Uh 1, Uh 2, Ultimate

Opening Day approaches for the ex-Olympic sport and the basis for Ultibase. Makes me think about the familiar 7th inning stretch song...Ultimate style...
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Stake me out an Ultimate field,

There will soon be a crowd.

Buy me some cleats and disc - that’s all!

I don't care if I never break force.

Let me run, catch, throw, for my team,

If they don't win it's SOTG.

For it's ‘T’ in ten, you're stalled out,

At the old frisbee game.

Did You Know...? The well known baseball song, "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" was written by Jack Norworth in 1908 and later set to some music by Albert Von Tilzer. Neither Norworth or Tilzer had ever been to a baseball game at the time the song was written, yet it is one of the most widely sung songs in America in the early 20th century.

Teaming

There’s no 'I' in “team”,

but you need 't-e-a-m' to complete “Ultimate”.

Week 2: ‘Youth’ Gotta be Kidding

Sludge was slow to coagulate which delayed the first pull. Twenty minutes after the game start time, the game was still tied 0-0. Starting 4:3, the savage 7 (MicHael, MattHew, Joe, Brian, Sarah, Bucci & Jen) repeatedly showed their appreciation for the sideline time by favoring the sideline on offense.

Joe thrrew a pretty floater to Sarah for a score; CHris arrived in time to sprint to the cone for another score; MicHael had a lay roll out score; MattHew threw a backhand, I repeat BACKHAND, score. 0-1, 3-2, 8-4.

The zone cup defended well preventing the plentiful Ultimallerz any sort of flow in the first half.

Leading by 4 and having won the half & reached double digits, it felt like Sludge had fatiguely lost a step. At 12-7, it felt like Sludge had gained an advantage when the cap was set – first team to 13. For Sludge, that meant 1 more score; for the pink shirted youths, 6 points. In American football, 6 points = 1 touchdown; in basketball, 6 points = 2 (3-point) baskets, in Ultimate, 6 points = 6 single scores.

The ‘lost step’ turned into a staircase as the slothish Sludge offense was treading in one contested passing lane after another. Eventually giving up six (6) consecutive scores. The eight brown were valiantly down but it wasn’t without trying tiring. Loss 12-13.

:Notes: Thanks to Uncle CHarlie for playground supervision.

Cover Me

[From: 1975 World Frisbee Championships at the Rose Bowl - sponsored by PEPSI]

Spring 2011 Schedule

Spring 2011
Week# : Date : Time : @ Location [updated 03/31/2011]
-->Find fields

Week 1: March 19: 2pm @ Montgomery Hills #2B

Week 2: March 26: 10am @ Montgomery Hills #2A

Week 3: April 2: 12pm @ Brooke Lee #4A

Week 4: April 9: 11am @ Argyle #7

Week 5: April 16: 10am @ Lake Fairfax #1

Week 6: April 23: 9am @ Sligo #2A

Week 7: April 30: 9am @ Argyle #5

Week 8: May 7: 10am @ Mont Hills #2B

:Tournament:
May 21 & June 4: TBD

Check the Rules

Check feet is definitely one of the more popular rule calls suggestions.

Per Ultimate rules [USAUltimate] ...

Q: When someone catches the disc and there's a question as to whether they’re in or out, I often hear people yelling, “check feet!” and then other people telling the receiver “it's your call!” In the rules, I can't find anything about a “check feet” call, or about it being the receiver's decision about whether they’re in or out. Where is that?

A: The reason you can’t find the “check feet” call in the rules is because...it’s not there! Although “check feet” is often heard on the Ultimate field, it should be considered merely as a suggestion, and does not stop play. A disagreement on the field about whether the receiver was in or out of bounds does stop play (according to XIX.D), however in order for there to be a disagreement, there need to be conflicting calls of “in” and “out” made by players on the field. Since “check feet” isn’t a call (in fact it’s not even a statement of opinion!), it should never affect ongoing play.

In/out (of bounds, or of the endzone), as well as up/down calls should be made by the player with “best perspective.”

