NexGen Thoughts Part 2

After watching the Furious game and reading KW's thoughts on Sockeye, I have a few follow up thoughts on the NexGen tour.

Past

It looks like club teams are not bringing it the way I thought they would. In watching the Furious game, there were some notable players missing including Oscar, Gabe, and Andrew Brown. I'm not certain where in the game they would have improved things, but each has valuable assets and I think a break here or there could have been reeled in with them on the field.

The argument is even stronger with Sockeye. Only 11 players? Wow. One of the things that struck me from the Furious game is how shallow the NexGen roster is. On the sidelines there was so much more red than black, and considering the gambit NexGen is signed up for, I hope everyone stays healthy. Nevertheless, 11 vs 13 is pretty comparable, making Sockeye's 15-11 win appear more favorable for NexGen than it could have been.

Present

Regardless of how hard Furious or Sockeye fought against NexGen, I fully expect them to bring it to Rhino. The confidence and chemistry developed in these two games are significant not only becuase guys like Eric Johnson and Nick Lance have made huge plays, but they have come against what these kids believe are two of the best teams in the world. Egos were already huge on this roster and now they are only bigger.

Intangibles aside, I think NexGen's biggest weapon tonight will be their two Rhino members (Dylan Freechild and Cody Bjorklund). In addition to providing skill and scouting tips, their absence will be felt with Rhino. Portland had their heyday in '06-'07 but now that Seth is long gone and they haven't been to Nationals in a while, they really need all their standouts. Given the competition Rhino faces in the NW, a loss to NexGen won't be that big a deal. Portland has enough trouble and one more drop in the bucket shouldn't be that significant.

Future

Given NexGen's success against Furious and Sockeye (ie not getting blown out), I think their remaining opponents will be incredibly focused. I fully expected Revolver to crush NexGen and I am even more certain of that now. Don't suck Chicken ;)

However, of the games left, I am the most interested in NexGen vs Bravo. JB has quietly added Austen Gregersen and Joe Kershner, two of my favorite ultimate people. Austen was a stud for Sunburn and Barrio and Kershner hasn't come up for air since winning the Callahan. Unless I am mistaken, this NexGen game will be our first look at these two players together since (cue misty eyed Match) they captured our hearts back in 2008. Hopefully both play.

Closing Thoughts

I think NexGen's first two games have gone as good as one could hope. They have been close, expectations have been met and momentum has been built. Given the fact that July is typically a down month for elite club teams, I suspect NexGen will get past a few slumbering squads. This should be good for NexGen becuase it will validate the entire tour and teams caught sleeping will have a wake up call before the series.

Keep up the good work.

Match Diesel, PhD

NexGen Tour Thoughts

It has been quite a while since I picked up the ultimate pen and while I still follow the game, real life has taken my focus. Since my last post I have finished my PhD, gotten engaged, and started my new career as a professional medical writer. However, of all the topics that have sparked even the slightest inspiration over the last 8 months or so, none has left the impact of NexGen.

Logistics

Lets start with praise. Unlike many ultimate ventures out there, NexGen is a fantastic product from both a macro and a micro perspective. At the 'big picture' level you have a spectacular platform to showcase some of the best up and coming talent in the sport. I do not know how this is being funded, but it rivals Dartmouth's Big Green Bus of the mid 2000s as far as ideas go and blows it out of the water from a competitive standpoint. The scheduling alone is a modern miracle and I think it is fairly safe to say that aside from WUGC 2012 chatter, NexGen will gobble up considerable attention this summer.

From a mico scale perspective, the execution of NexGen is pretty solid. Their website is a bit junky with drop downs that are blocked becuase of clutter, but the sheer definition of their pictures and interviews is unlike anything we have seen before. Much like the ESPN feel of college nationals highlights this past May, the HD-esk appearance of NexGen is a major leap forward in the marketability of ultimate. Pending SNAFU's with their execution (and considering that this is ultimate, nothing is garunteed), I think this experiment will compete with MLU, C1, ECU, Ultimate Peace etc.. as far as hype is concerned and considering the fact that success is solely expected within 2011 (as opposed to indefinitely), it will leave an exceedingly postive impression for future players/ultimate enthusiasts to emulate.

