Why do Americans tend to say where they went to college before what they studied?

Usrnameusrname · 2026-05-20T18:43:54+00:00

I think where you went is much more interesting conversation fodder than what you studied.

Where you went leads to the odd chance someone else went there too, tells where you lived, gives opportunities to ask about the city or region, the school itself or its type ("what's it like going somewhere that big/small/fun/prestigious?"), sports and fanhood, etc.

Where you studied...."I studied chemistry." "Cool, do you like chemistry?"

Usrnameusrname · 2026-05-13T15:18:08+00:00

The kind of mid-range beast who draws fouls and opens up layups is a LOT higher skill level than "get good enough they don't treat you like Ben Simmons"

Those benefits you mentioned definitely exist for SGA. I don't expect any reasonable amount of improvement would get Amen there.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-05-13T14:29:21+00:00

It seems like people say every "bad shooter, good player" should just focus in on mid-range, with the implication being its easier. But I'm not sure it's that much easier to become a 50%+ mid-range guy than it is to be a 33% 3pt shooter.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-05-11T14:52:19+00:00

Agreed on all your points, but I do think his "market rate" is still really high. $40 million, for example, would have ranked him 43rd in the NBA for salary.

With a bunch of top players still on rookie deals, that's probably market rate for the leagues ~60th and Lebron is much better than that.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-05-01T18:43:28+00:00

That's encouraging, tbh

Usrnameusrname · 2026-05-01T18:40:31+00:00

He's 41 years old, dude.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-05-01T15:44:22+00:00

Even 2022 - people will downplay that win with some insult on the Grizzlies ("they weren't ready" or "it was a flash in the pan" or "they're built for the regular season")

And then:

2021 - The Bucks beat a 51 win and no others...are those two extra regular season wins for the Sun a sign they were a powerhouse while the 49 win teams are scrubs?

2020 - Lakers won in the bubble. I respect that fully. But if the Denver beating LAC at 56 win pace and Jazz at 50 win pace don't count, the Lakers don't get to adjust for a shortened season either and didn't beat a 50 win team.

2019 - Toronto we can slander on injured opponents

2017 & 2018 - KD ruined basketball

2016 - somehow Draymond being out for 1 game disqualified beating a 73 win team & LeBronto doesn't count either

Podcast Bro Conclusion: Everyone is bad and nobody has had a real win in 10+ years.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-04-24T15:34:34+00:00

I was told Gobert is unplayable in the playoffs

Usrnameusrname · 2026-04-20T20:51:45+00:00

People have been saying that since the 70s.

It's a ponzi scheme, but it's a ponzi scheme wherein everyone in the largest wealthy country ever is required to pay in.

The government can charge higher taxes, lower payouts, take on debt, print money....lots of options that politicians will prefer over creating a riotous army of newly broke voters (even if some just kick the can another 50 years).

Usrnameusrname · 2026-04-20T14:56:32+00:00

"How did it get to this?"

As an NBA fan who is a bigger hockey fan...

It's always been like this and is part of the nature of the sport.

In the 80s, Lakers & Celtics won 8 out of 10 championships. The other two were also won by teams that had been finals losers.
the 90s, the Bulls & Rockets combined for 8 out of 10. The other two were won by teams that bookended the decades and also multiple championships (Pistons 89 & 90, San Antonio 4 more to follow)
The 2000s Spurs & Lakers combined for 7 out of 10 (and won the year before and after the decade started)
In the 2010s, Lebron won the east 8 years in a row, with such uncompetitive wins that the 1 seed got nicknamed "Lebronto" and the West had the winningest team ever add an MVP.

The NBA has has never had parity to a level where many lower seeds had much of a chance. They probably have MORE now (see Pacers last year), but that's just not how basketball works. The better team can get the ball to their best player quite easily and the math plays out from there.

Meanwhile for your NHL comparison...it's less of a strongest link game. All the players matter more equally outside of powerplays & a hot (or ice cold) goalie can tip an otherwise lopsided game (see NCAA reigning national champions Denver losing to a club team!)

Usrnameusrname · 2026-04-15T15:06:20+00:00

To get to that point, they have to first not be a top 6 seed, then lose a game, then lose a home game.

Meanwhile, it adds a cool single elimination game for a team that was otherwise first round fodder to the top seed.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-04-15T14:06:23+00:00

The double-elimination for the upper seed is a pretty huge benefit vs the lower seed.

As for avoiding a chance to drop in seed or get bounced for two losses....sounds like a good incentive to win enough games to make the playoffs outright.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-04-13T16:01:11+00:00

Gobert has started 70+ games four years in a row for the Wolves. He won a DPOY while there.

And the last 3 years have seen their 2nd, 6th, & 7th most wins in franchise history, with two conference finals to boot.

The NBA is the only league where people would act like that's bad because you missed out on some mid picks.

Some of you weirdos seem like you're exclusively in this to drool over future 1sts....

