I'm not sure what you're talking about, but, in the next pick up game you play, post up behind the three point line (NBA if you have it) in the left corner. Fake a turnaround, and then pivot to the left and release a left-handed (nb: you can't try this if you're left-handed) skyhookish sort of shot. If you don't shoot an airball, you're slightly more likely than you have been otherwise to win the game. Don't ask me why it works. It just does.
I'll try that. It should endear me to my teammates. But no way do I buy your feigned ignorance. Every Jewish boy shoots the unblockable running hook. I'm just asking: nature or nurture?
Will you buy my unfeigned ignorance? It might well be that, placed into a basketball-like environment, I would naturally express this behavior, whatever it is—but I bet it would be blockable.
Jews like myself, generally being of the type that can't jump, and don't want to get their big shnoz any bigger by getting a ball blocked back into their face, shoot this shot out of necessity.
My favorite Jewish basketball player is Bruce Lefkowitz, who played for Penn in the late 1980s. There's just something about the idea of a 7 foot Jewish center that puts a smile on my face. Plus all the opposing Ivy League fans would chant "BRU-CE, BRU-CE" (two syllables) at him. And then I found out later that one of my good friends is his cousin. Usual caveats: I'm not, a bunch of my friends are, etc.
(BTW, there's a website jewsinsports.org. Who knew?)
We seem to have a few votes for nurture, but I'm still wondering about the secretive ceremony wherein little Jewish boys are taught this nose-saving maneuver.
This is quite bizarre. I'm a hybrid (NY Jew father, Kentucky mother), and my jr high / high school basketball success in the South I've always attributed to my Kentucky-side uncles' prowess at the game. My one father basketball-playing memory (he had no interest in the game) was until this very moment buried. And it is of him on our carport basketball court, awkwardly dribbling across the key (think: eyes firmly on ball, ball bouning as high as his shoulder, dribbling hand perfectly flat and stiff) and attempting a -- running sky hook. Bank, swish.
I never nurtured that move, exactly, though I did have pretty effective running left-to-right move that was really only slightly different. Perhaps my modest success came via Queens, NY rather than Harlan County, KY.
Now that's funny. If you come up with a clever-yet-not-appalling way in which comments might look Jewish (along the lines of the "with distinction" bit), I'll send you a dollar.
"3000 years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax -- you're goddam right I'm livin in the past!"
Sorry... I'm not Jewish, but that line just seemed too perfect given my pseudonym.
Posted by Walter Sobchak | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 2:00 PM
I'm not sure what you're talking about, but, in the next pick up game you play, post up behind the three point line (NBA if you have it) in the left corner. Fake a turnaround, and then pivot to the left and release a left-handed (nb: you can't try this if you're left-handed) skyhookish sort of shot. If you don't shoot an airball, you're slightly more likely than you have been otherwise to win the game. Don't ask me why it works. It just does.
Posted by Jonathan | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 2:53 PM
I'll try that. It should endear me to my teammates. But no way do I buy your feigned ignorance. Every Jewish boy shoots the unblockable running hook. I'm just asking: nature or nurture?
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 2:58 PM
nature or nurture?
Doesn't being God's chosen people sorta render that question beside the point?
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 2:59 PM
Interesting point. Don't you think the real chosen people would have been gifted with, say, the tomahawk dunk, instead of the running hook?
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:01 PM
Will you buy my unfeigned ignorance? It might well be that, placed into a basketball-like environment, I would naturally express this behavior, whatever it is—but I bet it would be blockable.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:02 PM
One vote for nurture.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:03 PM
Jews like myself, generally being of the type that can't jump, and don't want to get their big shnoz any bigger by getting a ball blocked back into their face, shoot this shot out of necessity.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:04 PM
Maybe they are saving the TomahawkDunk(K) for the arrival of the real Messiah.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:05 PM
My favorite Jewish basketball player is Bruce Lefkowitz, who played for Penn in the late 1980s. There's just something about the idea of a 7 foot Jewish center that puts a smile on my face. Plus all the opposing Ivy League fans would chant "BRU-CE, BRU-CE" (two syllables) at him. And then I found out later that one of my good friends is his cousin. Usual caveats: I'm not, a bunch of my friends are, etc.
(BTW, there's a website jewsinsports.org. Who knew?)
Posted by Dave | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:05 PM
I believe the Tomahawk Dunk is (U) Pareve.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:07 PM
#9 is awesome.
We seem to have a few votes for nurture, but I'm still wondering about the secretive ceremony wherein little Jewish boys are taught this nose-saving maneuver.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:07 PM
I think it's nature. My dad's not a jew.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:10 PM
Plus, if we had a super-secret ceremony, everyone else would have copied it. For proof, see the bris.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:11 PM
OT, but ouch: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/03/04/chimp.attack.ap/index.html
He lost two points of the Jewish Cross: testicles and nose. At least the chimps didnt take his wallet or pocket watch.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:14 PM
This is quite bizarre. I'm a hybrid (NY Jew father, Kentucky mother), and my jr high / high school basketball success in the South I've always attributed to my Kentucky-side uncles' prowess at the game. My one father basketball-playing memory (he had no interest in the game) was until this very moment buried. And it is of him on our carport basketball court, awkwardly dribbling across the key (think: eyes firmly on ball, ball bouning as high as his shoulder, dribbling hand perfectly flat and stiff) and attempting a -- running sky hook. Bank, swish.
I never nurtured that move, exactly, though I did have pretty effective running left-to-right move that was really only slightly different. Perhaps my modest success came via Queens, NY rather than Harlan County, KY.
Posted by phred | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:16 PM
Geez, that's almost poignant, phred. Glad to be of service.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:19 PM
Are you sure this isn't a dastardly Shi'a Islamobasketballist plot to get MOT to identify themselves for your SMERSH-like plans?
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:45 PM
Why would I need to do that when the Jewish comments so obviously look Jewish?
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:48 PM
Now that's funny. If you come up with a clever-yet-not-appalling way in which comments might look Jewish (along the lines of the "with distinction" bit), I'll send you a dollar.
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:54 PM
Funny, they don't look druish.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 3:58 PM
Well, us jews were stingy with our words. And then phred messed it all up. if we said basketbawl, would that help?
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 4:05 PM
This is eerie. I do shoot that shot. I do bank it more often than not. And no one taught me. Perhaps it's close to the cohen gene on the Y chromosome.
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 4:29 PM
Sherm "Shlomo" Douglas also had that shot.
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 4:30 PM
If this were a more innocent, long ago time, we could talk about what a sneaky shot that is. As a Muslim, I've only ever shot it ironically.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 03- 4-05 8:11 PM
If Jewish identity is inherited matrilineally, then wouldn't your mother have to teach you the shot? No, trust me, that follows.
Posted by Kriston | Link to this comment | 03- 5-05 11:12 AM