Hi Baller Syndrome!!

[Tnalp]

I have Hi balled before on a few occasions, over the course of a few seasons in different circumstances. I noticed that i "paid a price"..

I am wondering if anyone has any examples of what kind of case specific "symptoms" true hiballers demonstrated if any!

Examples can be Drug addictions, personality disorders, extreme competitiveness or whatever! The point is to share some observations without naming names, unless it's a positive comment. (that's how I see anyway).

One recurring trait I have come across more than a few times is a very healthy sense of self esteem; bordering on arrogance!
I have also encountered "wing nuts"!! Quite a few alcoholics seemed to be top gunners as well. It seems that there was always a trade off? What about the well adjusted hi baller what was their motivation.

Anyway just a change of pace from the constant topic of low wages etc..

Cheers

[Greg M.]

Healthy sense of self esteem..that's funny. I would say sheer arrogance bordering on supermodel idiosyncrasies and dysfunction.
Some were ruthless...and completely justified pulling bitch when they wanted something or didn't want to do something.
Drugs seem to me an individualistic quality...I would say that there are many on both sides of the fence.

Some of the better qualities are:
personal drive (different from competitiveness)
adaptability
sticktoitiveness
consistency

Any way you want to put it, getting it done everyday with consistency is impressive (that IS what a baller is..right? Doing it everyday and not just the fair weather meatball that brags about a great day then replants for two?)..regardless of whatever personal demons propel them.

[Tnalp]

good start.

I agree some "ballers' are impressive. In the same way that top athletes or top musicians can be impressive.

[bush]

most gifted people are usually damaged in some way or another. haha

[Coaster]

The single most impressive quality I've seen in the fastest planters I've known is total focus. Some hi ballers grunt and pound their way to big numbers, others use more finesse and technique. What they all seem to have in common is unwavering concentration and focus on each tree. They are single minded in the pursuit of big scores. If that means undivided attention or the self discipline to rebag without taking a break, then that's what's happening.

[orintmutch]

Here's the perfect quote from Bruce Lee.

"The successful warrior is the average man, with laserlike focus."

[mwainwright]

the only thing i care to see is that the slowest guy on the crew has the same opportunities to make money as the highballer. other than that i dont really care what anyone else is making, and i certainly dont waste any time thinking about the guys making more than me. theres always going to be someone who's higher up the pay scale than you.

[Tnalp]

Mike good to see you. Maybe you should start a thread about not wasting time thinking about or posting about things that you don't have time for.

[mwainwright]

Mike good to see you. Maybe you should start a thread about not wasting time thinking about or posting about things that you don't have time for.

sounds like a waste of time

[donkeyrider]

Sometimes the hype around being a highballer can be a destructive thing. Sometimes trying to be more humble doesn't work and its not for lack of trying. It's because of all the "creepers" the guys who are just about as fast and want to beat you everyday. Constantly asking "how much you plant today" "how much you plant" "4k today" "5k?". That shit gets tired fast. Not to mention if you are a fast planter it makes you want to work that much harder to top them the next day. Competition is fun only when its two sided, or against your self.

[newforest]

a lot of hi-ballers I have known have been hi-ballers because ... they were fairly short people

[donkeyrider]

a lot of hi-ballers I have known have been hi-ballers because ... they were fairly short people

lol that should spark some debate.

[mwainwright]

"little-man's syndrome" for sure!

[Shep]

Highballing is a fucking disease, some people are more likely get it - but in the end, it can infect anyone.

Money, glory, respect, love, and even hate - pick you poison, we all put our head down and pound for different reasons. The only thing we all have in common is a Nike slogan.

[MiddleAgeMayhem]

Hi-Baller is a stupid word that has outlived it's usefulness. It carries so many negative connotations now I almost never hear it anymore. It calls to mind the moody primadonna, selfish and obdurate, expecting and even demanding special consideration. When I first started planting over 20 years ago, the supervisors kowtowed to those types. Now, on my company anyway, nobody wants them around anymore.

Pounder is a much more useful word.

[theoderix]

This might be off topic, but in my experience you can usually tell a low bidding, heavy rookie company by this:

Percentage foreman and

Planters doing the coolio..i.e planting with no shirt on

I always thought it funny.

[donkeyrider]

Last season I planted with a guys that was in his 60's we were planting some pretty nuts blocks that were so steep snow melt looked like waterfalls. Big cedar slash everywhere with huge donkey dicks. We were getting about 38 cents a tree and he was shirts off every day on the block rain or shine. I rarely get my ass handed to me these days but I sure did when I planted with this fella. Shirts off or no shirts off he was a real highballer.

[Scooter]

Yeah, I still enjoy planting without a shirt when the weather cooperates. But I'm kind of odd, so I guess that doesn't mean much.

[Seabass]

Sometimes the hype around being a highballer can be a destructive thing. Sometimes trying to be more humble doesn't work and its not for lack of trying. It's because of all the "creepers" the guys who are just about as fast and want to beat you everyday. Constantly asking "how much you plant today" "how much you plant" "4k today" "5k?". That shit gets tired fast. Not to mention if you are a fast planter it makes you want to work that much harder to top them the next day. Competition is fun only when its two sided, or against your self.

Amen to that.

[Greg]

I see a 'highballer' or 'pounder' as someone who not only brings it every day, but maintains a healthy mental state and saves the most amount of money when its all said and done.
Whats the use of being the highest money earner if you cant save it? I've seen so called 'highballers' blow their money on all sorts of shit. At the end of the day, to each their own, but its laughable when people call themselves 'highballers' and they are saving half the amount of dough that others are.
The best of the best have the intrinsic motivation to push themselves daily and feel good about what they are doing on the daily. If you aren't happy, healthy and sane at the end of it, whats its worth if you will be paying for the physical and emotional stress for years to come.
IMO that's why this job is underpaid. With dropping prices and no union or health benefits, future stresses are not being considered or compensated for.