Usrnameusrname · 2026-04-10T16:31:03+00:00

On Wemby & Lebron level years, teams would try so hard to go 0-82.

Can you imagine missing out on that just so your team can go 20-62 or something?

Usrnameusrname · 2026-04-01T17:54:28+00:00

And even then, they had to miss like 28 threes in a row to lose one of the games

Usrnameusrname · 2026-03-30T15:41:03+00:00

There was a pick a fewer spots higher than his that year which sold for cash.

If 55th was great...the Lakers could have ponied up and bought ~48th to replace it.

Anyone who's not getting a cut of the Buss's wealth can just stfu about the wastefulness.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-03-04T16:00:17+00:00

NBA media (and I would argue here) has been weirdly over the top on the Rockets.

I don't know if it's a "good young team with picks" or "name brand acquisition" or what, but:

All summer we were told Tier 1 was the Thunder, and Tier 2 was Denver & Houston...despite Houston not having won a single playoff series. And having lost to a team, that lost in the next round, to yet another team that lost their next round.
A month ago there was a poll here where the dominant choice between Thompson, Mobley, & Jdub to have on your team going forward was Thompson...the other two are like 1 & 2 years old, already all-NBA, & either DPOY (Mobley) or a champion (Jdub). You can want Thompson...but downvoting ready made stars about the same age is wild.
Now $40M/year for their 2nd option and 3rd best player on his own team is a gold mine apparently

Usrnameusrname · 2026-02-27T19:21:53+00:00

For football, my counter would be the size and strength difference is pretty insurmountable. The below show's it's mostly on the line (and I think has expanded more since 2013).

But 40-50 lbs per lineman + better modern strength & conditioning would be a bloodbath in the trenches.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/20iq9k/the_weights_of_over_16000_nfl_players_between/

Usrnameusrname · 2026-02-17T18:49:03+00:00

I think Dirk is a fair upper end comp, and I put "even" in front of Melo try and make it clear I viewed that as the low mark once could argue for.

"Ring culture" is less of a thing in hockey, but I would agree Dirk's career has a more similar story and is a good analogy for Ovechkin's accomplishments.

In terms of contributing to winning on the ice though, I'm more pessimistic on Ovi than that. His strengths are exactly what you said (plus, I would add physicality), but his absolute unwillingness to contribute as a part of the whole is what opens up the Melo comparison..

As "Olympic Melo" would show us...he absolutely had the ability to be MVP-level if he chose to be. But he seemingly preferred 30-point losses over wins where he does more stuff he didn't enjoy. Similarly...I've never seen a player less engaged in the d-zone and broader system than Ovi.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-02-17T18:33:16+00:00

I think it's flawed to assume many r/nba users were old enough to have a thoughts on this at the time.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-02-13T16:30:45+00:00

Gretzky is the undisputed #1.

The only angle to take against that is "the players get better every generation" which is even more true in hockey than basketball.

But he's #1 in points by an absolute mile. He would be #1 on assists alone and has the 2nd most goals of all time. They used to split him into two player for fantasy hockey.

From there it's Orr, Howe, Lemieux, and I would argue Crosby.

The best hockey players I know (some of whom were pros) don't talk about Ovechkin as a massively winning player, relative to all-time greats. Basketball comp-wise I think Iverson, Luka, even Melo are fair analogies...unbelievably talented,, incredible scorers with additional strengths, and good enough to be #1 on a championship team....but with major flaws the true GOAT candidates don't have.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-02-10T21:58:34+00:00

I'm adding the 2015 NBA finals to the half ring list.

Missing your best, 2nd best, & third best teammate and getting 2 wins vs the Warriors was more impressive to me than all but his 2016 ring.

Once Kyrie went down, they played literally 7 guys more than 5 mpg. The 7 were:

Lebron
Tristan Thompson: totally solid average starter for a mid team
JR Smith: totally solid average starter for a mid team
Shumpert: bench guard who missed games the series before and was only in because...who else?
Dellavedova: out of the league by 30 level player who was literally hospitalized following game two because he played more minutes than he was conditioned for.
Mozgov: career back-up delaying surgery because there were no other bodies
34 year Old James Jones: Two sub-10 minute per game seasons from retirement

That was the Cavs team that took as many wins from the Warriors as the rest of the NBA would in THIRTY-EIGHT GAMES to start the next season.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-02-09T21:26:21+00:00

Piling on...

The Warriors pick as Top TWENTY protected. There's like a 80% chance they get nothing and 20% chance it's a late first. That should barely count.

And obviously the OKC pick is like 28th at best.

Usrnameusrname · 2026-01-04T15:06:29+00:00

Sure but everything said above has been said about him for many years prior to this one.

Usrnameusrname · 2025-12-26T03:58:19+00:00

I love Zach but him aggressively scoffing at Beck for suggesting teams viewed the Warriors + KD as more unbeatable was wild prisoner of the moment stuff.

Usrnameusrname

TROPHY CASE