hmm. rsd is heating up, which takes the pressure off frequent bloggery.
what's up, though.
1) frisbee. no news on the sinkhole. i'm quite excited about the frisbee season (kids, not mine.... although i love getting lots and lots of throwing in...) and the weather is insane... last year, we played, all winter. occasionally in shorts. there is snow on the ground, still. i don't think my yard has been snow free since... uh, thanksgiving. really. no bs.
2) frisbee strategery. aw heck. how bout... oh... this. what is the hardest thing to teach.
field sense is often bandied about. i think it starts with a scale drawing of the field. VERY few people realize how narrow the field is... how deep the endzones are (too deep, but that's a topic for another post).
throwing (real throwing, mark breaking, the bomb, the decision to bomb or not bomb)
also. speed is overlooked. i'm not fast (although, once, i wasn't slow), but i posit that many frisbee players (Even good ones) could be better. you ever seen that tall skinny palsied looking guy? yeah. that one. you know what i mean. but, you can just 'show up fast' so, that's out.
sideline behavior? somepeople get it. how bout this. the winning team is seldom 'out sidelined'. not rah rah charge the field (although, in college, that often constitutes engaged sideline play). i mean, 12 odd (or 25 if you are jam (idris, that's your cue to deny)) 'coaches' calling the mark, warning about the deep, simple encouraging to mark... internal motivation is key. but a little bit of 'get a mark, good, no break' goes a long way... and you can do it from sitting on a cooler...
huma-craw. you name it, you should be able to open a beer with it. or else you are a piss poor monkey. favorites: an empty 6 pack cardboard container, a pizza box (dare to use less and less pizza box), a thumb (for shotguns)...
that's enough.
uh, ski, ski, ski. new mystery knee ache. other knee. the other one is fine now. so i just ignore it. today, bike commute, work, 5 min bike warmup, 5x10 sets of squats (Very light, but full parrallel, 95/95/105/105/125), 5 x 10 hang - cleans (again, light, just learning the motion, 55/65/75/85/95), chinups, bench, some 'pt' type stuff for the achy knee to stabilize the vmo (vastus medialus oblique, i think).
yesterday, 12 k skate ski. 1/2 fast, 1/2 slow. fast is above (well above) the conversational level... to the 'yeah... buh... huff... huff...' etc... slow was casual.
saturday, 12 k classic ski, massive snowball fight.
friday, rest (well, bike everywhere)
thurs, 6 k ski (had to help with a race for the kids)
wednesday, uh... that's a loooooonnnnngggg time ago. i think i lifted weights?
Monday, January 09, 2006
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
new year...
supposed to be a rest day... but lifted a little, light, chinups, bench, squats, hang cleans...
still figuring out the hang cleans, committing to dropping under the bar into the squat is sort of coming incrementally... kind of fun though, variety, variety...
in the news, the summit high athletic fields (14 acres worth) are condemned. a sinkhole appeared after recent flooding (see recent posts) destroying half the track, taking out a light stanchion, half the baseball field... and it just keeps growing... when there is a newspaper article, i'll link to it...
so it will be interesting where the ultimate team gets to play... working on it...
but right now, still ski season: intervals yesterday, skate race tommorrow (not me, the kids; i train, but don't really race -- but 2 this year, and i'll do at least 2 or 3 more, so i'm more into it than road racing. i'm hoping to vomit by years end. maybe the 35 k. or maybe the sprint... hard to say which is more pleasant).
so, few more weeks, and plyo's start... i haven't really thought it out... i doubt it will herald the return of the strength shoes... although they are sitting out in the gargage calling...
like Christine...
still figuring out the hang cleans, committing to dropping under the bar into the squat is sort of coming incrementally... kind of fun though, variety, variety...
in the news, the summit high athletic fields (14 acres worth) are condemned. a sinkhole appeared after recent flooding (see recent posts) destroying half the track, taking out a light stanchion, half the baseball field... and it just keeps growing... when there is a newspaper article, i'll link to it...
so it will be interesting where the ultimate team gets to play... working on it...
but right now, still ski season: intervals yesterday, skate race tommorrow (not me, the kids; i train, but don't really race -- but 2 this year, and i'll do at least 2 or 3 more, so i'm more into it than road racing. i'm hoping to vomit by years end. maybe the 35 k. or maybe the sprint... hard to say which is more pleasant).
so, few more weeks, and plyo's start... i haven't really thought it out... i doubt it will herald the return of the strength shoes... although they are sitting out in the gargage calling...
like Christine...
Sunday, January 01, 2006
all is quiet...
...on new years day... hold on... let me fire up some U2 on the itunes here... actually ended up w/ 'i will follow'... ah yes...
good day today, made it all the way to 12:05 last night... yes, i'm soft, but it was that or bike, or cab, or whatever into town... seemed... cumbersome... so kicked it at the house, a little madden 06 (1-1) vs. housemate scott...
restive sleep, but for unknown reasons... got up a little before seven, skied in a new years relay... i had the classic leg... i'm embarassed to say, i'd not cleaned, waxed, etc... so my 'kick' (climb) was great, but my glide was ass... so i looked good on the up... (well, i felt good) only to have much lighter skiiers fly by on the descent... oh well... total ski, 8 k or so (5 k warm-up, 3 k race, pretty much maxed out at like a 2 mile race pace intensity, i.e., i went to the place where you taste the metal in your blood in your mouth)...
came home, slightly burned the potatoes, but not enough to throw out... amazing... 15 seconds of sear makes a lot of smell... added some turkey sausage, some cream of mushrooom soup... and then, the first annual summit high school new years day game...
now, this could have been anything... in the time since we scheduled the game, oh, 2 weeks ago, we've gone from 2 feet of snow covering everything, to torrential rain that erased the snow, to a new rainstorm leading to highway closing flooding, closed underpasses, etc...
and i'm not counting the locusts.
i live a couple miles, and 50 or 60 vertical feet (doesn't seem like much... but it mattered) above town... my house has 6 or 7 inches of snow... i wore plastic pants, waterproof jacket, took gloves, etc... and a white garbage bag... turned out to be perfectly good weather... 35 or 40, just cool, and the field was basically dry, w/ little patches of vestigal snow...
oh yes. and some dog shit. what is it with people. this is a park. a play field (aside, lemon (a much underated song ends, and new years day begins... rock on ireland, prior total wierdness))... a soccer field... during the year, people are pretty good. they even have this metal dog shit picker upper bag dispenser, next to a garbage can. what could be easier? But the snow flies, and everyone starts acting like the snow has magical properties that dissolve shit. I apologize to sensitive readers, but only shit captures the connotation of wet, residual dog crap remaining after snow has melted...
but, statistically, the turds only covered .001% of the field or something (somewhere, jim is firing up the spread sheet... assume slightly smaller field, average turd area...)... so any way...
anyway, ended up w/ 14 total, played make it take it mini 4 v 4 w/ 4 sitting until the last 2 showed up... and the tykes nearby finished up w/ the american football... then, the game to 7, i buy winning team cocoa.
i think the teams were fair, i'd like to think my throwing makes an advantage, but the balance seemed reasonable... final score 7-6 as we scored the upwinder on a short throw to the designated goal scorer... the only time we'd run a play, but the game was getting a little one dimensional... i'm sorry. i have tendencies... (pride-in the name of love). Did you know that it is reported (apocryphally, i'm afraid i don't have solid source available. please investigate, and comment)...
anyway, followed through, sprung for the hot chocolate for the winners. say what you want about corporate america... here's to starbucks being open on jan 1.
so i'm officially calling it the 1st annual new years summit alum hat tournament.
year's record: 1-0.
good day today, made it all the way to 12:05 last night... yes, i'm soft, but it was that or bike, or cab, or whatever into town... seemed... cumbersome... so kicked it at the house, a little madden 06 (1-1) vs. housemate scott...
restive sleep, but for unknown reasons... got up a little before seven, skied in a new years relay... i had the classic leg... i'm embarassed to say, i'd not cleaned, waxed, etc... so my 'kick' (climb) was great, but my glide was ass... so i looked good on the up... (well, i felt good) only to have much lighter skiiers fly by on the descent... oh well... total ski, 8 k or so (5 k warm-up, 3 k race, pretty much maxed out at like a 2 mile race pace intensity, i.e., i went to the place where you taste the metal in your blood in your mouth)...
came home, slightly burned the potatoes, but not enough to throw out... amazing... 15 seconds of sear makes a lot of smell... added some turkey sausage, some cream of mushrooom soup... and then, the first annual summit high school new years day game...
now, this could have been anything... in the time since we scheduled the game, oh, 2 weeks ago, we've gone from 2 feet of snow covering everything, to torrential rain that erased the snow, to a new rainstorm leading to highway closing flooding, closed underpasses, etc...
and i'm not counting the locusts.
i live a couple miles, and 50 or 60 vertical feet (doesn't seem like much... but it mattered) above town... my house has 6 or 7 inches of snow... i wore plastic pants, waterproof jacket, took gloves, etc... and a white garbage bag... turned out to be perfectly good weather... 35 or 40, just cool, and the field was basically dry, w/ little patches of vestigal snow...
oh yes. and some dog shit. what is it with people. this is a park. a play field (aside, lemon (a much underated song ends, and new years day begins... rock on ireland, prior total wierdness))... a soccer field... during the year, people are pretty good. they even have this metal dog shit picker upper bag dispenser, next to a garbage can. what could be easier? But the snow flies, and everyone starts acting like the snow has magical properties that dissolve shit. I apologize to sensitive readers, but only shit captures the connotation of wet, residual dog crap remaining after snow has melted...
but, statistically, the turds only covered .001% of the field or something (somewhere, jim is firing up the spread sheet... assume slightly smaller field, average turd area...)... so any way...
anyway, ended up w/ 14 total, played make it take it mini 4 v 4 w/ 4 sitting until the last 2 showed up... and the tykes nearby finished up w/ the american football... then, the game to 7, i buy winning team cocoa.
i think the teams were fair, i'd like to think my throwing makes an advantage, but the balance seemed reasonable... final score 7-6 as we scored the upwinder on a short throw to the designated goal scorer... the only time we'd run a play, but the game was getting a little one dimensional... i'm sorry. i have tendencies... (pride-in the name of love). Did you know that it is reported (apocryphally, i'm afraid i don't have solid source available. please investigate, and comment)...
anyway, followed through, sprung for the hot chocolate for the winners. say what you want about corporate america... here's to starbucks being open on jan 1.
so i'm officially calling it the 1st annual new years summit alum hat tournament.
year's record: 1-0.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
podcast commentary track.
So, here it is... with time stamps!
Intro: Corey is almost un-intelligibly quiet. A surprising change after last week...
:20 The book. And there was a segment on ESPN2's 'Cold Pizza' Program hawking the book, with the authors. Arnold Sanchez was the first guy ever kicked out of ultimate... he was in the background throwing in the segment... one of the people playing catch. Corey, former New Yorker that he is, points out that Arnold was only suspended.
:1:50 Arnold is mistaken for a High School kid. Do Adam Zagoria and Tony Leonardo look like Jim Belushi and Harold Ramis? You decide.
2:30 I just had to turn up the volume on Corey. When will the porridge be just right.
3:00 A reference to the good old days of no stall counts.
3:20 I mutilate some hotcake metaphors. Have I told you about my dream about Pancakes?
3:40 Discussion of publishing. Y’awn.
4:20 This brings us to the bash Alex DeFrondeville section.... and a segue to the Hall of Fame... Starting with Eric Simon. Yeah Eric.
