OT: Ever had a fun intramural experience with varsity football/basketball teams?
I played in an intramural slow-pitch softball game against a lot of the varsity football team the other day. Zoltan hit a softball as far as I have ever seen anyone hit anything with a bat before. I also learned that Mathews is freakish in terms of physical ability. I was a borderline division 1 prospect coming out of high school in a sport that was neither football nor softball, but the gap in athleticism in this game was comical. This got me thinking, has anyone else had a similar humbling/hilarious experience playing IM sports against varsity athletes?
I somehow got stuck with guarding Derrick Alexander during a game of pickup hoops. I'm a 5'10 white guy.
He dunked on me so many times, but one time I remember him jumping and his knees clearing my head.
I was working as an IM basketball ref, and I was between games watching my brother's fraternity play against the football players' team. Derrick Alexander and Tyrone Wheatley were both playing in the game. I remember one play when a shot hit the heel of the rim and bounced high in the air. A streaking Derrick Alexander caught the ball one-handed near its peak and dunked it on the way down. It was an incredible play. My brother's team got crushed, despite one of his teammates hitting about ten threes.
the "Show Biz Kids", an IM bball team made up of Anthony Carter, Marion Body, John Wangler, Jerry Meter (I think) and some other guys back in 1980 or so. Daaaammnnn. Uuuugggggllllyyyy.
My roommate is Jerry Meter's son. I know Jerry Meter really well, funny to see his name come up here.
I worked catering in the Michigan Union for much of my time here in Ann Arbor. Tyler Ecker & Brian Thompson both worked for us at one point too - you know how servers generally carry trays on one hand, with the other part on their shoulder? There's a reason for that - those trays are pretty heavy when fully loaded with ten dinners.
Both Tyler and Brian would carry them in two hands out in front of them (think curling position). It was absolutely absurd.
Like a week before he got drafted, he dunked on some guy, and then rolled his ankle slightly when he landed. He immediately ran out of the gym, mid-game. There was a collective "oh crap" when he left.
he was more scared than you guys. lol he really should not have been playing basketball with you guys.
I was playing pick up ball at the CCRB with a bunch of the football players. First possession, I have Marcus Ray checking me, I cross him over, get to the bucket and finish. As I’m running back down the court, Marcus tells me “that will never happen again”. Not only did I not score again, he pushed me around and got up in my face so much that I don’t think I touched the ball again. Same game, Charles Woodson threw down on somebody, it was nasty.
A couple years later, I was playing in the pick up game at the CCRB where Tai Streets tore his Achilles, I think it was a few weeks before the draft.
I played in a game with Derek Coleman down at the rec on Rosa Parks blvd in Detroit. My team was pretty good, as far as pick up ball goes. I mean, we ran plays, played help D and was killer at the pick and roll. Anyway,this one guy has next. And he's one of those guys that likes to color commentate from the sidelines. You know the guy...he keeps talking about how this was his gym and that we were disrespecting him by staying on the court for so long. Blah blah blah.
We had ole boys number and he knew it. We'd retired his teams like three different times that day. We'd beat him and he'd go to the sideline spewing shit. Anyway, he was talking so much smack from the sidelines that one of my boys bets him on next game. Not much, like a 20 spot or something and right after they shake hands in walks Derek Coleman. Ole boy picks him up and DC proceeds to piss on our heads for about an hour straight.
When I think about it now, I can't remember even scoring a point. It was like Derek Coleman was using us for a lil cardio or something, because he wasn't even breaking a sweat. That was the first time I really really saw just how freakish talent made guys.
b/c he technically couldn't play on a team, i just went 1 on 1 with lamarr woodley in a game of hoops, nothing serious while a couple IM games were going on. Anyway, he was getting the better of me until one special play in which i'll always remember. He was D'n me up, talkin some shit, and I was giving it back naturally until I quickly crossed over to my left only for him to back pedal a few steps back in recovery. But I was able to get up quick enough in the air and actually dunked it on his ass. no joke.
oh wait that actually never happened.
I clotheslined Drew Henson when he drove the lane on us in intramural hoops.
