What was your passion growing up

[stephenPE]

Besides the passion of all young males and mine my other was basketball. I played everyday. It started when my neighbor took a telephone pole he somehow planted in his backyard and then attached a backboard with a metal frame that extended it out a good ways from the pole. Within a year that area was all dirt from dribbling and playing there. This was about 6th grade. From that day on I played after school till I was called to eat supper. Soon after in 7th grade I met Richard LaLance my very first real live PE teacher. In addition to teaching us badminton, wrestling, flag football, horse shoes, soccer and ping pong he taught us (me) how to correctly shoot a basketball. From then on I was focused on two things. Putting the ball in the hoop and learning how to dribble with either hands. Another factor was that Pete Maravich had entered in to the pantheon of basketball greatness and creativity so I had a model to follow. So I was able to play a year of JV (8th grade) and 4 years of varsity basketball. Saying it was fun is like saying pecan pie tastes good. After HS I had to go to work and get through college but that afforded opportunity in the form of intramural sports. I played even more. Then I was married and teaching PE. So Sundays at Littlewood in Gville was my fix. Finally, I ended up at Hampton Elem. and had permanent goals so I was able to shoot around each day I worked. I would dribble and take shots while waiting on my first period class. Very few things take the place of that feeling when you shoot it correctly and it hits only net each time. Basketball is like art in that every time you play you can create something from nothing with where how to shoot, pass or dribble and when to do it. Constant movement and a myriad of possibilities........One thing I miss but so grateful to have all those opportunities to play......

 

[JDW]

Fishing...I got my first vehicle by fishing and catching gators and turtles to sell...I’m still pretty awesome at hunting and great with a gun as well squirrels opossums and raccoons sold pretty well too if you could get enough to keep up with demand...never was into deer hunting but I’ve shot a few...being outdoors was always my vice

 

[CaseyGator]

Gator football. I was raised right.

 

[JDW]

Gator football. I was raised right.

That’s such a cop-out

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Chicks, money, Rock n Roll. Would have sold my soul to be a rock star.

 

[Zambo]

Waterskiing. Slalom, barefoot, kneeboard, tubing,....all of it. Wakeboards weren't a thing yet. We'd even do pyramids and stuff like you'd see at a Cypress Gardens show. Heck sometimes we would just take the handle about 10 feet underwater and let the boat drag us through the lake like aquaman.

 

[crosscreekcooter]

Like the rest of you turds, I did a lot of diddlin and ran a great line of bullschit. I played basketball, baseball, and football, caught red bass, drank beer, and smoked cigarettes. But in 7th grade Charlotte passed a note to me in class inviting me over to the neighbors house where she was babysitting. Suddenly, the physical aspect of the living cell became very clear, surely driven by some hereditary force. Back in class I was a made man to all my pimply faced adolecent friends. Everything else was just that.

 

[LagoonGator68]

Like the rest of you turds, I did a lot of diddlin and ran a great line of bullschit. I played basketball, baseball, and football, caught red bass, drank beer, and smoked cigarettes. But in 7th grade Charlotte passed a note to me in class inviting me over to the neighbors house where she was babysitting. Suddenly, the physical aspect of the living cell became very clear, surely driven by some hereditary force. Back in class I was a made man to all my pimply faced adolecent friends. Everything else was just that.

“Charlotte” is 15-0 every damn year! Baseball, football, math and motorcycles.

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

Football was my passion. I watched it, played it, lived it, loved it. Made my first playbook in 5th grade, and often dreamed of growing up to coach it one day.

 

[MJMGator]

Like the rest of you turds, I did a lot of diddlin and ran a great line of bullschit. I played basketball, baseball, and football, caught red bass, drank beer, and smoked cigarettes. But in 7th grade Charlotte passed a note to me in class inviting me over to the neighbors house where she was babysitting. Suddenly, the physical aspect of the living cell became very clear, surely driven by some hereditary force. Back in class I was a made man to all my pimply faced adolecent friends. Everything else was just that.

Same here...except it was 8th grade for me and “Charlotte”.

 

[daytonacane]

Besides the passion of all young males and mine my other was basketball. I played everyday. It started when my neighbor took a telephone pole he somehow planted in his backyard and then attached a backboard with a metal frame that extended it out a good ways from the pole. Within a year that area was all dirt from dribbling and playing there. This was about 6th grade. From that day on I played after school till I was called to eat supper. Soon after in 7th grade I met Richard LaLance my very first real live PE teacher. In addition to teaching us badminton, wrestling, flag football, horse shoes, soccer and ping pong he taught us (me) how to correctly shoot a basketball. From then on I was focused on two things. Putting the ball in the hoop and learning how to dribble with either hands. Another factor was that Pete Maravich had entered in to the pantheon of basketball greatness and creativity so I had a model to follow. So I was able to play a year of JV (8th grade) and 4 years of varsity basketball. Saying it was fun is like saying pecan pie tastes good. After HS I had to go to work and get through college but that afforded opportunity in the form of intramural sports. I played even more. Then I was married and teaching PE. So Sundays at Littlewood in Gville was my fix. Finally, I ended up at Hampton Elem. and had permanent goals so I was able to shoot around each day I worked. I would dribble and take shots while waiting on my first period class. Very few things take the place of that feeling when you shoot it correctly and it hits only net each time. Basketball is like art in that every time you play you can create something from nothing with where how to shoot, pass or dribble and when to do it. Constant movement and a myriad of possibilities........One thing I miss but so grateful to have all those opportunities to play......

