MovieChat Forums > White Men Can't Jump (1992) Discussion > Sydney hustling Billy doesnt make sense

Sydney hustling Billy doesnt make sense


In the showdown in Watts, they split up $1700 + 1150 = $2850 three ways.

If Sydney had just played straight up with Billy and won, he would have split 2850 two ways instead of three.

Somebody explain why Sydney wanted to take a paycut just so he could "hustle" Billy?

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Because all of the 1700 was Billy's so it would of really been 800 split two ways plus that cheap necklace that probably wasn't worth ****. The 1700 split three ways is equal or more and in actuality it probably wasnt split an even 3 ways anyway.

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Haha, I had the exact same question!
But the reason I'm asking is slightly different.
Sure, he made a quick profit and got even with Billy, but still it was a stupid idea.
Although Sidney was "flashier" and could dunk it (big deal!), Billy was the better overall player. Even Sidney knew that, though he obviously wasn't quick to admit it. Add to that the fact that Billy was white and looked "like a *beep* geek", and he was the perfect hustle partner! Without him, it's unlikely that Sidney would have been able to win that tournament or beat the King and Duck duo.
Why throwing away the golden goose? Either Sidney wasn't too smart, or he didn't think too far ahead.

I think that bit is there just to offer a little twist...

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I thought it was because he needed the extra money for the house his wife wanted to rent. Sydney wasn't planning on burning any bridges. I think he intended they would still hustle, until Billy found out which Sid wasn't planning on.
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Get outta here ya half-a-sissy 'for I give ya a slap.

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It's called fruitcake land, hustlers burn bridges in life hence burning each other.

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Agree. That was a stupid hustle, not just on the money part of it, but principalities, too.

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I questioned this at first as well. At the time Sydney hustled Billy, they still barely knew each other. I don't think Sydney cared too much about him either way at that point. Part of it probably was payback for getting hustled by Billy in the opening B-ball scene. Not to mention, they got in a pretty heated argument after they beat Raymond (when he was dropping Sydney off). Billy basically said that Sydney still cared about looking good more than winning. He also asked him how many dinners that necklace set back his family.....point being, they weren't boys at that point in the movie, Sydney saw it as a chance to hustle him plain and simple.

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I questioned this at first as well. At the time Sydney hustled Billy, they still barely knew each other. I don't think Sydney cared too much about him either way at that point. Part of it probably was payback for getting hustled by Billy in the opening B-ball scene. Not to mention, they got in a pretty heated argument after they beat Raymond (when he was dropping Sydney off). Billy basically said that Sydney still cared about looking good more than winning. He also asked him how many dinners that necklace set back his family.....point being, they weren't boys at that point in the movie, Sydney saw it as a chance to hustle him plain and simple.


This.

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What didnt make sense to me was why they only played with Billy's money.

And if theryre hustling Billy, why go through the charade of needing the girls necklace? lol

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[deleted]

Two reasons:

Sydney was thinking short term. He was probably already feeling pressure to get himself and his family out of that neighbourhood. In other words, he wanted/ needed a small amount of capital in the short-term (enough for a down-payment).

Second, Sydney cared deeply about his image. Billy tarnished that image and Sydney wanted to cut Billy down to size.

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