5:40 Luke interrupts Jim. Rude kids. Questioning Joel Silver as founder and a discussion of Santa Claus’ origins. Kids, Earmuffs.
6:20 Ah yes, smallpox.
6:35 Am I in it? (Yes I am, as it turns out).
7:10 Strategery with Jim. MVP’s can throw.
8:30 Idris: Frisbee = Little League Football.
8:45 Luke: Frisbee = Madden 2006. Then blabs on... And monopolizing microphone, and stating the obvious, ‘the good defense is one that keeps the offense out of the endzone.’ You can tell I spent some time at state school... You know, I think that one reason the flat stack is so popular, is that it looks just like madden. JUST LIKE MADDEN
10:00 Idris agrees Offense is important, and Corey...za-zing, take that idris.
10:00 ish... Corey explores defensive strategy. There is some Confused silence from Jim and Idris, who are both uncomfortable and confused.
11:00, luke with another one liner...
11:15 Jim, damn him, with a concrete suggestion. The idea of using film to get better.
11:30 Back to ‘d’ guys can’t score...
12:00 Jim, Offense guys just have to be able to call people out-of-bounds to play d... good stuff...
13:40 Idris gives away the secret to his game...
14:20 the Shasta-meter or the Parinella Excite-o-meter... I couldn't find the reference, and I don't remember when idris talked about it. But Shasta (Phillips? I think) a fast bay area guy apparently referred to the level of excitement as a defining statistic. Turnovers, goals, assists, blocks. They are all hugely important, under the excite-o-meter... (which, I think, was jim's term).
14:50 Chris Sherwood’s campaign platform... Props to Chris, he took a lead role in rewriting the rules, or something... And was on a title winning furious team...
15:23 Jim says ‘Dog’ has not the sack to cut Jim...
15:51 Year in review? Furious is old at 30... They are not, infact that old. See, that's where we, at the podcast include you in our banter... see, a hearty guffaw as jim (40 something) calls mike grant (19 years old) old.
16:20 Idris wraps, editing out his brilliant recap of running down a ‘little person’ the first time he went snowboarding... This was a truly great story, well developed, and a huge punchline. Basic summary, Idris is snowboarding, in quasi-control, and runs down a small child, turns out that small child has beard, and whisky and cigarrette breath. Farrelly brothers inappropriate, perhaps, but funny.
17:20 Luke thanks sponsor deja news, which was bought out by google groups several years ago. Just to let you know how old school I am, I still type deja.com to get to google groups...
Thanks to our sponsors, skype, adidas, deja, and Deschutes Brewing!
Intro: Corey is almost un-intelligibly quiet. A surprising change after last week...
:20 The book. And there was a segment on ESPN2's 'Cold Pizza' Program hawking the book, with the authors. Arnold Sanchez was the first guy ever kicked out of ultimate... he was in the background throwing in the segment... one of the people playing catch. Corey, former New Yorker that he is, points out that Arnold was only suspended.
:1:50 Arnold is mistaken for a High School kid. Do Adam Zagoria and Tony Leonardo look like Jim Belushi and Harold Ramis? You decide.
2:30 I just had to turn up the volume on Corey. When will the porridge be just right.
3:00 A reference to the good old days of no stall counts.
3:20 I mutilate some hotcake metaphors. Have I told you about my dream about Pancakes?
3:40 Discussion of publishing. Y’awn.
4:20 This brings us to the bash Alex DeFrondeville section.... and a segue to the Hall of Fame... Starting with Eric Simon. Yeah Eric.
5:40 Luke interrupts Jim. Rude kids. Questioning Joel Silver as founder and a discussion of Santa Claus’ origins. Kids, Earmuffs.
6:20 Ah yes, smallpox.
6:35 Am I in it? (Yes I am, as it turns out).
7:10 Strategery with Jim. MVP’s can throw.
8:30 Idris: Frisbee = Little League Football.
8:45 Luke: Frisbee = Madden 2006. Then blabs on... And monopolizing microphone, and stating the obvious, ‘the good defense is one that keeps the offense out of the endzone.’ You can tell I spent some time at state school... You know, I think that one reason the flat stack is so popular, is that it looks just like madden. JUST LIKE MADDEN
10:00 Idris agrees Offense is important, and Corey...za-zing, take that idris.
10:00 ish... Corey explores defensive strategy. There is some Confused silence from Jim and Idris, who are both uncomfortable and confused.
11:00, luke with another one liner...
11:15 Jim, damn him, with a concrete suggestion. The idea of using film to get better.
11:30 Back to ‘d’ guys can’t score...
12:00 Jim, Offense guys just have to be able to call people out-of-bounds to play d... good stuff...
13:40 Idris gives away the secret to his game...
14:20 the Shasta-meter or the Parinella Excite-o-meter... I couldn't find the reference, and I don't remember when idris talked about it. But Shasta (Phillips? I think) a fast bay area guy apparently referred to the level of excitement as a defining statistic. Turnovers, goals, assists, blocks. They are all hugely important, under the excite-o-meter... (which, I think, was jim's term).
14:50 Chris Sherwood’s campaign platform... Props to Chris, he took a lead role in rewriting the rules, or something... And was on a title winning furious team...
15:23 Jim says ‘Dog’ has not the sack to cut Jim...
15:51 Year in review? Furious is old at 30... They are not, infact that old. See, that's where we, at the podcast include you in our banter... see, a hearty guffaw as jim (40 something) calls mike grant (19 years old) old.
16:20 Idris wraps, editing out his brilliant recap of running down a ‘little person’ the first time he went snowboarding... This was a truly great story, well developed, and a huge punchline. Basic summary, Idris is snowboarding, in quasi-control, and runs down a small child, turns out that small child has beard, and whisky and cigarrette breath. Farrelly brothers inappropriate, perhaps, but funny.
17:20 Luke thanks sponsor deja news, which was bought out by google groups several years ago. Just to let you know how old school I am, I still type deja.com to get to google groups...
Thanks to our sponsors, skype, adidas, deja, and Deschutes Brewing!
Monday, December 26, 2005
training...
lots and lots of skiing. i've been skating almost exclusively. skate skiing is on skiiny cross country skis, accross a trail that basically has had the same grooming as the ski area. it's flat, and fast. the movement is like ice skating, but you use poles.
i've done some classic skiing (looks like you are shuffling along: done properly, you transfer all your weight to one ski for part of the time. challenging, and rewarding) but not a ton as you have to wax for kick (the middle third of the ski receives a 'sticky' wax that interacts with the snow. it's called 'kick' because you kick your leg down, and slightly back to propel yourself forward)...
today, i finally rode my new telemark skis (After a 40 minute, approximately 8k skate)... and they rock. a little (4-6 inches) new snow... and while there was no deep powder... there was plenty of opportunity to explore shallow powder, ice, cut up snow... and these skis rock. you just let them run... awesome... of course, i ran into a couple of the local xc kids, who grew up on skis since age 2, and they are legitimate athletes (the 8th grader will likely run sub 17 next year, the 12th grader, a top 6 in state skiier, is the starting tailback, and likely div one baseball player).
i could ski with them... but not that moment when they all launched off this 6 foot high kicker that threw them 15 feet into the air... i just skied around that...
so, skiing for every day of the past week or so, more to come... life is good.
no weights though...
i've done some classic skiing (looks like you are shuffling along: done properly, you transfer all your weight to one ski for part of the time. challenging, and rewarding) but not a ton as you have to wax for kick (the middle third of the ski receives a 'sticky' wax that interacts with the snow. it's called 'kick' because you kick your leg down, and slightly back to propel yourself forward)...
today, i finally rode my new telemark skis (After a 40 minute, approximately 8k skate)... and they rock. a little (4-6 inches) new snow... and while there was no deep powder... there was plenty of opportunity to explore shallow powder, ice, cut up snow... and these skis rock. you just let them run... awesome... of course, i ran into a couple of the local xc kids, who grew up on skis since age 2, and they are legitimate athletes (the 8th grader will likely run sub 17 next year, the 12th grader, a top 6 in state skiier, is the starting tailback, and likely div one baseball player).
i could ski with them... but not that moment when they all launched off this 6 foot high kicker that threw them 15 feet into the air... i just skied around that...
so, skiing for every day of the past week or so, more to come... life is good.
no weights though...
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
best video i ever saw.
borrowed a video from JG once. Showed US (NYNY) vs Sweden (i think). It was a very close game. No KD. The US team was huddling and singing kum-bay--yah. The camera was a tower cam, from the top of a swivel above a flag pole or something. Great footage.
The climax: US has disc to score (and I think win). Calls timeout. There is an argument in huddle. JG is attempting to rally troops w/ kumbayah. Various players are just wandering out of huddle... tape... just... ends.
US went on to win, but it was also the end of NYNY. It was a metaphor, get it?
AWESOME tape.
The climax: US has disc to score (and I think win). Calls timeout. There is an argument in huddle. JG is attempting to rally troops w/ kumbayah. Various players are just wandering out of huddle... tape... just... ends.
US went on to win, but it was also the end of NYNY. It was a metaphor, get it?
AWESOME tape.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
blah.
hmm.
some thoughts. so, against my better wishes, the 1st annual, summit reunion new years game is scheduled for jan 1 at 1 pm. The game's duration will be decided when we see the numbers, and the conditions. Right now, there is 1 foot of snow on the ground. There could be 1 foot, with freezing rain by then. But, i'm aware that this is one of those traditions I can get started NOW, while i'm in some semblance of abillity to start, that can continue without me after I can't do these things.
although, why I didn't start this last year, when it was 60...
oh, for you frisbee guys, if you're not going to comment on my frisbee posts, i'll assume you don't read them any more than you read my lame attempts at literary posts. therefore, luke's true bloggery continues unabated.
1) let's get a RSD moderated going. is that possible? Jim, Idris? Y'all are more saavy than me. Maybe you could simply host, and moderate a forum.
2) it's cold here.
3) tommorrow, I go to the meeting to set up our own ski league. the details are that the league head secretly (for real) gave himself a raise, and that he tried to kick out 2 of our skiers for receiving scholarships to participate in camps and races. Does anyone know the ins and outs of getting event liabillity coverage (every time i've done it, it was through the UPA).
4) got new skis. Fishcer RCS 610's. suffice to say, they are as sweet as it comes. Got them at uh... best price. Bought new boots. Top of the line... not because i'm infatuated w/ top of the line... the fact is, well, my feet could tell the difference. Has anyone out there had experience with RADICALLY different sizing for cleats/running shoes/ ski boots.? My cleats and running shoes are a 12. My ski boots are a 10.5 (w/ an expensive heat molded liner). Am I ignorantly trading comfort for performance? Or is this just an industry thing? I wear running shoes to work every day, so I only wear athletic shoes (run/ski)... What are dress shoes like?
5) Are you all aware about bovine growth hormone in your milk? Are you aware that fox news defeated a whistle blower by demonstrating to an appellate court (i think the 5th, florida) that news need not be truthful, for it is a free speech issue?
6) Watch the corporation and the control room. Great documentaries.
7) When is the next ultimate talk LIVE? Jim, I need 48 hours to make up what i think we might have would have said.
