I feel the weight of the entire league when I do a Q&A with the rookies because I know getting some information from them actually serves a purpose as we all prepare to get to know these guys a little better at PCTI VII.
Unlike Tyler, who I have only met once, I've hung out and hooped with Jeff a few times and was a big advocate of adding him to the mix. Fun fact: the only two people to apologize to me because they're not comfortable talking about themselves were both of the rookies. Something tells me that after a little more PCTI seasoning they'll learn just how natural it is to publicly say absurd things about yourself and everyone else involved.
With that said, both did a fine job with the Q&A and giving us a little background info on what to expect on and off the court.
1. For reference, we've actually known each other through Danny for a few years and since I was close by in Austin, we've had the chance to play a good amount of hoops together, too. I'm thrilled you're a part of this because I think you're a perfect mesh with the group and your game offers something different while not straying from general PCTI "averageness."
From a basketball perspective, how do you see yourself fitting in?
I don’t know if this is accurate or not, but I’ve been told I’m an incredibly unorthodox player. I have no structure and am forced to play to my only strength which is hustling. I typically mold well with teams because I’d rather not have the ball in my hand. I think I will be able to offer some decent defense and rebounds and will bring some energy to the squad. I don’t know much about structured basketball so that’s all I can say.
2. Don't you have a soccer background?
Yeah I played soccer from age 4 to 17. I played at a pretty competitive level but always sat on the bench. I still wonder why I played for so long. I got to travel to England which was cool, but ended up getting hurt on the first day I got there so never got to play. I was technically decent but was always the smallest and slowest. Up until age 16 I was 5’3” 95 lbs, which didn’t bode well for me. I’m 6 foot now but still about 95 lbs.
3. I feel like I ask this question in one way or another to everyone, but it especially holds true with you. How do you feel Dan has portrayed you to the rest of the group? Is there anything he's leaving out or exaggerating?
I think Dan has been pretty transparent with my portrayal to the group. You guys saw it in the Rainbow video, I’m very capable of making the most boneheaded plays ever and I get very pissed off when I lose (I think this stems from sitting on the bench at soccer). He hit the nail on the head by saying, very competitive and energetic. I enjoy moving around the court and getting involved. We all know Dan exaggerates everything so that’s pointless to answer. One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is, I’ve been told I am horrible at first impressions, so if that’s the case, I apologize in advance.
4. In one way or another, you're familiar with more guys in this thing than many would think. Of the people you don't know, who are you most interested in playing with or against?
I am basing these answers off the few minutes of video I have seen from previous PCTI’s, but most interested in playing against Abe. A lot of hype, which I’m sure is well deserved, but that makes me excited to see how everything plays out. Since there is no way I will be guarding him, I will throw out another person. I hate attention and being in the spotlight, so I guess I’m looking forward to running around with SPOTLIGHT (although I don’t know anything about him).
5. Statistically, what would an ideal line look like for you in your debut?
Loaded question and my least favorite but:
Ideal: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
Realistic: 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 turnovers, 2 airballs.
6. Have you met Actor yet?
Havent met Actor yet. Don’t know anything about him except for a couple things Dan has said. I’ve seen him play on the videos and it appears he likes to pull up from anywhere. I respect that confidence.
7. Lets get some basic bio info from you. Take us back to high school, since for most of us that's where our athletic careers peaked, or at least stopped. Where were you and how did it go? Also, you had a nickname that was pretty popular that you referenced in one of the comments sections of a previous post.
Like I said earlier I was very small and underdeveloped. By age 15 I wanted to try out for the hoops team but never gave it a shot because of my size. I joined the cross country team for the last race of my freshman year and then quit before the next year started (which is funny because the only thing I’m good at is running but I gave it up.) So I ended up playing soccer until junior year and then quit the high school team but continued playing on the club team. I played golf all four years of high school and then got burnt out on golf before moving away to school where my focus wrongly turned towards partying. Since I never played ball in high school, my only experience is pick-up style play. I played about 4 times a week while at school and fell in love with the game during that time.
The nickname “Scrilla” was introduced into my life when I visited Gonzaga the year before I moved up to WA. Since I was known as Scrilla before I moved to school, by the time I got there, everyone knew me by that name and most people didn’t know my name was Jeff. There isn’t a great backstory to the nickname, it just came from some hippy CA kid calling me it when I introduced myself to him. I will say though, after the first two years of trying to introduce myself as Jeff, and people saying, “oh your Scrilla”, I had no choice but to completely embrace it. Everyone I know from school still continues to call me Scrilla and unfortunately probably always will.
8. Speaking of nicknames, Rainbow is a pretty good one. As far as NASCAR inspired nicknames, it's definitely top of the list. What are your feelings towards it?
I honestly didn’t know where it came from. I thought it was based on me being from CA or maybe just a spur of the moment decision for him to call me Rainbowboy. I was okay with that being the case because I thought it was hilarious, because my personality is dry and cynical, just the opposite of what the name suggests. I never even made the connection to Jeff Gordon until you brought up the NASCAR inspired nicknames and Dan looked up Jeff Gordon’s nicknames. Now that I know it’s based off of him being called the Rainbow Warrior, I think it’s even funnier. I’ve been victim to being called Jeff Gordon my whole life and kind of like Scrilla, I just accepted it.
9. How about current bio details: Age, job, living situation, relationship status, etc.
26 years old. I work for FreshPoint, purchasing organic produce, wilting away away quicker than the product I buy. No need to talk about produce anymore. I lived with Smo for about 5 months before moving in with Dan less than a year ago (talk about a downgrade), but Smo forced me out because of his marital arrangements. I am single, just got out of long distance relationship that somehow survived a year and half but ended up tail spinning and crashing in magnificent fashion. Currently failing on Tinder and Bumble, so yeah still single but enjoying it.
10. What should we expect from a nightlife perspective? You're a beer drinker, correct?
An impossible question to answer, because every time I go out I don’t even know what to expect. I have a serious problem with mixing alcohols, which is a cardinal sin, but it always seems to happen even though I say it won’t. I drank a lot of beer in school and grew into loving microbrews and IPA’s just like any “normal” person from the northwest. Looking back, I was well known as the person who was down to do just about anything and often made a fool of myself but always has a good time. Luckily, along with the name Scrilla, that reputation has faded as well. In the end, you can expect me to be out late and be miserable in the morning, and shot roulette may or may not have happened.
Hands down the most unbearable person I've ever been around when they are hungover.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part about Scrilla's game is the weightlifter cutoff T-shirt he wears that allows full visibility into his torso. It's sickening.
ReplyDeleteIm so selfish and particular about shooting that I never thought about what my cutoff's were doing to my opponents. This is good news.
DeleteBlown away that it took this Q&A for the Rainbowboy nickname to make sense.
ReplyDeleteHere I thought you just made an observation about his gloomy personality.
DeleteGeneral Feedback: I wanted to love you and then you said shot roulette. Also your age scares the shit out of me. Not excited to guard someone who "hustles."
ReplyDeleteShut up.
Deletei think I'm gonna call you Jeff.
ReplyDeleteYou were right to apologize for terrible first impressions. I already hate you
ReplyDeleteEven worse in person.
DeleteGreat line, Hops!
ReplyDelete