# Why are assists called dimes?



## mysterio (May 20, 2003)

WHY?! :upset: 

I've asked and nobody I know knows why.


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## Kapono2Okafor (Oct 20, 2004)

thats a very good question lol


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## maKINGSofgreatness (Aug 17, 2003)

I think it has something to do with assisting someone on a basket being reffered to as "dialing them up" like a phone call, and the cost of a payphone call at the time being a dime, but I'm not sure so dont quote me


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>maKINGSofgreatness</b>!
> I think it has something to do with assisting someone on a basket being reffered to as "dialing them up" like a phone call, and the cost of a payphone call at the time being a dime, but I'm not sure so dont quote me


Wow, that's quite a stretch if that's true.


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## Kapono2Okafor (Oct 20, 2004)

thats a really good hypothesis and im gonna have to go with u on that because that is a very good explanation on that tough question


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## mysterio (May 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>maKINGSofgreatness</b>!
> I think it has something to do with assisting someone on a basket being reffered to as "dialing them up" like a phone call, and the cost of a payphone call at the time being a dime, but I'm not sure so dont quote me


If thats true they should now be called half-dollars, in other words can the whole thing and call it an assist you stupid, geeky ESPN writers!


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## Kapono2Okafor (Oct 20, 2004)

lol there are some geeky espn writers i guess but off topic u know david from dream job???? he graduated from my highschool in 2000! isnt that great hes not geeky he lives down the street from me lol


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## BG7 (Jun 25, 2003)

They prolly just thought it was cool after some moron said it.


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## Nate505 (Aug 22, 2003)

I believe it comes from the phrase 'drop a dime.' Someone who makes a great assist dropped a dime (how that came to be that I'm not sure). The original phrase had to do with rating someone out, and is a phrase that dates back to when pay phones (which are becoming obsolete) actually cost a dime (supposedly they called the cops with that dime).


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## Scuall (Jul 25, 2002)

I believe it's a reference to the "dime bag"


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

I had always thought it referred to charity, as in the March of Dimes.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

I thought it came from NY and "dropping dimes" off to homeless people on the streets and subways providing them with some *assist*ance.

Ok, I really just made that up, but who knows...


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

Actually it goes all the way back to the early 70s, specifically the 1971-72 season when Bob Cousy had lost Oscar Robertson and gained Tiny Archibald. In an effort to get Tiny to pass the ball more, Cousy promised to tip Tiny every time he got an assist. Unfortunately for Tiny, Cousy was the son of Quebecois and notoriously cheap. So he only gave Tiny a dime for each assist. On the plus side, as there was no money in passing the ball, Tiny developed a killer offensive game. Anyway, Tiny started calling assists dimes in honour of Cousy.


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## mysterio (May 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>ehmunro</b>!
> Actually it goes all the way back to the early 70s, specifically the 1971-72 season when Bob Cousy had lost Oscar Robertson and gained Tiny Archibald. In an effort to get Tiny to pass the ball more, Cousy promised to tip Tiny every time he got an assist. Unfortunately for Tiny, Cousy was the son of Quebecois and notoriously cheap. So he only gave Tiny a dime for each assist. On the plus side, as there was no money in passing the ball, Tiny developed a killer offensive game. Anyway, Tiny started calling assists dimes in honour of Cousy.


Interesting, but are you serious? Also, Quebecois are cheap? They seem to be free spenders to me. I mean, Montreal is definitely the party capital of Canada.


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## Snuffleupagus (May 8, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>maKINGSofgreatness</b>!
> I think it has something to do with assisting someone on a basket being reffered to as "dialing them up" like a phone call, and the cost of a payphone call at the time being a dime, but I'm not sure so dont quote me





> Originally posted by <b>Nate505</b>!
> I believe it comes from the phrase 'drop a dime.' Someone who makes a great assist dropped a dime (how that came to be that I'm not sure). The original phrase had to do with rating someone out, and is a phrase that dates back to when pay phones (which are becoming obsolete) actually cost a dime (supposedly they called the cops with that dime).