8) Training log? I don't remember when last I posted. I skied every day but friday. They groom at a local sport park (w/ lights)... Tommorrow, I ski my new gear for the first time. Presumably, with a hangover. But we'll see. 4 or 5 beers wrecks me these days. But the fact that I have to ski w/ a former national team member, who mistakenly construes me with an athlete, at best I'll be bugeyed. At worst I'll vomit. IN good news, I'm getting better at this, the most technical of disciplines (w/ apologies to swimmers -- i know that that is techy too). The issue w/ technical disciplines, which has a strong connection to frisbee: the better you get, the less excercise you get. Therefore, old OFFENSIVE players are good. They get open with less effort. They throw better. And when they turn it over, they get it back by forcing multiple throws.
9) ON driveway clearing. If you get after the snow while it's light, a push broom is ideal.
10) More thoughts about frisbee.
OK, We played a team that had a bunch of good athletes... but they ran this crazy short game three man. Lots of picks... like what jam used to be accused of. Brutally effective against high school teams (they don't call picks)... They had plays set up. All 6 cutters would run these elaborate patterns that only SORT of created picks: what is the role of a frisbee player. Do you have to decide ahead of time that the player you are covering is actually going to NOT run into the person right in front of you? How long do you have to decide? What if they jump out of the way, right as you decide the train wreck is coming? I mean, totally legal, right? The pick didn't actually occur? At the last minute, you were given the opportunity to run with your player?
11) Holiday stuff. AFter 9 years of college, 6 years in seattle, then 4 years of poverty jet set... I realized the other morning, after 2 weeks of low single digit bike riding... I'm really lucky. I live in a house... it's warm in every room. The pipes don't freeze. Pretty good. Similar for most frisbee players? Life is good.
12) Still stupidly plan on putting together another men's team for the fall. College kids and transients: Wanna spend the summer in paradise? Requirements: talent, athleticism, abillity to play a simple system (completions, conditioning, and what ever the c word is for playing multiple 'd's)... Housing can be arranged... employment... well, landscaping... or something. Construction? Park and rec?
Ringers welcome.
some thoughts. so, against my better wishes, the 1st annual, summit reunion new years game is scheduled for jan 1 at 1 pm. The game's duration will be decided when we see the numbers, and the conditions. Right now, there is 1 foot of snow on the ground. There could be 1 foot, with freezing rain by then. But, i'm aware that this is one of those traditions I can get started NOW, while i'm in some semblance of abillity to start, that can continue without me after I can't do these things.
although, why I didn't start this last year, when it was 60...
oh, for you frisbee guys, if you're not going to comment on my frisbee posts, i'll assume you don't read them any more than you read my lame attempts at literary posts. therefore, luke's true bloggery continues unabated.
1) let's get a RSD moderated going. is that possible? Jim, Idris? Y'all are more saavy than me. Maybe you could simply host, and moderate a forum.
2) it's cold here.
3) tommorrow, I go to the meeting to set up our own ski league. the details are that the league head secretly (for real) gave himself a raise, and that he tried to kick out 2 of our skiers for receiving scholarships to participate in camps and races. Does anyone know the ins and outs of getting event liabillity coverage (every time i've done it, it was through the UPA).
4) got new skis. Fishcer RCS 610's. suffice to say, they are as sweet as it comes. Got them at uh... best price. Bought new boots. Top of the line... not because i'm infatuated w/ top of the line... the fact is, well, my feet could tell the difference. Has anyone out there had experience with RADICALLY different sizing for cleats/running shoes/ ski boots.? My cleats and running shoes are a 12. My ski boots are a 10.5 (w/ an expensive heat molded liner). Am I ignorantly trading comfort for performance? Or is this just an industry thing? I wear running shoes to work every day, so I only wear athletic shoes (run/ski)... What are dress shoes like?
5) Are you all aware about bovine growth hormone in your milk? Are you aware that fox news defeated a whistle blower by demonstrating to an appellate court (i think the 5th, florida) that news need not be truthful, for it is a free speech issue?
6) Watch the corporation and the control room. Great documentaries.
7) When is the next ultimate talk LIVE? Jim, I need 48 hours to make up what i think we might have would have said.
8) Training log? I don't remember when last I posted. I skied every day but friday. They groom at a local sport park (w/ lights)... Tommorrow, I ski my new gear for the first time. Presumably, with a hangover. But we'll see. 4 or 5 beers wrecks me these days. But the fact that I have to ski w/ a former national team member, who mistakenly construes me with an athlete, at best I'll be bugeyed. At worst I'll vomit. IN good news, I'm getting better at this, the most technical of disciplines (w/ apologies to swimmers -- i know that that is techy too). The issue w/ technical disciplines, which has a strong connection to frisbee: the better you get, the less excercise you get. Therefore, old OFFENSIVE players are good. They get open with less effort. They throw better. And when they turn it over, they get it back by forcing multiple throws.
9) ON driveway clearing. If you get after the snow while it's light, a push broom is ideal.
10) More thoughts about frisbee.
OK, We played a team that had a bunch of good athletes... but they ran this crazy short game three man. Lots of picks... like what jam used to be accused of. Brutally effective against high school teams (they don't call picks)... They had plays set up. All 6 cutters would run these elaborate patterns that only SORT of created picks: what is the role of a frisbee player. Do you have to decide ahead of time that the player you are covering is actually going to NOT run into the person right in front of you? How long do you have to decide? What if they jump out of the way, right as you decide the train wreck is coming? I mean, totally legal, right? The pick didn't actually occur? At the last minute, you were given the opportunity to run with your player?
11) Holiday stuff. AFter 9 years of college, 6 years in seattle, then 4 years of poverty jet set... I realized the other morning, after 2 weeks of low single digit bike riding... I'm really lucky. I live in a house... it's warm in every room. The pipes don't freeze. Pretty good. Similar for most frisbee players? Life is good.
12) Still stupidly plan on putting together another men's team for the fall. College kids and transients: Wanna spend the summer in paradise? Requirements: talent, athleticism, abillity to play a simple system (completions, conditioning, and what ever the c word is for playing multiple 'd's)... Housing can be arranged... employment... well, landscaping... or something. Construction? Park and rec?
Ringers welcome.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
tooday...
Idris. Save us all... Do you have the option to simply post a link to my NON frisbee posts... or must I continue to be called pancho by stadler, (jim) while I live on as Cervantes...
Lessee...
Saturday, my first 10 K race. It was actually a workout, and my splits were dead on... that's just excuse talk for I sucked. For although I ski all the time, nordic skiing is still new to this georgia boy.
Sunday, recovery day, 45 minute hike in my randonee gear... then one ski down. Kept my heart rate around 130... so, easy.
Monday, weights (patellar tendonitis, aching since running season was an issue) squats, hang cleans, chin ups, abs... then, a 45 minute skate ski, under the tutelage of Rich Gross, former US team member.
Tuesday, an hour skate ski... again, lots of pointers from a former olympian. That's why I ski. It's the hardest thing i've ever done... and i'm getting good pointers.
Wednesday. Oh wait. That was today.
Squats, shorter range of motion (to protect the achy knee). No problem. 3 sets of hang cleans with higher weight. Knee extensions (to work the quads, but not the joint), chin ups, bench, abs... then 1 hour of skating (there is skiing, in town, on the way home). Ran into Mike Heidenreich, another coach, who gave me great form training... and as a kinetic learnier, I'm actually incapable of learning from words... so I actually learned something, as it was using other words and another model....
In other news. Looks like Summit is splitting off from the OISRA (oregon ski something) and taking most of the teams with us. The league head apparently budgeted a pay raise in... and we are not happy.
The end.
PS. Ultimate. I agree with Idris (means sunshine, or something) that quality throwing is important. I do think, that JUST THROWING is also... very important...
In other news, my housemate / homeowner Lynn Ott, leaves tommorow to qualify for the olympic team (downhill dual slalom snowboarding).
Go Lynn.
Lessee...
Saturday, my first 10 K race. It was actually a workout, and my splits were dead on... that's just excuse talk for I sucked. For although I ski all the time, nordic skiing is still new to this georgia boy.
Sunday, recovery day, 45 minute hike in my randonee gear... then one ski down. Kept my heart rate around 130... so, easy.
Monday, weights (patellar tendonitis, aching since running season was an issue) squats, hang cleans, chin ups, abs... then, a 45 minute skate ski, under the tutelage of Rich Gross, former US team member.
Tuesday, an hour skate ski... again, lots of pointers from a former olympian. That's why I ski. It's the hardest thing i've ever done... and i'm getting good pointers.
Wednesday. Oh wait. That was today.
Squats, shorter range of motion (to protect the achy knee). No problem. 3 sets of hang cleans with higher weight. Knee extensions (to work the quads, but not the joint), chin ups, bench, abs... then 1 hour of skating (there is skiing, in town, on the way home). Ran into Mike Heidenreich, another coach, who gave me great form training... and as a kinetic learnier, I'm actually incapable of learning from words... so I actually learned something, as it was using other words and another model....
In other news. Looks like Summit is splitting off from the OISRA (oregon ski something) and taking most of the teams with us. The league head apparently budgeted a pay raise in... and we are not happy.
The end.
PS. Ultimate. I agree with Idris (means sunshine, or something) that quality throwing is important. I do think, that JUST THROWING is also... very important...
In other news, my housemate / homeowner Lynn Ott, leaves tommorow to qualify for the olympic team (downhill dual slalom snowboarding).
Go Lynn.
tidings...
most of my relatively humorous thoughts come not from within. where school is concerned, they often involve the kids.
here is some christmas humor.
I have 20 kids who come in and eat lunch in my room every day.
Every Day. Many of them are cross country runners who got run out of the math teachers room.. I don't mind the cacophany, the kids are a constant source of mirth, random thoughts, and most importantly...
food.
snacks galore.
Today, I was on my 'A' game teaching, which means I was awake, alert, and responsive. So at lunch, I set up a rochambo.
There is a box in my room. I'm not sure why. West (name) brought it in. It's about the size of a dog box. Reminded of the time, at a Chain/Ozone party in 1996 when we had a rochambo, get in the dog box and bark for 3 minutes, I established a roshambo, winner picks a victim for the cardboard box. There were 8 participants. I used this for a bye to the semis... (won)... and then we played it out. Annie Brinich won... But she felt self concious about picking a victim.
Lucky, because, sure enough, the kids on the frisbee team immediately started chanting SMITH SMITH SMITH as she walked out.
For some reason, not currently clear to me, Brandon (Brando) Roadman, entered the box. As an Aside, why is Brandon Steets nick name Brandice. Wouldn't Brando be better?
To summarize, HS kids, rock paper scissors, time in a cardboard box.
In other news of high school... I entered grades yesterday. I have the abillity to enter comments with a few key strokes.
(11) Good attitude.
(18) Participates.
(13) Leads discussion.
(25) Too talkative
(35) Class required for graduation.
There are literally dozens more. My AP government class requested comments. They also noted the comments they had received in the past.
Then the conversation degraded... to comments that were not on the list... but might be.
In bizzaro world. Comments like....
'Hot'
'Attractive'
Needless to say, we all laughed... some (me), more nervously than others....
But, I Did enter comments for all of them. For many, I used certain unusual, specific comments.
No, not 'hot' or 'attractive'.
I went with (39) 'fails to dress out for PE' and, a favorite for good kids, the combination of...
(19) Shows leadership... and
(42) Disruptive in class...
I then added in a series of 'espanol' comments, which you can do by just adding 100 to any comment...
So for the movie script... you get...
(132) Disruptivo... and
(199) Caliente
No, dork face, I did not enter Caliente.
here is some christmas humor.
I have 20 kids who come in and eat lunch in my room every day.
