Re: Sports: How far did you go?
I'm 6-6 so I was always tallest kid in my class which means I was on the basketball team every year since 3rd grade.
From 3rd grade to 7th grade I sucked. Than in 8th grade I started to get better. In high school I was a good skilled player but too soft, sorta like a Raef LaFrentz type but not that tall (what for a lousy 5 inches and I don't need poker to try and get rich).
After high school when I started to miss the game is when I really started to develop as a player. There were weeks that all I did was play basketball, eat, sleep, and play more basketball when I was 19. I'm cursed with the knowledge I could of played college basketball had I done things differently in high school.
I've played a ton of semi pro players and ex college players in pick up games and can always hold my own (though if I had played college basketball it would of definitely been as a role player). I love basketball would love to be a basketball coach, so kids in my position don't make the same mistake I did in high school. Even as recently as 2 years ago when I was 26 I went into training again for another tryout with a college team NAIA only way I'd have any eligibility. 20 hours of shooting, 5 hours of ball handling, line drills, passing, etc. 5 hours of running, and 10 hours of weightlifting every week for 5 months. There's like 360 players in the NBA, about another 1500 or so in the overseas ranks, and somewhere around that in semi pro leagues or amateur leagues. I've always thought of myself when in shape as one of the best 5,000 or so basketball players in the world and one of the best 1,000 or so jump shooters. I'll never get a chance to prove that or anything. It's just frustrating to even think about.
If I could be one of the best 5,000 poker players in the world I think I'd feel better about it all.
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