The Pickup Players You Meet in Hell

Discussion in 'Player' started by Deleted Account, Aug 10, 2012.

  1. And_ROOS

    And_ROOS Member+

    Dec 30, 2006
    Melbourne, Aus
    So you play with Adebayor?
     
  2. ejgrownarseman

    Jul 19, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    :p

    This guy is on one of my teams, but luckily, it's 7v7 and no offsides.
     
  3. Cowtown Felipe

    Cowtown Felipe Member+

    Mar 12, 2012
    Fort Worth, TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Our game often had a "Wall," except I thought of him as Martin Brodeur (or use any NHL goalie name here). If you're gonna play in the goal like you're wearing a mask and pads, I'm shooting on you like you're wearing a mask and pads.
     
  4. Wytefang

    Wytefang Member

    May 11, 2013
    Newcomer here so I hope I don't rankle any (or your) feathers with my response but I've never understood (honestly) why people would gripe about someone calling for the ball if they're on the opposing team. If you're not paying attention enough that you actually pass to them, good for them, imho. I don't really do it because I think it's just easier to intercept the pass instead or just help my team close down the ball-carrier or something but I fail to see why someone would feel like that's "cheating" in any real sense of the word.

    And yet when the subject of diving comes up you're cool with that? Wow. Diving is practically the worst thing in the sport and it's also the number one thing that non-fans of the game (those people that we'd love to convert into fans at some point) despise about our beloved game.

    To me, anyway, it seems hypocritical to fuss about someone trying to trick you into passing the ball to them while being cheerfully accepting of diving on the pitch. Just my 2 cents though...and each to their own of course.
     
  5. Wytefang

    Wytefang Member

    May 11, 2013
    To add a character archetype to this amusing (although sorta sad) list of personalities on the pick-up field:

    Johnny Keep-it-Simpleton - He's that prototypical player who relies mostly on his athleticism rather than any hard-earned skill and who fears anything or anyone utilizing more skillful moves on the field, constantly whining to his teammates to "keep it simple" or "don't be trying all that fancy stuff on the field, it's not necessary." He doesn't really know any real soccer history, especially outside his own country or region, nor does he care to. As far as this guy's concerned, the game should adjust to a more elementary mentality that it's "all about the basics, man." You'll frequently find this player complaining that other more skillful players don't pass enough but the reality is than he probably just doesn't have a full enough understanding of when a pass is appropriate and when it isn't.
     
  6. Elninho

    Elninho Member+

    Sacramento Republic FC
    United States
    Oct 30, 2000
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And his greatest failing is an inability to understand the second half of "pass and move"... Contrast, of course, with competent players who keep it simple but actually play smart.
     
  7. Wytefang

    Wytefang Member

    May 11, 2013
    I suspect that Merdinho and Johnny-Keep-it-Simpleton are natural enemies of each other. LOL
     
  8. Skippysasquirrel

    May 11, 2012
    San Diego, CA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    that's my former roommate, toe-kicking in football cleats. he moved out just a month ago and lives in chelsea now. he's played soccer with his coworkers in london a bit, and i think he's learning.

    he used to lift all the time, and last year he got into distance running, so he's in really good shape. but he was the scrawny nerdy kid in high school, so he never played any sports. at least the guys who come from basketball or football have an idea of strategy or at least that you need to pass sometimes, but not my roommate lol
     
  9. guignol

    guignol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 28, 2005
    mermoz-les-boss
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    the real issue here is shouting "leave it!' to an opponent, and refs are instructed to award an IFK if you do this. they will verbally discourage other strategems in the same spirit, like calling "one outside!" to an opponent being harried. this kind of help when a player can't get his head up is just normal teamwork, and subterfuge here is simply not done... and if it is, it will really heat up a match; that's why a ref would never allow it.
     
  10. Wytefang

    Wytefang Member

    May 11, 2013
    All I know is that I've never had a ref gripe about it here in the states but I DID run into this type of complaining when I played in the UK. I can see both sides of the issue but for my money, it's mostly harmless and easily avoidable (in the sense that if you're paying attention you'll not be easily tricked by this ploy).

