Bobby is currently the General Manager and Assistant Publisher at the Daily Statesman after serving his term as Managing Editor. He wears many hats in the office, including coordinator of all things online, but his real passion is sports.

If you could be anyone.....

Posted Saturday, August 30, 2008, at 6:01 PM

How could anyone possibly stop Kareem's 'skyhook' when he was on?

Every child has a sports hero. Someone they admire and awe over. Someone they try to emulate and pretend to be in the backyard during those long hot summer days when no other kids are around. Showboating in slow-motion that certain 'signature' move made famous by the sports hero they admired the most.

I suspect that there were more Michael Jordan wannabes during the late 80's, 90's, and even the early 2000's that any other sports icon.... maybe the most of all-time. There have also been a lot of passes thrown at hanging tires or privacy fences by junior Joe Montanas, Troy Aikmans, and Dan Marinos as well as monster home runs smashed by Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez wannabes.

My summers were spent splitting time between the basketball court and the section of backyard that I had marked off in ten yard increments.

When I was near the basketball goal I was tossing up the spitting image of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's famous skyhook. No one could touch me! Well maybe if there was actually someone else there they could have hung with me.... but I doubt it. I was the best alone in my fantasy world..... maybe even better than Kareem himself!

When gears switched to football, I was a junior Dan Fouts. Man he liked to throw the ball. I really doubt that the San Diego Chargers had more than five running plays in their playbook during the Dan Fouts era.

I could play an entire game by myself. I would hike the ball between my legs up into the air, spin around and catch the ball and fake a hand-off to the imaginary running back and drop back into the 'pocket'.

On a fifty yard playing field, here is where I would challenge myself. Without crossing the line of scrimmage, I would toss an underhanded spiral into the air and run down field to catch it. New spot, second down. Progress to the end zone or kick a field goal on fourth down.

Those times were great and it was all done outside. Back when kids didn't want to be in the house. A rainy day meant that the championship basketball game or the backyard Super Bowl would have to be canceled for the day.

Who were your sports heroes? Did you play backyard games? Tell me your story.

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My hero was Ozzie Smith. The way he'd catch a line drive mid-flip was absolutely amazing! I wasn't ever as agile, but I tried to be! I was in a kidless neighborhood, so I spent ALL my time trying to emulate him! And, to go along with the baseball collecting comment, I had EVERY card I could get my hands on of him. I had 3 different pages in my 3-ring binder of nothing but "the oz."

-- Posted by mrsdolphin on Sat, Aug 30, 2008, at 10:20 PM
If I could be anyone, I would be my DAD! He wasn't the greatest athlete but he taught me so much about sports and sportsmanship. And the greatest thing he taught me was how to apply it to life in general. Of course I had my favorite basketball, baseball, and football players when I was a kid but in time I learn that those guys just fade away. The one person who didn't was my DAD. He was always there to take me and my buddies to the baseball field or basketball court. He would always take us to Cardinal games or the local high school football or basketball games when we were little. I have the utmost respect for my DAD to this day, and that is a true HERO!!

-- Posted by BonScott on Sun, Aug 31, 2008, at 9:00 AM
Nice post Bon! So did Mom teach you how to get T'd up? !

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Sun, Aug 31, 2008, at 8:21 PM
I'd just be me. No sports heroes, that I can think of. I played sports because I loved doing it. I never really thought about what someone else could do or tried to emulate someone else. I know a couple of former pro baseball players that I grew up around and that I played with as a kid and they are no different or better than me. Actually they are pretty decent guys.

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Sun, Aug 31, 2008, at 11:28 PM
Good one hoon. Fortunately, I only received one of those in my playing career. But you're right, that would have come from my Mom's side, definitely not my Dad's.

-- Posted by BonScott on Mon, Sep 1, 2008, at 7:50 AM
IB has me confused....I know of NO one who can honestly say they never tried to "pretend" they were a sports hero. Whether hitting a walk off home run, diving for a ball up the middle, hitting an amazing 3 or free throw, or getting the last out of the Series, IB is the first to only want to be himself. He types I can think of and I am hoping his memory comes back. IB, no one is saying you love sport less if you name someone and also no one is questioning whether the standouts are "decent" guys.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Mon, Sep 1, 2008, at 9:42 AM
IBs comments sound like someone that's insecure or was picked last in kickball. What are your ties to Dexter IB? I don't know to many professional baseball players that grew up in Dexter.

-- Posted by BonScott on Mon, Sep 1, 2008, at 10:09 AM
Growing up in the 70's and 80's, my hero was Nolan Ryan. To me, he was the best pitcher ever. And he was extremely humble off the field, not egotistical at all. The records he set in his career will never come close to being touched. 5714 career strikeouts, 7 no-hitters, more complete games than anyone in today's game could come close to matching. His few detractors point to his career win-loss record, which, by the way, he did win over 300 games, but did have a lot of losses as well. My counter arguement to that was that his ERA was impressive, he spent plenty of years with no offense teams like the Angels of the 70's and the Astros' of the early 80's. If I were a manager looking for a pitcher, I give a lot more credence to ERA over win-loss record anyway. I used to pretend I had his awesome 100 mph fastball, and his curveball was a thing of beauty to behold. Somehow my 60 mph pitch I used to throw up against the garage when I was a kid couldn't quite compare, but in my mind I was striking out Reggie Jackson to win the World Series.

