Final Thoughts on 2008

Wow, what a year. It began with my team write-ups and it ended in the best way possible, a front row seat at College Nationals in Boulder, CO. I wanted to comment on some things that really stuck out for me throughout the season and I suppose it’s a good way to end the college year.

Arizona
Wow, this team was so much fun to follow. Not only did I get to write about them after Vegas and throughout the year but I also got to hang out with them in Boulder and they are such a class act. Their team has such a collection of entities that really facilitates their synergistic development.

Chris Shepard is such a phenomenal leader. He isn’t the teams highlight reel but everyone likes and respects him. Everyone depends on him to lead the team on and off the field and he kind of reminds me of myself with the teams I have played for. It was pretty awesome to share shots Saturday night and from what I can remember, I think we had a really good time.

Joe Kershner is also such an amazing person. I got the chance to talk to him right after he got the Callahan award and it was so cool to see a guy like him win it. Nothing against previous winners but people like Ben Wiggins and Zipp must have known it was coming. Likewise, Richter was such a big leaguer that he wasn’t even there to accept the award in 2004 but Loppi embodied how most players would feel if they got the award. He was absolutely speechless and for a guy with so much heart and commitment to our sport, there is nothing better than seeing someone like that get the award.

Another Sunburn player I really like is Austin Gregersen. I have been talking him up a lot and the thing I like the most about him is that he is so humble, not unlike the rest of his team. He is such a baller and can handle just about anything on the field but he is still so chill and down to earth. I was this crazy red head that came into Boulder and was all in his, and the rest of his team’s, face and he just took it in stride and had a good time with me. Thanks again Austin, you’re a champ.

Lastly, I want to thank the team as a whole. Gafni, Scharf, Palmer, Husid, and everyone else on this team really accepted me and that was a validation I needed. I work so hard to do this and feedback from the players is something I really enjoy. Some people get on my case for not talking up this team or that or for not saying what they want to hear, but when the players support me, it makes it all worth it. Sunburn really gave me the reassurance I needed. I am all alone at this and despite my confidence in my opinions, I still feel it when people criticize me. Thanks again guys, it’s been a pleasure.

Georgia
These guys are absolutely crazy, but they are a ton of fun. Their team mentality is something I cannot even begin to transcend here. Travis Smith is such a great character and despite Dempsey’s and Swason’s amazing skill, they are very down to earth guys. Ben Morrissey is also a great guy to chill with, as is Will McDonough and when you see Georgia mixing it up with this team or that off the field, it is obvious that they are easy to like. Alex Deckhard and AJ Tiarsmith coach a great team and I can only imagine the stories this team has. I have always been a big fan of Jojah and it was really nice to hear positive things tossed my way this weekend. Thanks again guys, it means a lot to me.

Michigan
Magnum didn’t have the best weekend but they are a team that isn’t finished. Ryan maybe done but their young talent will get Michigan back to Nationals in the future. One person I cannot say enough about is Will Neff. I suppose I don’t expect much from superstars, but his demeanor is really refreshing. I talked with him after pool play on Friday and despite the fact that he had no idea who I was (sort of), he was willing to talk shop with me. I am not out to bug these people or follow them around like idols. I just really want to give "you" the reader a sense of what the Nationals experience is like. Like Chris Shepard, Will is a great leader that has the ability to make his teammates better by simply being himself. They can turn to him on and off the field and despite his obvious talents and experience, he is right there when they need him. Great work this year and I’ll do my best to hype you up in 2009 so you can get a spot at the podium.

Carleton
I have a complicated relationship with Carleton. I will admit that I have not talked them up much and from what they had to say to me in Boulder, I got the feeling they knew they weren’t my favorite. However, the main reason it went down this way is that when I did my team write-ups, they were the only team that didn’t take me seriously. I am a young aspiring writer, I know, but every team from Florida to Wisconsin to Stanford all talked to me with respect and CUT didn’t.

However, I think things are drastically different now. I have had the chance to see them at their best and I can say that I was wrong in doubting their talents. In addition, I got the chance to party with them and I hope they know now that I’m not such a bad guy. Baylis, Lindsley, Fagin, Evangelides and the rest of CUT are great guys and I now hope that there is some mutual respect there. Maybe in 2009 things will be different.

Also, I want to offer a formal apology to Jacob Goldstein for implying that he was fat. I can’t even remember what post I said he was “stocky” but I meant no disrespect. I actually meant quite the contrary. So many players out there, especially on CUT, are scrappy twigs and for us bigger kids, it’s tough to compete in this game. I think Jake is a great player and I really enjoy watching him play both for Boston and when he was at Carleton. Best of luck in the coming club season and sorry you don’t like my flames. It’s my flare and I would be doing myself a disservice if I sacrificed what I like because some folks don’t.

The Callahan

Wow, this was probably the biggest surprise of the weekend. I have heard from a variety of sources that Kurt was really trying to change his image to get this award but despite his efforts Kershner’s likeable nature was the determining factor. I suppose, in this case, it all boils down to appreciating what you have. Despite the fact that Loppi now has a huge trophy to take back to Tucson, his team never played in the finals after Vegas. I am sure all of Arizona wants to be National champs but it’s not something they could ever do. No matter how hard they worked, it just wasn’t in the cards. It took each of these players 5 years just to make Nationals and despite the fact that they were rewarded with a Callahan and team spirit awards, they still were watching ultimate on Sunday instead of playing it. Conversely, Kurt is a National champ and has had more success than most other players out there would even dream of. It is nice to have it all but truth be told, it just doesn't work that way. Kurt will have a great club career playing with the most elite players in the world and Loppi tells me he is probably going to take some time off. Regardless, congratulations to both players, you've played a hell of a season.

On a more general note, the Callahan is really just a popularity contest. I think people try and put too much focus on it, especially the online community. Remember, most of these kids that are voting have no idea what the hell they are doing. Most vote with their hearts instead of their heads, because they haven't paid as close attention as people like myself and have nothing else to go on. Most people will agree that Kurt was the best player hands down but a friend of mine once told me that when choosing a Callahan nominee you should think of who you would most like as a teammate. Nothing against any of the other candidates, but Kershner is such a great guy and I can only imagine how awesome it was to be on the line with him.

