(Fun Fact: The name “Stockton” comes from an Arapaho Indian word which, loosely translated, means “place of the classy-ass motherfuckers.” PicProps: Minor League Baseball.com) Representing the greater Stockton-Modesto-Lodi area isn’t just for barely socialized mixed martial arts fighters anymore. The above gentleman with the pronounced abdominals and stylish ink is the homie Dallas Braden, a 26-year-old lefthander for the Oakland Athletics. Aside from being a quality starting pitcher who tossed the 19th perfect game in Major League Baseball history last month against the Tampa Bay Rays, Braden (as you might be able to surmise from the photo) also happens to have grown up in the beautiful 209. Hailing from Stockton is a birthright that obviously comes with its own great and terrible responsibilities, a fact that Braden felt he had to introduce to some dirtbag named Alex Rodriguez earlier this season … During a game in late April, Rodriguez reportedly violated one of baseball’s more persnickety unwritten rules when, while returning to first base after a foul ball hit by a teammate, he crossed directly over the pitcher’s mound. Braden took exception to this and – as we can only assume is taught in every “Positive Actions” class at Stockton grade schools -- gave Rodriguez an earful as the teams returned to the dugouts at the end of the inning. A-Rod eventually “dismissively waved him away” according to some reports, and later (after being bated to do so during an interview with CSN Bay Area announcer Mychael Urban) Braden busted out with some statements that should sound eerily familiar to MMA fans. Here’s an excerpt of the exchange: So, in MMA terminology: Don’t be scared, homie. It’s believed that Braden has yet to seek out Rodriguez for any of the “repercussions” he alluded to in his initial post-game comments. It is also interesting to note that, given it was Urban’s suggestion that in the 209 they settle things “with knuckles,” it appears Stockton’s reputation for being unfuckwitable has bled over to the California baseball culture. As Braden demonstrated when he returned home to attend a game of the Class A Stockton Ports (and to be feted as a conquering hero in the wake of his perfect game) he is in no way shy about expressing his allegiance to his hometown and its area code, hiking up his shirt to delight the crowd in his localized body art. It just goes to show you, you can take a kid out of the 209, but you can’t stop him from getting a terrible tattoo … and if you cross him, you probably can’t stop him from at some point throwing an extremely hard object in the general vicinity of your head at speeds upwards of 80-90 miles per hour. 
Urban: What people do want to see is what's in your head regarding Alex Rodriguez. I was on the air the day it happened and I said, "I just fell in love with Dallas all over again." I pitched in college; if somebody did that to me I would have done the exact same thing. After the game, when you said, "If he does it again, there's going to be repercussions..." I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I said, "Where Dallas comes from, the 209, they don't settle things with message pitches, they settle them with knuckles." Is that what you were talking about?
Braden: Well, I mean that's pretty much the long and the short of it. You know, on a serious note, obviously there's things that are going to have to happen – just out of respect for my teammates, out of respect for the game. I think he's probably garnered a new respect for the unwritten rules, and people who hold them close to their game. But yeah I think you're right – we don't do much talking in the 209.
It's more than just an area code, it's a life style.
props to Cagepotato.com for the write up.
http://www.cagepotato.com/diaz-bros-not-only-successful-pro-athletes-reppin’-209
Modern Day Messiah - nobody gives a shit about "209" or ghetto area codes.
If you're not with us, you're against us...
yeah, I've heard Braden drop 209s a few times in interviews, hopefully after the next ass whoopin a Cesar boy puts on someone, they include Braden in the list of shout outs in the post fight interview
TrickyG - yeah, I've heard Braden drop 209s a few times in interviews, hopefully after the next ass whoopin a Cesar boy puts on someone, they include Braden in the list of shout outs in the post fight interview
Fuck that, how about LayzieTheSavage?
Modern Day Messiah - nobody gives a shit about "209" or ghetto area codes.
Don't trip Layzie, backup has arrived. 209 in the mutha fukin house. we ain't no bitches, we leavin doors open, we fuckin up dudes who interrupt our homies interviews, we smoking weed, we gogoin nikkaz.
214
Dirty D til I die.
212 son. OG style.
LayzieTheSavage -TrickyG - yeah, I've heard Braden drop 209s a few times in interviews, hopefully after the next ass whoopin a Cesar boy puts on someone, they include Braden in the list of shout outs in the post fight interview
Fuck that, how about LayzieTheSavage?
oh no doubt, Layzie you get a shout out, you another brother keepin it real for tha 209.
fuckin epic.
what a joke,and i like the diaz bros but fuck,u guys think yer the only place like that?lol
ChristianDarrowsTraner - I'm glad you guys are reppin 209 so much, now I know what kind of low class trashy assed people live there, and I know not to visit...sorry you're too retarded to read a book and rep. i'm readin War and Peace while 209ing.
Go read books you dumb ghetto motherfuckers...books will get you farther than your reppin 209 bullshit...
i wish i lived there...........................
ChristianDarrowsTraner - I'm glad you guys are reppin 209 so much, now I know what kind of low class trashy assed people live there, and I know not to visit...Whoa whoa whoa, easy killer.
Go read books you dumb ghetto motherfuckers...books will get you farther than your reppin 209 bullshit...
I got love for everyone, and all places.
I just rep where I'm from because that's where I grew up and who I grew up with, and we take pride in having each others back like a family because... sad to say, most of us didn't have much of a family. . .
The 209 can be fucked up, boring, and ghetto as fuck.
But that doesn't mean we don't make the best out of it.
Overall, the hospitality is second to none.
With that being sad...
209 motherfuckers!
Why rep a zip code of failures?
The 209 is a dump, and the annoying practice of screaming your area code everywhere you go is awful and needs to go away ASAP.
Let's move onto something interesting...wtf happened with you and former BFF Tru?
ChristianDarrowsTraner - I'm glad you guys are reppin 209 so much, now I know what kind of low class trashy assed people live there, and I know not to visit...look at your post count vs join date maybe yo should go read a book
Go read books you dumb ghetto motherfuckers...books will get you farther than your reppin 209 bullshit...