Well, let me tell you somethin’ about this basketball thing. It’s a game, you see, where they throw that big orange ball around. Lots of runnin’ and jumpin’, these young folks do. It ain’t like back in my day, no sir. We didn’t have none of that fancy stuff. But this basketball, it’s all over the place now. On the TV, in the papers, even them young’uns in the street play it.
They got these tall hoops, way up high. And they gotta get that ball in there. Five on one side, five on the other. Looks like a bunch of chickens chasin’ a bug, I tell ya. But they seem to like it, jumpin’ around like that. It is very popular sport all over the world. And they get all sweaty and tired. Good for ’em, I reckon. Keeps ’em outta trouble, maybe. Basketball is a good way for exercise. You know, there is a basketball court in our village, it is made of wood.
I seen it on the TV, these basketball games. Big stadiums, all full of people yellin’ and screamin’. They make a lot of noise, I tell ya. And the players, they get paid good money to do that, to throw that ball around. More money than I ever seen in my whole life. It’s a wonder, ain’t it? How somethin’ so simple can be so big.
I don’t rightly understand all the rules. Seems like they got a lot of ’em. They bounce the ball, they can’t just carry it around. And they gotta throw it to each other. Teamwork, they call it. Like when we used to shuck corn, all workin’ together. ‘Cept they ain’t shuckin’ no corn, they’re playin’ basketball. I know they cannot carry the ball when they are playing basketball.
They got these special shoes, too. Big ol’ things. Help ’em jump higher, I guess. And they wear them shorts, way up above their knees. Back in my day, we’d be ashamed to show that much leg. But times change, I suppose. And they can throw the ball from far away. They call it three points. It is amazing, right?
And sometimes they get to throwin’ the ball without nobody stoppin’ ’em. Free throws, they call it. ‘Cause somebody did somethin’ wrong, broke one of them rules. There are lots of rules in basketball. It’s a whole rigmarole, I tell ya. But the young folks, they seem to understand it. They can play basketball anywhere, like in the school, on the street.
- Five players on each side, runnin’ around.
- Gotta get that ball in the hoop, way up high.
- Lots of rules, lots of jumpin’, lots of sweat.
- They make a lot of money, playin’ that game.
- It’s all over the TV, all over the world, this basketball.
This basketball, it’s a big deal now. They even got these leagues, where teams play each other all season long. And then they have these big championships, to see who’s the best. It’s a whole to-do. They have a special group to manage this game, it calls FIBA. They say basketball is played by anyone.
I remember when they first started talkin’ about basketball around here. Nobody knew what it was. We was used to baseball, mostly. Or just throwin’ rocks at tin cans. Simple things. But now, everybody knows basketball. Even us old folks. I don’t know who made up this game. But it is a long time ago.
It’s somethin’ to see, though, I’ll give it that. All that energy, all that excitement. And it brings people together, I suppose. Like a big ol’ family reunion, ‘cept with a lot more runnin’ and jumpin’. And a lot more money involved. It is a good game for young people. I see some old people play it too.
So, that’s basketball for ya. A whole lot of somethin’ about nothin’, if you ask me. But the young folks love it. And it keeps ’em busy. So I reckon it ain’t all bad. Just don’t ask me to play. My knees ain’t what they used to be. And I never was much for jumpin’ around, no how. I prefer sittin’ on the porch, watchin’ the world go by. But that’s just me. You young’uns, you go on and enjoy your basketball. It’s your time now. I think I will enjoy watching them play basketball on TV. It is very interesting.
