First off, my sincerest apologies for not writing up a Labor Day wrap-up. Many of you guys know that I am the Regionals Coordinator for the Southwest so that has taken up the majority of my time in preparations for Sectionals and Regionals. However; I've just finalized the Sectionals schedule so I have some time now to write about the upcoming Mixed Sectionals in Long Beach, CA.
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Pool A
1. 7 Figures
2. Lunch Money
3. Loft
4. Fork in the Road
This pool is relatively straightforward. The big gun in this pool is obviously the top seed overall, 7-Figures from Los Angeles. Their impressive performance at the Labor Day Championships two weeks ago spoke volumes as to how good this team is and what they can do. With wins over Dogfight, Polar Bears, and a near finals-win over Mischief, 7-Figures looks very good going into the Series. Their men have a lot of open experience while their women are all seasoned veterans who bring speed and skill to complement the accuracy that their male throwers possess. They should have no problems in this pool and should cruise into semis.
Lunch Money, Loft, and Fork in the Road will be left battling for the coveted second spot into Semis. Lunch Money brings a lot of youth to the table with many players from the Air Squids in addition to seasoned veterans such as Alan M. who will throw 40 yard hammer bombs at will. They are quick and athletic. Loft, or "left over from teams" brings a gangg of seasoned players from the greater Los Angeles area. Same with Fork-in-the Road. I am unsure as to what these two teams bring to the table, but it will be interesting to watch them play and how they stack up against the #1 seed.
Note: I have also been told Fork in the Road has some sort of over/under beer bet going on with 7-Figures. Fork is going to be playing inspired against 7-Figs. Should be a good game to watch. If this is a over/under on point dif... I'm calling "UNDER."
Pool B
1. Metro
2. BCBC
3. Expendables
4. OCD
5. In-N-Out
With 5 teams in the pool, it was a tricky pool to schedule. LA Metro is the #2 seed overall in the tournament and look to break seed come bracket play, but they will have to first tackle their long-time rivals BCBC as the #3 seed overall. BCBC has thrown "multiple looks" at different tournaments this past year and it will be interesting to see who they actually have for the Series. BCBC suffered a significant loss in Brian Calle tearing his ACL or MCL at Labor Day. They lose one of their stronger handlers and now must rely on more of their cutters to do the disc handling. It will be interesting to see how this experienced team adjusts to this adversity in addition to their team only recently being finalized to their current roster.
The Expendables, OCD, and IN-N-Out are three teams that have been around for a while, but always bring something different to Sectionals. If you recall, IN-N-Out took half against LA Metro last year at Sectionals 8-6 enroute to a 11-13 loss. It was a VERY close game and they really brought it against us, even though we were the #1 seed overall. OCD is a very young team but they're quick and gritty and gave teams trouble last year as well. Their strength will really be their familiarity with each other as they are mostly players who played together on the Chapman College team. The Expendables are another "pickup" team that have experience and veteran leadership pulling for them.
The tricky part of pool B involved distributing round byes at appropriate times. Teams will have to deal with multiple byes, most noticeably IN-N-Out who have a double bye during the 4th and 5th rounds. It is going to be a very fun weekend with 6 total bids to Regionals.
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Open Preview
San Diego is going to roll through pool play and take the Sectionals title with a 15-12 win over the Condors in the finals. Look for 405 to be the "breakthrough" team in this tournament and who knows... maybe they can pull the upset over the Condors in the 3rd round. It will be very interesting to watch the Beyondors go up against the open teams. They made semifinals at Nationals last season and should still have a very strong roster.
Good luck in your preparation! See you all Saturday
-Hammie #10
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Labor Day Mixed Preview
First off, my apologies for not keeping up with the blog as of late. We are in the thick of the season, but my duties as the Southwest Mixed Regionals Coordinator has had be crazy busy so I have been unable to blog about Ultimate. But there's a break in the action, so here's a quick preview for this upcoming weekend. Props to Andy Bandit for the reminder =)
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Pool A
1. Polar Bears(1)
2. Golden Spike (8)
3. Death Star (9)
4. Dirty Birds (16)
This pool features three new teams to the mixed scene with top-seeded Polar Bears, Golden Spike from Utah, Death Star from Davis, CA, and the Dirty Birds from... notsureville. This pool looks very straightforward with the best game most likely coming from the 8-9 matchup between Golden Spike and Death Star. Polar Bears have proven to be very strong this season and are deserving of the top seed overall with a recent semis-finish at ECC. I'm eying the upset by Death Star over Golden Spike in a tight game.