In addition, people seem to always want to perfect the voting system or promote this or that way of choosing a candidate. Bottom line, it is a lot like the BCS. Computer based and most of the time, someone is always going to have an argument to bitch. Every year something unpredictable will happen that will influence the Callahan like Arizona's performance at Vegas, Wisconsin ('07) and Florida's ('06) romp, Zipp's polished character in 2005, Richter's leadership in 2004, and Wiggins' popularity in 2003. This marks the 13th year of the award and with the rise of ultimate media and nation wide discussion/tournaments, the award is still as subjective as it was when Keith Monahan won it 1996.

In the end, people see a title like "MVP" and they all respond differently. Some people vote based on their hearts, their spirit, what their captain told them to do, what they read or just randomly. Trying to perfect the award to mean "the best player" over the most spirited player or whatever runs much deeper than the award. In order to walk down that road you would have to change the values of the game and who votes for this award. Take the NBA, MLB, or NFL. In most cases the main value is to win and sports writers get to vote on who wins MVP. In ultimate that isn't the case. Spirit seems to be the underlying value and the players get to vote. So unless you want to change things around, expect these sorts of results. They aren't better or worse, they are just their own breed.

It is funny, so many people in this sport want it to be more competitive or objective yet they still demand intangibles like spirit and no refs. The later relies on emotion and gray area mind sets which are going to result in emotional and gray area consequences. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you want a black and white objective award, you have to let it stand for something black and white (ie winning) and voted on by objective people like media personal because they spend their time watching/following the sport, not playing it. This title is more or less the NUMP team which is not the Callahan and never will be. It will never replace the Callahan because the Callahan award pays tribute to a great man who stood for things like spirit of the game. College kids are too inexperienced in this game to understand these kinds of implications and by the time you realize everything that goes into this and what it takes to change things, the end result is to just be complacent and laugh at the Callahan dicussion that rises and falls every spring. Just like those "Who are the best 10 players of all time?" or "who would win in a match up, Alex Nord or LeBron James?" these are arguments that come up on RSD every year and before you know it, you won't care. Just enjoy the game folks, winning isn't everything, games are supposed to fun and we all should try and party/get laid more often.

Freshman/Junior World's Kids
I am really glad I had the chance to research, watch and talk with some of these kids. Andrew Vogt, George Stubbs, Grant Lindsley, Andrew Hollingworth, Hylke Sneider, Ollie Hondred, and the rest of these guys are really amazing. My relationship with Kyle Weisbrod and Tiina Booth has more or less revolved around them talking up their Paidea and ARHS kids and juniors talents all around and seeing that I have seen it in the flesh, it is really awesome to witness. These kids are the future of the sport and I laugh when I think back to when I started playing ultimate and how little juniors talent I came across in San Diego. Over the last 6 years the sport has changed so much and I can only imagine how much the sport will continue to change in the future.

Ultimate Media
Ultimate coverage has really exploded over the last few years. I can remember the very first COTD (A UCSD guy getting skied in Corvalis) and now 4 years later, Rob has really changed the way people watch ultimate. Likewise, people like myself, the mssui crowd, and my fellow blogger homies like Ryan and DLK, have really tried to make the delivery of ultimate information credible, objective and interesting. I like to think that this is only the beginning and hopefully as you readers look back over the last year you can appreciate the product that we have developed. These kinds of things can potentially change the sport in good and potentially bad ways but believe me when I say that these new media friends of mine are good people and we are just trying to package ultimate the way it deserves.

College Nationals
Natties was pretty sweet this year. I think the whole CSTV/CBS thing was a waste of time but thats just my opinion. The only people at the fields were ultimate people and despite the fact that there could have been other athletes, we as ultimate folk like to congregate with ourselves becuase lets be honest, we are a bit weird and despite the fact that the ultimate subculture is bad ass, it isn't for everybody.

I am not sure where Nationals is going to be in 2009, but hopefully its more towards the East coast. Driving/flying to Columbus and flying to Boulder has been tough and it would be nice to have nationals back in Boston because Devens is legit and it is only 2 hours away from me. I think Atlanta would be a good spot as well, although it might be just as hot as Austin back in 2003. Who knows, but folks out there, if you have the chance, really try and check out Nationals, it's a great time. So much energy, so much fantastic ultimate and for you veterans out there trying to get your rookies more fired up about our sport, take a road trip with them and show them what it's like at the very highest level. You never know what impact this kind of experience can offer. Plus I want more fans to read my drivel.

Club Season
I am not sure what is gonna happen this summer. I have a few contacts scattered across the country in the elite club scene and hopefully it's enough to put some good stuff together. I think the Boston crowd is still steamed at me from a year ago and hopefully they have seen that I have changed a lot since then and will talk to me.

On a more personal note, certain things in my life have been incredibly frustrating this year. My lab work has not been as promising as it once was, my grandfather passed away, and my foot injury has not healed as I would have liked and I will be out for most of the summer, ie no Potlatch :( . This might be my body's way of telling me to slow down and focus on things that don't involve cleats and grass. However, I am lucky that I have met someone who has made me happier than I have been in a long time. She has been so great in keeping my motor running and I am very thankful to have her.

Closing Thoughts

It's funny, I think more people know me as Match than my real name, Michael Fiedler. I have met people from all over the country and at all levels. The best thing about this is that I am nothing special on the field. I work really hard, I condition a lot, but I wasn't a teenage athlete like most of you out there were. However, I have had the ability to develop a name for myself in this sport. This isn't meant to be an egotistical statement, but rather an affirmation out there to everyone in this sport. Just because you aren't a highlight reel doesn't mean you don't matter. I was a B-teamer and I have never played at a level that I write about. However, I have a passion for this game and I put it to good use. I used a free blog to change the way people read and follow ultimate. I am not unique. Nothing I have done requires a significant amount of skill or money. Anyone can do it and I really hope more people do so.

I get asked to write about Women's ultimate or to focus on certain regions or teams, and my simple response is, if you want something written about this sport, do it yourself. I am lucky that I have a lot to say and if you've ever talked to me in person, I never shut up. However, if you want ultimate content, take the Rob or Gambler initiative and do it yourself. It isn't easy, it doesn't pay much/at all. It takes a ton of time and you will never get the appreciation you want. However, if you are passionate about it, it is truly rewarding.

