We're goin' to the show baby!
Masters regionals. 3 teams go in (+2), 2 teams leave. After a short fall, we were finally going to put the sack on the line. Would perhaps the last running of the 'dogs' end in ignominy and the first missed nationals since 1991? Stay tuned.
This was basically 3 good teams battling for 2 spots. Tombstone, fresh off their dominating win at Canadian nationals (including a large victory over Glum, the NE regional winner the previous year), had also picked some of the Glum players. The one factor against them was that Monday is Canadian thanksgiving (what are they celebrating? Our Columbus day but refusing to honor Columbus?) and a bunch of their players had not shown up. Above & Beyond brought their usual short scrappy team, although they were missing Faust and Showers (injury) and EO (Friday night scratch). DoG/Big Ego Ultimate was sporting our full roster for the first time all season, and what a large sideline it was. First and last round we subbed freely, and the middle 2 games I ran O subs and Dick Brown ran D subs.
Saturday was one of my better days of ultimate. One of the benefits of moving to Masters is that I still have the mindset of open play, so I was able to get open pretty much all over the field. It took Tombstone until the second half to upgrade their defensive matchup on me after I continued to get open at will. I'm not tooting my own horn here, it was just nice to be a little more open than in Open, and to be playing with people that were familiar with how we cut, where we expect the disc, and when to deliver, even if we haven't played together in years. It was like putting on a pair of broken in jeans.
Our schedule was definitely the most difficult of the 3 top teams. I had had numerous discussions with Jim during the prior week about his battles with the UPA personnel who had to approve the various schedules. The first schedule was actually perfect with easy, tough, bye, easy and tough games. Unfortunately, we ended up with easy, tough, tough, bye, easy. Of the top 3, we were the only ones that had to play the two tough games in a row. NY was bye, easy, tough, easy, tough. Tombstone was easy, tough, bye, easy, tough. So a little annoying, and wondering exactly what the #1 seed got us, but whatever.
Saturday was GORGEOUS (actually a little too hot, hitting the mid-80s'). Our first game was against Mt. Crushmore from New Hampshire. Naturally, being masters, people were filtering in throughout the day. In the initial huddle, I said that we would be calling substitutes during the big games today, with myself calling the O and Jeff Brown calling the D. But in the first game, go free-form BUT only play the side that you will be called in on (we had very few two-way players, at least at this level). We rolled without too much difficulty, winning 15-4. Meanwhile over in the other game, Tombstone was having an equally easy time against Not Dead Yet, winning 15-3. I did take the opportunity to watch their game when I could, having had zero experience against them. They played mostly ho stack and nothing tricky on defense. Dan Fassina had mentioned after Sectionals that at Masters, we would never play teams that had pressured us as much as New Noise had on defense, but that the offenses would be better for the best teams.
The next game against Tombstone was the first of two big games. The game started out reasonably even with both teams trading goals. I think they got a quick break to start which we got back soon after and then got a few more. We were playing a mix of man, zone, and clam, all adroitly managed by D puppetmaster Jeff. We ended up taking half maybe 8-6, 8-5, and didn't really give much of it back in the second half before pulling away 15-10. It didn't feel like that much of a dominating victory despite the score.
On to round 3, important game 2 against A&B. Same pattern as tombstone. Close early, finally pulling away very late for a 15-11 victory. This one felt even less certain than the Tombstone game despite the score. Jim mentioned in his blog that he noticed that Arnold hadn't matched up on him very much. I had noticed in earlier games that Arnold was getting put in on O much more than D which explains Jim missing his hip buddy. However, Arnold did get the opportunity to make numerous d's in our game, including an almost d on the final point of the game, a hanging hammer to somebody wide open in the opposite corner who made a great one-handed grab over Arnold after he appeared from out of nowhere to JUST miss making the D.
This brought on the 4th round bye, at which point a bunch of us took off to check out the other fields only to find out that the top bracket ALSO had a bye the same round. Talk about a crappy schedule, the top 4 seeds were game, bye, game, bye, game. Ugh. Malingered some more, caught up with people, and then back for our last round of the day against Not Dead Yet, who was in the process of giving A&B a reasonably tough game, finally losing 15-10. Having watched them earlier, they clearly seemed to be a better team than Mt. Crushmore, but they ended up being very generous during the game, submitting to us 15-5 without too much exercise on our part. This gave us a good amount of time to watch the Tombstone-A&B game for the right to play us in the first round. The game was pretty exciting, with Tombstone finally pulling away to win 14-10. This set up the rematch at 10:45 the following morning (although I told the team 10:30 trying to make sure we had enough people there).