Pool B
1. Mischief (2)
2. 7 Figures (7)
3. Operation Kapow (10)
4. American BBQ (15)
No upsets here. Mischief has been the blueprint for solid mixed-ultimate for the past 6 or so years and they will battle it out with upstarts 7-Figures, 2nd-year team Operation Kapow, and American BBQ. I just don't see any upsets happening here but look for 7-Figures to put up a very tough game for the #2 seed overall. 7-Figures has proven that blending open and women's players into a mixed team can work and their spot-on throws from their men to their female cutters is a very dangerous weapon that they like to utilize. This is Operation Kapow's first trip to Labor Day and should be looking to improve on their team game before the USAU Series.
Pool C
1. Barrio (3)
2. A.I.R. (6)
3. CTR (11)
4. Brown Chicken Brown Cow (14)
I am going to call this the "Pool of Death." You've got Nationals contender Barrio from Tuscon, AZ battling it out against BCBC, who placed 13th at Nationals last year, in addition to solid Bay Area teams in AIR and CTR. This is going to be one exciting pool to watch. AIR and CTR had a less than stellar showing at ECC but are at home in the Bay Area, looking to redeem themselves and put up a solid showing. BCBC are the dark horses at the 14th seed. No one really knows who's going to show up for their team but time and time again, they seem to always pull it together and cause some disruption in the pools. They are solid with women but a big question mark still remains in whether their unfamiliarity with each other will take precedence over their abundance of talent. Barrio takes the top seed going 3-0, with the other three teams just beating each other up. This pool is up for grabs. Should be fun to watch.
Pool D
1. Dogfight (4)
2. LA Metro (5)
3. FunK (12)
4. Operation Killjoy (13)
Pretty interesting to see the 4-5 match up and also the 12-13 matchup in one pool. Last time we played Dogfight, from Portland, OR, We were shut out in the first-half but closed to make it a somewhat "respectable" 8-14 loss. Dogfight is solid with a lot of athleticism and are a worthy top seed in Pool D. FunK and Killjoy are the two teams I am least familiar with. We lost to FunK on universe point at Calstates, but granted it was early in the season with tryouts, and we were resting the majority of our players for that final game on Sunday. Killjoy had a decent showing at GRUB but who knows how much better they've become since then. No upsets here, this pool finishes as is.
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The biggest concern for me this tournament has to be the playing surface. Turf has never been a favorite of mine and although there are no potholes or sprinkler heads to bust ankles on, the trade-off is the fact that the turf is not very forgiving on knees, hips, and shoulders. A big layout D last year dislocated my arm and has caused me to take more steps in mentally preparing to play again on the turf. It's no excuse though and shouldn't alter overall play... but I know the thought of getting hurt is always tucked away somewhere. (MRI on my shoulder coming soon). That said, this tournament is something I am really looking forward to. I'm playing back home in Northern California, the weather is going to be great, and above all, we're just out there having fun playing Ultimate. This is the last tournament before the club series and by now, most teams are hitting their stride and flexing their muscle.
Best of luck to all teams participating this weekend, and good luck to the Irvine club players (Allen, Evan, Iris, Annie, Melissa, Enway), who are participating in the Labor Day Championships this year. I will be in Northern California until Tuesday evening seeing family, so expect a tournament wrap Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
Cheers! Safe Travels
Samuel Chen
LA Metro #10
follow metro at www.twitter.com/metroultimate
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1. Polar Bears(1)
2. Golden Spike (8)
3. Death Star (9)
4. Dirty Birds (16)
This pool features three new teams to the mixed scene with top-seeded Polar Bears, Golden Spike from Utah, Death Star from Davis, CA, and the Dirty Birds from... notsureville. This pool looks very straightforward with the best game most likely coming from the 8-9 matchup between Golden Spike and Death Star. Polar Bears have proven to be very strong this season and are deserving of the top seed overall with a recent semis-finish at ECC. I'm eying the upset by Death Star over Golden Spike in a tight game.
Pool B
1. Mischief (2)
2. 7 Figures (7)
3. Operation Kapow (10)
4. American BBQ (15)
No upsets here. Mischief has been the blueprint for solid mixed-ultimate for the past 6 or so years and they will battle it out with upstarts 7-Figures, 2nd-year team Operation Kapow, and American BBQ. I just don't see any upsets happening here but look for 7-Figures to put up a very tough game for the #2 seed overall. 7-Figures has proven that blending open and women's players into a mixed team can work and their spot-on throws from their men to their female cutters is a very dangerous weapon that they like to utilize. This is Operation Kapow's first trip to Labor Day and should be looking to improve on their team game before the USAU Series.
