It's a Hodag world...

and we are just living in it.

So this past weekend one of the most exciting and important ultimate tournaments of the college season transpired, Stanford Invite, and I thought I would share some thoughts on the event. My cousin Alex (pharohman) was there doing some field work for me so I actually have something to go off of as opposed to my usual rants.

Wisconsin

As Gerics put it, the race for second place has begun. Wisconsin looks nothing short of dominant but in looking at the stat sheet from the finals, I had some thoughts about Wisconsin. Their main strength is easily their depth but what does this mean exactly? It seems as though Wisconsin relies heavily on 2 things, 1) legs and 2) intensity. In a game where Wisconsin is fired up, there really is no stopping them unless you have an unreal offense. The one thing you don't see a lot of from Wisconsin is their O-line or as they call it, their O-face. They collect break after break because their man defense is incredible. With more than a hundred guys coming out in Fall, Wisconsin seems to groom their most athletic recruits into great defenders. This is not surprising considering the fact that in 2006 they lost to a team that was more conditioned, Florida. I would bet dollars to pesos that the Hodgas went back to the gym that summer with the sole purpose of being the most physically fit team in the country. Fast forward 2 years and you have a 25 man roster that plays better D than any other team in the country. Think about it, if you make an opponents cutters run and run and run while replacing great defender with great defender, their O-line will wear out, mistakes will happen, layout Ds, hand blocks, and throw aways will ensue and Wisconsin's D-line will collect break after break. This game plan is all well and good for college ultimate but it seems as if Wisconsin's only potential weakness are teams with finely tuned offensive strategies. Take the Arizona TiV final for example. Double helix scoobers, bladey hucks, more or less throws that are impossible to defend, gave Arizona a chance in that game. That and just don't throw to a guy that is covered because a Wisconsin defender at 100% is pretty much better than any cutter at 75-80%. It also appears that Wisconsin's favorite game plan is more or less a huck and D up approach. They pull, they generate a D, then Muffin picks up and a flick huck is coming. Wisconsin is fast and tall and they come down with just about everything. If Mahowald, Lokke, or Hohenstein don't get it, expect the D-line to get another D. If the D-line gets scored on, bring on the O-face for crisp offense. In any event, the only way that teams stand a chance against Wisconsin is to not turn it over. The UBC game went 14-13 and the only reason the Thunderbirds did so well was because they didn't cough up the disc. They took half 8-7, and only committed 1 turn over in the second half. Sadly, that was all the Hodags needed. However, in the Finals, Wisconsin's D-line committed upwards of a dozen turnovers, but Stanford just couldn't capitalize. Exhaustion probably played a role, but in any event, focus and precession in the face of extremely tough D seems to be the only workable strategy against the baby blue. I think this is why Florida has been a team that has done so well against them. Gibson, Brodie, Cyle and Windham run a very dynamic offense and are extremely hard to cover completely. They have the ability to put up break hucks, they rely on fluid disc movement to score, and they are devastatingly patient. Complex club-like offenses are tough to defend if run well (which is really hard) but making things tough on the D-line is the only way the Hodags are gonna go down. Then again, I haven't even mentioned how good the O-face is. I think they had 2 TOs in the finals.

And another thing, if anyone is curious to know why/how Wisconsin is so good, check out their blog/website. These guys care more about Hodag ultimate than anything else in the world. While it is true that this devotion may have most people scratching their heads, it is no wonder why this team is so dominant. If you want to win at football or soccer or basketball or water polo you have to eat, sleep, and live your sport. Ultimate is no different and everybody on the Hodags bleeds baby blue, no question about it. So if you are reading this and wondering how Wisconsin is so much better than your team, read some of their literature and see where your average player's dedication compares to theirs.

Stanford

This team is very good. Maybe not as good they were last year, but they are good. Santa Barbara Invite seemed like quite the anomaly and the only good thing to come out of it was the fact that UCSD's performance put them in Centex. With a prepared and full roster, Stanford is top shelf. I didn't expect them to beat Carleton but making the finals came as no surprise to me. They definitely rely on Sherwood though. He played all but 4 points in the finals and he played 13 of the first 15. I see this to be their biggest weakness. With an obvious go to player like this, developing a game plan gets easy. If you can effectively take away Sherwood's best option, either as a cutter, defender, or handler, you effectively take away Stanford's best option. Look for them to improve however. Their Centex results will give us an idea if making Nationals is even a question mark and the Series will let us know whether or not we can expect another semis appearance.

Texas

I was really impressed with Texas' results. Yes, people like me rely on legacy and history but only because it's the only evidence a sports writer has to rely on and taking a chance on a team that has never dominated is risky. I am sure they are getting tired of losing to Stanford (semis yesterday and quarters at Nationals) but losses like this give them the lessons they need to improve. The biggest challenge for Texas (both in club and college) is that there is no regional competition. Texas does not routinely play difficult teams in their area. They get their shot at Centex, maybe Vegas if they go. Mardi Gras is a little early in the season, but when the Central, Northwest, Southwest, and AC regions are all duking it out for that bid to nationals, Texas is steam rolling their way through the series. Maybe they make nationals every year, but a simple quarters exit is as far as they get. This is a huge tournament experience for them and a few more like this and they could break into semis.