Every Day. Many of them are cross country runners who got run out of the math teachers room.. I don't mind the cacophany, the kids are a constant source of mirth, random thoughts, and most importantly...
food.
snacks galore.
Today, I was on my 'A' game teaching, which means I was awake, alert, and responsive. So at lunch, I set up a rochambo.
There is a box in my room. I'm not sure why. West (name) brought it in. It's about the size of a dog box. Reminded of the time, at a Chain/Ozone party in 1996 when we had a rochambo, get in the dog box and bark for 3 minutes, I established a roshambo, winner picks a victim for the cardboard box. There were 8 participants. I used this for a bye to the semis... (won)... and then we played it out. Annie Brinich won... But she felt self concious about picking a victim.
Lucky, because, sure enough, the kids on the frisbee team immediately started chanting SMITH SMITH SMITH as she walked out.
For some reason, not currently clear to me, Brandon (Brando) Roadman, entered the box. As an Aside, why is Brandon Steets nick name Brandice. Wouldn't Brando be better?
To summarize, HS kids, rock paper scissors, time in a cardboard box.
In other news of high school... I entered grades yesterday. I have the abillity to enter comments with a few key strokes.
(11) Good attitude.
(18) Participates.
(13) Leads discussion.
(25) Too talkative
(35) Class required for graduation.
There are literally dozens more. My AP government class requested comments. They also noted the comments they had received in the past.
Then the conversation degraded... to comments that were not on the list... but might be.
In bizzaro world. Comments like....
'Hot'
'Attractive'
Needless to say, we all laughed... some (me), more nervously than others....
But, I Did enter comments for all of them. For many, I used certain unusual, specific comments.
No, not 'hot' or 'attractive'.
I went with (39) 'fails to dress out for PE' and, a favorite for good kids, the combination of...
(19) Shows leadership... and
(42) Disruptive in class...
I then added in a series of 'espanol' comments, which you can do by just adding 100 to any comment...
So for the movie script... you get...
(132) Disruptivo... and
(199) Caliente
No, dork face, I did not enter Caliente.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
and another thing...... on strategery...
The Luke on Strategery (sorry Idris, I think I erased your comment. Please re-chap)
... scroll down for the continuation...
Following a day of being called Sancho Panza, Gleek, and being compared to Homer Simpson by Jim, I must post... But I'm late for practice... so here is a teaser trailer....
...Contrary to the musings of the self-described strategerists, I hold that it is a misnomer to discuss x's and o's as 'Strategy.' If you are truly interested in building an ultimate team, and establishing the best strategy, you don't start drawing up plays and calculating statistics... You start considering...
Recruiting...
Conditioning...
Focus...
Intensity...
Long term goal setting...
What wins games for Duke? Is it coach K on the sideline saying heave it to midcourt, then sink the halfcourt 3 pointer for the win? Not no but hell no. It's the focus, discipline, conditioning and belief in self that has Reddick in better condition than any Texas player and therefore able to go for 40 something... And has a team believing in his abillity, and not offended when he's putting it up...
So a team, especially a new team, that wants to be successful, needs to get the players in position, and then start conditioning... this doesn't have to mean ultimate 24 /7 , but the best teams have a season long plan, and are made up of a bunch of nerds who just generally like being fit... sure, once you get old, you can lounge for months at a time... but we'll get to that....
fitness precludes injury, builds confidence, and increases success as fatigue leads to mistakes... and then you build your team, etc...
And you have to practice... catch, throw, etc... pretty basic stuff... have we gotten to tactics yet? Not really, but it's common among better teams. They are full of tremendous nerds who are really big into frisbee. Most if not all the players have, at some critical juncture of their career, lived frisbee (travel, playing catch, staying fit) at the expense of all other past times... THIS, along w/ ability, is why they develop as individuals...
STRATEGICALLY, skills, fitness, and tournament touches are more important than tactics. Yes this is basically obvious, but how many teams, especially new ones, read too much into the offense of a elite team... and start trying to create plays, and run drills and do stuff that only a couple people on their team can do...
So again, most of what is being called strategery is tactics...
But now moving to tactics... well here are some tactical thoughts.
1) Make the defense deal with much more than you do. The most significant point of that NYTIMES article about Texas Tech (to me) was that their offense is actually really simple. They just set up in these different formations... Now granted, whether it's eurotrash/stack/ or the belgium clump, it's a safe bet alex is looking for jim... but for joe schmo team, whether or not the team you're playing knows you, you can line up Beau in a couple different places on the field... and have him run the same cut each time... but everytime you move his start position, the 'd's usual help positions are, well out of position...
yes it's more complicated... but it's a start...
2) there is no 2 for now.... more to follow.
Idris' comment... was that Reddick might suck in the NBA, since Duke guys are usually not UNC guys, when it comes to the pros... Brand is good, I don't know about Battier... we shall see...
(revised 12/14)...
Just got done skiing, day 15, lifted some weights. Thought of the day. 'It's freezing' is becoming a hated, overused trite expression. A coworker, walks in from their car, a late model car, in a down parka, drinking coffee after a 50 foot walk accross the parking lot. How you doing, I ask. 'It's freezing' they reply.
A 20 minute bikeride, in negative weather, on shitty, permafrost roads. Yes, for you fans in europe and canada, thats farenheit negative, aka, effin cold.
Today, more of a tactical thought... but still within the overall concept of simplicity as a strategy. Back to the Frisbee...
OK. You've picked three letters out of the scrabble bag at random, and you've decided to run the X, the H and the O stack. (I exaggerate, I assume you are learning the Horizontal, and the Vertical, but maybe you are more or less of an experimenter). You also know in your heart of hearts, that your offense, in key situations is going to run through the same few guys, and your transition offense is going to probably work on some basic principles (huck it or you are nobody (west coast) or tap tap tap it in (DoG)). Or maybe dog is more risk prone on D. I'd ask Jim or Alex, but I'm not sure they'd no who I'm talking about.
The D team. Drawing a blank? Those guys, at practice, who can't usually afford their own beer after? Those college kids you keep making Barrett have to talk to... You know he actually had a perfect GRE? Really. And he's 36. Yeah. Yes... the guy you keep calling young un... Still drawing a blank? The D team. Never mind.
So here's how you run the same drill for both stacks.
What really goes on in a game is this: you've got your 3 guys, and you are really just letting them react to the situation, because they are bestest and smartest, except for your '4' guy, who's just this amazing athlete you don't ACTUALLY throw to unless he's in the endzone... So instead of just drawing all these x's and o's that try to recreate experience and talent (i.e. having your non huckers chucking it wildly around frustrating the talent) set up drills, that teach success, and SLOWLY work sparky into actually winging one...
Here's an example. Before practice, show what you want to work on that day. It's one play, a one pass throw that assumes that you are the '2' throwing to the three. Show how 1 threw it to 2 on the dry erase board. Show on the dry erase board, what your next cutters two options are. Do not show the fills. Do not show 5 other zig zag lines and specific clear routes. Show the players starting positions, then show the areas they need to get the hell away from. How to do so will come later. Takes 1 minute.
Disc in hand, loose, or non existent mark your next cutter comes, from some particular point that relates to your stack... So having established the areas you want to primarily attack (i.e., Mike might do a bunch of stuff, but a lot of the time, he's using his size and speed to make you give him what he wants underneath)... then you run through it. Disc in middle of field, cutter works with a move (maybe two) and comes under or goes deep. Cutters decision should be based on who the thrower is... and their abilities...
Why even have players do drills/cuts/throws they are not going to do in the game? Well learning to cut like bill kill will not turn you into bill, but you will understand what the good players like to do, improve your game, and improve your teams game by anticipating what they do, the better to learn to clear space... That's how drills can teach field sense... And there is always a place to implement these skills, whether it's in a scrimmage (a mid/low level team can therefore be reasonably expected to have a higher practice TO%: game TO% than a high level team), or in league play (Corporate!)... or er, co-ed.
Then, next time you run said drill, you MIGHT throw one player in there to key off of, anticipate, and clear for the cutter (before moving into cutting role)...
But the Beauty is, a cut from the middle of the stack, with the option of coming in or going deep, is the same whether you line up in the middle of the of the horizontal, or the middle of a vertical. The clears are a little different. LIkewise, a cut from the far side of the field to the throwers side, is 'cross' whether it's run from a vertical or horizontal... clears or a little different... and from the same position, the deep break is the same thing, but the help positions are different, depending on your stack...
Still with me? Questions? Comments? Concerns? I'll edit this later. So sorry for, and thanks in advance (or in hindsight) for wading through this.
Oh yes, after practice, take 2 minutes to show the starting positions again (here is where the disc was, it is assumed they had just received it from an imaginary player here (which you can add, if you like), and here are the two areas we attacked. Then redraw your H stack ghosts. Show where the heck they should have gone for the under (not everyone has to have a job, so mention active engagement, or buy jim's book)... and the deep --- then THEN! AHA! Erase the H stack ghosts, and draw in the vertical stack ghosts, and showhow they should have moved (which usually involves clearing the deep, and some rudimentary stack management, and again, small movements to engage your player)...
Then, you sit around for 2 hours, talking about that shit till none of your non ultimate friends exist... Then you go to a tournament, and learn it for real... and talk about it ad nauseum... watching players do it right, etc... then you revise your tactics...
to be continued. Should I do this as a separate post?
... scroll down for the continuation...
Following a day of being called Sancho Panza, Gleek, and being compared to Homer Simpson by Jim, I must post... But I'm late for practice... so here is a teaser trailer....
...Contrary to the musings of the self-described strategerists, I hold that it is a misnomer to discuss x's and o's as 'Strategy.' If you are truly interested in building an ultimate team, and establishing the best strategy, you don't start drawing up plays and calculating statistics... You start considering...
Recruiting...
Conditioning...
Focus...
Intensity...
Long term goal setting...
What wins games for Duke? Is it coach K on the sideline saying heave it to midcourt, then sink the halfcourt 3 pointer for the win? Not no but hell no. It's the focus, discipline, conditioning and belief in self that has Reddick in better condition than any Texas player and therefore able to go for 40 something... And has a team believing in his abillity, and not offended when he's putting it up...
So a team, especially a new team, that wants to be successful, needs to get the players in position, and then start conditioning... this doesn't have to mean ultimate 24 /7 , but the best teams have a season long plan, and are made up of a bunch of nerds who just generally like being fit... sure, once you get old, you can lounge for months at a time... but we'll get to that....
fitness precludes injury, builds confidence, and increases success as fatigue leads to mistakes... and then you build your team, etc...
And you have to practice... catch, throw, etc... pretty basic stuff... have we gotten to tactics yet? Not really, but it's common among better teams. They are full of tremendous nerds who are really big into frisbee. Most if not all the players have, at some critical juncture of their career, lived frisbee (travel, playing catch, staying fit) at the expense of all other past times... THIS, along w/ ability, is why they develop as individuals...
STRATEGICALLY, skills, fitness, and tournament touches are more important than tactics. Yes this is basically obvious, but how many teams, especially new ones, read too much into the offense of a elite team... and start trying to create plays, and run drills and do stuff that only a couple people on their team can do...
So again, most of what is being called strategery is tactics...
But now moving to tactics... well here are some tactical thoughts.