Pool C
1. Barrio (3)
2. A.I.R. (6)
3. CTR (11)
4. Brown Chicken Brown Cow (14)
I am going to call this the "Pool of Death." You've got Nationals contender Barrio from Tuscon, AZ battling it out against BCBC, who placed 13th at Nationals last year, in addition to solid Bay Area teams in AIR and CTR. This is going to be one exciting pool to watch. AIR and CTR had a less than stellar showing at ECC but are at home in the Bay Area, looking to redeem themselves and put up a solid showing. BCBC are the dark horses at the 14th seed. No one really knows who's going to show up for their team but time and time again, they seem to always pull it together and cause some disruption in the pools. They are solid with women but a big question mark still remains in whether their unfamiliarity with each other will take precedence over their abundance of talent. Barrio takes the top seed going 3-0, with the other three teams just beating each other up. This pool is up for grabs. Should be fun to watch.
Pool D
1. Dogfight (4)
2. LA Metro (5)
3. FunK (12)
4. Operation Killjoy (13)
Pretty interesting to see the 4-5 match up and also the 12-13 matchup in one pool. Last time we played Dogfight, from Portland, OR, We were shut out in the first-half but closed to make it a somewhat "respectable" 8-14 loss. Dogfight is solid with a lot of athleticism and are a worthy top seed in Pool D. FunK and Killjoy are the two teams I am least familiar with. We lost to FunK on universe point at Calstates, but granted it was early in the season with tryouts, and we were resting the majority of our players for that final game on Sunday. Killjoy had a decent showing at GRUB but who knows how much better they've become since then. No upsets here, this pool finishes as is.
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The biggest concern for me this tournament has to be the playing surface. Turf has never been a favorite of mine and although there are no potholes or sprinkler heads to bust ankles on, the trade-off is the fact that the turf is not very forgiving on knees, hips, and shoulders. A big layout D last year dislocated my arm and has caused me to take more steps in mentally preparing to play again on the turf. It's no excuse though and shouldn't alter overall play... but I know the thought of getting hurt is always tucked away somewhere. (MRI on my shoulder coming soon). That said, this tournament is something I am really looking forward to. I'm playing back home in Northern California, the weather is going to be great, and above all, we're just out there having fun playing Ultimate. This is the last tournament before the club series and by now, most teams are hitting their stride and flexing their muscle.
Best of luck to all teams participating this weekend, and good luck to the Irvine club players (Allen, Evan, Iris, Annie, Melissa, Enway), who are participating in the Labor Day Championships this year. I will be in Northern California until Tuesday evening seeing family, so expect a tournament wrap Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
Cheers! Safe Travels
Samuel Chen
LA Metro #10
follow metro at www.twitter.com/metroultimate
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Emerald City Classic 2010 Preview
The pools went up on the USA Ultimate score reporter earlier this week, and by most standards, it was a bit wonky to say the least. I am unsure whether this will be the final format for a 13-team field, but generally the seedings are a bit suspect and I am unsure as to whether the seeding was done on purpose, or if the TD's threw darts at team names on the wall to determine #'s 1-13. Well anyway, I'll be going on what they have up currently.
Pool A
1. AIR
2. Barrio
3. Dogfight
4. Polar Bears
Pool B
1. CTR
2. LA Metro
3. Slow White
4. Ranier Rapture
Pool C
1. District 5
2. FunK
3. Mischief
4. Swagger
5. Psychoplastique
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With 3 of the top 5 seeds from the Bay Area, it'll be interesting to see how this pans out. Personally I believe several teams are ridiculously under-seeded (Mischief, Barrio, Polar Bears), not to mention Nationals contenders Psychoplastique. ECC has always been THE tournament I've wanted to attend in club. Being a young player, I would see the ultivillage tapes of the top teams in the nation competing it out in a "pre-nationals" tournament that would feature... like I said, National-caliber teams. A good example would be to look at the Open side of the tournament.
The mixed division doesn't have the star power the Open or Women's divisions have, but with 5 teams that have participated in Nationals within the past several years, (Metro, Mischief, Psychoplastique, Swagger/Doh', Barrio), there will be plenty of good play. Seeding is still a bit weird for me... as they do not reflect the way teams have been playing in the past several tournaments.
