Meeting pros

[turbine712]

Ricky was in town as a guest of Delta Disc Cart. He was with Delta to film a video, sign some limited edition discs with a Delta disc designed graphic (100 limited edition discs). People who bought a disc had the opportunity to be in a raffle for the last Delta series 10 cart that was wrapped in gold vinyl. He was in town since Thursday evening. Last night, Ricky and some locals went to the MOA for an evening of Pokemon.
I took my Grandson to Delta so he and Ricky could meet again since they became buds during the Majestic. We didn't win the gold cart but we had a great time BS'ing with Ricky.

 

[Steve West]

First world (i.e. MN) DG problems:

I had to wait on hole 18 at Acorn while Ricky finished filming the commercial for Delta carts.

He apologized and shook our hands, smiling at the time.

Fortunately, when they gave me the all clear, I parked my upshot from max range (for me).

 

[Hampstead]

Pros usually get excited when they meet me.

 

[sidewinder22]

Fortunately, when they gave me the all clear, I parked my upshot from max range (for me).

Show me the math or it didn't happen.

 

[Consult20]

Pros usually get excited when they meet me.

When I met Holly Finley she did cartwheels she was so excited, no video though

 

[Ripper]

Yeah. I put 5 dollars in his tip jar.

 

[corin_brown]

Don't know if she plays disc golf or not but I saw Kristen Wiig in the paint section of our Home Depot Saturday morning.

 

[ScottyLove]

Ricky comes to putting league in Charlotte regularly in the winter as well as Big Jerm. They are cool to hang out with for sure and they're not gods. I don't think Ricky has ever missed a putt and Jerm is in the finals often.

 

[Reniger]

Does ANYONE cruise thru irownwood?! talk about a boring ass drive from MN...

No, people just get to Ironwood and stay. Because, it's God's country. Unlike Minnesota which just wishes it was the Yoop. (lake touchin' wannabes)

How about this... You give us Zimmern and we'll let you call yourselves a "Great Lakes" state.

And Jeremy, the only pro I've run into was Ragna Bygde, but she lives about an hour away and is at tons of local events in South-West Michigan. Still pretty awesome to see her every time. Not only is she gorgeous, but that chick beats the pants off most local guys who claim to be "pro level" but "don't have time to tour." (I hear that line far too often)

 

[bradharris]

I think a lot of fan-boy-ism isn't related to money or popularity, but rather is a deep respect for that person's skill that they have that said fan-boy has a passion for. the fan-boy understands how difficult it is to master the skills that the fan-boy wants and would like to offer congratulations to the professional for inspiration and entertainment they get from watching.

LOL I've never gotten any of dudes worshiping some dude cuz they can play a sport, discgolf is interesting tho, it's a ****ing hard sport to master or even get decent at compared to other sports imo. Others seems way easier just to take up with no study, golf ball or disc is a studying type of sport. It's on another level imo.

Fanboyism is not based on respect for skill. In any sport, there are plenty of relative unkowns out there who may be absurdly good at their sport, but have chosen not to pursue it as a career. We will never gush over those guys in the same way as a well known pro, even if the talent level is similar.

The professional athletes that we fanboy over are more than just good at their sport of choice. They've managed to build a brand around their athlete persona. We seem them on video and in photos all the time, and follow their careers with great interest. This gives the athlete a nearly super-human feel because while we understand that there's a person at the center of the brand, the brand itself is bigger than that.

That's why it's especially exciting to see a professional athlete off the field. It gives us a chance to really see the person behind the brand.

 

[zud00]

I was in Florida one year on vacation and went to play Cliff Stevens. A friend of mine told me Paul was in town for a tournament. I was hoping to see him on the course playing a casual round (Monday) and as I was finishing up on 18, I saw a group teeing off on 1. Sure enough it was Paul, K-Money and a couple other guys. I made my way toward them and watched them finish teeing off and asked for a picture with Paul. I really wanted to ask to play along with them for 9 holes, but didn't, I didn't want to be a bothersome. It was a cool moment, nonetheless, for me.

 

[DavidSauls]

I find there's almost always some odd and intriguing, meeting anyone I only know through media, and/or as a spectator. Not just athletes, but politicians, celebrities, writers, etc.

I'm in a position of knowing one aspect of their life very well, and though I know that's not all they are---they're actually real people---somehow it's still surprising to actually see that that's true.

Though as I get older, and most of these major, minor, and very minor celebrities are younger than I, there tends to be a lot less luster.

 

[i_spock]

Saw quite a few of DG elite at AM Worlds this year while watching the advanced men's final round. I was walking right behind Yeti for a while (overheard a few funny and quotable comments from him), and on 26 I think, I looked over to my right and Cam Todd was standing right next to me.

On the final hole I was walking right behind Paige Pierce and another female pro who I've seen before but couldn't name. Holly Finley, being a local, was around too.

Also saw a few people the day before at the flymart. I got to see Nate Doss and Yeti there, and I think Valerie Jenkins was around too. I actually left work two separate times to try and catch Paul and Nate doing autographs there, but missed them.

During the week leading up to AM worlds I chatted with a few of the kids practicing at Hiestand, not realizing that one of them was a 5x am worlds junior champion.

I was way too star struck to approach any of them ;-)

 

[BarstampLover]

put it on a disc!

 

[da Crippler]

I got to meet Ricky at Ledgestone, I actually bought a shirt from and got it for $2 off because I was short on cash.

 

[tdschrock1]

I met Ricky warming up for an A tier.

I just stopped by to say hi and good luck. He asked my name, made small talk and wished me luck. He's a down to earth guy- couldn't come across any nicer.

 

[ODRB]

Also, www.stickinputts.com. Even got a little TimG Stickin' Putts in there.

 

[TheOtherBill]

I had only been playing tournaments for a couple months when I went to the USDGC in '06 with a buddy. She and I were walking up the road from 16 to 17 when Dave Feldberg stepped out of the port-o-john they used to have stationed there behind the bamboo hole green.

I said to her "Hey, it's Dave Feldberg" and he said 'hi' and he joined us on the walk up the road. I told him he had just moved up into the top 10 after a couple people dropped some strokes and he seemed surprised to have moved up the leader board while using the can. We chatted, he birdied 17 I think and cashed, it was good.

I was new to the pro side of the sport but that really opened my eyes to what real people these are but with an very specific (and cool) skill set.

**We didn't shake his hand due to the whole 'no sink' aspect of the encounter

 

[Cgkdisc]

He might not have shaken your hand either versus a fist bump since players tend to avoid handshakes when playing.

 

[Reniger]

He might not have shaken your hand either versus a fist bump since players tend to avoid handshakes when playing.

I prefer the elbow bump. Picked it up working in a restaurant and it just kinda stuck.