Breakside Blog

The day that WSL 2009 registration opened, I received an e-mail with the following statement...

"I have greatly enjoyed playing in summer league my last two seasons and appreciate the incredible organization and care I see each summer.  But Last season a debate was opened mid season about bringing referees into summer league.  I am personally opposed to the idea, but I would like to find out the board's position on using referees for this summer before I register and especially before I decide to volunteer as an open captain.  I also think it would be fair to let the position of the board be known to the community at large since summer league is a significant investment and this may affect some people's decision."

Many of you may recall the discussions and debates we had last summer revolving around the idea of running some experimental games with a full ref squad. If you do not, or if you are new to WSL, let me bring you up to speed and clarify a few things.

Rereading the debate form last year will show that the consideration of using referees was initially for a game or two during the championships. As the debate went on, the focus shifted toward an exhibition/showcase game or for experimental regular season games throughout the summer. It was never intended to be a full time gig.

Though I know the intent of the quoted text above was not to accuse the Board of trying to hide something, that feeling does come through. Backroom secrecy was never a goal last year, nor is it an aim for this year. The Board's position, that of being open to experimenting with the idea of referees and the game of ultimate in general, is the same now as it has been for some time. Of course, those experiments would need to be well thought out and would need approval from those involved.

As we debate and consider how to experiment with the sport of ultimate, we ask that everyone keep an open mind and be willing to push the envelope a bit. Ultimate, as a sport, is still young and, in my personal opinion, lacking in areas. If WUDi does move forward with any experimental concepts, just remember that ultimate is a game. We are only trying to have some fun playing that game.

Here are the links to the posts and discussions from last summer...

• Officiated Championships?
  http://www.wudi.org/articles/?id=460Read Entire Post]

With the advent of registration opening tomorrow, this blog is to briefly promote open.  I encourage any male registrant that is competitive minded (as opposed to being primarily motivated to play for some reason other than competing and winning) and wants to run hard and test themselves against some of the best players in the region, to sign up for open.

This blog is not to denigrate coed.  Nor is it intended to reopen the old coed vs. open debate. (although I fully expect it will)  That's been gone over ad nauseam.  This blog is to merely remind and encourage guys to give open a good consideration.

Playing open is good for the league.  There is a disproportianately low number of female players in wudi.  More guys playing open will help create the onfield ratios that coed shoots for but never achieves, which should encourage more participation by women, while at the same time opening up more spots for male and female players new to wudi, thereby contributing to a more accomodating and better balanced summer league.

Thanks to the wudi staff for making it happen for all of us.

(Happy Valentine's Day to all.  This is a repost of an entry originally published on July 4, 2008.)

Drafting based on physical attraction is not the best idea.  I’ve seen my share of hot ultimate players that play as well as your grandmother drives.  "But look at their Playing Experience stats" you say?  See my previous blog entry (http://www.wudi.org/blog/?id=433).  In addition, they are probably already dating someone...possibly a player that is a lot better than them that kept on dragging them to games so they figured “if I’m going to be here anyway I might as well play”.  I subscribe to the “don’t pee in your own pond” theory...I keep ultimate and my personal life separate.  You won’t see any of my relations on the playing field, on the sideline, or generally otherwise.  Ultimate players are sketchy, myself included.  I don’t want to impose that sketchiness on the normal people I know, as I appear to be a fairly normal person outside of ultimate.  But that’s just my two cents.  Plenty of Ultimate relationships work out and blossom into long term commitments.  To each her/his own.  Perhaps I say this as a person who has never had a problem getting a date, which is a treasured status that probably won’t last much longer.  Hmmm…taking that into consideration, my number is 516-777-9311.  Call me.

I feel strangely excited. I thought I could get some discussion going about some of the great women who've played in our summer league, and that didn't happen for the most part. But that's OK. I'm taking that to mean that there's not a lot of you out there in WUDiland right now, except maybe a few diehards. It's hard to describe, but that thought gives me this weird, 'thrilled' sensation.... like now I can say or do anything! The proverbial tree, falling in the proverbial forest, with nobody around to hear. It's extremely liberating, I guess would be the best way to describe it. Kinda like, I don't know, kinda like the internet version of.... going commando! Does that make any sen-- hey, wait a second.... I just had an idea! Hmmm, you know what.... Why not! I'm gonna! Could ya all hang on a minute? I'll be right back with ya! Just one.... typing with one hand.... little minute.... oops, ouch.... I'm alright.... halfway there.... ok, just showing off now, typing with no hands ........................... which kinda gives whole new meaning to....'hunt and peck'.... now, dudn't it? ....one final.... adjustment.... and there, I'm back! WHOA!!! That IS liberation! NOW the energy's flowin'! It's like.... an unrestricted torrent! Oh boy, there will be magic! Who's ready for some bloggin'??! ....This Guy!!