UBC

I should probably do some field reporting on this team. I know nothing about them. If I had to guess, judging from their roster, it seems like the collection of freshman and sophmores that were under the guidance of Oscar and Morgan are now leading the charge. Like Arizona, the Thunderbirds have several (10) Grad students/5th years. However, teams like this can easily fall below radar over time. Hopefully they continue to recruit. The big question on my mind is where they stack up against Stanford. It seems like after a few tournaments, Stanford has reasserted itself as the team to beat in the NW (again). Cal, Santa Cruz, Oregon, Whitman, and LPC have all shown signs of greatness but Bloodthirsty and UBC were the only two that really looked like they belonged at the top of the region this weekend. Historically, in the series, Stanford has UBC's number, but perhaps with a veteran team and no clear superstar(s) to isolate, UBC may have what it takes to make a sophmore trip to nationals.

UNC-Wilmington

The rock in the NUMP's shoe. This is a team that no one has figured out and maybe thats their strategy. They are signed up for a TON of tournaments so they will know their strengths and weaknesses come the series. I wonder if their major strength is non-regional match-ups because very few west coast or even midwest teams have even played UNC-W recently. If this is a strength than perhaps everyone in the AC knows how to handle the Seamen and despite their success, will still struggle to make it out of the region. I am curious about this team regardless and I will definitely work to catch a few of their points in Austin.

Arizona

First things first, everybody's favorite new Pirate, Joe Kershner, didn't play a point this weekend because of a sprained ankle. Sunburn's performance in his absence shows 2 things: 1) They can make nationals without their best player and 2) Wow, with their best player? They handled Tide easily without Joe and I would guess that Colorado would be a closer game but the veteran desert squad will still win without their best player. An offense like this is why Arizona did so well against Wisconsin. Lots of able players, with lots of good eyes, throws and legs. I thought Carleton was the only team that could contest Wisconsin, but I think Arizona has a chance as well. Hopefully they meet again at Centex.

Claremont

These guys have gotten so good and people need to take notice. True they are kinda weird, at least they were when I used to play against them, but they are still good. They win the qualifier and finish ahead of at least 12 other teams. Am I the only one that thinks they should have gotten an invite? I suppose it's tough offering another SoCal team a bid but I think UCSD is going to have to sit out on Stanford again. It did us good back in 2005 and I think right now, the squids aren't cutting the mustard. The brain eaters are though. Despite being from a miniscule school and facing mountains of sectional and regional competition, Claremont has really shown themselves to be a resilient program. Good luck making nationals. This maybe the one year you can catch Colorado napping, giving you two chances to get to nationals instead of one.

Las Positas

Despite a history of shady roster issues, LPC is legit in 2008, both on the field and on paper. Eligibility status aside, they are basically a club team meaning their offense is razor sharp and as long as they stay in shape, they can handle good/great college teams. Hopefully they get to play at Div 1 nationals again instead of Div 3.

Carleton

CUT came in as the 2nd seed and that was a spot they deserved. They are probably going to lose their #2 spot in the NUMP but I think one reason why they struggled this weekend was because 3 of their players (Grant Lindsley, Patrick Roberts, and Alex Evangelides) were all in Seattle trying out for the Junior Worlds. While these are basically just 3 freshman, Grant and Patrick were Junior all-stars from Paidea and Amherst and see a ton of playing time. I think it's weird that Grant is trying out for Junior Worlds again, he already has a gold medal.

Colorado

MB is falling like a shit from heaven (to borrow from "Thank you for Smoking"). I took a guess that LPC would beat them but I was still surprised when it happened. I am curious to know what the Texas game did to Colorado before hand. I suppose every giant needs to faulter and I have no pity for Colorado. I think they are an exciting team to watch but they have won the SW region every year I have played ultimate. I hope they get smoked this Spring, it will have 2 consequences: 1) Someone else will get to go to the show 2) it will give Colorado the motivation to recruit and improve. I think their biggest weakness, and this is no secret, is their handling core. Right now Jolian has to throw to Mac and that sucks. Martin will hopefully be back by Centex, but even then, you have 3 6+ footers that are fast and can jump but those seemingly endless handlers circa Parker, JV, Chicken, and Rabbit are all gone. The apex of Colorado's offense is MIA and without a confident handler to carry the torch, they are going to struggle.

Closing Thoughts

There are a lot more things I could say but I would rather not. One thing I keep wondering is how exciting this year in ultimate would be if Wisconsin was non-existent. Their is no clear cut 2nd best team, so instead of an unknown national champ, we just have an unknown Finals Runner-Up. Like I said awhile back, whoever wins Stanford Invite is going to win Nationals and that still stands. I think Wisconsin will take Centex as well but they don't have to. I know that they are focusing on not letting the hype get to them and for all intents and purposes they are doing a fine job, albeit with 2 close calls. I think the only thing that will make this murderous rampage worth watching is if they actually do go undefeated. I think the worst case scenario would be if they lost a game between now and nationals but won nationals. I hope they win every game up until sunday at Nationals and either bring home the golden disc after an unscathed season or return home broken hearted with their Patriots 2007-esk season fully documented on their website.