1) Make the defense deal with much more than you do. The most significant point of that NYTIMES article about Texas Tech (to me) was that their offense is actually really simple. They just set up in these different formations... Now granted, whether it's eurotrash/stack/ or the belgium clump, it's a safe bet alex is looking for jim... but for joe schmo team, whether or not the team you're playing knows you, you can line up Beau in a couple different places on the field... and have him run the same cut each time... but everytime you move his start position, the 'd's usual help positions are, well out of position...
yes it's more complicated... but it's a start...
2) there is no 2 for now.... more to follow.
Idris' comment... was that Reddick might suck in the NBA, since Duke guys are usually not UNC guys, when it comes to the pros... Brand is good, I don't know about Battier... we shall see...
(revised 12/14)...
Just got done skiing, day 15, lifted some weights. Thought of the day. 'It's freezing' is becoming a hated, overused trite expression. A coworker, walks in from their car, a late model car, in a down parka, drinking coffee after a 50 foot walk accross the parking lot. How you doing, I ask. 'It's freezing' they reply.
A 20 minute bikeride, in negative weather, on shitty, permafrost roads. Yes, for you fans in europe and canada, thats farenheit negative, aka, effin cold.
Today, more of a tactical thought... but still within the overall concept of simplicity as a strategy. Back to the Frisbee...
OK. You've picked three letters out of the scrabble bag at random, and you've decided to run the X, the H and the O stack. (I exaggerate, I assume you are learning the Horizontal, and the Vertical, but maybe you are more or less of an experimenter). You also know in your heart of hearts, that your offense, in key situations is going to run through the same few guys, and your transition offense is going to probably work on some basic principles (huck it or you are nobody (west coast) or tap tap tap it in (DoG)). Or maybe dog is more risk prone on D. I'd ask Jim or Alex, but I'm not sure they'd no who I'm talking about.
The D team. Drawing a blank? Those guys, at practice, who can't usually afford their own beer after? Those college kids you keep making Barrett have to talk to... You know he actually had a perfect GRE? Really. And he's 36. Yeah. Yes... the guy you keep calling young un... Still drawing a blank? The D team. Never mind.
So here's how you run the same drill for both stacks.
What really goes on in a game is this: you've got your 3 guys, and you are really just letting them react to the situation, because they are bestest and smartest, except for your '4' guy, who's just this amazing athlete you don't ACTUALLY throw to unless he's in the endzone... So instead of just drawing all these x's and o's that try to recreate experience and talent (i.e. having your non huckers chucking it wildly around frustrating the talent) set up drills, that teach success, and SLOWLY work sparky into actually winging one...
Here's an example. Before practice, show what you want to work on that day. It's one play, a one pass throw that assumes that you are the '2' throwing to the three. Show how 1 threw it to 2 on the dry erase board. Show on the dry erase board, what your next cutters two options are. Do not show the fills. Do not show 5 other zig zag lines and specific clear routes. Show the players starting positions, then show the areas they need to get the hell away from. How to do so will come later. Takes 1 minute.
Disc in hand, loose, or non existent mark your next cutter comes, from some particular point that relates to your stack... So having established the areas you want to primarily attack (i.e., Mike might do a bunch of stuff, but a lot of the time, he's using his size and speed to make you give him what he wants underneath)... then you run through it. Disc in middle of field, cutter works with a move (maybe two) and comes under or goes deep. Cutters decision should be based on who the thrower is... and their abilities...
Why even have players do drills/cuts/throws they are not going to do in the game? Well learning to cut like bill kill will not turn you into bill, but you will understand what the good players like to do, improve your game, and improve your teams game by anticipating what they do, the better to learn to clear space... That's how drills can teach field sense... And there is always a place to implement these skills, whether it's in a scrimmage (a mid/low level team can therefore be reasonably expected to have a higher practice TO%: game TO% than a high level team), or in league play (Corporate!)... or er, co-ed.
Then, next time you run said drill, you MIGHT throw one player in there to key off of, anticipate, and clear for the cutter (before moving into cutting role)...
But the Beauty is, a cut from the middle of the stack, with the option of coming in or going deep, is the same whether you line up in the middle of the of the horizontal, or the middle of a vertical. The clears are a little different. LIkewise, a cut from the far side of the field to the throwers side, is 'cross' whether it's run from a vertical or horizontal... clears or a little different... and from the same position, the deep break is the same thing, but the help positions are different, depending on your stack...
Still with me? Questions? Comments? Concerns? I'll edit this later. So sorry for, and thanks in advance (or in hindsight) for wading through this.
Oh yes, after practice, take 2 minutes to show the starting positions again (here is where the disc was, it is assumed they had just received it from an imaginary player here (which you can add, if you like), and here are the two areas we attacked. Then redraw your H stack ghosts. Show where the heck they should have gone for the under (not everyone has to have a job, so mention active engagement, or buy jim's book)... and the deep --- then THEN! AHA! Erase the H stack ghosts, and draw in the vertical stack ghosts, and showhow they should have moved (which usually involves clearing the deep, and some rudimentary stack management, and again, small movements to engage your player)...
Then, you sit around for 2 hours, talking about that shit till none of your non ultimate friends exist... Then you go to a tournament, and learn it for real... and talk about it ad nauseum... watching players do it right, etc... then you revise your tactics...
to be continued. Should I do this as a separate post?
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Did you know that...
...if you play the podcast, and the wizard of oz....
First, right when the lion roars... start this commentary...
Corey is unconvinced anyone will listen to the commentary... he also thinks all boston players are hacks... especially, Paul Greff, aka, TGPITGBF (the greatest player in the game, by far)... Luke Mumbles in there about Courtney (Corey's real name is Courtney. Before Idris learned to operate the microphones, there was some witty banter)...
Luke "Rsd died when Gerics left" (Do I need to tell you what/who RSD and Mike Gerics is/are?)
Corey thinks Gerics and Garrett Dyer are the Same... Garrett Dyer is another NC or state Guy. I think he's an NC state GUy...
Jim brings up mixed Gender...
Luke on the Hernia...
Corey wants entertainment...
Luke = no hernia...
Idris brings up blogs...
Jim discusses. He is, infact pro blog. Just b/c his is worth 12000 dollars. As estimated by some website I believe he holds stock in...
Idris discusses the golden years of blogging, when it was just him, and the etch-a-sketch...
Luke: First Frank (Billy Berrou Referencs). Banter insues. Frank would be a good guest. He often has some interesting things to say, albeit... stridently...
Ahh yes... car wreck and train wreck...
Corey enters into discussion of Condor's collapse... and Jim with the Zinger...
Somewhere in here, 20 minutes of Condor's collapse is discussed... and Deleted by Idris...
Discussion of East Coast players I'm supposed to know...
And Jim talks of the golden days of no Stalling. I'm pretty clear that you can hear his rocking chair creaking in the back ground... In fact there was no stalling in the good old days. Then a 15 second stall count. Which, if I understand Jim correctly, was seldom enforced, except, I assume, by elitist assholes...
Luke threatens to link to DiscHoop(TM)... and he delivers...
Ultimate Talk is worldwide... clever references to spam, and an early post in which Idris' name, that means sunshine, or something, ellicited many emails from the middle east...
Luke Jabs at Zaz for bailing after a loss at regionalss... Eric Zaslow co wrote the book with Jim...
Luke does not infact ski moguls or tricks, AND
...that brings us to a little Co-Ed bashing... Corey goes on record as the first basher of Co-ed... Jim points out that Corey is now a beach co-edder...
The Tea Party likes to talk about corporate league, and Idris takes a jab at them...
And then we all pile on Alex...
Luke notes that Dan Cogan has these video teaching sites... using film in a multiple frames to teach ultimate... I couldn't open it...
Eric Zazlow, former national champ, is credited with a gratuitous layout bid in his book, co-written by Jim...
Billy Layden, Double, EPig... legend, and brief blogger...
Shit. I owe Ben Wiggins a T-Shirt. You pay shipping...
Threats of special guests...
First, right when the lion roars... start this commentary...
Corey is unconvinced anyone will listen to the commentary... he also thinks all boston players are hacks... especially, Paul Greff, aka, TGPITGBF (the greatest player in the game, by far)... Luke Mumbles in there about Courtney (Corey's real name is Courtney. Before Idris learned to operate the microphones, there was some witty banter)...
Luke "Rsd died when Gerics left" (Do I need to tell you what/who RSD and Mike Gerics is/are?)
Corey thinks Gerics and Garrett Dyer are the Same... Garrett Dyer is another NC or state Guy. I think he's an NC state GUy...
Jim brings up mixed Gender...
Luke on the Hernia...
Corey wants entertainment...
Luke = no hernia...
Idris brings up blogs...
Jim discusses. He is, infact pro blog. Just b/c his is worth 12000 dollars. As estimated by some website I believe he holds stock in...
Idris discusses the golden years of blogging, when it was just him, and the etch-a-sketch...
Luke: First Frank (Billy Berrou Referencs). Banter insues. Frank would be a good guest. He often has some interesting things to say, albeit... stridently...
Ahh yes... car wreck and train wreck...
Corey enters into discussion of Condor's collapse... and Jim with the Zinger...
Somewhere in here, 20 minutes of Condor's collapse is discussed... and Deleted by Idris...
Discussion of East Coast players I'm supposed to know...
And Jim talks of the golden days of no Stalling. I'm pretty clear that you can hear his rocking chair creaking in the back ground... In fact there was no stalling in the good old days. Then a 15 second stall count. Which, if I understand Jim correctly, was seldom enforced, except, I assume, by elitist assholes...
Luke threatens to link to DiscHoop(TM)... and he delivers...
Ultimate Talk is worldwide... clever references to spam, and an early post in which Idris' name, that means sunshine, or something, ellicited many emails from the middle east...
Luke Jabs at Zaz for bailing after a loss at regionalss... Eric Zaslow co wrote the book with Jim...
Luke does not infact ski moguls or tricks, AND
...that brings us to a little Co-Ed bashing... Corey goes on record as the first basher of Co-ed... Jim points out that Corey is now a beach co-edder...
The Tea Party likes to talk about corporate league, and Idris takes a jab at them...
And then we all pile on Alex...
Luke notes that Dan Cogan has these video teaching sites... using film in a multiple frames to teach ultimate... I couldn't open it...
Eric Zazlow, former national champ, is credited with a gratuitous layout bid in his book, co-written by Jim...
Billy Layden, Double, EPig... legend, and brief blogger...
Shit. I owe Ben Wiggins a T-Shirt. You pay shipping...
Threats of special guests...
Friday, December 09, 2005
podcast
well the reviews are hardly pouring in... but the first podcast was fun to do at least.
some thoughts. the cordless phone gives by far the lowest quality... either that, or Corey is just... loud...
a little structure would be good... maybe a round table format...
the main thing, is it just needs some editing...
some thoughts. the cordless phone gives by far the lowest quality... either that, or Corey is just... loud...
a little structure would be good... maybe a round table format...
the main thing, is it just needs some editing...
