GUTSionary
Sling and
Slang: A
dubious guide to terminology rumored to be related to the sport of Guts
ACE: A
legal or good throw which is untouched by the defensive team. The player closest to the thrown ace must
make the return throw. See GO GET IT, SEE
YA, TAXI and GOOD THROW.
ADDENDUM
69B: To insure the safety of contestants, it is imperative that they be relaxed
during play. We have found that the most
effective muscle relaxer to be good old alcohol, applied internally. Therefore, all participants in Guts shall
imbibe heavily in spirits – before, during, and after competition. See GPA Newsletter, Volume 1, Number 3,
Jerome Meiswick, In the Beginning, p.4. Although now purged from official competition
rules, Addendum 69B was once mandatory and strictly enforced. It is still aptly used in “spirit” and in
varying degrees of “moderation”. Also
known as: RULE 69B. Related to: ACCUTE
ALCOHOL INTOXICATION of the nervous system, while not infrequent, has almost
uniformly been of mild to moderate degree, quite transitory, and not
disabling. Although it is possible that
it might lead to impaired judgment and diminished restraint over one’s behavior
and consequent verbal and physical assault, these things have never
materialized at any of the International Frisbee Tournaments. This is true, in spite of the use of
considerable amounts of alcohol, albeit beer and malt liquor. These beverages have always been readily
available at the tournament, properly so it would seem because of its
widespread and quite appropriate use to ease tensions associated with the
contest; beer has also proved useful in managing some Frisbee injuries because
of its soothing effect. That major
argument or physical confrontation has been absent at tournament time, in spite
of wide-spread usage of alcoholic beverages, attests to the high degree of
sportsmanship among Frisbee enthusiasts.
As mentioned, with rare exception, the instances of acute alcoholic
intoxication, though numerous, have been mild and have led at most to conviviality
and quite socially acceptable name-calling.
See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr.
Stancil E.D. Johnson, Medical Aspects of
Frisbee, p.158.
ANGLE and
ANGLE of RELEASE: The effects of disc spin
and speed are determined largely by height and angle of release, as well as arm
speed of the thrower. Wind speed and
direction play a part, as does the position on the line of the thrower relative
to the position on the line of the targeted defensive player. Many players attempt to deliver throws
that cross the goal line with an angle of close to 90 degrees, as most players
will agree that it is easier to catch a disc thrown flat than one thrown with a
severe angle. See HYZER, VERTICAL, and
WIND SPEED and DIRECTION.
ANHYZER: The
opposite of Hyzer. See HYZER.
BACKHAND: The
classic Frisbee® throw. When the disc is
gripped for this throw, the thumb is positioned on the topside of the disc and
the fingers are curled under the rim. In
learning to throw the backhand, strive to add as much spin as possible with a
good snap-of-the-wrist at release. This
“snap” will help to improve flight stability.
A backhand in Guts can be thrown with the same motion you would use in
playing a relaxed game of catch with your partner 40 yards away. For a right-handed thrower, the right foot should
be planted firmly just behind the foul line, and is used to stabilize the body
as it rotates and directs all muscle effort into the release point of the
throw. There is actually a weight shift
from left foot to right foot, with the legs, waist, and upper chest muscles all
helping to generate power into the throwing arm. A thrower’s approach to the foul line is
important in delivering the best throws.
For most, a controlled run up to the foul line will help the thrower
achieve greater velocity. Some of the
hardest throwers, like Dave Young, employ what is known as a turnaround or a
360 degree spin at the end of the approach to the foul line and just prior to
release. The turnaround adds multi-dimension
to the throw: deception (the thrower is able to “hide” the disc until just
prior to release, making it more difficult for the defensive players to track
the shot), and additional speed (generated by the added “length” of the motion
itself). This motion requires a much greater
degree of coordination, skill, and timing than a basic backhand throw. See BACKHAND POWER GRIP(S), BOB MAY GRIP, and
SNAP.
BACKHAND
POWER GRIP(S): (1) When the disc is gripped for this throw, the
thumb and index finger are positioned on the top with the rim squeezed between
the index and second finger.
The index finger is then curled back towards the palm, with the thumb
laid across the index finger. (2) When
the disc is gripped for this throw, the rim of the disc is squeezed between the
thumb and second finger, with the index finger laid across the thumb. In this second version, the thumb can lay on
the smooth lip (Morrison's slope), part on the rim and part on the Lines of
Headrick, or fully on the Lines of Headrick.