Oh and one more thing. How exciting was this 20 team tournament format. Come on, who would have picked the teams in semis? In quarters? Only 1 team went 4-0 on saturday and only 2 teams went 0-4 in pool play. Anybody want to see these kinds of results at nationals? I know I do.

just my thoughts

match diesel

Stanford Invite Preview

This weekend marks, what I believe to be, the biggest tournament of the year and the third installment of the NCUS excitement, the Stanford Invite. True, Centex is by far the hardest tournament, but it is too hard. The format at Centex is not representative of Nationals and while Stanford isn't exactly parallel, it is closer and has more or less the same crop of teams (minus Florida and Georgia). With that in mind I thought I would give a run down of what I think will go down in Palo Alto this weekend.

Weather

Lets start with mother nature. According to weather.com, this weekend should be nice in the bay area, at least Saturday. Some showers Sunday but nothing catastrophic. Overcast, mid 60s, sounds like perfect ultimate weather to me. I only start with weather because it has been a major factor in years past and it looks to be a non-entity in 2008.

Pool A - 1) Wisconsin 2) UNC 3) UCSC 4) Whitman 5) UCF

Hodags 4-0: Sorry, Wisconsin is going to be ready and they will sweep. Their first game could be their closest. The boys from Whitman had a great TiV, and their Juniors talent will get the opportunity to show that they are either the real deal, or yet another card in a deck of flare up teams. I am most interested in the Central Florida game. The Dogs of War are a team that I like a lot, mainly because they put together good media on you tube. They are a solid AC team, but they are lucky to make SI and deserve the 5 seed. I would really like it if they brought their A game against Wisconsin, meaning just play not scared (and that goes for everyone the Hodags play). Take a lesson from Arizona, play your game, not theirs. Stay focused on scoring and taking advantage of Wisconsin mis-ques. They will be lucky to get 8 however. Third round is against UCSC. This is a really favorable match-up for Wisconsin. It seems like Santa Cruz is a lot like my alma matter, they have the ability to be good, but sometimes their heads get in the way of their success. Again, I hope they can stay focused against really intense defense and improve on the 7-13 routing they got in Vegas. The 1-2 game will be nice but it could be the same as pool play at Nationals last year where Wisconsin won 15-6. I believe people (including myself) think UNC is better than they actually are. NC State took them out twice definitively and were easily the best team at Queen City.

Darkside 3-1: They are the 2nd seed and if they are going to stay that way, their first game is the most important game of the day. I have no idea what Whitman is capable of, but I will say that UNC has been here before. They have done well at Stanford in the past but Whitman has nothing to lose, a favorable position for any ultimate team. I will go with UNC because I think Whitman doesn't have enough weapons. They did well while under the radar but now folks are going to be gunning for them. I think they have the ability to do well, but they are going to have to rely on something else besides Jeremy Norden's hucks. They then face the Slugs. I think Santa Cruz has yet to prove themselves. A double game point win over UCSD on a rookie mistake made all the difference in the world at TiV and I don't know if they have what it takes to win big games against squads outside their region. UNC is a team they haven't faced much and they will have to rely on their abilities, not the mental state of their opponent. Third game will be against a regional foe in UCF, but I think UNC will handle the DOW. They are experienced and I think UCF will have their hands full against the best competition they have ever seen in a pool play situation. I think this game will give us the first inclination of what UNC will have at regionals. A 15-10 win or better is good for UNC but if UCF takes them to 15-13 or any sort of cap situation, I think UNC is gonna be sitting out come Nationals.

Whitman 1-3: I am sorry, but I don't know if Whitman has the composure to put together another great campaign. They had a great Vegas, but duplicating those results is going to be really hard. I see them giving Wisconsin a game (which will get Wisconsin angry and focused) but their depth and inexperience will hurt them as the day wears on. They are set to face Santa Cruz after UNC and Wisconsin and if they are the real deal, they will win this game. In essence, this it the only game that matters for them in pool play. No one expects them to beat Wisconsin and against an out of region team (UNC) no one will fault them if they come up short. However, if they want to break into the good ol boys club known as the NW, they better be able to take it to a regional bubble team. The outcome of this game will really affect the last round. If they take UCSC close (win or lose) they are in deep shit against UCF. UCF likes the deep game and they are good in the air. Whitman, regardless of record, will be gassed come game 4 and hopefully they have enough energy after their bye to show that they belong. Hopefully they won't be focusing on an 0-3 record during their time off, because that will only scare a young and inexperienced team.

Santa Cruz 2-2: I see Santa Cruz gaining some confidence early against UCF. Both teams have a lot of regional competition but I think Santa Cruz is closer to the top of the NW than UCF is to the AC. UCSC is also playing more or less at home and will want to start the tourney off well. I think this is UCF's first trip to SI and I think jitters will play a big part in their performance, at least early. I think their other win will come against Whitman, but they could just as easily go to seed 1-3 and Whitman 2-2. I think a lot of people are interested to see what the Walla Walla boys put together.

Central Florida 0-4: This is their first trip to THE INVITE and I think it will be more of a learning experience than anything else. Despite a rough day, they will learn where they are vulnerable and if they are going to have a chance in the AC, tough lessons like this are a must. Good luck against UNC, if you only bring it once on Saturday, do it against a team you know you'll see again.