Competition

I don't know who or how this schedule was crafted, but it is incredible. It is not the first time we have seen a team showcase itself against the best teams in North America (Team USA 2005 and 2009, Team Australia 2008, etc..), but it is certainly the best thus far. Taken at a cursory glance, NexGen is scheduled to play Furious, Sockeye, Rhino and Revolver, a very respectable lineup, but NW heavy. However, if you open their full schedule, you'll see that they are playing just about everyone. Bravo, Chain, Ironside, GOAT, Truck Stop, Ring, not bad. I wish Doublewide and PoNY were on this list ahead of Oakland and either Madison/SubZero, but that is being nit picky at best. I think I speak for the bulk of the ultimate community when I say that I would gladly buy tickets to see one of these games if any were near New Haven, CT.

Now the bad news. As excited as I am to see this product come to fruition, I think the youngsters are going to get smoked. Given their youth and lack of experience as a unit, I think elite club level talent will tear them apart. It also doesn't help that their first game is up against one of the most experienced teams in the world, Furious George. On Friday, these kids are going to roll into UBC and faceoff against players that were in their place 5-6 years ago. Oscar, Morgan, Alex, Menzies, Gabe...these were the college superstars making club noise when NexGen was in middle school and they've already got a few rings and medals on their shelves. You have solid experience in guys like Stubbs, Kapinos, Arenson, and Murray, but it is peanuts relative to their competition, which raises some concerns about the roster in general.

Given my experience in actually putting together an ultimate product, I am aware of how hard it is to get people to sign on the dotted line, but I have to draw some attention to those not on this roster. First and foremost, I think Grant Lindsley, Christian Foster, and Hylke Sneider should all be on this list. I have no idea if they were asked and/or turned it down, but I think all three bring useful elements to the roster and could be invaluable to NexGen success.

Further, I am surprised that there is no Florida representation. Colorado, CUT and Wisconsin all have included personel and even more could be put forth (see above). Neverthless, their is one missing competitive piece and it deserves to be included. Cole Sullivan is a stud and just as 'Next Generation' as any of these other players. I would even argue that Brodie Smith and/or Chris Gibson should be on the roster given their relative youth and play making ability. Perhaps all were asked and each one turned NexGen down, but regardless, a +6-foot cocky superstar will be necessary against the likes of Morgan, Nord, Beau, Mac, Dylan, Jolian, Hassell, etc.

Closing Thoughts

Most folks know that I am a Furious homer, so favoring them comes as no surprise. Considering that Furious is well on their way to Condor/Ring status, I would not be surprised if NexGen made it interesting. However, FG is just the tip of the iceberg. Sockeye is absolutely vicious and will eat these kids alive. Take a look at what they have done to the Buzz Bullets in big games and they are 10x more experienced.

And it only gets worse. Revolver could switch their O-/D-line sets and cruise. Bravo, Chain, and GOAT would love to show that they are still relevant. Maybe NexGen gets past a crumbling Ironside, but by that point most of their best games will be behind them. I want to see these kids shine on the big stage, but I fear their lack of chemistry will turn into break after break for these cold blooded veterans.

Long story short, I'm pumped to see how this tour goes down, but my money is on CurrentGen.

Just my thoughts.

Match Diesel, PhD

Another Year...

...another Fury Championship. I think Chelsea Putnam said it best during the mixed finals broadcast "Matty Sang, you are the best coach in ultimate". Truer words have never been spoken. For those like me that have heard about DoG's 6-peat for years but weren't around for it, insert Fury. Two years ago they lost one of the best individuals in the ultimate community, Gwen Ambler, and they haven't missed a beat. It may have been taken a 12 point comeback but the streak was still alive. Winning with new faces, a better test of a championship caliber team there is not. Congrats across the board.

Open

I was texting back and forth with my cousin Alex about Revolver and he seemed to think their performance was the most dominant in Club Nationals history. Now he is definitely a NW homer, and you can't blame him, but despite the hyperbole, there is some truth to his statement. Coming into this tournament the expectations on Revolver were probably the most a team has felt since Sockeye back in 2007. Three years ago the Fish were trying to repeat AND earn the chance to represent the USA and they delivered, albeit with two nail biters in semis and finals.

