Could you have been...

Mudcat · 12-04-09, 02:41 PM

Might've had a chance at billiards if I had focused my life on it more starting earlier. That's probably not considered athletics though.

FWIW the reasons that didn't come together for me were:

a) I am interested in too many things and doubt I could have had the singular focus required to take it right to the top level.

b) drug/alcohol problems that got in the way of almost everything in my life in my younger years.

seaborneq · 12-04-09, 02:42 PM

practice, practice, practice. I didn't want to practice.

Fishhead · 12-04-09, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by Mudcat

Might've had a chance at billiards if I had focused my life on it more starting earlier. That's probably not considered athletics though.

FWIW the reasons that didn't come together for me was

a) I am interested in too many things and doubt I could have had the singular focus required to take it right to the top level.

b) drug/alcohol problems that got in the way of almost everything in my life in my younger years.

This could have been my response to the exact letter.........

poker_dummy101 · 12-04-09, 02:42 PM

Looking back on it do you regret not trying harder for it?

ABEHONEST · 12-04-09, 03:02 PM

Ready for this,it's complicated ?
I was slightly under 5',8" short,I am the one single person since I started playing basketball seriously,that could [kinda] dominate the game with my outstanding reflexes , jumping ability,and driving to the basket [I put my fingers on or above the goal more than once] ,and then ,just simply disappear,because I've "always" had some type of short lung supply available,or either ,I simply overheated too quickly ?
I believe it's the second one there,overheating ?

It was extremely frustrating,WHY ME,and why nobody else ?

Anyway,like I said ,if I overheated,and usually did within 5/10 minutes of hard playing,that was the end of me on the court,just simply faded away,like General MacArthur !

pavyracer · 12-04-09, 03:06 PM

I don't like practicing. Would have to decline the offer.

Mudcat · 12-04-09, 03:06 PM

Originally posted by poker_dummy101

Looking back on it do you regret not trying harder for it?

Speaking for myself, not really. As I was saying, I have many interests. I have more regret about not pursuing music more seriously than I do about billiards or other sports.

Bread · 12-04-09, 03:08 PM

I'm a pro spokesmith.

I gets paid in full and the only injuries I risk are missing fingers.

But seriously though, no...I never had a chance to be a pro athlete.

paco · 12-04-09, 03:12 PM

I coulda been a pro water polo player

. Fvck that

ABEHONEST · 12-04-09, 03:12 PM

Originally posted by Bread

I'm a pro spokesmith.

I gets paid in full and the only injuries I risk are missing fingers.

But seriously though, no...I never had a chance to be a pro athlete.

I would like to know, "how in the hell did you end up with my scooter I lost last Sunday ?"

LLXC · 12-04-09, 03:13 PM

Too short, slow, and not super athletic - I didn't have a chance.

lyon804 · 12-04-09, 03:15 PM

Yes very much so. I was drafted out of high school as a pitcher in the 46th round by the Milwaulkee Brewers.The signing bonus was a mere $35,000. I was a dumb tool books wise and decided to play Jr. College baseball instead for one year to prove my worth and get drafted again the following year.Problem is I got injured and never was drafted again. I hung on and continued to play all through college as I got another scholarship at a 4 year university. I never regained the velocity on my fastball. My senior year in high school I was 88-92 MPH. My senior year in college I was 85-88 and that is a dime a dozen. Yea, you could pretty much say I shot my wad. Rather, I would have made it to the major leagues is unknown.. That is quite a long shot, but I could have played for $1200 a month and lived on a bus in the Minor Leagues.

obamaismyuncle · 12-04-09, 03:17 PM

Well in High School I used to compare myself to Derrick Thomas of the Kansas City Chiefs, and thought I was gonna be the next best linebacker in the country. The lack of interest from college's kind of dashed my Pro Football dreams tho

poker_dummy101 · 12-04-09, 09:07 PM

Some good stories in here. Mine as stupid as it sounds, was playing in front of a large crowd. I wonder if I take some type of medication it'll help me

pokernut9999 · 12-04-09, 09:10 PM

I had all the talent in the world but lacked one thing

I am white

Bread · 12-04-09, 09:10 PM

Originally posted by ABEHONEST

I would like to know, "how in the hell did you end up with my scooter I lost last Sunday ?"

I had a black guy steal it.

:

Cecil Collins · 12-04-09, 09:11 PM

I pitched in college, actually got to pitch in a spring training game vs a major league team that just won the world series the year before. I gave up 1 hit and struck out 1, no runs. I turned down continuing playing over a now ex wife...

Wasnt a real smart thing to do, but I have a great career now and 3 great kids that wouldnt be here if I did things different...

buztah · 12-04-09, 09:12 PM

I played on Special Teams on the Denver Broncos for 3 seasons before blowing out a knee.

mmike032 · 12-04-09, 09:24 PM

realistically, not a chance in hell to go pro.
could have played college bball for a few small schools, the most notable interest I got was from Troy.
but at the time my priorties were fvcked up and I made the wrong choice.
now I'm a carpenter...
FML

koby25 · 12-04-09, 09:35 PM

I was a RB in high school. I was a fast whiteboy. Dad was pretty quick too. Blew my knee out pretty bad and then nobody wanted me. Coulda woulda shoulda. Sucks but thats life.

daneblazer · 12-04-09, 10:03 PM

I played defensive end in college and had no chance to go to the NFL out of college. Might have been able to go to one of the Arena Leagues...but I was pretty tired of playing football. I probably would have been a better baseball player had I played it as long as I did football. Won state in shot put but the college I went to didn't have a track team.
Always hoping to go pro in poker one day.

eidolon · 12-04-09, 10:54 PM

I went semi-pro in playing video games.
I was about to make the decision to play football instead of futball in 9th grade, but blew my knee, and I ended up being too slow for futball, and never ended up playing football.
Played high school baseball, but never tried.
Went pro poker player. Didn't make millions, but made a living out of it. Let me tell you, it sucks azzzz. Too much of a headache.
Nothing was too promising.
Now I'm bum, making an average salary helping people get back on their feet.

GELATINOUS CUBE · 12-04-09, 11:02 PM

White Men Can't Jump.

I was a serious hoopster back in the day, but Division 1 NCAA B-Ball was too competitive. The brothas from Inglewood and L.A. made the cut over me. So that was the end of that.