Thursday, December 08, 2005
thurs
just got off the conference call with the cognoscenti of ultimate... i will link to the new podcasts of frisbee asap.
sick today, so took my first sick day in 2 years. the fact that the roads were covered in a slick layer of snow and ice made the decision easier. that is, yes, if the roads had been good, i'd have gone to work, alternatively, if my ethical/moral standards were lower and i was feeling better, i'd of skied.
because the conditions were marvelous...
so, this year, 14 ski days (4 of those days were daily doubles of nordic skiing, but i can't bring myself to call it 18 ski days).
daily ride 7 miles (more if i take the longer, safer route due to snow conditions)
weights 1/2 times per week.
frisbee, none for a week... crazy. i'm going to start having skills and drills in the gym on sunday evening (only time available) for the high school team, and of course, because i like to throw.
the purchase of my new skis has served in an anti - car wash makes it rain capacity. no new snow fall for the forseable future... so i'll concentrate on the cross country...
weights: i'm adding olympic style lifting under the tutelage of the summit track asst (who has a history of high level coaching) which has amazing reported benefits in explosion... we shall see... i'm hesitant to do plyos right now (especially with strength shoes) because i'm still dealing with occasion tendon issues from my late model speed tds (still looking for nice low cleats -- speak up!)
so for the past couple weeks...
sun -- frisbee (40 min bike)
mon -- 40 min run, weights (40min bike)
tues -- skate (20 min bike)
wed -- skate (20 min bike)
thurs -- snow day (tele'd) (3 mile walk)
friday -- rest (40 min bike)
saturday -- 10 k skate
sunday -- 4 hours tele skiing
monday -- 10 min bike/squats/chinups/ (20 minute bike commute)
tuesday -- skate (50 minute bike commute)
wednesday -- 5 minute bike/squats/chins/bench/abs/hang cleans (20 min commute)
thurs rest
sorry for redundancy... coming up... hmm... did i ever tell you about the time, at worlds, where i found the secret door, and was for a brief time the king of scotland?
ps: why do i train? at 36 am i just sensing mortality, spitting into the wind? it's not like i still play for a touring team (exclusive of the fighting otters...) oh well...
sick today, so took my first sick day in 2 years. the fact that the roads were covered in a slick layer of snow and ice made the decision easier. that is, yes, if the roads had been good, i'd have gone to work, alternatively, if my ethical/moral standards were lower and i was feeling better, i'd of skied.
because the conditions were marvelous...
so, this year, 14 ski days (4 of those days were daily doubles of nordic skiing, but i can't bring myself to call it 18 ski days).
daily ride 7 miles (more if i take the longer, safer route due to snow conditions)
weights 1/2 times per week.
frisbee, none for a week... crazy. i'm going to start having skills and drills in the gym on sunday evening (only time available) for the high school team, and of course, because i like to throw.
the purchase of my new skis has served in an anti - car wash makes it rain capacity. no new snow fall for the forseable future... so i'll concentrate on the cross country...
weights: i'm adding olympic style lifting under the tutelage of the summit track asst (who has a history of high level coaching) which has amazing reported benefits in explosion... we shall see... i'm hesitant to do plyos right now (especially with strength shoes) because i'm still dealing with occasion tendon issues from my late model speed tds (still looking for nice low cleats -- speak up!)
so for the past couple weeks...
sun -- frisbee (40 min bike)
mon -- 40 min run, weights (40min bike)
tues -- skate (20 min bike)
wed -- skate (20 min bike)
thurs -- snow day (tele'd) (3 mile walk)
friday -- rest (40 min bike)
saturday -- 10 k skate
sunday -- 4 hours tele skiing
monday -- 10 min bike/squats/chinups/ (20 minute bike commute)
tuesday -- skate (50 minute bike commute)
wednesday -- 5 minute bike/squats/chins/bench/abs/hang cleans (20 min commute)
thurs rest
sorry for redundancy... coming up... hmm... did i ever tell you about the time, at worlds, where i found the secret door, and was for a brief time the king of scotland?
ps: why do i train? at 36 am i just sensing mortality, spitting into the wind? it's not like i still play for a touring team (exclusive of the fighting otters...) oh well...
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
it all just runs together.
Last sunday, played a little short field 3 on 3, mostly kids, couple adults... 45, sunny... then the bottom dropped out. Heavy snowfall has made skiing a joy, and biking to work... well, i'm graying and balding, in one week.
Last week, lifted on monday (squats, chinups, abs), skied, tues, wed, thurs (skate, skate, skate) and then skied saturday (skate). See the pattern?
Sunday, an absolutely gorgeous day, still air, 8 degrees. Perfect. So instead of skinning up (back country touring faq here), I elected to ride the chairlifts instead. Just... amazing. But my sore knees made me realize I needed new skis. So, last night, I bought new skis. Atomic TMX's. Yippee. No bindings yet...
And speaking of 8 degrees, amazing how 8 degrees for skiing, perfect, 8 degrees, biking to work with skis on your back, as drivers challenge you for road space, with some kind of magical amalgam of snow/grease/chemicals turning the road into a combination of bumps that are somehow slick...
Today, we'll skate (i'm not really sure why we've not been classic skiing, but I don't really care), probably do drills for 20 minutes, then a nice easy ski... for those who like numbers... i'm finally getting my technique down enough to skate skiuphills and keep my heartrange towards the easy aerobic range and out of the garbage range. (The garbage range is 70-80%) of your max, which does nothing more for you than 60-70%, and requires more recovery...
Frisbee talk... er... treasurer. Worst job in ultimate. Period.
Ok, seriously? Uh, shoot man, like, I'll get back to you. Uh, more? Why aren't there more frisbee players in central oregon?
More? OK, it's all about the GOOD HONEST HARD MARK, (GHHM), not cheating. Finally, what is it about DoG that turned Moses' hair gray at 17 years of age?
Last week, lifted on monday (squats, chinups, abs), skied, tues, wed, thurs (skate, skate, skate) and then skied saturday (skate). See the pattern?
Sunday, an absolutely gorgeous day, still air, 8 degrees. Perfect. So instead of skinning up (back country touring faq here), I elected to ride the chairlifts instead. Just... amazing. But my sore knees made me realize I needed new skis. So, last night, I bought new skis. Atomic TMX's. Yippee. No bindings yet...
And speaking of 8 degrees, amazing how 8 degrees for skiing, perfect, 8 degrees, biking to work with skis on your back, as drivers challenge you for road space, with some kind of magical amalgam of snow/grease/chemicals turning the road into a combination of bumps that are somehow slick...
Today, we'll skate (i'm not really sure why we've not been classic skiing, but I don't really care), probably do drills for 20 minutes, then a nice easy ski... for those who like numbers... i'm finally getting my technique down enough to skate skiuphills and keep my heartrange towards the easy aerobic range and out of the garbage range. (The garbage range is 70-80%) of your max, which does nothing more for you than 60-70%, and requires more recovery...
Frisbee talk... er... treasurer. Worst job in ultimate. Period.
Ok, seriously? Uh, shoot man, like, I'll get back to you. Uh, more? Why aren't there more frisbee players in central oregon?
More? OK, it's all about the GOOD HONEST HARD MARK, (GHHM), not cheating. Finally, what is it about DoG that turned Moses' hair gray at 17 years of age?
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Thanksgiving in Yellowstone. 5 days, 28 hours in a car, 50 plus miles of skiing, a 24 hour vomitorium of a flu virus (keeping me off the trails for a day), and free beer night. And for some reason, AJ is stumping to keep me on ultimate talk, check out his site...
Why does anyone expect the content of my blog posts to have any more to do with frisbee than my rsd posts? OK. Here it goes. I took a mini disc, and played a little catch in the parking garage while waiting my turn to wax skis... but WAIT there is more.
Saturday was the first tournament of the new year for the Summit Storm. Kids lost the first one in a squeaker 8-7, lost 9-5 (ish), then got on track (un tracked?, neither ever maid more sense than the other to me) for a 10-7, 11-1 finish. Yeah storm. The teams we played were valley kids finishing up a 2 month season of frisbee, this was our 5th 'official' practice. Looking good, Billy Ray. Drove back from Eugene, and got up at 4:30 the next day for the drive to West Yellowstone... Unbelievably good training, physically exhausted, whew. Glad to be back. 2-0 in scrabble while there.
What? You want MORE ultimate talk. I'm going out in 40 minutes to play some ultimate w/ the kids (I would say, JUST ULTIMATE), but apparently, grown ups don't play when its warm.
And sunny.
But nonetheless snowing like mad in the mountains 15 miles to the west. Go Snow.
Hmm. More frisbee talk? This week, weather permitting, practices will focus on 'tournament relevant' throwing (no, really, step WAY out, and yes, pivot, that means pivot), which they all understand better now. Also, we played 'dutch' drill (3v3 in an endzone sized field, 10 complete passes = 1 point, stall count 5) last week, but all off hand. Billy would be so proud.
Enough frisbee talk. Back to ski talk. This season, 1 broken pole, 2 new skis... more skis to come... let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
Why does anyone expect the content of my blog posts to have any more to do with frisbee than my rsd posts? OK. Here it goes. I took a mini disc, and played a little catch in the parking garage while waiting my turn to wax skis... but WAIT there is more.
Saturday was the first tournament of the new year for the Summit Storm. Kids lost the first one in a squeaker 8-7, lost 9-5 (ish), then got on track (un tracked?, neither ever maid more sense than the other to me) for a 10-7, 11-1 finish. Yeah storm. The teams we played were valley kids finishing up a 2 month season of frisbee, this was our 5th 'official' practice. Looking good, Billy Ray. Drove back from Eugene, and got up at 4:30 the next day for the drive to West Yellowstone... Unbelievably good training, physically exhausted, whew. Glad to be back. 2-0 in scrabble while there.
What? You want MORE ultimate talk. I'm going out in 40 minutes to play some ultimate w/ the kids (I would say, JUST ULTIMATE), but apparently, grown ups don't play when its warm.
And sunny.
But nonetheless snowing like mad in the mountains 15 miles to the west. Go Snow.
Hmm. More frisbee talk? This week, weather permitting, practices will focus on 'tournament relevant' throwing (no, really, step WAY out, and yes, pivot, that means pivot), which they all understand better now. Also, we played 'dutch' drill (3v3 in an endzone sized field, 10 complete passes = 1 point, stall count 5) last week, but all off hand. Billy would be so proud.
Enough frisbee talk. Back to ski talk. This season, 1 broken pole, 2 new skis... more skis to come... let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
Monday, November 14, 2005
new season
Well, i'm all set to move on into ski season... today, a 4.6 ish mile pole run (it's when you run. with ski poles. I think the euros are big into it.) in 33, so like 7 and change... wow, i didn't realize we went so fast... if forgot we tagged on the extra half mile... so, cool. ended w/ a decent mile and a half long kick -esque deal, which always serves to give an artificially good time for the run...
then, 3 sets of light squats, 3 x 5 chin ups (hey, i'm not the man i used to be), and this sport specific machine called a roller board... dug some cake out of the frig in the teachers lounge... you know, so just dialing it in during the glycogen window... so, if I understand this site properly, I should eat approximately 920 carb calories in the 4 hours following excercise... I ate something like 1500 in the 8 minutes following excercise... oh so wrong... but oh so right...
tommorrow, ultimate w/ the kids... probably be 15-20 out there, and the weather is supposed to be great, 53 and sunny...
Oh, how could I forget. Saturday, first ski of the year. Hiked 'Tumalo Butte' and skied a couple laps w/ Russ Zinner and Aaron Talbot... beat the crowde up, blew by some people on the climb... skiing was the typical first day out struggle for me, fell twice on the first run, second was much better... skied almost kind of sortof approaching decent powder skiing form.... but not really. Hey, it's early season. I may not buy a pass this year, just tour, and spend the money on newer, betterer gear.... I need new tele gear, new randonee gear, new skate boots... hmm. Better stop eating out so much.
And Talbot wanted props for ending my 23 game City league winning streak... yeah yeah. There you go. And he had the crowd on his side in the semis. Blah blah. There you go.