After this was all done, headed off to the Devens Grill to hang out with Dennis, Dan Fassina and a few others for a few rounds before heading off to Maynard (?!) for a party with Dennis and friends. We ran into quite the neighborly gathering as a row of houses were having a backyard party to celebrate Maynard Day. We got there just as the main plaza was clearing out people after the fireworks. After having a few beers and hanging out at a portable firepit, we headed into town to a bar where Pete Best (formerly Beatles) was playing. Unfortunately, they were running a charity and wanted $25 a head, to which we said no way of course. We ended up walking a little further to Morey's Tavern, closed that, walked across the street to the Blue Coyote Grill, closed that, and then off to crash on a couch.
Up early the next day at 7AM working both ends of the candle, drive home, shower, watch Stargate Atlantis (nerd) and then head back out to the fields, getting there around 10:15 for the 10:45 game. Naturally Tombstone is all over the field while we are dribbling in. At 10:15 I have to be in the first 10 at that point, at least at the field, and NONE of us are up and throwing. By game time we have at least 15+ and start play. In this game the D asserts themselves. The O did well enough, but the D played a number of shutdown man points against the ho stack, causing Tombstone to look to their dumps at high stall counts over and over. The weather was much cooler than the previous day probably starting in the 50s and raining when we got there, though most of the game was actually dry. We ended up taking half 8-5 receiving the second half. The last point of the first half was very contentious with us on offense. I had probably my worst point of the weekend, starting with an outrageous 40+ yard hammer to Coop that ended up hanging up much longer than it should have to get D'ed. This was the first of many turnovers this point. At one point, we turned them over in our endzone, I went to pick up the disk, and then proceeded to call at least 4 straight marking fouls on my defender, who was the same upgraded defender from the second half of the prior game. He was actually marking VERY well, but each throw he either contacted my hand, or my arm BEFORE the throw that he hand blocked. The only one that I even debated taking back was a short hammer that dove into the ground after I hit his hand on the release. I thought it was during the release and affected the flight (which was why it dropped like it did, which it NEVER does) but that was the only close one. Naturally this led to a lot of heckling from both sidelines and field. We finally scored on the point, but it did cast a pall on the game for me for a bit. After half-time, I did not put myself into the game for the O point, figuring it was also time to start opening up the bench a little bit and make sure they could do it without me... :). I stayed out the next two O points, and also noticed that my D guy was out too. I went over to him to ask if my absence was icing him, and he laughed and said they were saving him for the next game. This proved prophetic as Tombstone folded like yesterday's laundry and lost 15-7. The D took advantage of the opportunities they were provided and took the game. I took some more points off and then went in the final point of the game.
After this game, we turned around to catch the end of the Boston Ultimate/GOAT game for the 1 seed. When I got to the endzone, GOAT was being pulled to up 13-11. After a number of ugly points (not spirit, just play), the game ended up tied 14-14, GOAT receiving, next point wins. Forch gets a HUGE block in the endzone, they turn it over a few points later, they get it back, and then Giora uncorks a huge backhand up the line to a streaking Forch who appears to have no chance to get it only to see him to a full extension layout, catch the disc, and then lay on the ground with the disc held in the air.
Later I caught up with Seigs and mentioned 'Where was that Forch the last few years'. Seigs mentioned that Forch was one of the ones who had helped put them in the hole in the first place, to which I responded 'OK he is STILL the same Forch then...'.
This set up the 2-3 game to go between Tombstone and A&B, who had crushed Not Dead Yet 15-3 after skating by 15-10 the previous day. The result ended up being different today, as Tombstone never got untracked. After being close early, A&B started pulling away as Tombstone kept failing to connect on long hucks, and mostly appearing to play pretty poorly. A&B up by 2 at half, and Tombstone with numerous opportunities to make the game tighter in the second half, including the opportunity to get the game to 10-9 (or 11-10) only to have their receiver drop a chest pass in the endzone for the goal. That ended up being game, as Tombstone never recovered despite our urgings for a close game.
After this game, as I was leaving the fields, I caught the end of the betty bowl between GOAT and PoNY. Talk about a barnburner. It looks like GOAT was playing down after their disappointing loss, and after a late comeback by PoNY, it ended up being double game point AGAIN with GOAT receiving. They moved it up the field, including one ugly backhand blade to a GOAT receiver whose defender ended up being in front of him in perfect position to catch the D, only to have the GOAT player catch it from behind at the same time. Call goes to the observer, tie, GOAT keeps it. Another layout block a little later that comes back, and then GOAT wins the game. Barely.
