footbag.org

Alex Lehmer (adl004) · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 10 Location: Dillsburg, PA, USA

I've noticed alot of people on this site who are very strict on the terminology of our sport, specifically with the use of "hacky sack" to mean footbag. I want to know from the rest of the community why this distinction is so important. It seems to me that hacky sack is similar to kleenex in that one brand became a common name for the whole industry. And besides, hacky sack is a more common name in general; relentlessly refering to the sport as "footbag" seems very unnecessary and pretentious. Perhaps someone can enlighten me about the militant use of the word "footbag." I just wanna know what the rest of you think.

Colin Macfarlane (darkspike) · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 18 Location: Mount Pleasant, SC

IMO, "hacky sack" is just like kicking the bag around, not practicing, not knowing any tricks, not a serious form of the sport. While footbag kinda states that you take the sport seriously, know tricks, practice and execute them. Kinda like how rollerblading is referred to as aggressive inline by competitive skaters.

Jeremy OWheel (owheelj) · Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:13 am Post subject:

Hacky sack is the name of a very specific footbag that isn't very good to use.

I think ultimately it doesn't really matter what people call it, it's just that "footbag" is the correct name and hacky sack is not. You can call sheep "shep" if you want and it doesn't change anything about them or really matter at all, it's is just not the actual name for sheep.

Why be wrong when you know what the right thing to do (or say) is?

Steve Goldberg (brat) · Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:13 am Post subject:

More specifically, "Hacky Sack" is a registered trademark of Wham-O, Inc. By definition, that means we are not entitled to use it to refer to our sport, since it refers to their specific product line.

Doug Fox (dougsta) · Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:23 am Post subject:

Alberto Inocencio (alberto) · Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:04 pm Post subject:

Alex Lehmer (adl004) · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 10 Location: Dillsburg, PA, USA

This isn't about being right or wrong. I know that the proper name for the sport is "footbag," but in the big picture does it really matter if, in casual conversation, it's called hacky sack? I would agree that it should be called something more formal for official business, but in a normal conversation it really doesn't matter.

Josh Bishop (OpticalShadow) · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:42 am Post subject:

well hacky-sack is a brand name and foot bag is a sport, its like refering to all shoes as nike. However i personally dont care, ill call it hack-sack more often then not simply because most people know what a hack sack is and it makes the whole conversation that much shorter.

Jack Willis (green420jdubb) · Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Syracuse, NY, USA

Logan Longfellow (logload) · Joined: 17 Feb 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Lake Oswego, OR, USA

I just call it hacky sack because it's what everyone else calls it (cept for people on this forum) and I'm used to it. If words are for communicating ideas and people get confused if I call it footbag then I would much rather just call it hacky sack so they know what I mean... And I don't think it really matters what you call it, I call weed Pot, Marijuana, Weed, Chronic, Nugs, etc. and all are fine.. lol.. best example I could think of.

Paul Linhart (Cee187) · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:46 am Post subject:

apparently the word "hacky sack" is the trademarked name of a footbag. Since this sport can't steal copyrights, it was forced to use the word "footbag". I don't know any one irl who actually calls it "footbag", but w/e.

Richard Steinmetz (thedogfly) · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject: hi all

just thought i would say a few words, Razz

I might be rhe one who started all this talk about what to call what ,what do you think Steve you where there?untel the beaver open in 1979 every one called it Hacky sack ,then some one introuduced a new foot bag and the talk was on,Any one rember the Soc Sac? Laughing

,Foot bag is the Game Hacky Sack is a bag one of minny used these days

Reyad Moura (reydar) · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:11 am Post subject:

OK bottom line is, that the sport is actually called footbag. Hacky Sack is the name of the shitty mass produced footbags made by wham-o inc. Its like calling the sport by the name of the most popular brand that makes the sports products. for example, we do not call Hockey "CCM" just because ccm makes the more known (but definitely not the best) hockey products. The end. thread over. buh-bye.

Jonathan Miller (ChrisMiller) · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:39 pm Post subject:

This is the most boring topic ever. lol

But, to add my 2 cents, I probably made the same topic when I first started. I wondered why it was called footbag, and then someone told me it's because the founders of the sport sold the rights to Whammo. I then proceeded to call it footbag like everyone else and would readily correct anyone who did otherwise.

After a few years of playing I call it hackysack with anyone who isn't a footbag player, and footbag to other footbaggers. In my own head, I refer to it as "kicking" or "I'm gonna go hack" I don't need to sit and explain to random strangers why it's called footbag every time they stop me to ask about the sport. It's just not something I care enough about.

Jonathan Carano (elmo27) · Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Bristol, VA, USA

im calling it hacky sack and thats that its a good sport so Razz