If you look at CalStates and Revolutions, it simply does not fit. Polar Bears won the tournament going 6-0 and they're seeded last in their pool. AIR posted losses to Mischief and FunK and sits on top of the field. It's trends like this that have me questioning the validity of the pools/rankings, but hey... it's still early in the season and who knows how good these teams actually are. The two teams from the East Coast, District 5 and Slow White are looking good. District 5 has only lost once in the past month or so, to perennial Nationals team, AMP from Phily. Slow White has only lost twice all season... both to District 5... so these teams show great strengths early on. Mischief has two losses all season, to District 5 and Slow White. Interesting huh? It'll be pretty neat to see all these Regional powerhouses go at it in Seattle.
We could talk about seeding/rankings all morning... why someone is underseeded, why someone is overseeded, but at the end of the day, it's all proven on the field. We're out of the "pre-season" now and working into the heart of the season. It's ECC, then Labor Day, and then the all important Series. We'll be posting score updates and tournament shenanigans here.
Wish us luck. Hopefully we can make Southern California proud.
-hammie #10
Pool A
1. AIR
2. Barrio
3. Dogfight
4. Polar Bears
Pool B
1. CTR
2. LA Metro
3. Slow White
4. Ranier Rapture
Pool C
1. District 5
2. FunK
3. Mischief
4. Swagger
5. Psychoplastique
----------------------
With 3 of the top 5 seeds from the Bay Area, it'll be interesting to see how this pans out. Personally I believe several teams are ridiculously under-seeded (Mischief, Barrio, Polar Bears), not to mention Nationals contenders Psychoplastique. ECC has always been THE tournament I've wanted to attend in club. Being a young player, I would see the ultivillage tapes of the top teams in the nation competing it out in a "pre-nationals" tournament that would feature... like I said, National-caliber teams. A good example would be to look at the Open side of the tournament.
The mixed division doesn't have the star power the Open or Women's divisions have, but with 5 teams that have participated in Nationals within the past several years, (Metro, Mischief, Psychoplastique, Swagger/Doh', Barrio), there will be plenty of good play. Seeding is still a bit weird for me... as they do not reflect the way teams have been playing in the past several tournaments.
If you look at CalStates and Revolutions, it simply does not fit. Polar Bears won the tournament going 6-0 and they're seeded last in their pool. AIR posted losses to Mischief and FunK and sits on top of the field. It's trends like this that have me questioning the validity of the pools/rankings, but hey... it's still early in the season and who knows how good these teams actually are. The two teams from the East Coast, District 5 and Slow White are looking good. District 5 has only lost once in the past month or so, to perennial Nationals team, AMP from Phily. Slow White has only lost twice all season... both to District 5... so these teams show great strengths early on. Mischief has two losses all season, to District 5 and Slow White. Interesting huh? It'll be pretty neat to see all these Regional powerhouses go at it in Seattle.
We could talk about seeding/rankings all morning... why someone is underseeded, why someone is overseeded, but at the end of the day, it's all proven on the field. We're out of the "pre-season" now and working into the heart of the season. It's ECC, then Labor Day, and then the all important Series. We'll be posting score updates and tournament shenanigans here.
Wish us luck. Hopefully we can make Southern California proud.
-hammie #10
Monday, July 19, 2010
GRUB 2010 Recap
Overcoming obstacles is a staple of any sports team's season. Whether it be struggles with team chemistry, logistics, or strategy; a good team finds ways to overcome and exceed expectations in the face of adversity. Such was so in our first trip to GRUB (Grass Roots Ultimate Benefit) in Boulder, CO. Already going into the tournament without 3 of our main offensive handlers as well as a dominant offensive cutter, we knew that the remaining 19 or so would have to step up our game offensively but after losing our main O-line handler Friday night due to a "freak injury," the cards were stacked that much more against us. Factor in the travel, the altitude, and temperatures in the high 90's... we had the beginnings of a potentially disappointing turnout.
We were seeded 4th overall in the tournament with Colorado's Liver Punch and Pimpin' Hoes, and Arizona's Barrio seeded 1-3 respectively. We already knew that the altitude would be a factor for us sea-level dwellers, but the heat didn't help... hitting nearly 100 degrees in the sun with very little breeze. We knew about the odds we were facing, the adversity, and we knew that it would require every single player to step up his/her game for the team to succeed.
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Saturday
Round 1 vs. Mesteno
Mesteno was a team we faced in Regionals the previous year. They feature a line of athletic cutters and one or two real throwing threats. Biggest surprise to many was the success the O-line had from the get-go in terms of chemistry and flow. We had only 2 practices since CalStates and despite the absence of our top line handlers, the disc flowed without resistance while our defense was a bit slow to figure out Mesteno's offense. We eventually figured out their offensive strengths, forcing them into tough decisions and risky throws which added up to a 15-11 win. We were up big at some point, but definitely showed a lack of poise in allowing Mesteno to steal some easy breaks at the end. D-line closes the door 15-11.