Pool B - 1) Carleton 2) Stanford 3) California 4/5) UCSD/UNC-W

CUT 4-0: Carleton has looked razor sharp and aside from Wisconsin, it seems that they can handle anyone. They had a loss to EGO at TiV but 9-11 is not a score I would hang my hat on. They are a unanimous #2 in the NUMP and for good reason. If they are going to lose their top seed status, it will be in their first game however. I have a tough time staying objective about Stanford, but Bloodthirsty this weekend will be significantly better than Santa Barbara. They are at home and they never disappoint at SI. I think their low seed really helps them out and their experience will be a nice match up against CUT's youth/talent. They play UNC-W second and considering that the Seaman haven't really been dominant since Warm Up, I doubt we are gonna see any fireworks. Third game is against UCSD and I am curious to know how my squidies do. They have done well against CUT in the past and they went 9-12 at TiV. I think CUT is wayyy to deep for UCSD to handle though and this late in the day, I think they will dominate in the first half and play their younger guys late in the game for a non-representative 15-11ish score. The 1-2, as the seedings indicate, will be the 2nd worst/3rd best 1-2 game. The difference between CUT and UGMO is huge and the score will show that. I think Cal has depth, which they'll need, but I don't know if their defense can handle endless lines of small, fast, razor sharp flatballers.

UGMO 2-2: If I were on Cal, I would be reluctant to have a 2nd seed. What makes this weird is that I think their first game is against UCSD because the Cal/Stanford game is the showcase game at 7p. Their one and only game against the Squids was a 9-13 loss in Santa Barbara. I think these two teams are very similar in the sense that they can both be great but both be not. I think UGMO has a greater probability of coming out ready, but I have been surprised by my undergrad buddies before. Depending on how this game goes, it really will set the tone for the rest of the day. With a win they will have the confidence to play UNC-W to their ability. With a loss, who knows? UGMO will feel like they deserve the 2 seed if they take out UCSD and I think they will. However, a non-regional match up favors UNC-W because they have nothing to lose. I don't think the Seaman win this game, but they will have played UCSD and depending on that game outcome and how they come out after a bye, they could have the intensity to give Cal a game.

Stanford 3-1: Round 2 will be the best game of the day (except for maybe Santa Barbara/Arizona). Before the season started Stanford and CUT would have both been 1 seeds and this could theoretically have been a semis game. Instead, Stanford sucked at SB and hasn't played another college team since. If I were in Palo Alto, I would stake out a spot for this game early. I see two possibilities, Stanford comes out hard and gives them a great game, very similar to the last round of pool play at Nationals. However, with that game in mind, I think a second possibility is more likely. CUT hates Stanford right now. They lost to them on double game point the last time they played and are ready for THIS game. If they lose every other game at this tournament but win this one, SI will have been worth the trip. I think Stanford's program is great but they have lost soo much talent. Sherwood is one of the best in the country but he is going to have to really have a game (which he probably will, I just wonder if it will be enough). This Stanford team is as close to a non-faceless army as I have seen since I have been watching them, with Sherwood being a front runner for a Callahan nominee. However, Tom James, Schlag, and Ezra are great role players, not to mention youngin after youngin who are going to get Ds, and NOT drop the disc. CUT is ready though and they'll win. If they go up big early they may keep the pedal to the metal, and I hope they do, because Stanford has a way of creeping back. However, they will have to remember that there are 4 pool play games but considering that this will be each team's first contest, it will be the game to watch Saturday. After a game that could be a semis game at Centex or Nationals, Stanford will play the Carleton role against UCSD in round 3. They lost to the squids at Santa Barbara and I am sure they took offense to that. It was the first time UCSD beat Bloodthirsty and I don't see a repeat performance. Stanford will want to win this game big and their depth and focus will hurt UCSD's inexperience and top heavy roster. They may trade at 2's and 3's, maybe even 4's, but I think Stanford will take half 8-5ish, come out hard in the second half and then rest their exhausted starters for a 15-10 win. After a much needed bye they will face UNC-W. I think UNC-W will come into this game 0-3, maybe 1-2. Stanford will be 1-1 and will be ready to take it to the Carolina boys. Carolina teams are notorious for being hot heads and Stanford is anything but non-composed. This favors Bloodthirsty a lot and they will have what it takes to win.

The showcase game will be very good, mainly for Stanford. This is an arena they are very comfortable with and I think Cal will have the shakes. I think the best on Cal are more or less role players which isn't good. I think Cal's offense will have to be able to play D because D is what Stanford does best. After a sick layout D, will UGMO's O-line be able to prevent the break? Mike Payne will have the boys in red and white ready, and if Cal is going to win they are going to have to do it in the air. Stanford is little and Cal has enough height to get a favorable mismatch after Sherwood and Ezra take out deep threats #1 and #2. If Cal can mix it up, they have a chance, but that is what Stanford does best. Stanford isn't a faceless army anymore but they want to remain on top of the Bay Area section and the NW region and I think they bring it under the lights.

