I'll start with a TO Jam writeup!
080616- Day 1
Friday night Rishell and I arrived at Union after a 2 hour greyhound ride. The ride sucked but I was happy to be in Toronto knowing that I'd soon be meeting up with some familiar faces (and some new ones too). It was a bit chilly but dragging around our luggage was enough to keep me warm. Going to an event in Toronto felt sort of strange, because I've been there so many times before and usually tournaments come packaged with new cities and scenery to absorb. I called up Mike almost immediatly because we needed directions and I was stupid and didnt print of the map that he so kindly made for that EXACT purpose (eek!). I'm assuming Mike was too mad to talk to me (jk) because he immediatly handed the phone to Camille. I hadn't heard her voice in a while. I'm sure her directions were spot on, but Rishell and I were walking under a bridge and that made the phone call a bit hard to hear. I didn't want to get her to repeat herself so I just left it at that, I thought I had the jist of it anyway. With some fuzzy directions, no map, Rishell's quickly improving sense of direction, and her intuition we eventually met up with some footbaggers!
First a pee break! We wandered through a Sobeys and asked for direction. We arrived at the bathroom soon after to find that the womens washroom was out of order. I played bouncer, and guarded the door to the mens washroom. I'm glad that the place was dead because if a guy did come around I doubt I could have really explained to him that he needed to wait. I tried to think about what I would have said, but I'm really awkward with words. Maybe my wanna-be bouncer looks would have kept him off? Ha! I could barely handle my luggage. Rishell came out looking pretty grossed out. I guess it didn't smell like daisies, and I guess it didn't have a couch to lounge on. We had a good laugh though. Definitely a highlight thus far.
Soon we were off on our way again. I called Mike again because I still had no clue where I was going. I was still confused at the end of the call but didn't want to bother him any more. We turn a corner and we saw Jon Haber! He was with one of his Toronto friends. I immediately forgot why I was on some unknown street in downtown Toronto. I forgot everyone that I was trying so hard to meet up with (sorry everyone!). Jon is good company and we were almost instantly laughing. Wit, good looks, Hitler jokes, what more could you ask for? Discover Jon Haber, it's where you want to be! He introduced us to his friend and I realized only seconds later that I couldn't remember his name (more on that later). I let him go on his way soon after we met, surely a person of his social status has better things to do .
Thank you Jon Haber's friend for having a name so utterly forgettable that I realized I have a serious problem. I can't remember new people's names for the life of me. After I forgot his name I kind of promised myself to make more of an effort to remember people's names. It's just practise, right? So I was proud of myself. For the rest of the weekend I remembered everyone's name that I met (with a few reminders, hehe). Ian! Kristina! Dominique! Okay, so there were only a few. Gotta start somewhere. I think I subconsiously didn't want to meet more new people that weekend incase I screwed up my all-time name rememebering streak highscore of three. So this is to you, Jon Haber's friend. I promise that if I ever meet you again (after a second introduction) and that I'll remember your name. That way at the end of the conversation I'll have more to say than "Bye Jon, Bye..... Jon's friend!". Ugh. How sad. So yea, thanks, thanks a lot. I'm a recovering name forgetter and a growing name rememberer, and I owe it all to you. And my bad memory.
Up ahead I saw a group of people, but completely disregarded them. They were wearing normal clothes. As it turns out footbaggers wear normal clothes too sometimes, and the group of people ahead was really a group of some of the only people I really care about in the world, some footbag players. I guess that sounds lame, but I'm lame so tada! I was happy to see everyone and we did the whole greety hand shaky huggy thing. In footbag it seems like everyone is a superhero with their own superpowers, and that makes the meetings even that more fun, even if it really shouldn't. Another group ran from across the street to say hi. I guess they were combing both sides of the street so that that no footbagger got left behind. How thorough! And this was only half of the footbaggers, I guess a bunch went to hostels and left with Tom? This is when Andrew GRANT almost got killed by a taxi, trying to save a board with wheels on it. I'm glad you're not dead Andrew GRANT. I almost got killed that weekend too trying to save a takraw.
We all headed to a Swiss Chalet, and we were let in even though it was quarter to close. How much would they spit in our food? We could only guess. Sometimes its best to shut things like that out of your mind. You could spend days thinking about what they could do to your food before it gets infront of you. I hope everyone tipped them well. Except Alex because he couldn't even afford the perogies he ordered (Server: You ordered them though right? Alex: Yes, but I can't afford them!). Damn SPC scam cards. I thought it was suiting that Mike sat at the head of the table. Thanks again for the bed, and your time, and your money, I appreciate it. I had a few glasses of Richards Red (new beer for me!), and I was feeling pretty good, so I was happy to hear that we were leaving to go across the street to Shoeless Joe's...
