Give a Guy a Ball

Sorry for the suggestive subject line, but it conveys the truth I'm trying to capture (and want to document for future use). That is, if most guys (and I suppose some girls) a sports ball (soccer, soft, foot, tennis) or even some other round shaped object like a rock or something AND some space, they'll figure out a way to entertain themselves. Especially if there are other people around to watch and/or participate. Be astounded by their creativity. Idiotball (played on an Israeli kibbutz beach comes immediately to mind - which I'm still waiting for a friend to upload as does an unnamed game in Nantucket - though beer was involved so I'm not sure what inspired our imaginations). Be prepared to be energized to join in the fun. And prepare, in other cases, to be wowed by their stubbornness. And that is the perfect transition into this old clip I found today on True Hoop blog.



Besides the fact that cross-over athletes (Bo anyone?) are cool, I honestly believe Nash would have stayed out there until he got dragged off if he had not yet made the header into the hoop. And if it came to that, he would have had a lousy second half (maybe even trying to head the bball on a fast break). I love that this type of determination even in a goof-around expo is so obvious. Reminds me of every time I leave a court needing to hit my last shot (even if it comes down to a layup in order to beat sundown), every time I try a silly trick shot (like a between the legs bounce from the foul line) feeling the need to drop it (and pressure, which builds after each miss - notice how 3 tries jumps to 5 and then 10 and then...), and every time I lose a game of 2 on 2, wanting "one more run, same teams."

Give a guy a lemon and he'll start tossing it at a target. Give a guy a ball and he'll make lemonade. (Huh?)