See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr.
Stancil E.D. Johnson, The Frisbee and
Other Flying Discs, p.29.
BAG: When a clean catch is the simultaneous result of initial contact
with a thrown disc, or the result of absolute concentration combined with
perfect eye/hand coordination by an individual in catching a thrown disc. Also known as: SOAK or HOME RUN.
BAIL or BAILING:
Jumping or diving off the line to get out of the way of a fast shot, or taking
evasive action to keep from getting beaned.
Also known as: LASHING. See
FACIAL DISGRACIAL.
BLIND
MULE: When the disc has been deflected, or upped but is dropping somewhere
behind a player, in a last ditch effort to save it, the player executes a
“blind” leg kick in hopes of making contact and keeping the disc alive. Accredited to Duane Haralson.
BOB MAY
GRIP: When the disc is gripped for this backhand throw, the thumb is loosely
positioned on top of the disc with only the finger tips touching the inside rim. Chuck Schultz was also using this grip as
early as 1974. Most players will find the
Bob May grip difficult to control accurately at first but on the plus side, they
will be able to throw the disc with greater speed.
BODY BLOW: A
Guts shot which hits a catcher anywhere other than the hands.
BRISTLES FIRST: A more painful version of the broom
handle. See BROOM HANDLE.
BROOM HANDLE: What the losers get when they are
swept in two straight games. See
BRISTLES FIRST.
BUTTER: A
weak throw that is easily caught. Also
known as: PARKAY, CAKE, PUS, WEAK SAUCE, and CHEESEBURGER. May also be used to taunt a player, i.e.
“You’re Butter!”, or by repeating the word in a chant as the thrower approaches
the foul line, i.e. “Butter-Butter-Butter-Butter”. See FRESH MEAT and TARGET BOY or TARGET
GIRL. See also GAME PLAN, WEAK LINK, POACH,
and DEAN.
CENTER: The
position on the defensive line in the middle, between the left Whip and right Whip;
generally, a team’s best catcher will play Center. See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and
definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, Games, p.76.
CHEESEEATER:
A Guts player from
CINCO: A
throw that passes cleanly between the legs of a defensive player, as in the
Hockey term, “5-hole”.
CLEAN CATCH:
A clean catch shall satisfy all of the following requirements: (1) The disc shall be held solely in
one hand long enough to establish complete control; (2) The disc shall not be touched by any two parts of a player's
body at any one time; and (3) The
disc shall not touch the ground prior to all other prerequisites being
satisfied.
CONTROLLED
TIPPING: Following initial contact, the best teams will continue to tip, or
“up” the disc until it can be successfully passed to a powerful or accurate
throwing teammate, who will then make the return throw. See TIPPING.
CROSSOVER: Veteran players have conditioned themselves to be
ambidextrous in catching so the hand on the side of the body to which the disc
has been thrown must make initial contact.
There is not time to crossover with the other hand to try to make the
catch.
CUPOLA:
The central raised structure featured on the topside of the Pro® model Frisbee®.
Paper labels or stickers are often produced to commemorate Guts
tournaments and affixed to the cupola.
DEAN: An
extreme poach, in which a player physically injures his or her teammate while
attempting to intercept, or while intercepting a shot that was obviously intended
for the teammate. See POACH.
DEFLECTION: Following initial contact, the disc can be deflected – not
caught or dropped but “upped” in such a way that the exchange continues with
the outcome to be determined eventually with a catch or a drop. Also known as: GOLLUM. See TIPPING and CONTROLLED TIPPING.
DUMP: An illegal
or bad throw (high, short, wide, or vertical) which results in a point for the defensive,
or receiving team. See HIGH, SHORT,
WIDE, VERTICAL and GOOD THROW.
EARTH SUCK:
A usually silent invocation by the offensive players while the defensive team
is tipping, or bobbling the disc and trying to make a catch, in hopes that their
efforts will be unsuccessful, the disc will touch the ground, and a point will
be scored for the offense.
EXCHANGE: A throw of the Fire Orange 110 gram Pro® model Frisbee® and an
attempted catch, with a catch being made or a point being scored.
FACIAL
DISGRACIAL: When 110 grams of fire orange plastic is applied to the cranium at
high speed from 14 meters. Accredited to
Doug Corea. Also known as: BEANED. See RIP A LIP.