I ordered a pitcher of Richards with James. If I had a pitcher buddy that weekend it was definitely James. I hope this is a tradition that lasts longer than T.O. Jam. We've already discussed pitcher plans for Montreal! Yes! James and Kristina are really cool, and it was fun to meet and talk. Rishell enjoyed it too. I hope the four of us get to do couply things in Montreal. I got to talk with Ian a bit too, he's so happy and fun to be around. We talked needle for a while while everyone was having fun around us. I ended up trading with him later that weekend, I've got his 35th bag! The server could list about 15 different beers they had and then list them all backwards (facing backwards that is, hehheh). Good times, good company, drinkable beer. You know the fuzzy feeling.
A flock of footbaggers left to Mikes in DTanks car. Rishell and I squashed in the back like the 'T' and the 'L' shaped tetris blocks. I didnt even mind the random bottles of water that were crammed in the back with me, violating me every chance they got. Oh btw no one drink that water. It was so fun though, being close to everyone just cruising around listening to Paper Airplanes (song of the tourney for suresizzles). If getting into the car was anything like tetris, getting out was like jenga. Or Kerplunk!
Mike's place was awesome, decorated in pixelart. Rishell and I got the bed, which I couldn't have imagined the weekend without. I reeaaaally appreciate the bed Mike. More than all of your money, and all of your effort. Ahahha. Just kidding. There are big openings in the walls that join the rooms, and it was funny when Mike told me no funny business because he would be watching. There was no funny business Mike, I promise. Although if there were I guess it would have been on youtube by now? I wasn't expecting the bed so Rishell and I went to walmart before to get sleeping bags, it was a big shopping trip, we went through different options and discussed pros and cons, and eventually landed on the sleeping bags we took with us. Turns out we didn't need both so we used one as a blanket and another I lent to Doug. I hope it served you well! What was it like? Did you shower?
ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZ z
Stay tuned for Day 2!
www.johnnysuderman.com now up!
www.johnnysuderman.com now up!
Last edited by Johnny on 12 Sep 2008 14:30, edited 3 times in total.
Johnny Suderman
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Paul Agostinelli
- Egyptian Footgod
- Posts: 1067
- Joined: 23 Jan 2005 14:38
- Location: Rochester NY
YAY johnny! i havent even read that write up yet but im so happy you're back into footbag for good! i couldnt really tell the last 2 years or so whether you actually wanted to keep playing
edit: this made me laugh on many occasions, keep it coming, cant wait to read the rest! i really wish i could have been there, but it was the weekend before finals week at my uni
edit: this made me laugh on many occasions, keep it coming, cant wait to read the rest! i really wish i could have been there, but it was the weekend before finals week at my uni
Precisely Mos Eisley
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BuckRuckus
- Egyptian Footgod
- Posts: 1042
- Joined: 18 Dec 2005 12:49
- Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
Nice write up! What do yo think about possibly going to Hamilton next weekend to play with Jorden?
Mike Faille
http://www.mikefaille.com
http://www.mikefaille.com
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hacksterbator
- Washed-Up Child Star
- Posts: 4141
- Joined: 12 Jul 2003 18:33
- Location: Winterpeg, Manisnowba
- Contact:
Re: Johnny Suderman - New Bloginnings
Johnny, i'm touched in a way that i usually only touch my self. Footbaggers are good people! And i think the taxi almost hit me when we were leaving shoeless joe's and my motor control was not at it's finest.Johnny wrote:Up ahead I saw a group of people, but completely disregarded them. They were wearing normal clothes. As it turns out footbaggers wear normal clothes too sometimes, and the group of people ahead was really a group of some of the only people I really care about in the world, some footbag players... This is when Andrew GRANT almost got killed by a taxi, trying to save a board with wheels on it. I'm glad you're not dead Andrew GRANT. I almost got killed that weekend too trying to save a takraw.
i'm excited about your blog. i'll add it to the small list of ones i actually read!
A.G.
Re: Johnny Suderman - New Bloginnings
I'll have to see about the shred. I'd like to say yes, but I'll be working out of town all week, and when I get back on Friday I'm not so sure I'll want to leave for Hamilton the next day. Where were you thinking of playing, and who all was going go be there? Maybe the weekend after would be better? Mike, did you see a small aluminum tin in your bathroom that says LUSH on it? Rishell thinks she left it in your bathroom after t.o. jam.
080617- Day 2
I woke up next to Rishell that morning. I guess everyone else stayed up a little bit later than we did, and were probably more tired than we were because they played footbag. They wouldn't be up for a few hours more. After both Rishell and I showered, we still had plenty of time to go to the 711 to get some food and water, and lie in bed talking about a lot of things. I can't really remember a whole lot about what we talked about, but I remember it being really reflective and interesting.
The 4L of jug I bought served me well that weekend. The jug had "Classic Water" written on the side. It tasted classic too. Stagnant and plasticy.
