Ultimate Frisbee Karma
Karma is one of those generic concepts that if you are "good/nice" to people, things, and the world, good things will happen to you. The reverse if you aren't. My wife was talking about the concept of what goes around, comes around ... so I mentioned an incident that happened the previous weekend while playing ultimate frisbee.
I've played ultimate frisbee for a while. It's a bit like soccer/football for those not familier with it - you attempt to advance the frisbee past a goal line by passing to a teammate. You can not move while you have the disc and (idealy) it's a no-contact sport. Sportsmanship is emphasized since there are no referees and "good spirit" is appreciated.
So while playing frisbee Sunday, I caught a pass very, very close to the sideline. It was clear where my foot was, so just a matter of looking at the sideline cones. Unfortunately, they were not that straight, so it would be just as easy to say I was in as it would be to call myself out. Several other people (on both teams) had a good view, but it is my call. We were close to the end zone and needed to score as we were down by a few points.
After looking both ways for about 30 seconds (as other people on both teams looked also), I determined I was ever-so-slightly out; so I said "out/turn" and dropped the disk. Several comments from other team about "good call, spirit, etc."
The Captain of the other team picked up the disk as if about to throw it ... and promptly dropped it ... saying "turn" I.e. he intentionally tanked it so we would have the disc back. Everybody understood and respected what he did - classy move on his part ... and I think both of us gained some good karma.
I've played ultimate frisbee for a while. It's a bit like soccer/football for those not familier with it - you attempt to advance the frisbee past a goal line by passing to a teammate. You can not move while you have the disc and (idealy) it's a no-contact sport. Sportsmanship is emphasized since there are no referees and "good spirit" is appreciated.
So while playing frisbee Sunday, I caught a pass very, very close to the sideline. It was clear where my foot was, so just a matter of looking at the sideline cones. Unfortunately, they were not that straight, so it would be just as easy to say I was in as it would be to call myself out. Several other people (on both teams) had a good view, but it is my call. We were close to the end zone and needed to score as we were down by a few points.
After looking both ways for about 30 seconds (as other people on both teams looked also), I determined I was ever-so-slightly out; so I said "out/turn" and dropped the disk. Several comments from other team about "good call, spirit, etc."
The Captain of the other team picked up the disk as if about to throw it ... and promptly dropped it ... saying "turn" I.e. he intentionally tanked it so we would have the disc back. Everybody understood and respected what he did - classy move on his part ... and I think both of us gained some good karma.
posted at 5/09/2006 03:32:00 PM
3 Comments:
Were you really all hulked-up or is that photoshop? Tell me you painted yourselves... :)
It was photoshop ... but would been fun to have painted ourselves ... ;-)
Cool story. I think there is often a similar phenomon in discussion, and I'm sure I picked this up in a Dale Carnegie book. When you defend yourself others will start to find loopholes in your argument and attack you. But when you attack yourself by pointing out your own faults, then others will often come to defend you!
Example:
Jim says: "I'm a great basketball player."
John says: "Hmm, I think there's really a lot you still need to learn, you're actually not that good yet."
Example 2:
Jim says: "I'm a bad basketball player..."
John says: "Nah, it's not that bad, I think you actually did really fine!"
So, people, whereever you can go attack yourself... or something like that ;)
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