When I played in a basketball league in Manila, it seemed like every game I was elbowed, pushed and shoved without the referees calling a foul. When I complained, the refs basically said "it's ok, you're bigger than them, deal with it."One day I lost my temper, flipped some guy on the floor, and a big shoving match broke out, with people screaming at me in Tagalog and Chinese. I didn't think it was a big deal until a week later, when some street kid I had never seen before pointed me out to his friends as "the American who fights everyone."
I realized then I wasn't just another player in the league, but willing or not, I was a representative for my country.
But at least my international sports brawl didn't turn out like this one in Japan.
1 comment:
Great story. I hope you will share other fighting experiences you have had on your travels.
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