After winning the 66 IM heavyweight wrestling championship as a freshman, I had to wrestling Tom Killian in semis and then Dan Dierdorf in the finals. I beat Killian than got pinned by Dierdorf at :32 of First period. He has huge hands.
against Tai Streets' im team my junior year. He was about to play for the varsity basketball squad, so he didn't play, but he had a bunch of other guys from the football team. They couldn't shoot to save their lives but it didn't matter. We couldn't get past them on D and would chuck up a shot or they would steal it and be down the court for a lay up before we could get to back to mid court. Our team was decent too, because we had won the title the previous year.
I did take Bobby Crawford (think 1994 basketball team)to the hole for a layup while playing pickup at the outdoor court by South Quad. True story. Sadly, that might be the athletic accomplishment of my life.
That was always one of the really fun things about going to Michigan. I remeber seeing Tractor Traylor running the point in a pickup game at the ccrb and toying with littler "quick" guys.
Freshman year, I even played im bball with a couple backup cornerbacks on my team. Dealo Johnson and Tyrone Noble. They were like 5'10" at best and couldn't shoot or even dribble, but they still would dominate. Just toss them the ball and they would be laying the ball up in a nano second and noone could stop them.
I was a soph working for the IM dept and one of the seniors working there got me to play on his flag football team in the grad/fac/staff division. I showed up for practice and Dugan Fife was the quarterback, Jarrett Irons was the safety, and some other guy who was a walk on from the basketball team in the mid-90's but was an all-state WR in high school was our WR. Our offense consisted of the WR dude running as fast as he could down the field and Dugan hitting him in the endzone or Irons going across the middle for a first down. Everybody else blocked.
Best part was on defense though. First game we're playing a grad team of romanian math students, guy runs a crossing route in front of Irons and Irons straight lays him out. Everybody on the other field stopped b/c it sounded like a real football hit and the romanian kid was on the ground writhing in pain holding his ribs. Old IM Ref Dave doesn't want to give a red card to irons so he gives him a yellow and NOBODY runs a crossing route the rest of the round robin against us.
We lost in the finals 35-28 to a team of grad students from the track team. couldn't catch up with them the whole damn game.
Best reffing experience with varsity athletes was when Tai Streets coached the 97 varsity football team's IM Mens A division team. Tai scheduled the games at the same time sorrority A league was playing and he showed up every game in a suit and tie with a rolled up stack of papers. Funny as shit to see him yelling at Jansen to "get your fat butt down the court". They got to the championship and Lloyd showed up and sat in the bleachers with the students at the IM bldg. If I remember right, Brady was on that team too with his cali surfer boy haircut and the rubber band holding his mop up.
Played hoops against Barry Sanders at Franklin Racquet Club. Never seen anyone elevate as high as Barry on a 3 point shot, incredible to see, and he could really shoot it. Barry never did go inside, he was still with the Leos at the time. Believe it or not Barry very quick as well.
I just though of another one going way back. I played hoops with Fred Brockington at the Dearborn YMCA back in the early 80's. What a ball hog he was, I wish I had been on the other team. Guess he was making up for the limited opportunities Bo gave him to get the ball in football.
Shawn Crable may be the worst slow pitch softball player ever...Mallet was screaming his head off at him
I'm from Piscataway, NJ so my freshman summer I go home to work and play basketball at the Werblin Rec. Center, their equivalent of the IM Building. Well I'm playing and there's a few girls on the court and no one thinks anything of it. Then I realize its a few of the women's players; the year they got to the NCAA Final. Well Matee Ajavon is on my team and NO ONE will guard her. Finally this guido kid steps up to guard her. She made him fall not once, not twice but three times. After each time she waited for him to get back up and did it again and then on the last time drilled a three from a foot behind the line. The next year she got drafted #5 overall in the WNBA draft.
