PC Board OT thread

[Jim Naismith]

Why do you Americans acting like Jews were only victims of Germans? Poles or Russians suffered much more than Jews during (and after) WW II.

We'll agree to disagree about just how bad Columbus was, but I meant no offense with regards to this.

It's just how we're taught in school, the suffering of the Jewish people is focused on the most.

I have just the link for you:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/20/opinion/garcia-columbus-jewish/

[therealbig3]

Why do you Americans acting like Jews were only victims of Germans? Poles or Russians suffered much more than Jews during (and after) WW II.

We'll agree to disagree about just how bad Columbus was, but I meant no offense with regards to this.

It's just how we're taught in school, the suffering of the Jewish people is focused on the most.

I have just the link for you:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/20/opinion/garcia-columbus-jewish/

Very interesting stuff.

[lorak]

Why do you Americans acting like Jews were only victims of Germans? Poles or Russians suffered much more than Jews during (and after) WW II.

We'll agree to disagree about just how bad Columbus was, but I meant no offense with regards to this.

It's just how we're taught in school, the suffering of the Jewish people is focused on the most.

Yes, I know, and it's really disappointing. The same is when media from USA or even Western Europe talk about "Polish's death camps", when in fact they were German's camps, often located in Poland. Small difference, but quite important and create really misleading narrative.

I know Stalin actually killed MORE people than Hitler did.

True, and he even killed many of his own people. (BTW, my family during WW II was under German's occupation and then under Russian's and all grandparents agreed that Germans were much better people, quite normal actually, even paid for food and so one, when Russians were basically savages). But they both combined (around 40 million deaths) still can't match Mao Zedong"s "achievement" (around 80 million!):

[Jim Naismith]

True, and he even killed many of his own people. (BTW, my family during WW II was under German's occupation and then under Russian's and all grandparents agreed that Germans were much better people, quite normal actually, even paid for food and so one, when Russians were basically savages). But they both combined (around 40 million deaths) still can't match Mao Zedong"s "achievement" (around 80 million!):

There is a good comprehensive website for these sort of things:

http://necrometrics.com/20c5m.htm

[john248]

Columbus discussion. Nice.

[Hawk]

Which kind of defenders do you have the most trouble playing against? Who bothers you the most? Tall fast guys who can contest your layups/shots that aren't really strong or shorter guys with good lower body strength and quick hands?

Personally, I feel a lot more uncomfortable against the later because I like to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket

[tsherkin]

Guys with a strong lower base who can keep me off of the block by shoving at my woefully weak core and legs. Other than that, my handles will get me past you on the perimeter or I'll own your face in the post. I may own you in the post anyway, even if I have to face up, unless you have good discipline or you've got a hundred plus pounds on me and shove me out where my jumper is complete and utter crap. So, about 17 feet, unless I'm having a good day.

[Quotatious]

Which kind of defenders do you have the most trouble playing against? Who bothers you the most? Tall fast guys who can contest your layups/shots that aren't really strong or shorter guys with good lower body strength and quick hands?

Tall, really strong and fast guys with good lower body strength and quick hands who can contest my layups/shots.

Seriously though, I've always absolutely HATED to defend really athletic guys with good handles, because I felt really bad when I realized how much more athletic they were than me - I could try my hardest in terms of positioning (plus studying the tape of hundreds of NBA players to gain a fundamental advantage over guys who really weren't basketball addicts, unlike me ), but if I was left in an isolation with a guy like that, I knew it was gonna be a hard time for me...I always had pretty good defensive instinct as far as reading passing lanes/providing help/contesting jumpshooters/blocking shots when nobody expected to get his shot blocked, but for the life of me, I couldn't defend athletic, aggressive penetrators one on one on the perimeter. That's why I've always tried to stick to the weakest opposing offensive player, only occassionally taking a harder assignment, for just a few possessions, to see how I'd fare against various players. Oddly enough, I never had too much trouble creating my own shot against even atlhetic defenders, as I've honed my footwork and pull-up jumper (if I couldn't get past somebody, which unfotunately was still really often, I've never been even a particularly decent penetrator or finisher at rim after drives, I'd just shoot a jumper over him - obviously not the smartest thing to do, but long/mid range shooting has always been the biggest strength in my skillset. On defense, I hate to play against smart, fundamentally sound defenders (generally just guys who have the basketball know-how) and obviously against overly physical or dirty players (nothing worse than a Bowen-type dirty dude on a playground )There is no worse feeling than getting your jumper blocked...

[Hawk]

Guys with a strong lower base who can keep me off of the block by shoving at my woefully weak core and legs. Other than that, my handles will get me past you on the perimeter or I'll own your face in the post. I may own you in the post anyway, even if I have to face up, unless you have good discipline or you've got a hundred plus pounds on me and shove me out where my jumper is complete and utter crap. So, about 17 feet, unless I'm having a good day.