If you were looking for more ultimate talk, sorry.
then, 3 sets of light squats, 3 x 5 chin ups (hey, i'm not the man i used to be), and this sport specific machine called a roller board... dug some cake out of the frig in the teachers lounge... you know, so just dialing it in during the glycogen window... so, if I understand this site properly, I should eat approximately 920 carb calories in the 4 hours following excercise... I ate something like 1500 in the 8 minutes following excercise... oh so wrong... but oh so right...
tommorrow, ultimate w/ the kids... probably be 15-20 out there, and the weather is supposed to be great, 53 and sunny...
Oh, how could I forget. Saturday, first ski of the year. Hiked 'Tumalo Butte' and skied a couple laps w/ Russ Zinner and Aaron Talbot... beat the crowde up, blew by some people on the climb... skiing was the typical first day out struggle for me, fell twice on the first run, second was much better... skied almost kind of sortof approaching decent powder skiing form.... but not really. Hey, it's early season. I may not buy a pass this year, just tour, and spend the money on newer, betterer gear.... I need new tele gear, new randonee gear, new skate boots... hmm. Better stop eating out so much.
And Talbot wanted props for ending my 23 game City league winning streak... yeah yeah. There you go. And he had the crowd on his side in the semis. Blah blah. There you go.
If you were looking for more ultimate talk, sorry.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
cheating...
right on.
i feel that "by any means necessary" type of competition takes that comment in the wrong direction. i hate it when players flagrantly foul because they are too out of shape or outskilled to play good d. but without any method of enforcement (and by this i mean penalizing the player who committed the foul) ulti is stuck in a very odd spot. i feel that sportsmanship has seemed to have gone to hell (from what I have read on the blogs) in upper level ultimate, and that is trickling down to lower levels.
the other problem i see is the "escalation effect" that this causes. for example, I was playing in a tournament, getting run over by a bigger, and slower player after catches. so, after about ten points of getting clobbered by this ogre, i see him about to do the same thing, and put an elbow into his stomach. is this wrong?
dear anon. if that is your real name. here's the 'big picture' of my experiences in play, w/ spirit... (this is worthy of an entry... but... oh... wait, I can cut and paste to the page)
(that said, i've had a couple beers, i'm feeling chatty, so your comment will now be the lead in to a longer post)
poor players are currently encouraged to foul.
sportsmanship has gone to hell at the highest levels and is trickling down.
i'm actually going to end up disagreeing with the points (AS I'VE STATED THEM), so if i'm innacurately restating my points in my effort to create a straw man for response... please chime in...
(that said, i've had a couple beers, i'm feeling chatty, so your comment will now be the lead in to a longer post)
1) first learning, in oregon in the early 90's 'physical play is encouraged, but more like, this guy was into me, but i made the play so i'm the man... (not, get into guys to stop them from making the play). my lesson, i'm (like aj, on another blog, OK w/ some physical, but it plays to my strengths...)
2) i moved to georgia, and played in 92-93 as a sort of athletic new player on a medium team (like quarters at easterns, qualified for nationals, but not particularly good)fair play was not discussed, but it was somehow ingrained. maybe it came from some sense of fair play, or that ultimate came from a background of sportsmanship as related in my previous post.
3) We got better, and my elligibillity got stressed. I (me) focused on the things i had learned in club play. The mark. Get the disc. Focus on these CAN lead to a win at all cost mentallity. I'd like to think that i remained a basically fair player, but I was certainly competetive. I perhaps 'got into it' on occasion.
4) OUt of elligibillity, my last year in atlanta, I played for chain. Fighting for everything, I developed into a 'marker'. A good one, but as a 6'2 guy, trying to stop everything, i sometimes caused contact. Was I cheating? I hope not. Unlike Jim and Alex though, I WAS trying to stop the play. When called for a foul, I tended to not contest. Does that make me 'pure?' Probably not, but, in keeping with my own personal ethos, I see it as 'letting the opposing player make the call when the ball is in their own court.'
5) Moved to seattle. Spent from March to September trying out w/ Sockeye. Was once chastised (by Jon G) for making nice w/ Kodiak after a scrimmage. Thought that weird. Got cut the day before Chicago. Ate the ticket.
6) 3 years of dallying w/ sockeye... getting cut/ not trying out. Became a solid mediocre player
7) Made Sockeye. Strength was the mark. Never minded getting called for a marking foul, BUT, never TRIED to foul...
8) Played for sockeye... AND then, and now, I have a very low tolerance for 'cheating.' To my discredit, I am a reacter(or). I have no problem screaming obscenities at someone who is cheating. I also always approached my team mates, the observers, and told them when I felt someone was out of line. Along the way, I never had a problem flipping off a crowd when I thought they were out of line, for I firmly believe, the only thing that lies more than the disc is the drunken side line.
9) Semi Retirement. Biggest pet peeve? Lack of understanding of rules AND... people who don't/can't see what happened...
Are poor players encouraged to foul?
My biggest issue w/ co-ed play (and league play) is that spirit of the game is misinterpreted to mean "let me win." This is hard to explain. If someone on a team calls themselves in, I'll let it go. If someone fouls a new team mate, and then tries to brow beat them into submission, well, it's on. They are not always new players BUT...
Has sportsmanship gone to hell at the highest levels and is trickling down?I actually feel it's trickling up. The willingness of older players to discuss an event DOES slow the game down. Does it result in the wrong call? I don't know. Does it result in a less televisable game? Obviously, yes.
Where am I going with this? good question.
What do we want the game to look like on TV? I just watched the 2000 mens final. Good game: but lots of calls. When I watched the 2005 finals of college, I took it upon myself to count the stoppages of play. 60 something, as I recall, and I think I won a bet. But as a player, I thought both were good games.
Certainly, compared to American Football, the flow was much more consistent. During my play w/ Sockeye, my mom and stepdad were there every year to watch every game: they thought it was great (but I mean, it's a mom) even w/ me yelling invective at those cheating fuckers from (insert here).
Do we want it to look like soccer? Then, yes, we have to have a whistle, and play continues until the whistle blows. I'm not actually sure that this makes a better game. It's better for the offense... but.
So the real question is, what SHOULD ultimate look like, and for whom?
Oh, and why do I think it's trickling up? I played sports in HS, but as we start to get more people accustomed to reffing, are they not accustomed to having their decisions made for them? I'm actually changing my mind in the past few days, and here is why: I'd like our sport to be more like Andy Roddick over ruling the chair and calling an opponents ball in. We can be a sport of gentlemen, AND have refs as well. No one should just cheat.
The people on the blogs (jim, alex, tim, idris) are by and large classy. Well except jim. No just kidding. I mean idris. No really. You're dealing w/ people who care enough about the sport to think, and write constantly. None of the aforementioned are cheaters. All are really talented, except me. I"m just lucky. So here's the rundown.
Jim: O player. Battled w/ Faust (read RSD for a discussion of this talented but aggressive player) then Enns of Furious (famous, at least from jim of spearing).
Alex: Bestest, slowest player ever. His throw to jim v. tully is the greatest I ever saw, and I don't remember it the same way he does (al, chime in w/ a link). I actually remember it as 10 players watching 4 players make a play. It was in the air for that long. Did he complain of anything other than some physicallity? Because I've seen alex do some cheap travels (96 nationals, step and drag pivot to set up for a flick goal).. so I don't think he's saying he's been hacked out of a title.
Idris: Famous for the dive and huck... not bad, but certainly, on occasion a poster child for the non continuation throw. But a true student of the game, and really, really coordinated.
Timmy: O/D player. And has no complaints. I suspect he was hacked the most...
That said, i'll wrap up the ramble with this.
I somehow got poison oak coaching this weekend.
The worst foul (most effective) is the light touch on the receivers arm as he's about to catch it.
I never did better than a bronze at world... but, w/ 6 club, 2 college, and 3 world appearances, most people are pretty classy. Let's figure out a way to make parties in the beer garden the norm, not, the MLB practice of no fraternizing after the game.
Unless you can pay me.
The eff you, eff face.
i feel that "by any means necessary" type of competition takes that comment in the wrong direction. i hate it when players flagrantly foul because they are too out of shape or outskilled to play good d. but without any method of enforcement (and by this i mean penalizing the player who committed the foul) ulti is stuck in a very odd spot. i feel that sportsmanship has seemed to have gone to hell (from what I have read on the blogs) in upper level ultimate, and that is trickling down to lower levels.
the other problem i see is the "escalation effect" that this causes. for example, I was playing in a tournament, getting run over by a bigger, and slower player after catches. so, after about ten points of getting clobbered by this ogre, i see him about to do the same thing, and put an elbow into his stomach. is this wrong?
dear anon. if that is your real name. here's the 'big picture' of my experiences in play, w/ spirit... (this is worthy of an entry... but... oh... wait, I can cut and paste to the page)
(that said, i've had a couple beers, i'm feeling chatty, so your comment will now be the lead in to a longer post)
poor players are currently encouraged to foul.
sportsmanship has gone to hell at the highest levels and is trickling down.
i'm actually going to end up disagreeing with the points (AS I'VE STATED THEM), so if i'm innacurately restating my points in my effort to create a straw man for response... please chime in...
(that said, i've had a couple beers, i'm feeling chatty, so your comment will now be the lead in to a longer post)
1) first learning, in oregon in the early 90's 'physical play is encouraged, but more like, this guy was into me, but i made the play so i'm the man... (not, get into guys to stop them from making the play). my lesson, i'm (like aj, on another blog, OK w/ some physical, but it plays to my strengths...)
2) i moved to georgia, and played in 92-93 as a sort of athletic new player on a medium team (like quarters at easterns, qualified for nationals, but not particularly good)fair play was not discussed, but it was somehow ingrained. maybe it came from some sense of fair play, or that ultimate came from a background of sportsmanship as related in my previous post.
3) We got better, and my elligibillity got stressed. I (me) focused on the things i had learned in club play. The mark. Get the disc. Focus on these CAN lead to a win at all cost mentallity. I'd like to think that i remained a basically fair player, but I was certainly competetive. I perhaps 'got into it' on occasion.
4) OUt of elligibillity, my last year in atlanta, I played for chain. Fighting for everything, I developed into a 'marker'. A good one, but as a 6'2 guy, trying to stop everything, i sometimes caused contact. Was I cheating? I hope not. Unlike Jim and Alex though, I WAS trying to stop the play. When called for a foul, I tended to not contest. Does that make me 'pure?' Probably not, but, in keeping with my own personal ethos, I see it as 'letting the opposing player make the call when the ball is in their own court.'
5) Moved to seattle. Spent from March to September trying out w/ Sockeye. Was once chastised (by Jon G) for making nice w/ Kodiak after a scrimmage. Thought that weird. Got cut the day before Chicago. Ate the ticket.
6) 3 years of dallying w/ sockeye... getting cut/ not trying out. Became a solid mediocre player
7) Made Sockeye. Strength was the mark. Never minded getting called for a marking foul, BUT, never TRIED to foul...
8) Played for sockeye... AND then, and now, I have a very low tolerance for 'cheating.' To my discredit, I am a reacter(or). I have no problem screaming obscenities at someone who is cheating. I also always approached my team mates, the observers, and told them when I felt someone was out of line. Along the way, I never had a problem flipping off a crowd when I thought they were out of line, for I firmly believe, the only thing that lies more than the disc is the drunken side line.
9) Semi Retirement. Biggest pet peeve? Lack of understanding of rules AND... people who don't/can't see what happened...
Are poor players encouraged to foul?