At the time Matee was dating Ray Rice, the Rutgers running back (2nd round draft pick to the Ravens). So he shows up for one of the last games and I went to the bathroom and when I get back he's on the court ready to start against our team... and everyone else is guarded. He was a month off microfracture surgery on his ankle so he was just shooting 3s and messing around. That was until I told him he should stick to football. Perhaps the stupidest thing I ever said in my life. He drove by me on EVERY possession for the rest of the game. One stands out clearly; he drove by me and pulled up for shot at the freethrow line. Ball bounces high and he takes two steps and dunks over a 6'3 guy. Now this is ray rice of the 5'8 listed (more like 5'6) 210 lb. measurements while on an ankle that had just had surgery. The MOST athletic thing I had ever seen in person.
that's assault brotha.
I managed to down a pitcher of beer faster than he could. He then threw a bottle of gin at me and said "ready, go". By the time I got a shot and a half down, he had the bottle empty.
FRAT
not really athletics...But I worked at BK to make some money at school and I usually worked the night shift.
Jalen Rose and Jimmy King were regulars really late at night. They would come in, stare at the menu and giggle a lot. They also had red blood shot eyes and seemed to act strange and slightly paranoid.
Nothing to see here...
It seemed like we played against the football team every spring term in IM softball. Couple things that stand out are:
A teammate hitting a hard ground ball to Shawn Crable playing 2B and the ball cracking off his shin, which led to Crable hobbling around for the rest of the game and all of us worried about his playing status.
Mallett, playing SS, taking a cutoff throw from the outfield just as a teammate of mine was rounding third. Guy runs home, Mallett rears back as if he's about to gun it in, everyone on both benches stands up waiting to see the throw...and he tucks it down and lets the run score.
Breaston taking the most awkward swing ever and hitting a texas leaguer into right-center. It was literally like there was a cloud of dust and he was on 3rd base. I think he took about 2 1/2 steps between bases.
Played an IM softball game against Matt Schaub (our starting QB, now with the Texans) one time. Co-ed game and he was the only actual athlete - most of the rest of his team wasn't much good. We tied them something like 8-8 and I don't think they scored any runs that didn't involve a 500-foot rocket off his bat.
I remember playing IM basketball against some of the football players, but the one guy that stood out was Greg Skrepenak. Heck of an athlete for 6'8", 350ish.
Also played a few pickup games at the CCRB against Rob Pelinka. He was mostly just messing around, shooting 3s from 30 feet.
Former ASU qb, Jason Verdugo lit up my flag fb team in flip-flops. It was in a tourney in San Diego, after he graduated. I think every pass he threw was caught for a TD.
I never played any IM sports except for football. However, I did have classes with Pierre Woods, Tony Pape, and Eric Brackins.
Tony Pape sitting in an auditorium chair to listen to Ralph Williams was pretty funny to watch.
Also, Pierre Woods was f&*^)@% huge.
...one of me one from not me (and Michigan related).
First, I used to work at a fitness club in the bay area and played in a pick-up game with Chris Mullin just before he was traded from the Warriors to the Pacers. He was obviously just screwing around with a bunch of hacks, but dude was unbelievable. Obviously, everyone knew he wasn't going to go inside (even though he was taller than everyone else playing by at least 5 inches), but he still got his shot no matter when he wanted it. And, of course, he hit every shot he took, pretty much. Just effortlessly. I also (at the same club) once watched Gregg Jeffries play racquetball against Scott Adams (the Dilbert guy). Jeffries won. By a lot. It was pretty surreal.
Anyway, the UM story came from a friend of mine who was probably the best non-pro player I've ever played against. He was like 5'6, but was absolute lightening. I was a pretty good defender in my day, but I could never stay in front of this dude. Anyway, the story goes that he was a senior at UM during the first Fab Five year and he is playing twos at one of the outdoor hoops on campus and he's just running people. Then Webber and Jalen show up. Webber's checking my friend on the first point, and he does this crazy ungaurdable cross-over step-back thing on C-Webb that he always used to do and hits a three in his eye. Webber laughs and gives him the old "yeah, that's not going to happen again", and then proceeds to stuff every single subsequent shot that my friend took for the rest of the game.
One time I was drinking with Adam Kraus and Jake Long on our fraternity porch and Jake broke the stackable plastic chair he was sitting it. We all laughed.
Maybe not, but I broke a chair once, too. I guess I'm just fat.