FLATBALL: A Frisbee®, or any flying disc. Also, any one of a variety of games, including
Guts, involving a Frisbee®, or other brand of flying disc.
FLY WING:
The Wing position on the defensive line that would be away from the predicted
destination of the shot. The Fly Wing has
the responsibility of guessing when he or she can leave the line, possibly early,
in trying to get a jump in the direction of a possible deflection, deduced from
the physical attitude of the thrower or by the direction of the shot itself. See WING.
15/75 MOLD:
The Wham-o Frisbee® brand Flying Disc manufacturer’s current mold number for
the official disc used in Guts play. See
GUTS PRO®.
FISHHOOK: To
throw a fishhook, the disc is gripped like a thumber but thrown from the same
side of the body as a backhand with the topside of the disc facing the thrower. When thrown right-handed, the spin somewhat resembles
that of a left-handed thumber. Very
nasty at high speeds. Also known as:
CORKSCREW.
FLAT
LIPS FLY STRAIGHT, TILTED LIPS CURVE: A modified term taken from the original inscription
featured on the backs of Wham-o Frisbee® brand Flying Discs, including the Pro®
model used in Guts play. Accredited to
Mental Toss Flycoons.
FLIP:
Similar to the coin toss prior to the start of the game in other sports, the
flip of the disc, and calling “Top” or “Bottom” will determine which team will
have its choice of “Shot” or “Side”. In
Game 2 (and Game 3, if necessary) in a best two-out-of-three games match, the
loser of the previous game will have choice of shot or side to begin each
successive game.
FOOT FAULT:
When the thrower’s foot touches, or crosses the foul line while still in
contact with the disc. The throwing team
is responsible for positioning a player at the end of the foul line to watch
for and call foot faults against his or her own team. Penalty: Throwing team loses possession of
the disc but does not lose a point.
14 METERS:
The distance between the lines of a Guts court – 45 feet, 11 inches.
FRESH MEAT: A new Guts player. Also known as: NEWBIE or ROOKIE. See BUTTER, CROSSOVER, TARGET BOY or TARGET
GIRL, and WEAK LINK. See also DEAN, GAME
PLAN, and POACH.
FRISBEE
NEVER LIES, The: The Frisbee never lies is a way of saying that the disc will
decide whose argument was meritorious. Example
– A player on Team A throws a shot that is called high by a player on Team
B. The team captains "discuss"
the exchange, and finally agree that they cannot agree and so determine a re-throw,
or a second attempt by the throwing team is prudent. On the re-throw, Team A scores cleanly and
may yell, "The Frisbee never lies!" at Team B. Conversely, on the re-throw, Team A dumps, or
Team B makes the catch and may yell, “The Frisbee never lies!” at Team A. See RE-THROW.
FRIZBY: An
ancestral version of Guts was played with cookie-tin lids called
"units", or Framus. According
to Dave "Obie" Oberlander, players faced each other 30 feet apart
with one foot on a fixed spot. The
Frizby was glided by one to the other.
If the Frizby was caught, or was out of a receiver’s reach, the defense
scored a point. If the “catcher” moved
his "fixed" foot, used more than one hand, or failed to catch the
Frizby, the throwers scored a point.
Thrower and receiver alternated.
A score of 21 points won. And, from
Harry Ambrose: "We played Frizby before '51; I played at Kimball Union in
'48-51. One of our fraternity classmates,
Ace Hall, played in '51 before he went to
GAME PLAN:
Guts is a game of physical strategy. Without
a game plan, success is often what the other team will experience. Top teams target an individual player from
the opposing team who they feel they can beat, either offensively or
defensively, and then shell him or her relentlessly and unmercifully. He or she IS the Game Plan. Game Plan could be a couple of players,
depending upon wind direction and offensive end of court but the idea is to
“starve” their best players and try to beat the others. Also known as: TARGET BOY or TARGET GIRL or
WEAK LINK. See BUTTER and STARVE.
GO GET IT: A
verbal expression by the thrower, generally yelled at the top of one’s lungs,
following a successful shot (sometimes an ace) that requires a member of the defensive
team to go a considerable distance to retrieve the disc. Accredited to Bill “The Train” Begoske. Also known as: SEE YA. See ACE and TAXI.
GOOD CALL: A
usually quiet acknowledgment (“Good call”) when the other team finally admits
that they were wrong.
