Alley may be paved, or unpaved, and a blind alley is a cul-de-sac. Modern urban developments may also provide a service road to allow for waste collection, or rear access for fire engines and parking. Because of geography, steps (stairs) are the predominant form of alley in hilly cities and towns. This includes Quebec City in Canada and in the United States Pittsburgh (see Steps of Pittsburgh), Cincinnati (see Steps of Cincinnati), Minneapolis, Seattle, and San Francisco as well as Hong Kong, Genoa and Rome. Some alleys are roofed because they are within buildings, such as the traboules of Lyon, or
Alley-oop (basketball) Alley-oop (basketball) An alley-oop in basketball is an offensive play in which one player throws the ball near the basket to a teammate who jumps, catches the ball in mid air and puts it in the hoop before touching the ground. The alley-oop combines elements of teamwork, pinpoint passing, timing and finishing. The term "alley-oop" is derived from the French term "allez hop!", the cry of a circus acrobat about to leap. The term Alley Oop was first popularized in the US in 1932 as the name of a syndicated comic strip created by cartoonist V. T. Hamlin. In sports