Eventually everyone woke up and we headed outside to wait for Camille to show up. To pass the time we kicked around a Takraw for a bit. That's where I split my big toe open, which would bother for the rest of the weekend. Eventually we met up with Camille, and Rishell and I piled back into the back seat. It wasn't as comfortable as I remember, go figure. Rishell and I pretended to tie eachother up with a rope we found back there, and signal to pedestrians and other cars that we were being kidnapped and needed help. No one even looked twice! Whatever, it was fun.
We all unpacked, headed to the gym and played footbag. When I got there I started playing and I was doing pretty well, If I had continued playing the way I was then during competition, I think I would have had a chance of placing higher than I did. But competition happened a bit later than I expected and by then I was a bit sore. I still played really well for me I think, and ended up making finals. The circle was intense. As a matter of fact the semis circle was too. FTR, Chris, I didn't mean to show you up or anything with the Atomic Ducking, I just saw you trying it and it made me want to try it. A few people came up to me after and said how low it was to hit something you just dropped on, but that wasn't even my intention. And if it was, isn't that what competition is for?
I had fun in all the circles I played in, but spent way too much time hopping from circle to circle trying to play a little bit with everyone.
Eventually that was all over, and Jon, Rishell, Andrew W. and I all went out in search of some coffee. After a 20 minute walk, we settled on a Tim hortons which was only a few minutes away from the event site.
A group of people left to Trinity square, and another group (myself included) went to Mike's to shower. We all met up at the bar later that night. Everyone was there, and I had a good time talking and hanging out. But yet again, I spent way too much time walking around, where I should have just sat and focused on the people I was around at the time.
There were more drinks, conversations, and pool. I eventually left and went to bed.
Come to think about it, I had a lot more fun in the few hours I was in Toronto Friday night, than I did probably all of Saturday. Maybe it was because by the end of the night, I was thinking more about how I would have to leave the next day, than I was thinking about what I was doing at the time. I should really stop thinking like that. Don't get me wrong, it was a great day, I think the problem was more with me than anything.
End of Day 2.
Boring write-up.
Short Day 3 soon!
I want to get an hd camcorder and make a Johnny's Sessions: the Definitive Collection. It would probably make me a better footbagger, just by going through the process.
I think I'm going to session today at amp (pictures later?).
Rishell was telling me the same thing. I guess my memory was a bit fuzzy (like your motor control?).hacksterbator wrote: And i think the taxi almost hit me when we were leaving shoeless joe's and my motor control was not at it's finest.
080617- Day 2
I woke up next to Rishell that morning. I guess everyone else stayed up a little bit later than we did, and were probably more tired than we were because they played footbag. They wouldn't be up for a few hours more. After both Rishell and I showered, we still had plenty of time to go to the 711 to get some food and water, and lie in bed talking about a lot of things. I can't really remember a whole lot about what we talked about, but I remember it being really reflective and interesting.
The 4L of jug I bought served me well that weekend. The jug had "Classic Water" written on the side. It tasted classic too. Stagnant and plasticy.
Eventually everyone woke up and we headed outside to wait for Camille to show up. To pass the time we kicked around a Takraw for a bit. That's where I split my big toe open, which would bother for the rest of the weekend. Eventually we met up with Camille, and Rishell and I piled back into the back seat. It wasn't as comfortable as I remember, go figure. Rishell and I pretended to tie eachother up with a rope we found back there, and signal to pedestrians and other cars that we were being kidnapped and needed help. No one even looked twice! Whatever, it was fun.
We all unpacked, headed to the gym and played footbag. When I got there I started playing and I was doing pretty well, If I had continued playing the way I was then during competition, I think I would have had a chance of placing higher than I did. But competition happened a bit later than I expected and by then I was a bit sore. I still played really well for me I think, and ended up making finals. The circle was intense. As a matter of fact the semis circle was too. FTR, Chris, I didn't mean to show you up or anything with the Atomic Ducking, I just saw you trying it and it made me want to try it. A few people came up to me after and said how low it was to hit something you just dropped on, but that wasn't even my intention. And if it was, isn't that what competition is for?
I had fun in all the circles I played in, but spent way too much time hopping from circle to circle trying to play a little bit with everyone.
Eventually that was all over, and Jon, Rishell, Andrew W. and I all went out in search of some coffee. After a 20 minute walk, we settled on a Tim hortons which was only a few minutes away from the event site.
A group of people left to Trinity square, and another group (myself included) went to Mike's to shower. We all met up at the bar later that night. Everyone was there, and I had a good time talking and hanging out. But yet again, I spent way too much time walking around, where I should have just sat and focused on the people I was around at the time.
There were more drinks, conversations, and pool. I eventually left and went to bed.
Come to think about it, I had a lot more fun in the few hours I was in Toronto Friday night, than I did probably all of Saturday. Maybe it was because by the end of the night, I was thinking more about how I would have to leave the next day, than I was thinking about what I was doing at the time. I should really stop thinking like that. Don't get me wrong, it was a great day, I think the problem was more with me than anything.
End of Day 2.
Boring write-up.
