What's in a (nick)name?

Nicknames are very important.  One of the powerful tropes in fantasy literature is that once you know a creatures true name you have control over that being.  The same is true in real life.  Once you know a person's nickname you have a powerful insight into their soul.

This is not something new.  There was an entire episode of Seinfeld wherein George Castanza tried very hard to be nicknamed T-Bone and ended up being named KoKo.  Neither of these seems like great choices to me. 

Nicknames are also incredibly important in pick-up basketball.  I play in a run wherein people's nicknames correspond to their playing abilities/style.

There is "black hole" who is incaple of passing.  Suprisingly, he wears this as a badge of honour.

There is "dead chicken" - so named because he darts everywhere with no purpose like a chicken with his head cut off. 

Then there is "Jules".  I think that may just be his name.  We don't talk much. 

Then there is me.  I used to be the "old white guy".  They would say someone guard "old white guy".  Then I started scoring on them and they actually started to respect my game. 

I earned my nickname - "Old School".  You see I am much older than these people (they are like 18-22, I am 32), but I also have none of the athletic ability that they have.  These people can dunk and I have trouble jumping over a nickle.  But what this run has in athleticism it lacks in basic basketball sense.  One head fake or pump fake and these people just cannot recover.  Thus I was dubbed "old school" to account for the fact that I play low to the ground, but can still score.

It turns out I really like the nickname.  It makes me feel wise.  I guess getting older ain't so bad if you also get to be "Old School".