Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

Hate to tell y'all, but you're starting to get to the age where resistance training is also useful for maintaining bone density *ducks*

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

ACL and three others removing torn meniscus and cartilage (which wreak havoc inside your knee if you don't get them taken care of right away, I've learned) after basketball incidents. In any case, it's bone on bone in there. This poses all sorts of problems because you're not supposed to run or squat or do lateral movement because it just grinds the bone to dust and increases the arthritis. But I've found that if you don't build the muscle around your knees, they hurt 100% of the time because they're not stable and you need that strength to take the pressure off the joint. It's a fucked up Catch 22.

If I were smart (and I'm not), I would try to keep my weight at 195 or below. Very difficult given where my body wants to be and I would have to lose muscle to be below 195. But every five pounds lost alleviates a ton of pain in my knees.

Loved playing outdoors all those years. And really, I don't think you can call yourself a basketball player if you haven't played on concrete courts, getting into fights and learning to ignore hard fouls if you think you have a chance to score--there is no "and 1" outside, son. But it's absolutely terrible for your knees, especially if you have my issues.

TM

Re: No Faith in the Moral Standards of the Players as a Group
 

Find an executive level headhunter (if you're not already using one) and tell them you may use them to fill spots at your new place. Then ask them to let you know what your comp should be, what to ask for, and whatever else they know that you don't.

TM

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

Yeah. That's always how it works. I assume it was ACL?

The grafts they create for an ACL injury are so good that they're stronger after the surgery. I had mine 23 years ago and last time I went in, they were shocked it was still going strong (and to be honest, I was like, "WTF? I thought this shit was permanent!"). But there is no way after blowing out your knee, no matter how hard you rehab to get rid of the atrophy, that you won't favor it. And when you favor it, you fuck up your other knee. Aside from one time when a fucking jackass dove at my legs and I had to avoid him and twisted my knee, overcompensating caused my other injuries. (Also, I wish I knew that the weakness around your knees destabilizes everything back when I was athletic. The amount of pressure you put on your knee when you make a really athletic cut is just ridiculous. You really have to keep them strong, especially if you put on even a little weight and can still cut.)

It really sucks because knee problems age you on the court faster than anything else (accept maybe back issues). There is no more jumping and deciding what to do once I'm up there. I gotta figure out what I'm going to do in advance. And after every time I play there is at best, a 3 day pain recovery window, and at worst, a full week.

I should quit, but I can't. Doc said, "You know what? Live your life. You'll need to get them replaced anyway. But why stop doing what you want to save yourself a year maybe?"

TM

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

Ha. I'll take you in whatever sport you name, whippersnapper.

TM

Re: No Faith in the Moral Standards of the Players as a Group
 

Anyone have experience with collections of credit-card debt?

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

My next moth story is about becoming a "city edge" outdoor player, and then getting to be 28 and being thrown to the ground in DC by a real hard ass, and realizing I had to go indoors, or fight. But yes it was fun for all those years.

i may have asked before, but you ever been on Rucker?

Re: No Faith in the Moral Standards of the Players as a Group
 

It's important to know what the Company is like.

The rule of thumb I've heard from a few VCs is that base salary for the average GC in a venture backed company should be about equivalent to a 6th year at biglaw, and equity should start at the third or fourth level, with less seasoned GCs at or below that level and more seasoned ones above that level. I have companies in the valley with GCs ranging from about $150 to $250K, and with equity ranges from a quarter or a half percent to one who has three percent with a carve-out plan to protect against equity being underwater. The lower salaries tend to have higher equity, but not always.

But you'll get different answers in a highly regulated and heavily capitalized health care tech business with four lawyers reporting to the GC than in a software startup where the GC is a solo role the company can barely afford.

Re: No Faith in the Moral Standards of the Players as a Group
 

Good idea. Alternatively, find an HR person at a sizable tech company who has full access to survey data. You'll find some of the basic survey data online in different places, but the real, full surveys have tons of detail.

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

Nah. Watched a few games up there. But never played.

I remember when I thought you had to be the real deal to play at the cages (West 4th). After I learned how to play I realized, if it's not league play, most of the dudes on that court are scrubs who just want the attention.

I played most of my games at 13th St. park, which, when it was good, was amazing run. Plus there were a bunch of 3-on-3 courts when the full run got wack. The best is getting in a 3-on-3 game with a corny looking white dude who hits jumpers like he learned that shit before he could walk. Like LaVar says, "Never Loss!"

My favorite story ever was when I had next at 13th on the full court. I'm at my prime. Early 20s. Crazy athletic. There was a good team running the court--one of those where the dudes lost on purpose and sat out games and and cherrypicked so that they all got on together in order to have strongest team to run the court. I hate that shit.

Anyway, I got next and I'm trying to see who from the current game on the impending loser's team I'm gonna take so we have a chance. Short white dude with a big jew fro walks up and asks if he could run with me. In my head, I'm like, damn. But I hate dudes who are always like, "Nah, I got my five," when they clearly don't. So I tell him he's in. He seems all grateful.

We pick up the best other three from the losing team and get on the court. This motherfucker was amazing. Killer handle, knows the game, great passing, and the most deadly jumper (with crazy lift) I've ever seen outdoors. He and I two-manned the winning team to death. Most fun I've ever had on a court. Ran it for 2+ hours and you could tell the losers were pissed as hell. They kept trying to put together a team that could take us out. Never happened.

Never saw him again.

TM

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

Go to Moth. Great story. it's that type thing that keep you coming back to play and put up with the standard bullshit.

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

Never. I don't like in-person attention unless people are making fun of me (in a fun way).

TM

Re: No Faith in the Moral Standards of the Players as a Group
 

ON which side? The predatory companies using borderline illegal tactics to collect purchased debt or the deadbeats who didn't pay for their lavish spending?

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

The transition to shaped skis was a game-changer. Like going from wooden tennis rackets to composites.

Re: All you need are looks and a whole lot of money.
 

I had a bucket handle...26 years ago (holy shit). Surgeon sewed it back together and I've been good as new ever since.