GOOD THROW:
A good throw is made when all of the following requirements are met: (1) The throw travels to or through
the scoring zone of a player on the receiving team, reaching the goal line
prior to touching the ground; (2)
The throw crosses or hits the goal line topside up at an angle of less than 90 degrees
to the ground; (3) The throw is
released while the thrower's supporting points are behind the foul line; and (4) The disc is not intentionally bent
to alter its true flight. See HIGH,
SHORT, WIDE, VERTICAL and FOOT FAULT.
GUTS: The original
flying disc game was introduced at the Healy Insurance annual summer picnic in
1958 in
GUTS PLAYERS
ASSOCIATION (GPA): The Guts Players Association was formed in 1978 and drafted official
rules and standards for the sport, including tournament guidelines and the
Observers Handbook, and published a quarterly newsletter to its membership. The original GPA “instigating” committee
consisted of the following individuals: Ron Arndt, Al Bauman, Nancy
(Baumdraher) Demers, Buck Buchanan, Dave Demers, Willie Leffel, Kevin McCallum,
John Sappington, Chuck Shultz, and Joe Youngman. Those duties are now managed by the
organization known as the UNITED STATES GUTS PLAYERS ASSOCIATION (USGPA). See UNITED STATES GUTS PLAYERS ASSOCIATION.
GUTS PRO®: The official disc used in Guts play is
the Pro® model Frisbee® brand flying disc and weighs
approximately 110 grams. The original
Pro® model was designed by Ed
Headrick and produced by Wham-o Manufacturing Co. See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and
definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, The Frisbee and Other Flying Discs, p.29. In 1978, the 15 mold Pro® in Fire Orange became the official Guts
Pro®. That first GPA Pro® featured a black hotstamp which read GUTS PLAYERS ASSOCIATION
1978 and a single black band. The label
or sticker was designed by Mike Guernsey.
It was gold with a black imprint and read guts players association gpa
and featured the stylized outline of a disc.
See GPA Newsletter, Volume 1, Number 2, Loose Tips, p.9. Currently,
the Pro® mold used in tournament
play is the 15/75 mold and may feature a commemorative label.
HAT SHOT: Another
player’s hat is one of the most highly coveted trophies in Guts. Following an old Guts tradition, if you knock
a player's hat off cleanly with your thrown shot, you win the hat.
HEALY: The
surname of the family credited with having invented the game of Guts. The famed North Central team included the
four Healy boys – Bob (Boots), John (Jake), Tim, and Peter – who won the IFT
each of the first ten years. See
INTERNATIONAL FRISBEE TOURNAMENT.
HEADRICK,
ED; Created and patented the Wham-o Professional® model Frisbee® in 1964. His invention evolved into the Guts Pro® and included
“flight rings” or “the Lines of Headrick”, which gave the disc better stability
in flight. Ed Headrick was a visionary
and probably most responsible for starting the modern day era of flying disc
sports. See The Complete Book of Frisbee
by Victor Malafronte, Poetry in Plastic:
The Frisbee Finds Its Finest Form, p.80.
See GUTS PRO.
HIGH: When
a thrown disc crosses the goal line above the fully upstretched hands of a
player, it will be ruled high, and results in a point being scored for the
defense. A head-high or higher shot,
although riskier to throw than a shot to the midsection, is equally more
difficult to catch or deflect to teammates.
See OPTIMUM EFFORT, DUMP and GOOD THROW.
HYZER:
This is the angle the Frisbee® makes at release in relation to the ground. And, Rule: the unheld (9 o’clock) side (wing)
of the Frisbee® is lower at release than the held side. See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, The Throw, p.57. Also, Angle
of roll, Frisbee’s sideways tilt at whelm, or the first period of flight. See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual
and definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, Glossary, p.156. See
ANHYZER.
INITIAL CONTACT: That point at which a member of the receiving team first
touches the disc.
INTERNATIONAL
FRISBEE TOURNAMENT (IFT): The oldest and most prestigious Frisbee tournament,
the IFT had its beginnings in 1958 and is contested annually in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan. See Healy.
INTERNATIONAL
FRISBEE HALL OF FAME: Located in
JIMFIELD: A
state of physical weakness, particularly in hot weather.
JULIUS T.