    Also, I will clarify that I don't use this tactic myself. :)
     
  11. ToolBox

    ToolBox Member

    Aug 26, 2012
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    had a guy like this on my last adult league team. if you dribbled for longer than 3 steps he was complaining about you being a ball hog. lol
     
  12. Wytefang

    Wytefang Member

    May 11, 2013
    It's the two extremes, isn't it? On one side it's very easy to slip into the habit of ball-hogging or over-dribbling (though a lot of that can depend on your team's quality, too - I've noticed that it can happen a lot more if you put very talented skill players on a team that's far below their individual levels). But on the other side, there's also a very legitimate time and place for players to use those dribbling skills, too. When that happens, there's nothing more annoying that hearing some clumsy oaf of a player griping about it, particularly when you know they just don't even really understand the nuances of the game and why it might be very appropriate in that particular moment for you to hold onto the ball or use a skillful move.
     
  13. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--
    Bump. This is now me. Brought my soon to be 13-yo to pickup last Friday. He was there with another kid his age that I coached until recent, though he was a little bigger and more skilled. Anyway, neither of them embarrassed themselves coming out.
     
    Kevin Alexander repped this.
  14. guignol

    guignol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 28, 2005
    mermoz-les-boss
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    i've had this thread in the back of my mind for some time now, what luck that it's been bumped.

    the worst possible non-invited guest at a pick-up game is the policeman who tells you "you're not allowed to play here". the park police had told us that several times over the years but we had always come out on top of the argument. but this was the authentic bill, so after 7 years of weekly fun, the game was finally up.

    of course everyone had their own idea where and how to respawn. mine was another, bigger park quite close to my house where there were some real pitches, not always easy to claim or to hold onto, but lots of space to set up smaller ones with cones if the indians proved too hostile. i did a recon trip one sunday morning and found a group of old portuguese guys even wheezier than we were; i joined up with them, sent out the good word... which apparently fell on deaf ears. but hey, i still had a game!

    2-3 weeks later (i had even learned a little portuguese: sim! sim! sim!... atra! atra!... a escuerdo!!!... merda!!!!!!) imagine my heartfelt joy to see a bunch of my old cronies (and my favorites) show up and start a game right next to us... who loves ya baby?

    the next week i said muito obrigado to my new friends and was home again. and fellows, you never have to say that old guignol was right; we'll just consider it a given.
     
  15. nicklaino

    nicklaino Member+

    Feb 14, 2012
    Brooklyn, NY
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    It's hard to play with guys who mistakenly believe that they can play.

    A lot of Russians play at my local park. Sometimes I play with them they only push themselves when they have the ball. They are 20 to 50 yrs old. I am 74 and it is so easy to out play them :)

    They talk to each other in Russian. Now when they see me in the park they always ask me to play.
     
  16. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--
    We had this from the new lacrosse coach the other night. When asked if we were going to play on the High School lacrosse fields (they are soccer fields in the fall)? Honestly, we would play anywhere on the property ( I prefer the space that is field hockey), but out of laziness we are on the fields closest to the parking lot.

    What is funny is the repeated damage that lacrosse does to the grounds compared to a once-a-week pick up game.

    Anyway, when asked if we had permission from the school to play, I answered, "I think we are grandfathered in. This game has been going on for over 20 years."
     
    guignol repped this.
  17. guignol

    guignol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 28, 2005
    mermoz-les-boss
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    one of the big difficulties in picking teams is integrating new players of unknown merit. sometimes guys who look good at first prove to be useless, either in the absolute or by their selfish and/or lazy attitude.

    and the opposite can be true: a few weeks ago a dad and son team asked to play... short, chubby, sneakers and sweatsuits, eight eyes between them... so we put them both on the side a man down.

    they were super good: not the most athletic but A for technique, A for teamwork, A for effort... but you cant fault them for any of that.

    the ones i hate are those who turn it off or on acc to their mood. the guy you build one team around because he's ostensibly the best player in the group... when he feels like it. the days he just mopes around spoils the game for everyone.
     
    nicklaino repped this.
  18. nicklaino

    nicklaino Member+

    Feb 14, 2012
    Brooklyn, NY
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Everyone thinks they know everything there is to know about baseball. Was never my sport, but I would go to Yankee stadium and watch Mantle play. My mother like to do that as well after Daddio's untimely death. Likes getting off the train and you could watch them play in the train stop.

    Then I would go watch Reggie Jackson play. People would throw money at him while he was playing because he was Mr October.

