I play in a basketball team with some mates in a local competition. It's just a bit of fun, a good way to socialise and get some exercise. We aren't particularly good, but we enjoy playing and get along well with the other teams. Most of the time. This week was a little different. The team we played didn't seem to be interested in enjoying a friendly game of basketball, but instead wanted to prove that they were the toughest guys in the world. For the entire game they argued and swore at the referees, pushed, elbowed and tripped our players, made threats and complained when anything went against them. They were like a bunch of bullies in a primary school playground. We've played this team once before, and they weren't much different then. I had put it down to a bad night, but since then I've heard similar experiences from other teams on a number of occasions. They had some guys who were reasonably good, and if they put more effort into actually playing basketball instead of intimidation, they'd probably be fairly successful. The ironic thing is, the competition is run by the Salvation Army, and this team is from a Salvo church, while our team is a "community team" with no church affiliation. It's pretty sad.
I've written about Funk Fiction a few times, but if you haven't checked them out yet, next week will be a good opportunity. Simon Hosford will be back on the guitar, and a couple of guest singers will be joining the band - Michelle Serret and Gary Pinto. Should be a great night - Wednesday night at the Evelyn from 10pm.