NACHAZEL GUTS CUP: The oldest trophy in disc sports, the Nachazel Guts Cup is awarded
to the winners of the IFT. All Guts
players long to drink from the Cup; even those who have won IFT previously aspire
to drink again from the Cup. The
original Nachazel Guts Cup was a forty-six ounce tomato juice can standing on
top of a smaller can with galvanized iron handles, and a can-lid base. It was highly polished and bore a World War I
German scrolled emblem with an inscrutable inscription, “Parole Heimath,” which
as baffled cup experts for years. The
first trophy contained a “rattle” in the smaller can, a built-in burglar
alarm. See
FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D.
Johnson, Tournaments, p.104. The Nachazel Guts Cup is pictured with its
namesake (J.T. Nachazel) and early IFT director (Jon Davis) on p.105 in FRISBEE
A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D.
Johnson. See INTERNATIONAL FRISBEE
TOURNAMENT.
LEAKY SPONGE: A hand that comes extremely close to
catching a disc cleanly but just not close enough.
LIP SHOT:
No definition needed.
LOAD: An
after-competition party, i.e. "You goin' to the load at Julie's after the
finals?”
MINI-GUTS:
Guts played with a Mini Frisbee® or sometimes a small plastic lid. Often played to blow off steam after a Guts
match in someone's living room, usually with visiting Guts teams. The rules differed from competitive Guts and
favored keeping exchanges and the game going as long as possible. For example, with limited room for a windup,
throws were mostly wrist action and required throwers to “air-bounce” throws. Another accepted throwing techniques was to
snap the Mini like a bottle cap.
MORRISON,
WALTER: Co-inventor of the Flyin Saucer, the first plastic flying disc, in 1948
with Warren Franscioni. Morrison later
devised the Pluto Platter Flying Saucer, teamed up with Wham-o Mfg. Co., and in
1957, the first of the Wham-o Pluto Platters were produced for the retail
market. See The Complete Book of Frisbee by Victor
Malafronte, Poetry in Plastic: The
Frisbee Finds Its Finest Form, pgs.70-75.
NO
GUTS, NO GLORY: No explanation necessary.
OBSERVERS: By
rule, up to three experienced individuals who are not participating in the game
may act as Observers but two Observers are generally used in tournament semi-final
and final matches. The duty of the
Observer is to carefully watch the action of the game for the sole purpose of
rendering a decision in the event of a dispute that cannot be resolved. Observers shall not make any calls on their
own initiative. They are “passive”
except when asked by one or both team captains to determine the outcome of an
honest disagreement regarding a conflicting call. Once the Observers have been called in, their
decision is final. The Observer with the
best view of the play will make the call.
If the Observers choose to do so, they may confer and discuss the play
among themselves before rendering a decision.
If the Observers cannot agree upon the call, a re-throw will ensue. Each Observer has distinct responsibilities,
which alternate when the team on his or her end of the court is playing offense
or defense. The Observer on the
offensive end is positioned behind the thrower and watches for errant throws (high,
short, wide, and vertical) and for foot faults.
The Observer on the defensive end is positioned in front and to one side
of the goal line to watch for errant throws and traps. Use of Observers will be based on the
Observer's Handbook. Once known as
GAMESMEN and could number up to five, they were named as follows: HEAD
GAMESMAN, LINESMAN I and II, and GOALSMAN I and II. Ideally, Guts should be played without
referees. Younger teams have difficulty
with this and need a kind of officiating that can only be described as therapeutic. A mature Guts team learns to blend absolute
aggression with impeccable honesty – an admirable accomplishment. See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and
definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, Games, p.76-77. See GOOD
CALL, FOOT FAULT, TRAP and RE-THROW.
OLD TIMER: Any of the old men who hobble around on
the Guts court but somehow still manage to kick a youngn’s butt. A really old player would be known as: OL’
TIMER. Also known as: GEEZER.
ON THE COOLER: The preferred spot of Target Boy or
Target Girl. See TARGET BOY or TARGET
GIRL.
OPTIMUM
EFFORT: Full extension of the arms and hands demonstrated by the defensive player,
or players nearest the disc as it crosses the goal line. The defensive player must prove, by exhibiting
full extension that the throw was high or wide but is not required to move his
or her feet, or leave the ground to reach the throw. Should a player jump, lunge laterally (or sideways),
or otherwise extend, or increase the area of his or her defensive responsibility
in an attempt to reach a thrown disc, should that disc now pass within his or
her extended reach, it will be determined to be a good throw, and result in a
point for the throwing team. See SCORING
ZONE.
