11.30.2005
Buddhist ballers.
No, that's not some sort of weird porn reference, but thanks for thinking that--I mean it in a much more literal way. The other day we were wandering down a random side street on the way to one of the DVD stores we frequent (where, as good US citizens, we naturally only purchased legitimate copies of movies, *cough cough*) and we walked by a group of Buddhist monks who apparently had gotten board with whatever it is Buddhist monks do—I don’t really know, but I’m picturing chanting and incense—and decided to play some basketball. As you can see from the picture below, they’d even brought clothes to change into. Kind of. The bottom robes stayed on, but they traded the top robes—funny, but I’d always assumed it was just one big robe--for some “replica” (AKA knock-off) NBA basketball jerseys:
I love that the monk in the foreground is still wearing his “monk shoes,” which is my own name that I just made up (who would have guessed?) for the flimsy, tannish loafers most monks seem to wear. Really, those just can’t provide a lot of ankle support, I wouldn’t think:
(Side note: sorry for the bad pictures, but I felt stupid walking right up to the fence and being completely obvious about taking pictures of them playing. However, rather than not taking the pictures, I simply stood back a little way and took them. Although since they still saw me taking the pictures I’m not sure how that’s really any different than standing right next to the fence and doing it. Well, except for the fact that the pictures are crappy. Whatever.)
Anyway, I know that Buddhist monks are probably not completely up-to-date when it comes to all the goings-on of American basketball players, but the two jerseys they were wearing made me laugh: the Sixers jersey was an Allen “I want to be a thug” Iverson one, and the Lakers jersey was a Kobe “I swear it was consensual” Bryant one. If only one of them was wearing a Pacers jersey for Ron “I like to jump into the stands and punch random fans” Artest, it would be perfect. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think those particular NBA players are the sort of people that young, impressionable Buddhist monks should be emulating, do you? Because really, when I think “Buddhist Monk” I don’t think “fist fight.” But then again, maybe I’m wrong. I mean, Stephan Seagal is Buddhist, isn’t he?
I love that the monk in the foreground is still wearing his “monk shoes,” which is my own name that I just made up (who would have guessed?) for the flimsy, tannish loafers most monks seem to wear. Really, those just can’t provide a lot of ankle support, I wouldn’t think:
(Side note: sorry for the bad pictures, but I felt stupid walking right up to the fence and being completely obvious about taking pictures of them playing. However, rather than not taking the pictures, I simply stood back a little way and took them. Although since they still saw me taking the pictures I’m not sure how that’s really any different than standing right next to the fence and doing it. Well, except for the fact that the pictures are crappy. Whatever.)
Anyway, I know that Buddhist monks are probably not completely up-to-date when it comes to all the goings-on of American basketball players, but the two jerseys they were wearing made me laugh: the Sixers jersey was an Allen “I want to be a thug” Iverson one, and the Lakers jersey was a Kobe “I swear it was consensual” Bryant one. If only one of them was wearing a Pacers jersey for Ron “I like to jump into the stands and punch random fans” Artest, it would be perfect. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think those particular NBA players are the sort of people that young, impressionable Buddhist monks should be emulating, do you? Because really, when I think “Buddhist Monk” I don’t think “fist fight.” But then again, maybe I’m wrong. I mean, Stephan Seagal is Buddhist, isn’t he?