To sum up, thank you to all those players out there that made ultimate fun to follow this year. Thank you to all my readers and supporters, without you, this wouldn't be possible. And lastly, I want to say thank you to all my haters. You have motivated me to work harder than I ever thought possible to create and package a beautiful thing that is read by people all over the country/world. Once upon a time you may have rattled my confidence, but in the end, more people know and like me. Wear it bitches!

just my thoughts

match diesel


PS Not that anyone is going to do this, but if you are on a team that has appreciated some press from me over the last year or just likes my stuff, feel free to send me some of your team merch. I love to sport jerseys, shirts, shorts, hats or whatever from organizations that matter to me and it really is the only payment I want for putting this stuff together.

My Callahan Talk

Now that most of the teams at Nationals have been figured out and the Callahan candidates have all been finalized, I thought now would be a good time to throw in my two cents as to who are the strongest candidates for the Callahan and who I think will finish 1 through 5.

Three Things

First I thought I would start off with my criteria for winning the Callahan in the first place. In order to win this award, you need 3 things: 1) Player Talent 2) Team Talent and 3) Hype. First and foremost you have to be an absolute baller which makes sense but you also have to play for a contending team. Over the last few years, most Callahan winners are playing in the Finals at Nationals (Safdie, Nord, Wiggins, Richter, Zipp, Gehret, Heijman) and I'm sorry to most elite players out there, but if you aren't on a top 1 or 2 team, you are lucky to just make top 5 in the voting. Lastly, hype. It would be nice if player and team talent were enough but a lot of the time you need to have a buzz associated with your Callahan nominee. Sometimes this takes years to establish but it is necessary because with the information gap the way it is, a lot of voters never see the people they are actually voting for. In any event, things like UltiVillage and mssui are changing that and hopefully in the future there will be universal exposure of all top teams across the country. In some cases, a lack of one criteria can be made up with an excess of another, such as Tim Gehret in 2006 and Dan Heijman last year where their team talent made up for the fact that no one knew who they were before their epic championship seasons.

Callahan Top 5 (in ascending order)

5) Stephen Pressley (Texas) - I had the privilege of seeing Franchise play in Austin and he is such a dominant offensive threat for Texas. If TUFF had more weapons on O his defensive ability would also be more prevalent but this guy made top 10 in the Callahan nomination last year and Texas is having a great year with a 36-7 record going into Nationals. They may have slipped at Sectionals but their Centex and Regionals performances are spectacular. They had the 2nd best record at Centex (7-1) and Franchise led a huge comeback against UNT avenged their sectional setback. In taking the region Texas will probably be at least a 5 seed at nationals this year. As far as my 3 criteria go, he has a lot of player talent and hype but not enough team talent. Texas is a consistent program that makes Nationals and quarters every year but that's about it. Players like Tank and Salad have come and gone and have had great careers but without at least a semifinals birth, you can't expect voters to put your candidate as #1. This isn't necessarily Texas' fault because they haven't (historically) had a lot of sectional/regional competition, but if teams like UNT, Kansas and Oklahoma can step up and challenge TUFF consistently, Texas could become an even bigger powerhouse in the future. As far as votes go, the bulk of Franchise's votes are probably going to come within his own region which is nice but it should also be assumed. He will have a tough time getting #1 votes in other regions, but he could get #2 or #3 honors from teams that have played against him in the Southwest, Central, and AC regions. In the end, he should hear his name called on Saturday and that is an honor in and of itself. He will continue his career with DW and will be an even better club player than college.

4) Joseph Kershner (Arizona) - The Cinderella team that everyone has been pulling for since the first NCUS tournament has been Sunburn, led by Joe. He has such an aura about him and in just watching him play one game, it is easy to see why people like playing with him. Arizona's romp in the desert jump started Arizona's season much the way Florida's was in 2006. Joe also has the luxury of being an extremely talented 5th year and his team has not let him down. Arizona has not faltered all year and despite not making a return to a tournament finals, they have not disappointed and have yet to have a bad tournament. Joe has also led Arizona to Nationals for the first time and everyone in the country has been pulling for Sunburn all year. In Joe's case, this kind of hype will definitely compensate for his team's lack of historic dominance and I think across the country, voters will be looking for "the pirate guy from Arizona" on their ballot. He has done a fantastic job and I think he deserves to break into the top 5. I have him as #4 over Franchise because Joe and Arizona's hype are intertwined and I think people will reward Sunburn's epic season with votes from every region. Franchise is limited by his team's reach but Joe will get votes up and down both coasts. If I am right, I think Joe owes a big thank you to Rob for putting together these three clips.

3) Jolian Dahl (Colorado) - I had Jolian pegged to win this award back in February but MB's slow start really was a monkey wrench in that plan. For most of the year folks have been scratching their heads and wondering what has happened to the gold and black and despite winning the Southwest, Colorado really did not look as dominant as they have in the past. Peripheral to this, Jolian has never been nominated for the Callahan but he has been well known in elite circles for several years. He was on the 2004 Championship team and his exposure on Johnny Bravo only helps him in this race. However, Jolian is not your sterotypical Callahan nominee for 2 reasons. 1) He doesn't play all that much. Unlike Kershner, Pressley and some others I'll mention, he usually only comes onto the field for offense. Maybe he comes out on both sides of the disc late in games, but for the most part he is strictly O-line. This is not a criticism to him or Catt Wilson, their game plan is their game plan and it has worked this far. However, it just doesn't give Jolian as much of a chance to shine. 2) Jolian is not a highlight hog. He does a really good job of setting his team up for scores and D's and players like Pebbles, Wicus and Mac Taylor have had great years because Jolian has supported them throughout the year. I think this element of Jolian's game helps him get this high on the Callahan list, but not much further. I would be willing to bet that a lot of voters out there have not seen him make ridiculous plays, they just know that he is good and he is on an epic team. His hype helps him a lot here as does his team talent, but because Colorado has lost their historic handler core, his ability to exhibit his player talent has been reduced. In any event, I like him as #3 which is still an amazing accomplishment.

