The Goalrilla E1 by Goalrilla

Prepare yourself for the ultimate blog post on the ultimate game in the history of the universe. That's right I'm talking about basketball, that great game we love here in Indiana. Actually, love is an understatement. We are obsessed with this fast-paced sport here in Indy like little kids and Santa Claus. So I'm completely tickled I get to review Goalrilla's E1 Basketball System for my blog post today through a game of horse with Family Leisure's Developer, Josh. I'm not sure yet, but I'm slowly being convinced that I have the best job on the planet. What other Hoosier gets paid to play basketball other than a Pacer?

So let's talk basketball history for a moment. As legend goes, in early December 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian and physical education instructor at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, was searching for a way to keep his students active during those rain-and-snow-filled New England fall and winter days. Creating the concept in his mind, he sketched out the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot elevated track. Unlike modern basketball rims, backboards and nets, the peach basket had a closed bottom, and balls had to be poked out or retrieved after each team scored a "basket". An early soccer ball (or association football) was used in the beginning. Each basket scored was worth a point, and whichever team received the most points by the end of a timed session won the game. The baskets were nailed to a mezzanine of a balcony that surrounded the playing court. Soon a backboard was introduced and the peach basket was replaced with a metal rim without a bottom to allow the ball to simply pass through. Thus, the basketball goal was created, giving birth to a multi-million dollar industry that spawned the Goalrilla Company.

If you're not familiar with Goalrilla, then you probably haven't played a lick of backyard or driveway basketball. Goalrilla has been offering backboards and rims since 1991, and they're a standard piece of equipment for any Hoosier backyard or driveway. Their adjustable height rims and strong construction have allowed younger players (like me in my younger days) to lower the rim and dunk over, hang and talk trash to the competition, just like a professional in the NBA. 

Which brings me back to Goalrilla's top-of-the-line E1 Basketball System. No rim and backboard system on the planet is tougher. Here's some info on the E1 Basketball System by Goalrilla:

• Meets N.C.A.A. specifications
• Huge 72" x 42" backboard
• 1/2" thick tempered glass
• Direct rim-to-arm attachment
• Withstands 1,000 lbs. of force on the rim
• Precise height adjustment from 7.5' to 10'
• Provides 4' of overhang
• Mitered, welded wide span arms
• 6" x 8"  one-piece pole with welded top post cap
• Massive backboard pads
• Ultra-thick pole pad with heavy-duty straps
• Aluminum support frame with shock absorbing rubber gasket
• Heavy-duty anchor components
• Easy assembly and/or disassembly for moving or storing

So Josh rarely plays basketball, making him the rare Hoosier that has avoided the sport his whole life. Should I play this novice? My other choices include a few guys on the showroom floor I'm convinced played basketball, football or baseball in high school. I'm not looking for a real competition here, just a confidence-boosting, easy-to-win game for me. I decided to play Josh. We travelled to an outdoor area we have here at Family Leisure that showcases Above Ground Swimming Pools, but also has three of these Goalrillas set up as examples.

Now I must write that Josh's game surprised me. I figured he would have an ugly jump shot and struggle to drop a basket. He did neither, and was much more difficult than I expected. We shot to see who would go first and I won. Oh, are you not familiar with the game of "horse"? It's a shooting game, where one player tries the hardest shot he or she can imagine. If they hit the shot the competition must match it. If they (the competition) miss the required shot, they get an "h". If they miss a second required shot, they get an "o", and so on and so forth until the loser spells the word "h-o-r-s-e". It's much like the game "hangman" but with balls instead of letters, and spelling out the word "horse" instead of spelling out the grisly death of a criminal.

I started our horse competition with a simple lay up to gauge Josh's skills. He hit it, so I tried to step up my game. I missed a 15 footer, giving Josh a chance to snatch control. But he also tried the same shot, and missed giving me back possesion. Now, it only takes a few swishes (the sound the ball makes as it "swishes" through the net) to get my game going. I buried a ten-foot jump shot, which Josh missed. That's an "h" for my friendly developer. I then hit a hook shot, very similar to a classic Magic Johnson shot in the NBA Finals over Kevin McHale and Larry Bird. If I lost you on these references, then you are obviously not a big fan of this glorious game. Anyways, Josh missed the hook shot; that's an "o" for him.

But I missed my next shot, giving Josh back control. He nailed a 20-foot-jump shot, which I feel was a lucky strike. I missed my attempt at this shot, gaining my first letter, but Josh missed next, handing back control to me. Since he actually hit one, I decided to break out my "A" horse game, which has been sharpened in neighborhood driveways since the 1980s, and unleash it on Josh. What followed was a series of one-legged, one-armed and eyes-closed jump shots that seem to leave Josh's head spinning. He had no chance. I won the war "h" to "h-o-r-s-e".

If you're searching for the perfect adjustable rim that will attract neighborhood kids like moths to a flame, then Goalrilla is the way to go. We also offer Gared Basketball Goals, which are equally as solid as Goalrilla. In addition to basketball goals we feature everything to turn your little hooper into the next # 23 (that's Michael Jordan for those of you who aren't aware, the best player in the history of the planet) including Base Pads, Pole Guards, Basketball Hoop Lights and Backboard Padding.

And I have a feeling that, while I write this post, there's a website developer out there ordering his own basketball goal to prepare for a rematch of "h-o-r-s-e". I'll keep you posted.