Hooping with Dad

On the way back to campus-town I spent Sunday night with the parents. A highlight was playing basketball with my Dad. He 'runs' an open gym that has been going on since the 80s. I've played in it off and on since junior high in 1991. It is in the small gym that I played grade school ball in. Over the years, the talent has really fallen off, from a mixed group of 20-40 somethings to a few decent players and a bunch of young 20-somethings who aren't all that they think they are. The court size is good for any older guys...less room to run. And, two standards of play there have been using zone defense in all games and 'call it if you do it'.

The zone is a good idea, to limit younger players from running older guys like crazy. But, of course, most players these days don't know how to play zone. 2-3 is the standard and is simple enough. But, when the middle player wants to roam up to a 1-2-2 and back...it creates chaos. Funny how some players don't realize how their actions can have an effect on other parts of the game....roving out top kills the rebounding underneath if a guard gets in the middle - also leads to an easy 3 on 2. It seems like playing a zone in pick-up is the best way to tell which players played organized ball at all. Most who didn't play organized ball don't get the concept of staying in a region, providing help side in the right way, and talking. Rebounding is always a joke...in zone players just think to turn around instead of boxing out the nearest opponent. Oh well...just pick up.

And the 'call it if you do it' is a funny code of honor. Sure, it prevents people complaining that they didn't commit a foul. The problem is that people have different ideas of whether their contact is a foul or not. And, then you get people complaining sometimes that they feel they were fouled. Can't really win either way. My problem is that everywhere else I play is call it if it happens to you. So, it is also hard to remember to call it if I commit it.....and these guys seem to have a lower threshold for fouls. Makes for an interesting time. Certainly much different pace than the quick run-n-gun and man-to-man I'm used to when playing on campus with the undergrads, law and med school students and several DII/DIII ballers.

The highlight though...playing with my Dad, even if we were on different teams. Impressive that a 60 year old can get up and down the court with players half his age. He isn't that quick, of course, and never could jump. But he can shoot 10-17 foot "jumpers" with the best of them. Being a crafty lefty helps also. I sure hope I can get up and down the court like him when I'm his age. Who knows how long he'll be playing, so I always try to join him on the court.

Not playing in 1.5 weeks played its toll....as did eating out several days in a row at the conference. Gaining several pounds sucks. Looking forward to getting back on the court, and doing some running again, now that I'm back in the regular rotation.

Off to another conference; Ball with Dad

I'm heading off to my 3rd conference of the calendar year. Like at an August conference in Vancouver (loved the city), I'm giving a talk.....pretty much doing the same one since the audience will be completely the same. But, a research "competitor" will be giving a similar talk, probably giving the same conclusions (based on his paper) in a talk the previous day.....hope I don't get questions asking about differences between our studies (story there). Thoughts on the conference as it goes on...

First, though, is a drive through the BS alma mater and a night staying at my parents place. Leaving the conference, I'll stay at home again. And, play basketball with my Dad. How many 60 year old guys play ball once a week? With people 40 years their junior?? That is amazing....I sure hope I am able to do that at his age. It is an interesting group, that has changed over the years. It is affiliated with their church. Used to have a lot of good 20-30 somethings, but talent has left area and been replaced by mainly 20somethings that aren't as good. It is probably the only "open gym" that you'll find in which people play zone on both ends (allows the few older ones to keep up). Also, it is a "call your own fouls - if you commit it, not if others fouled you/violations" place. Even though I've played in it intermittently since '91 (early 8th grade), I have problems with the calling as I've been wired to do it differently. Either way, I'm looking forward to hooping with my Dad, who shoots (seriously) about 80% from 10-15 feet. Should be fun.....