The way Foundation Disc Golf is talked about on Twitter, you’d think they injected fresh baby blood into the discs they sell online. Good gravy, I’ve never seen a more targeted brand …
Recently, the Lynchburg-based discs retailer was the topic of heated debate – again. This time, for a Twitter kerfuffle between Foundation’s Brodie Smith and FPO standout Ella Hansen.
The skinny of the situation, just in case you were blessed enough to miss out on it:
- Hansen tweeted this out to her followers.
- Brodie then quote-tweeted Hansen with this take.
- Shortly thereafter, Hansen chose to delete her original tweet.
- She then fired off a new tweet with the polar-opposite perspective …
Have at it:
Just to clarify a couple things:
— Ella Hansen (@bagelpowered) March 1, 2022
I love and appreciate having fans!
Yes there was drinking at the course this weekend!
People are more than welcome to spectate, heckle, yell, etc!
I am allowed to find things annoying!
Thanks everyone and have a great rest of your day.
Seems harmless enough, right?
Eh, not so much – after that, all H-E-double-hockey-sticks broke loose …
Some came to Smith’s defense. By and large, though, the “peacekeepers” of disc golf Twitter converged on the “crime scene” to hurl accusations of sexism, bullying, hypocrisy and – my personal favorite – insensitivity to alcohol consumption (?) at Brodie and his band of bros.
You do have thoughts on alcohol, and they are directly related to our debate. The FPO player complained about drunk fans. You disagreed, screenshot her in case she deleted it and put her in front of your bro-army firing squad twice. I ask again, what do you think of drunk people? https://t.co/ruge2j77mZ
— Parked (@ADiscGolfBlog) March 2, 2022
Nobody asked, but my $0.02 on things?
Within reason, whether to their demise or downfall, let people say what they want – this goes for Ella, Brodie and the fans at DGPT events, as well. Either way, it’s hardly any skin off my nose.
Oh, and one more sector of society this applies to – Foundation Disc Golf.
I like Foundation. Not enough to have ever bought anything from ‘em, but yeah – I enjoy their stuff. I also appreciate what they’re doing for disc golf media. To a certain extent, Green Splatter is a blog-based version of what’s done on their podcasts episodes: news, reviews, hot takes, etc.
If you like it, great.
And if you don’t, also great.
What I struggle with is fans, touring professionals and governing-body executives acting like it’s a crime against disc golf’s humanity to create player-ranking lists, speak critically of a golfer’s performance or suggest sport-wide changes – to do so is to swiftly earn the “TMZ” reputation.
If this is you, for as right as you might be, in my opinion, you’re really going to struggle with the future of disc golf media. All that stuff you hate about Hunter, Trevor and Foundation? Trust me: Disc golf will soon find itself firmly entrenched in what you’ll likely label “media muck.”
My source for this?
Literally EVERY sport on the planet with any kind of sizable, public following.
Is Steph Curry a top 10 NBA player of all time? I have no idea. But I do know this is one of the greatest moments in television history. pic.twitter.com/7ibXyEUIvq
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) March 2, 2022
Hating the holy heck out of Foundation isn’t taking some sort of meaningful, moral stand, just as enjoying them isn’t, either. I mean, we’re talking about throwing a toy around for fun here …
This is hardly a big deal – avoid the temptation to turn it into one.
Go outside. Take a deep breath. Play some disc golf.
Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
Meh, that’s my opinion of foundation.
And you know what, Donovan?
That’s PERFECTLY fine …
What’s crazy is when people act like it’s a sin to like or dislike ’em for their media …
Again, it’s just a game – whatever floats your boat, you know?
This is a fair and reasoned take on the situation. I personally enjoy watching Foundation’s content, even though I don’t agree with all of their takes. But then I enjoy most disc golf content.
But, that’s the way it should be, right?
Read through this blog, and you’re bound to disagree with a sizable portion of what’s discussed …
That’s not a bad thing – that’s good for the sport.
Conversation – as long as it’s respectful – is good for the sport …
Always.
Love this perspective.
Thanks, JR!
BTW, typing out “JR” makes me think of Johnny Cash – very cool 🙂
This article sums it up perfectly. I enjoy foundations content on YouTube, but don’t really dive into the podcasts side. But this is how you get more viewers on disc golf and bring in more money. Disc golfers are true professionals now and it would be nice to see it not be a struggle to go on tour. You don’t have to like them, but that are good for disc golf. Also how many events have drunk fans? Most. Now you also should have some security or people around to help identify those that are not behaving properly to either correct or eject them, that can also be true.
Oh, no doubt …
Fans can say what they want, but the minute they become a distraction, delve into hurtful rhetoric or affect play, they should be removed.
But, yeah – simply voicing an opinion (no matter how stupid or uneducated it might be) can’t be a problem.
Sounds like we’re on the same page with this thing, brotha!
I sit in Norway, so I’m a bit distanced from the whole thing, but I like their podcasts and their contribution to disc golf media. When it comes to the Ella Hansen thing, I believe everyone should be allowed to vent, get their frustrarion out without it being taken up as a big deal. It is obvious that everyone wants fans at events, a bit dumb to suggest that she wasn’t appreciative of that, and fans will heckle, which she probably knows having played a competetive sport before. Heckling is a part of watching sports, we all do it, and we all have a lot of fun doing it.
If people aren’t allowed to say stuff, then we’re silencing them, and that’s worse.
Not Nikko Locastro – got it … haha!
But, Nikko, you’re right …
Fans should be able to say what they want, as long as 1) they’re respectful and 2) aren’t becoming a distraction.
At that point, we’ll have an issue …
But I don’t even think we’re close to that point yet.
BTW, whereabouts are you located in Norway, if you don’t mind me asking?
Thanks for reading!
Agree that it’s important to be respectful, no need being a d**k while watching someone try their best. On that second point, it’s golf, it should be a bit calm and quiet in the moment of the throw, afterwords, all hell can break loose for all I care, like the James Conrad moment at Worlds 😀
I’m in Oslo, although I come from Tromsø, in the arctic.
Like your page here, nice looking for some more dick golf content 🙂
Sweet!
Thanks for reading, Nikko.
Give us a follow on Twitter, if you like: @GreenSplatter
Talk soon!