when my dad got season tickets to DePaul at their new arena, the Rosemont Horizon.   Mark Aguirre, Terry Cummings.  Great way to get introduced to the sport.    I stuck with following just DePaul until I was 14 or 15 when i started to get into the rest of CBB.  At that time the Bulls drafted MJ, but I still wasn't sold on NBA.

The first NCAA championship I watched wasn't until 1985 when Villanova upset Georgetown by playing the perfect game.  I dare anyone who says cocaine is bad to watch that game and then tell me cocaine is bad.

My first exposure to NBA was the 1986 playoffs.  MJ lit up the Celtics in Game 1 so I figured I would tune in to see what this was all about.  63 points later I was hooked and never looked back.  Die hard Bulls fan from age 16 - 30 which is the best period of your life to stan a sports team, before life gets in the way of your priorities.    I know I'm very spoiled getting the chance to grow up with that dynasty and that player.  It was a great time.  I rioted for every championship all over Chicago.  Not riot like today...back then it was just groups of people celebrating in the streets.

I also continued to be obsessed with college ball.  You probably couldn't name a single NBA player from the 80s and 90s who I couldn't instantly tell you where they went to college.

I can't tell the rest of the story without touching on my own basketball playing days.  I grew up a hockey player from age 4.  So there was no basketball in my youth since they were during the same season.    But I loved  the sport and played in my driveway every chance I got.   After high school i hung up my skates and switched to bball.  PLayed 6-7 days per week, usually 3 hours per day.   Unfortunately at the time I was 5'10 250 lbs and I did a lot of damage to my back by being that fat and also being that active. 

When i was 23 I matured and decided to lose weight.  I ate better and lost 75 pounds in 4 months.  With all the hoops I was playing that was all it took.  Crazy thing happend after I lost all that weight.  It was like a switch was flipped on my bball playing.  I was instantly the fastest and quickest guy on the court and became a really good player.   Continued to play everyday all year long and then when i was 26 I suffered my first herniated disc.  Had surgery.  Over the next 4 years I had 2 more herniated discs and surgery.   After surgery 3 my doc said I could no longer run or jump for the rest of my life.  That was it, at age 30 i was forced into basketball retirement.

Losing the ability to play was beyond devastating for me.   I found that even watching basketball made me sick to my stomach.  I was the kind of guy who had to go play basketball after I watched a game...or go in the driveway and shoot during half time.   It got to the point pretty quickly where I couldn't even watch a game because it depressed me too much.  THat, coupled with the Bulls crashing demise, and I was ready to walk away from teh sport for good

 

TIME PERIOD 2:  ABS3

Between 2000ish and 2016 I stopped following college and the NBA.   Tried to get back in cause I loved Derek Rose since high school, but then he had those horrific knee injuries and taht was pretty much the end of his HOF trajectory career.  

From 2000-2008 I got way into European soccer.

From 2009-2016 I stanned the Blackhawks till they traded Panarin.

Time had passed, wounds had healed and I decided to give college a try again.   Local kid Jalen Brunson was goiong to Villanova so i decided to follow him.  early in the season I saw UCLA play and fell in instant sports love with Lonzo Ball.  Followed Lonzo to LA, but the late games and the idea of rooting for teh Lakers was too much for me to handle.

Didn't want to follow the Bulls because of how poorly they were being managed at the time.   no longer felt any allegiance to them after my16 year hiatus.

The next year I discovered Trae in the PK80 tourney and it was once again sports love at first sight.  Followed him to ATL and the rest is history.

[Hawkmoor]

2 hours ago, Sothron said:

Go down to the bottom of the page where it says "theme" click on the arrow next to it and make sure it says default theme. It seems to be fixing all the problems we've had lately.

Yuck. The default theme is horrible, lmao.   Thanks for showing me how to fix the problem.

[Hawkmoor]

8 hours ago, Sothron said:

I was three years old in 1979 and my dad took me to the Omni for Hawks games. Just a few. But it was enough. I love all the major sports (that includes soccer and hockey) and especially those from the state of Georgia. I root for both Georgia and Georgia Tech since both are from Georgia. If we had more than one pro team in a sport I'd root for them.

My dad instilled in me a love of sports and sticking with your hometown/homestate team. I added more teams that I liked as I got older (the 80's Celtics, 80's Nuggets, 80's Bucks, 80's Cavs) and then a teenager (90's Hornets, Sonics, Knicks, the TWolves once they drafted Starbury). I played college ball and loved it. Had a chance to be a scout for the Hawks but didn't follow through with it. Should have but such is life.

 

Most folks I knew were sell outs and front runners.  In the 1970s, they were on that Pittsburgh Steeler, Dallas Cowboy stuff.  Most still are.  Some claim to like BOTH of those teams.  Fake.  Those types of folks live through the teams they "claim" to root for.  The Falcons/Braves/Hawks aren't winners, so they have no use for them.

[AHF]

27 minutes ago, Hawkmoor said:

Yuck. The default theme is horrible, lmao.   Thanks for showing me how to fix the problem.