Round 2 vs. Colorado University
We knew we had to improve and play better against the College team from Boulder, CO. In pre-game, we referred to them as "kids" but we all knew that we had to play better than them to merit such judgement. The offense continued to gel and play well together while the D-line worked to contain their deep shot oriented offense. Additionally, this team wasn't very effective at cross-gender flow so the D-line had a field-day exploiting their matchups and forcing risky up-field throws by harassing the throwers on the mark. Metro wins easily 15-9.
Round 3 vs. Operation Kapow
The last time we played each other, a bid to Nationals was on the line with Metro prevailing 15-9. This time around, the stakes were not as high, but bragging rights were definitely desired. We started the game by trading the first couple points. Our women were consistently winning their matchups and it came down to the men working harder to step it up and win theirs. Our hard defense and patient offense began to wear down the team from Denver, and before we knew it, we had taken half 8-4 in the midst of a 9-0 run that put Kapow away 15-4. At half up 8-4, the mood was loose, smiles all around. But every single player demonstrated that they were not satisfied and being up 8-4 was by no means grounds to relax. The defense continued to be relentless. Big D's, hand-blocks, run through D's, we forced Kapow into very uncomfortable situations and dictated their throws rather than reacting. Metro wins 15-4 to take Pool D.
Cross-over vs. Liver Punch
Liver Punch was the #1 seed overall in the tournament with top players from CU as well as Bravo and Box/Rare Air. They really did not have a weakness and was a team that would not turn the disc on their own accord. We went down early, playing flat and uninspired offense as well as "prevent" defense rather than actual defense. Despite only being down 1 break at the half, fatigue and the effects of a long day in the sun were starting to show. Throws were a little bit too far... discs were being dropped, but we were right there. Liver Punch was good but they did not put us away right away and allowed us to "hang around." Losing 12-15 to them might have felt as a relief in being able to go home, but to many it was a bitter defeat. We knew we were good enough to beat them and despite many opportunities to punch in breaks, we were unsuccessful.
-------
Sunday
Quarterfinals vs. Barrio
Big games require big performances. Whether it comes on the defensive side, or the offensive side... it simply has to happen. Against Barrio, we all knew that the big plays would have to come from the defensive side of the disc. Our offense was playing well all weekend and had the simple assignment of scoring each time. The defense was facing a very disciplined, very well coached team that would not give up breaks easily and whose defense could break us back just as easily. We started on D, and to our surprise, generated a turnover and punched it in for the 1-0 lead and quick break. The next 5 or 6 points or so were very intense with each team's offense moving it effectively and without incident. Barrio then threw a zone and got their break back after a series of bad decision on our part. They had the momentum, and were looking for their offense to continue to trend. But our defense stepped up big time and generated a stop, and not one... but two breaks to put us up 8-6 at the half, on offense to start.
But oh how the wind can change. We pushed it to a 9-6 lead with an offensive gem of a point after half but after the defense failed to make a stop to make it 9-7, Barrio's defense showed their teeth in the form of a standard zone that proved to be our downfall. They scored 4 straight on the zone to bring it to 10-11 and hard-cap on (first to 12 wins) with Metro on defense. We were on Defense trying to force universe, and Barrio calmly moved the disc down for the 12-10. It was a very bitter loss for us. We ALL knew what had happened, and we all knew what we "coulda woulda shoulda" done. Turnovers did us in, and it was a team effort in the loss... and we all knew that things could have been different.
Placement Game (5th) vs. Love Tractor
This could have easily been a "throw-away" game where we just tune out and "let things go." This might have been the case last year, or the year before, but I can vouch for everyone there that not one person wanted to relax and would much rather take their frustrations out on the next game. We came out firing generating 2 or 3 breaks right away behind the solid play from the defense. Love Tractor was a solid team that had formidable throwers and deep threats and we didn't really contain their offense until late in the first half. The offense continued to flow very well behind stellar play from Keegan and Karen Ko who paced the team to a 15-6 win. Throw in a post-game chat and a sudden 20 minute thunderstorm, and we had the punctuation point to a very successful showing at our first ever GRUB.
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We now have two weeks off to rest and relax before a series of practices in preparation for ECC in August. GRUB really served as a barometer for our team in terms of where we stack up in the Region and things look optimistic and bright as we head into the meat of our season.
