Proposed Second Edition Additions

Dan Baker from Chicago sent me this note in December 2008
I just read it this weekend. Brilliant. It was such a fun read. You missed several nicknames [though]... and I thought you played midwest ultimate.

You hit the nail on the head with "Waffles", but there were a few more:
EZ (that might've been there)
Fangs
Wiggles (I've met 4 or 5)
Highschool (I've met 3)

And I was also thinking along the lines of the "Andy's"...
Big Andy
Little Andy
Other Andy
Evil Andy

Response: We have 'Eazy E' but not 'EZ' so good call there. And in 2007 my team captain Rob DeVoogd was known as 'Highschool' since he started playing with the local club team when he was a lone high schooler playing disc in Ithaca. I can't believe I missed that. I suck.

A Proposal from Spin Ultimate's Will Juras, November 2008
I’ve got a request/favor/task to ask of you. So, by your rsd post, it looks like you’ve seen my website- more specifically the fire for sale. There was a comment made by someone that fire’s are supposedly not transferable. Bullcrap. I’m not sure where this information came from… perhaps from those that are scared that they will have less control, and less understanding of where everyone’s fire actually is… you know, because right now, they have charts and databases that don’t have the capabilities to record an unruly and nonconformist “transfer”. HOWEVER, despite the technical issues, myself and other very important people, think that a legitimate transfer of fire can, and should happen. BUT that a sacred and perhaps somewhat ‘secret’ ceremony needs to exist. That is where I need your help. Perhaps an addendum to your book (pg 61, paragraphs 4 and 5.) should be posted on your blog (do you have a blog?) for others to reference in the rare case that this event should need to occur. I realize that suggesting the alteration of a piece of art such as your book could justifiably be perceived as annoying. I’m sure there have been many suggestions both serious and in jest to add, in some way, change your masterpiece. For being ‘that guy’, I apologize.

So… ceremony? We need details. You have established credit, therefore a credible ceremony must come from you. I would immediately edit my fire to include a link to your post, and details explaining that I would have to fly out for a face to face meeting. That reminds me, make sure the ceremony states that it HAS to be carried out with both parties present in the same geographical location... no phones, emails, webcams, conference calls, etc. Oh, and witnesses should be present! Perhaps at least one must be a virgin? Thoughts?

Answer: Will, the truth is that I used my fire in 1991 to win shirt color for South Bend at the Indiana States tournament. We subsequently chose skins.

 
Question from prospective buyer Fi Cheng:
Does your second book cover the odd and persistent cases of disc theft?

Answer: Disc theft, especially involving poaching my rare 2004 "I Helped Send Esther Warren to Worlds" disc, is inexcusable. Those that steal discs, specifically my discs, should either trade those discs immediately or barter them for cold beers on a warm tournament day.

Idea from loyal reader Jon Campbell:
What do ultimate players do with themselves once they are too old (50s, 60s, 70s) to play ultimate? Do they pick up other semi-active hobbies? Do they continue to hang out with ex-ultimate players? Do they have trouble finding a purpose?

Answer: There isn't much data available to indicate what these people will do since Ultimate has only been around for 40 years. But we can extrapolate from the few 60-year old players like John Garb, Alexander "Sas" Peters or Gary Sundin that many will still be playing Ultimate. They may stop flinging the Wii controller however, and they will probably be either single or divorced. Additionally, I would surmise that the elderly of Ultimate will be the non-conformists in the nursing home.

Emails and Such from Loyal Readers: Addendums and Notes to be Noted

an email from Matt Weiss, one of the spiritual leaders of Pittsburgh's
mixed team The Muff'n Men, explaining the origin of one of the cheers in the book:

Tony, Good to meet you at Bell Crack. Thanks for the books. My wife and I
stayed up late reading. It was a definite kick to see our culture lovingly skewered
by someone who knows it so well, and also to find out the I'm "a local oldster,
even if [I] don't think so." Ah, well.

There's a cheer in there I'm pretty sure I wrote with Dave Williams and Dave
"Weasel" Lionetti back at CMU. It's the "our mother was a handler" cheer.
I remember it as a response to Rutgers' regular psych-up cheer that said
something about how dirty and disreputable their progeny was and ended with
them saying, "We came here for the sex; we'll play Ultimate instead." (thus the line about writing checks to get you sex). I heard it from CMU's current team at a Buffalo mostly-college tournament my masters team wormed its way into last year and went over to tell them I was one of the authors. I was probably lying, but at this age, I'll believe anything I say. I am definitely a local oldster.

Good job, man. Matt Weiss
 
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