The worst pick up players.

[Nevertheles109]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Trash talking's still there, it just depends upon who's doing it. Like I said above, sometimes the dynamics just change depending on your own age. The older you get, while still playing a high level of basketball (i.e. avoiding the 30-and-over leagues), the bigger the cultural void there'll be between you and your competition.

And regardless of age, it just depends upon the competition. I play in some locations where trash talking still abounds, but then there's other places with similar age demographics where any kind of talking is perceived as unusual.

Yeah, I agree.

What bothers me the most is a lack of competitive instinct. Celebrate after every big play but the will to win is aloof.

[pietasterp]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Epic grave-digging here, but I suppose this is a timeless topic...

While I hate all the same people everyone else does, the one I despise more than all the rest is the ultra-weekend-warriors. The guys who don't know how to separate "competitiveness" from "dangerous". I hate these guys the most because they are flat-out dangerous on the court, and can (and do) cause injuries because of their recklessness.

Look, everyone out there wants to win, but none of us are on the verge of making an NBA roster, otherwise we wouldn't be playing in a suburban gym with a $50/month monthly fee. So let's play a good game, keep it relatively friendly, we'll get our sweat on, then we're going back home to watch Netflix and fall asleep on the couch, okay? No need to dive at people's knees and throw elbows like you're fending off a swarm of bees. No need to rush full-tilt at a guy like you were a free safety hitting a crossing WR while trying to get a rebound that you have no chance whatsoever to cleanly get (without crashing into the guy in mid-air for no real good reason whatsoever). This isn't game 7 of the NBA Finals. Let's not undercut a guy shooting a jumper just to appear to be playing slightly tougher "D".

This is all contextual, obviously, and some venues are more competitive than others. Playing hard and being competitive is fine, but unless you're playing at Rucker Park or something, let's just curb the recklessness out there. As many of you likely are aware, a trip to the ER or doctor's office is not only a huge inconvenience, it can be an unnecessary hit to your wallet. And it's all the more bitter if it was totally avoidable in the first place, if only that one guy hadn't gone headfirst into your ACL trying to get a loose ball in an 9-2 game at the YMCA...

[VDusen04]

Re: The worst pick up players.

^^^If I get injured because something happens while people are going hard, I've kind of just accepted that as being the risk of playing basketball. But as you said, if it's stuff that goes beyond the game, that's when I begin thinking about my health insurance. I haven't really ever had an issue with any of the examples you mentioned though (and I actually like when people dive for loose balls; I kind of think that artform's developed a bad rap after the media freakout in the playoffs last year).

My biggest "beyond the game" pet peeves were probably already mentioned (likely by me), but they mostly have to do with undercutting, bear hugging, and pushing someone while they're in mid-air. So flagrant foul stuff, mostly.

I've come across a lot of old fellers who wanted to impart their old school wisdom on aggressive youngsters driving to the hole; the whole "Come into my paint again and I'll teach him a lesson I learned from Rick Mahorn" type of thing. Or they'd try to wrap me up as I was beginning to elevate, which was always dangerous for everybody involved.

Playing hard basketball, I understand. Purposely committing fouls that could have dangerous repercussions, I've never really understood in a streetball setting.

[AC]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Lol I love the last ~10 posts in this thread. Jimmy Almostmadeittotheleague is my least favorite guy. I find it really hard to muster up the caringness over who wins a game up to 7 at the community center to the point of elbow throwing nearly as much as I care about working on my game / getting into better physical condition. And having fun obviously.

[pietasterp]

Re: The worst pick up players.

My biggest "beyond the game" pet peeves were probably already mentioned (likely by me), but they mostly have to do with undercutting, bear hugging, and pushing someone while they're in mid-air. So flagrant foul stuff, mostly.

Agreed, I don't mind playing tough and being competitive, but shoving people in the back when they're in mid-air going for a rebound and generally playing out-of-control are uncalled for, not to mention really dangerous. I also agree that if you get hurt in the course of normally playing, it's just part of the risk. But it sucks if you get injured because someone was just being unnecessarily reckless with their body (or yours), especially since there are zero stakes involved in your typical pick-up game.

[jfsolo]

Re: The worst pick up players.

My real life basketball playing resembles how my online gaming would be if I played online, "don't play with randoms." Invite only games with players basically 30's to 50's. Sometimes teens and 20 somethings play with us, but if they're resistant to teaching or criticism, they get invited not to come back. The high level athleticism is of course not there in our games, but a solid skill level, high level decision making, a being a student of the game is a must.

Dirty play, chippy gamesmanship, and nonstop arguing are not allowed. If you guys are still playing regularly when you're over 40, you aren't going to have any patience for nonsense.

The idea that there are any games, where the communicating on both defense and offense is anything but heavy, is a foreign idea to me, especially on defense. Pick up ball defense is tough enough, but any good ball players will shred pick up ball defense without serious talking.

[beast10]

Re: The worst pick up players.