> Originally posted by <b>Scuall</b>!
> I believe it's a reference to the "dime bag"





> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> I thought it came from NY and "dropping dimes" off to homeless people on the streets and subways providing them with some *assist*ance.
> 
> Ok, I really just made that up, but who knows...





> Originally posted by <b>ehmunro</b>!
> Actually it goes all the way back to the early 70s, specifically the 1971-72 season when Bob Cousy had lost Oscar Robertson and gained Tiny Archibald. In an effort to get Tiny to pass the ball more, Cousy promised to tip Tiny every time he got an assist. Unfortunately for Tiny, Cousy was the son of Quebecois and notoriously cheap. So he only gave Tiny a dime for each assist. On the plus side, as there was no money in passing the ball, Tiny developed a killer offensive game. Anyway, Tiny started calling assists dimes in honour of Cousy.


One of y'all is right and the rest are talking out of their asses. :grinning: 

P.S. Any chance it could come from the phrase, "at the drop of a dime?" As in, "He threw that pass at the drop of a dime."


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>mysterio</b>!
> 
> 
> Interesting, but are you serious? Also, Quebecois are cheap? They seem to be free spenders to me. I mean, Montreal is definitely the party capital of Canada.


Yeah, but the people doing the partying aren't Quebecois. Also, ask a bartender on Florida's Treasure Coast about the Quebecois, they toss around quarters like they're manhole covers.


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>mysterio</b>!
> WHY?! :upset:
> 
> I've asked and nobody I know knows why.


Oh my god. What a coincidence this is. I just went to the bathroom and thought the same thing and came into my room and went on Basketballboards.net and see this thread.


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## MemphisX (Sep 11, 2002)

*Re: Re: Why are assists called dimes?*



> Originally posted by <b>KL Dawger</b>!
> 
> 
> Oh my god. What a coincidence this is. I just went to the bathroom and thought the same thing and came into my room and went on Basketballboards.net and see this thread.


TMI


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

*Re: Re: Re: Why are assists called dimes?*



> Originally posted by <b>MemphisX</b>!
> 
> 
> TMI


What's that mean?


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## qwerty (Oct 26, 2004)

*Re: Re: Re: Re: Why are assists called dimes?*



> Originally posted by <b>KL Dawger</b>!
> 
> 
> What's that mean?


Too much information.


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## ssmokinjoe (Jul 5, 2003)

yeah it does have to do with the phrase "drop a dime" which origianally meant to snitch on someone to the cops. you would call the cops... payphones used to cost a dime... so it would be an "assist" to the cops. tadaaa.


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## Scuall (Jul 25, 2002)

"Dime" is actually derived from the Babylonian phrase Di-me (two syllables). Di-me means, "Pass me the rock so I can take it to the hole and dunk on these playahs."


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## Tobias (Aug 5, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Scuall</b>!
> "Dime" is actually derived from the Babylonian phrase Di-me (two syllables). Di-me means, "Pass me the rock so I can take it to the hole and dunk on these playahs."


:laugh:


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## HeinzGuderian (Jun 29, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>Scuall</b>!
> "Dime" is actually derived from the Babylonian phrase Di-me (two syllables). Di-me means, "Pass me the rock so I can take it to the hole and dunk on these playahs."


Winnar!1


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## dominikan_balla1 (Aug 4, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>Kapono2Okafor</b>!
> lol there are some geeky espn writers i guess but off topic u know david from dream job???? he graduated from my highschool in 2000! isnt that great hes not geeky he lives down the street from me lol


really..well amare studemire graduated from my high school i think 4 years ago..i go to cypress creek high school here in orlando florida....it was pretty damn cool ...especially seein him play..but i never imagined him playin in the nba


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## BG7 (Jun 25, 2003)

In 99 my highschool beat Caron Butler's team in the regional tournament. We went on to win the state tournament after that.


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## SKiP (Jan 28, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> I thought it came from NY and "dropping dimes" off to homeless people on the streets and subways providing them with some *assist*ance.
> 
> Ok, I really just made that up, but who knows...


This one sounds the best.


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## sweet_constipation (Jul 3, 2004)

ehmunro, thanks bro.
Didn't know that bit of basketball info.


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