Short Day 3 soon!
I want to get an hd camcorder and make a Johnny's Sessions: the Definitive Collection. It would probably make me a better footbagger, just by going through the process.
I think I'm going to session today at amp (pictures later?).
Johnny Suderman
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BuckRuckus
- Egyptian Footgod
- Posts: 1042
- Joined: 18 Dec 2005 12:49
- Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
I had no actual plans. Havent talked to Jorden about it yet eihter.
I found Rishell's containter BTW.
I found Rishell's containter BTW.
Mike Faille
http://www.mikefaille.com
http://www.mikefaille.com
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QuantumBalance
- 100-Watt Warlock
- Posts: 5092
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 14:24
- Location: fractal tyedye nebulae
- Contact:
classic water mmm yuk
Hanging out at worlds with you and Rishell (and Chanelle) was really fun. What a great way to get to know you. If you are ever in Seattle, we should kick, then go dancing on a double date or something. Dunno what tournament I might see you at. Future unknown. Good times though. Remember optimism is a really powerful skill to practice.
sam out
Hanging out at worlds with you and Rishell (and Chanelle) was really fun. What a great way to get to know you. If you are ever in Seattle, we should kick, then go dancing on a double date or something. Dunno what tournament I might see you at. Future unknown. Good times though. Remember optimism is a really powerful skill to practice.
sam out
Day 3
Rishell and I woke up again early and talked forever.
Rain rain rain.
Once everyone was awake we hung out for a while, waiting to see if the weather would become any nicer. I remember buying everything I could off of Mike, a pf shirt, a glo-hack, and a second fat shirt. I also got pf water bottle and poster (as did a lot of other people).
Chris offered me a banana and I glady accepted. There were two left in the bunch and Chris made me tear one away, and as I did he said 'make a wish'. Wish bananas! Soon after, I got my wish and he offered me Chex Mix! Your rock Chris! Ian and I traded bags. I got a brown and green bag off of him and he got a green grape/princess purple bag off of me.
Eventually we headed out to the place we'd play. Rishell, Andrew and I took the street car with Camille. As soon as everyone showed, I basically said goodbye and went shopping with Rishell. I tried to make a point of saying goodbye to everyone, but I missed a few.
Back to reality!
Thanks everyone who came and made it happen!
Rishell and I woke up again early and talked forever.
Rain rain rain.
Once everyone was awake we hung out for a while, waiting to see if the weather would become any nicer. I remember buying everything I could off of Mike, a pf shirt, a glo-hack, and a second fat shirt. I also got pf water bottle and poster (as did a lot of other people).
Chris offered me a banana and I glady accepted. There were two left in the bunch and Chris made me tear one away, and as I did he said 'make a wish'. Wish bananas! Soon after, I got my wish and he offered me Chex Mix! Your rock Chris! Ian and I traded bags. I got a brown and green bag off of him and he got a green grape/princess purple bag off of me.
Eventually we headed out to the place we'd play. Rishell, Andrew and I took the street car with Camille. As soon as everyone showed, I basically said goodbye and went shopping with Rishell. I tried to make a point of saying goodbye to everyone, but I missed a few.
Back to reality!
Thanks everyone who came and made it happen!
Johnny Suderman
I look forward to reading more of your new blog. Thanks for your kinda words about me, not sure I deserve them but they make me happy 
.
.Jon's FootBlog
MSN: [email protected]
"It was clean enough to be thin..." - Andrew W.
MSN: [email protected]
"It was clean enough to be thin..." - Andrew W.
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SnowBlindSloth
- Fearless
- Posts: 539
- Joined: 21 Nov 2006 13:48
- Location: Toronto/Vancouver
Go Johnny...
I spent a good five minutes trying to come up with something witty to say...something to make you chuckle...and all I could come up with is "Go Johnny"
I win the unoriginal contest...Go Me.
But seriously, I'll read your blog...and watch your videos, especially if they have close-ups of your calves. Nobody is man enough to say it, but the only reason we like your style is so you'll make videos which have footage of your calves.
There I said it guys. The cat is out of the bag. It's done. Don't try fixing it - the truth has been revealed.
I spent a good five minutes trying to come up with something witty to say...something to make you chuckle...and all I could come up with is "Go Johnny"
I win the unoriginal contest...Go Me.
But seriously, I'll read your blog...and watch your videos, especially if they have close-ups of your calves. Nobody is man enough to say it, but the only reason we like your style is so you'll make videos which have footage of your calves.
There I said it guys. The cat is out of the bag. It's done. Don't try fixing it - the truth has been revealed.
Alex Venis
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century264
- Multidex Master
- Posts: 324
- Joined: 20 Feb 2007 12:11
- Location: Burlington, VT
Firehack last night was a blast. Next time I think I'll wear safety goggles and get some salad tongs to pick up the bag.