UCSD 1-3/0-4: I am not sure what the Air Squids will do this weekend. They have talent but not depth. I think the 4-5 game will be good, not unlike everyother 4-5 game and considering it is game #1, it is put up or shut up. UCSD hasn't won a game at Stanford since 2006, where they won their pool, and will want to win this game. It will be each team's chance to win their one and only for the day, and I think star power will play the biggest role. Considering that it is game #1, I think the lines will be loaded, which can/will hurt them in subsequent rounds, but this is a game neither team wants to lose. I don't know what will happen, but I have loyalties and I hope my Squids earn the W.

UNC-W 1-3/0-4: The Seaman are one of many rocks in the NUMP's shoes. They did well at Warm Up, not so well at Queen City, and then they won a small Pres Day tournament in NC. They are a question mark in most circles and this is their chance to turn heads. They have their spot secured at Centex and hopefully they play like it. I wish I had insightful commentary, but all I can say is that the 4-5 game in this pool is a total toss up. If UNC-W wins strong, they may have a chance at Cal and that will make an already great year all that much more exciting.

Pool C - 1/2) Oregon/Colorado 3/4)Texas/LPC 5) Brown

I never thought I would see the day where Colorado would not only be at Stanford but they would be seeded behind Santa Barbara, Arizona and Texas. First and foremost, this pool is a complete crap shoot and I will try and keep my justifications short, because they are anything but set in stone. This is also definitely a pool where you may see a 1 seed with a loss and a 5 seed with a win.

Texas 2-2: I first want to say that I have no idea what Texas is capable of. Yes they won what is left of Pres Day (with a loss) but they weren't spectacular at Mardi Gras and I don't think they deserve a 1 seed. However, they don't have the blemishes to deny them a 1 seed so they have enough rope to hang themselves. First game is against Colorado and I think they will have their hands full. One advantage that Colorado always has is that every team is somewhat afraid/intimidated by them, how can they not be? With that said, I think Texas will try really hard to not lose, as opposed to trying to win. The game that I think people should remember, as far as Colorado goes, is their game against Carleton at TiV. Yes they lost but they also went down 9-11, which to me isn't much of a score. If that Colorado team comes to Stanford, and I think they will, they will have a chance. Weather will help Mamabird, but depth favors the YEE-HA boys. Texas will produce line after line of 6+ footers and with Mac Taylor and Jolian on #1 and #2, there may be mismatches elsewhere on the field. Another thing to remember is that with College Ultimate the crisper offense usually wins. Grip and rip won't work in good weather because the smarter team will capitalize and gain breaks here and there leaving the other team no time to come back. Colorado has a game plan that they have been using for a decade and it has gotten them 3 finals appearances and 1 national title. Texas has yet to get past quarters. With that being said I think Colorado has the advantage in this first game, but it will not be the last we hear from Texas. Their second game is against Brown and I think they'll cruise. This is the first time Brown has suited up this year and I don't know what they'll do without Colin Mahoney against a tough team. This will be Texas' time to get back at Brown after getting pwned 15-8 in pool play back in 2005 circa Josh Zipperstein. I am not sure about LPC. I remember beating them when they had Robot back when I captained Squid Lite back in 2004. Now they have really made a name for themselves winning Div 3 nationals in 2006 and making SI. However, I don't see them beating Texas, a team with depth and experience. The 1-2 game will be good, but I think Oregon has got the advantage. They are composed and all they have to do is stay within themselves. Texas is going to have to play a game they never have before and I don't see it happening against Stout, Becker, Janin, and the rest of Ego.

Oregon 3-1: It seems like either Ego or Colorado should be the 1 seed but they have blemishes. The day starts off red hot against Colorado and I think Colorado wins this one. Colorado has done a lot of thinking over the last month and I think they can come out early and win. Maybe they don't have the legs to carry them through Sunday but I think Oregon will have their hands full with their offense. After a close loss, I think they keep it together and win the rest of their games. LPC is experienced but athletically and talent-wise, I don't see them lining up against a storied NW power house and national contender. After a bye they should be able to handle Brown because like Brown they have smart players on offense but I think their depth and defense will get them the breaks they need to win. Last game will be the 1-2 and I think Texas chokes, sorry guys. They have a tourney win under their belt but they weren't at Vegas and I think the tempo of the game will favor Oregon.

Colorado 3-1: I think Colorado is angry. They know they should be better than this and like I said, I think they come out early against Oregon. After taking out Texas in a long game, I think we will see the upset of the tournament, LPC over Colorado. People like to read about upsets and this is mine. I think Colorado will look past LPC at a familiar foe in Brown and with nothing to lose LPC will take chances on offense and take advantage of a lack of focus on Mamabird's part. After getting shocked, Colorado is pissed and takes it out on Brown. I think after their 2005 loss in the finals, Colorado always likes sticking it to the NE boys. They go back to the hotel 3-1 and depending on differential, they may be back at 8am or 9:45am.

LPC 2-2: I think LPC fights everyone tooth and nail. They have experienced players that no one knows about and I think they will frustrate teams like Colorado. I think they come out fast and hard against a conservative dump swing Brown team and get excited early. I think Oregon takes them out easily and they rest their best in preparation for THE upset of Saturday against Colorado. After leaving it all on the field against Mamabird, Texas' depth runs up and down on them but they get a last round bye and start the drinking early.