It was a cold and moonless night, and I felt as lithe as a panther on the prowl as I padded through the pantry in my plaid pajamas. Perspiring prodigiously, and panting provocatively, I POUNCED.... on the plumpest portion of pie! ....Whoops! That's not the blog, my bad! Sorry for the mix-up! My novellas are strictly.... private pleasures....

OK! I appreciate everyone's patience. At last, the list of all current and former WUDi women who were on a Nationals roster this year, with little, extra notations for rec, 'my' players, and summer champions.

Mixed Division: Puppet Regime- I have to start with Katrina Krasnansky (coed and rec). Katrina was with me on my '05 Black team, a team which came up one comeback short in the Finals from posting the best record in summer league history, and she won rec in '06 with Abram. But more important (to me) is this confluence.... Katrina played with me (and Fresh, THE captain) on rec Red in '07, and she was Puppet's Spiri... [Read Entire Post]

OK. Back on the meds (temporarily). This isn't the second Nationals article though. I'm still weighing some delicate considerations with that one. To 'tide you over', and inspired by Matty's exhortations to honor the past, I'm going to throw my all-time WUDi women's line out there. I won't be commenting on the individuals, but generally, we're talking about outstanding throws, balanced all-around games, smarts, and relatively low turnover ratios. Without further adieu: Amy Himmelblau. Amy Wilbur. Becca Tucker. Erin Herzog. Heidi Pomfret. Melanie Schoen. Molly Falsetti.

I like. But obviously, lots of great names not named. Some not named may have passed through our league too quickly for me to have a full appreciation. Some may have been just a little too high in turnovers. And some not named may have 15 years ago called a timeout on the goal line to set up a play where she totally football-blocked me (I was 'sandwiching' that side) on purpose, then cut the other way for a goal. I'm so over it, though. It was barely a consideration when, in getting down to seven, I swung that final (righteous) ax. Whahatever, I say. But I won't be commenting on those individuals either. I'm hoping to leave that to you.

It's freezing. And I know there's some indoor and some die-harders out there, but for the most part, many of us aren't playing a lot of ultimate right now, and won't be for a while longer. Why not get some off-season fun going? Maybe someone who goes back a ways would like to fill the younger folk in on the women I named who played in the '90s. Maybe people would like to make the case for a woman they feel I 'missed'. No worries. Because, this isn't *the* all-time WUDi women's line, it's *my* all-time WUDi women's line. And since I go back to '88, and you go back to whenever you first started WUDi, my all-time line will be different from yours and everyone else's all-time line. And I'd love to hear 'em. We all would. There's no right and wrong here. I won't be critiquing anyone's line, though if you want to critique me or each other, by all means, have at it. Naming your line (I'd suggest including the year you started) is putting yourself out there a little bit. But at the same time, isn't that kinda fun too?

Alright. I'm sure there's people out there saying to themselves, "hmm, very straightforward article, not a whole lot of bloggin', not much tongue-in-cheek.... did somebody 'get' to him after ... [Read Entire Post]

2009 is here. It is already time to start thinking about the frisbee that lays ahead. It's funny. We don't know what the year will hold for us. For those of us for which frisbee holds some signifigant interest that ulimately leads to a signifigant expenditure of time and energy, the last weeks and months have probably been mostly limited to reflections on the 08' season and some thoughts about the frisbee we may play in days ahead. Now that the new year is here, I find more of my subway commute zoning out on nothing in particular thoughts drifting to the fear, hurt, fury, satisfaction and exultation that is competitive ultimate. What will this year bring? Will I play? Who with? Will my team/s be good? How committed will I be? Will I have time? Will I make time? Will my body cooperate? Will I improve? Will I decline?

I wonder if frisbee will continue to be an important part of my life, if so, for how long? I'm past the age where it's advisable to be doing this to my body, if it's advisable at any age. But maybe it's the best thing for me. Frisbee tournaments are ridiculous. It is remarkable what the human body can accomplish/endure. I was watching some of the open games late in the day on Sunday at regionals this year (08') and I just had to stop and think about how hard these guys were running, keeping in mind how much running had already been done. And now they were in most cases in their hardest games. It's hard to believe any of us can walk past the age of 30. I think it's probably alright as long as you don't stop. But watch out when you do, your body will probably fall right to pieces.

So 09' is here. How's it going to pan out? Will it be a good year? Or not?

Time will tell. We'll know in 10 months.