Weblog entries posted on this day.
From the already controversial Google Blog:
So yes, we do get that blogs are all about communication with readers, not processed info dump-and-run. And we get that people want to know who's giving them that information. We also get that this is a new medium and that despite the conventions of the blogosphere, not everything is set in stone when it comes to blog style and tone.
Ehm... What's new in '92?
Sorry Google. I luv yaz. :)
As expected, I played 'ball at Zuiderpark today. When I got there around 6 there were only four players of who I only knew one (Mikey). Since it was already pretty late I figured nobody would come. Mikey proposed to go elsewhere, but I said I didn't mind practicing my shot and we decided to stay.
After some shooting, three more players arrived though. Again, I knew only one (we met at Tram 2 Court last week). We decided to play a little half-court three-on-three.
The game was pretty weird. I had to guard a big black guy
— he had to be at least 7 foot and 220lbs. I am less than 6 foot, and weigh only 140lbs, yet I seemed to be hurting him. There was a lot of Oh!
and Ah!
and at one point he started complaining about my elbows. It felt weird apologizing for guarding hard to a guy that looks like he could eat me.
Anyway. I did some nice things — made some fade-aways, had some guys searching for the ball, and — of course — showed (off) some passing. Though I felt more confident about my game than the two days before (and felt better in general) it wasn't enough to win the game... the first one that is.
During our first game, even more players had arrived. There were some substitutions on the other team (they got tired) and we went on. I wasn't tired yet by a long shot — in fact, I was just getting warmed up. I played better than the first game, and so did my teammates. We played two more games of which we actually lost track of scoring, but we had fun.
Completely against my expectations, a lot of people (about 15 or so) had arrived during and shortly after these few games. This time they were all familiar faces, though. Actually, most of them were at Huygenspark yesterday and at Centraal the day before.
There were obviously enough people to play five-on-five full-court now, and that's what they did. I sat the first three games (to six points) out, mainly to gain some energy. After the third, the new guy (from Tram 2 Court — I think his name is Yu) and I asked three more guys to be on our team, and off we went.
At my first ball possession — positioned at the side of the court at three-point range — I was completely left open. We were playing with the rule that every bucket counts for one point, but I took the three anyway, and hit it too. I just love it when people underestimate me. The rest of the game, I did nothing but pass, and they were all nice. Something that brought a smile to my face was that the biggest guy on the court — a guy who's really strong — hurt his arm trying to intercept one of my needle passes. He mumbled something like ouch, [some cusword], passes.
Yu (?) made three buckets of which two were from the parking meter outside.
This was especially nice considering these guys are serious competitors and Yu (?) hasn't really played any competition before. Even though we had the highlights and the audience, the opposing team got away with the victory (though the most marginal one possible).
After this game they played two more. I sat them out. After the last game, Mikey and I headed towards tram 8/9, not really sure whether we'd be going home or elsewhere.
When we arrived at the tram stop, I realized that I used to be at that exact spot on a daily basis and that now I hadn't been there for a long time. This triggered sense of nostalgia lead me to propose to Mikey to show him the court near my old high school — the place where I learned it all.
When we approached the court (which I just added to the Streetball.nl Courts database), I was surprised to hear people playing basketball, but that wouldn't be the biggest surprise by a long shot. When we finally arrived at the court, I hardly recognized the sight — there were fences, stone benches (in some sort of dugout), new asphalt, and last but not least, new baskets. The baskets were of a kind I've never seen before — they're weird to say the least. I was also surprised to find that at least one of the two guys that were playing there seemed to know me. Up to this moment, I have no idea who there were.
Anyway. I tried to get them to play some two-on-two, but they claimed tiredness. We sticked around shooting hoops untill 11 or so, and then went home by tram (16).
I didn't bother to inform where most players will be located tomorrow (or today, technically), but chances are I'll either run into them again or somebody gives me a call. We'll see.
This day, elsewhere.