2) Mark Sherwood (Stanford) - Mark has been the superstar Stanford has always needed but now, they don't have their usual supporting cast. In every discussion of Stanford this year, Mark has been the answer to the "how's" and "why's" of Bloodthirsty's success, mainly at Stanford and Regionals. Sherwood is probably one of the best players to ever put on a Stanford jersey and he deserved the teams' nomination last year despite Robbie's success in the voting (Robbie was nominated by the NW RC). In any event, Mark has the talent and the hype to get him this far in the Callahan voting but his team talent and this guy Kurt Gibson, prevent him from getting much further. Unlike Jolian, Sherwood carries his team and unlike Pressley, Mark is known for his abilities on both sides of the disc. The only thing that has hurt Mark's chances is Stanford's lack of consistency. This isn't necessarily his fault, he just had the misfortune of being born a year after Nan Gao, Robbie Cahill and Will Chen. In any event the one thing that will allow Mark to make it this far is that Stanford made nationals. In beating UBC voters will see that despite Stanford's lackluster season, they still made the show. They peaked well, they battled back and got back to Nationals by beating the 1 seed out of the NW. If Stanford had failed, Mark's chances would have plummeted dramatically because his talents would be doubted simply because his team didn't make the show. In any event, flat ballers across the country will be putting him as #2 and this will get him near the top of the podium on Saturday night.

1) Kurt Gibson (Florida) - I don't even have to say anything about Kurt but I had some thoughts anyway. Yes, Kurt is by far the best player in the country. No one dominates the way he does and his ability to throw, jump and run is unparalleled at the college level. What makes him even more dangerous is that he never comes off the field. He is more or less the Kobe Bryant of ultimate, especially Kobe in the 4th quarter. Kurt wants the disc all the time and if he could pull, get the D, throw AND catch the score he would. This is nothing against his playing style, but it will attract haters, not to mention the fact that he isn't the friendliest player and he sports a glove when he plays. However, I think the negative feedback he gets only fuels him and despite verbal attacks from a variety of sources (including myself) there is no denying his talents. In addition he also has more than enough team talent and hype to get the award and nothing short of a Nationals Disqualification will prevent him from getting the Callahan this year. In watching Kurt play however, I do have one question. What happens to Florida next year? Kurt and Brodie are definitely the heart of this team's success but Kurt sets up Brodie like none other and Cyle, Chris Gibson, Cole Sullivan, and Alex Hill all benefit from easier matchups and Kurt's monster flick. When Kurt leaves, what will happen to their program? Kurt has gobbled up all responsibility on this team and I wonder, who will carry the load next year? Florida is definitely the #1 team in the country right now but so much of that depends on Kurt. More so than Colorado's dependence on Beau, Florida lives and dies with #20 and I sincerely hope their glory days don't leave with Kurt. But that doesn't matter now. In 2008, Gibson is the best and so is Florida. Good luck to Kurt and Florida at Nationals, you won't need it.

Out in the Cold

Wisconsin - In my opinion, the Hodags have made an interesting choice in selecting Rebholz for the Callahan. Matt is a 5th year captain who has been a composed handler and defender for baby blue for years. However, he has very little hype associated with him and I am willing to bet that most voters don't really have an opinion of him one way or another. Nothing against him, but there are several players on the 'dags that could get more votes, such as Will Lokke. Will has been the best thing about the Hodags all season. With Muffin and Shane being the up and down emotional entities that they are and Foster and Rebholz being the silent leadership of Wisconsin, Will has been the consistent work horse. When Wisconsin needs a D, he's there, when they need an epic score he's there, when they need someone to just save the day, he is there. Go back and watch the UVTV footage of Wisconsin vs Arizona from Vegas. Will gets the game saving hammer D that would have tied the game at 11's and given Arizona a crucial break. If you switch over to the Stanford Invite footage, in the DGP semi-final between Wisconsin and UBC, Will skies the crap out of 2 UBC defenders to bring down the game winner. A more clutch player on Wisconsin or any other team, there is not. Initially I thought the Callahan race within Wisconsin would be between Shane and Drew but with Mahowald breaking his knee, Will has really taken on the brunt of the Hodag work load. He is also extremely composed and is never mentioned in the Wisconsin hot head discussions. In any event, because of these circumstances, I think Wisconsin gets snubbed this year and doesn't get a nominee at the podium.

Dusty Becker (Oregon) - When Dusty is on, he is one of the best handlers in the country, but when it really mattered this year, his composure has really gotten the better of him. From what I have seen and heard about him, it seems that his intensity is his biggest strength and weakness and his decision making reflects Oregon's poor showing at Centex and Regionals. He is a phenomenal player and I think his talents are better suited for Club. He puts up a lot of difficult throws and with only a few really dominate cutters, it's tough to reel-in those throws. Another thing that also makes his life difficult is that for a handler, breaking into the Callahan voting requires a lot of team success, positive hype and defensive ability. Nothing against Dusty's talents on the defensive side of the disc, but without the dialog we saw back in 2003 for Wiggins and 2006 for Tim Gehret, it is really tough to get voters to put you #1 over players that are more composed and on better teams. In any event he has had an awesome college career and I hear he'll be back next year.

Greg Swanson/Peter Dempsey (Georgia) - There are two phenomenal players one Georgia that carry complimenting roles. Greg on offense and Peter on D. However, Georgia does not nominate a Callahan nominee unless there is a unanimous pick. Over the last few years that has been Dylan Tunnell but this year, I think Georgia's talent is spread across these two studs as well as Will McDonough, Ben Morrissey and too many other players for such a nomination to arise. Despite this, these two entities for Georgia have been amazing this year, when they are healthy. Greg Swanson is an awesome offensive threat and it was a pleasure to see him play at Centex. On the other side of the disc, Dempsey had a phenomenal Regional tournament with several layout D's against UNC. In any event, there is no clear front runner here but with Georgia's ability to make Nationals by finishing 2nd, you have to wonder if they have improved in Dylan's absence. I figured #78's departure would put more pressure on each player to carry their own water and it looks like it has worked out well for Georgia. Each one of these players deserves high honors for their efforts this year and I look forward to seeing JoJah and the ruckus they bring at Nationals.

