On Dec. 19th the PDGA office posted :

"There are 60 events remaining to be processed for 2009. If candidates have any B-tiers or higher in those 60 that haven't been processed yet, it's possible they can improve their standings before the final selection.

Once the year is complete, we will post final POY and ROY standings that go down many more places below the cut line than shown in this update so more players can see how well they placed overall for the year."


What is the time-line on this?
Just saying. :)

On Dec. 19th the PDGA office posted :

"There are 60 events remaining to be processed for 2009. If candidates have any B-tiers or higher in those 60 that haven't been processed yet, it's possible they can improve their standings before the final selection.

Once the year is complete, we will post final POY and ROY standings that go down many more places below the cut line than shown in this update so more players can see how well they placed overall for the year."


What is the time-line on this?
Just saying. :)

Considering the ROY is based on basically you best 4 events I really won't pay much attention to it. IMO Brad should be the favorite but unfortunatly for him he is pretty consistent and his top 4-5 events probably won't be rated high enough even though he has won the most money and finished 11th at worlds.

Kinda like when I told Nikko he wouldn't win although he was the best player by far.

I'm just wondering if Camp Augusta needs some help,... I'm available.,.... ROADTRIP!!

Seriously tho,... What's up?

Must be a close one with both. maybe awaiting the coin flip or CTP!

All TDs have not yet sent in their reports to do the player ratings. The final World Rankings, POY and ROY calculations can't even be looked at until the ratings are posted on January 26th. First week of February is the earliest the results could be posted. Final ROY candidates are based on their best Major plus 4 best other events. Final POY candidates are based on their best 2 Majors plus 5 other events. Then Worlds and other factors are used for determining final standings.

All TDs have not yet sent in their reports to do the player ratings. The final World Rankings, POY and ROY calculations can't even be looked at until the ratings are posted on January 26th. First week of February is the earliest the results could be posted. Final ROY candidates are based on their best Major plus 4 best other events. Final POY candidates are based on their best 2 Majors plus 5 other events. Then Worlds and other factors are used for determining final standings.


What!?,.... No CTP?, No Disc Flip? Where's the fun?

Thanks for the info.

What!?,.... No CTP?, No Disc Flip? Where's the fun?

Thanks for the info.

Hey phish, so I was digging through discs at my dad's house and guess what I found? The Ron Russel signed RR edition Z comet you gave me 3-4 years back.

Bad thing is I am tempted to throw it since it has the stiff feel I have been looking for in the newer Z's. Anyway thanks again

Enjoy! Says Russel on it,... But had your name writing all over it.

THROW IT!

All TDs have not yet sent in their reports to do the player ratings. The final World Rankings, POY and ROY calculations can't even be looked at until the ratings are posted on January 26th. First week of February is the earliest the results could be posted. Final ROY candidates are based on their best Major plus 4 best other events. Final POY candidates are based on their best 2 Majors plus 5 other events. Then Worlds and other factors are used for determining final standings.

Is it time yet!?

The calculations are being worked on. However, the decision hasn't been made whether to post the winners on the PDGA website this month or have the next DiscGolfer issue reveal the winners.

The calculations are being worked on. However, the decision hasn't been made whether to post the winners on the PDGA website this month or have the next DiscGolfer issue reveal the winners.


Brutal.

And the winners are,.....

Just waiting for the word from BG.

Sooo, what does the title "Player of the Year" really mean? I pose this question because this new system based strictly on numbers clearly only determines "Thrower of the Year" (and on somewhat dubious "mathematical" foundations, I might add--but that is for another post).

I would think based on the wording of the title, that the POY would also exemplify the characteristics of professionalism to which the PDGA wants all players to aspire. But as it works out, our 2009 POY is a guy that can't even maintain a level of conduct that Amateurs would tolerate in their groups.

I agree that the POY must be at the top echelon of skill and success, but that there should be some accommodation in the equation for the less tangible characteristics of a player that don't necessarily go on the scorecard.

What I am about to say is obviously conjecture, but it is based on a mountain of rhetorical evidence from many parts of the country West to East, North to South: I suspect that if you were to pile up all of the courtesy warnings and violations (especially if all of them had been properly recorded on the scorecard and reported in the TD reports) from all of the POY candidates in '09, our winner would have BURIED the other top contenders... Not to mention the full-on shenanigans he pulled at the last two A tiers of the year.

So what is it? What does POY, as it is figured, mean?

And more importantly what SHOULD it mean? And how do we make the process pick the right person?

Maybe we should just change the title to "Thrower of the Year"?

Sooo, what does the title "Player of the Year" really mean? I pose this question because this new system based strictly on numbers clearly only determines "Thrower of the Year" (and on somewhat dubious "mathematical" foundations, I might add--but that is for another post).

I would think based on the wording of the title, that the POY would also exemplify the characteristics of professionalism to which the PDGA wants all players to aspire. But as it works out, our 2009 POY is a guy that can't even maintain a level of conduct that Amateurs would tolerate in their groups.

I agree that the POY must be at the top echelon of skill and success, but that there should be some accommodation in the equation for the less tangible characteristics of a player that don't necessarily go on the scorecard.

What I am about to say is obviously conjecture, but it is based on a mountain of rhetorical evidence from many parts of the country West to East, North to South: I suspect that if you were to pile up all of the courtesy warnings and violations (especially if all of them had been properly recorded on the scorecard and reported in the TD reports) from all of the POY candidates in '09, our winner would have BURIED the other top contenders... Not to mention the full-on shenanigans he pulled at the last two A tiers of the year.