Brown 0-4: I think Brown is happy to make Stanford but they are going to have to do well to be here in 2009. Without Mahoney, they will need everything out of Mike Vandenburg who does have A TON of experience. However, I think top to bottom, they have talent gaps that will have them struggling and their 3-7 will get walked all over. I see them getting close to LPC, but thats as close as it gets to a win on Saturday.

Pool D - 1) Arizona 2) UCSB 3/4) UBC/Claremont 5) Pitt

Black Tide 3-1: I don't think Tide deserves to be #3 in the country but that doesn't mean they don't deserve to be a 1 seed. I think they will take out Pitt easily because they have composure and Pitt's two crowning achievements this year are two close losses, Georgia 12-13 and NC State 10-12, both at Queen City Tune Up. Their next game will be against Claremont, a team that is close to beating Tide come series time, but a team that hates them. I can see Claremont getting frustrated in a rivalry game with NOTHING at stake. Tide will take advantage of mis-ques and earn the breaks they need. They will then face UBC who is definitely better than I thought they would be after losing Oscar and Morgan. I don't see them taking out a deep Tide team, but they will get points and make Tide play longer than they want. The last game of the day will be against Arizona and I think Sunburn takes Tide out. I think Arizona, like Tide, can play well under pressure but they have better personnel and synergy. Their performance at TiV shows that with pressure comes focus and if they are healthy, they can take it to the best. I think Arizona shows again that they are the team to beat in the Southwest and takes the pool in the best 1-2 game of the day.

Arizona 4-0: I think Arizona will do very well this Saturday. They only lost 2 games at Pres Day and I think that has to do with the fact that they were playing in their 3rd tournament in a row. Fools Fest happened before TiV and before they could get past the soreness, they traveled to San Diego and played 11 games and won 9. When healthy, I think they can handle a lot. Pitt and UBC will not present much of a challenge because Arizona's synergy will be more than these teams can handle. After a bye, they will face Claremont, who will be coming off a frustrating loss to Santa Barbara. Sunburn will capitalize and by this point have worked out all the necessary kinks to be ready for Tide. I see them going up 1 or 2 breaks early and going point for point in a game that will be watched by many. They will have as much support in Palo Alto as they had in Vegas, because everyone will want them to win. Hopefully it pans out.

UBC 2-2/1-3: UBC is a tough one. The only game that really matters is the first one against Claremont and it is the one game I am not sure about. I think they lose to Arizona and Tide, but take out Pitt peripheral to this game. I wish I knew more about them.

Claremont 2-2/1-3: The Brain Eaters are good and they don't get enough attention. They have won the qualifier before and this is their second time clawing their way into SI. They are ripe for some surprise wins and I think Pitt and UBC are on the chopping block. They face the Thunderbirds first and I really want to know what happens here. If Claremont is going to make semis at Regionals, this will be a stepping stone. Teams that are trying to break into Nationals must always show what they can do to non-regional opponents first. If they can take out a solid NW team, they will be looking good come spring. Either way however, I see them taking out Pitt and earning at least 1 solid win on the first day of competition.

Pitt 0-4: Pitt is a good team at ME regionals and I feel like thats about it. Yes they made semis at Queen City, but they lost and they played Georgia to double game point, but they lost to them as well. I think there are still a ton of questions associated with non-regional opponents when it comes to Pitt and until they record a win like Delaware did against Florida, the ultimate community will still question their ability at tournaments at this level. I will say that they do have a ton of young talent with Sophmores like Eddie Peters and Chris Brenenborg who both play for Pike. The team also has a lot of nationals experience, but their pool is filled with teams that are close to nationals and only don't make nationals because the teams ahead of them are making semis come Memorial Day. Good luck to you guys. I am more than happy to eat my words.

Closing thoughts

I think most people want a CUT/Wisconsin final and I think on paper, Wisconsin will win again. However, I am hoping for upsets and I will leave my bracket write up till after the tournament. Enjoy boys, I wish I were there. Florida, Georgia, take notes.

just my thoughts

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Aloha!!

It’s official, the best place to have an ultimate tournament is Oahu, Hawaii. I have been to tournaments in every US time zone, Mexico, Canada, and the ultimate ultimate experience has to be the Kaimana Klassik. I just had myself a pretty sick nasty weekend in the sun and I thought I would share some details about my experience.

I thought I would start off by giving a run down of a few teams of interest.

Lone Star

First and foremost, the best team at this tourney (aside from my own) had to be my boys from Texas. These guys are spectacular. Skip, Natali, Matty, Wheels, Mars(?), and the rest of the boys from the “yee-ha” state are pocket Aces. My cousin Alex has told me about how badass they are for some time, but I didn’t know for sure. If there was a crowd that could match my flare, my stories, my social exploits, and could show me a better time than I could show them, it would have to be the Austin crew. I am glad Billings, Ross and Hartwell already knew some of them, but we were blood brothers before we even played our game against them first thing Saturday morning. Some hilarious comments included, “I want to make an enemy tonight” (Skip), “I’m distracting aren’t I” (Mars), “Ok Match, let’s get belligerent” (Matty), and “Dude, I forgot that I took a weed brownie this morning” (anonymous). I would love to tell ya’ll about our escapades, but yeah, not here. All I can say is that I will be saddling up with them in a month at Centex and if anyone wants a good time, look for a bunch of tall drunken cowboys and a red head. Oh and Mars, accept my Facebook request so we can work out that three way deal with my colt jersey and the XL blue lone star long sleeve. I might just end up buying it when I get to Austin but I’ll send you a fresh jersey once I get back to the Have.