Best perspective is defined as: “The most complete view available by a player that includes the relative positions of the disc, ground, players, and line markers involved in a play. On an unlined field, this may require sighting from one field marker to another.” So in reality, the player with best perspective is sometimes neither the receiver nor the defender, but perhaps another player more removed from the play that can see all the cones. Also note that “player” is defined as “Any of the up to fourteen persons participating in the game at any one time,” which means that it’s definitely not the call of people on the sideline. It is often unclear who actually had best perspective. If two players who both claim to have best perspective disagree over what the outcome of the play should be, this situation should be treated like any other contested situation, with the disc going back to the thrower and the count resuming at the count reached plus one, or 6 if over 5.

Week 1: March Madness

Saturday’s game was decided by one point, but don’t let that single score cloud your final judgment. Sludge’s muscle memory took over in the first half; as well as some leftover St Paddy’s Day luck – Joe’s henna-handed Callahan (score), Christy’s Hail Huck Mary to a lunging Mike (score), and Jen’s catch off a ricocheted D (score). 0-1, 5-2, 6-4.

Sludge’s pleasantly surprising active zone cup limbo’d DANCafE creating TO’s into points. Sarah ended the half by catching Matthew’s blade. 8-4.

Sludge seemed to be in a decent rhythm, but as was expressed in the huddle, would they be “Staying Alive”, after half? At 10-8 @4:00pm DST, Sludge seemed more concerned about a hurried time cap (12 pts or end @ 4:17pm) than their harried zone.

The extended points that went brown in the first half now favored the team of Millennials. The team with 25 years of experience maintained; yet the opponents just weren’t making the mistakes they had before.

So...the last point of the game at 10-10. Sludge received the disc, and another back-&-forth, up-&-down tango ensued. The teams playing the point were just as eager to end the game as the 2 teams anxiously waiting to start the next game. This last point felt like it took 20 minutes as easily as it may have only been no more than 5 minutes. Anywho…Brian caught the disc very, very close to our endzone line (possibly so close some sideliners said he was in). He calmly pivoted, smartly called a timeout for brown to catchup, and gently placed the disc to the ground. The MTV Generation argued the called T.O. was a TO (turnover) bcs the game was being played under a hard cap. [Side note: This may a real rule IF in a tournament; generally, it’s just courtesy.] Sludge begrudgingly surrendered the disc to play some tough D, but then also gave up the last score.

Loss 10-11.

Notes:
> Thanks to Generation II, Rachel & CH for their sideline support. I’d like to thank it was a fairly entertaining game to watch (if you had to).

> Perhaps, if it was known that there would be post-game cookies cooked up by Jen, Sludge would have played a little bit more “hungry”.

This One Goes to 'X'

You've had a few months to recover from the previous jammin' gig.

Here's another opp to listen to MicHael rhythm with local talent GRINGO [southwestern americana strums + drum].

Where: AXUM Level X Lounge in DC (south of Florida Ave on 9th St)

When: 9pm* on March 24
*Curfew alert: Scheduled to end by 10pm

Thrown Off

Calm Amidst the Storm

Kayleigh at the WJLA studio last week with Daisy Scouts - the program before becoming a Brownie. [picture by Andrew]

25 + 1

“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.”

-- Mortimer Adler (American Philosopher, Educator and Editor, 1902-2001)

Sludge plans to begin their 26th season on Saturday, forsaking planned obsolescence!

Heritage

Kiss me! I'M IntoFRISbeeH

Game On

First game of the spring 2011 season is scheduled!

When: Saturday, March 19

Time: 2pm EDT

Where: Montgomery Hills

Field: 2B

Past Passing

Can you hear the 8mm projector whirling as you watch this superb moving picture?



Red vs Blue showing "...great moves on the Ultimate frisbee field; teamwork, endurance & pinpoint passing are keys to success here" in the Rose Bowl (1975).

Notice an observer wearing stripes like a referee, possibly to signal to the crowd when/if a goal is scored. Goals were worth 3 or 5 points, and game was played with running time not to a point total.

EUCLtImateD

May your Ultimate playing be as constant as mathematical π...

