2015 Joulukalenteri

[boyle]

Hi pals, today's video comes from the Southern Hemisphere (which limits things), but I have to say I'm really happy to have received this one.

It's from Phil Morrison and Nathan Pipenberg, who has spent most of this year in New Zealand. While this might not be the most intense shred you will see from either of these guys, it's great to see both in action and there's plenty to see in there. Enjoy.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIL0uPCq6X8[/youtube]

[boyle]

Today's video (Day 15) also comes from somewhere not so far away from me (kinda...), thanks to Taishi Ishida from Japan. Taishi has done so much cool stuff for footbag in Japan in recent years and is really spreading the message of the sport, meanwhile going hard and winning Shred 30 at Worlds in Paris along the way.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUThE6cZKVU[/youtube]

Enjoy this video, which includes a Christmas lights intro, and mega props for Taishi for all the work he's put into footbag in recent years.

[Allan]

Wow. The last few videos have been crazy cool!

Shredded Wheat is from my first Worlds (1997) and really brought back some memories!

Seeing Red Rocket & Pipebomb playing again was excellent and I'm grateful they could contribute to the calendar.

Taishi is the man. Great style, good edit; just awesome

Tomorrow's video is something special and is my (indirectly) contribution this year; looking forward to it being public!

Thanks to Dan for starting on top of this and making this a great for the Joulukalenteri!

@Lycanthrope I'd be careful about inferring too much from those graphs. I can't properly explain it myself, but they don't show what you think they do.

[Allan]

With regards to that Google Trends chart that appears dismal, Lycanthrope I dug this up:

Interest Over Time:


The scores awarded by Google Trends on the "interest over time" line graph express the popularity of that term over a specified time range.


Google Trends scores are based on the absolute search volume for a term, relative to the number of searches received by Google.


The scores have no direct quantitative meaning. For example, two different terms could achieve scores of 100 in the same month, but one received 1,000 search requests, whilst the other received 1,000,000. This is because the scores have been scaled between 0 and 100. A score of 100 always represents the highest relative search volume.


Day scores are based on absolute search volume for the term within the day relative to absolute search volume on Google on the same day. Month / week scores are calculated on the basis of the average relative daily search volume within the month / week.


A rising line does not necessarily indicate a rise in the popularity. Instead, it may indicate that general search use has increased over the time range. A declining line does not always represents declining popularity either for the same reason. In order to gain the maximum insight from Google Trends, it is necessary to have an understanding of how internet usage might rise or fall.


The inclusion of scores based on "partial data" is an indicator of just how up-to-date Google Trends is. Read more on partial date here: Google Trends: What Is Partial Data?

It seems likely that Global scores are based on an average score from each country. If this wasn't the case, terms that are popular in countries with high internet usage would constantly perform better than terms that are popular in countries with low internet usage.

So, please take those numbers with a serious grain of salt; they don't necessarily indicate as massive a decrease as you might think. As with any statistic, you need to thoroughly understand what the numbers are before you try to derive meaning from them.

[boyle]

Here's the Day 16 video, which delves deep into the footbag history, and thanks to Allan there's a great writeup about it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh0N1leJprY[/youtube]

There are too few things that can make a person feel profound gratitude, but being trusted and privileged enough to become a custodian for something this important to the foundations of the sport I truly love? This certainly qualifies as one of those things; it’s been a humbling experience. When I extended an invitation for old-school players to send me their ancient videotapes, I was definitely hoping to unearth a gem like this, and … wow, is this one dazzling. Edited from a Footbag/Frisbee Freestyle event in San Diego in 1985, this is a truly historical video for a number of reasons; I simply can’t understate the importance of these 6.5 minutes.

This is one of the earliest, professionally edited promotional videos for footbag. Produced by the The Wright Life, the VHS tape played in their store in downtown Fort Collins, Colorado and in trade show booths across North America for years during the mid-1980s, promoting the Sipa Sipa brand of footbag. The original tape had this 6 minute 30 second video recorded to it 4 times in a row, so that it could play on a loop without needing to be rewound very much (you youngsters will never know the hassle). As I captured the whole tape, watching it really evokes the experience of being in some midwest sports stadium on a 1985 summer afternoon, next to a table stacked high with the brilliantly-colored Sipa Sipa footbags encased in those sturdy clear plastic containers.

We can all thank Dennis Jones for physically going to The Wright Life store only a few months ago and talking them into digging the tape out of their archives to give it to him. They were reluctant and had to dig deep, but they were able to find it, and Dennis, in turn, sent it to me; now the intarweb is sending it to you. As you watch this, keep in mind a couple of other things about this video:

This is the earliest footage of Kenny Shults that has ever been published. His parents have some earlier footage on home video, but this was made by pros. Among a few other fundamental tricks, there are some of the very first osis ever hit in this video. This is truly significant, and marks the birth of modern freestyle footbag. Throughout the video, every time they show Kenny, you can compare and contrast what he’s doing with the style and technical aspects of the players around him. You can truly see him branching away from the mainstream to create something fundamentally unique and technically superior. This video gives us a glimpse at the very beginnings of our history.

