Confessions of an avid basketbolista

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, basketball is my preferred sport. I have dabbled in other ball-sports like soccer, table tennis, and golf, but nothing seems to compare with shooting the ball through an elevated basket. This got me thinking as to why that is so. In order to understand my preference, I shall also briefly discuss some of the other sports and why they don't really measure up (according to me).

Basketball is king here in the Philippines, with Boxing probably approaching a close second thanks to the efforts of a certain "Pacman" who elevated the sport to greater heights. Then again, the "pound-for-pound king" also shoots hoops in his free time. :P

In a nation wherein the average height of the population is shorter when compared internationally (especially against basketball powerhouses in Europe and the Americas), Filipinos have grown to embrace basketball as their own. Almost everywhere you go, you would see a basketball court, from private villages to crowded streets!

I guess some of it could be attributed to American colonial influence, but if that is the case, then how come we aren't playing baseball or American football as well? With that out of the way, we now delve into the more practical aspects.

First off, basketball doesn't need a great deal of space. You could play a decent half-court pickup game with just the hoop and an area with the width of an average city street (like those roadside courts that come alive when there's no incoming traffic but suddenly cease activity when a pesky car passes by). Although aspiring 3-point shooters would never prosper in these situations, you can still play the game with hard drives to the basket and the occasional kickout for the short-range jumper. Basketball's rules also allow for these half court games, the luxury of which can not be found in most other sports, except for probably Squash/Raquetball/Pelota, which I like to call "half-court tennis' :P

It is also a team game, with lots of people (ideally) getting touches of the ball and getting their share of involvement in the game. Since Pinoys generally enjoy hanging out with friends, team sports may appeal more to a greater chunk of the population. (I'll have to admit that I'm biased toward team sports, not just coz I don't have great individual talent, but I like the spirit of teamwork and cooperation).

I also like the scoring system in basketball. You have your basic shot for 2 points, regardless if it's a jumper, layup, or dunk. 3 points awarded for anything beyond the arc, and a point for every freee throw made. This makes scoring seem more rewarding, and leads can evaporate in a few minutes with a few threes made. Those 1 point free-throws, as trivial as they may seem, have often spelled the difference between victory and defeat.

There's also the simplicity of the rules that makes it easy to learn. In a basic street game, the only rules you MUST remember are: 1) outside, 2) traveling, 3) fouls. Everything else is pretty much arbitrary unless you opt for a more complex game or in are in a more serious setting like barangay leagues.

It's this same set of rules that keeps the game really dynamic. The time limits imposed on game play (24 sec shot clock, 5 sec inbound, 8 sec half court, 3 sec in the paint) keeps the game fluid and ensures that the game would not be all about controlling possession for a greater chunk of the game clock, which made for a very boring game.

Now that I've made my arguments, lets look at the other sports in comparison:

Soccer

Ok, so the world loves soccer, as evidenced by the world cup mania that sweeps the globe every so often. People really go all-out on this one, a prime example would be the seemingly bloodthirsty hordes of fans at those English Premier league games :P Some local sports analysts have speculated that the Philippines stands a better chance at winning soccer at the international level because height is not that great of a factor. Be that as it may, a decent socer game requires a rather large area. I don't think people would be really happy playing soccer half court. :P Soccer also requires a goalie, a guy that just stands around waiting for to ball to come his way and hopes that he will be quick enough to stop it from entering the goal. This kind of specialization of positions limits player involvement in the game. Another thing I don't like about it is that it can get really BORING. I mean, I know its really hard work getting the ball across the pitch and evading defenders all the way, and I have nothing but respect for the ballhandling skills of soccer players, but the game really drags on and on. It takes so long to get the ball across the big field, only to have the scoring attempt thwarted by the goalie or defense, or the play may be good but the ball misses the goal completely, and all for just a single point!!! I've seen soccer matches end in a draw of 0-0 or wont by a single point like 1-0. The point production is not commensurate to the effort the players put in! Besides, if the score is indeed just 1-0, then they only remember the guy who scored that one goal, and chances are the goalie will get most of the blame. Kinda defeats the purpose of having a team, doncha think? :P

