Did anyone not play sports in high school?

[Another Fan]

Perhaps this isn’t a fair judgment but my guess would be most members did?   Sometimes when I read the posts on the Bills a lot of posters are very knowledgeable about the X’s and O’s of the game.   Imo, that comes from playing football on a competitive level.  I get the arguments against PFF in that regard.

 

I didn’t play sports at all in high school with the school.   The main reasons were I was out of shape and unathletic at the time, transportation woulda been an issue with both my parents working, and well I really didn’t like most of the student population lol.   It was a small catholic high school.   
 

Anyone else? 

 

Edited July 23, 2020 by Another Fan

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

I did Track and Cross Country.   

Not too much coordination needed to run fast 

 

well except the hurdles 

and long jump 

 

[Another Fan]

5 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

I did Track and Cross Country.   

Not too much coordination needed to run fast 

 

well except the hurdles 

and long jump 

 

Ironically when I graduated high school I lost a lot of weight (about 60 lbs) and used to run in 5k’s.   Typically I’d finish somewhere in the middle of all the runners.

 

I still enjoy running if my muscles don’t get too sore afterwards 

[Punching Bag]

I was a freshman for whose team would have been Amsdell Junior High School. HAMBURG , NY but could not go since distance was too far and in summer transportation was not provided.  I checked rules and freshmen were allowed on varsity team so I went to Frontier Central High School during summer and put in my permission form.  Coach took a look at me, asked my grade and I told him.  He said i was at wrong practice and I replied this is the team I can play for.  His response was "Fine, get bashed if you want."  I was not doing too well in non-contact drills but I was still there.  When contact drills started the coach was emphasizing "half speed we do not want to hurt our teammates". When it was my turn for blocking team I leveled my opposite and coach said "I said HALF SPEED!" and I replied that was half speed coach.  He matched me up with one of the seniors who was a starter previous year and he said 'Show me full speed." and I leveled the starter.  Coach announced "we have a new blocking assistant - when you are not making full effort, you practice with him."

 

I did better now contact was allowed, I had been playing football with adults since I was 10, but coach told me he had too many good players who had worked hard previous years and I was not likely to get much game time.  I told him I do not want to just be a practice player and he said he would get me some game time on certain packages.  I became a short yardage back and defender due to my limited speed but due to big feet I had good push.

 

Before season started we played a full contact scrimmage with another school.  Not full game but lots of situations like goal lines, 3rd and short, etc.  I got a lot of scrimmage time due to it. At end of game a booster came up to me and told me I played well and he could put me in touch with booster organization which would help me find work to help pay for expenses and housing at his college.  I told him I was only a freshman and 13. He was shocked at that and said "Well take my card, maybe I can help you later."  Wednesday after scrimmage there was a multi-school chess tournament and told my coach I needed to be there and he said "Go, just make sure you are here early tomorrow.".  I never went to practice again. That night after chess tournament (I won) I had a seizure and woke up in hospital with no memory of it or most of previous day.  I was misdiagnosed with grand mal epilepsy and never played sports again.

[stevestojan]

23 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

I was a freshman for whose team would have been Amsdell Junior High School. HAMBURG , NY but could not go since distance was too far and in summer transportation was not provided.  I checked rules and freshmen were allowed on varsity team so I went to Frontier Central High School during summer and put in my permission form.  Coach took a look at me, asked my grade and I told him.  He said i was at wrong practice and I replied this is the team I can play for.  His response was "Fine, get bashed if you want."  I was not doing too well in non-contact drills but I was still there.  When contact drills started the coach was emphasizing "half speed we do not want to hurt our teammates". When it was my turn for blocking team I leveled my opposite and coach said "I said HALF SPEED!" and I replied that was half speed coach.  He matched me up with one of the seniors who was a starter previous year and he said 'Show me full speed." and I leveled the starter.  Coach announced "we have a new blocking assistant - when you are not making full effort, you practice with him."

 

I did better now contact was allowed, I had been playing football with adults since I was 10, but coach told me he had too many good players who had worked hard previous years and I was not likely to get much game time.  I told him I do not want to just be a practice player and he said he would get me some game time on certain packages.  I became a short yardage back and defender due to my limited speed but due to big feet I had good push.