So I have been dealing with rounding up uniforms from Patagonia (which we hadn't gotten ahead of time), housing (which we are still looking for), and general organizational details. Looks like we are going to have the 'old' army down in Florida, with close to 30 on the roster, although a number of Thursday night arrivals. 16 in a row, 14 with DoG, 18 of 19, another entry in the Ultimate History Book Addendum (# total nationals moonee 20, cvh, jim, al at 18). Can't believe I'm still playing this game. And can't wait to get there. I really have NO idea how things are going to turn out, although Double Happiness, I mean Troubled Past, is going to be the #1 seed. We'll see if that affects them...
Oh yeah, forgot about the celebration. Was planning to hang in that night with the kids when I heard about the Boston Ultimate guys doing some celebrating at the Newtown Grill. Headed on over with Jim and we proceeded to tell stories, pat ourselves on the backs, and general gladhanding. On the way out, there was a full pitcher of beer on the table. Discussion ended up veering to a few years ago on the way to the airport from Santa Cruz when we stopped at a restaurant on the way. Tom Matthews had been there earlier and had been challenged to finish a pitcher of beer in two minutes for $20. He had failed miserably, spraying beer out of his stomach partway through. They challenged me to the same, I hemmed and hawed until Dutchie put in another $20, then proceeded to chug 90% in the first minute, and then coasted/sipped the remaining minute. Well, all of a sudden, the offer came on the table again. I tried to drum up support, but only ended up getting about $30 on the table plus a T pass (probably empty) and some business cards. Of course, this time they weren't willing to give me the full two minutes but only 1 minute. Crazy but I said yes. I went out strong again finishing over half in the first 20 seconds. Unlike Santa Cruz, this time I was a little more full. It took me two more rounds with Jim telling me how many seconds left in my left ear. I finally put it away with a couple of seconds left and ran off with my loot, or rather, Jim gave me a ride home...
This was basically 3 good teams battling for 2 spots. Tombstone, fresh off their dominating win at Canadian nationals (including a large victory over Glum, the NE regional winner the previous year), had also picked some of the Glum players. The one factor against them was that Monday is Canadian thanksgiving (what are they celebrating? Our Columbus day but refusing to honor Columbus?) and a bunch of their players had not shown up. Above & Beyond brought their usual short scrappy team, although they were missing Faust and Showers (injury) and EO (Friday night scratch). DoG/Big Ego Ultimate was sporting our full roster for the first time all season, and what a large sideline it was. First and last round we subbed freely, and the middle 2 games I ran O subs and Dick Brown ran D subs.
Saturday was one of my better days of ultimate. One of the benefits of moving to Masters is that I still have the mindset of open play, so I was able to get open pretty much all over the field. It took Tombstone until the second half to upgrade their defensive matchup on me after I continued to get open at will. I'm not tooting my own horn here, it was just nice to be a little more open than in Open, and to be playing with people that were familiar with how we cut, where we expect the disc, and when to deliver, even if we haven't played together in years. It was like putting on a pair of broken in jeans.
Our schedule was definitely the most difficult of the 3 top teams. I had had numerous discussions with Jim during the prior week about his battles with the UPA personnel who had to approve the various schedules. The first schedule was actually perfect with easy, tough, bye, easy and tough games. Unfortunately, we ended up with easy, tough, tough, bye, easy. Of the top 3, we were the only ones that had to play the two tough games in a row. NY was bye, easy, tough, easy, tough. Tombstone was easy, tough, bye, easy, tough. So a little annoying, and wondering exactly what the #1 seed got us, but whatever.
Saturday was GORGEOUS (actually a little too hot, hitting the mid-80s'). Our first game was against Mt. Crushmore from New Hampshire. Naturally, being masters, people were filtering in throughout the day. In the initial huddle, I said that we would be calling substitutes during the big games today, with myself calling the O and Jeff Brown calling the D. But in the first game, go free-form BUT only play the side that you will be called in on (we had very few two-way players, at least at this level). We rolled without too much difficulty, winning 15-4. Meanwhile over in the other game, Tombstone was having an equally easy time against Not Dead Yet, winning 15-3. I did take the opportunity to watch their game when I could, having had zero experience against them. They played mostly ho stack and nothing tricky on defense. Dan Fassina had mentioned after Sectionals that at Masters, we would never play teams that had pressured us as much as New Noise had on defense, but that the offenses would be better for the best teams.