    Then when the Yankees were in the playoffs and the series I would go to that because it was a happening remember that expression?

    Any way my son when he was little played for a club team called the Brooklyn D's. The founder was a guy named Artie. He never made it to the majors. But was in the minor league for years. Then became a coach in the minors for decades. Now this guy really knew baseball.

    You actually have to think a head in baseball? I never knew that no one here I am guessing knows as much about baseball as this guy Artie.

    Oh I am starting to go to Yankee games again. That new stadium is a very cool place. Get these seats very expensive but you eat free in the restraunts there. No fast food then you sit next to the Yankee dugout. Waiters come you tell them what you want they talk into something. 10 minutes or less like magic it appears. The inside is like a Yankee museum. It is definately a cool place. But I miss the old place in a way. It was right near stadium lanes a bowking alley. Games were 25 cents a game we had youth gang fights right near stadium lanes.

    I have a tendency to remember the old days sorry about that. I can remember things that happen 60 years ago like yesterday , but I have a little trouble remembering Yestarday :)
     
  19. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--
    Hell yes. I was a huge baseball fan until they went on strike in '94. Haven't watched a game since. A lot of preplanning in baseball (I was a catcher). Once the pitch is called, you are looking at 6 or 7 players shifting their spots. If there is a runner on first, there are signals between the 2nd base and shortstop about who has cover on a steal. Needless to say the batting team and their signals.

    Go to a game and try to focus on one position for the night. It is very interesting to watch their movements depending on the situation.

    That said, I am bored by it now.

    Nothing like walking through the tunnel and seeing the bright green summer grass at a perfectly manicured baseball stadium. Not a big fan of the new places. I used to go 10-15 times a year to both Shea and Yankee Stadium when I lived in NY back in the early 90's. They were crapholes, but I enjoyed being there, especially Yankee Stadium bleachers. Go to Stan's Bar across the street for a few Rolling Rocks before getting your $3 ticket. Or just scalp a ticket and wrap it in a $5 and viola! you are sitting next to the dugout (yes there was a time Yankee Stadium was a ghost town).

    Even had a business card for this big black Jamacian guy who was a scalper. He'd have tix for Yankees, Mets and Rangers games (expensive to buy Ranger tickets).
     
  20. And_ROOS

    And_ROOS Member+

    Dec 30, 2006
    Melbourne, Aus
    We really need a Big Soccer tourney and then everyone at the end can put people in categories :D
     
    cleansheetbsc repped this.
  21. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--
    Friday nights. 6:00 PM at the High School. Be there. And bring a dark shirt and a white shirt. Don't be THAT guy.
     
  22. guignol

    guignol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 28, 2005
    mermoz-les-boss
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    too bad we're so spread out. the cahiers du football do exactly that every summer.
     
  23. nicklaino

    nicklaino Member+

    Feb 14, 2012
    Brooklyn, NY
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    There was an Italian tournament held in Brooklyn called the Santa Rosalia. My friend had a team in it. I was helping him pick players at the tryout. This guy comes to tryout. He was terribly unfit. He was in his 30s. Had a beard and a stomach made him look 50.

    Asked him what position he played an offensive mid. At that time the fastest way to judge a player was put them in a continuos game.

    The guy was out of shape, but never lost the ball under high pressure. He always found a way not to lose the ball. I noticed that and then gave him coaching points. Some included things that he had to push himself to do. He was dying out there, but he did them.

    I had to leave and told the coach I liked him. The coach also said he liked him as well.

    I missed the tournament had to go to Italy. When I got back we talked. He mention the unfit player had a good tournament and was getting into better shape.

    6 months later he was fit and I took him on my team for two seasons. He was a really good player for us. Most coaches would not have taken him in that tournament just from the way he looked.
     
  24. J'can

    J'can Member+

    Jul 3, 2007
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    I would love to learn that game. I enjoy a good chess match and i think this is the perfect sport (other than uhm chess :) ) for that. this and cricket.

    the simple part of says how much thinking is their in batting. the guy tosses the ball and yu whack the crap out of it making sure the fielding team does catch it??!!
     
  25. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--
    Depends on the count. You can swing harder when the count is in your favor and the pitcher likely has to take a little something off the pitch (think Tennis and a second serve). Conversely if you are in a defensive count and the pitcher is going to throw a pitch way low and inside, you cannot swing as hard.
     

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