-Regards
Hammie
LA Metro #10
We were seeded 4th overall in the tournament with Colorado's Liver Punch and Pimpin' Hoes, and Arizona's Barrio seeded 1-3 respectively. We already knew that the altitude would be a factor for us sea-level dwellers, but the heat didn't help... hitting nearly 100 degrees in the sun with very little breeze. We knew about the odds we were facing, the adversity, and we knew that it would require every single player to step up his/her game for the team to succeed.
----
Saturday
Round 1 vs. Mesteno
Mesteno was a team we faced in Regionals the previous year. They feature a line of athletic cutters and one or two real throwing threats. Biggest surprise to many was the success the O-line had from the get-go in terms of chemistry and flow. We had only 2 practices since CalStates and despite the absence of our top line handlers, the disc flowed without resistance while our defense was a bit slow to figure out Mesteno's offense. We eventually figured out their offensive strengths, forcing them into tough decisions and risky throws which added up to a 15-11 win. We were up big at some point, but definitely showed a lack of poise in allowing Mesteno to steal some easy breaks at the end. D-line closes the door 15-11.
Round 2 vs. Colorado University
We knew we had to improve and play better against the College team from Boulder, CO. In pre-game, we referred to them as "kids" but we all knew that we had to play better than them to merit such judgement. The offense continued to gel and play well together while the D-line worked to contain their deep shot oriented offense. Additionally, this team wasn't very effective at cross-gender flow so the D-line had a field-day exploiting their matchups and forcing risky up-field throws by harassing the throwers on the mark. Metro wins easily 15-9.
Round 3 vs. Operation Kapow
The last time we played each other, a bid to Nationals was on the line with Metro prevailing 15-9. This time around, the stakes were not as high, but bragging rights were definitely desired. We started the game by trading the first couple points. Our women were consistently winning their matchups and it came down to the men working harder to step it up and win theirs. Our hard defense and patient offense began to wear down the team from Denver, and before we knew it, we had taken half 8-4 in the midst of a 9-0 run that put Kapow away 15-4. At half up 8-4, the mood was loose, smiles all around. But every single player demonstrated that they were not satisfied and being up 8-4 was by no means grounds to relax. The defense continued to be relentless. Big D's, hand-blocks, run through D's, we forced Kapow into very uncomfortable situations and dictated their throws rather than reacting. Metro wins 15-4 to take Pool D.
Cross-over vs. Liver Punch
Liver Punch was the #1 seed overall in the tournament with top players from CU as well as Bravo and Box/Rare Air. They really did not have a weakness and was a team that would not turn the disc on their own accord. We went down early, playing flat and uninspired offense as well as "prevent" defense rather than actual defense. Despite only being down 1 break at the half, fatigue and the effects of a long day in the sun were starting to show. Throws were a little bit too far... discs were being dropped, but we were right there. Liver Punch was good but they did not put us away right away and allowed us to "hang around." Losing 12-15 to them might have felt as a relief in being able to go home, but to many it was a bitter defeat. We knew we were good enough to beat them and despite many opportunities to punch in breaks, we were unsuccessful.
-------
Sunday
Quarterfinals vs. Barrio
Big games require big performances. Whether it comes on the defensive side, or the offensive side... it simply has to happen. Against Barrio, we all knew that the big plays would have to come from the defensive side of the disc. Our offense was playing well all weekend and had the simple assignment of scoring each time. The defense was facing a very disciplined, very well coached team that would not give up breaks easily and whose defense could break us back just as easily. We started on D, and to our surprise, generated a turnover and punched it in for the 1-0 lead and quick break. The next 5 or 6 points or so were very intense with each team's offense moving it effectively and without incident. Barrio then threw a zone and got their break back after a series of bad decision on our part. They had the momentum, and were looking for their offense to continue to trend. But our defense stepped up big time and generated a stop, and not one... but two breaks to put us up 8-6 at the half, on offense to start.
But oh how the wind can change. We pushed it to a 9-6 lead with an offensive gem of a point after half but after the defense failed to make a stop to make it 9-7, Barrio's defense showed their teeth in the form of a standard zone that proved to be our downfall. They scored 4 straight on the zone to bring it to 10-11 and hard-cap on (first to 12 wins) with Metro on defense. We were on Defense trying to force universe, and Barrio calmly moved the disc down for the 12-10. It was a very bitter loss for us. We ALL knew what had happened, and we all knew what we "coulda woulda shoulda" done. Turnovers did us in, and it was a team effort in the loss... and we all knew that things could have been different.