PAPER PLATE
GUTS: Invented by Dave “Spec” Hillman and Buck Buchanan, Paper Plate Guts is a
game to celebrate the end of a tournament.
Initially, the Queen City Flyers (
POACH: When a player on the defensive line attempts to intercept, or does
intercept a shot that was clearly headed for his or her teammate. Sometimes when a teammate is getting shelled,
the player next to him or her will try to take some pressure off by poaching. See DEAN, BUTTER, and WEAK LINK.
POST-OPTIMAL: That state achieved when considerably more alcohol is
consumed than was necessary to reach the most favorable or desirable inebriated
playing level.
RE-THROW: A
second attempt by the throwing team. When a disagreement arises as to the outcome
of an exchange, and observers are not being utilized, team captains may agree
to a re-throw. Also known as: THROWOVER.
See FRISBEE NEVER LIES, The.
RIP A LIP:
A phrase sometimes used to fire up a player before he or she prepares to
throw. Also known as: BEAN ‘EM. See FACIAL DISGRACIAL.
SCORING
ZONE: An area within which a defensive player can reach a thrown disc by using
optimum effort, and without leaving his feet.
The scoring zone can be described as follows: (1) The bottom of the
plane is the goal line; (2) The top of the plane is an imaginary line, directly
above and parallel to the goal line, which intersects the top of the longest
finger of the longer arm of the receiving player when said arm is extended
upward and perpendicular to the ground; and (3) The sides of the plane are
imaginary lines, one on each side of the player, perpendicular to the goal line
and the top of the plane, which intersect the outstretched longest fingers of
each arm of the player when his arms are held parallel to the goal line. See OPTIMUM EFFORT, HIGH, SHORT, WIDE and
GOOD THROW.
SCRAMBLE: When a shot is not caught but deflected on
initial contact, top team players scramble to keep the disc aloft, trying to
position themselves in relation to their teammates in such a way so that all
possible paths that the disc might take to the ground are blocked, and the
catch made, thus keeping the throwing team from scoring a point. See DEFLECTION, TIPPING, and CONTROLLED
TIPPING.
SHORT: When a throw touches the ground, or does not travel the required 14 meters without
touching the ground before it crosses the
goal line, it will be ruled short, and results in a point being scored for the
defense. Also known as: WORM
BURNER. See OPTIMUM EFFORT, DUMP and
GOOD THROW.
SIDEWINDER:
A Guts player from
SNAP: Snap
is the last and most important ingredient of the throwing motion and directly
relates to the amount of spin the thrower is able to apply to the disc upon
release. To get a feel for what snap is
all about, try snapping a bath towel. This
practice will work for all throws and releases.
SMOKE: A
fast shot. Also known as: HEAT or ROCKET.
SPIN: A
good snap-of-the-wrist at release will add more spin, which will improve flight
stability. Many players believe that is
harder for the defense to handle a throw with high RPM’s, or spin as the disc
will tend to "rip away" following initial contact.
STARVE: With
a game plan in place, the opponent’s best players are starved, or see
absolutely no action – no shots EVER go their way and therefore, they get no
chance to throw. See BUTTER, GAME PLAN,
TARGET BOY or TARGET GIRL, and WEAK LINK.
STYLISTICS
or STYLISTIC SH*T: Freestyle or Freestyling, or at what many Guts players scoff
heartily, after having attempted it once, and feebly.
SUBSTITUTION:
A substitution may take place at every eleven-point switch with no restriction
on players returning to the game.
SWITCH: Teams
switch ends of the court at every eleven point cumulative score (6-5, 15-7,
19-14, 21-21) to even the playing field regarding conditions, such as wind and
sun.
TAKE
YOUR MEDICINE: Once you have thrown your best shot, it is time to handle the
shot to be thrown at you.
TARGET BOY
or TARGET GIRL: The player receiving all of the offensive attention, or the
player getting shelled by the opponent; generally, a weak thrower or poor
catcher. Also known as: WEAK LINK or
GAME PLAN. See BUTTER.
TARTUFFE: A
Queen City Flyers catch (or a play by Moliere), or a shot (or the resulting up)
that hits the “catcher” squarely in the chest without touching either hand. Pronounced “tar-toof” with the accent on the
second syllable. Also known as: TAKING
THE BANG.