Per the pinned post on the main board, we'll be replacing the theme that broke.  @Hawkmoor

[Vol4ever]

1972 - Hawks, Falcons, Dolphins, and the Braves 

[Diesel]

6 hours ago, Hawkmoor said:

@Sothron  I used to use that pivot move as a point guard playing pick up ball around the free throw line when big guys would guard me. My natural power move is to my left.  I would catch them off guard by pivoting to my right and using it as a power move to my right, in their face like you stated.  It would catch them off guard.  I don't ever remember missing that shot. High arch.  All net.

It's the high release point.   Sometimes, it would be behind his head.

 

[benhillboy]

On 2/15/2023 at 4:52 PM, shakes said:

The next year I discovered Trae in the PK80 tourney and it was once again sports love at first sight.  Followed him to ATL and the rest is history.

Really?  You’re quite critical of him, that’s a shock.

[shakes]

4 hours ago, benhillboy said:

Really?  You’re quite critical of him, that’s a shock.

That's cause this season I've been giving Trae nothing but tough love.  As usual, I'm the only person who recognizes the total urgency of the situation.  right now I feel like Trae's career is at a turning point.  It can go one way or the other.  the first few years of his career Trae got better every season.  This is the first time he's gotten worse.  That shouldn't happen in someone's 5th year in the league.

His game has gotten worse and I fear that it's going to continue that way if he doesn't make drastic changes to his attitude on and off the court.   He's too smart of a player to be this stupid of a player.     But the way this season is going I fear that we've seen Trae's peak as a basketball player and it was last season.     If he doesn't wake up immediately it will be all downhill from here.

[Diesel]

2 hours ago, shakes said:

That's cause this season I've been giving Trae nothing but tough love.  As usual, I'm the only person who recognizes the total urgency of the situation.  right now I feel like Trae's career is at a turning point.  It can go one way or the other.  the first few years of his career Trae got better every season.  This is the first time he's gotten worse.  That shouldn't happen in someone's 5th year in the league.

His game has gotten worse and I fear that it's going to continue that way if he doesn't make drastic changes to his attitude on and off the court.   He's too smart of a player to be this stupid of a player.     But the way this season is going I fear that we've seen Trae's peak as a basketball player and it was last season.     If he doesn't wake up immediately it will be all downhill from here.

Damn Doom and Gloom Man.. Do you have any happy stories?

I do see this as being a pivotal season for Trae.  Like you, I see that his game is not where it could be.  Shooting particularly.  However, I don't see this as being the end.   I think that Trae need the right voices to come into his world.   Right now, the voices he has has done well but he needs that right person to take him further.  On his own, he has looked to CP3 and Curry.  However, I think he may need to here from somebody less celebrated... but at the same time, understands his place.   If we were to bring in Udoka... I hope he brings Damon Stoudamire with him.   That's the kind of voice that Trae needs right now. 

[shakes]

7 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Damn Doom and Gloom Man.. Do you have any happy stories?

I do see this as being a pivotal season for Trae.  Like you, I see that his game is not where it could be.  Shooting particularly.  However, I don't see this as being the end.   I think that Trae need the right voices to come into his world.   Right now, the voices he has has done well but he needs that right person to take him further.  On his own, he has looked to CP3 and Curry.  However, I think he may need to here from somebody less celebrated... but at the same time, understands his place.   If we were to bring in Udoka... I hope he brings Damon Stoudamire with him.   That's the kind of voice that Trae needs right now. 

I think we're saying the exact same thing 

[Spud2nique]

Sometimes I wonder the squawkers that have all these answers that if they’ve ever truly touched a basketball before. I mean I guess Fratello wasn’t a player but some of y’all squawkers like ________ really talk a big game but prolly can’t touch your toes. You know who you is.

 

Hey @kg01 wanna be a point guard with me? We can list you at pg on the assist stat list, and me, and Burd, who else wants to point? 

[Spud2nique]

On 2/15/2023 at 1:52 PM, shakes said:

history

Kinda wish … nevermind.  You can get a 3 bedroom at FakeGM it’s better than your studio here is all I’m saying. #mavlover #rookie #bringkgyourmentorhisdonuts  

17 minutes ago, Diesel said:

hope he brings Damon Stoudamire with him.   That's the kind of voice that Trae needs right now. 

A jailblazer? Yeaaaaaaa no.

[shakes]

11 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Sometimes I wonder the squawkers that have all these answers that if they’ve ever truly touched a basketball before. I mean I guess Fratello wasn’t a player but some of y’all squawkers like ________ really talk a big game but prolly can’t touch your toes. You know who you is.

 

Hey @kg01 wanna be a point guard with me? We can list you at pg on the assist stat list, and me, and Burd, who else wants to point? 

touch my toes?  I can't even touch my shins these days, but I still would bet a mortgage payment I was twice the player you were back in our mid to late 20s.    Get us a time machine and let's settle this once and for all!

[Gray Mule]

Spud, I've already told everyone I am not and never was athletic.  Yes, I can touch my toes.  I sit in a chair, bend at the waist and touch my toes!  Not being athletic has nothing whatsoever with having a brain.  I can still think, sometimes rationally.  Just because I can't play doesn't mean I can't see when and where things go wrong.

[Diesel]

2 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

some of y’all squawkers like ________ really talk a big game but prolly can’t touch your toes

I just touched my toes...  It was a struggle... but I got there.  Now what?

 

[shakes]

3 minutes ago, Diesel said:

I just touched my toes...  It was a struggle... but I got there.  Now what?

 

I would say you earned some quality weekend R&R.