Additional "Pi" posts...
Frisbee Pi (zza)
Frisbie Pi(e) Company

Seize the Day

Happy times are here - more sunlight and less time to wait until Sludge begins playing league!

Saturday: 10am for pickup game(s).

Sunday: 2am for a push up of time.

Card Deal

This wellness card is top dog, especially compared to this inexact "Ultimate" certificate.

Frisbee Dog Get Well Card

Card Interior: Dog-gone-it! Get well soon!

Size: 5"x7" folded

Price: $0.99

Flip Out

A flip of the disc is generally the most accepted way how an Ultimate team has first right to choose: A) to receive or throw the initial pull, or B) which end zone to initially defend.

In Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, they have adopted an alternative -- The Carbon (free) Flip:

"The team with the fewest motorized vehicles at the field at game time wins the carbon flip & gains traditional advantages with winning the flip. If the number of motor vehicles is equal, the captains revert to the standard flip process."

BEFOREhand

Interested in the etymology of the frisbee throw known as the "forehand" or "flick" or "flip"?

Popularized by: Victor Malafronte (1974 World Frisbee Champion)

When: 1970's

Original name: "two-finger macho sidewinder"

SOURCE: Ultimate: The First Four Decades

Victor Malafronte (1975, Sports Illustarted)

ROshamBOT

With spring Ultimate frisbee season quickly approaching, you should be practicing your throws. ALL of your throws including Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Test your hand as this traditional RoShamBo version [NYt] which does not offer as many matchup options.

**Practice your RPS throws versus the computer**

My game to 15 - Human Wins!:

Thumbs Down

Sludge doctors have confirmed CHarlie's thumb on his right hand (otherwise known as his writing throwing hand) was injured during a friendly weekend basketball game.

Early prognosis is a dislocated thumb at the "knuckle joint" and also a laceration along the interior crease of the thumb. Recovery and return timeframes are unknown at this time.

Tag, You're shIrT

When was the last time you read a really great book shirt tag? Here's one from an Ultimate clothier - Five Ultimate.


PLAY HARD. HAVE FUN. FIVE ULTIMATE.Shirt Rules
YES:
Skying fools
Wash in cold water
UltimateThings other than Ultimate
Boostin' it
Dance parties

NO:
Dryer
Picking your nose
Bleach
Dropping the pull
Whining
Cheating

Exclusive: CHS Varsity Photo

Some new info surfaced over the past weekend about the famous "original" (1969) Columbia High School Varsity Frisbee team...

Who exactly are the adults in the picture?

• 2nd from left (purple oval) = Listed as "Head Coach" Cono Pavone; Actual = High School janitor
• Far right (green oval) = Listed as "General Manager" Alexander Osinski; Actual = High School security guard

[Joel Silver, standing, is located on the far left with a black Columbia Varsity Frisbee shirt]

Celebrate Pancake Catches

The casual participant of National Pancake Day may think the flying disc is closer related to a pancake rather than a pie; they would be wrong. Notwithstanding, "pankcake" still makes a name for itself .

Whenever possible, catches should be attempted two-handed, with the palms facing each other. The pancake style is close to the body, with hands at right angles to each other. The receiver should attempt to get their body behind the direction of travel of the disc. It has the advantage that if the catch is mistimed, there is a good chance that the disc will hit the body of the receiver and still be caught between the hands. This is the style that should be used for the majority of throws as it is least prone to error.

Not to be confused with the Crocodile Catch: 
The crocodile style is out in front of the body with arms almost parallel, and often with some of the impact being absorbed by the fore-arms. As for the pancake catch, the receiver should attempt to get their body behind the disc. The reason in this case is to get the arms in line with the direction of travel of the disc. The main use for this type of catch is when the disc is travelling at speed relative to the receiver. The forearms provide a longer area to decelerate the disc over, and hard throws are less likely to be dropped. The disadvantage is that because the arms are roughly parallel, the disc has a tendency to flip out sideways if the arms do not move directly up and down towards each other.

Do Over: February 2011

Catch up on last month's noteworthy posts you may have missed...

Been There, Done That

$howing $incere $upport

In-Decision: Spring 2011

Force Home Death Star