Miscellaneous on CHC, Callahans, 40 yr olds
Glad to see my Sub-Zero Chicago prediction was right on. Of course, I got the finalist, and possibly semifinalists wrong, but we won't know until someone actually posts some barebones results on rsd, which doesn't seem like it is going to happen. Pretty lame. Although good to see that Goat may finally be getting into gear. Should be a competitive regionals. It will be interesting to see if we get a size bid. If we do, the top 3 should be pretty straightforward, with PoNY trying to steal a bid. If we only get 2, it will be DoGfight for the 2 spots (hopefully only for 1 spot, but you never know).
What is more shocking is that Jim hasn't written about his second Callahan of the season over on his blog. Whereas a team might be lucky to get a single Callahan in a year, Jim has succeeded in going 2 for 2 (2 tournaments, 2 goals) in a single season AND still without having played a single point starting on D. I didn't see the first one against Sub-Zero at the Colorado Cup, but I was on the field for the second one against Seattle. We had inevitably turned it over in their endzone and we were trapping them forehand on the sideline. At a high stall count, the thrower lofted a high backhand dump to Jim's guy who was wide-open. The disc sailed into the air over the guy's head, he barely mac'ed it, and it floated gently into Jim's arms. GOAL! Meanwhile I am shouting Nooooooooo (visualize Homer seeing the last donut being eaten by someone else in slowmotion). Of course, the team goes wild, and we come back to win the game!
Alright, 1 out of 2. But the whole incident was somewhat nauseating nonetheless. Congratulations Jim.
And I have to disagree with Zaz's statement about 40-yr olds still playing the game. I'm not 40 yet (38), although I play a mean 45. And yet, at the same time, I see the older ranks of teams thinning out pretty rapidly. It wasn't so long ago that a lot of the best teams had a number of players throughout their 30's, and the occasional hacker in the early 40's. I think that number is rapidly shrinking as more palatable options are appearing (for some), like coed, where Steve Duggan has shifted himself, and a more competitive masters, which I will probably find myself sooner rather than later. Although there is probably a good chance that I will completely hang them up, rather than play masters (and of course we know that Coed will not be happening {I hope}). Unless we can get a good DoG reunion team out there. The only problem with that is that our window has almost closed, as the DoG guys I would want to play with in that kind of environment are almost too old even for masters. Whither grand masters?
What is more shocking is that Jim hasn't written about his second Callahan of the season over on his blog. Whereas a team might be lucky to get a single Callahan in a year, Jim has succeeded in going 2 for 2 (2 tournaments, 2 goals) in a single season AND still without having played a single point starting on D. I didn't see the first one against Sub-Zero at the Colorado Cup, but I was on the field for the second one against Seattle. We had inevitably turned it over in their endzone and we were trapping them forehand on the sideline. At a high stall count, the thrower lofted a high backhand dump to Jim's guy who was wide-open. The disc sailed into the air over the guy's head, he barely mac'ed it, and it floated gently into Jim's arms. GOAL! Meanwhile I am shouting Nooooooooo (visualize Homer seeing the last donut being eaten by someone else in slowmotion). Of course, the team goes wild, and we come back to win the game!
Alright, 1 out of 2. But the whole incident was somewhat nauseating nonetheless. Congratulations Jim.
And I have to disagree with Zaz's statement about 40-yr olds still playing the game. I'm not 40 yet (38), although I play a mean 45. And yet, at the same time, I see the older ranks of teams thinning out pretty rapidly. It wasn't so long ago that a lot of the best teams had a number of players throughout their 30's, and the occasional hacker in the early 40's. I think that number is rapidly shrinking as more palatable options are appearing (for some), like coed, where Steve Duggan has shifted himself, and a more competitive masters, which I will probably find myself sooner rather than later. Although there is probably a good chance that I will completely hang them up, rather than play masters (and of course we know that Coed will not be happening {I hope}). Unless we can get a good DoG reunion team out there. The only problem with that is that our window has almost closed, as the DoG guys I would want to play with in that kind of environment are almost too old even for masters. Whither grand masters?
posted by Alex de Frondeville at 6:12 PM
4 Comments:
man, he who hesitates... didn't even get a chance to post my 'old guys all quit' post...
At the highest levels there are fewer oldies than in previous years, so I agree that the average age of open/women ultimate players is decreasing. I still think it has some shrinking to do. (This dovetails with Jim's and my comments about peak age decreasing due to earlier starts.)
What, doesn't everyone get a Callahan per tournament? Borrring. I need something new to thrill me. Perhaps I'll throw a goal to myself next tournament. Although I've done it in hot box so many times that it's called a "Parinella", I haven't done it in ultimate. Yet. Sectionals this weekend, though, I'll have to throw swilly passes to bad-handed people and catch the rebound.
I will say that I would not have counted the most recent (as of the time of this writing) Callahan as a D block in the stats, although I actually was close enough that the guy felt he had to jump for it rather than trying to back up or run it down or some such thing.
But still, sweeeeeeeet.
Incidentally, you were beaten upline when you got your first Callahan...
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