As for Revolver, everyone knew they were the team to beat. Some made a big deal out of Ironside's undefeated streak but every time it was brought up I thought to myself, "Really? What are you 12?" Within the US or not, they got whipped right in the middle of the season. Way to go ESPN/Favre and harp on a topic no one wants to talk about. You could totally see it on Will Neff's face during his post game interview that the streak was more of a liability than anything else. They may have been the 1 seed but the focus, talent, and experience of Revolver was as good as billed.

Going into the tournament I was curious to know if Revolver would underperform the way Bravo did in 2008 when they were easy favorites to win it all in a double peak year. However, after SF's win over Chain there was no doubt in my mind. ATL may have been in a down year, but when you avenge a crushing loss with a 15-6 power pool win, you are sending a message, to them and any 7 who dare stand 70 yards away. That game also reminded me of Bravo in 2008 when they avenged their Finals loss to Sockeye 15-14 in quarters, but in Revolver's case it was a stepping stone to Sunday glory and not Saturday exhaustion.

Revolver did face some stiff opposition in Doublewide and I think Austin should be very proud of their semifinal performance. They have had a few good seasons now and the youthful rejuvenation of Brodie et al seems to be just what the doctor ordered. Historically, DW seems to be in the same category as Furious and Ring in that they are a talented team, but struggle in the free agent department. Not in 2010 however. Hopefully the pipeline can stay alive.

And then there were two. I don't know what it is, but Ironside has really struggled in these games. In 2008 Ironside was easily the better team on paper going into the finals, especially considering their youth, Jam's lack thereof, and a pool play win over SF, but it didn't matter. Confidence was the limiting factor then and it was the limiting factor yesterday. Boston seemed gun shy against Revolver and the Bay Area capitalized. It seems a lack of depth in the NE is Ironside's downfall. I mean come on, you win your region with 4 victories? The closest of which was a 15-10 semifinal win over PoNY? Revolver has had to go through Sockeye, Furious, Jam, Rhino, etc.. since Day 1 so it is no wonder they brought swagger in buckets.

Ironside's D-line was legit though. Colin Mahoney made an amazing layout catch block on Beau late in the game and with a play like that, you could really tell the D-line came to win. Unfortunately the O-line did not. Oh well, much like Bravo in 2007, you were simply going up against a more focused, talented, and experienced opponent.

Mixed

Wow, I gotta tell ya, it was surreal seeing my CT buddies suit up on Sunday. Korber, Kendra, KG, Napoleon, Mazur, Kravitzes, X, etc.. I am so proud of all of you guys. First year in existence and you put together one of the most impressive seasons in any division and when faced with some major gut checks (i.e. two losses, one in pool play) you grind it out and make the finals.

Unfortunately, the buck stopped there and Polar Bears Ctrl C'd and V'd their Thursday success. Knowing 808 and the LPC crew a little bit, this win was not a surprise. For several years the 925 has been quite close and while this may have been their first year as Polar Bears, a Div III championship and some major college noise say otherwise. I have seen few teams as close as this group and when it comes to success in this game, especially on offense, a tight knit bunch is clutch. All season D5 dominated which basically means their D-line dominated. Going into the series CT knew their O-line was their weak spot and Polar Bears' zone D exposed them big time.

Plus PBs had this blur of a female named An-Chi Tsou. Holy crap! Could anyone stop this girl? It definitely says a lot when a woman busts out in a mixed game. I've always thought mixed is all about your females and when most say "its basically 4 on 4", this game was refreshing. Plus rather than hearing "(insert name) Smith", we got "(pause) An-Chi (pause) Tsou?" Hilarious Chelsea. Robot's play was also very impressive but not unexpected. Since almost my first day as a squid, I have known about this guy and his final goal was just another in a slew of spectacular plays I've seen out of him. He reminds me a lot of Kurt Gibson in that he has superb body control and makes exceedingly awkward, but athletic, plays as if they were nothing. Korber is easily the best player I have ever played with/against and to poster him like that at such a big moment was....I got nothing. Congratulations!

D5 wasn't without their own superstars however and Justin Segool really played well. I remember at tryouts being much more impressed with Brandon Redding, but Segool really asserted himself as D5's premier deep threat. Regrettably, the highlight reel plays that I'm sure D5 is used to seeing out of Korber, Morrone, Rafe, DJX, etc.. just weren't there yesterday. I remember the second point of the game, a long one where D5 couldn't punch in the upwind break despite two hucks to the endzone, being a moment of fear for me. In that instance, it just seemed like the big plays weren't coming and when your O-line is weak, small ball is not an option you want to have to rely on.

