Everybody needs a little boost sometimes
May 11th, 2010
When I was little, we’d sometimes roll out our miniature trampoline and place it right under our hoop. I’m not sure it made our form or aim any better (probably not), but you can be sure it got us somewhat closer to the rim and definitely improved the style points. Like we thought we were the Harlem Globetrotters. So, I’m assuming the milk crates in the photo here serve the same purpose… just a little boost. But damned if those crates tip over, some little kid is going to have a busted ankle.
alley oop
April 14th, 2010
Now THIS is a great spot to play some hoops (extra points for hitting a shot off the tree, but you have to call it first). It also seems like it could be the very place that the alley-oop was named for… However, according to Wikipedia, “The term “alley-oop” is derived from the French term allez hop!, the cry of a circus acrobat about to leap. It was first used in the 50s by the San Francisco 49ers to describe a high arcing pass to wide receiver R.C. Owens, who would out-leap cornerbacks for touchdown receptions, but later became more well-known for its use in basketball.
I suppose the only problem I see here is not enough range to practice your three-point shot, and especially not for the long-shot in Bob-Ball ™
brackets… BRACKETS!
March 15th, 2010
marchmadnessmarchmadnessmarchmadnessMARCHMADDDNESSS!!!! ohhh finally! it’s the best time of year! Time to call your bookies, fill out your brackets, and start dreaming about how you will spend your millions when you pick a perfect 64 teams. oh yes, it could happen. There are, and someone check my math, apparently nine quintillion (or 9,223,372,036,854,775,808) possibilities for picking your teams. If you do like the ladies and wives usually do, go for your favorite colors or mascots or the team with that dreamy point-guard, and you will probably win big. Or, like most of the men I know, you have heavily scrutinized the entire season, even subscribing to ESPNU, scoured every sports blog, and even gave it the time to think overnight before you submit your choices. But somehow you still picked your Alma Mater to win it all, even though they are only a 12 seed, and you’re going to be disappointed when someone by the screen name of “IHeartTacos” or something else crazy wins the pot instead of you. That’s why they call it madness! So, who are you taking to win it all this year?? here’s my advice – don’t just default to last year’s champs… sorry Tar Heels! bah-ha!
Urban Hoops
October 5th, 2009
I wonder if they ever try to bank it off the side walls.
step into the light….
April 3rd, 2009
Busy weekend in DC. Lots of Cherry Blossom festivities (including the 10 miler on Sunday that we are doing), a bunch of sports stuff (Nat’s pre-season opener), and a bunch of concerts. Through all this it is important to remember that the Final Four is on Saturday and it is your duty as an American to place yourself in front of a TV with a plethora of beverages (see above, doesn’t you love the soft light inviting you into average/below average beer heaven?) and watch the games. Though admittedly it matters quite a bit less to me as I have no chance, zero, zip, of winning any money in my pools. Ohs well.
Let’s goooooooo Maryland!
March 19th, 2009
Ahhh March Madness. Sweet, sweet March Madness. For many people, from now until April 6th marks the pinnacle of their entire sports-related year, or even just their entire year. Hopefully you have all your brackets filled out, because it’s almost game time, baby. I’ve entered three different pools this year, so my chances are looking good.
The Maryland Terrapins take on #7 seed California in Kansas City at 2:55 pm ET. And so I’m posting some Testudo today for good luck, not that we’ll need it. It’s like looking at the picture of our beloved mascot is the equivalent of giving his nose a good luck rub.
Annnnnd levels of productivity and concentration at work begin to plummet… GO!
Cole Field House, 6 years later…
October 20th, 2008
While we were out on campus at the University of Maryland this weekend, we poked our heads into a dark Cole Field House just to see it again. It’s been six years (I think) since the Terps last played basketball there, and boy did it seem smaller than I remembered it. Maybe because the lights were out… but in any case, it was cool to sit in those seats again. Look how loved they are!
Summer Hoops
July 29th, 2008
Ahhhh, kids shooting hoops in Kalorama Park. I keep meaning to go over there myself and shoot around sometime (not with a camera, but with a basketball) and relive my old HoCo Rec League days, but I just haven’t done it yet. The courts are always pretty crowded with pick-up games and tournaments. So do you think this kid is about to make his shot?
Walter C. Pierce Park : a triptych
February 6th, 2008
Took a late-evening venture out just now — since the temperature is still in the upper 60s — and meandered over to
Walter C. Pierce Park. The clouds were rolling by pretty fast and low and the sky was a *really* strange pinkish-red… in hindsight an indication of the rain that hurried us back home… but not before Matt snapped a few great shots of the park area:
The first picture is of a mural in the park, which, according to
www.culturaltourismdc.org, was a tribute painted for two kids that were murdered in Adams Morgan. [Check out how different it looks in the summer at
DC Daily Photo...]
Second photo = self-explanatory, but you can also see what I meant about the crazy pink sky!
Third pic is looking through the fence towards the playground area.
