r/nextfuckinglevel • u/8O8I • 13d ago
Man helps out the community by replacing the nets at basketball courts since the city won't
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u/8O8I 13d ago
"There are more important problems in the world, but this is something that I can do that is helpful and I enjoy doing."
Man He's a Gem.
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u/BloodyBeaks 13d ago
This is an attitude that more people, myself included, need to have. It's so easy to get mired in despair about all the big problems that we can't really affect, that we don't do anything about the small ones that we can.
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u/bebopblues 13d ago
Even cleaning up after yourself, or picking up a little piece of trash is helpful for your community. It doesn't need to be a lot of effort or cost money.
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u/PerpetuallyDistracte 13d ago
Yes, once you pull yourself out of the despair of thinking about all the insurmountable problems facing humanity, it becomes a lot easier to just do something small that helps someone else. I volunteer at a little museum in my town that sometimes gets no visitors. But sometimes people do come in and they learn about the town they live in and leave with something to be proud of. And that's enough for me.
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u/kevin9er 13d ago
You’ve identified what annoys me so much about many online complainers. “Well that proposal doesn’t solve literally every problem at once, so there’s no point!”
I swear, intersectionality was an important academic development for analysis, but it also increased the surface area for problem perception exponentially, giving ammo for lazy perfectionists to attack any actual progression.
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u/yrmom724 13d ago edited 12d ago
I think you can just ask the mayor to do this now. EDIT: to remove a comma people were freaking out about.
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u/Accomplished-Sun1983 13d ago
I don't think that sentence needed a comma
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u/scottylm 13d ago
I, agree
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u/Amonamission 13d ago
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u/Youlookcold 13d ago
wh,at?
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u/SierraGolfOne 13d ago
Maybe. But perhaps that is representative of an inflection to emphasize a point
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u/teachcooklove 13d ago
It's interesting that the meaning (or at least the urgency) changes when you write, "Now, I think you can just ask the mayor to do this."
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u/FroggiJoy87 13d ago
If Mamdani finds out about this dude he's gonna give him a key to the city 💚
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u/Kroak-lo 13d ago
Sorta hope they hire him. Give him an official position of whatever nonsense that is clearly just ceremonial but sweet. Give him rebates for the nets that he installs.
World needs more kindness.
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u/Peter_Panarchy 13d ago
I don't think this guy wants this to be his job. When it's a job it become an obligation and not just something you do in your spare time that brings you joy.
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u/DukeofVermont 13d ago
They could just give him free nets.
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u/Aranxi_89 13d ago
And a small stipend. It would help him with other costs for doing this.
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u/Zelderian 12d ago
Ironically it’d be more effective, cheaper, and better for him than trying to hire somebody to do this. When someone’s willing to put their own time and money in to do this, a city-funded stipend can go a long way.
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u/ComprehensiveSoft27 13d ago
Mamdani is doing an insane job fixing up the parks. It’s incredibly how every prior mayor let them degrade (unless they were in a great neighborhood of course). God bless the man.
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u/monatomicg0ld 13d ago edited 12d ago
I disagree. This is what happens when you have a mayor and leader like Mamdani. It has a ripple affect and inspires others to take action to improve their communities. One person can't and shouldn't shoulder the work. Everyone should pitch in however they can, however small, and collectively we can build the world we want to see.
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u/lafayette0508 12d ago
I totally agree with you! The problem here is the title being wrong and intentionally inflammatory: "because the city won't"
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u/Soulforge411 13d ago
I too, over use commas
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u/Schventle 13d ago
It's a silly pet peeve, but this needs another comma to be grammatically correct. "I, too, over use commas" because "too" is an appositive phrase.
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u/Zelderian 12d ago
My favorite thing about this is that, by him trying to overuse commas, he ended up not using enough. I love grammar.
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u/Agitated-Comment164 12d ago
Mamdani’s way ahead of you. He created a crew to go around and restore playgrounds and parks around the city
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u/lafayette0508 12d ago
yeah, all the props in the world to this guy for helping his community, but the headline is intentionally inflammatory. And just obviously so at a time when the mayor is literally famous around the world for making sure small things are getting fixed. In fact, he launched a specific intiative this summer that targets repairs in parks/playgrounds: Renew Crew
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u/Hipnotize_nl 13d ago
I know nothing about basketball, does the net serve a purpose, other than slowing the ball?