 

Before season started we played a full contact scrimmage with another school.  Not full game but lots of situations like goal lines, 3rd and short, etc.  I got a lot of scrimmage time due to it. At end of game a booster came up to me and told me I played well and he could put me in touch with booster organization which would help me find work to help pay for expenses and housing at his college.  I told him I was only a freshman and 13. He was shocked at that and said "Well take my card, maybe I can help you later."  Wednesday after scrimmage there was a multi-school chess tournament and told my coach I needed to be there and he said "Go, just make sure you are here early tomorrow.".  I never went to practice again. That night after chess tournament (I won) I had a seizure and woke up in hospital with no memory of it or most of previous day.  I was misdiagnosed with grand mal epilepsy and never played sports again.

Well that took a horrific turn at the end. So since you said misdiagnosed, was it a one time thing? Do you think the hits from the scrimmage has anything to do with it? 

[WhoTom]

I played baseball and football in grade school and junior high (sandlot and leagues), and I played church-league softball in high school. Honestly, I wasn't good enough to make a high school baseball or football squad.

 

As far as knowing the Xs and Os of the game, I was a defensive tackle - the only strategy they taught me was, "Find the guy with the ball and take him down." As a younger fan, I was pretty much a casual observer. Over the past 20 years, I've started to learn more about the intricacies of the game. If it doesn't conflict with the Bills and it doesn't involve the Patriots*, I'll watch any game that Romo is calling, partly for the educational content.

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

NERDS!!  ?

[DrDawkinstein]

18 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

NERDS!!  ?

 

ha beat me to it!

[RochesterRob]

  I did not play and probably the biggest reason is competitive sports at the beginning level - sandlot games.  There was always a lot of bickering and finger pointing.  Not at me very often but the last straw was being told who I could be friends with based on the outcome of the game.  Slow forward to high school and I was very uncoordinated physically my freshman year so nobody was seeking me out to play sports.  Come junior year I was ahead of most of the guys in terms of speed and physical force.  At that point as it was with many schools it was all about the kids of the town's elite getting spots on varsity.  Had I more encouragement at the beginning In might have worked harder in the years leading up to high school so I might have had more recognition and been harder to ignore by coaches.  As it was when we did track or football for gym and had a good outing not once did the gym teachers who also coached sports ever ask me about playing.  A few kids asked me about football but honestly it was not enough as a fair amount of kids that I disliked or they disliked me were already on the squad.  I might have thought about Div 3 football in college but it seemed like it boiled down to the love of the game which in the end I just did not have enough of.  My interest in sports went pretty much dormant from the age of 8-9 until I was in my early 20's.  I watched the Bills of the mid-1980's just to take my mind off of dismal things like being on academic probation while at college.  So as the Bills went during the 1980's oddly enough so did my life.  

[Another Fan]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

NERDS!!  ?

Says the guy that probably still rocks his varsity jacket ?

[Johnny Hammersticks]

6 minutes ago, Another Fan said:

Says the guy that probably still rocks his varsity jacket ?

 

What’s a varsity jacket?  I went to high school in the late 90’s, bruh ??‍♂️

 

But I’m just playing around.  I played every sport growing up.  Made the varsity football team as a freshman and saw some time at DB.  Gave it up after my freshman season.  After that, I mainly smoked weed and chased tail.  Played lacrosse.  Meh...

[Teddy KGB]

I was the greatest tight end that ever lived.   
 

The starting tight end @ my high school was the ultimate warriors clone.  
 

Coach put me @ guard and I quit.   
 

Didn’t make a cent or score any sweet tds. 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

9 minutes ago, Teddy KGB said:

I was the greatest tight end that ever lived.   
 

The starting tight end @ my high school was the ultimate warriors clone.  
 

Coach put me @ guard and I quit.   
 

Didn’t make a cent or score any sweet tds. 

 

Did you retire from football at halftime?  That’s the way to do it.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Did you retire from football at halftime?  That’s the way to do it.

 

But don’t leave before the orange slices are handed out! That would be a rookie mistake! 

 

I played football (fun) and baseball (boring!) growing up in some leagues, but back then you mostly played sandlot most of the year. We didn’t need a uniform, referees and a scoreboard the way our kids did. 

 

Before my freshman year I had an operation on my foot and missed freshman football. Before sophomore year I had to have the operation done properly (by the Braves surgeon) and I missed that year too. Junior year I played and made it as far a preseason scrimmage against another school. Some body rolled up on my leg, and it hurt like %$#@! I tell the trainer/English teacher about it, and he starts taping my ankle before practice. He would occasionally forget the pre-tape. Great! I tell him ”it still hurts”, so he tapes higher. “Walk it off wimp” type treatment.  I go back to the surgeon for follow up on the foot and he notices I’m limping again, but favoring the wrong leg. Sends me downstairs for X-rays and he says “well, the good news is the break is starting to heal nicely.”  I had the pleasure of telling my English teacher “thanks for all the tape and condescension, but I HAVE A BROKEN LEG!!!” 