So what is it? What does POY, as it is figured, mean?

And more importantly what SHOULD it mean? And how do we make the process pick the right person?

Maybe we should just change the title to "Thrower of the Year"?


You do realize the "other" guys are just as bad right? They are all crybabies and it is pretty sad that once they reach a certain level they start acting like a Diva. The only difference is that Nikko's attitude has been out there since he was an AM and he is actually improving slowly but surely.

Former Sportsmanship winners have spit in the basket after a bad hole so I think it is safe to say we all have our moments (some more than others).

Also I am pretty sure I was at the A-tiers in question and he was pretty stupid at the HoTT final for jumping into the thorns instead of walking through them..............however he was penalized at the event and that should be the end of it.

I bet we can find something that all the nominees have done that wasn't the best choice....fact is the kid outplayed everyone else all year.

I agree that Nikko killed it in the air. But I disagree that the other players in the running act as selfishly or immaturely. And you can't rationalize bad behavior based on others' bad behavior either (vis. If Barry jumped off a bridge then...).

I have golfed with all of the finalists and can agree that, like you said, we all have our moments from time to time, but also that none of them even compare to our POY in number or extent of offenses. And when a player is so consistently unprofessional and so willing to act out in such selfish ways against the positive image of the PDGA, it can be PR suicide to justify it with a title as grandiose as Nikko just received.

The fact is that he is now vindicated for his bad behavior and will, as such, be that much more willing to embarrass ALL OF US in the future. And I think it will be even more embarrassing now that he'll be carrying that title when he does act out--I can see the headlines in the local papers now: "Disc Golfer of the Year Trashes Local Park En Route to Victory".

I don't think the old popularity contest is the answer, but there needs to be a clear understanding of the image and perception of POY reflected in the process. And strokes just don't tell the whole story of exemplary play.

It sounds like there has been some enabling going on. If you, or anyone else, is at an event, and someone is behaving as they should not, please call him or her on it.

Period.

After the event is over is not the time to be pointing out those lapses of judgment that others show at an event.

The Board has been wrangling with this issue for over a year now and the decision was made that the Player and Rookie awards should be based purely on performance as they are in many other sports as long as the player was in good standing with the PDGA during the year involved and not suspended at any time during the year or for actions during that year. Nikko met the criteria as stated by the PDGA Board for the award.

The fact we also have the annual Bob West Sportsmanship award was a factor in that decision since that covers the personality issues regarding players being discussed here. Prior to the new process, these awards were subject to popularity and familarity in the voting process and some felt that a more objective process was warranted. So here we go for a while.

It sounds like there has been some enabling going on. If you, or anyone else, is at an event, and someone is behaving as they should not, please call him or her on it.

Period.

After the event is over is not the time to be pointing out those lapses of judgment that others show at an event.

I agree,and I have probably warned the guy 3-4 times and he will usually tone it down.

P;us the griping about courses sounds more like a guy who likes the big open courses vs the tighter ones where he has less of a chance.........that guy was at the HoTT final and complained about Wilco while saying Round Rock was "real" golf.

I strongly disagree that one's actions are somehow only answerable at the instant of action. And I also don't buy into the claim that a separate sportsmanship award should in some way override the need for our POY to have maintained a high-level of serious professionalism throughout the season.

I too have called the boy on his behavior and neglected to note the call on the scorecard. And I know that many others have done the same for him and many other people. And maybe this whole issue does just come down to player enforcement of the rules.

I mean, you said it Chuck, Nikko was in good standing with the PDGA. Though his repeated bad behavior should already have warranted otherwise.

At this point I take issue with myself for not having noted trespasses on our scorecard. Had everyone throughout Nikko's first two pro seasons, including myself, followed through with our ethical responsibility to the rules all of this boy's on-course tantrums and shenanigans would certainly have amounted to the disciplinary action he obviously NEEDS but has yet to receive. And he would now either be the representative that we need him to be, or he wouldn't be given such a great opportunity to represent us.

As has been noted, many sports base POY strictly on performance. But in those sports player behaviors like those displayed by our POY are not tolerated quite so well as they seem to be in ours. This may owe to a more socially cohesive nature somehow inherent in our sport. But I also think that what sometimes passes beneath our conscious awareness as friendly acceptance translates/snowballs over time to an overt lack of professionalism.

More likely, I think, it is the higher stakes involved in more well-capitalized sports that root leniency out of peoples' minds and cause them to demand a higher level of professionalism throughout the season. And that we can expect the level of our own sport to rise as it matures. But only if we demand and enforce it from ourselves and our card-mates. (I'm about to get all-to familiarly cheesy, but profoundly serious) We are all representatives of our sport and the PDGA. And it is extremely disheartening as a player and branding professional that such a visible and high-status rep of the Disc Golf and PDGA brands either doesn't understand that fact, or doesn't care.

So once again I ask not for rebuttals but for thoughtful responses to my question:

What does POY mean? And how can we make sure that the process reflects the high standards of professionalism that a top player and high-profile representative of our sport should maintain?

The answers to these and similar questions have far-reaching implications about the public face, and so the future, of our sport so please give this topic some serious consideration.

The current definition per the PDGA Board is essentially what I posted above and cleaned up below. With that being known, perhaps that will spur the high level players to make the calls necessary such that behavior is either controlled better or properly penalized moving into 2010 and beyond.

"The PDGA Player and Rookie of the Year awards are now based purely on performance over each calendar year as long as the player remains in good standing with the PDGA during the year, is not suspended at any time during the year or for actions during that year that later result in suspension."