Jeff Perry Founder's Blog

We are always on the lookout for ideas and inspiration that will help us discern what the next big thing will be for canine disc sports. As a business owner I often look for inspiration from other successful businesses. With that sentiment in mind, it’s hard not to admire Apple (formerly Apple Computer). Apple’s contribution toward the simplification of our lives is without equal. And today, at 10:00 a.m., Pacific time, Apple will unveil the next iteration of the iPad. Depending upon who you believe, the iPad 2 will either be a modest re-fresh, or a competition-stopping juggernaut. I’m going to make a few of my own predictions and see how close I get to the mark.

First, I think Apple will introduce a lower price point version of the iPad that will either be a continuation of the original version of the camera-less iPad 1, or, Apple will offer a new lower-priced iPad 2 that goes minimal on the memory and features but still gives users the tablet experience.

A few days ago Apple’s COO, Tim Cook, commented during an Analyst Q&A, that he believes the tablet market could eventually be larger than the PC market. Given that 400 million PC’s were sold in the world this past year, I think that will take some time…unless Apple’s mystery 500,000 square foot data center in Maiden, N.C., enters the picture. I suspect…or rather I predict…we will see some nexus between the iPad 2 and that new Apple data center announced today. If Apple truly wants to accelerate adoption of the tablet form factor, then they will have to allow users to access all of their information, images, music, movies, applications, etc., via their iPads. If they can do that, then I see the PC gradually being supplanted by more nimble devices including light-weight laptops, smart phones and tablets.

There has been quite a bit of abstract discussion about cloud computing in recent years and what that may mean for us in the future, but up until now, no company has found a way to bring cloud computing to the typical consumer in a meaningful and indispensable way. My money is on Apple to make that happen.

For some time, I have been on a journey to become more green in the way I live my life. My real greening started 20 years ago when I gave up eating meat of any kind. What started as a one-year-challenge, became a way of life and I’ve never looked back. Of course, the philosophical argument of not wanting to eat animals was the reason I switched to a vegetarian diet to begin with, but, as I later read, there were plenty of other ecological reasons to make this lifestyle change. For example, I’ve read that it takes 1000 gallons of water and 20 pounds of grain to raise one pound of beef. You could feed and bathe quite a few youngsters in less developed countries with that much grain and water.

But I didn’t stop there. I’ve also tried to be fuel efficient in the vehicles I drive as well, opting for fuel efficient under-powered engines, and smaller form factors. When kids entered the picture, we went for a modest mini-van instead of a giant, gas-hog SUV. In fact, I’ve been eyeing the Nissan Leaf, all-electric vehicle, and will probably purchase one of those up when our tiny Saturn sedan dies.

Although I have always recycled I decided it might be a good time to try my hand at composting. So, I did some research on all the commercially-available models and found them all to be a bit light on capacity. While doing my research, I happened upon a photo of a composting bin made of old shipping pallets. It just so happened that about 50 unused pallets were stacked in Hyperflite’s warehouse. Usually, we keep enough for shipping and give the rest to folks that resell them. But, the pallet resellers have gotten picky and won’t take pallets that are a little beat up. Not wanting to throw them in the dumpster, we have been saving them for the proverbial rainy day.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Speaking for myself, it has always been uplifting for me to see competitors imitate tricks and moves that I originated. Quite a few of those moves are fairly standard in competition today, a sort of living legacy if you will.

But recently, Hyperflite received a much-less-appreciated reminder that not all imitation is flattering. The hullabaloo started when with an e-mail from one of our Chinese retailers who believed that fake Hyperflite discs were being passed off as originals by an unscrupulous Chinese company. Our retailer sent us some e-mail photos of discs that, at first glance, didn’t look quite right. As I poured over the photos, the first obvious sign that something was amiss caught my eye. The image that I focused on was of a SofFlite disc (a soft and flexible disc for canines with gentle bites). Only, the disc in the photo was in a color that we have never before manufactured. In fact, several of the discs in the photos were in unusual colors. At our request, samples of these obviously fake discs are on the way to Hyperflite. We look forward to receiving them and helping our Chinese customers identify the differences between fake and genuine Hyperflite discs. But, until then, there is one surefire way for Chinese disc doggers to determine whether the discs they are purchasing are genuine. Take a look at the Hyperflite Retailer list, at www.hyperflite.com, and, if a store purporting to sell Hyperflite discs is not on the list, you can assume that those discs are fake. Fake discs may be made from polymers that are unsuitable for canine use and may contain substances that are downright dangerous to your canines. For your dog’s safety, always insist on genuine Hyperflite discs.

For our loyal customers in other parts of the world, rest easy. It is highly unlikely that these fakes will find their way into the U.S., Japan, or Europe, where stronger intellectual property laws allow companies like Hyperflite to take measures to control such activities. But in China, where intellectual property protection is a bit like justice in the Wild-Wild-West, we must depend on sharp-eyed buyers to discern between the genuine article and the potentially dangerous fakes.

We’ll share more information with you when we have a chance to take a gander at the fake discs in a week or so.

