Being a madman

Though I was first called the madman after starting a bench clearing brawl in the late 1980s, the violent angry man wasn't just confined to the field.

I was in my early 20s, angry, alone, believing I was going to die before I reach 25, and with a hatred towards the Catholic Church from a dozen school years of being lied towards. My boss at 619 S. Wabash in Chicago told me to see someone or get another job.

The last appointment the Wednesday before I turned 25, I thanked my psychiatrist for help and stated I will die before the next appointment which he was skeptical.

The Saturday before, I was told I could leave work early if I get everything done so I finished the first half of the restocking a half hour early and walked a block north to get lunch.

While eating at work, I heard a loud rumble outside:

Had I taken my lunch at my normal time, I could have been on the sidewalk when the bricks fell from close to 150 feet high.

My psychiatrist was shocked when I told him this story and he asked: Now what? Then him and I were able to work on what to do.

Almost 35 years later, I had a sobering reminder of who I was as someone with a similar situation but with the equipment I was unable to to get back then took out their anger on a church full of students who were lined up. With the plan, I am surprised only two students were killed.

I owned a gun for a little while and there was a situation where I could easily use it but realized it would have not been successful to the degree I would be satisfied and by passing on that, things eventually lead to a desired outcome.

When I state the best way to prevent people from firing dozens of shots in a minute is to make it difficult for people to get the device, I say that from personal experience.

My situation from the late 1980s was definitely examined when I went to therapy last year concerning the reason it was offered to me. Many people have noticed the change including some who didnt know I went.

With what was done, I am comfortable that the 20th century version of me will stay there with the intensity that inspired the nickname only active on the disc golf course.

Scheduling time

As I occasionally need to do, listing the balance of my 2025 schedule to get it out of my head as why I am playing where after figuring it out today.

The first thing was to see if there was an event in Norton, OH the first weekend in October which was there the previous two years I was at FuMPFeST at Con on the Cob thinking since there is no FuMPFeST, I could attend both. With no event, that won't happen which might be a good thing since it is possible those who run the Lord's Landing course might have a video record of me from 2023 when the previous night's Waffle House dinner kicked in while playing 15 and made a huge mess.

I also want to avoid one day two round events on back to back weeks or any two round event three weekends in a row.

Aug 23/24 - IL State championship (MA60) After the insult of not being listed first on the lead card in 2023 and being told it is no big deal even if though was the first time in 10 years having a solo lead in a B tier or higher, I had little interest in the event. When I won my third B tier (to go with an A tier) in a year three weeks ago, I was asked why I didn't register for states and after my reply was encouraged to give the event another chance.

Aug 31 - IOS Round Lake (MA50) I was considering playing MA2 on Saturday then playing on Sep 1 at 50 Acre but don't think my legs would cooperate so Sunday was chosen and moving up a division to face others in the area.

Though I want to play the Jackson Park flex start of the 7th, I need to make sure to have at least one practice day at Eagle Ridge and be physically ok to play that and I don't see it happening.

Sep 14 - IOS Eagle Ridge (MA50) Will try to defend my first IOS win in the division I won last year.

I want to play the West Park event on September 20/21 but with going to Riot Fest on the 19th, I am not sure if I would be physically up for playing at 8AM the next morning.

Sep 25 - Freedom round @ Dellwood. Not sanctioned but something I do every year.

Sep 28 - Grey Fox classic (MA50) There are three area two-round events that day and right now this is the one I am favoring to play. I haven't played a full event there since Nov 2019 and the idea of playing all 35 unique holes there intrigues me. Since that event has MA65 and no MA60 would play MA50.

Oct 12 - IOS Lemon Lake (MA50 or MA60) Having missed the last two club challenges (one due to rating and other due to a family event) and Lemon Lake's previous three IOS events due to physical issues, I really want to attend this year. Hoping my body will allow me to go.

Oct 26 - 50 Acre (MA50 or MA2) The division will depend on who else is playing as I don't want to win by 20+ shots like I did on Memorial Day

Nov 2 - Dellwood (GJTS MA60 finals) Had I not already played three events from the series, my schedule would be different and if for some reason I might not qualify for the event, I might change the schedule. 

Nov 13 & 27 - Discontinuum league round (MA1) To my knowledge, there has yet to be an official club member event scheduled. I was considering traveling to Morton, IL to play Northwood Park Black or to play the Dellwood XXL layout on my LX birthday but I realized that this would be 5 times over the last 10 years playing Fairfield on my birthday and being Thursday morning on a day off work, that is the logical choice.

I also know that one bad step at work or on a course could change everything.

Learn from the I-I-D-A

Waking up at 3AM on Saturday, I turned on the Disc Golf Network stream of the FPO fourth round of the 2025 World Championship, and was shocked that 15 year old Finnish player Iida Lehtomäki who was tied for the lead after round three was up 12 shots after nine.

She started to struggle but managed to maintain her lead until the infamous #16 at the Nokia Beast course where after five OB shots, finished with a 13. It was difficult to watch her fail to land a shot three straight times from 150 feet onto the island green.

To her credit, she managed to recover the next two and was leading after round four.

I slept in until 515 on Sunday and found out Ohn Scoggins became the oldest player to win an open division world title. Since I had to get to a tournament, I did not get any details until later but saw a couple posts wondering why Iida laid up on the final hole.

Highlights showed there was a tie for first and in the playoffs, Ohn (who had the greatest putting performance in the final round I have ever seen) threw her drive OB and had a 15 foot par putt. Iida was about 100 feet away after two great shots and needed to get up and down for a birdie to win. Unlike MPO winner Gannon Buhr who succeeded in a similar shot to win his first world title, her shot was short and left OB and the posts were about her fifth shot that was a lay-up before Ohn made her putt for the win.

I asked if Ilda's approach was the worst shot ever and then changed it to worst professional shot ever comparing it to Paige Pierce losing the 2021 worlds by doing the same thing on #18 at The Fort in Utah. Responses were unhappy that I was picking on her and someone stated I would choke in her situation.

My reply: So you are stating I would choke needing to get up and down from similar situations on #17 and #18 at a World Championship to achieve something that I spent years of time, energy, and money to get knowing that with my age and physical situation, this might be my only chance ever to do so? I put both shots within 10 feet and made the putts.

Granted, since I throw a disc 100 feet less than Iida, there are more different distances for her to cover and even in the MA60 division, many at worlds can throw farther than me which might be part of the reason I was able to be one of three out of 72 to hit the island green on #1 at Oakwood Park twice.

I am hoping unlike Paige Pierce who was never the same dominant player after losing the 2021 Worlds, Iida will be able to learn from her mistakes and win major tournaments and I hope to be able to watch her succeed.