In the Foyer

Danny Karlinksy (Santa Cruz) - Danny is a superb player and DLK has been a very prominent force on the on-line ultimate experience. However, I think that is where his hype begins and ends. He is a very talented handler and is an even better leader but I wonder if enough people know who he is on the field. Santa Cruz has done well down the stretch but it isn't enough for Callahan recognition, in my opinion. I know he doesn't have this, but with a year or two more to develop his reputation Danny would have a chance at the top 5 (including some consistency from Santa Cruz) but his playing hype just isn't where it needs to be. It would be nice if this didn't matter, but it does. Kids who play for teams like Swarthmore and Florida-B need to know who you are and unless you are making highlight reels for Rob and getting talked up for a huge sky or D on RSD, you just aren't in the running. He may be able to crack the top 10 because he is well known and liked among informed cirlces. Making the top 5 though, especially with people like Pressley and Purcell to compete with, is a tough pull. I will say that Danny appears to be the 2008 version of Ben Wiggins. He is a fiery handler with a lot of team pride and he has motivated his team to stiff arm the competition in one of the toughest regions in the country. However, Oregon in 2003 won a much harder NW region and was on their way to a finals appearance and Santa Cruz just isn't that good yet. Check out his NW regional write-up. His team history is really interesting and I bet it makes just as good a story as Muffin and Drew's Hodag Love. Congrats again Danny, I'll be rooting for you on the inside in Boulder, but heckling you just like everyone else.

Ryan Purcell (Michigan) - I am not sure how Ryan will do in the Callahan race. He has been the heart of Magnum for 5 years and he is one of the many reasons why Michigan will get a 1 seed in Boulder. His talent is incredible, both defense and offense, and it has really been awesome to see him lead his team from a 13 seed in 2005, to an 11 seed in 2006, not making nationals in 2007, and now probably the 4th seed this year. Late last night his name still didn't appear on Charles Kerr's list and considering that he was THE last person nominated, you can imagine why I almost missed him. Michigan, like Arizona, has been on a serious high, especially since Centex. Will Neff HAS panned out and players like Ollie Honderd (freshman) will keep Michigan at the top of the region for years to come. As far as Ryan's chances go, I have no idea, which is why I have him in "the lobby". I think he breaks into the top 10 but top 5? I dunno. He could leap frog Pressley because Michigan has done a little better than Texas this year but Franchise has been in Callahan discussions since last year and I think Ryan is new on the scene. He also doesn't have the luxury of 3 COTD's like Kershner does and he is a little guy who is more known for his breaks and in-cut defense which is the glue that holds a team together but it doesn't get you on the highlight reel as much. He is still a top notch player though and I really like watching him own. Hopefully they can take the Pool of (D)eath and have a shot at semis because the little south paw deserves it.

Closing Thoughts

I think the Callahan has been somewhat of a bogus award but it is improving. Historically, it has been extremely subjective because it relies on so many variables, some of which don't involve ultimate talent what so ever, and team politics like that of Carleton and Georgia. However, with the advent of ultivillage, mssui, quality bloggers, and an increased fan base, the ultimate knowledge of your average college player is expanding and that is a good thing. Maybe in a few years my criteria will go from 3 to 2, with hype being inconsequential because all players will get the exposure they need. However, like Baseball, Football and Basketball, you need to play on a playoff contender to get an MVP award. Hopefully Gerics sets up some sort of 1st/2nd team All-NUMP like back in 2005 because those lists will truly be an objective indication of who is the best in the country. Best of luck to these competitors at Nationals, NO ONE GET HURT.

just my thoughts

match diesel

What to watch for in 2008

So after doing a fair amount of research and now that some tournaments have been played (and some big ones are coming up) I thought I would talk about a few things that I think will make this year interesting.

Trouble in Vegas

One of the reasons I wanted to post this right before TiV this weekend was that I wanted to give folks a few things to consider. A big change is that Wisconsin has already been outside. They destroyed teams as usual at Mardi Gras and have had a chance to get some grass stains. I think this gives them a new advantage in Vegas and considering that the weather is supposed to be good this year, I would expect them to dominant. Colorado will also draw some attention because now we get to see who they are going to bring in 2008. Will Beau saddle up again? Regardless of how Mamabird does this weekend, if their roster is more or less 2007 (minus Rabbit) they will be playing a lot on Sundays this spring. Florida will also be ready and the hype that they have received concerning this tournament can and should give them the fear of being publicly toppled. This will give them more focus, playing one game at a time and hopefully they can do well. The biggest question mark for me is Carleton. TiV will be the first chance CUT has to show that they belong. They beat Colorado last year at TiV with a healthy Jacob Goldstein. If the wind is bad, CUT will have an advantage with scores of seasoned throwers. However, weather.com has picnic weather planned for Vegas this weekend and that will favor the taller/faster teams. Also watch UCSD for their encore performance. They played great at Santa Barbara, winning the tournament for the first time since I have played disc. My undergrad buddies tell me that their roster depth isn't spectacular though and the grueling nature of Vegas may hurt them in the long run. Oregon will also look to make a name for themselves. So far most of the NW talk has hovered around Cal, and for good reason. Dusty and the rest of EGO will look to pop their 2008 cherry and their results will begin to paint a picture for NW regionals in the spring. UBC is also in this mix and I am curious to know what 2008 will bring for the Thunderbirds now that Oscar Pottinger and Morgan Hibbert are long gone. Also watch for Santa Barbara, Central Florida, Illinois, and North Texas. They have all had their ups and downs this year and are hungry for blood. Tide managed to beat everyone save the Squids in Goleta but they usually do well in Vegas. Hopefully their depth and experience will give them an edge. Central Florida had early season W's last year but dwindled as the season wore on. Hopefully they can repeat their success from a year ago and keep the steam through the series. Illinois and North Texas took turns earning big wins at Mardi Gras but both need to develop considerably before they can begin to dominate their respective regions. This is the time for them to gain the experience to challenge the best in the Great Lakes (Michigan and Ohio State) and South (Texas). Look for surprise wins from UCLA and Claremont. They both got screwed out of Santa Barbara and will look to show why they should have been in the slop. They are each trying to show that they are contenders in the Southwest and now is their time to either put up or shut up.