 

Senior year? I had a car and a girlfriend. 

 

Our kids played non-stop in HS. Football, basketball, soccer and weightlifting (came in 5th in FL as a senior, not too shabby!). Could have played football or soccer in college, but passed. They had a LOT of success, and my wife swears it was her side of the gene pool. 

 

 

To summarize: I BARELY played sports in high school. (I did play rugby in college, though.) 

 

 

.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Augie

[Seasons1992]

58 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

After that, I mainly smoked weed and chased tail.  

 

Hmmmm. I probably should have done this right after HS, vs. now................

[Teddy KGB]

31 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Did you retire from football at halftime?  That’s the way to do it.

I made up some lie about changing school districts.     The practice schedule was too much and I had bills to pay with that sweet pizza delivery cash.   

[PastaJoe]

I played freshman football at guard and defensive end, but didn’t play after that because at the time I didn’t find it that exciting. I made the freshman basketball team, but then quit after final cuts and told the coach to keep one of my friends instead who really wanted it. Also threw discus and shot put, but again quit. I just couldn’t get that excited about the rah-rah stuff.

 

My passion was ice hockey, but I didn’t start playing until I was 11, and I got cut from the high school team. Back then there was nowhere else to play at my age, so I just played pickup with friends outdoors.

 

I’ve always regretted not sticking with football and basketball to see what might have been. I got my son involving hockey and football at an early age so he’d have the experiences I didn’t. But I let him decide if he wanted to play. He didn’t like baseball or basketball. He played high school football and was senior captain of the hockey team.
 

Now as I prepare for retirement in September  I was planning to play hockey 3 times a week with seniors, but the rinks are still closed. ?

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Did you retire from football at halftime?  That’s the way to do it.

Lemme tell ya those guys ain't dumb.

[Success]

I'm a greaser.

 

[Capco]

I didn't do a single extra-curricular thing in high school, including sports.  

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Any marching band peeps out there?  You guys had the sluttiest girls.  Little known fact.

[Punching Bag]

5 hours ago, stevestojan said:

Well that took a horrific turn at the end. So since you said misdiagnosed, was it a one time thing? Do you think the hits from the scrimmage has anything to do with it? 

 

It was a one time thing.  I was in the hospital for a week and never recovered the memories. The medication I was being given Dilantin was affecting me strangely and slowing down my ability to think.  I was being watched by my mother when I was taking it and I quickly learned a "trick" putting medication on thumb and flicking it in mouth but in reality it went into my hand. I know it was a waste of money but could convince doctor or mother to stop medication.  I was not allowed to do any sports or even get learner permit when I was older.

 

In following year I went to Frontier and ran into coach accidentally. He said he was sorry for what happened and I had real potential despite my poor eyesight in one eye.  He asked me to become coaching assistant and I did so mostly handling gear and such.  I also came under attention of VP who also ran the "Wiener Wagon", essential for money for sports, which we used to sell beverages and snacks in game so after equipment was set up I would work there during game.  I got my varsity letter via it. I ended up taking over running over all sports vending services.  Following year I was elected (I did not run) Varsity Club secretary which meant more service work for me.

[Wacka]

Never tried due to health. Had my kidney removed at 4. Was always short. I'm 5' 4". Compensated with my brains.  Was 6th in my class of 365

[Another Fan]

12 hours ago, Capco said:

I didn't do a single extra-curricular thing in high school, including sports.  

Same here.   I thought all the clubs in high school seemed very cliquey at the time.   

[Halloween Land]

I have a black belt in Karate, but I don't know if you can consider that a sport. 

[WhoTom]

2 hours ago, Halloween Land said:

I have a black belt in Karate, but I don't know if you can consider that a sport. 

 

I wouldn't tell a black belt that it's not.

 

 

[Halloween Land]

Just now, WhoTom said:

 

I wouldn't tell a black belt that it's not.

 

 

Well I'm a black belt and I don't care if someone doesn't call it a sport. 

[LeviF]

Lettered in three sports; no football at my district.  Talked to a couple DIII schools about playing one of them.  Enrolled and was set to play and the program was cut a month before practice started.  All well and good, had a lot of fun regardless and played lots of intramural badminton.