TAXI:
Following a good high throw ace, the verbal expression, “Taxi!” is conveyed by
the perpetrator, or thrower, in response to the non-verbal expression of
embarrassment conveyed by the victim, or non-catcher, of giving the impression
that he or she is waving for a taxi.
Also known as: FLASH CAB. See ACE,
GO GET IT and OPTIMUM EFFORT.
THUMBER: For
this throw, the grip is achieved with the thumb extended and tightly pressed
against the inside rim of the Frisbee with the fingers on the top. The objective is to achieve a double-impetus,
accentuating the snap of the wrist with the snap of the thumb. When properly delivered, the thumb flip
creates a high revolution rate which can result in the Frisbee rising or
dropping rapidly at the conclusion of the flight. This tendency, combined with its speed and
increased revs, makes the thumb flip exceedingly difficult to catch. See The Official Frisbee Handbook by Goldy
Norton, fancy flips and classy catches,
pgs.46-47. Also, when the disc is
gripped for this throw, the thumb is positioned inside the rim with the fingers
curled over and around the rim on the topside.
The best thumbers are thrown with the rim of the disc positioned in the
crease of the palm. Upon release, more
spin is generated and less friction applied (because the disc is not scraping
across the whole palm of your hand), creating more up/down movement in flight. The throwing motion for a thumber can be
simple and straightforward and resemble a pitcher throwing a baseball. The motion can include a deliberate walk up
to the line, like Bob Hansen used, before releasing the disc. Or the throwing motion can take on a life of
its own, including a long run up, such as the thumber of Ron Arndt. David Trauger’s thumber incorporated a long
run up and culminated with a turnaround.
The turnaround adds dimension to the release: deception (the thrower is
able to “hide” the disc until just prior to release, making it more difficult
for the defense to track the shot), and additional speed (generated by the
added “length” of the motion itself).
But this motion requires a much greater degree of coordination, skill,
and timing. Top thumbers can make the
disc jump, or move from the player who looked initially to be the target to
another player located one or two positions over. Also known as: THUMB FLIP, THUMB SHOT, or
TUMMER (if you’re from Laurium).
TIPPING: A
player or players will attempt to gain control of the throw following initial
contact with the thrown disc by tipping the disc (usually) back and forth from
hand to hand, with the eventual goal being to make the catch. Initially, tipping was the name given to that
circumstance of striking the bottom of the plate with hand, foot, etc., to
produce artificial hover and easy catch.
See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr.
Stancil E.D. Johnson, Glossary, and
p.187. Also known as BOBBLING and
UPPING. See CONTROLLED TIPPING and
DEFLECTION.
TOE THE
LINE: All players on the defensive or receiving team must toe the line, or
remain on the goal line until the disc has been thrown.
TRAP: An
illegal catch using two hands, or when the disc touches two parts of the same
body at one time. Since catches must be
made one-handed, a catch made by holding, pressing, or squeezing the Frisbee
against the body is a trap. See FRISBEE
A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, Games, p.77. Also, any catch other than a “clean”
one-hander. See FRISBEE A practitioner's
manual and definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, Glossary, p.187.
TROLL: A
Guts player from
TURNOVER:
When the disc is gripped for this throw, the thumb is positioned on the inside
of the rim. The disc is thrown very fast
upside down and "turns over", or flips before it crosses the goal
line. A decent description for the
throwing motion would be that of a bowler, including the snap at release. The turnover was first thrown by Frank
Herveat, who taught the throw to Tad “Turnover” Turner, who had the first great
one. Also known as: FLIPPER, HOOKED-THUMBER,
or BARREL ROLL.