Will Neff's Transfer

One thing that I think will be really interesting and I haven't heard much discussion about, is Will Neff's transfer to Michigan. Will has been a stand out on every team he has played on including the 2004 WFDF Junior USA Team, Twisted Metal, and Northeastern. I can only speculate as to why Will decided to transfer, but coming from a large program (UCSD) to a smaller one (Yale) I can imagine his potential frustration. I hope Camden Kittredge (yes, Beau's brother) will forgive this transgression, while he is left to play without his 2006 FOTY teamate. I will say that Michigan has been a consistent program for many years but has yet to really break past the pre/quarters threshold. Ryan Purcell represents the core of this team and despite being a devastating defender, cutter, handler, and all around south paw iron man, he could still benefit from some added star power. I think Will's arrival will be like Nash and Stoudemire pairing up together. I have watched Ryan for a few years now and I think his heart and commitment will be rewarded in his fifth and final year for Magnum.

So far Michigan has looked good. They have had close games against Wisconsin and Carleton, not to mention winning their indoor tournament, beating Ohio State in the finals. Will's defensive presence will be felt right away but I know that it will take time from Ryan and the rest of Magnum's offense to adjust to him. With that being said, I would imagine that their results will improve tournament to tournament. Since the departure of Craig "Polar Bear" Forshee, Tom Worsfold and others, Michigan State has really dropped below radar. Michigan had a forgettable season last year, failing to qualify for nationals. However, Indiana and Ohio State have quickly stepped past these two motor state power houses by going #1 and #2 at Great Lakes Regionals last year. However, I think if Will can fit in with Magnum, they will have a 1-2 punch that cannot be stopped in the Great Lakes region.

The first chance we will get to see this Magnum team truly in action will be at Queen City Tune Up, which is an alternative to going to TiV. Notable teams that Magnum could use to prove their abilities include Georgia, UNC, Pitt, and THE Ohio State. I'm excited.

Queen City Tune Up

There is another big tournament this weekend outside the Cultimate umbrella in Charlotte, NC. Some of the leaders in the AC chose the shorter trek north instead of west and this is where the Great Lakes and Metro East powerhouses chose to go. Georgia and North Carolina are definitely the favorites to make the finals. Unlike Warm Up, North Carolina will be in attendance and could give us fans a chance to see where they stack up against Georgia. There might only be 2 bids out the AC this year and 1 of these 2 teams will attempt to knock off the other this spring as well as challenge Florida for that trip to Boulder. I have already talked about Michigan, but they must continue to show dominance over Ohio State and prove that they can beat them both indoors and out. The Leadbelly boys got the better of Michigan last year and made nationals. They will have the experience of knowing they are better, but they will need the heart and motivation to back it up. Delaware and Pitt will both be in attendance and each has shown success in the Metro East. Who will take the region? Delaware took the region last year and beat Florida lat natties but Pitt has made nationals the last 3 years. Hopefully they play each other or at least some common opponents to give us an idea. Lastly, UNC-Wilmington and Georgia Tech. They both did well at Warm Up but in deciding to go to Tune Up over Vegas, they are going to have to show that they can hold their own and need to make a good showing in bracket play if they want to contest the rest of the AC.

Wisconsin's Callahan Selection

This is probably going to be one of the tougher choices for the Hodags this year. When I asked James Foster about this he told me to look for Muffin, Shane, Drew Mahowald, Will Lokke, and Rebholz. Muffin is absolutely the face of Wisconsin. He writes more than I do on his blog and I think he definitely can make a case for the team's MVP nomination. However, despite his superb athleticism, his impact seems to revolve around his handling and his flick, which to me isn't enough to earn you the award. I personally think Shane is their best player. He can shut anyone down and has more consistency and dominance than most college players. 2008 will only be his second year on the team, however, and I can't imagine him getting the team's nomination this early in his Hodag career, despite his obvious talents. Mahowald is definitely a top notch player. It is too bad he plays with a slew of superstars because he would be a callahan nominee anywhere else. I didn't know his name at nationals but I kept thinking to myself, "that dude with FBI hat is ridiculous". Will definitely gives a good name to red heads in ultimate and I think he is a superstar. However, what he has seems to be almost the standard on Wisconsin and I don't see him really breaking away from Shane and Mahowald. Rebholz is one of the team captains and has some Heijman qualities. A silent killer with the fundamentals and skill to really punish his opponents while making his teamates look good. If I had to guess, the team will nominate him and if not Reholz than Muffin. The reason I bring this up is that I think Hohenstein deserves a Regional Coordinator nomination and I want whoever that RC is to be ready to look out for #19. I think the voters should decide this one and in the event Shane gets/accepts an RC nomination, I think he might sneak past a teamate on his way to getting a top 5 finish.

I am interested in this because Wisconsin has two major issues to deal with when it comes to the callahan. 1) They are on everyone's radar, meaning their candidate can win. Some sophmore who plays in the NW or the South or wherever, will be encouraged to vote for the callahan this spring and when he does, he will vote his team's candidate #3 but for #1 and #2 he will go with the guy from the team he knows. That will either be Jolian, Kurt, or whoever Wisconsin has. That is how Heijman won the callahan last year (I think) and considering that the talent distribution on Wisconsin is more or less the same as it was in 2007, the same thing could happen again. 2) They have a lot of potential candidates. They could easily nominate any of the 5 players I have named here, which would leave 4 remaining. However, like Heijman said when he got his callahan, he felt he was only the 4th or 5th best player on his team. Those 3 or 4 better guys are still there and I think an RC nomination could put them up there with Nord (RC nominated Callahan winner). Bottom line, folks pay attention, this is a good story.

