Ben Skaggs

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 29 Sep 2008 16:53

professor wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNtvn9jJ6dY[/youtube]

Footbag.org (better quality): http://v.footbag.org/media/729/bensparkshred.wmv

Your top post is MIIIIIINNNNEEE

Props, Ben! Can't watch youtube at work so I'd been looking forward to this. Did not disappoint. See you at NYJ.

professor · Post by **professor** » 29 Sep 2008 21:32

Played today for a good hour and a half. It was great fun. I didn't feel like it was going to be a good session in the beginning, but it ended up being real good. I'm happy with my game right now. It seems to be progressing and overall I'm having the most fun I've ever had. I'm not super down on my form or anything. It might not be the best, but I don't really care at this point. I figure if I keep refining my tricks they'll continue to get easier and better looking.

In particular I really like the way the first few tricks look on the video. My swirls and whirls have never looked great, but these ones look almost perfect to me. I still have wonky toe sets, but at least I'm good at them now. Haha. So, I'm sure they'll continue to get better.

The only thing I'm frustrated with is my flip stepping. It's the weirdest thing ever...my ability to do them pretty much went away about 2 weeks ago. I don't know why or how, but I've been struggling with them ever since. I'm getting a hold of them now, but for a while I was a little discouraged.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 30 Sep 2008 04:52

You're always down on your form, and I really think you need to get that out of your head. No one agrees with you at all on that, I know I don't. I really like how your game looks. In fact, if I'd watched that latest vid without knowing it was you, I would have said it was Bevier.

Ha ha, that was some tough love saying "Your game looks really good"

JeffOverbo · Post by **JeffOverbo** » 30 Sep 2008 21:26

Yo Skaggs, Im back on modified for the same reason that im back to footbag. I will be in vegas this weekend and not busy at all on sunday if you want to put together a session.

professor · Post by **professor** » 24 Oct 2008 07:09

Midterms are over, so hardcore training for NYJ shall commence. Too bad I've completely lost all my stepping ability on my flipside.

professor · Post by **professor** » 03 Nov 2008 10:07

I'm drilling like a mad man. Can't wait for NYJ.

professor · Post by **professor** » 05 Nov 2008 09:27

I'm playing better and better every session. Drilling more than I ever have. It's actually fun. Tiring, but fun nonetheless.

I was really hoping for an interesting presidential race last night, but I was disappointed. I hate when one candidate is the obvious winner. It's so boring. Although I think we were pretty spoiled the past couple of races with all the controversy and stuff.

Anyways, I guess we're now an Obamanation. Haha. Get it?

I also found an interesting picture online.

Although, looking at the exit polls it seems like the issues weren't the only things considered...

Either way, I hope the Democrats walk the walk now, because they've certainly been talking the talk these past few years. I'm really interested to see if they can really do what they've been promising. The footbag has been passed to them, let's see if they can hit a decent run with it.

C-Fan · Post by **C-Fan** » 05 Nov 2008 11:14

The Democrats will be limited in what they can do because of the situation they inherit. When Bush got in the White House in 2000, he inherited massive surpluses, international goodwill, and no wars. In Jan 09 when Obama gets in, he will be inheriting 2 wars, the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, and a huge deficit. There is only so much you can do with that.

So to continue your footbag metaphor: when Bush came into the White House, he was given a broken-in Felix bag, with a backup Waylon bag and lots of extra filler. When Obama gets in, he's getting a sipa-sipa guatemalan bag that has been repaired with duct tape. So don't expect Obama to go fearless off the bat with it.

professor · Post by **professor** » 05 Nov 2008 11:26

I'm fine with that. But at least improve every day and maybe save some money to buy a new bag. That's all I'm saying. Cause when you talk like you can hit beastly combos, at least be able to do some guiltless with a messed up bag.

C-Fan · Post by **C-Fan** » 05 Nov 2008 11:45

I love modified. Where else could we talk politics like this?

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 05 Nov 2008 11:51

Obamas advantage is he is black and there ain't many of those in footbag, so people appreciate him alot in the beginning.

professor · Post by **professor** » 05 Nov 2008 12:03

Bush didn't have it all good though. Don't forget that a couple jerks came by while he was shredding and grabbed his 2 choice bags and tore gaping holes in them. Even with G's you can't shred with bags like that. Not to mention the psychological effects that has on you as a player. I mean, how can you keep playing at a high level if you're always worried about someone coming by and stabbing your bags mid air? Sure he may have overreacted to the situation, but how many of us wouldn't?

Hmmm...analogies are good.

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 05 Nov 2008 12:11

He just used this as an execution for doing the only trick he is good at Massacre. And keep selfserving trying to hit (his) Nemesis but couldn't.

professor · Post by **professor** » 05 Nov 2008 12:22

Oh man Asmus. Soooo good.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 05 Nov 2008 17:12

professor wrote:Bush didn't have it all good though. Don't forget that a couple jerks came by while he was shredding and grabbed his 2 choice bags and tore gaping holes in them. Even with G's you can't shred with bags like that. Not to mention the psychological effects that has on you as a player. I mean, how can you keep playing at a high level if you're always worried about someone coming by and stabbing your bags mid air? Sure he may have overreacted to the situation, but how many of us wouldn't?

Hmmm...analogies are good.

Every country in the world that has had holes ripped in their bags haven't over reacted apart from Bush. The argument of "how many of us wouldn't?" Demonstrates just how bad a leader Bush was. Footbag requires a high level of focus and if you get overly aroused and emotional in the middle of a routine, it's almost certainly going to lead to you dropping the bag. If you want to be at the top in footbag you need to realise this, and not behave the same way as most people, but instead ensure that you're always focused and put aside your personal feelings and emotions.

professor · Post by **professor** » 10 Nov 2008 16:50

torque > pdx torque > rpt is fun.

so is dyno > pdx torque bsos.

Being inconsistent? Not so fun. It's the plague of my footbag career. I don't know if it'll ever change.

EoghanMcDowell · Post by **EoghanMcDowell** » 11 Nov 2008 09:14

It'll change.

professor · Post by **professor** » 15 Nov 2008 21:23

The Stanford footbag crew is the best. No joke, they make my day.

Thanks!

professor · Post by **professor** » 25 Nov 2008 16:10

Played for about 3.5 hours with Evan. Filmed stuff. Unfortunately some of the sickest stuff was hit after we discovered the battery had run out and we just played for fun.

professor · Post by **professor** » 26 Nov 2008 09:31

I was messing around with Google Trends today and this is something interesting I discovered:

http://www.google.com/trends?q=footbag% ... ky+sack%22

It's cool to see which countries have people searching for footbag more than hacky sack.

The top cities in America searching footbag are:
1. Portland - not surprising
2. Denver - what?
3. Salt Lake City - wtf?

A semi disturbing trend I found is this:

http://www.google.com/trends?q=footbag& ... all&sort=0
http://www.google.com/trends?q=hacky+sa ... all&sort=0

Notice how both footbag and hacky sack have been on a slow decline since 2004, with less spikes as well.