USDGC was wild this year. Bonkers. Just absolutely bananas, but in almost all of the worst ways.
First, there was Paul McBeth’s performance, which was uncharacteristic, to put it politely. Something was not working for Pablo, and we can only hope he gets it figured out.
It reminded me of the last few pitches in Rookie of The Year, after the kid’s superhuman strength disappears and you’re flinching every time he throws the ball, waiting for whatever disaster was coming.
Get well soon, Paul…whatever it is.
Then there was Nikko Locastro, reportedly on some new life path of cosmic positivity, with one of the most ridiculous albatrosses of all time.
Of course, when we’re talking about “ridiculous albatrosses”, we’re really just talking about two of them: This one, and The Philotross.
Then there were the course “improvements” that brought us the completely pointless quadruple mando hole and the wireless-fence/polehenge nonsense that was so egregious even Arby’s took a shot at it.
.@Arbys Pokes Fun At @usdgc Pillars On Social Media [And How This Fits Their Social Media Strategy] -> https://t.co/2P1XAN2cvh pic.twitter.com/nfMSvD653j
— Ultiworld Disc Golf (@UltiworldDG) October 4, 2019
Not at the USDGC, but certainly still finding himself the center of attention was Ricky Wysocki, whose non-antibiotic approach to treating his already crippling Lyme Disease drew the ire of Simon Lizotte, who subsequently called into the SmashBoxx to expose the whole debacle. As of this writing, Ricky Wysocki is still bedridden and not seeking hospital treatment for a disease that can literally ruin his life.
Bad call, Rick. Do better.
But maybe the strangest story of the tournament came to us from Eagle McMahon, who did a fairly great job of shredding the coursing driving exclusively forehand in his final round. Why, you ask? Well because someone’s panties got into a wad back on one of the mozzarella stick holes.
This is the same guy that threw a bonafide temper tantrum earlier in the year after missing a putt, we should remember.
This year’s incident was fairly cringeworthy as well.
You can almost see him try to pull it back on that little pump in his reach-back, before he realizes he’s now committed to showing everyone how upset he is.
We’ve likely all played in the presence of someone who gets a little testy from time to time, and I’m sure plenty of the readers here have witnessed some full blown, throw the bag, kick a disc meltdowns in their day.
So here are a few tips from the Mayo Clinic on how best to keep your temper at bay:
Get some exercise
Physical activity can help reduce stress that can cause you to become angry. If you feel your anger escalating, go for a brisk walk or run, or spend some time doing other enjoyable physical activities.
Of course, as Nikko Locastro showed us earlier, that brisk run can be put to use in times of pure joy as well.
Stick with ‘I’ statements
To avoid criticizing or placing blame — which might only increase tension — use “I” statements to describe the problem. Be respectful and specific. For example, say, “I’m upset that you left the table without offering to help with the dishes” instead of “You never do any housework.”
Another good “I” statement: I was a dummy and broke my moneymaker giving planet earth a weak-ass haymaker.
And finally:
Use humor to release tension
Lightening up can help diffuse tension. Use humor to help you face what’s making you angry and, possibly, any unrealistic expectations you have for how things should go. Avoid sarcasm, though — it can hurt feelings and make things worse.
For a good laugh, catch some of that post-produced footage of Pablo from this weekend.
