With the NBA recently putting on a game of H-O-R-S-E among some of its past and present stars in both the NBA and the WNBA, it made me think of my favorite sports off-shoot games. I don't know how else to characterize it but I'm thinking of games, like H-O-R-S-E, tied to a sport but not the full sport itself.
1—Knockout
I'm not sure how many hours I've spent playing knockout. It's an easy way to get lots of people involved while having the pressure of the spotlight when you're one of the two with the ball. There's the strategy of lining up behind and in front of the right people and if you miss, you better hope for a short rebound. And who hasn't yelled at someone because they took too long to give you the ball before your shot?
2—Jackpot
Maybe you called it something else, but this is the game where one person is throwing a ball to a group of people who are fighting to catch it. The subjective nature of the tosser would never fly at older ages when people could snuff that out, but the obilivion of adolescene allowed for biases to get in the way. Oh, and if you were tired of being the thrower, just call "dead or alive" and you're sure to join the crowd.
3—Floor Hockey
All you need is a brother, a sister, or a friend you have yourself a ready-made game of floor hockey. Don't have a puck? Use a ball. Don't have a stick? Use your hand.
4—World Cup
Best used on a goal smaller than a normal regulation soccer goal, this is a game where you get a group of folks to play every man for themselves inside the 18-yard box. If you score, you advance to the next round. Last one to not score in each round is eliminated. Play until there's a single person left standing.
5—21
I was never a big fan of H-O-R-S-E because of how sedentary of a game it was, but I always appreciated how a good ol' game of 21 can eliminate awkwardness of having three people looking for a way to compete.
6—Wall Ball
It was always super fun to play this game with an uneven wall leading to unpredictable bounces.
7—Points in the Pot
This basketball game can be played with more than a handful of folks if you want. Play it at the free throw line or along the perimeter. If you make a shot, a point gets added to the pot. If you miss, you get the points in the pot and when you reach a certain point total, you're eliminated. You want to replicate pressure shots? Put some $$$ on it.
8—Ground Ball Sudden Death
Pretty simple. Field hard hit grounders and if you boot one you're out.
9—Onside Kick
Similar concept. Have someone replicate the unpredictability of an onside kick. If you go for it, you better get it because if it isn't clean, you're out!
10—TAG
I saved this one for last. Not because it is last on this list. The reality is that we've probably played this one more than any other one. It's simple and while it doesn't involve a ball, it involves athleticism at its core with running, speed, and, at times, agility.