The session in Hamilton was pretty good. It was Jorden, Mike, Rishell, Jay, my brother Anthony, Adam, and me. I was really winded quick because it was so hot but I still had a good time. Jay is so solid, he's going to be really really good one day, not that he isn't now. He also stitched me another bag, which I expect to be awesome. Thanks Jay!
My brother hit some new stuff like clipper > op clipper starting from both sides, and his toe stalls and inside stalls are getting more controlled. I hit some new stuff including:
whirr > symp whirling swirl > symp ddd
paradox torque > torque (rpt)
35 drifters (I got too winded and had to catch it)
whirling ss reverse whirling swirl
I got some tips from Jorden on my game, so I'll try to implement them.
Montreal next weekend! Hopefully I'll be able to represent and have a good time doing it.
The session in Hamilton was pretty good. It was Jorden, Mike, Rishell, Jay, my brother Anthony, Adam, and me. I was really winded quick because it was so hot but I still had a good time. Jay is so solid, he's going to be really really good one day, not that he isn't now. He also stitched me another bag, which I expect to be awesome. Thanks Jay!
My brother hit some new stuff like clipper > op clipper starting from both sides, and his toe stalls and inside stalls are getting more controlled. I hit some new stuff including:
whirr > symp whirling swirl > symp ddd
paradox torque > torque (rpt)
35 drifters (I got too winded and had to catch it)
whirling ss reverse whirling swirl
I got some tips from Jorden on my game, so I'll try to implement them.
Montreal next weekend! Hopefully I'll be able to represent and have a good time doing it.
Johnny Suderman
Johnny Suderman.
Johnny Suderman.
The first time I met Johnny Suderman was at Worlds '07, and before that very moment I had only heard of the fellow. In fact, I had never seen a video, or anything of Johnny so all of the guages of "He is This ____ good" were all a great mistacle in my mind. I actually pictured Johnny Suderman, by his descriptions of German players and modified conversations as this superior machine who drilled and played footbag in the dark streets of this random place called "Brantford," which at the time, was 3 hours away from where I am, which, conveinently is only about 1 hour away. If that made no sense, I was trying to get across the message that before I thought that Brantford was really far away, and it definetly isn't. I think someone told me a drill he hit, nuclear something to torque something, and I was blown away. Apparently he hit it first try. EVERY player that knew of him in Germany said that combo, I am surprised I forget it now.
So, now with visual confirmation for those who don't know who Johnny is, that is a decent picture to let you know what he's all about. So, at Worlds I was by myself, and as it was my first tournament the only other footbagger there I had played with was Tom Mosher and Jorden, I do believe. I played with both only once, and for an afternoon. Needless to say, outside of them I was a school girl, and when I had the chance to play with JON HABER, YOGA (russia) and the dear Johnny Suderman himself, I nearly exploded. Johnny had Red Lavers then, and was the only kid on the block outside of Jorden and Mikko who hit any whirling sets, and had super cool style. I really under estimated him in the hour I kicked with him, as at that time in my shred development I really had no concept of what was hard. I was stringing and the like, but to properly comprehend the amount of practise it took to hit all the Whirr's and fairy ducking that he did, wow. We didn't talk much, as I really had nothing to say; which was a shame. I had finally gotten my dose of Johnny Suderman, and I knew him no longer as the guy who could hit the nuclear something to torque something first try.
My next tournament, I happened to find myself in the middle of Southern Ontario, at Tom's Camp Whakahakee. This was the second time I met Johnny and Rishelle, but again I really only said hi and ooh'ed and aah'ed. I vividly remember him getting Nemesis in circle competition, because I had tried it earlier after I footed Gauntlet, and was really sad I didn't hit it. Johnny just walked up, sniffed a bit because it was chilly, and blew me away. Fuck, Johnny has such a nice looking furious set, and accompanied by a double down makes one badass nemesis. I only then started to appreciate how good he was, when I saw him in comparison to Jorden. This was when I first thought that Whirr was really really cool, and I requested that Johnny hit it. He then proceeded to go for high plains drifter -> flurry a couple of times, which was mind blowing. Those dexes are so nice together, all that can hit it I urge you to try it. Johnny did. Why shouldn't everyone else be as fortunate as him to hit such awesome styley links?
Johnny didn't stay for the campfire or anything at Whakahakee, so I really didn't get to see his personality shine there either. The next meeting that we did have was, hell, LONG after September. There was a huge void of time that, did indeed suck, now that I do think of it. I wonder what he was hitting then, because the next meeting was February, when he released two videos of himself in his new apartment. We didn't meet face to face, but I really woke up when he posted them. I knew he was Johnny, and I knew he was a badass, but I really didn't know WHO he was as a footbagger. The two february videos explained to me that he was one of the best footbaggers in the world, and there was no denying it. When Johnny decides to play footbag, somehow his toe sets for fairy, pixie, atomic, and quantum look better than anyone elses. I don't truly know how the bag leaves his foot, because he really just raises his foot and angles it slightly, and with utter grace it just pops through a window he formed while no one was looking. If any of you can do heel stalls, think about how you catch them easiest. (if you are anything like me), you don't even set the bag, you just set it EXACTLY as high as your heel is, and then the bag will have the best interia in that position to stall on the rounded surface. That is kind of like how Johnny does toe sets, they are just, set exactly as high off his foot as need be, and then somewhere along the velvet journey it is off his foot ready for the second dex.