Do they still have an elementary school in Hampton?

 

[stephenPE]

Do they still have an elementary school in Hampton?

Yes. They tried to build a big newer school near Starke and close it but it failed.

 

[crosscreekcooter]

Same here...except it was 8th grade for me and “Charlotte”.

I always knew you were legitimate

 

[Gulfstream]

Waterskiing. Slalom, barefoot, kneeboard, tubing,....all of it. Wakeboards weren't a thing yet. We'd even do pyramids and stuff like you'd see at a Cypress Gardens show. Heck sometimes we would just take the handle about 10 feet underwater and let the boat drag us through the lake like aquaman.

Same here except we did it on Lake Eloise at CG. In fact I knew plenty of the skiers that preformed those shows. My sister's first job in HS was driving an electric boat through the gardens.

 

[JDW]

Like the rest of you turds, I did a lot of diddlin and ran a great line of bullschit. I played basketball, baseball, and football, caught red bass, drank beer, and smoked cigarettes. But in 7th grade Charlotte passed a note to me in class inviting me over to the neighbors house where she was babysitting. Suddenly, the physical aspect of the living cell became very clear, surely driven by some hereditary force. Back in class I was a made man to all my pimply faced adolecent friends. Everything else was just that.

So you took part of your life story from a John Anderson song? All you’re missing is her brother eating chocolate pie...but keep on a Swingin’

 

[cover2]

Sports was my passion, my outlet. Whatever was in season, I was playing. I was better at football and baseball, but I really loved basketball. I eventually coached them all, but I played basketball just about everyday until I was in my 40’s. Played in a really competitive summer league in Quincy for several years at the old black high school. Got to play against Andrew Moten (UF) and Horace McMillan (UGA) among other college players home for the summer. It was a blast.

My lifelong passion has been hunting and fishing. My granddaddy who raised me took me with him and getting to spend time with him made pulling the trigger and setting the hook all the better. I loved bird hunting better than breathing and still hunt quail and turkey as I’m able, dove when I’m lucky enough to get an invite. Still have my granddaddy’s Sweet Sixteen. Use it when I’m feeling nostalgic; other times I use my Browning 20 (it’s easier on an old shoulder). Still reload my own shells.

My son and I go quite a bit. It’s a lot of fun seeing his passion. Must’ve been how my granddad felt. The only time I ever bested him was the last time we got to go fishing together. He passed away a month later. I think he was happy that he’d passed along his legacy. One day I’ll pass it along completely to my son...but not yet!

p/s “Charlotte” was later on; she had to get in line behind hunting, fishing, and sports!

 

[crosscreekcooter]

So you took part of your life story from a John Anderson song? All you’re missing is her brother eating chocolate pie...but keep on a Swingin’

If I was gonna take my life story from someone it wouldn't be John Anderson. I was 13 in 1964. John Anderson was clearly living vicariously in 1983 when he penned this ballad, but I see what you did there.

 

[JDW]

Just messin with you man

 

[stephenPE]

Played in a really competitive summer league in Quincy for several years at the old black high school. Got to play against Andrew Moten (UF) and Horace McMillan

competitive sounds like an understatement. I called into the Steve Russell Show last week and he asked for your best starting UF basketball team and Moten's name came up. Tough was the word used most. I think he may be coaching. I guess the passions I left out were gator football and basketball from about the age of 10 on and fishing......reading comes in close after that.........

 

[cover2]

competitive sounds like an understatement. I called into the Steve Russell Show last week and he asked for your best starting UF basketball team and Moten's name came up. Tough was the word used most. I think he may be coaching. I guess the passions I left out were gator football and basketball from about the age of 10 on and fishing......reading comes in close after that.........

It was a tough league. My claim to fame was scoring 25 against Moten’s team. Of course, he scored 56! He could flat out play. He’s currently coaching at Gadsden County High School, the county’s only public high school after consolidation. He previously coached at West Gadsden HS in Greensboro (now a MS) and won a state title a few years back. One of his assistants was William Moody, a high school phenom from Greensboro (69-72 I believe) who played as a freshman at UF. He was the best basketball player I ever saw.

Gator Football (and all Gator sports really) are also a passion of mine, though I don’t follow basketball as closely. I kinda hate how the game is played now, rules “loosely” interpreted and not enough teamwork. Ironically, the sport offers some of the best athletes you’ll ever see.

I appreciate your passion for reading. I don’t read as much as I used to, but was once very avid. I guess I have a passion for cooking and look forward to being the chief cook when I retire. I like to concentrate more on “tastes really good” than any of the intricacies or presentations. Here’s what we had at the lake the other evening...