My biggest issue w/ co-ed play (and league play) is that spirit of the game is misinterpreted to mean "let me win." This is hard to explain. If someone on a team calls themselves in, I'll let it go. If someone fouls a new team mate, and then tries to brow beat them into submission, well, it's on. They are not always new players BUT...
Has sportsmanship gone to hell at the highest levels and is trickling down?I actually feel it's trickling up. The willingness of older players to discuss an event DOES slow the game down. Does it result in the wrong call? I don't know. Does it result in a less televisable game? Obviously, yes.
Where am I going with this? good question.
What do we want the game to look like on TV? I just watched the 2000 mens final. Good game: but lots of calls. When I watched the 2005 finals of college, I took it upon myself to count the stoppages of play. 60 something, as I recall, and I think I won a bet. But as a player, I thought both were good games.
Certainly, compared to American Football, the flow was much more consistent. During my play w/ Sockeye, my mom and stepdad were there every year to watch every game: they thought it was great (but I mean, it's a mom) even w/ me yelling invective at those cheating fuckers from (insert here).
Do we want it to look like soccer? Then, yes, we have to have a whistle, and play continues until the whistle blows. I'm not actually sure that this makes a better game. It's better for the offense... but.
So the real question is, what SHOULD ultimate look like, and for whom?
Oh, and why do I think it's trickling up? I played sports in HS, but as we start to get more people accustomed to reffing, are they not accustomed to having their decisions made for them? I'm actually changing my mind in the past few days, and here is why: I'd like our sport to be more like Andy Roddick over ruling the chair and calling an opponents ball in. We can be a sport of gentlemen, AND have refs as well. No one should just cheat.
The people on the blogs (jim, alex, tim, idris) are by and large classy. Well except jim. No just kidding. I mean idris. No really. You're dealing w/ people who care enough about the sport to think, and write constantly. None of the aforementioned are cheaters. All are really talented, except me. I"m just lucky. So here's the rundown.
Jim: O player. Battled w/ Faust (read RSD for a discussion of this talented but aggressive player) then Enns of Furious (famous, at least from jim of spearing).
Alex: Bestest, slowest player ever. His throw to jim v. tully is the greatest I ever saw, and I don't remember it the same way he does (al, chime in w/ a link). I actually remember it as 10 players watching 4 players make a play. It was in the air for that long. Did he complain of anything other than some physicallity? Because I've seen alex do some cheap travels (96 nationals, step and drag pivot to set up for a flick goal).. so I don't think he's saying he's been hacked out of a title.
Idris: Famous for the dive and huck... not bad, but certainly, on occasion a poster child for the non continuation throw. But a true student of the game, and really, really coordinated.
Timmy: O/D player. And has no complaints. I suspect he was hacked the most...
That said, i'll wrap up the ramble with this.
I somehow got poison oak coaching this weekend.
The worst foul (most effective) is the light touch on the receivers arm as he's about to catch it.
I never did better than a bronze at world... but, w/ 6 club, 2 college, and 3 world appearances, most people are pretty classy. Let's figure out a way to make parties in the beer garden the norm, not, the MLB practice of no fraternizing after the game.
Unless you can pay me.
The eff you, eff face.
Monday, November 07, 2005
crazy billy
Somewhere, on RSD is a link to Billy Berrou's latest rant against refs...
I would like to see well officiated timed games that move w/ flow... but as to the idea that we need refs everywhere all at once...
From about.com... regarding golf and sportsmanship.
The Rules of Golf do address this indirectly in its preamble on etiquette, under the headline, "The Spirit of the Game": Unlike many sports, golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they maybe. This is the spirit of the game of golf.
Sound familiar?
Likewise, in tennis, refs are the exception, not the rule, except at the very highest level. And given the number of tennis players, and leagues, high level is HIGH level. It is in fact codified... there is a code of tennis for unofficiated games -- Which is most.
I'll let you find the link.
So, there is CLEARLY a precedent for 'spirit of the game,' aka sportsmanship.
And i think it is is pretty clear where it came from. That being, other sports.
And yes, i do like zebras to run the highest level games.
Which is, basically, northwest regionals and nationals.
But do a little research... http://tinyurl.com/cmt82
Here's a good article explaining the difference between baseball and tennis (which has sportsmanship in the rules)... Do you really WANT to be like pro football? I saw an interview w/ a excon pro football player... he doesn't deserve his face on TV, yet if you accept that any press is good press, he is being glorified.
So here's my primer on clean play. Read the rules before you play. When you play, don't be an ass. Play within yourself at all time (i.e., know when to go 'all out'). And if you are lucky/good enough to play in a situation where refs are needed because the pace, intensity and consequence of the game are high, remember that it is just a game, and that since our sport, like tennis or golf, codifies sportsmanship, it's ok to overrule the ref to the detriment of your own position...
In otherwords, your lunch time game is not the big leagues, and doesn't warrant refs. Nationals does, but you are not required to be a jerk.
Although, it's kind of liberating sometimes...
I would like to see well officiated timed games that move w/ flow... but as to the idea that we need refs everywhere all at once...
From about.com... regarding golf and sportsmanship.
The Rules of Golf do address this indirectly in its preamble on etiquette, under the headline, "The Spirit of the Game": Unlike many sports, golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they maybe. This is the spirit of the game of golf.
Sound familiar?
Likewise, in tennis, refs are the exception, not the rule, except at the very highest level. And given the number of tennis players, and leagues, high level is HIGH level. It is in fact codified... there is a code of tennis for unofficiated games -- Which is most.
I'll let you find the link.
So, there is CLEARLY a precedent for 'spirit of the game,' aka sportsmanship.
And i think it is is pretty clear where it came from. That being, other sports.
And yes, i do like zebras to run the highest level games.
Which is, basically, northwest regionals and nationals.
But do a little research... http://tinyurl.com/cmt82
Here's a good article explaining the difference between baseball and tennis (which has sportsmanship in the rules)... Do you really WANT to be like pro football? I saw an interview w/ a excon pro football player... he doesn't deserve his face on TV, yet if you accept that any press is good press, he is being glorified.
So here's my primer on clean play. Read the rules before you play. When you play, don't be an ass. Play within yourself at all time (i.e., know when to go 'all out'). And if you are lucky/good enough to play in a situation where refs are needed because the pace, intensity and consequence of the game are high, remember that it is just a game, and that since our sport, like tennis or golf, codifies sportsmanship, it's ok to overrule the ref to the detriment of your own position...
In otherwords, your lunch time game is not the big leagues, and doesn't warrant refs. Nationals does, but you are not required to be a jerk.
Although, it's kind of liberating sometimes...
storm!
Girls 6th, and Boys 2nd in state... something like 1-2" of rain during the day... and 45 degrees... suh-weet...
Today, snowing at school... we'll probably be skiing no later than next monday... (well, friday for me... big powder up at the mountain, as many of my friends report chest deep snow. i was recovering from a day in cold rain).
Frisbee corner: when in doubt air it out? uh, grip it firmly and torque it crabwise? winners are made in the off season? which is dumb. i don't see any trophies being handed out in december.
actually, our hs team has their first practice of the abbreviated winter season tommorrow... so i should have lots of coaches corner fodder along the way...
(updated)
today, like a 1.5 mile pole run, w/ 4 x hill strides (short hills) in the middle...
then, jumping this zig-zag rope thingy (kind of like running tires, but jumping over gates), then a 5 mile pole run... (we were going to play ultimate or soccer, but it was too wet to play in trainers w/o slippage)...
pole running, is also called nordic running. which i think comes from a mispelling of nerdic running; but basically, you run w/ the poles, which burns more calories, and uses the upper body... so, got that goin' for me...
tommorrow, ultimate. w/ the kidz.
Today, snowing at school... we'll probably be skiing no later than next monday... (well, friday for me... big powder up at the mountain, as many of my friends report chest deep snow. i was recovering from a day in cold rain).
Frisbee corner: when in doubt air it out? uh, grip it firmly and torque it crabwise? winners are made in the off season? which is dumb. i don't see any trophies being handed out in december.
actually, our hs team has their first practice of the abbreviated winter season tommorrow... so i should have lots of coaches corner fodder along the way...
(updated)
today, like a 1.5 mile pole run, w/ 4 x hill strides (short hills) in the middle...
then, jumping this zig-zag rope thingy (kind of like running tires, but jumping over gates), then a 5 mile pole run... (we were going to play ultimate or soccer, but it was too wet to play in trainers w/o slippage)...
pole running, is also called nordic running. which i think comes from a mispelling of nerdic running; but basically, you run w/ the poles, which burns more calories, and uses the upper body... so, got that goin' for me...
tommorrow, ultimate. w/ the kidz.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Well, friday I'm off to state. My role, driver, cheerleader, comic relief...
Kids' role? Hopefully asskicking.
The boys KILLED it at districts. All seven varsity sub 17, 5 P.R.s... Currently seeded 3rd in the state... The girls came in 2nd w/ our #2 runner running sick. Time will tell, but I think we'll have our revenge on Redmond (who tapered for 2 weeks up to districts) by peaking at exactly the right time. Down to the minute... Biorythms, special lighting, white noise generators, hypobaric oxygen housing... and the finest foods...
THe girls are seeded 4th in the state (ahead of the team we lost to... so, the polls are not really a science... or are they a science...
a TIME TRAVEL science?!!! Hmm
Another guy w/ a computer used our district times to predict the boys in 2nd, and the girls in like 7th...
I think the guys, and the girls will do just swimmingly... but that will be an exciting 15-20 minutes per race, and waiting the Oregon State Athletic Association mandated 30 minutes before announcing results...
Me, basically in the middle of my 1 week off week. Tonight, my nationals... CO-ED under the lights... then off to try to win a ski pass...
Next week, Mon/Wed/Fri Nordic team (a lot of the kids will be doing bounds and pole runs and stuff, I'll probably just run 3 times for 4-7 miles with a different group because...)
Tues-Thurs, HS Ultimate (where i'll get plenty of bounding and leaping and stuff)...
40 plus kids at the meeting... thanks above and beyond... (I think, we'll see how coaching that many goes)...
Kids' role? Hopefully asskicking.
The boys KILLED it at districts. All seven varsity sub 17, 5 P.R.s... Currently seeded 3rd in the state... The girls came in 2nd w/ our #2 runner running sick. Time will tell, but I think we'll have our revenge on Redmond (who tapered for 2 weeks up to districts) by peaking at exactly the right time. Down to the minute... Biorythms, special lighting, white noise generators, hypobaric oxygen housing... and the finest foods...
THe girls are seeded 4th in the state (ahead of the team we lost to... so, the polls are not really a science... or are they a science...
a TIME TRAVEL science?!!! Hmm
Another guy w/ a computer used our district times to predict the boys in 2nd, and the girls in like 7th...
I think the guys, and the girls will do just swimmingly... but that will be an exciting 15-20 minutes per race, and waiting the Oregon State Athletic Association mandated 30 minutes before announcing results...
Me, basically in the middle of my 1 week off week. Tonight, my nationals... CO-ED under the lights... then off to try to win a ski pass...
Next week, Mon/Wed/Fri Nordic team (a lot of the kids will be doing bounds and pole runs and stuff, I'll probably just run 3 times for 4-7 miles with a different group because...)
Tues-Thurs, HS Ultimate (where i'll get plenty of bounding and leaping and stuff)...
40 plus kids at the meeting... thanks above and beyond... (I think, we'll see how coaching that many goes)...
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