Ben Skaggs

HG · Post by HG » 24 Oct 2007 18:35

everything looks fine.

if pdx whirl feels off, or any pdx move, just try really emphasizing the paradox hop right after the set. I really improved everything paradox when i started thinking about the paradox hop. its awesome

The Rhino · Post by **The Rhino** » 24 Oct 2007 18:56

HG wrote:everything looks fine.

if pdx whirl feels off, or any pdx move, just try really emphasizing the paradox hop right after the set. I really improved everything paradox when i started thinking about the paradox hop. its awesome

please elaborate upon this "paradox hop".

ericksonj · Post by **ericksonj** » 24 Oct 2007 19:07

Whoa! I don't think I have seen video of you before, you are really good! I really enjoyed the video thanks for posting, your style is great.

professor · Post by **professor** » 24 Oct 2007 19:12

The "paradox hop" is the hop you do to position your hips for the dex. He's saying I need to exaggerate that more (turn more). Thanks Henry.

Thanks Rieferman. I know exactly what you're talking about. Evan (the guy I play with if you didn't know) is the other type you are talking about. He usually doesn't have to think about moves before he does them and he does them almost perfect. He just gets it naturally. I have to practice my butt off just to attempt to keep up.

I know what you're talking about with the doubles too. I can do them the way you're describing (more of an illusion dex > reverse whirl ) it's just a tad harder, but may be better in the end.

Isilwar, I'll definitely work on turning with my blenders, thanks for the tip.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 26 Oct 2007 06:24

i liked slapping mirage>toe blur>rpt a lot. you're toe game looks pretty solid. i think zac is right about your blenders. about catching them a little too early, but it might also help to turn into the blender a little earlier. i was playing with ken somolinos one time and he told me the same thing, its like spot the bag right away, do a smooth whirl dex (think whirl, not blender) then break off the whirl and trust that you're spot was on, and you should already be looking at your clipper foot right when/right after the bag lands. getting your osii more smooth overall might help too. thats pretty much all the criticism i can muster up. other than that, your game is a lot better than mine. you have real good variety, and good toe/clipper balance.

thanks for the video

professor · Post by **professor** » 30 Oct 2007 16:28

I played pretty well today. Got props from Evan a bunch of times which is good because he only gives props for high quality stuff. I like that he's that way because it helps elevate my game.

The only combo in particular that I remember hitting, like 3rd try, was stepping diving clip > food > ps whirl.

My flip pixie still sucks, but my clipper game was better.

Evan almost hit bed > dod swirl > flurry.

professor · Post by **professor** » 11 Nov 2007 00:56

Played well today.

Decided to break the ss inside kick record and hit 341.

Hit nemesis on Thursday. Evan confirmed its cleanliness.

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 11 Nov 2007 04:03

First world record and first nemesis! Milestones baby!

Matt K · Post by **Matt K** » 11 Nov 2007 08:56

Wait, Ben, didn't you break the Spinning Butterfly record like 2 years ago?

professor · Post by **professor** » 11 Nov 2007 17:34

Ya, then Lon beat it a few months later. I had the previous ss inside record as well. I also had the op whirling rake record. I think I might of had something else, but now I just have the inside record.

professor · Post by **professor** » 19 Nov 2007 09:12

SJFF was awesome as usual. I played poorly almost the entire tournament. The only good stuff I hit was flurry > symp paradon and a 6 contact fearless run. But I did do well in the competitions. Got to the semi final round in rippin' run, did a 25+ contact run, but lost to Justin. Jorden won overall with a 102+ contact run.

I didn't compete in routines, but Jorden killed it as well. His routine idea was awesome, he dropped a few times, but his creativity score was probably through the roof.

I won 3 of the 4 "experimental" events. I won the quarter shred comp with a 10+ contact tiltless run. I won random food shred by hitting datw and toe inspinning clipper with a modded carrot. I got 2nd in sitting shred with a 5+ contact tiltless run. I was beat by Jorden who hit about the same thing, but hit merlin at the end.

Finally, I won footbag battle ("Protect Your Sack"). This was my favorite event. It was so fun. It's like the juggling battle competition, but with a footbag. You have to keep kicking the footbag while moving around trying to make other people drop. About 10 people were playing. Aaron Orton was destroying people by kicking the bag high and pushing people over; that was my favorite part even though he did it to me a few times.

The end was somewhat of a nail biter because I had 2 wins and Aaron had 2 wins and the first to 3 wins won the comp. I ended up winning, but it was close. The game sounds easy, but it was surprisingly a pretty good work out. I was sweating a decent amount almost the whole time. I loved it and hope to do it again sometime soon, maybe NYJ.

, nudge nudge.

As usual Jorden, Jim, and Lon were hitting ridiculous stuff. You'll have to wait for vids to come out to see.

Evan, Jorden, and I stayed with Scott Behmer. A HUGE thanks goes to him for letting Evan and I stay the entire time at his house even though we hadn't planned to originally. He also drove us around everywhere, which is awesome of him. So BIG thanks to Scott. I hope we can repay the favor sometime.

On a side note, Zeb Jackson bags (I'm calling them "Action Bags") are sweet!

professor · Post by **professor** » 21 Nov 2007 09:24

Evan and I killed it yesterday. We were tearing it up. Evan was hitting Vasek 2004 type stuff. I was working my atomics and pixie ducking.