Placement Game (5th) vs. Love Tractor
This could have easily been a "throw-away" game where we just tune out and "let things go." This might have been the case last year, or the year before, but I can vouch for everyone there that not one person wanted to relax and would much rather take their frustrations out on the next game. We came out firing generating 2 or 3 breaks right away behind the solid play from the defense. Love Tractor was a solid team that had formidable throwers and deep threats and we didn't really contain their offense until late in the first half. The offense continued to flow very well behind stellar play from Keegan and Karen Ko who paced the team to a 15-6 win. Throw in a post-game chat and a sudden 20 minute thunderstorm, and we had the punctuation point to a very successful showing at our first ever GRUB.
------
We now have two weeks off to rest and relax before a series of practices in preparation for ECC in August. GRUB really served as a barometer for our team in terms of where we stack up in the Region and things look optimistic and bright as we head into the meat of our season.
-Regards
Hammie
LA Metro #10
Friday, July 16, 2010
Follow Metro at tournaments via Twitter
Off to (even hotter) Colorado today. 5,000+ feet closer to that big ball of flame in the sky.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
GRUB 2010 Preview
Pool A
A1: Pimpin' Aint Easy, Boulder,CO
A2: Golden Spike, Salt Lake City, UT
A3: Operation KillJoy, Fort Collins, CO
A4: Midnight Threat Level, KS
Pool B
B1: Liver Punch, Boulder, CO
B2: Swingline, Colorado Springs, CO
B3: Blast Susie, Denver, CO
B4: Red or Green?, ABQ
Pool C
C1: Barrio, Tuscon, AZ
C2: Trollhaveners, San Francisco, CA
C3: The Business, Denver, CO
C4: Love Tractor, Boulder, CO
Pool D
D1: LA Metro, Los Angeles, CA
D2: Operation Kapow!, Denver, CO
D3: Mesteno, Denver, CO
D4: Rule of Thumb, Boulder, CO
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This is the first tournament that we are participating in that will feature our new squad for the 2010 season. The tryout process started way back in May and now in mid-July, our roster has been finalized and we are ready to roll. This is also the first time our team will be attending GRUB (Grass Roots Ultimate Benefit Tournament), which is now in its 19th year (http://gru.org/play/grub-2010).
This tournament will feature some of the top teams from the Southwest Region, most notably perennial powerhouse Barrio from Tuscon, Arizona, and the new upstarts in Operation Kapow as well as some other solid teams from the Denver/Boulder area. I am not familiar with the majority of the teams going to this tournament, but the ones I do know about are the Trollhaveners from San Fran, which are a bunch of BCBC players + friends. Mesteno, Swingline, and Love Tractor were all teams that we played in Regionals in Arizona. They are solid teams and it will be interesting to see how they stack up in the Region. Golden Spike is a team from the Northwest Region that gave us a very good game last year. They were athletic and very skilled in our only meeting at the Labor Day Championships in SF.
Essentially, this tournament is a barometer for our team in the region. We are already slated to play against Operation Kapow, which will prove to be a tough match since word has it that they have been actively recruiting in the Colorado area to improve their already talented team. If you remember, Operation Kapow was the team that we beat in the Semifinals of Regionals last season to secure a bid to Nationals. It was a close game in the beginning but with our team breaking it open with a 6-0 run to pace us to a 15-9 win. I guess it's safe to say that this is a pretty anticipated rematch between the two teams. Although our team won't be at full strength with several key players being absent, this tournament will be an indication to our team identity, our style of play, and what we need to work on in preparation for ECC and Labor Day. Regional Champs Barrio will also be there, and although it might not line up for our teams to play each other, it will be a good thing to have an early gauge on how difficult the road to Nationals will be. We still believe that the road to Nationals goes through Southern California with the likes of Metro, BCBC and 7 Figures, but this tournament will allow us to see what the Colorado and Arizona teams have in store for us.
The altitude will definitely play a role, and I've been running my track workouts with that fact in mind. The air is thinner, the oxygen density in the air is less, and the Colorado teams will definitely have an advantage being acclimated to that altitude for months, while we have mere hours to do so. I'm stoked to play this tournament, and I am anxious to be playing at top level again. Ten more days until first pull.
-Hammie #10
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Anteaters on Club teams
Congratulations to the UC Irvine Eaters who have made the roster for their respective club teams for the 2010 season.