Johnny's clipper. Anyone have his clipper here? No. Johnny has the coolest clipper, and as I saw today part of it is Genetic. His little brother Anthony also has cool crank, but completely different than Johnny. If you want to look for something to watch, look at him do a sidewalk or spinning swirl, and you will have a clear image of how neat his crank is. It isn't like Penske or Matt Cross crank, instead it is just this weird angle of ankle that can't be measured by a protractor. Is it good crank? Bad? Whatever, it looks good. As everyone does develope differently in footbag, he skipped the chapter of putting effort into tricks and simply hit them the way they were supposed to be hit. Take a quick look at the two february videos, and take special note of his stepping set and butterflies. THey just pop, and happen, like nothing else. Other pro's have distinct butterflies, namely, Vasek and Penske, but then other's simply have the generic butterfly which is very useful and well executed. But, these three people, Vasek, Penske and Suderman have really outstanding ones.
INtrigued beyond all reason, I loaded the Johnny video's on my Ipod and watched them everyday on the way to school. The music is unique and cool for both of them, and I couldn't stop picking out new things he did in the shred. Symp Atomic muted legover. At the end of the one video he hits this, and it just looks SO good. After a bit, the weather improved, and it was time to set up a session. Through the internet, somehow I got ahold of Johnny and his phone number, and we met in Toronto for the day. I actually went and met with Tom / Jon Haber first, but Johnny came and hit really cool stuff again. This was when I saw the new side to Johnny, called Personality. He hit some really cool stuff to show this, such as handstands. As he was with Tom, who apparently since the Tripping with Trippin, Tom and Johnny just did random shit, like jump over flowerbeds. At this time I had a super broken in Johnny Bag, which to this day is the best bag I own. Now, I don't write this in Johnny's Blog just to write it, when I want to play with a bag and have the utmost confidence within myself, this Johnny is the bag I let nestle on my gunit instep. It is small, heavy and looks godlike. It plays WAY different, and is stitched way different than a Clavens, which is also up there in Footbag ratings, but in my opinion takes the cake. Everyone go take up every ounce of Johnny's spare/free time and order a footbag (are they even for sale?), because you wont regret it. Yay Selfish footbag impulse buying. Seriously, everyone is missing out. Mango.
At GRASS, 2008, I had the fortune of driving with Jorden and Johnny, while they fixed rubix (rubics?) cubes one after another, and Tom Mosher drove like a champ. At the tournament itself, Johnny booked a room which I capitalized upon, as I knew that rooming with him meant no raging parties and other nonsense, which is fun in it's own light...Just not when you are beat tired from footbag and need to compete the next day. We talked about alot of stuff here or there throughout the tournament, and much of the stuff he did tell me made perfect logical sense, and I had no reason to argue. Some of the advice he gave me really gave me the "I'm going to change everything about myself" feeling, that commonly movies and book endings do. I also felt at the tournament while playing with him, there was a better circle connection, and I was alot more comfortable talking about random crap with him too. It is nice when you can get in a circle with someone in a friendly casual environment, because you can try weird stuff and not feel self concious. Every drop you make no longer is a big "Oh crap", and, well, it feels like footbag should. At the end of the drive, we went to Brantford (3 hours away, if you recall...........) and it made me realize that it is possible to go to Brantford and play footbag.
A month or three later, perhaps one, I went to his house. I called him up at 8:00 on a Friday morning and said "My friend is driving to Brantford, can I come over?"....COMPLETELY inviting myself over.
After a question or two of what plans were for the night, he said I could come, and set me up for an awesome weekend. We stitched and traded bags, played footbag, and just randomly spoke of how the world works for a solid 16 hours. This has to say alot about Johnny, I mean, dropping plans just to invite some nerdy sniveling 17 year old over and setting aside your weekend of free time just to play Footbag. I was shocked, and it felt really cool to consider having a footbag player as an actual friend. He even willingly blessed me with chunks of Facile out of the goodness of his heart. Not only did he take the complete raw end of a trade in receiving my Footbag, he gave me more facile and refused to take any financial compensation for me eating all of his Food, which he worked for to have.
We then met again at T.O. Jam, and today in Hamilton. Both felt really cool, and I can only look forward to playing with him again. For all of you who do read this blog, I really hope I can play a part in video'ing Johnny in a non-tripod format for the world to see. It is a shame that such talent and awesome-ness goes unseen/heard to so many footbaggers, like I was back in Germany when he was a random guy who hit nuclear->torque somethings. Maybe an interview or something, who knows, but again, everyone give money to johnny in return for a footbag, and come down to Brantford to watch footbag at it's finest.