TWO-FINGER:
When the disc is gripped for this throw, the index and middle fingers are positioned
under the rim with the thumb on top. Calling
it a "Two-Finger" is something of a misnomer. Although two fingers are positioned inside
the rim, that point at which the disc is last in contact with the hand is
actually one finger – either the index finger or the middle finger. Two fingers can be positioned together, spread
far apart, or somewhere in between. In
some versions of the two-finger, the index finger is pressed against the inside
wall (Toejam's Recess). The thumb,
depending on preference, can lay on the smooth lip (Morrison's slope), part on
the rim and part on the Lines of Headrick, or fully on the Lines of Headrick. Grip choice varies with comfort and desired flight
of the disc. In learning to throw the two-finger
shot, it is generally helpful to scoop your arm down near the knees and close
to the body, with the two fingers pointed to the ground as your arm is brought forward
for release. This action helps ensure
the disc will not become vertical before reaching the goal line. Keeping your elbow in close at your side throughout
the throwing motion may help keep the shot “legal”, as will abruptly stopping
the throwing motion rather than allowing your hand to turn over, which will
push the shot toward vertical. A sidearm
shot like that of Bob McCartney was tough to catch because it was not only
fast, it also dipped, dropping over a foot before the rising back up to the
defensive target, effectively "bouncing" on air the same way a good
thumber will bounce sideways. The
movement added another dimension to trying to catch it and it took enormous
concentration to catch it cleanly. Another
tough sidearm to catch was that of Vaughn Frick. It was slower than McCartney’s but he could
consistently place it four inches off the ground. It also angled slightly down. When this shot was thrown low, there were no ups
– if you touched it, it was either caught cleanly or it hit the ground at your
feet. Then there is the shot of John
Begoske, which moves like a thumber.
Begoske’s delivery is unique, and surely adds to the speed at which his
shot travels. His approach to the foul
line is actually quite slow and deliberate but once his plant foot has done its
job, John somehow manages to remain in contact with the disc even when his
forward momentum has lifted both of his feet off the ground. His release actually takes place when he is
airborne. This ability hyper-extends the
“length” of his motion and directly relates to the amount of spin he is able to
apply. Also known as: SIDEARM or FOREHAND.
UPPING:
Also known as: BOBBLING and TIPPING. See
TIPPING and CONTROLLED TIPPING.
UNITED
STATES GUTS PLAYERS ASSOCIATION (USGPA): See http://www.usgpa.net.
VERTICAL:
When a thrown disc arrives at the goal line at or exceeding 90 degrees, it will
be ruled vertical, and results in a point being scored for the defense. See DUMP and GOOD THROW.
WEAK LINK: A player on the opposite team designated as the intended
target for the offense, either because of weak hands, a weak shot, or newness
to the game. Guts is a game of
strategy, as well as a physical contest of skill. Games are won (and lost) when the weak link
can be identified and exploited. Also
known as: GAME PLAN and TARGET BOY or TARGET GIRL. See BUTTER.
WHEN A BALL
DREAMS, IT DREAMS IT IS A FRISBEE: “Nuff said.
WHIP: The
position on the defensive line on either side of the Center between Center and Wing,
i.e. right Whip or left Whip. See FRISBEE
A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, Games, p.76.
WIDE: When
a throw passes outside the outstretched outside
hand of the Wing, it will be ruled wide, and results in a point being scored for
the defense. See OPTIMUM EFFORT,
DUMP and GOOD THROW.
WIND SPEED and
DIRECTION: Too little attention is given to the wind, which can be the
equalizer between a good throw and a great throw, and between a good throw and
a dump. And because teams switch ends
two, three, or even more times each game, players should know how their shot
works in the wind. The good teams
practice during windy conditions instead of cancelling practice. In high wind conditions, some shots work best
when thrown with the wind – especially two-fingers and thumbers (more speed). Turnovers are best when thrown into the wind
(more movement). Thumbers can be tricky
when thrown into the wind but will have more movement. Backhands can be thrown either into or with
the wind. Turnovers are not so
successful when thrown with the wind. Two-fingers
cannot be thrown successfully into a strong wind; in fact, any throw made into
the wind with Hyzer is suspect as they want to go vertical. See HYZER and VERTICAL.
WING: The position
on the defensive line outside the Whip, i.e. right Wing or left Wing. Also known as: END. See FLY WING.
See FRISBEE A practitioner's manual and definitive treatise by Dr.
Stancil E.D. Johnson, Games, p.76.
YA GOTTA
HAVE GUTS! No explanation necessary.
YOOPER: A
Guts player from
Special
thanks to all who have assisted in this literary “work”: Buck Buchanan, Bruce Wilk,
Vaughn Frick, Scott Brooks, Mike Colden, Linda Morrison, Tom Field, Gene Marsh,
David Trauger, Tim Trauger, Skeeter Hoffman, Dave Bradshaw, and Scott Dickson,
and especially to Dr. Stancil E.D. Johnson, FRISBEE A practitioner’s manual and
definitive treatise; Goldy Norton, The Official Frisbee Handbook; and Victor
Malafronte, The Complete Book of Frisbee.
Thanks for your help!
Please send
any additions to Steve Trauger at platterman@aol.com.