Boston Invitational - Open Division - Day one

So, apparently because of my last post, I was expected to throw a lot of hammers this weekend. Well, that got sidetracked in the first game Saturday morning against Potomac, as I was not point blocked once, but twice on hammers in the first few points. And while the disc wasn't actually knocked backwards (ie., offensive players ended up with sort of bids on both of them), they were significantly impacted. Plus a couple of drops on somewhat difficult throws (one into a poach, another on a 3 foot cut straight at the thrower on high stall that was unexpectedly low which I still should have had) and I feel like at least one more turnover in there, it was a bad game. For most of the rest of the game, I looked off my hammer, although I finally completed one to somebody so wide open that even I couldn't look it off.

Despite my shortcomings, we won that game 15-10ish. Next game against PoNY, who had had an OK game with the Clapham team first round. We kept it closer than it had to be, winning 15-10/11. I think I finally completed another hammer in this game. The first half of the game I was feeling very cautious on ALL my throws, not just the hammer. Finally by the second half the jitters were gone.

Then a bye, boredom, and meeting Nasser(sp?) from Clapham, who actually is French. He knew my brother who played with the Invalides team in Paris, so we talked for a solid 25 minutes. That was the longest conversation that I had to sustain in French for sometime, but it was good to finally meet him, as my brother had mentioned that he was probably the best player in France. After playing against him and Clapham in the third round (they had won their first two pretty easily), I could agree with my brother. Definitely a stud player. The Clapham game was very close, as we won 15-12 with a defensive break for the final point. The offense only gave up one break the entire game, which means we only got three on them, which I thought was pretty impressive. They were definitely fun to play against. I finally started getting more confidence in the hammer in this game, throwing a number of completions. At one point, I had caught the disc maybe 10 yards outside the endzone being forced forehand. I then had at least 4 different people cut for a hammer, and I had to physically look/fake the hammer each time, to the extent that I wasn't being given ANY other options to throw. I finally threw one to (insert name here) because again it was just too open.

Finally, the meaningless crossover game against Metal, who had beaten there seed and won their pool 3-0. Their pool was definitely the pool of death, with 3 out of the 4 games in the first two rounds going to double game point. This game wasn't going to affect tomorrow's matchups, but nonetheless we didn't want to lose to our in-town rivals. Well, we sure didn't start out that way. The team played tentatively, ending up down 8-5 at the half with almost no energy on the sidelines, offense getting broken at least twice, and in ugly fashion, and the D not able to put up a good fight. We received coming out of half, and ended up trading to 11-8, including two ugly garbage catches for goals on offensive points, before we finally hit our stride. First the O scored to 11-9, then the D took advantage of a Metal mistake to get a quick score. This was the energy we needed (man we were quiet until then), and then we got two more breaks to go up 12-11. Then we traded to 13-13, with the O receiving. Metal pulls, Sammy catches, and throws to me on the forehand side as the hitch. Because of a Metal player flying down the field, I had actually cut a little harder than he expected, and he threw it well behind me, only to watch in horror as it dribbled off my hand maybe 6 yards outside our endzone. I pick up my guy, who is a dump, and only hear about the pass going up and apparently turned over. Greatly relieved, I walk to the disc in the endzone, walk it up to the line, hear them forcing 'home' (and knowing the first pass is to Jimmy P), wait a few seconds for him to clear the last poacher, and then uncork a full field long backhand that I think is going to go past him for a sec before he catches it literally on the far goal line. Fortunately he completes some squib pass to Zalisk before I have to hoof 70 yards down the field to catch up. 14-13. Defense pulls, eventually gets a break, and then we score on a long backhand huck. Game over.

Story of the day, however, was the weather. After predictions of hard rain and thunderstorms literally all day, we ended up getting the most rain during the drive out in the morning, and then a couple of short drizzles during the day, but otherwise the weather ended being PERFECT. However, as I check the forecast now, I see that it only seems that today's forecast was shifted out to tomorrow, as it seems we will get crushed then. Ugh. I hate rain. Well, more tomorrow night (or Monday...).