With the competition calendar about to bloom like a spring bouquet, this is a good time to offer a bit of advice on an important issue. As someone who has served on both sides of the trench, I am qualified to opine on such things. What trench you might ask? Why, the metaphorical trench that lies between the disc dog playing field and the judge’s chairs, of course.

The issue that I want to discuss is “sportsmanship” and the role that canine disc competitors, officials, and organizers have in ensuring that the sport is fun for all participants, the vast majority of whom recognize that winning or losing is secondary to fun!

I don’t want to give the impression that bad sports are plentiful in canine disc sports because they certainly are not. But, a little “castor oil” goes a long way, and bad sports can definitely leave a bad taste in the mouths of folks who would rather not have their fun day at the park ruined by someone bellyaching about their scores.

The remarkable thing about poor sports is that they don’t see themselves that way. In fact, I would bet that several of the people I am referring to could read these words and delude themselves into thinking that I am referring to folks other than them. As disc dog enthusiasts, we all have a stake in making sure that these bad apples don’t ruin the experience for newcomers to the sport. To observe passively while these bad actors erupt like volcanoes, merely “enables” further episodes of unsportsmanlike behavior. As an event organizer, I have often listened politely to the ranting and raving of individuals dissatisfied with their scores. I have also gently defended my scores, the scores of my co-judges, and for the past few years, I have defended the entire judging staff, against various accusations of incompetence, bias, and other theories too bizarre to recount.

Essentially, by calmly listening to the tirades of some world-class know-it-alls, I have been an enabler too. After enduring a painful episode last season in which one poor sport justified his actions by observing that another poor sport engaged in similar behavior that wasn’t punished, I realized that it was time for action. So, we instituted a zero tolerance policy at the 2010 World Championship that we are carrying forward to the 2011 season.

I think it is only fair that I confess my general loathing for all things blog related. Some folks love them, but I can’t say that I am one of them. So, you might wonder, why am I blogging now? That’s a fair question and you deserve an answer. It happened like this — a few months ago, I had the brilliant idea that Peter Bloeme, Hyperflite’s most well-know co-founder, should write a blog to give folks a little insight into all things disc dog. Over the years, we veteran disc doggers have had many interesting experiences and Peter’s are among the more unusual at that. How many people do you know, for example, who have been on the television game show “To Tell the Truth,” not once, but twice? Peter Bloeme, has certainly lived an interesting life. When I pressed him on the matter unrelentingly, he finally agreed, but with one condition. “Whatever you like,” I offered. He paused for effect and then dropped his bomb on me…“you have to do a blog too.” I had to think about that one for a bit, but ultimately relented since that was the only way that I was going to be able to get some of Peter’s stories out there for all to read.

If you’ve made it this far, I should tell you what to expect if you drop in to read my blog from time-to-time. First, I will occasionally plug the daylights out of Hyperflite for she is in my blood, and I love her. There…I said it, and I’m not ashamed. I will try not to do it so often as to sicken you. Next, I will endeavor to surprise you with my forthrightness, and with some of my own interesting stories, both inside and outside of disc dogging. Often, when you run a business, you try to walk a fine line so as not to offend any of your customers.  I may not always hold true to that aspiration and you may not always like what you read here. But, if you don’t, I hope you won’t take it out on your dog by depriving him of his beloved Hyperflite discs!

Unlike the “olden days” when disc doggers could expect to see us every few weeks at locations around the country, and occasionally overseas, we have become somewhat hermit-like. Most days, we are hunkered down at Hyperflite, working on the next big thing for disc dog enthusiasts. We might be scheming about a new canine disc design, planning next year’s Skyhoundz World Championship, devising a new competition format, writing an article to promote canine disc sports, or working on other canine causes near-and-dear to our hearts.

We know what we’re up to, but you probably won’t, unless you come to the World Championship, of course. Then, if we are lucky, we’ll have time for a quick chat, or handshake, and then it’s back to the administrative rigors associated with staging the largest disc dog competition series in the world.

So, because we don’t get around like we used to do, we thought it might be nice to start a conversation with you, one-sided though it may be, just to keep you posted on what we at Hyperflite are doing and thinking. We hope, through these blogs, to share with you our dedication and love for the greatest canine sport on planet earth and our plans and efforts to promote canine disc sports around the world.

We also hope that, as readers of our “Founder’s Blogs,” you will e-mail us and let us know what you are thinking. Perhaps one of your ideas or suggestions will find its way into one of our “fireside chats.” So without further adieu, we will begin by introducing ourselves to you —

An Introduction

Each of us, Greg, Peter, and me (Jeff Perry), came to canine disc sports uniquely, and at different times. One thing we all had in common was that we all began throwing Frisbee discs at very early ages. Our love of sports, in all forms, was unquestionable. Baseball, football, track, soccer, martial arts, wrestling, lacrosse, backpacking, hang gliding, and rock climbing were, and are, among some of our favorite sporting pastimes. In different ways, each of us ultimately became passionate about canine disc sports.

Our diverse experiences with myriad athletic pursuits gave us the broad perspective necessary to excel in a few of those sports including some that weren’t disc related. For example, Peter was quite an accomplished soccer player, Greg a skilled wrestler, and me, a field and box lacrosse player with a pretty hard shot.