this is something I have never figured out, I remember that as a kid I tried deciphering it by watching other kids play it but never could decide just WTF they were doing.

I bet those other kids didn't have a clue either, they just pretended, so they could mess with your head :)
I never learned it either, but I guess that's mostly because everyone played soccer.
Oh and because at one point I was allowed to have a Gameboy with me for the lunch brakes.