Same here

Which kind of defenders do you have the most trouble playing against? Who bothers you the most? Tall fast guys who can contest your layups/shots that aren't really strong or shorter guys with good lower body strength and quick hands?

Tall, really strong and fast guys with good lower body strength and quick hands who can contest my layups/shots.

Seriously though, I've always absolutely HATED to defend really athletic guys with good handles, because I felt really bad when I realized how much more athletic they were than me - I could try my hardest in terms of positioning (plus studying the tape of hundreds of NBA players to gain a fundamental advantage over guys who really weren't basketball addicts, unlike me ), but if I was left in an isolation with a guy like that, I knew it was gonna be a hard time for me...I always had pretty good defensive instinct as far as reading passing lanes/providing help/contesting jumpshooters/blocking shots when nobody expected to get his shot blocked, but for the life of me, I couldn't defend athletic, aggressive penetrators one on one on the perimeter. That's why I've always tried to stick to the weakest opposing offensive player, only occassionally taking a harder assignment, for just a few possessions, to see how I'd fare against various players. Oddly enough, I never had too much trouble creating my own shot against even atlhetic defenders, as I've honed my footwork and pull-up jumper (if I couldn't get past somebody, which unfotunately was still really often, I've never been even a particularly decent penetrator or finisher at rim after drives, I'd just shoot a jumper over him - obviously not the smartest thing to do, but long/mid range shooting has always been the biggest strength in my skillset. On defense, I hate to play against smart, fundamentally sound defenders (generally just guys who have the basketball know-how) and obviously against overly physical or dirty players (nothing worse than a Bowen-type dirty dude on a playground )There is no worse feeling than getting your jumper blocked...

Personally, I like to defend the best offensive player from the other team, although I don't have enough stamina currently. I like that challenge BUT I hate to defend players who love the post game and are really strong. I get O'Neal'd too often.

[trex_8063]

Great idea Ardee. Really interesting thread so far.

I grew up in the American midwest, and have been interested in basketball since age 7-8. Acquired my interest thru watching weekend NCAA games with my dad and grandpa, and shooting around on the hoop in our driveway. Countless thousands of hours burned away shooting there; hundreds (if not thousands) of hours bonding with my dad while playing HORSE, 1-on-1, or just shooting around. Got into team basketball in 7th grade. Played thru HS, continued playing (pick-up games, private practicing) during university and post-graduate school. Probably hit my peak as a player around age 24-25; was at that point even going to try out for the team at the division I school I was attending at the time, but found out my NCAA eligibility had expired. It was a super long-shot that I'd have made the team in any capacity anyway. I'm simply not the same class of athlete; I most likely would have embarrassed myself. Think of me as a Steve Kerr or Kyle Korver type: elite outside shooter (good on mid-range pull-ups off the dribble, too).....fairly mediocre in majority of my other skills (actually good at low-post defense and boxing out, but my size after the age of ~16 had me playing on the perimeter), and relatively unremarkable athleticism.

First NBA game I ever attended was a pre-season game between the Bulls and the Sonics. This may have been '94 (during Jordan's first retirement), or possibly earlier. At any rate, Michael Jordan was not in attendance; saw Scottie Pippen and Gary Payton, among others though.

First rs game I ever saw was a Twolves/Jazz game played in Minneapolis during KG's rookie season. Highlight of the game (other than seeing Stockton/Malone play together) was Isaiah Rider getting ejected. This was the memorable occurrence because he threw a full-out tantrum refusing to leave the court. Kid you not, he got ejected but wouldn't leave and kept on cursing after the ref until finally HIS MOM came out on to the court and coaxed him off and into the locker-room. True story.

Lived in Phoenix from 2004-08; got to attend at least half dozen Suns games during the Nash/D'Antoni days. Needless to say that was a great time to be seeing your local franchise play; even got my wife temporarily interested in basketball.

The latter gives away that I'm married, am also approaching middle age, have a son (I drive a Kia Rondo, btw ), am professional with extra letters after my name which I accrued thru my extra years in school. Now live in Canada, btw.

[Gregoire]

Im from Moscow, Russia. I play pickup games and even in something like "Moscow amateur basketball league".
6,3 and 210 (not kilos). My game is mix with Ginobili, Barkley and Kareem games (if we talk about top level . "Sky" running hook - go-to move (really accurate and well-trained), mainly post-up guy with long arms, reach and vertical. I usually play center or PF even with my short frame compared to opponents ( 6,7 to 6,9 usually). My hook really rare could be blocked or altered, so I usually command doubles. But on defense I could have some trouble with more athletic and tall (usually) guys. I can be Walton-like hub with good enough passing at times, but I often lazy on defense to go out to 3pt shooters (Wilt or Shaq like) and dont rotate well enough usually. Mainly 1-on-1 in the post, effective boring post-up guy.