This video also had an enormous impact of none other than Rippin’ Rick Reese. Shortly after meeting Kenny and his freestyle partner Pat Beiber for the first time in July of 1985, Mr. Reese went to The Wright Life storefront. The shop is one of the first Alternative Sports store, selling frisbees and footbags and other fun things since 1981. It was here that Mr. Reese saw this video and it started something in him. He masteredd the tricks he saw on the video and went to 1986 Worlds to showcase his new skills, thus beginning some of the most innovative years footbag has ever known. The importance of the concepts and inventions that Rick Reese created cannot be exaggerated, and we’d all be many years behind where we are now if it weren’t for his perspective. Without this video, it’s possible we’d not have him.

As you can hopefully now see, this video has a lot going for it. It’s not just old and therefore meaningful, but it is actually one the earliest touchstones that footbag sports has, reaching back to a time when stalling tricks were barely being performed at all and the pillars of our game were just developing the concepts that would lead to the technical revolution that it footbag freestyle today. Thanks again to Dennis Jones for remembering that this existed, and for his efforts to obtain it for us, here, now.

[Tjuggles]

Haven't watched the video yet, but I am about to. I just read that wonderful post by Allan. I feel like this clip is going be so nostalgic and make me think about my life in many deep ways. I love footbag. And all of its players.


EDIT: Yup, this video is a gem. For real. There is so much in there!

[boats]

Reactions to the Sipa Sipa promo:

That was really funny. I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but I got some real enjoyment from it. It kinda reminded me of Tim and Eric. Some of the outfits from the routines (london man, doubles partners in short shorts and suit jackets, half black/white short shorts.

I thought the first song sounded really dope. When Motley Crew came on, I lost it.

[boyle]

Quick post today. Day 17 is from Poland, you have probably seen a couple of this bloke's videos before...Enjoy.


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK3Qsgc65SY[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRLTSHNFkUA[/youtube]

[boyle]

Day 18 - "Some Russian Adds" from Ilya Sernov, another fun video from these guys.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onQ4spct5Qg[/youtube]

[boyle]

It's Day 19 and we are back to Poland, thanks to Jakub Mościszewski. He really came into prominence at this year's Worlds, obviously through reaching the Routines finals, but also through just playing non-stop, and put on notice for a future in BAP.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yFB6oXkrgg[/youtube]

If he keeps up this form, I have no doubt he will going into BAP. Even though this was a real breakout year, the video marks 5 years of playing.

[Tjuggles]

There is some real talent in the calendar this year. I am motivated to kick harder!

[Allan]

Wow! Jakub! I am extremely impressed by this. Great work. Pixie dso repeated just looks awesome.

[boyle]

Day 20 is another Mads Hole effort, and here we have a Hell Session from Routines World Champion Milan Benda.

[christisgodlike]

Milan....holy shit!

[boyle]

Day 21 is thanks to Nick Polini, who ran last years calendar. He has really improved in these last couple of years.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=xp4YjZP-DUk[/youtube]

[boats]

Hot damn nick! The swirling drifter b2b was unexpected. I thought gatesman would be the only one to hit that for at least another couple of years. The blink drill (whoa). And the blurry reverse swirling same symposium mirage trick was so dirty.

[Nathan8]

Now THAT is how you you make a Joulu video! I had high expectations for this video and it definitely delivered. This is getting a rewatch or ten. The swirling drifter b2b was massive. Props on a strong video Nick!

[boyle]

Day 22 and we are back to the USA, New Orleans to be specific, which must mean Mark Monistere, which must mean crazy swirling sets, and you would be correct.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anUjyNv1D20[/youtube]

Here's what Mark had to say about his video.

Footbag and life.

There has to be a decision whether you give up or you try harder. You put so much time in, so much effort , and so much desire into something and it can seem like it's not going anywhere. And one day a break through! You learn about yourself... Do you play no matter what? Has it become a center for you?

If you're tired or drained or sad, shred ...if you're happy, energetic ...shred . Discipline is doing what you know needs to be done even though you don't want to do it. Be disciplined . Focus on one thing at a time... If you get overwhelmed you will drop the bag. Keep calm, keep your composure and push from that center.

[Lycanthrope]

This list definitely has some unforgettable videos. I'm more excited than ever for the future. =)

Impressive work, Everyone!

[Jorden]

Nice moves, Polini.