I'm a comfort zone type player. I usually have to do something big to really unleash myself. I actually posted a thread about this before I started high school... At first I'm quiet on the floor, honestly sometimes I'm ineffective because of this.

But when I get rolling I literally call everything. Im constantly talking on defense, redirecting my teammates, i even start trash talking. It's like I turn into a completely different player. I've been trying for years to figure out how to immediately come out like this. Its really pushed back my progress.

But to get on topic, the worst pick up player to me is the dude with serious anger management. Dudes who YELL at their teammates. Threaten to "grab their gun out the trunk." I've seen it all. Hooped in Vegas through the summer and it was one of these dudes every day at the park. Indoor is usually better, but to me that's where the guys go who think they're too good to take anything slightly serious... the pull up three point shooters, I call them. But of course this doesn't apply to everybody but these guys are typically the main ball handlers.

The games at the park really make me mentally stronger cause everybody's in attack mode, especially the older guys.

[TheShizNo1]

Re: The worst pick up players.

There's at least one of everybody on OS in this video lol

http://youtu.be/LkFXPb2UZXk

The hustler and the cry baby

[ggsimmonds]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Oh my god. Guy comes in today without his own basketball, snakes this poor guy's basketball who was too nice to say no, dribbled for about 47 minutes before each jumper he took. Then the game starts, he changes into this fluorescent orange wife beater, demands to be PG, travels like 6 times, dribbles around the court for 5 minutes before each shot and ends up 4/12 with precisely 0 assists, and screams at people for not playing defense when his style of defense is "stand in passing lanes while flailing arms and then commit over the back fouls and call it crashing the glass." Then a bunch of his buddies showed up who were much better and similarly douchey and at that point I decided the Tuesday night crowd probably isn't right for me.

Beyond frustrating.

To chime in on the talk in this thread, I'm pretty young and I'm usually the only one communicating on defense (calling out cutters as well as screens and pointing out matchups) with guys probably 10, 20 years older than me. And to quit over something like that^ is definitely him being weak, not you being overbearing. That's nuts.

Also a fun stereotype: "You gotta call screens!" guy who just can't play man to man defense

But that one shot I made was sick right?

To chime in on talking, to be honest I don't like the talkers. In my experience the player coach is often the worst player on the court. He gets beat on D he tells the team they gotta rotate, you get beat on D he stresses the importance of lateral movement.

Calling out screens is different, you should do that. And even stuff like yelling "swing it" when we see that the other team is tired is fine, but keep the player coach stuff to a minimum.

Edit: To clarify, I mostly mean coaching during the action. I've said it and I have had people say to me "you gotta take that shot" when we were getting back on defense. Another good example is a guy I was playing with took a rushed out of control circus shot for no reason. I was almost always the one who brought the ball up court and I casually said to him settle down, there is no shot clock when we inbounded the ball next trip. When we got into half court I immediately looked to set him up for a good look. (Had he again went stupid he would have been on my blacklist, but he didn't).What I don't like is if immediately after passing it to him I start directing him. Don't do that guys. And don't tell me when to cut or stuff like that, especially if you are just chilling on the wing trying to direct traffic.

[wwharton]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Man I love this thread...

Any of you ever play with a clapper?

The guy that never moves off ball but stays out on the perimeter clapping for you to pass the ball to him.

I just imagine he's clapping my shot (good if it goes in, encouraging if it doesn't lol).

When y'all play pickup, do you talk on defense?

I routinely try to call out screens, picks, cutters, etc but I always feel like I'm the only one that talks on D.

I always talk on D... after years of organized playing and coaching, I don't even know how NOT to talk. But it is different depending on who you're playing with. I'm also usually the first back on D and am quick to pick up a streaking player when a guy on my team is lagging, so maybe I earn a little trust. But if you know you're out there with kids who couldn't care less, then I'll just call out screens (even for someone else if necessary) or call out switches on picks and rolls.

I always talk, but it bounces between "light", "moderate", and "heavy" depending upon my environment.

Much of the younger crowd often doesn't respond wonderfully to heavy chatter, even if it's productive. When I was that age myself, I could talk a ton and just make my teammates deal with it no matter what, because I was one of them.

But as I separate from the younger crowd, constant chatter with an unfamiliar group can alienate my teammates at times, in the "What's this guy even doing?" fashion. In that case, I keep it to the basics (in-coming screens, calling outlet).

If I'm playing with folks I know a little bit though, chatter picks up to discuss help, where to guide an offensive player, encouragement to push in the open floor, etc. Even then, I tread lightly because some folks just weren't raised in the game to operate like that.

For example, there's a 23-year-old I've known for 10 years with a very nice mid-range stroke, but has struggled with basketball confidence of late after taking some time off from the game. I had him on my squad and merely wanted him to take the shots he usually takes (of which he'd been shying away from doing in previous games). So I told him we were going to be getting him some shots, and make or miss, we just needed him to keep firing to make our team dangerous.