Junior Ultimate Players

I am not the biggest fan of juniors ultimate (although I am trying), mainly because I never played it, nor really had that many teamates that played it. However, junior players are continuing to make a name for themselves and I think they deserve a vigilant eye. I have already talked about this a lot here, but keep an eye on Sam Kanner and Grant Lindsley for Carleton. Chirstian Foster is also part of the Carleton College Juniors elite. I hope he manages to play to his potential, despite attitude problems that hurt him and his teamates at Connecticut College. I hate to keep hounding this poor kid but when you are the #1 scorer for team USA yet can't get a long with your teammates, people are going to notice. A name that sometimes gets left out, but who I think is the real deal is Tufts Captain, Andrew Hollingworth, who opted to stay in Boston after winning gold and currently captains Tufts. He will definitely spend time covering his former teamate George Stubbs, who is now a freshman at Harvard (eh, fuck him). Bottom line, it has been two years now since team USA won gold and I think that their players are really going to start impacting teams throughout the country. I think CUT is in the best position because they arguably have the largest influx of talent that can and will impact their team right away. I believe this to be their main weapon against Wisconsin in the hopes of getting back on top of the CN region. Aside from CUT, Colorado and Florida both have spectacular freshman pick ups in Hylke Snieder and Alex Hill (actually they were both teamates on Sack Lunch).

Stanford Invite

This tournament is going to be incredible this year. If you are an ultimate fan and live within an hour of Palo Alto, do yourself a favor and go to this thing and watch. The #1 seeds are probably going to be Wisconsin, Florida, Colorado, and maybe Stanford, sound familiar? This is the closest we will get to a true carbon copy of what waits in Boulder. Hopefully the weather is decent because this tournament is going to set the tone for Centex and the series. I almost wish I were going to this Cultimate tournament instead of Centex, but hey, they will all be at Centex, as will Georgia, so I can't complain.

Coaching Impact

Today's college teams are benefitting from years of complex strategy and development. Now that more and more teams are being led by former college greats and current club all stars, teams that may have had trouble breaking out of their performance level, may begin to earn some crucial W's. Most notably are Stanford and Cal. Cal is coached this year by Ryo Kawaoka and Stanford is being coached by UPA president Mike Payne. Other teams like Georiga, Colorado, and Brown also benefit from stellar coaches and I think coach-less teams are now going to have to wonder if they should hire their own Morris Buttermaker. I for one am very curious to know if the right coach can get Stanford in the finals or Cal to Boulder. Believe me, if a coach can do that, I think most teams will consider hiring.

College Nationals

I suppose this is a no brainer, but I am curious to know if there are going to be any tragic stories about players that can't make nationals for whatever school related reason. Maybe there are issues every year with Memorial Day, but I doubt it. Hopefully we will be talking about how great the CSTV exposure was and how awesome the Boulder facilities are. I will be there and come Monday the 19th, I will have an article letting you guys know what I think for whatever its worth.

I suppose I am just trying to convert some college players out there into fans of this great game and hopefully give you guys a few interesting things to keep in mind. Hopefully one of these stories actually comes to fruition. Stay tuned folks, should be a good year.

just my thoughts

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Henry Callahan: a name every ultimate player should know

What do most folks think when they see something like this? Callahan right? Ok great, but where does that name come from? Who was "Callahan" and why is a catch block D in the endzone named after him? Why are the rules named after him? Why is the college ultimate MVP award named after him? Two years ago, I didn't know and I think most folks out there still don't.

First and foremost his name was Henry Pfau Callahan. He was born on December 11th, 1957, in Waukegan, Illinois. His mother and father were Joan and Harold Callahan. Henry was the youngest of 4 boys (Joe, Pete, Jay, and Henry) and he also had 1 older sister (Melissa) and 3 younger ones (Charlotte, Shelagh, and Amy). He attended Lake Forest Academy, in Lake Forest, Illinois for high school and graduated in 1975. Henry was a standout athlete in high school and loved basketball, long distance running, and golf. In addition to being very athletic, Henry was also extremely independent. His mother, Joan, lovingly referred to Henry as always being a "free spirit". Rather than attend the University of Illinois, as most of his family had, he headed westward and attended the University of Oregon, in Eugene. As a student at U of O, Henry studied Finance and was drawn to sports of all kinds. His competitive nature can easily be seen with his relationship to his older brother James. On a visit to Eugene, James lovingly goaded his brother that Henry had never beaten him in golf. In response, the never-quit Henry dragged his older brother to the course, day in and day out until Henry was finally victorious.

It is not exactly known how Henry was turned on to ultimate. Maybe he was shown disc golf and then ultimate and the idea of running AND playing frisbee appealed to him. With skills in basketball, golf and long distance running, it is no wonder he liked disc. It takes skill, patience, talent, endurance and athleticism, things Henry had stockpiled in his closet. In any event, at this point in the late 70's there was only 1 other college ultimate team in the Northwest, Washington State University. This was insufficient for Henry and he took it upon himself to start the first Ultimate Club at the University of Oregon. He pitched the idea to the club sports office at UO and on October 5th, 1978, the first Oregon Ultimate club was born and the team was given $300. The next task was to come up with a team name and Henry and his disc friends quickly settled on the "Low Flying Ducks". A name which Oregon loosely held onto until 2001 when they went from the Ducks to a name better suited for an elite but sophisticated group, the "Eugene Gentlemen's Organization" or EGO. In addition to this, Henry also made some pretty powerful friends and convinced a young entrepreneur in Phil Knight to donate $10,000 to this new team as a sponsor. EGO still wears this sponsor's logo today, you might recognize it as a NIKE swoosh.

It was after this formation of Oregon Ultimate that Henry really began to impact ultimate. He knew the potential for this game and he wanted to see it come to fruition. He had a vision of an intensely athletic, albeit spirited game that should be played in parks and college campuses throughout the country. He began to lobby the UPA to change the rules of the game to favor more athletic and fair play. At this point in time, things like a stall count were non-existent, or loosely followed at best and Henry wanted to accelerate the game and make it more challenging yet more fun. Another thing that was fantastic about Henry was his commitment to "spirit of the game", perhaps when SOTG wasn't even that well known. He was notorious for playing extremely intensely, yet he never contested fouls. His belief in the game was that "karma will play out here". Nearly 30 years later, I am sure that most ultimate players will agree that when it comes to poor calls, most of the time, the universe tends to unfold as it should.