In the end D5 had a successful season by anyone's standards and I'm sure those that had their doubts in May/June about playing Mixed in New Haven were fully confident in their decision yesterday, even in defeat.

Closing Thoughts

In watching the feed I quickly realized why I decided to ease off on the whole journalism gig. While ultimate is exciting to watch and follow, the only word I can come up with to describe the way it is packaged is "unprofessional". From the sombreros to the neon green sunglasses, the game just looks hokie. No wonder no one takes us seriously. I also agree with most of the RSD criticism about the commentary and would just like to add that the lack of focus was really irritating. Getting the score wrong over and over, talking about high fives, bold/incorrect decisions over and over, come on. My girlfriend (not a frisbee person) overheard the broadcast and consistently was puzzled by the dialog. I subject her to quite a bit of ESPN and even she can tell the difference.

I am conflicted when criticizing the job UV does though. I've been there in the editing sessions and I know how hard they work. However, this is not the first year UV has done this, its the 3rd and its also not the first time some of the commentators have done this. However, rather than improve year to year, things seem stagnant. I fear for UV's grip when/if CBS comes into Sarasota because they could easily take Rob's gig. In all honesty, they do a way better job and if you claim they have more resources, I suggest charging for access to nationals video footage. Rob did it with UVTV.

I also miss Tom Styles. His voice over the WUGC Finals was incredible. No offense to the current commentators, but the first hurdle in broadcasting is having a good voice. Tom has one, the current crew does not. You can call foul, but its just like sports, if you're fat, slow, short, and/or clumsy, you probably don't belong on the field.

just my thoughts

match diesel

Back on the horse

With the invitations finalized for Sarasota, I wanted to toss out some spittle.

Open - 1 Seeds

Ironside - Looking red hot this year after a less than dominant worlds. While their free agent heavy roster seems to have had chemistry issues in the past, it looks like they are finally clicking. However, I'm not convinced they are better than Revolver. ECC caught Revolver at their worst and since then Boston has only beaten up east coast teams and has yet to play DW.

Revolver - They are the world champs so it is tough to put them behind anyone. Their roster seems to be the best balance of talent and experience which seems to be the recipe for success in Florida. Plus a UPA title would scratch an itch a world title only seems to exacerbate.

Doublewide - There are few things I am more excited about this Fall than DW as a one seed. Pipelines are a funny thing and what was once CUT to Sockeye or Mamabord to Revolver, is now Florida to Doublewide. I doubt Kurt intended to have little bro and Brodie fly out to Austin to suit up with him again, but I am sure no one is complaining now.

Chain - I am not sure how Chain is feeling right now, but I am fairly certain it is similar to what Sean Payton and Drew Brees are drawing up in the locker room. Given the roster additions of Sammy CK, Jolian, and Kiran Thomas, Chain was the front runner to win Worlds (or at least make the finals) and cruise through the series. However, a 4th place finish in Prague and a backdoor entry to Sarasota are not what HotLanta had in mind. Much like the Saints, confidence is not what it once was.

The Rest of the Field

Furious - Yes!! Back at the show. While they remind of the Condors and/or Ring with the slip in competitive ability, at least the Monkey has returned.

PoNY - Way to match Bodhi's big win over GOAT by taking them down for the first time. PoNY always seems to be the perpetual 2004 USA Olympic Basketball team with more talent than success but they definitely earned some swagger this weekend.

Streetgang - Siiick. Way to stick it to the Condors when it really mattered. Pumba I'm still waiting for my long sleeve. Tell me where to send the check.

Madison Club - Natties or not, take a lesson from Benjamin Franklin: We must hang together or we will hang separately.

Truck Stop - WOOOO-Datch! I got nothing else.

Mixed

District 5 - Despite my connection to D5, I haven't written on this cinderella team. Drinking Korber's Kool-Aid but getting handed my hat was a tough pill to swallow, especially given my odd position in the ultimate community. Regardless, their run this year has been exceptional and I think they are the biggest story in the mixed scene this year. Their 3-0 record against Slow White during the regular season basically primed them for an ass kicking and given my conversation with Kendra, DJX, and KG a week ago, a 4-15 whipping wasn't a surprise. Either way, they are Natties bound and considering their success so far, they will be confident going to Sarasota. But a bigger target their is not in 2010.