[Gordio]

Played basketball, baseball & football.  We were pretty good in basketball & baseball, football not so much.  I was the QB and would get pounded pretty good in the games, I was constantly sore during football season.  My senior year I decided not to go out for football and never regretted it.  It was actually where I first learned to tailgate.  MY friends and I would buy big gulps & fill them up with booze and would tailgate right in the parking lot and the teachers were none the wiser.  A few of my friends worked at Danny's (by the airport) & actually had a key to the place.  They would steal anything from strip steaks, to burgers & a couple times even lobster tails and we would grill out at the tail gate.  Here we are 17 year old kids not a dime to our name, grilling lobster tails & strip steaks before a high school football game right in the school parking lot.  Some of the times faculty would stop by and grab a bite to eat before the game.  I think some of them knew we were drinking but noone ever said anything.  They always thanked us for the food.  Much simpler times back then.  I miss those days.

[LeviF]

38 minutes ago, Gordio said:

Played basketball, baseball & football.  We were pretty good in basketball & baseball, football not so much.  I was the QB and would get pounded pretty good in the games, I was constantly sore during football season.  

 

I have a buddy who went to QB camps and started at QB at a AA school in a decent conference here in NY.  Got crushed every game because of the O-line.  He, like you, quit after he realized it wasn't gonna get any better.

[Gugny]

1 hour ago, WhoTom said:

 

I wouldn't tell a black belt that it's not.

 

 

 

I think as long as you pronounce it ka-ra-TAY, it's fine.

[WhoTom]

26 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I think as long as you pronounce it ka-ra-TAY, it's fine.

 

My son used to study Tae Kwon Do. One day, I was sitting in the dojo with the other parents, and a cell phone rang. The woman answered and said, "I'm at my grandson's Ka-RAH-tee lesson."

 

 

[DrDawkinstein]

18 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

Any marching band peeps out there?  You guys had the sluttiest girls.  Little known fact.

 

Band girls are up there, but I've found that Drama/Theater Club girls were the wildest. There's usually some overlap there anyways.

[Buftex]

On 7/23/2020 at 11:46 AM, Another Fan said:

Perhaps this isn’t a fair judgment but my guess would be most members did?   Sometimes when I read the posts on the Bills a lot of posters are very knowledgeable about the X’s and O’s of the game.   Imo, that comes from playing football on a competitive level.  I get the arguments against PFF in that regard.

 

I didn’t play sports at all in high school with the school.   The main reasons were I was out of shape and unathletic at the time, transportation woulda been an issue with both my parents working, and well I really didn’t like most of the student population lol.   It was a small catholic high school.   
 

Anyone else? 

 

I played everything I could, until 10th grade...I loved playing all sports (while football is my favorite to watch, basketball was my favorite to play), but when I got to 10th grade, the size advantage I always had over other kids my age kinda shrunk.  I got more into music, and most of the kids who played sports were kinda *****.  I think I coulda kept playing football and basketball if I had wanted (or maybe I tell myself that), but i just kinda lost interest.  I went cold turkey, and just didint go out for anything in senior high.  Funny thing is, even though I stopped playing very young, I still think I suffered permanent physical damage from playing football.  I had fugged up shoulders at a pretty early age...and at 55 now, my knees feel like they are 75 most days.  I always played harder than smarter. 

[BringBackFergy]

Basketball (9-10)
Soccer (9-12)

Tennis (9-12)

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

In the mid to late 70’s 

 

 

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting!!!

 

 

[Gugny]

I played football and did track/field (shot and disc) in 9th and 10th grade.  In 11th and 12th grade, I was in a band, which took sports' place.

[Seasons1992]

On 7/23/2020 at 7:25 PM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

Any marching band peeps out there?  You guys had the sluttiest girls.  Little known fact.

 

Not gonna lie..........when I see a response by you, I click on it. 

 

Worth it every time.

On 7/24/2020 at 1:06 PM, Gugny said:

 

I think as long as you pronounce it ka-ra-TAY, it's fine.

 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

On 7/23/2020 at 3:19 PM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

NERDS!!  ?

haha— yeah, really. Nerds are the worst. 

 

as for me, i made the state championship at least a few times. Here was the tourney photo from my last title run:

 

[NWPABillsfan]

In junior high I played Football and wrestled. Starting center and nose tackle and started on the wrestling team. Varsity Football for my freshmen year and just focused on wrestling for the rest of my high school years. Coach kept asking me to come back out, but didn't want to get hurt for wrestling season. Varsity Wrestling for my 4 year high school years. I never had a losing record in all 4 years of wrestling. Now i wish I had play varsity football also.  But I guess there is nothing I can do now after 43 years. I coached kids football for 14 years also.