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St. Cloud State University
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Intramural b-ball is a lot of trash talk and fun
By Andy Rennecke
Published:
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
There's nothing like getting in a good verbal sparring match every now and then.
When it's on the basketball court though those good verbal sparring matches turn into something even better, trash talking. Trash talking is one of the reasons I've always loved playing basketball and always will.
I'm a brute who grabs the rebounds and takes care of the garbage down in the post. I love doing it because I lost my jump shot about two years ago (not enough time to practice anymore). I like to consider myself a Gary Trent/Dennis Rodman.
I become more of a Trent when I just use my big hind-end to bang would-be defenders out of the way. I'm most effective when I'm in this Trent-mode because I'm scoring, rebounding and playing at somewhat of a high level.
My evil side, the Rodman in me, comes out when I just go nuts and concern myself with only insulting one of my opponents who has royally pissed me off. As my teammates will attest, this happens quite frequently.
This intramural basketball season my team, Fear the Turtle, turned in a dismal 1-5 record during the regular part of the schedule. We relied on a mix of outside shooting and cleaning up the offensive boards to stay in every game. Our largest loss was by 13 points. We lost three games by four points or less. So, we had the talent to surprise some people come playoff time.
The biggest surprise for my opponents was my temper during these scheduled games. How could a long-haired guy wearing all orange and a Nike headband be so threatening? I look more like a mild-mannered surfer from Cali than this over-competitive, adrenaline-filled neanderthal.
I didn't get many responses from my opponents during this time because it was less intense-filled for them than it was for me. The worst thing I did was kick a ball 30 feet in the air after it rolled over from another court.
When the playoffs hit we rolled over our competition in the first round. Picking up a good point guard who hasn't played with you the whole time helps a lot! Our second round game was against an undefeated game called Dutch.
Who the hell names their team Dutch I thought? This angered me so I carried it out onto the court with me. I was guarding a really homely freshman (No. 41 you know who you are) so I knew I would have it easy. I faked a screen for our newly acquired point guard and proceeded to roll to my right.
After that occurred this greasy-haired, pimply-faced 18-year-old kid has the nerve to talk back to me. "Is that supposed to fake me out," he said. I responded with my typical stare and proceeded to walk over to him ready to rock.
I proceeded to come back with two expletive-filled sentences that made Mr. WD-40 smile. On the way back down the court I basically kept telling him how ugly he was (he looked like he had just crawled out of a beaver den) and that he had about as much game as Stanley Roberts.
Of course we had to be separated after a little skirmish. My point to all of this is that intramurals helps us nonathletes stay in the game. It brings you back to when you played high school athletics and helps you maintain that competitive spirit. That's why I've been involved with them for the three years that I've attended SCSU.
I don't know what I'd do without basketball or without a little trash talking. It keeps you on an even keel and it lets you get under the skin and into the psyche of your opponent. I don't want them to like me, I want them to be intimidated. It works, just ask crater face.
Well, Fear the Turtle did upset Dutch in that second round game. However, we fell last Thursday to a team that was no better than us. When you're not hitting your shots that's what happens.
However, the real cause for the loss was that no one was mixing it up. The game was just too pleasant.
God do I hate that.
(Much love to the Fear the Turtle squad: Paige, Matt, Adam, Nate and Hutch.)