Oh and for irony purposes, I'd like to respond to this comment form my original D5 post:

"In the end though, do you expect Connecticut to have competitive parity with Boston?"

Yes.

LA Metro - Great job taking the region. Once again I am so stoked for my buddy JAM. I think I need two hands to count how many 2nd place or worse finishes Metro/Pleasuretown had, so I'm sure taking out Barrio and 7 Figures was a touch of heaven.

just my thoughts

match diesel

Revisiting Henry Callahan

Today I got an email from Jay Callahan, the surviving brother of Henry Callahan, informing me that Henry's killer, Robert Wieghard, is up for parole again on November 10th. For those interested in dismissing his parole request for another five years (maximum), please send letters to:

Colorado Parole Board

Attention: Chairman

1600 West 24th Street

Pueblo, CO 81003

Reference: WIEGHARD, ROBERT A. DOC# 45728

In addition to this request, I wanted to revisit Henry Callahan for the sole reason I wrote my initial story in the first place, to remember him. All of us know what a Callahan is, what the Callahan award is, and what the Callahan rules are, but fewer of us know the story of where this name comes from. For those unfamiliar, please read the following story. Then if you're motivated enough to send the Colorado Parole Board a letter, Jay would greatly appreciate it.

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.

match diesel

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

The Benefits of the Status Quo

Now that the American World Cup fever has broken, we can all go back to our regular lives, pending any sort of international commitment. However, it would be a tragedy if we did not learn any lessons from the premier showcase of the world's game.

In watching a handful of matches, it seemed fairly obvious that much like baseball, the call for instant replay in soccer is growing. USA's offsides call in the Slovenia game was just the beginning and yesterday someone else besides the red, white, and blue had a reason to bitch. Nevertheless, FIFA seems content with blowing off any and everyone that questions their referee's calls and I am doubtful any major changes will occur. They have been running the World Cup for 80 years without it, why change things now? Once again the information age proves to be a mixed blessing with new data just showing us problems we've always had, just never really noticed.

Anyway, watching commentators, coaches, players, fans, etc... all talk about instant replay and officiating in soccer got me thinking about our little sport. Just a few years ago I could not have been more adamant that Ultimate needed referees, but now that I am a few years older and wiser, I am beginning to see things differently. Much like the children's story "If you give a mouse a cookie" introducing changes to the officiating system just opens the door for more. First its instant replay for goals, then offsides, then handballs and pretty soon the game looks completely different. Likewise with Ultimate. I cannot believe I am writing this but, once you have a more direct role for calls I can imagine more and more things slipping through the cracks (rather than being caught) and pretty soon the game that we once thought would be improved by impartial judges is now a mockery because of them.

The underlying assumption regarding officials in ultimate is that they will reduce the number of suspect calls. However, what if this is erroneous? What if they make matters worse? Forget the objective standpoint of, "If someone is watching, the foul/travel/pick/etc... will be called" because, as the World Cup has shown, even trained professionals at the highest levels in the most popular sport, get it wrong. That being said, I am beginning to believe that the status quo has more merit than I have historically thought. Perhaps this self-officiating system is worth while, not because of SOTG, but because there are more eyes in better position than without. And whats even more comforting is that our sport does have a reasonably sound system of checks and balances. The contest system is quite effective and one of my favorite moments in Ultimate is when I can look my opponent in the eye and say, "That's a good contest."

In any event, after 4 months of LSAT prep, I have learned the power and risk of assumptions and the World Cup has shown us that refs botch things quite often. Bottom line, much like Germany/England and Argentina/Mexico, the better team won. Even with USA/Slovenia, whatever issues the official created did not end up affecting the competition in the end. Rarely is it the case that poor officiating actually changes the course of a game and in that rare instance, our current system would have prevailed. Ultimately, Rule #76: No excuses, play like a champion.

just my thoughts

match diesel

Heros Get Remembered, but Legends Never Die

Today marked the end of Ken Griffey Jr.'s career and for those that know me well, such a day brings a significant amount of emotion into the heart of an already emotional person.

To call me a Griffey fan is an understatement. Beginning at the age of 6, I became obsessed with everything Griffey. From his baseball cards to autographed balls and bats to jerseys to video games, posters, trips to Seattle, wearing a gold #24 around my own neck. I even used to sleep with his 1989 upper deck rookie card while it was in a bullet proof glass case.