Voltron

Yeah, so this team was the all-star squad. They were probably the most fun team to watch and it sucked that they lost in semis. Notable players were Ben Wiggins, Josh Greenough, John “Kid” Hammond, Parker Krugg, Adam “Chicken” Simon, Andrew Fleming, and that’s about all I can remember right now. I will say that I kinda liked seeing Kid pull a Chris Webber time out move against Ono because it let me know that even the best players make mistakes. I will say that I kind of went over board on bugging him, sorry. He is just so distracting, what with the whole kimono/Paule Shore look-a-like/I’m so good at ultimate I can play wearing a bunch of crap/tight T-shirt antics. If you don’t want attention, don’t go out of your way to draw it. He is a spectacular player though, great D, very dynamic offensive presence, and hugantic running strides. The guy moves like a cheetah.

I also want to take this opportunity to poke some fun at these guys since I massage their egos enough and I actually got a chance to see them interact in real life as opposed to just on the field. First off, wow, way to act like a bunch of high school football heroes. The whole white jumpsuits at the party was a little suspect. Way to go out of your way to make yourselves try and look really cool in a Saved by the Bell sort of way. Well, the teal Ono collard shirts were much worse, but still, you guys looked like you were from Terminix. Also, Chicken’s Carson Daly-esk MC-ing during the dance off had me scratching my head. Manisha "Slap" Daryani's dance moves definitely helped distract me from how pink and pretty Mr. Simon is (side note: it really sucks that Slap got a ginormic concussion putting her on vomit duty during the women’s finals. Had she, Becky, and that girl that destroyed her leg, played in the finals, it would have been a much closer game). I will say it was a pleasure playing against him and the rest of Voltron despite the fact that they spanked us in quarters. I think most folks are aware Chicken is a premier handler, but I was really impressed with his D. Also, thanks guys for printing Voltron hats in blue, it’s my favorite color. You wouldn't think the last 15 seconds of this video would be inspiring but, who’s the savy veteran now?

Hey and ulti arnie, you never told me what your nickname means. You played really well and I hope I get the chance to see you and the rest of NC State this spring.

Ono

HA! This is too easy. Let me just say, Air Squids 1, Black Tide 0.

Stanford

As far as actual ultimate goes, these boys definitely did not disappoint. I wasn’t in Goleta last month for Santa Barbara Invite, but the undergrads really did well this weekend. They started off really slow against the Japanese team winning a squeaker 11-9, but after getting their shit together, they really kicked ass and made semis. Sherwood is a stud, Ezra is a sick deep, and Schlag is as badass as his last name. I wish I could have seen Tom James play more, but he sat out most of our game. We played them in power pools and I was really stoked to get the chance to play against a team I have been following for so long. High points were me NOT getting D’d by Derek Frome despite his extremely tight/physical man D. Low points were my heckling (I sucked this game) and the fact that we lost. Their offense was really crisp and our team, despite a ton of talent, had trouble converting on O because we had never played with each other. In addition, it was really nice to meet Ryan “The Pulse” Thompson. He is a good guy and it sucks that he couldn’t play because of a broken arm.

Skeletor

This team was fun to watch because they were basically the Stanford talent of yester year, in addition to some bay area guys. Wiseman played a great game in the finals and the punk ass cost me a sourdough jack and two tacos. Thanks to his like 11 scores, I had to buy a drunk as fuck Protik 3 Big Macs instead of him buying me some Jack in the Box goodies I can’t get in New Haven. It was also cool seeing Mike Payne (Skeletor, Revolver, Jam, Stanford) line up against Steve Dugan (Ono, Condors, UCSB). I hope they swapped digits after all their marking contact. Skeletor definitely made the finals exciting after letting Ono creep up on them to tie it at 14’s after they had a 14-12 lead. I think the best thing about this game was that it was a semblance of the old rivalry between UCSB and Stanford. Back in the 90’s these teams were both at the top at the same time and I am sure players like Greg “Hollywood” Husak (Ono) and Mike Payne have no love lost over the last 10-15 years. The best heckle from our group during the finals was the Kevin Cissna movie chants. Every time he got the disc we would yell out a different Brad Pitt movie and while I didn’t initiate it, I definitely dropped Thelma and Louise first.

Almos Pau

I couldn’t talk about teams without mentioning my own. What I thought would be a San Diego squad was mostly Mischief and Shazaam players. We had some great handlers, some great cutters, some great defenders, and great overall teammates. Here are a few things that I liked about my team, or I just thought were funny/cool:

1) Leetch, you could totally be a pretty boy douche bag and you aren’t. Thanks for being a lot of fun and I really enjoyed playing with you.