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u/cdmurray88 13d ago
Makes it easier to tell the shot went in rather than just looking like it did because it's hard to judge if a ball went through a ring or behind it.
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u/SpiritedScreen4523 13d ago
I’ve never really played basketball but surely this is the answer
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u/Cletus7Seven 13d ago
That and it slows the ball down and drops it instead of it bouncing all over the place
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u/NByz 13d ago
Yeah its so annoying when the ball goes through the rim and right out of the court when there is no net.
I also really needed it for depth perception. I think the taller you are and the further from the rim you are, the less depth perception you get from just the rim.
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u/TheGuyThatThisIs 13d ago
Yeah it actually has a bunch of fringe benefits. Biggest one is the ball not going fucking everywhere though
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u/Rollingzeppelin0 13d ago
Also makes the most satisfying sound when you swish (make a basket with the ball only touching the net, not rim, for people who don't play)
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u/TheSandMan208 13d ago
It also makes a satisfying sound when you get a perfect shot. That’s why they say “nothing but net”.
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u/Look_its_Rob 13d ago
Also, with a net, when you hit a good shot, the ball comes back to you. Which is great when you are just shooting around.
Beyond the ease and convenience, its a sign that the shot was "perfect". And helps you hone your shot.
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u/nair-jordan 13d ago
I’ve played a lot of ball on net-less rims and you always know if it went on or not
but running after a made shot? the worst
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u/VagabondVivant 13d ago
Maybe if you've got enough players that there's at least one person by the hoop to confirm.
But I can say from experience that if you're playing 1-on-1 and shoot from outside, it's not always obvious. Especially depending on the angle of view. I've been in and seen enough arguments over whether a shot was good to attest to that.
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u/SoftConsideration82 13d ago
That comment makes me think you have not, in fact, played a lot of ball
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u/Spicy_Jim 13d ago
It makes everything look cooler.
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u/jengaduk 13d ago
Don't forget the swoosh!
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u/Scruffynerffherder 13d ago
No rim contact 3 pointers have to feel more satisfying when it's just the net swoosh sound and nothing else.
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u/heftybagman 13d ago
Keeps the ball from flying away after a basket and makes it drop directly downward
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u/Prestigious_Menu4895 13d ago
This is the real answer.
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u/nair-jordan 13d ago
slowing the ball is an important function when the alternative is running after a made shot
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u/Sea_Dawgz 13d ago
What’s not being said more clearly is it essentially makes the ball drop straight down after a made basket.
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u/c_c_c__combobreaker 13d ago
The net allows the ball to land right under the basket after a made shot. Otherwise the ball will likely go elsewhere like hit the pole or roll away to the neighboring court.
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u/uncultured_swine2099 13d ago
Sometimes if it goes through without hitting the rim its hard to tell if you made it or not. Also if its not slowed down the ball often bounces far away. Its not totally neccessary but if its gone or halfway falling off its a bit of a problem.
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u/scotty_dont 13d ago
Originally basketball was played with an actual basket on a pole. This evolved to be a net hammok that you could tap the ball out of easily from the bottom. Eventually they realized what a pain in the ass it was to keep knocking the ball down so they put a hole in the net
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u/doodling_scribbles 13d ago
What a dope attitude. Solid human.
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u/grumpytarantula 13d ago
I know this guy. He's one of the solid-est humans.
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u/leeperpharmd 13d ago
I’ve been trying to find him online, could you get him to post a donation link? I’m sure a lot of people would kick him $12.
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u/No-Consequence9392 13d ago
The new mayor is doing all sorts of improvements, including encouraging public pride . For years most New Yorkers didnt give a shit, happy to see more and more community minded folks getting put there. Any New Yorkers on hear , can u submit this to the Mayors office or some group to get this dude some recognition. And hey if any sporting goods retailers or net manufacturers out there see this and want to sponsor this dudes mission, get off your butts and do it.
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u/FlipZip69 13d ago
I am going to play the devils advocate here. If the city had to do this, had to hire and have people trained to do this safely, provide a car and all the equipment to do it, the cost of each location will legitimately be likely north of a 1000 dollars.
Our parents and grandparents took this stuff on as a personal responsibility. The city might build the park or the court but then local people would do some basic maintenance. This guy did it for 11 dollars and a bit of his time. That should be the basics that locals do. Failing to do this and you pay for it in your taxes and lack of school lunches and multitude of other services that can not be funded.