[MacGill]

Im from Moscow, Russia. I play pickup games and even in something like "Moscow amateur basketball league".
6,3 and 210 (not kilos). My game is mix with Ginobili, Barkley and Kareem games (if we talk about top level . "Sky" running hook - go-to move (really accurate and well-trained), mainly post-up guy with long arms, reach and vertical. I usually play center or PF even with my short frame compared to opponents ( 6,7 to 6,9 usually). My hook really rare could be blocked or altered, so I usually command doubles. But on defense I could have some trouble with more athletic and tall (usually) guys. I can be Walton-like hub with good enough passing at times, but I often lazy on defense to go out to 3pt shooters (Wilt or Shaq like) and dont rotate well enough usually. Mainly 1-on-1 in the post, effective boring post-up guy.

I want to own the rights to Gregoire vs AUF in a one on one pay per view special. Please pm me for exclusive access and admission to this event

[ardee]

Which kind of defenders do you have the most trouble playing against? Who bothers you the most? Tall fast guys who can contest your layups/shots that aren't really strong or shorter guys with good lower body strength and quick hands?

Personally, I feel a lot more uncomfortable against the later because I like to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket

I hate tall guys... I'm 6'1, not really tall but taller than most of the guys I played with growing up. As such I never had a problem shooting over them. So when I play taller guys I do have difficulty getting my shot off of the bounce, usually rely on screens then.

I don't have a problem with smaller guys because I have a good base myself, sometimes it feels like more than half my body weight is in my legs. Just elbow plummel them in the post and shoot a baby hook.

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[ardee]

Thoughts on the Gaza situation?

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[penbeast0]

Even my brother, who has consistently favored the Palestinians in their quarrels with Israel and who lived in Egypt for awhile, says the Hamas is pretty close to indefensible. If you keep shooting rockets and kidnapping people from a country on your border, you have to expect retaliation.

Funny thing is, I proposed giving Gaza autonomy and removing all Israeli military checkpoints and the like back in 1990 as a gateway to a peaceful 2-state solution. But Gaza elected Hamas and they seem determined to bring about armed conflict; presuming that they can swing the other Arab states and world opinion against Israel as has happened so often.

[Jaivl]

Hamas is a group of people from a country. Israel is a whole country. No comparison.

(Of course I won't expect the same thoughts from US citizens).

[Baller2014]

Except that the Palestinians voted for Hamas. Withdrawing from Gaza unilaterally was like a test case, to see what would happen if they withdrew from the West Bank as well. The results are not encouraging. The Palestinians should have taken the State they were offered in 2000. They're never getting a deal that good again.

[penbeast0]

Hamas is the governing body of a self governing territory; not that different in authority from the elected government of Puerto Rico. To the degree that they have any authority over their "militant wing" (which I am not certain of), they have chosen to encourage it to attack non-combatants in a bordering country systematically and regularly. To the degree that they do not have control over their militants, they still bear a great deal of responsibility for encouraging them with both rhetoric and arms (as do the countries like Iran and Syria that arm them deliberately to create this type of conflict).

Hamas had made a deliberate choice to instigate this conflict. You can and should criticize Israel's behavior (and the PA's as well) in the West Bank, but they did not go out of their way to start conflict with Gaza. Hamas believes that drawing Israel into a conflict in Gaza will lead to a weakening and possible destruction of Israel and that the people sacrificed are worth this goal. If so, they may be seen as patriots and heroes to their countrymen when Israel is gone and Palestine controls the former Jewish state, but this particular conflict was started by Hamas.

[Reservoirdawgs]

One thing I've always been curious of is how people came up with the idea for their screen name. For me, I watched the movie Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino and I was absolutely blown away by how awesome it was. After that, whenever I sign up for message boards I always do an iteration of ReservoirDawgs because my high school self thought it was funny and clever and I see no reason to change it.

Additionally, everyone should go see Guardians of the Galaxy. I saw it last night with a friend and it's an incredibly entertaining movie.

[Quotatious]

One thing I've always been curious of is how people came up with the idea for their screen name. For me, I watched the movie Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino and I was absolutely blown away by how awesome it was. After that, whenever I sign up for message boards I always do an iteration of ReservoirDawgs because my high school self thought it was funny and clever and I see no reason to change it.

Additionally, everyone should go see Guardians of the Galaxy. I saw it last night with a friend and it's an incredibly entertaining movie.

Yeah, I'd also like to know the meaning behind the usernames of our posters.

I couldn't really think of any nice username, and "Quotatious" just appeared out of thin air. For some reason, I was probably thinking about Shaq at the moment when I was about to create this account, so here it is...Based on his Twitter introduction. I've never really been a big fan of him, so it's not really a tribute to him, or anything like that, just pretty random.