I found out later he quit after that game, telling a mutual friend I'd gone into coach mode. Maybe he was being weak, maybe I was being overbearing. But it's moments like that that reminds me it's all a delicate balance when it comes to chatter, even if it might theoretically be the right thing to do.

I think this is a bigger discussion. Talking on D is one thing. NOBODY should have a problem with talk on D (talk, not yelling at someone for screwing up). Talking on O is where I think it gets a little touchy. I might direct, to set up the hot hand or mismatch in the post, or encourage floor balance (usually when I'm forced to occupy the post which wasn't the best idea even when I was younger) but I stay away from any kind of instructions until after the game, and only with someone who I think will be receptive... and always positive. Nothing good can come from criticizing someone's offensive game in pick up. That's like heckling at karaoke.

[Chairman7w]

Re: The worst pick up players.

I pretty much talk all the time, just typical basketball communication... "Screen right", "You're all alone" and "Swing it!" and stuff like that.

Every now and then, I'll let a little smart alec comment out like, "Settle down man, it's not on fire!" when a guy feels the need to fire up shots as soon as he touches it.

I'll compliment the other team too when they do something good, "Nice shot baby!" or "Dang, nice pass..." and stuff like that.

[Chairman7w]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Speaking of injuries, it's so weird. I've been playing ball for 40 years, and never so much as sprained an ankle... But three times in the past year, I've gotten jacked up in the face! LOL None of them were intentional, just weird on-court stuff.

1 - Came over to help from the weakside when a guy was driving the lane (Jwill55!!) and caught an elbow as he was going up: Boom! Busted lip, stitches.




2 - leaped up to snag a rebound, and another guy that leaped up after me, came down with his elbow right on my upper cheek bone. Boom! Busted cheek - I said screw it, I'm not gettin' stitches.




3 - A guy accidentlly poked me in the eye reaching in for the ball on a drive. Boom! Instant shiner! LOL It's been a tough year!

^^^If I get injured because something happens while people are going hard, I've kind of just accepted that as being the risk of playing basketball. But as you said, if it's stuff that goes beyond the game, that's when I begin thinking about my health insurance. I haven't really ever had an issue with any of the examples you mentioned though (and I actually like when people dive for loose balls; I kind of think that artform's developed a bad rap after the media freakout in the playoffs last year).

My biggest "beyond the game" pet peeves were probably already mentioned (likely by me), but they mostly have to do with undercutting, bear hugging, and pushing someone while they're in mid-air. So flagrant foul stuff, mostly.

I've come across a lot of old fellers who wanted to impart their old school wisdom on aggressive youngsters driving to the hole; the whole "Come into my paint again and I'll teach him a lesson I learned from Rick Mahorn" type of thing. Or they'd try to wrap me up as I was beginning to elevate, which was always dangerous for everybody involved.

Playing hard basketball, I understand. Purposely committing fouls that could have dangerous repercussions, I've never really understood in a streetball setting.

[ojandpizza]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Damn dude. Do we got to start an OS fund to get you a Rip Hamilton mask lol.


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[SteveQ]

Re: The worst pick up players.

I'm young (18) I guess compared to some of the guys who've commented in here and I'll say I actually like hearing tips on O and D from the older guys. If I see that they have an understanding of the game I'll listen. If not I'll act like I hear them and kinda just play.

When I'm playing in pick up games I try and go with the flow. If I need to bring the ball up court I'll do it and if I need to be ball dominant I'll do it, but I'd rather a flowing offense something like motion but not as strict, if that makes any sense lol. On defense I try not to take possessions off so it annoys me when someone doesn't even try on D like cmon. I'll call out screens, get back, watch cutters and things like that.

Oh and I absolutely hate 2 specific types of players. The first is the teammate who wants the ball every possession but doesn't play any defense and doesn't try to flow or share on offense. The second is the guy who complains about fouls all the time. At 5'11, depending on where I'm at I'm not necessarily the shortest player on the court so I take a good amount of contact. My rule on fouls: if it didn't effect your shot it's not a foul and if it's not excessive contact it's not a foul. But there will always be those guys who wait to call foul as it rolls off the rim.

[ojandpizza]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Excessive whining about fouls really gets under my skin at times as well.

It's not so much a problem where I play now, but used to we always played offense calls fouls. And I would pretty much only call a foul if they knocked me down, or a slap to the arm was so loud you could hear it. Most of the reason was because I felt like I could score through the foul, "And 1" didn't count, so if you called a foul and made the shot the basket didn't count.

It just angered me to see players calling fouls on the slightest contact. If you ripped them but grazed their hand, or fouls on jump shots if you barely touched their follow through, or guys that go into the lane twisting and maneuvering themselves any way possible to avoid contact only to throw the ball a foot over the rim and then call a foul. When I would leave with bruises and scratches having not called anything.

Even during offense calls fouls ruling if I fouled someone and knew I fouled them but maybe they didn't call it because they got a decent shot off, I would give the ball back. And I wasn't the only honest one that played, but there was just too much of the bulk of players who regulated this gym that didn't want to play by common basketball rules.


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