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LA Metro (SoCal Sectionals Champs, Regionals Runners up, 11th place finish at Nationals)*
-Enway Hsu (3rd season)
-Hammie Chen (3rd season)
Metro returns over 3/4 of it's squad but only 3 women, including Enway. After winning Sectionals on universe point, and taking 2nd at Regionals, the Metroids look to make a return to Sarasota and improve on their surprising 11th place finish. The journey starts at GRUB in Colorado where they will see Regionals rivals Barrio and the retooled Operation
Kapow. The roster will be finalized this upcoming weekend with practices starting right thereafter.
San Diego Safari (SoCal Sectionals Champs, 3rd place finish at Regionals, 12th place finish at Nationals)*
-Iris Leung (2nd season)
-Annie Ngo (2nd season)
-Melissa Spalding (1st season)
Safari is ready to make another run at Nationals despite losing many players to Knockout and the Mixed division. They have a solid core of ladies that have plenty of experience and will again have to do battle against Rare Air and possibly the Lady Condors (if it happens), to qualify. Iris and Annie have both improved immensely during their past season here with the Grass Ninjas and look for these two to be solid role players on this team who will be crucial to Safari's success. Melissa is a great addition to the team in that she brings speed and athleticism to the cutting core. Despite it being her first year or so playing, she will learn so much from Safari and I know will develop into a baller player for the crew from San Diego.
San Diego Street Gang (SoCal Sectionals Runner-up, Regionals Runners-up, 15th place finish at Nationals)*
-Allen Lai (1st season)
-Evan Valdez (1st season)
I am so proud of these two guys. They have worked very hard to get where they are and have been rewarded for their efforts with roster spots on Southern California's best open team (atleast for now). Allen and Evan both bring a lot of speed and experience to this already veteran roster and will play important roles in their huck-heavy offense. After a heartbreaking loss in the finals at Sectionals and a somewhat disappointing show at Sarasota despite a very surprising and impressive win over Boston's Ironside, Street Gang has retooled their roster and look to do some damage late into the season. They will face their rivals the Condors, and Johnny Bravo(?), but I have these guys winning the Region this year, if their top players can stay healthy.
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Good luck on the season and hopefully we'll throw the zot-zot-zot at the Polo Fields in late-October.
*-2009 Series results
Hammie #10
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LA Metro (SoCal Sectionals Champs, Regionals Runners up, 11th place finish at Nationals)*
-Enway Hsu (3rd season)
-Hammie Chen (3rd season)
Metro returns over 3/4 of it's squad but only 3 women, including Enway. After winning Sectionals on universe point, and taking 2nd at Regionals, the Metroids look to make a return to Sarasota and improve on their surprising 11th place finish. The journey starts at GRUB in Colorado where they will see Regionals rivals Barrio and the retooled Operation
Kapow. The roster will be finalized this upcoming weekend with practices starting right thereafter.
San Diego Safari (SoCal Sectionals Champs, 3rd place finish at Regionals, 12th place finish at Nationals)*
-Iris Leung (2nd season)
-Annie Ngo (2nd season)
-Melissa Spalding (1st season)
Safari is ready to make another run at Nationals despite losing many players to Knockout and the Mixed division. They have a solid core of ladies that have plenty of experience and will again have to do battle against Rare Air and possibly the Lady Condors (if it happens), to qualify. Iris and Annie have both improved immensely during their past season here with the Grass Ninjas and look for these two to be solid role players on this team who will be crucial to Safari's success. Melissa is a great addition to the team in that she brings speed and athleticism to the cutting core. Despite it being her first year or so playing, she will learn so much from Safari and I know will develop into a baller player for the crew from San Diego.
San Diego Street Gang (SoCal Sectionals Runner-up, Regionals Runners-up, 15th place finish at Nationals)*
-Allen Lai (1st season)
-Evan Valdez (1st season)
I am so proud of these two guys. They have worked very hard to get where they are and have been rewarded for their efforts with roster spots on Southern California's best open team (atleast for now). Allen and Evan both bring a lot of speed and experience to this already veteran roster and will play important roles in their huck-heavy offense. After a heartbreaking loss in the finals at Sectionals and a somewhat disappointing show at Sarasota despite a very surprising and impressive win over Boston's Ironside, Street Gang has retooled their roster and look to do some damage late into the season. They will face their rivals the Condors, and Johnny Bravo(?), but I have these guys winning the Region this year, if their top players can stay healthy.
----
Good luck on the season and hopefully we'll throw the zot-zot-zot at the Polo Fields in late-October.
*-2009 Series results
Hammie #10
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