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I met an African American who's lived in Australia since 1982

posted 4 years ago by [deleted]
38 replies | jump to latest

Do you know how rare that is?

Americans were never a big migrant group in Australia, in fact, it's rare to meet them unless they're students, navy, or tourists.

But this man came over in 82 to play basketball in the minor leagues.

He left behind Chicago and has only gone back on holidays.

He was working as a traffic controller and noticed my brother's Chicago bulls cap and asked if he's from Chicago.

He didn't have a hint of an Australian accent. I have heard American migrants who start to speak a little Aussie but not this guy.

Anyway, I thought that was pretty cool that he came here and stayed.

[–] Stratego (29252) 4 years ago

He should start watching Australian soaps, I'm sure he'll be able to pick up an accent that way!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bV3tfauw3vQ

[–] Kowalski (58146) 4 years ago

I GUESS BASKETBALL DIDNT WORK OUT...WAS HE A TALL GUY OR A POINT GUARD SIZED GUY?

[–] Moonglum9 (10713) 4 years ago

Naw, it’s just the off season of the ABA (Aborigine Basketball Association). He’s 5’7”, so he plays center.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

Oh making fun of the magical mystical custodians of the land !

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

He said he played some college basketball and even played against Magic Johnson.

I was surprised that he came here and played in our minor leagues. Surely that wouldn't have paid well.

He wasn't that tall though, maybe 6'1, perhaps he was taller 40 years ago.

[–] Kowalski (58146) 4 years ago

YOU HIT ONE OF MY BUTTONS...MAGIC IS ONE OF MY GUYS...THIS GUY MUST HAVE PLAYED IN MICHIGAN THEN...AT 6'1" HE WAS DEFINITELY A POINT GUARD,AS WAS MAGIC JOHNSON...A LOT OF PLAYERS ENDUP IN FOREIGN LEAGUES ...THERE ARE ONLT SO MANY SLOTS IN THE NBA..AND THE FOREIGN TEAMS DO PAY...A LOT OF GUYS IVE FOLLOWED HAVE GONE ELSEWHERE AND BEEN STARS OR PRODUCTIVE PIECES WHEN HERE IN THE NBA THEY JUST WERENT QUITE GOOD ENOUGH.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

In Sydney ?

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

Pretty sure its not that uncommon. Leeroy Loggins and Steve Carfino did the same thing. Neither lost their accents.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

To your ear, maybe they sound America, but to mine, I study people's voices and can hear the slightest deviation. I actually just found a recent interview with Leeroy Loggins, and he does sound Australianised.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljwHPPnwoEk

Listen to how he says 'team' and 'pre', 'great' and 'people'. Plus he actually changes from American pronunciation of 'opportunity' with 'tune' to the Australian, with 'chune'. So he's sort of all over the place.

[–] davodikum (5970) 4 years ago

I'm just realising everyone doesn't say opporchuneity

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Really? Did you notice the American pronunciation of Tuesday?

I think the 'ch' sound for Tu words is nicer. Americans do it on words like future, but generally, they make a T sound. Madonna has a song called 'substitute for love' and I always think "I wish she sang sub-sta-chute' as it's a more pleasing sound.

I study linguists so I listen to each syllable of each word. It's a weird obsession of mine lol.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

If he was truly Australianised he would say "opporchewney".

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71750) 4 years ago

Life long New Yorker here but Australia does seem like a nice place to move to (your gun laws and extremely deadly wildlife aside)

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Our gun laws means less guns which means less fatalities. I'm happy with that. The statistics on firearm death and injury for America are truly horrifying. Owning a gun makes you more likely to end up shot than not having one in the USA.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71750) 4 years ago

I have a lot of guns, never been shot once, and never shot anybody
But you best believe they are in for it if they come up to my door in a crazy way

In America you have to use your rights

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

If you lived in Australia, you wouldn´t have to worry about lack of guns because no-one else has them either.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

" In 2017, there were an estimated 3.6 million firearms in Australia... "

https://www.smh.com.au/national/more-guns-in-australia-now-than-before-the-port-arthur-massacre-report-20190327-p5188m.html

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

Its called hyperbole. Australia is ranked 50th in guns per capita. That´s very low for a Western nation. Not to mention how many restrictions they have for gun owners.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

Oh I see, you give yourself a pass when you make a totally incorrect statement because you say you were just engaging in hyperbole. Good luck with that.

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

Well if you think I literally meant "zero guns" in a nation of 25M people, I really don´t know what to tell you.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

Good old Billy "Stonewall" Slater.

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

Mate you need to look up the meaning of "stonewall". If I stonewalled you I would be avoiding all your questions. Unlike a certain someone, who runs away with his tail between his legs when the argument isn´t going his way.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

You just did a 180 degree turn with your "argument" and now you're all " There's nothing to see here ! " You are a joke.

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

I support the notion that Australia has low guns per capita which is true. No back flip here.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

You:

If you lived in Australia, you wouldn´t have to worry about lack of guns because no-one else has them either.

Me:

" In 2017, there were an estimated 3.6 million firearms in Australia... "

You:

Well obviously I didn't mean what I said. What's wrong with you?

Billy "Stonewall" Slater

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

Yes its called hyperbole. And I do mean what I said, compared to other Western nations, Australia has barely any guns. Its not just this one thread, its every thread I show up in, you randomly jump in trying to counter every thing I say, sporadically throwing in ad hominems, calling me a troll, or "stonewaller" but at the same time you continue to engage with me. Meanwhile I have been nothing but gracious in answering your questions about religion. Just admit you hold a grudge against me for whatever reason that might be and move on.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

Yes just as you are being nothing but gracious now ( heavy sarcasm ) by STILL insisting that you are right and I am wrong. And more that I am so stupid that your perfectly understandable way of saying one thing while meaning something else entirely is beyond my feeble intellectual capacity to understand. Go take a flying fuck at the moon.

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

Okay you are right, I am wrong. Happy now? Hence why I said gracious about religion. I have been sarcastic here because you are just here to name-call and win internet brownie points but that is standard behaviour from you so whatever.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

And you say you wonder why I doubt that you are a Christian and think you are a troll. I think you deliberately set out to irritate people with you're relentless arguing style. You never admit you are wrong but just keep shifting the goal posts or you remove them altogether.

I was on the old IMDb boards for ten years and I've seen a lot of trolls and worse and you're a professional at it.

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

I think the only person irritated is you.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

As I said, a pro.

[–] BillySlater (4097) 4 years ago

I don´t think it takes much to get under your skin, tbh.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

Stonewall

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I think, when one is discussing the number of deadly weapons available to the residents of a particular location, one ought not engage in exaggeration. Using hyperbole in those conversations is especially reckless.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71750) 4 years ago

I would be sure to have 8 or 10 in that case
Can't be too careful about home invasions and so on

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

If you execute someone you go to jail for murder.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

That's what you think.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71750) 4 years ago

Self and home defense are not execution

Meanwhile, let's talk about the real issue here...
Dad selfies

A rash of smiling fat dad selfies have been released worldwide and I suspect it might all be part of a growing cult of middle aged guys that are too vain to realize they are in their 40s and kind of chubby and going bald!

Get Janet Reno on the phone, this needs to stop now!