In addition to lobbying the UPA, Henry also worked tirelessly to improve not only his own game (with daily 7 mile runs and more sprints than his team mates would have liked) but he also wanted to expand the sport around him. He started and taught ultimate PE courses at UO and these still exist today. He is also credited with starting the Darkstar Alliance, which has been an ultimate organization that has lasted for many years and is responsible for putting on tournaments in Eugene as well as competing in both open and coed club tournaments. One of my favorite things that I have read about Henry is that he thought that "the nature of the game brings out the cooperation in people". Even 30 years ago, folks competed against one another but they still wanted to "have a good time and meet new friends". Henry always encouraged his teammates as well as his opponents to go out for beers after games and really be friends as well as competitors. This camaraderie still exists today and most of the friends I have in the ultimate community have come from playing intense physical contests between opponents and then celebrating our mutual love for the game afterwards. I am not sure where this trend was begat but I am glad Henry perpetuated it.

After graduating from Oregon in 1980, Henry returned to his roots in Illinois but only as a pit stop. Henry was a free spirit and wanted a change of scenery. After a brief stint in Waukegan, Illinois, he headed back west towards California. In January of 1982, he stopped to visit his older brother James, in Boulder, Colorado. In addition to more golf matches between these two, Henry fell in love with Boulder. The urban yet small town feel and beautiful scenery probably rivaled Eugene and Henry found his calling. He decided to stay in Colorado and he took a job at Bennigan's Tavern. This was not his most lucrative option, seeing that he was offered a job at a more "upscale" restaurant (The Greenbriar). However, Henry was very light hearted and figured Bennigan's would "be more fun". Given his charismatic yet friendly nature, Henry quickly moved up the ranks and became Headwaiter. Not long afterwards, he had his sights set on entering Bennigan's manager training program.

However, fate would have other plans. On June 23rd, 1982, a heroin addict and career criminal, Robert Wieghard, robbed Bennigan's. Robert had been convicted for multiple crimes that included armed robbery, possession of narcotics, larceny, fraud, and breaking and entering. Henry, being the rock and headwaiter of Bennigan's, dealt with the criminal as he demanded money from the cash register. Robert got his money and without reason or cause decided to take the life of a man infinitely more evolved and honorable than himself. Henry was murdered while seated with his hands in the air. At arms length, Robert ended Henry's life with a solitary gunshot to the head. After committing this horrible atrocity, Robert left the restaurant only to be later arrested, tried and convicted. His criminal mind would not end there as he attempted to bribe a Jefferson County Jail inmate to travel to Michigan and kill the eyewitness waitress in the case for $3,500. Luckily, this never happened and Robert was sentenced to life in prison and was up for parole in 20 years. One of the many sad things about this story was that at the time, sentences for crimes like this were relatively mild. If this crime had been comitted 3 years later the sentence would have been doubled. The family wanted the death penalty but the prosecutor (Alex Hunter) was "wimpy" and wouldn't push for it. He would later go on to air ball the JonBenét Ramsey murder case 15 years later. Robert came up for parole in 2005 at which time I first learned of this story when I read this post by Charles Kerr on RSD. In retrospect, I find it sad that there were only 9 responses. Hopefully Charles got the support he was looking for. In any event, Robert was denied parole which he is up for again in 2010. Recently he has applied for "community corrections halfway house placement" which would allow him to re-enter society on a limited basis. The Callahan family staunchly opposed this and he was denied but he can re-apply every 6 months.

In the wake of Sean Taylor's murder, I realized that I did not know anything about Henry Callahan. I did not even know his first name. I knew that he was murdered, but aside from that I was ignorant. After asking a few friends if they knew anything about Henry, they sheepishly replied "not a thing". His legacy should and will live on. In 1983 at the World Flying Disc Championships in Santa Cruz, California six Oregon players stepped out on to the line. Henry would join them, however, and his remains were laid down in an urn on the field as the 7th player. These 6 Oregon players gave it there all and when they scored that first point they lovingly cheered "That one's for Henry".

The UPA has not forgotten Henry and in 1996 they named the college MVP award after him. Keith Monahan (Oregon State) and Val Kelly (UPenn) won the award that year and I am sure they both held their awards high in remembrance of Henry and all he has given to the sport. I am sure he would have been proud in 2003 when two Oregon players (Ben Wiggins and Chelsea Dengler) won the award. I like to think the sport has become what Henry would have wanted. Today there are over 500 college ultimate teams that travel all over the country to compete in a game that "Henry lived for". They embody not only the hard-core dedication to athleticism that Henry held near and dear to his heart, but also the spirit of the game, the friendship, the respect between players. I may not be the athlete that Henry or many other ultimate players are but I like to think I hold the mutual respect and love for my fellow ultimate players. The subculture that ultimate has developed over the last 40 years is amazing and spectacular in its own right. However, without people like Henry Callahan, the sport would not have grown to the strength and respect it has today. We are all in Henry's debt and hopefully his story and legacy will live on as our sport develops worldwide.

On a lighter note, Henry's niece Katie Callahan (who he never got to meet) plays soccer for the University of Tampa. Recently, they made the final four in the Div II NCAA college soccer tournament and beat Grand Valley St 2-1 in over time. This allowed Tampa to advance to the finals for the first time in the school's history. Katie and the rest of the Tampa Spartans played Franklin Pierce on Saturday December 1st and managed to win the NCAA Div II finals in a shootout earning the school's first DiV II women's soccer national championship. For more information click here

I would like to thank James (Jay) Callahan (Henry's brother) for his help on this article. He has been absolutely fantastic in giving me his own personal thoughts on such a difficult subject as well as share documents relevant to this story. Jay also helped me find some of Henry's old team mates (Steve Mace and Pete Crosby) who have been invaluable sources, both factually and emotionally.

Check out this article from 2003 for more information about Henry.

Lastly, today would have been Henry's 50th birthday. Please remember his story. Tell it to your rookies. Spread the word about Henry because as the years progress his memory can potentially fade. This is not the first article regarding his life and I hope it is not the last. I just wanted to remind everyone out there who a great man in ultimate was.

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PS sorry Chicken, nothing but love. At least you are playing in the finals at club nationals and Honda is just married and fat.