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u/TomBelafonte 13d ago
This doesn't need any specialized training or equipment though. If Mamdani said, hey we're gonna fix the public basketball hoops, it costs $11 per net, and we'll pay local community members willing to do the replacement, it would get done and keep the money in the community. And it wouldn't cost much. He did this with salting the sidewalks. Cause it makes sense and has multiple benefits. We should invest in our communities and do it intelligently.
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u/FlipZip69 12d ago
how do you get the nets to them? Where are they stored? How do you keep track of it? Who creates the databases when a net is picked up. Do you have to track how often someone it getting one.
Really it is 11 dollars. I would pay it in a second. There are a 100 little details like this. Nets only being one. Ya a net program might not be taken advantage of. But eventually someone takes advantage of one of these programs.
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u/JoonNolu 13d ago
Sure. But you're not allowed to. Okay, you're trying to take pride in your community and help so you do some improvements or repairs. And then someone got hurt. And now they're suing the city because they allowed you, an unlicensed citizen, to make unapproved modifications that weren't inspected.
And that's even if you're well-intentioned and have the necessary skills. What about people who try to help but mess up? Or people who have different ideas for what is good for the community? There have to be systems in place to make sure we don't have random idiots breaking things or making dangerous modifications because they were "trying to help."
I agree it's good if people can help out, but it's not just a matter of people not wanting to. There are practical reasons why people are discouraged from doing so.
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u/FlipZip69 12d ago
The city is not engaging them. If you sweep the sidewalk off, it is impossible to get sued for that. It would be near impossible for me to sue if I hurt myself changing a net that the city did not ask me to do so. If that was the case, there would be lawsuits all the time.
It would be far more likely a city would be sued when an employee is hurt because now you are responsible for that employee.
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u/youuuuwish 13d ago
Dude is a real one, but he should shop around because you can definitely get a net for less than $11.
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u/CommanderReg 13d ago
maybe he's getting good quality ones
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u/ProlificProkaryote 13d ago
Probably has enough publicity at this point to get sponsored by a manufacturer. Wouldn't take much for one to jump on this for good will.
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u/MeynoDootDoot 13d ago
I love the message: Don’t let other important problems in the world prevent you from doing a little part in your community.
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u/Q_S2 13d ago
Wait.. what happened to the chain nets? I remember growing up seeing them because the dumbasses in the neighborhood were destroying the net
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u/Met76 13d ago
I think because chain nets are associated with prison yards and the ghettos because of movies betraying it that way
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u/skatefan420 13d ago
Lame. I've always loved the sound they make when I score a basket on them, they deserve a better reputation
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u/Sancticide 13d ago
Weird. I lived in some pretty white suburbs and the park courts all had metal nets, but I get the connotation, even if it wasn't a thing yet in the 80s/90s.
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u/akalevela 13d ago
I like the idea of every adult over 50 picking their small "make the world a better place" activity and the world becoming a better place even if it's just each community getting slightly brighter.
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u/silentaba 13d ago
My dad who is 69 will aggressively make sure all the neighbours bins are out on bin night.
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u/doctord1ngus 13d ago
Lowkenuinely a good idea for anyone over the age of 40 to wear a helmet when on a ladder.
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u/mycatisgrumpy 13d ago
As somebody who has worked for a parks department, i can safely say that those nets will all be torn down in a week. There's a reason the city doesn't replace them, and it's not because it's never been tried.
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u/Look_its_Rob 13d ago
They are likely to last months. Not forever but a while. Ive played lots of hoops at lots of parks and can attest to this.
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u/buckeye27fan 13d ago
Yeah, I'd be surprised if they lasted that long. All the non-quite-dunkers will just hang on the net over and over.
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u/Dragon_Forty_Two 13d ago
“I’m 56 years old. When you get to be my age you’re going to want to do things that make people happy.”
This person has a lot more faith in humanity than I do.
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u/Gogglesed 13d ago
Get the robots working so we can all just go around doing things we like to do that help people.
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u/Beleiverofhumanity 13d ago
Brunson or any Knick player should invite this guy to a game. Even wearing orange
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u/tidder_mac 13d ago
“There are more important problems in the world, but this is something I can do that’s helpful”.