-- Posted by chuckd on Mon, Sep 1, 2008, at 11:24 AM
CD....can picture this as I read it. That is cool and the type of thing I thought EVERY youngster lived. Bon, pro's that I know of from Dexter would be Tom Nichols, Todd Backus, Earl Wheeler, Mike Shipman....list likely not complete and none that I know of made it to the Bigs. AA the highest I know any of these fellas made it.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Mon, Sep 1, 2008, at 1:57 PM
I never grew up here and honestly sports figures just weren't anything I thought about other than listening to a game or watching the world series or super bowl or something. Never paid a lot of attention to them. I am not insecure at all. I am actually very happy with what and who I am. Never wanted to be anyone else.

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Mon, Sep 1, 2008, at 4:19 PM
I wasn't trying to bust your chops Truth. I was just curious about who those professional baseball players you grew up with were.

-- Posted by BonScott on Mon, Sep 1, 2008, at 9:03 PM
Truth's chance to stretch himself here.....I have read studies that elite athlete's have incredible imaginations and emulating and impersonating others is part of this. Not busting chops either, but I am betting Truth was middle of the gravel road when it came to competing.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 8:29 AM
Well, I never made the pros which makes me middle of the road along with a gillion just like me, but you know I don't think I ever had any idea that I would be a pro. I just had a lot of fun.

Steve Crawford's dad was my little league coach. I was the same age as Mitchell his older brother, but Steve was so good that he usually played with us. It was pretty embarassing in little league to have a kid two years younger than you that was so much better, but he was just that good.

Another guy I was around a lot was a guy by the name of Mark Davis. He was a pretty good pitcher too, but he was too much younger than me, so by the time he got old enough to be good the rest of us were observers.

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 11:10 AM
Where was this at I BLT? Interesting stuff. You should have aspired to be like some big leaguers and you might have been more than middle of the road like your buddies!

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 1:37 PM
Crawford played for Boston and KC. I doubt that any asipirations on my part would have helped me much. I did love playing, but there is a certain amount of natural talent involved. Most people can play, but if you meet a guy who has it, he has it and you will see it. Gotta have the foundation first. I never. I played little league ball in Salina, Oklahoma. Crawford played there and Davis spent a few years in a little town about 8 miles away. Still I am just me and like it that way.

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 4:56 PM
Good deal I BLT. Great story and I know great memories for you....takes all of us back to our days when the game was so innocent and fun.

I wanted to be Dr. J, Andrew Toney, Steve Kerr, Jon Sunvold, Tommy Herr, and Reggie Williams to name a few.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 6:16 PM
I wanted to be like Coach Doudy.

-- Posted by BonScott on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 8:01 PM
Did you still like pro baseball the same after the strike and you figured out the guys were playing for money instead of the love of the game?

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 9:25 PM
If the owners are going to make a huge amount of money, the players might as well too. They are the reason the fans come and watch.

-- Posted by BonScott on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 9:38 PM
Still like pro baseball for what it is....BIG business. LOVE the GAME of baseball and think it is the purest of all major sports. A League of Their Own, Sandlot, Field of Dreams, and Bull Durham all touch on the beauty of the game.

Bon....I know Coach Doudy. Coach Doudy is a friend of mine. You are NO Coach Doudy.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Tue, Sep 2, 2008, at 10:34 PM
How were you ever let in the inner circle of Coach Doudy? You are very lucky hoon. I have admired his coaching for years. I sure wish I could meet him.

-- Posted by BonScott on Wed, Sep 3, 2008, at 3:57 PM
The guy is a bit stand offish....just ask Robert Godwin....but once you get to know him, he is a **** good guy. Doudy learned alot from Hall and adds in the passion of a Heeb or two. Bottom line, you don't get to be 2A Coach of the Year as an ***. Coach by sitting with your chin in your hand.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Wed, Sep 3, 2008, at 10:46 PM
Jeeeezzz...give it a rest Bon. You'll never have a chance, unless you try to get Doudy's autograph after a basketball game like the gillion other fans waiting in line.

And I have the utmost respect for your dad as well, Bon. When I moved to Dexter, he was smart enough to put me at shortstop where you were playing. He knew talent when he saw it! But seriously, your Dad does have my utmost respect...he is a great man and I truly appreciate all that he did for us growing up. We got to do a lot b/c he was there for us. Tell him I said that.

I admired ET Willie McGee...1985 NL MVP. He flew under the radar and just played solid ball for Whitey back in the day.

I also liked the locals...especially Earl Wheeler, Scott Kruse and Mike Shipman...those three were great Bearcats from the past!

-- Posted by layne staley on Wed, Sep 3, 2008, at 10:49 PM
staley, he only did that because you were closer to the ground. It worked out for the best though, because you were definitely a better SS than I was.

Thanks for the compliment about my Dad and I will let him know. He loved having you around and he still asks how you are doing.

-- Posted by BonScott on Wed, Sep 3, 2008, at 11:13 PM
Mitch Williams........my all time favorite.

I heard the Doudy boy was rumored to be joining the staph down at Bernie. They have similar styles...

Who are the locals you mentioned Layne? Was Cruise the one that played over at Puxico under Coach Townsend?

Hasta Lavista baby

-- Posted by Barneyball on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 3:09 AM
Tone - it's Kruse and he played at Dexter under that smaller-Bobby-Knight-like feller...

-- Posted by layne staley on Fri, Sep 5, 2008, at 10:21 AM
Layne: He is talking about Nick Cruise who played a few years back at PUKErhole for the Indians. Kruse played for Hall back in the 80's. And NO WAY....Doudy is not going to Bernie. He has the Black Bears ready to compete for a 2A crown.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Sun, Sep 7, 2008, at 10:16 PM

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