Hockey

A little similar to soccer in the fact that the goal needs a specialized defender, but the game is far more dynamic and a lot less dragging since the rink is smaller, the goal is smaller, and the players skate on ice! :P Its also a more physical game with all the body checks flying around, and fistfights that the referees allow until one person falls on the ice. Woohoo! :P Too bad this is a tropical country. :P

Baseball

The Americans and Japanese are really nuts about the sport, and I recall watching Japan vs USA events on ESPN. This is another sport that requires a great deal of free space. Though there are some really fantastic moments like when you score a double or triple play, or when a runner steals home, this kind of action is few and far in between. With this kind of sporadic excitement, it makes me wonder how these Americans enjoy this stuff. I mean, at least the ball is always moving in soccer! Its also fairly common to see top-caliber active baseball players who are really out of shape, and don't look like athletes at all. :P Also, the specialization in positions (fielder, pitcher, catcher) doesn't guarantee team involvement, and I think its only the pitcher who gets really really tired during these games. The concept of hitting one out of the park is pretty cool though. :P

Cricket

I don't really know much about the sport, other than that it originated in England, is played in the English colonies, and provides a peaceful(?) means for India and Pakistan to go at eadh other without starting a nuclear war. :P I have tried on numerous occasions to understand the game, but so far I've been unsuccessful. :P It appears to be some kind of predecessor to what eventually became known as baseball in America. As far as I've been able to understand, these cricket events may last for a few days at a time, with scores running up to as high as 500+! It requires a great deal of space, and has these specialized equipment standing at the edge of what I'd like to call the "pitching area" called wickets, the purpose of which still eludes my understanding despite having read the wiki.. :P In summary, it's an ancient form ofbaseball played by the English (using something that looks suspiciously like a fraternity paddle) with long-drawn events over the course of a few days running up ridiculous scores of up to 500 something. Oh, and I haven't mentioned that its like baseball, where the guy with the bat runs after hitting the ball, but instead of running to a set "home-plate", he just runs back and forth between the two wickets as fast as his little legs could carry him. No wonder the scores run up so high. :P

Volleyball

Volleyball can be a very competitive and exciting sport, and can also get very "interesting" during the summer months. :P Problem is, it also requires quite a bit of space, and can get really boring if not played at a higher level (varsity, international, etc). I also guess there's that extra difficulty of trying to control the ball without holding it that throws some people off. Its a team sport, with everyone playing an active role in both offense and defense, so the team spirit is there. Scoring is also exciting, because the points run up every time the ball touches the floor, so the game doesn't get draggy. And also (tips hat to "little sister" :P), competitive volleyball players have some really mad skills, and they can jump really high too, which I respect as a baller. :D

American Football

Now here's a game I would have liked to play if ever we had it here in the Philippines. I'm not talking about the locally-available flag football, I'm talking about the real deal, with all the big armor and the bone-breaking physical contact! :P Space is a big issue, and the equipment is really expensive too. The danger from injuries is also worrisome. Despite the fact that the plays revolve around the quarterback and the positions are highly specialized, participation on the field is not limited, as a break in the offensive line may ruin the entire play, or good coverage on a wide receiver may result in an interception. In short, nobody stands around just doing nothing while the ball is in a different part of the field. The scoring system is kinda neat too, giving different increments to different methods of scoring. I feel it adds a certain depth to the game.

Rugby

Supposedly the primitive version of American football, I feel that this is the one sport that the English got right, although the rules still confuse me, especially the "human tower" thing they do to catch the ball and the "traveling huddle" from which the ball pops out of. It requires an insane amount of field space, but you save a lot on safety equipment 'coz there aren't any!! :P Oh yeah, and I have no idea how scoring goes, since I hardly ever get to see this sport on TV. :P It's hardcore football with no armor, less rules, and pure mayhem!! :D

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So there you have it. I've exposed my biases for and against certain sports to justify my preference for basketball. :P I apologize if I haven't been very thorough with the facts. Just a random guy posting his own opinions. :D