The next game against Tombstone was the first of two big games. The game started out reasonably even with both teams trading goals. I think they got a quick break to start which we got back soon after and then got a few more. We were playing a mix of man, zone, and clam, all adroitly managed by D puppetmaster Jeff. We ended up taking half maybe 8-6, 8-5, and didn't really give much of it back in the second half before pulling away 15-10. It didn't feel like that much of a dominating victory despite the score.
On to round 3, important game 2 against A&B. Same pattern as tombstone. Close early, finally pulling away very late for a 15-11 victory. This one felt even less certain than the Tombstone game despite the score. Jim mentioned in his blog that he noticed that Arnold hadn't matched up on him very much. I had noticed in earlier games that Arnold was getting put in on O much more than D which explains Jim missing his hip buddy. However, Arnold did get the opportunity to make numerous d's in our game, including an almost d on the final point of the game, a hanging hammer to somebody wide open in the opposite corner who made a great one-handed grab over Arnold after he appeared from out of nowhere to JUST miss making the D.
This brought on the 4th round bye, at which point a bunch of us took off to check out the other fields only to find out that the top bracket ALSO had a bye the same round. Talk about a crappy schedule, the top 4 seeds were game, bye, game, bye, game. Ugh. Malingered some more, caught up with people, and then back for our last round of the day against Not Dead Yet, who was in the process of giving A&B a reasonably tough game, finally losing 15-10. Having watched them earlier, they clearly seemed to be a better team than Mt. Crushmore, but they ended up being very generous during the game, submitting to us 15-5 without too much exercise on our part. This gave us a good amount of time to watch the Tombstone-A&B game for the right to play us in the first round. The game was pretty exciting, with Tombstone finally pulling away to win 14-10. This set up the rematch at 10:45 the following morning (although I told the team 10:30 trying to make sure we had enough people there).
After this was all done, headed off to the Devens Grill to hang out with Dennis, Dan Fassina and a few others for a few rounds before heading off to Maynard (?!) for a party with Dennis and friends. We ran into quite the neighborly gathering as a row of houses were having a backyard party to celebrate Maynard Day. We got there just as the main plaza was clearing out people after the fireworks. After having a few beers and hanging out at a portable firepit, we headed into town to a bar where Pete Best (formerly Beatles) was playing. Unfortunately, they were running a charity and wanted $25 a head, to which we said no way of course. We ended up walking a little further to Morey's Tavern, closed that, walked across the street to the Blue Coyote Grill, closed that, and then off to crash on a couch.
Up early the next day at 7AM working both ends of the candle, drive home, shower, watch Stargate Atlantis (nerd) and then head back out to the fields, getting there around 10:15 for the 10:45 game. Naturally Tombstone is all over the field while we are dribbling in. At 10:15 I have to be in the first 10 at that point, at least at the field, and NONE of us are up and throwing. By game time we have at least 15+ and start play. In this game the D asserts themselves. The O did well enough, but the D played a number of shutdown man points against the ho stack, causing Tombstone to look to their dumps at high stall counts over and over. The weather was much cooler than the previous day probably starting in the 50s and raining when we got there, though most of the game was actually dry. We ended up taking half 8-5 receiving the second half. The last point of the first half was very contentious with us on offense. I had probably my worst point of the weekend, starting with an outrageous 40+ yard hammer to Coop that ended up hanging up much longer than it should have to get D'ed. This was the first of many turnovers this point. At one point, we turned them over in our endzone, I went to pick up the disk, and then proceeded to call at least 4 straight marking fouls on my defender, who was the same upgraded defender from the second half of the prior game. He was actually marking VERY well, but each throw he either contacted my hand, or my arm BEFORE the throw that he hand blocked. The only one that I even debated taking back was a short hammer that dove into the ground after I hit his hand on the release. I thought it was during the release and affected the flight (which was why it dropped like it did, which it NEVER does) but that was the only close one. Naturally this led to a lot of heckling from both sidelines and field. We finally scored on the point, but it did cast a pall on the game for me for a bit. After half-time, I did not put myself into the game for the O point, figuring it was also time to start opening up the bench a little bit and make sure they could do it without me... :). I stayed out the next two O points, and also noticed that my D guy was out too. I went over to him to ask if my absence was icing him, and he laughed and said they were saving him for the next game. This proved prophetic as Tombstone folded like yesterday's laundry and lost 15-7. The D took advantage of the opportunities they were provided and took the game. I took some more points off and then went in the final point of the game.