Bottom line, for over 20 years the number 24 has been a mainstay in my life, so much in fact that I have even considered getting it tattooed on my body. My ultimate numbers have always been 24 and a few years ago, on my 24th birthday, my mother had an authentic Seattle Mariners jersey made for me with 24 and "Match" on the back. I will always remember it as one of the best gifts I have ever received.

However, the true greatness of Griffey cannot be explained with statistics, his picture perfect swing, his smile or even one of a hundred of his over the wall catches. In my opinion, his greatness is best understood in looking at his dark years from 2000 to today, the years plagued with injury and mediocrity. Why? In 50 years, hell in 5 years, the period that Griffey played in will always be known as the steroid era. Bonds, McGwire, Canseco, Palmeiro, A-Rod, Manny, Clemens, they all have had amazing careers that were boosted because of a pill or a needle. Some people, including myself, are even waiting for players like Pujols to get popped, because in all honesty, crushing home runs year after year draws skepticism these days.

But what of Griffey? See in my opinion, the late 90's marked a very crucial moment in two highly parallel careers. Griffey was riding some serious momentum after an MVP and even a few playoff appearances and Barry Bonds, while winning 3 MVPs by 1993, had to watch Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire break Maris' record and earn the praise he so longingly wanted. Both were fantastic players at the top of their careers, but it was at this point that the two athletes spiraled into two hugely different directions.

This is speculation, but the consensus seems to be that Bonds started hitting the juice around this time and before you know it he became a monster. Soon after he begins to put up insane numbers and only three years removed from Big Mac's 70, he hits 73. As for Griffey? Well there isn't much to tell. A broken wrist here, issues with a hamstring there. A failed stint with the Reds. Basically nothing. Why do we care? Because there is no better comparison between a player that used and a player that didn't.

Griffey will be a first ballot Hall of Famer for many reasons, the most compelling of which is the same reason Bonds won't be. He played the game honestly. I have no doubt temptation crossed his mind once or twice, but unlike many players that have ridiculous career spikes in odd places, Griffey's career is a testament to what professional baseball does to a person. No one, even the The Kid, is invincible to the wear and tear of 162 games, and in a time where so many athletes fail to represent the heroes we all hope they should be, Griffey's legacy will endure. Never have I been more proud to be a fan of #24.

In addition to Griffey's retirement, there is another layer of this Legends and Heroes post. Mike Grant. Much like Griffey, when anyone in ultimate hears that name, the word "excellence" can't help but come to mind. For the past 10 or 12 years MG has represented the absolute pinnacle of Ultimate performance and wherever you go, no matter who you ask, any knowledgeable ultimate enthusiast will say, "He's the best player in the world." And what is even more impressive is that no one, save maybe a few Fish, could ever dispute this. How do I know this? Because I threw with Chicken a few hours ago and he told me, without any sort of prompt, that in his prime, MG was the best to ever play the game.

However, much like Griffey, it appears that MG's career has come to an end. Off and on I've tried to approach my Furious contacts to write about his exit, but I can understand if it is a sore subject. Perhaps he feels three gold medals and three UPA club titles are enough. Perhaps Furious' dip in performance the last few years has compelled him to reassess his priorities. Whatever the reason may be, the fact still remains, the game has lost its best player. Fortunately for me, I had the opportunity to meet and interview him directly after arguably the biggest win of his career, which for me was a moment that could only be eclipsed by three things, 1) my PhD defense, 2) my wedding day, or 3) the day my son/daughter is born.

With this in mind, I'm sure you can all guess why I have put Griffey and Grant in the same post. They are my heroes, they are simply why I care. At 6 it only took my older brother giving me a 1989 Donruss and at 19, only a little blurb in a UPA Magazine, but these two players changed my life and what's is even more important, is that they represent the best components of their respective games. They are, through and through, absolutely pristine examples of what little boys and girls should strive to be when they pick up a glove or a disc. Yes, there are other fantastic role models in each game, but I strongly believe that in looking at a career, bookend to bookend, you can't do much better than Griffey and Mike Grant.

In summation, peripheral to actual competition, these two athletes have compelled me to become the thinker, the writer, the scientist, the journalist, and most importantly, the man I am today. Thank you.

just my thoughts

match diesel