Lots of good stories at Worlds, from Colombia, Japan and Mike O'Dowd and the Long List of Whores (previously just a legend that I heard from Rick Collins). I met Elroy Jetson from the Polish team Grandmaster Flash, i met Tushar Singh, got to talk to WFDF prez Potts for a bit, Tom and Sandie and Peri from USAU and of course the Five crew (note: World Champions in mini Mini are the team of me, Xtehn and Qxhna after spotting Lucas, Adam and Mike a 4-goal lead).
The Czech organizers did an amazing job in my opinion. My broadcast partner and GOP founder Bryn Perkins, Lucia, Carlos, Honza, Jana the TD, Bart, the Strizna TV crew -- i am still not sure how they managed two gigantic field complexes in two totally different locations but they did. The buses ran, the fields were all lined, the schedules were effective, the score keepers (did you see the stats?!) were nice and they took their jobs seriously. It sounds like a small thing but it made a big difference.
I heard the dormitory-style dorms were less than swank, but when your team signs up for the "dorm option" at a European tournament you should expect to be in a dorm. So hey, in this case they were Soviet-built. Welcome to Prague!
My next stop is the self-styled Styrian hat tournament in Southern Austria. I'd like to promise updated blogs about the 9 teams but its a camping tournament in a town called Kirchberh-am-Raab so I'm not really counting on wifi from the fields or anything. And thank god for that.
Thanks to everyone who complimented the broadcasts we did. It can't be said enough that the Strizna TV/webcast crew was ultra-professional and very much on the ball. I heard the cameramen and crew came out to a Czech team scrimmage before Worlds to learn how to cover ultimate. It really shows -- they got the pulls, they followed the d's and nailed the instant replays. They were so good it was almost invisible -- but if you've watched the state of ultimate videos in the last, uh, 42 years you won't see anything like this.
It was always an unproven theory that ultimate would be exciting to watch if it was shot properly. Well, i think that theory was proven true. Again -- you can click on the links on the right to watch the videos. They will be up for some time, a month or so...
And finally a shout-out to my team O.L.D.S.A.G. aka One Last-Ditch Shot at Glory, Philadelphia masters. This may have truly been the team's last-ditch shot. With a thin squad of 20 that was whittled to 16 by the end, with four players added just for this tournament, and without a set offense or defense that you could identify, we beat seed and finished 5th. Disappointing perhaps that our 5-2 pool play record tied us with Munich (who we beat) and Helsinki (who we lost to) but lodged us in 4th because of point differential, thus sending us to quarters against Surly and an early exit from our attempt to return to Finals.... but hey, i think we left it on the field and can be proud.
That last sentence was poorly written but it's late at night and Styria is coming up. It just means more to come I reckon.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Competition is Over: All that is left is T-shirt Trading and Ceremonies
the kind where the winning Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists basically hang around aimlessly on the fields for pictures, cold beers and colored necklaces with tinted medallions.
In the stands everyone eyes everyone else's shirts with envy. Can i get a Sockeye shirt? What about that Magon one? Who got lucky with the Vigi 2006 shirts? Is there a Buzz Bullets shirt without the Bunka Shutter logo?
etc etc.
Most of all, already, I miss the competition. It's been great to play at this high level with a good bunch of guys who competed every day on the field and never gave up. We finished 5th overall, one ahead of seed, and won our last game so we can leave the tournament with our heads up.
I hope to be back four years from now for another Worlds but it's never easy getting here and i'm sure there will be more things going on in my life.
Right now the cheers and the medalists are still going -- Buzz Bullets get a hearty cheer for their third-place finish. Basically, no one wants to leave. Why would they? Free entertainment, cheap beer, cool shirts everywhere, cute girls and guys, a nice stadium -- we're all just waiting to crash, basically, or at least throw down some more good pilsner before an early rest.
In the stands everyone eyes everyone else's shirts with envy. Can i get a Sockeye shirt? What about that Magon one? Who got lucky with the Vigi 2006 shirts? Is there a Buzz Bullets shirt without the Bunka Shutter logo?
etc etc.
Most of all, already, I miss the competition. It's been great to play at this high level with a good bunch of guys who competed every day on the field and never gave up. We finished 5th overall, one ahead of seed, and won our last game so we can leave the tournament with our heads up.
I hope to be back four years from now for another Worlds but it's never easy getting here and i'm sure there will be more things going on in my life.
Right now the cheers and the medalists are still going -- Buzz Bullets get a hearty cheer for their third-place finish. Basically, no one wants to leave. Why would they? Free entertainment, cheap beer, cool shirts everywhere, cute girls and guys, a nice stadium -- we're all just waiting to crash, basically, or at least throw down some more good pilsner before an early rest.
Trading: Sockeye 9 Revolver 13
excitement slowing down, teams trading, we shall see if sockeye can get their second wind.
Sockeye gives up 4 in a row: Revolver 9, Sockeye 6 half
that sums it up pretty well -- Sockeye can't get a groove as Revolver converts and is now looking good. Question is: will Sockeye have another burst of energy left in them for the second half?
Sockeye Revolver Rematch
in 10 minutes we have a big game coming up. post your comments to get live comments
Universe point 15-15, Fury receiving
Thrilling plays on O and D from Manu Argili and Fury is on the verge. They get the disc on O but the Japanese D has been superfast and really tough. Its anyone's game.
13-13 Figuring out Time Cap
Tie game, break advantage to Uno if they trade out to the time cap. Great game so far.
Game Action CLX Onyx
Ok, so here's the deal: Onyx cannot stop Chad Larson on D as captain kevin Seiler and main target Keith Brorsen for CLX are open at will on the unders and big hucks.
CLX uses their men and height to great effect and are rolling through this game right now with ease. Onyx looks behind by 2-3 steps on every cut
CLX uses their men and height to great effect and are rolling through this game right now with ease. Onyx looks behind by 2-3 steps on every cut
Starting the Day: the Mixed Finals
Begins in 1 hr, 15 minutes. Time to get on the horse. Post comments if you want commentary.
tony
tony
Friday, July 9, 2010
mini Mini World Champions
Adam, Mikey and Lucas "Noon" Murphy lost in a three-on-three match with me and Xtehn and Qxhna from Five Ultimate in mini Mini even after we spotted them 4 goals, and now they owe us dinner.
Anyway outside of that I have to crash now to get up and ready and prepared for tomorrow's 9am mixed finals start and live broadcasting
as always, if you email/blog post comments i will try to bring them up during the broadcast
hella, its 2am right now
Anyway outside of that I have to crash now to get up and ready and prepared for tomorrow's 9am mixed finals start and live broadcasting
as always, if you email/blog post comments i will try to bring them up during the broadcast
hella, its 2am right now
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