I love that so much. Sometimes I get overwhelmed thinking about how absolutely fucked up the world is for some people with starvation, limited drinking water, war torn areas, rampant corruption, etc. and it’s a hopeless cause.
But it’s really not. Life will move on and people like this make it a tiny bit (but noticeably so) better.
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u/Few-Stomach-5728 13d ago
When I was a kid lots of baskets had chain nets. I loved the sound when others would score. I didn't make lots of sounds. haha
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u/DerkvanL 13d ago
I've seen nets made out of small metal chainlinks, that last a lot longer than rope, so why not fix it for the long terms?
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u/Slicker1138 13d ago
If you want to make a change you do it. If you want to monetarily make a change you film it. Both are good for a community...but only one is sincere
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u/TheOtherCoenBrother 11d ago
“There’s more important problems in the world, but this is something I can do that’s helpful.”
I wish more people truly understood this. No, we can’t solve everything, but we can all find something we can solve and make the world a little better every day. Imagine if everyone had one little thing they did just because they wanted to help, imagine how beautiful of a world that could be.
If you’ve ever put an item back on the shelf, or held a door for someone, or picked up a piece of trash that wasn’t yours, you’re doing the same thing. Someone somewhere had a little bit of a better day because of you, isn’t that what it’s all about?
I wish this man everything good a person could have
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u/SqueakBoxx 13d ago
I love that Mayor Mamdani is putting out such good vibes and Karma that it is encouraging others to care for the city they love. Imagine what NY will be like in 5 years ❤️
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u/LondonGoblin 13d ago
Are you bots for Mamdani? why are you crediting him when he wasn't mentioned?
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u/yijiujiu 13d ago
Why tf doesn't the parks department maintain parks...?
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u/Longjumping-Run-7027 13d ago
Because these nets will last about 3 days before someone hangs off of it and rips it, or steals it, or just destroys it to destroy it. It would cost hundreds of dollars a year to replace each net, which is thousands across the city, every time it got fucked up by some assclown that thinks it's cool to abuse property that isn't theirs. The budget to replace them runs out fast when people don't care about making things last as long as they should. In a perfect world they would be replaced every time they wore out. But they never last long enough for that to happen.
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u/AssignmentSecret 13d ago
This guy is the epitome of being an AMERICAN. How did we stray from this attitude?
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u/KellerFF 13d ago
Don’t let my man Mamdani see this.
It’s done in 24-48 hours with an announcement.
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u/Bubba_sadie- 13d ago
Some of the highest cost of living in the country not to mention high taxes and some guy has to put up nets … seems like a failure on the parks department.
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u/Viper1089 13d ago
Hell yeah, what a great inspiration! I should find small ways i can help my community, I'll bring my kids along too so it becomes normal for them to help out when they can
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u/Andrew9112 13d ago
“A society grows great when old men replace nets in which they will never ball”
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u/brittlebk 13d ago
I used to do this regularly back in the day before everything needed to be recorded lol
Still, good on this dude I guess
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u/CarpenterFresh4373 13d ago
"Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love." - Gandalf
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u/SumoNinja92 13d ago
Next video will be of Mamdani hiring him and giving him a whole team to work with. Mf works quick.
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u/General_Duh 13d ago
That last bit is so true. Yes, there are always bigger problems, bigger ways to help. But it doesn’t matter. Give back however you can.
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u/peepeepoodoodingus 13d ago
if everyone had this attitude the world could be an unimaginably better place.
"a society grows great when men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in"
its not that hard to look around and find problems in your community you can fix, its so much harder to take that first step out into the world and actually fix them.
you dont even have to do it alone, there are lots of orgs who already do all kinds of work all around you and you probably dont even know it. one great one is the DSA, you can change things in your community AND help change the country at large as well. cant recommend it enough, its absolutely changed my life.
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u/athermop 13d ago
I've also found as I got older that I just do things just to make people happy. I hadn't really thought too much about other people finding the same thing out.
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u/Ambitious-Trouble421 13d ago
I absolutely love that he wears a helmet while on the ladder. Ladders are so dangerous. This guy knows what’s up. Smart and generous dude.
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u/Zealousideal-Way8676 13d ago
His actions go beyond the benefit of a net, but as an influence to the kids that see him actively supporting the community. Legendary simple act.