Billy Joe Cuthbert
Encyclopedia
Billy Joe Cuthbert nicknamed "Mongoose
", is a fictional American basketball
player, played by John Mead, who promotes Sony's NBA The Life video game. Cuthbert's character first made his appearance known in 2005 through a website called "Dontbethenext.com," in which he chronicled his "history" in the NBA
. In advertisements, he is seen as a goofy, overly-intense, white player in approximately his thirties, who holds a grudge against Sony for choosing to put Kobe Bryant
on the cover of NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. 2
instead of him. He has made numerous challenges to Bryant to play a game of one-on-one to settle the issue. Being an irrelevant former player, his throwing-down of the gauntlet has brought little reaction from Bryant, nor from many other persons. "Mamba versus Mongoose!" is his intimidating catch phrase
. He is thought to resemble Kurt Rambis
because of his goggles and mullet.
Born in the small city of Terre Haute, Indiana
, Cuthbert was not considered among the most gifted of basketball players. After high school, he went to the fictional Indiana Polytechnic Junior College, playing the shooting guard
position. He was drafted in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft
by the Utah Jazz
(In reality, the Jazz selected Junie Lewis in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft
). Cuthbert hustled his way into the starting line-up of the Jazz for a brief time, playing 29 games his first season, starting in 7 of them. Always giving 117% (though his recent training diary mentions he has been giving "between 110 and 114%"), Cuthbert was mostly known for diving for loose balls, taking charges and fouling out. He is known for his myriad wristbands, knee brace, and other protective gear, which are used in order to wick away sweat and cushion the blows brought on by his style of play. His flowing mullet
provides another identification trait. Due to his physical play, he was plagued by injuries, and his lackluster NBA career ended prematurely in his second season after playing in only 3 games. Currently, Cuthbert is seeking to play professionally in Europe
or Latin America.
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
", is a fictional American basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, played by John Mead, who promotes Sony's NBA The Life video game. Cuthbert's character first made his appearance known in 2005 through a website called "Dontbethenext.com," in which he chronicled his "history" in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. In advertisements, he is seen as a goofy, overly-intense, white player in approximately his thirties, who holds a grudge against Sony for choosing to put Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
on the cover of NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. 2
NBA 07
NBA '07 is a basketball video game which was released on September 26, 2006. The product features Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant on the cover, with his newly-chosen jersey number of 24....
instead of him. He has made numerous challenges to Bryant to play a game of one-on-one to settle the issue. Being an irrelevant former player, his throwing-down of the gauntlet has brought little reaction from Bryant, nor from many other persons. "Mamba versus Mongoose!" is his intimidating catch phrase
Catch phrase
A catchphrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through a variety of mass media , as well as word of mouth...
. He is thought to resemble Kurt Rambis
Kurt Rambis
Darrell Kurt Rambis is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.-Biography:...
because of his goggles and mullet.
Background
Born in the small city of Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, Cuthbert was not considered among the most gifted of basketball players. After high school, he went to the fictional Indiana Polytechnic Junior College, playing the shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
position. He was drafted in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
by the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(In reality, the Jazz selected Junie Lewis in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft
1989 NBA Draft
The 1989 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 1989 in New York City, New York, USA. It has been regarded as one of the worst drafts in NBA history, along with the 1986 NBA Draft and the 2000 NBA Draft. Though the draft produced talented players such as Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice, Sean Elliott, Nick...
). Cuthbert hustled his way into the starting line-up of the Jazz for a brief time, playing 29 games his first season, starting in 7 of them. Always giving 117% (though his recent training diary mentions he has been giving "between 110 and 114%"), Cuthbert was mostly known for diving for loose balls, taking charges and fouling out. He is known for his myriad wristbands, knee brace, and other protective gear, which are used in order to wick away sweat and cushion the blows brought on by his style of play. His flowing mullet
Mullet (haircut)
The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. . The mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s...
provides another identification trait. Due to his physical play, he was plagued by injuries, and his lackluster NBA career ended prematurely in his second season after playing in only 3 games. Currently, Cuthbert is seeking to play professionally in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
or Latin America.