12/21/24
March 05, 2003
"Dallas Mavericks All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki was called 'Irk' in his rookie season. Why? Because he had no 'D.'" One of the examples from a story on trash talk in basketball.
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:21 AM - 4 comments
I don't mind trash talking as long as no one but the two players can hear it, that it's about the guy's "game" and not his personal life, and that it's funny. Good "trash talk" can be a joy to hear (that "No D" one above is a great example). The best response to a mouthy trash talker on a losing team is the infamous "point at the scoreboard". But be damn sure you're going to win before you do that. (I'm looking at you, Michael Strahan!)
posted by grum@work at 09:59 AM on March 05, 2003
The "No D" line, as far as I can remember was first used by Bobby Knight when he was coaching the 1980 Olympics. He was putting together his squad when some reporter asked him about Leon Wood, a little guard from Fullerton State. Knight allegedly said "I call him Leon Woo". The reporter bit. "Why's that?" "Cause he's got no "D"". Rex Chapman, when he was at Kentucky, used to dribble down on a fast break, pull up from the three-point line while saying to his defender, "This jumper's for yoooouuuuuuu". Of course the Wesley Snipes character took it to a new level in "White Men Can't Jump" "I'll tell you what. Why don't we take all these bricks and build a shelter for the homeless, so maybe your mother will have a place to stay." "You are so stupid. It would take your mother 1, no. 2 hours to watch 60 MINUTES. " "Where you going? The bakery ain't open yet!" Some players consider Larry Bird to be the greatest trash talker of all time. Supposedly he'd be posting you up, then he'd start backing down, and he'd tell you where he was going to go, and what he was going to do when he got there, and how the fact that he was able to do those things is why he made so much more money than you, then he'd go and do exactly what he told you he was going to do. Drove guys nuts.
posted by vito90 at 07:56 AM on March 06, 2003
"I'll tell you what. Why don't we take all these bricks and build a shelter for the homeless, so maybe your mother will have a place to stay." That's one of my favourite trash talk lines of all time. Gordie Howe was known for trash talking to the opposing team's rookies about how they don't have the experience/balls/chutzpah to cover a player as great as him. If one of them even so much as touched him, he'd jab them with his stick and remind them of their place in life.
posted by grum@work at 09:22 AM on March 06, 2003
My favorite response: "Are you going to shut up when you lose?"