I don't know if it is supposed to be a secret or anything, so I will only give a part of the trick away. But Johnny hit a really cool new whirling trick today, that I hope he shows all of you in Montreal.
Johnny Suderman.
The first time I met Johnny Suderman was at Worlds '07, and before that very moment I had only heard of the fellow. In fact, I had never seen a video, or anything of Johnny so all of the guages of "He is This ____ good" were all a great mistacle in my mind. I actually pictured Johnny Suderman, by his descriptions of German players and modified conversations as this superior machine who drilled and played footbag in the dark streets of this random place called "Brantford," which at the time, was 3 hours away from where I am, which, conveinently is only about 1 hour away. If that made no sense, I was trying to get across the message that before I thought that Brantford was really far away, and it definetly isn't. I think someone told me a drill he hit, nuclear something to torque something, and I was blown away. Apparently he hit it first try. EVERY player that knew of him in Germany said that combo, I am surprised I forget it now.
So, now with visual confirmation for those who don't know who Johnny is, that is a decent picture to let you know what he's all about. So, at Worlds I was by myself, and as it was my first tournament the only other footbagger there I had played with was Tom Mosher and Jorden, I do believe. I played with both only once, and for an afternoon. Needless to say, outside of them I was a school girl, and when I had the chance to play with JON HABER, YOGA (russia) and the dear Johnny Suderman himself, I nearly exploded. Johnny had Red Lavers then, and was the only kid on the block outside of Jorden and Mikko who hit any whirling sets, and had super cool style. I really under estimated him in the hour I kicked with him, as at that time in my shred development I really had no concept of what was hard. I was stringing and the like, but to properly comprehend the amount of practise it took to hit all the Whirr's and fairy ducking that he did, wow. We didn't talk much, as I really had nothing to say; which was a shame. I had finally gotten my dose of Johnny Suderman, and I knew him no longer as the guy who could hit the nuclear something to torque something first try.
My next tournament, I happened to find myself in the middle of Southern Ontario, at Tom's Camp Whakahakee. This was the second time I met Johnny and Rishelle, but again I really only said hi and ooh'ed and aah'ed. I vividly remember him getting Nemesis in circle competition, because I had tried it earlier after I footed Gauntlet, and was really sad I didn't hit it. Johnny just walked up, sniffed a bit because it was chilly, and blew me away. Fuck, Johnny has such a nice looking furious set, and accompanied by a double down makes one badass nemesis. I only then started to appreciate how good he was, when I saw him in comparison to Jorden. This was when I first thought that Whirr was really really cool, and I requested that Johnny hit it. He then proceeded to go for high plains drifter -> flurry a couple of times, which was mind blowing. Those dexes are so nice together, all that can hit it I urge you to try it. Johnny did. Why shouldn't everyone else be as fortunate as him to hit such awesome styley links?
Johnny didn't stay for the campfire or anything at Whakahakee, so I really didn't get to see his personality shine there either. The next meeting that we did have was, hell, LONG after September. There was a huge void of time that, did indeed suck, now that I do think of it. I wonder what he was hitting then, because the next meeting was February, when he released two videos of himself in his new apartment. We didn't meet face to face, but I really woke up when he posted them. I knew he was Johnny, and I knew he was a badass, but I really didn't know WHO he was as a footbagger. The two february videos explained to me that he was one of the best footbaggers in the world, and there was no denying it. When Johnny decides to play footbag, somehow his toe sets for fairy, pixie, atomic, and quantum look better than anyone elses. I don't truly know how the bag leaves his foot, because he really just raises his foot and angles it slightly, and with utter grace it just pops through a window he formed while no one was looking. If any of you can do heel stalls, think about how you catch them easiest. (if you are anything like me), you don't even set the bag, you just set it EXACTLY as high as your heel is, and then the bag will have the best interia in that position to stall on the rounded surface. That is kind of like how Johnny does toe sets, they are just, set exactly as high off his foot as need be, and then somewhere along the velvet journey it is off his foot ready for the second dex.
Johnny's clipper. Anyone have his clipper here? No. Johnny has the coolest clipper, and as I saw today part of it is Genetic. His little brother Anthony also has cool crank, but completely different than Johnny. If you want to look for something to watch, look at him do a sidewalk or spinning swirl, and you will have a clear image of how neat his crank is. It isn't like Penske or Matt Cross crank, instead it is just this weird angle of ankle that can't be measured by a protractor. Is it good crank? Bad? Whatever, it looks good. As everyone does develope differently in footbag, he skipped the chapter of putting effort into tricks and simply hit them the way they were supposed to be hit. Take a quick look at the two february videos, and take special note of his stepping set and butterflies. THey just pop, and happen, like nothing else. Other pro's have distinct butterflies, namely, Vasek and Penske, but then other's simply have the generic butterfly which is very useful and well executed. But, these three people, Vasek, Penske and Suderman have really outstanding ones.