2) I ran into a guy I played with at Acapulco (Jeremy Clark) before games started and we were both happy to see each other and he mentioned that Cole (another friend from Mexico last year) was at the tournament as well. I was stoked and looked forward to crossing paths with him. Needless to say, the guy was actually on my team and I didn’t know it yet. HA! We had fun.

3) After the tournament ended, I got the chance to tell Brett Kolinek from Bravo/Colorado State that I hated him when I was a squid and he played for Hibida. I told him why and we both laughed at a story that is now ancient history. People, get used to liking all ultimate players because you never know when they will be your teammate some day.

4) Beevers, you make me laugh. You got balls and very interesting taste in women.

5) Protik and Becky are two of the best people I have ever met. Pro let me play for Almos Pau and he and his wife Becky basically babysat me the whole weekend. They shuttled me to and from the airport, let me stay at their house, hooked me up with showers/food/greenery, and were just good friends. Oh and did I mention I had never met them before? Gotta love ultimate players.

The whole team was a ton of fun and not only were we fun, but we were good. We went 3-1 in pool play and managed to battle back and beat the Doughboys (Australia) on double game point to make quarters. I wish I had actually caught this fucking disc, but later I managed to call a game saving pick that got us one of the breaks we needed to win the game.

My Gripes

So this tournament was fun but there are some things that I want to bitch about and since it’s my blog, I am going to say whatever I want.

First, the fields are HARSH. My joints look like burger right now. They are like playing in a thorny bush. Yikes. My scratches were definitely excessive and not the norm, but when you are stuck indoors for 5 months, you are going to take every bid opportunity you can. It was worth it.

The food was ehh. The only stuff that was actually good was the pig you had to buy for lunch everyday. That stuff was legit and only 5 bucks. Dinners were forgettable though. Weird Mexican stuff with processed nacho cheese? Meat paste egg rolls? Whatever the hell that salad stuff was? However, there was a TON of free liquids including copious amounts of booze, juice, Gatorade, and coffee. That made things extremely helpful in battling the blistering heat and getting hjammered (no typo) come party time.

Hippy bullshit. This has been bugging me for a long time and I am going to bring it up now. I am so god damn tired of the PC/green peace/sensitive crap associated with ultimate players. COME ON!! Yes I am a male, yes I am heterosexual, and yes I want to eat meat. In the food line, the first thing asked was not “chicken or beef?”, it wasn’t “pig or fish?”, it was “are you vegetarian?”. Really? Since when did eating meat become this unpopular? We have been doing it for a million years and now it’s a crime against nature? It’s an unhealthy lifestyle? It’s unsustainable? You guys are almost as bad as the Atkins nuts. Maybe I am just part of a sport that has a lot of green minded people and I suppose that is ok. It’s like being a Pink Floyd fan as well as a stoner, but I am going to bitch anyway.

Yeah and after the finals, I sucked it up and my drunk ass stayed and picked up trash. Most folks left but I was a contributor to the mess and I wanted to do my part. I walked around for like 20 minutes rounding up garbage. However, when I went over to the stockpile I got frowns because I didn’t separate the recyclables from the non-recyclables. Are you fucking serious? Have you ever been to a sporting event or concert? Large groups of people don’t pick up after themselves. That is why people are paid to pick up trash. Get used to it. And when someone actually sacks up and does pick up after themselves, you are going to give them shit for not sorting it? I was pissed, but drunk, so I probably overreacted. But come on!

And the whole sex thing, yes I sometimes use words like “raped”, yes I am going to draw attention to hot women in ultimate (in what I believe to be a respectful manner) and yes I like to tell offensive stories/jokes. Sorry, I really enjoy having that Y chromosome and I act like I have a pair. I try and keep it clean here but have any of you ever let yourselves laugh? I am having a kick ass time in my 20’s and securing a topnotch future in the process, not to mention entertaining some people in the process. I’m not going to be like this in 20 years (I hope?) but I will have the satisfaction that I did it right when I was young and I am not going to be a 40-something in a midlife crisis because I haven’t had any fun. Folks, it’s called age appropriate behavior. Enjoy life and don’t be a BUZZ KILL!! For help, watch more Family Guy and less Lifetime.

(I am probably barking up the wrong tree and I am going to get a lot of “Get used to it Match” but god, no wonder people make fun of our game and call it things like “fag-toss”. Not my words, so don’t give me that homophobic crap.)

Closing Thoughts

In any event, I loved Kaimana. I am not much of a camper because my dad drank and sucked at taking care of his sons, so I was a bit unprepared, but I had a great time none the less. I hope to return in 2009 with more friends than enemies, but we’ll have to wait and see. Thank you to the TD crew, you guys run a hell of tournament and I can see why the best in the world come all the way to your polo fields to rock out under the sun. Thank you to my team organizers (Pro and Ross) as well as our team mom (Becky), you gave me something I have wanted for a long time. Thank you to my Texas homies, you made this weekend unreal. Thanks Billings for being Billings. Thanks Hartwell for being a friend when you should have been one 3 years ago. Thank you to my teammates, you let a fat red head enjoy ultimate he can’t get in Connecticut. Thanks to anyone that laughs at my spittle and doesn’t toss too much shit at me when I unload it all over the place. And thank you for taking the time to read this, I am nothing without my audience.

Next stop Paganello?

just my thoughts

match diesel