NEVER Limp a Top Pair + Top Kicker

So there i was in another media freeroll. Guaranteed was 40 thousand and 20 people registered for the event. 10 places were in the money, meaning i just had to beat half the field and i was assured of at least a thousand bucks, correct? Wrong.

The good news is that i wasn't the first one busted out like in the first media freeroll i joined. The bad news is this:

Blinds: 20-40, 9 handed table.

Pre-flop a couple of players--- one from under-the-gun, the other from the middle position--- put a healthy raise-and-call into the middle. UTG player raised to around 450 and the MP player, his friend (remember this is a media event so everyone is the friend of the other except myself who is relatively new in this business...) immediately called. You know they were (close) friends because they were laughing all the while they were betting.

While everyone else folded and left the guys for their heads-up battle... The killjoy in me called and wanted to join the festivities. (Asshole at the button position.)

The flop showed what i wanted, what i needed:



At this point, both opponents were still very lax and laughing and challenging each other that if one raises the other will re-raise... Until both checked. Lost in thought on how these "friends" were making it a friendly game, i also checked.

The turn was again favorable to me. Fears of straight draws did not cross my mind as both of them checked once again. And again, i followed suit and checked.

The river looked like a trouble-free card too. One opponent, still laughing and smiling and having fun checked but the guy from the mid-position went all-in. A move that surprised me and forced me to go into tank mode...

And tank and tank...

i looked at my hand as may hands were trembling. He was virtually pushing me all-in with this bet (i covered him but not much, i did a quick count and i had over 500 left if i called and lost this hand)... confusing me even further... and further... and further.

Until i called.

As the guy showed i was left licking my wounds. And my pride. People around me were asking if i had Jacks right? And i could not even lie. i busted out around 5 hands later, failing to survive this badly-misplaced hand.

After-the-Fact Realizations:
+ As the title goes, never limp with a top pair. At least fire something!
+ i have an excuse against the point above because the table (well two of them) were just having fun with a check and check... Lesson learnt: fuck them and just play my game.
+ Somebody goes all-in at the river, it's never to bad to fold top pairs...