We have a new motto that seems to work: Try Harder.
We think this is the biggest key to footbag.

brian relly · Post by **brian relly** » 21 Nov 2007 09:38

ben i really enjoyed kicking with you in seattle. your style has gotten really good and you bring a sweet vibe to any circle. i always busted harder when i was in a circle with you.

later
sb

----------------
Listening to: M.I.A. - 10 $ (Diplo's China Girl Mix)

professor · Post by **professor** » 25 Nov 2007 12:40

Been drilling my shuffle, sets, and 4's lately. I feel really inconsistent.

Evan and I have been wondering how people like Dave and Jorden were always consistent. We think maybe drilling the mess out of individual tricks and combos. Like when you first start kicking, all you do is kick as much as possible and you get better, but there are so many tricks and links in footbag, how do you master them all? I know you can't master them "all", but some people seem to be pretty close.

It's just discouraging to work your butt off almost every single day and then not be able to hit a 30 contact run on command. Well, at least not a decent one. Or be doing well and drop on a butterfly or ducking clipper or something easy like that. It's frustrating. Anyone feel me?

Evan says I'm too hard on myself, and maybe that's the case, but I think with as much time as I've been playing, I should be better.

It just motivates me to work harder, so maybe it's a good thing. Who knows?

Thanks Stephen, it was awesome to shred with you. Your style is so fun to watch.

Sporatical_Distractions · Post by **Sporatical_Distractions** » 25 Nov 2007 12:48

professor wrote: It's just discouraging to work your butt off almost every single day and then not be able to hit a 30 contact run on command. Well, at least not a decent one. Or be doing well and drop on a butterfly or ducking clipper or something easy like that. It's frustrating. Anyone feel me?

I feel ya. Story of my life

It was fun kicking with you in seattle. i want your torques

professor · Post by **professor** » 13 Dec 2007 23:07

Our Christmas video was released today. The video is a little taste of what I see on a regular basis.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 14 Dec 2007 05:13

awesome video. you guys both rock. but evan is basically a monster.

professor · Post by **professor** » 31 Dec 2007 01:57

It's very likely that NYJ was my favorite tournament I've ever been to. Possibly the best time I've ever had.

I'll probably post more in a couple days.

HG · Post by HG » 31 Dec 2007 14:18

team benry taking home the team 4s trophy

professor · Post by **professor** » 02 Jan 2008 10:09

NYJ Highlights:

- Mostly on time arrival flight
- Meeting Colin for the first time, man what a funny guy!
- Riding in the back of Erik's (Eric?) home theater technician van through the heart of Chicago with Evan.
- Having a pants session with Evan in the hotel lobby waiting for the others to arrive. Colin freaking out because he's never really seen footbag in person.
- Meeting everyone arriving.
- Heading up to Steve's room and watching Dave and Evan shred it up until security yelled at us for making too much noise.
- Walking almost 2 miles to a closed grocery store, but luckily finding an open Walgreens to get groceries for the week.
- Late night talks/jokes
- SNOW!!!
- The amazing event site!
- Shredding with Mathieu and Henry.
- Watching Mathieu and Henry box. Boxing with Colin.
- Doing really well in Circle Comp. Dave motivating me to play my best in the final circle. Thanks Dave.
- Spending the afternoon with Henry. Dinner (pb&j) and sauna. Kinda gay, but whatever, he's awesome to hang out with.
- Chicago deep dish pizza.
- Doing well in 4 square even though I can't/don't ever practice. Realizing how fun it is and how much skill it takes to play well. Steve and Zeke in particular are ridiculously good.
- Baseball throwing action. Dat, Henry, Zack, and Fletcher are all really good at throwing. Dat and Henry surprised me in particular.
- Doing really well in rippin' run.
- Watching Evan hit zoid ducking pdx torque perfect 2nd try. He's never tried that trick before.
- Sucking at sick1 and sick3, but not letting it get to me.
- $20 buffet
- Sucking in the first combo generator, motivating me to hit the combo I missed and then 2 of the 5 add combos easily. Then doing well in the 2nd combo generator (memorizer)
- Sauna session with Dave, Zac, Evan. Talking about serious footbag topics. Evan and I displaying our bodies' adaptation to extreme heat. Dave and Zac were dripping before we had a gleam of sweat on our bodies. Go desert rats!
- Polish sausage and great conversation with Henry, Dave, Zac, Colin, Jay, and Evan. Gotta name them all, Pokemon!
- Helping Jay with footbag at 3am.
- Team Benry destroying the competition in team 4 square.
- Fun times shredding with Nick, Zac, and Henry.
- Last shred with Dave.

- Winning a 4th shirt by winning 4 square. For the record, I did not ask Evan to drop the last point and he felt pretty bad about it afterwards. We're sorry, it wasn't the nicest thing to do. We were in a rush to catch our plane.
- Talking with Steve about all sorts of footbag related stuff. Kicking with him, Evan, and Jay in a circle.
- Lunch with Dave and Evan.
- Watching Dave's sweet magic tricks and then him appreciating my interest enough to show me some stuff, which I'll be working on.
- The writing/drawing in the snow.

- The broken bathroom door handle.
- Mathieu's perfectly timed joke about the loud noises when Colin was in the shower. Oh, Canada.
- The diary. Oh, Diary.

- Vernon the security guy. How dreamy....

I probably forgot stuff, so I'll add more as I remember.

Thanks you Mathieu for setting up the room situation. Thank you Steve for the shred room. Thank you CIC crew for the great event.