2008 Worlds - The Great Shuffle vs. The Great Sort

I'm going to throw this out there right away. I HATE the term "The Great Shuffle". Now, I know what you are thinking. "Jon, with everything else in the world going on why would you worry yourself with the semantics of "The Great Shuffle"? Well, it's simple really. I have no solution for the problems in Georgia (the country, not the state...and let me tell you when I first heard that Russia was invading Georgia, my first thought was "How did they get past S. Carolina?") or Iraq or the economy or the environment...well you get the idea. But I do have a solution for the misnaming of "The Great Shuffle". Before I tell you that, though, let me point out what is wrong with the term "The Great Shuffle" in case it is not as obvious to you as it is to me. Three words: "The", "Great" and "Shuffle". I have no problem with the word "The". Great little article there. I might buy one myself one day to put on my veranda. "Great" is also a good one and appropriate for the hundreds of Advanced Men that need to be pooled based on their scores so far. However, "Shuffle" is just completely inappropriate. The last thing that one the Worlds TDs or staff should be doing is "Shuffling" the leader board cards. No, they need to be SORTED by score! Therefore I've been calling it "The Great Sort" for many years now. I think I first thought of it when I was on the staff of the 2004 Worlds. I got to see The Great Sort in person. It's not as interesting as you might have thought. It's like sorting the leader board at any other tournament and then multiply by a factor of 10 or 20.

Now that I've come up with a much better name for this mile stone of Worlds, I need someone to champion it's use. I'd like to lead this cause myself but am lacking in the charisma and natural social leadership that this job requires. My chance of coining a new phrase is about the same as me loosing 100 lbs. I'm working on it, but it's going to take a while and be a lot of hard work. However, if someone influential like Terry Calhoun were to champion this cause I could see it taking hold before the next Worlds. So, if you feel the same way that I do, go over to Terry's page http://www.discgolfersr.us/profile/TerryCalhoun and send him a message asking him to some drop some casual lines like "Boy, the Worlds staff did a good job with The Great Sort yesterday!" whenever he is around other PDGA movers and shakers. Trust me, it will make the world a better place...or at least the little part of the world that I think I can help make better.

So, now that The Great Sort has taken place, I just want to give a little shout out to some local players that made the cut to the top pool in Advanced. I'm defining "local player" as anyone that I recognize on the leader board as having played the IOS recently. If I miss anyone, I appologize.

David Nelson, Kenny Glassman, Chad Inman, Scott Reek (actually not a local player but he found my wife's disc at Oshtemo and got it back to her at the player's meeting), my big bro "King" Bruce Brakel, Nathan Yemm and Aaron Scott. Way to go guys!!!

[Chuck Kennedy]

If we're going for a new name, might as well make it a good one. I could maybe see The Structured Shuffle or The Sorted Shuffle (sounds a little sinister). John Houck calls it the Mix Master for teams from different pools who get to continue in their team event. But maybe something with pools in it like The Sort-a-Poolooza?

[Tree]

There was a Open player named Scott Reik, too. I didn't find out which Scott it was but I am truly thankful that Scott returned my favorite Bruce dyed ESP XL to me :)

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

You might be a redneck if...you've ever made this statement....

when I first heard that Russia was invading Georgia, my first thought was "How did they get past S. Carolina?

LMAO!!!

Your right, 'shuffle' sounds like dirty pool...'sort' sounds legit.