tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17208658.post151560737394076480..comments2023-09-08T07:56:19.943-07:00Comments on Setshot: Basketball for the Aging and Infirm: Relationships: The poisonous playerDrew Halfmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15672641455185221691noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17208658.post-35021890549107704742008-07-09T09:41:00.000-07:002008-07-09T09:41:00.000-07:00Hey Jeff--just to let you know I've gotten back on...Hey Jeff--<BR/><BR/>just to let you know I've gotten back on the court again after about a year off...rusty and i'm in 40 plus shape despite not being in my 40's yet. Today was my 3rd game back and you'll be happy to know I was flashing signs of that late-career Mark Jackson-like game that made me infamous at Cardinal Spellman, Bergman, and 2nd Ave...<BR/><BR/>Great stuff on the blog like usual...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10656238877619142809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17208658.post-49185562416812160772008-06-30T13:14:00.000-07:002008-06-30T13:14:00.000-07:00I'm with you Ben. I like Landeta as well, but he's...I'm with you Ben. I like Landeta as well, but he's just a kid so I tend to give him a pass on his immaturity. The Idiot, on the other hand, is a full grown man, and should be above this kind of behavior. Also, the Idiot tends to threaten violence with regularity, which is way over the line in my book. Say what you will about Landeta, but I've never seen him get into a physical altercation and I rarely hear him threaten violence.<BR/><BR/>I think that Landeta is actually more controllable that the Idiot because Landeta actually cares whether people like him. Plus, he'll probably get better as he grows up, whereas the Idiot's behavior will not improve without some sort of intervention.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342199027777229075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17208658.post-6801734869787534582008-06-27T17:05:00.000-07:002008-06-27T17:05:00.000-07:00One great thing about the SC game is the effect th...One great thing about the SC game is the effect the "nice guys" had on the whiny/inconsiderate players. With the recent absence of some of the game's regular players (notably you, Bob, Drew, etc.), the whininess factor has grown exponentially. I find that even the most mundane disagreements (fouls, out of bounds calls, illegal defense, etc.) continue to linger until someone (or some people) lose their shit. A primary example of this occurred Wednesday night when an SC regular (I'll refer to him as <A HREF="http://www.nfl.com.mx/imagerepository/landeta_sean3.jpg" REL="nofollow">"Sean Landeta"</A> for obvious reasons) actually punted the game ball into a neighboring parking lot because about a foul on a previous play. <BR/><BR/>Unlike "The Idiot", I actually like playing with "Sean Landeta". He's a great ball player and fun to play with when he can keep his emotions in check(usually when he's winning). Unfortunately, his incessant bitching and moaning have begun to irk me to no end. <BR/><BR/>Sadly, the situation is a bit trickier than with The Idiot because Landeta is: A) younger and more emotionally volatile; and B) more of a fixture at SC.<BR/><BR/>Any parting advice from a wise veteran?Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14642664325911900605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17208658.post-86490869902142544442008-06-01T10:28:00.000-07:002008-06-01T10:28:00.000-07:00I have two alternative solutions. The first one i...I have two alternative solutions. The first one isn't one you're going to like...because I don't like doing it. You need to import a thug to "regulate" him. We had one, and he dissappeared shortly after a physical confrontation with the thug. <BR/><BR/>Option #2 takes longer, but is also effective. If enough of you let this guy know he's messing things up--and confront him EVERY time he does something idiotic--you'll either get him to try & control himself a bit, or he'll get annoyed by all of you "naggers," and find somewhere else to play. (Note: this could take months, but will eventually work.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17208658.post-88694007230472457062008-05-03T09:01:00.000-07:002008-05-03T09:01:00.000-07:00I also play with the Idiot. The physical/brittle ...I also play with the Idiot. The physical/brittle double standard is quite apt in this case. There's nothing more maddening than aggressive players calling wussy nonshooting fouls. <BR/><BR/>I didn't hear Bill's comment, but it's really perfect and I think we should think about expressing collective sentiment earlier in the game, as opposed to after there is a specific injustice (in the mind of the Idiot). <BR/><BR/>Alternatively, it might make sense to go in the opposite direction: just argue with him & get him so wound up that he storms off--which happens quite often. <BR/><BR/>--bobAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17208658.post-57322581702063238082008-04-30T09:15:00.000-07:002008-04-30T09:15:00.000-07:00Good observations B. I hadn't really identified th...Good observations B. I hadn't really identified the "physical plus brittle" issue, but you're spot on. In fact, the fight I had with the Idiot resulted from his accusation that I was boxing out too aggressively and might hurt him. (I'm 5-8 and 155lbs.) Right after he accused me of that, he rammed his shoulder into my sternum. WTF?Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342199027777229075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17208658.post-44071852337684339312008-04-29T14:47:00.000-07:002008-04-29T14:47:00.000-07:00This is something I've given a lot of thought to, ...This is something I've given a lot of thought to, for obvious reasons. Another game I used to play in once moved to a different court and then a different day just to try to lose a certain player--although this guy wasn't poisonous exactly, just got on everyone's nerves for reasons that were hard to pin down. You hate to go to such extremes, though, and it's not always practical.<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure what can be done, really. Maybe you could present that person with a signed petition asking him not to show up anymore? Or a referral to a therapist who could help him with his obvious anger issues? A one-way ticket to the East Coast, where aggro shenanigans fit in a bit better? <BR/><BR/>In terms of minimizing the damage, about all you can do is ignore him as much as possible--let him be a jackass and call idiotic fouls, but don't feed the fire by responding. Easier said than done though. The specimen you're describing is an example of possibly the most obnoxious kind of basketball player: a hard-nosed, physical player who's also a whiner. He'll put his shoulder down and plow straight through you on his way to the basket, but God forbid you swipe at the ball or hold your ground on a boxout. Now, there's nothing wrong with being physical; what's insufferable is this particular combination of being physical and brittle. It's an annoying situation, overall. I hope someone out there has some brilliant ideas.billterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04957807066256130120noreply@blogger.com