After this game, we turned around to catch the end of the Boston Ultimate/GOAT game for the 1 seed. When I got to the endzone, GOAT was being pulled to up 13-11. After a number of ugly points (not spirit, just play), the game ended up tied 14-14, GOAT receiving, next point wins. Forch gets a HUGE block in the endzone, they turn it over a few points later, they get it back, and then Giora uncorks a huge backhand up the line to a streaking Forch who appears to have no chance to get it only to see him to a full extension layout, catch the disc, and then lay on the ground with the disc held in the air.
Later I caught up with Seigs and mentioned 'Where was that Forch the last few years'. Seigs mentioned that Forch was one of the ones who had helped put them in the hole in the first place, to which I responded 'OK he is STILL the same Forch then...'.
This set up the 2-3 game to go between Tombstone and A&B, who had crushed Not Dead Yet 15-3 after skating by 15-10 the previous day. The result ended up being different today, as Tombstone never got untracked. After being close early, A&B started pulling away as Tombstone kept failing to connect on long hucks, and mostly appearing to play pretty poorly. A&B up by 2 at half, and Tombstone with numerous opportunities to make the game tighter in the second half, including the opportunity to get the game to 10-9 (or 11-10) only to have their receiver drop a chest pass in the endzone for the goal. That ended up being game, as Tombstone never recovered despite our urgings for a close game.
After this game, as I was leaving the fields, I caught the end of the betty bowl between GOAT and PoNY. Talk about a barnburner. It looks like GOAT was playing down after their disappointing loss, and after a late comeback by PoNY, it ended up being double game point AGAIN with GOAT receiving. They moved it up the field, including one ugly backhand blade to a GOAT receiver whose defender ended up being in front of him in perfect position to catch the D, only to have the GOAT player catch it from behind at the same time. Call goes to the observer, tie, GOAT keeps it. Another layout block a little later that comes back, and then GOAT wins the game. Barely.
So I have been dealing with rounding up uniforms from Patagonia (which we hadn't gotten ahead of time), housing (which we are still looking for), and general organizational details. Looks like we are going to have the 'old' army down in Florida, with close to 30 on the roster, although a number of Thursday night arrivals. 16 in a row, 14 with DoG, 18 of 19, another entry in the Ultimate History Book Addendum (# total nationals moonee 20, cvh, jim, al at 18). Can't believe I'm still playing this game. And can't wait to get there. I really have NO idea how things are going to turn out, although Double Happiness, I mean Troubled Past, is going to be the #1 seed. We'll see if that affects them...
Oh yeah, forgot about the celebration. Was planning to hang in that night with the kids when I heard about the Boston Ultimate guys doing some celebrating at the Newtown Grill. Headed on over with Jim and we proceeded to tell stories, pat ourselves on the backs, and general gladhanding. On the way out, there was a full pitcher of beer on the table. Discussion ended up veering to a few years ago on the way to the airport from Santa Cruz when we stopped at a restaurant on the way. Tom Matthews had been there earlier and had been challenged to finish a pitcher of beer in two minutes for $20. He had failed miserably, spraying beer out of his stomach partway through. They challenged me to the same, I hemmed and hawed until Dutchie put in another $20, then proceeded to chug 90% in the first minute, and then coasted/sipped the remaining minute. Well, all of a sudden, the offer came on the table again. I tried to drum up support, but only ended up getting about $30 on the table plus a T pass (probably empty) and some business cards. Of course, this time they weren't willing to give me the full two minutes but only 1 minute. Crazy but I said yes. I went out strong again finishing over half in the first 20 seconds. Unlike Santa Cruz, this time I was a little more full. It took me two more rounds with Jim telling me how many seconds left in my left ear. I finally put it away with a couple of seconds left and ran off with my loot, or rather, Jim gave me a ride home...
posted by Alex de Frondeville at 8:21 PM
2 Comments:
Prior to the pitcher, someone was shouting at me to put in some money. I was about to throw in a $5 when I asked what it was for. Informed, I said, "Why would I bet against Alex being able to drink?"
Alex,
That guy that kept hand block/fouling you was Sean Madigan from North Bay. Don't know if you know the story of North Bay Ultimate, but it's interesting. They invented their own "ultimate" type game independent of our friends in Jersey. In true North Bay blue collar fashion (Sean is a prototypical North Bay player) it was more like hockey/football with a disc. Same general concept as ultimate, but referees, a penalty box for fouls, changes on the fly, and 2 points for catches behind the back.
A bunch of them were down in Florida at March Break in the 70's some time and saw some Ultimate being played and thought someone had ripped off their game and taken all the fun out of it! :)
Eventually they gave in and now play the traditional flavour of the game, but at their annual tourney, the 2 pt rule still applies!
Good luck at Nats.
David - Tombstone
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