INtrigued beyond all reason, I loaded the Johnny video's on my Ipod and watched them everyday on the way to school. The music is unique and cool for both of them, and I couldn't stop picking out new things he did in the shred. Symp Atomic muted legover. At the end of the one video he hits this, and it just looks SO good. After a bit, the weather improved, and it was time to set up a session. Through the internet, somehow I got ahold of Johnny and his phone number, and we met in Toronto for the day. I actually went and met with Tom / Jon Haber first, but Johnny came and hit really cool stuff again. This was when I saw the new side to Johnny, called Personality. He hit some really cool stuff to show this, such as handstands. As he was with Tom, who apparently since the Tripping with Trippin, Tom and Johnny just did random shit, like jump over flowerbeds. At this time I had a super broken in Johnny Bag, which to this day is the best bag I own. Now, I don't write this in Johnny's Blog just to write it, when I want to play with a bag and have the utmost confidence within myself, this Johnny is the bag I let nestle on my gunit instep. It is small, heavy and looks godlike. It plays WAY different, and is stitched way different than a Clavens, which is also up there in Footbag ratings, but in my opinion takes the cake. Everyone go take up every ounce of Johnny's spare/free time and order a footbag (are they even for sale?), because you wont regret it. Yay Selfish footbag impulse buying. Seriously, everyone is missing out. Mango.
At GRASS, 2008, I had the fortune of driving with Jorden and Johnny, while they fixed rubix (rubics?) cubes one after another, and Tom Mosher drove like a champ. At the tournament itself, Johnny booked a room which I capitalized upon, as I knew that rooming with him meant no raging parties and other nonsense, which is fun in it's own light...Just not when you are beat tired from footbag and need to compete the next day. We talked about alot of stuff here or there throughout the tournament, and much of the stuff he did tell me made perfect logical sense, and I had no reason to argue. Some of the advice he gave me really gave me the "I'm going to change everything about myself" feeling, that commonly movies and book endings do. I also felt at the tournament while playing with him, there was a better circle connection, and I was alot more comfortable talking about random crap with him too. It is nice when you can get in a circle with someone in a friendly casual environment, because you can try weird stuff and not feel self concious. Every drop you make no longer is a big "Oh crap", and, well, it feels like footbag should. At the end of the drive, we went to Brantford (3 hours away, if you recall...........) and it made me realize that it is possible to go to Brantford and play footbag.
A month or three later, perhaps one, I went to his house. I called him up at 8:00 on a Friday morning and said "My friend is driving to Brantford, can I come over?"....COMPLETELY inviting myself over.
After a question or two of what plans were for the night, he said I could come, and set me up for an awesome weekend. We stitched and traded bags, played footbag, and just randomly spoke of how the world works for a solid 16 hours. This has to say alot about Johnny, I mean, dropping plans just to invite some nerdy sniveling 17 year old over and setting aside your weekend of free time just to play Footbag. I was shocked, and it felt really cool to consider having a footbag player as an actual friend. He even willingly blessed me with chunks of Facile out of the goodness of his heart. Not only did he take the complete raw end of a trade in receiving my Footbag, he gave me more facile and refused to take any financial compensation for me eating all of his Food, which he worked for to have.
We then met again at T.O. Jam, and today in Hamilton. Both felt really cool, and I can only look forward to playing with him again. For all of you who do read this blog, I really hope I can play a part in video'ing Johnny in a non-tripod format for the world to see. It is a shame that such talent and awesome-ness goes unseen/heard to so many footbaggers, like I was back in Germany when he was a random guy who hit nuclear->torque somethings. Maybe an interview or something, who knows, but again, everyone give money to johnny in return for a footbag, and come down to Brantford to watch footbag at it's finest.
I don't know if it is supposed to be a secret or anything, so I will only give a part of the trick away. But Johnny hit a really cool new whirling trick today, that I hope he shows all of you in Montreal.
Jay Boychuk
Thanks for the kind words. I`ve been playing more, and I`m loving it! Good things on the horizon! After Montreal this weekend I probably won`t be going to any tournaments in the near future. I`ve went to quite a few recently (by my standards) and now I`m broke. I still plan on attending hackrifice, but no worlds or berlin
. The smell of hot steel reminds me of working with my dad.
The smell of dryer exhaust and dryer sheets brings back memories of my childhood.
The smell of pot reminds me of hanging out after footbag club meetings that used to happen in Brantford.
I really like how some smells trigger memories and feelings. When I get a sniff of something that does this, sometimes I can`t help but close my eyes and relive the moment. Time travel.
Johnny Suderman
Johnny Suderman, so hot right now!
Jon's FootBlog
MSN: [email protected]
"It was clean enough to be thin..." - Andrew W.
MSN: [email protected]
"It was clean enough to be thin..." - Andrew W.