70 by 40 - Ultimate Ramblings

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

I Hate Hat Tournaments

I don't think it makes me a bad person, but when I play Ultimate I play to win. I understand the point of a hat tournament or a draft style league is about getting everyone involved and make sure everyone plays roughly an equal amount. I know it's okay to try and win and it's not like people don't care about winning or losing in these competitive situations, but its secondary. It's probably a character flaw, but it's just important that I've recognized it and don't put myself in those situations. Last night I went out to play in this indoor league they have here. You can just show up to play as a sub. My wife is playing in the league and so I tagged along with her. I end up on her team, which was cool since we've not played together in 5 years due to having kids. There is a mix of players, but most are young with only a few people that can handle the disc. In the 2nd game we're winning 9-6 with ten minutes to go. The wheels come off and nobody can catch or throw. This is the type of setting that keeps me away from this type of competition. I want to figure out the best way to win the game. That is going to mean not playing people and calling some plays that invole the 3 people that can handle to make sure you score. People don't play in this type of league to come and stand on the sidelines though, so that's just not an option. So, of course we lose and I'm annoyed and thinking I shouldn't have even come out. I've played in leauges where I put the team together and that's a different story. I've assembled the team and have confidence in all the players on the team, even Corey and belive me that guy can be turnover machine in league play. I find myself feeling guilty about being this way. Ideally I could just go out and enjoy playing in a hat tournament and have fun with it. It's just not that fun for me.

6 Comments:

  • Wait, Brent.

    Was this league play you're talking about or Thursday at Nationals?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12/15/2005 5:32 AM  

  • Brent,

    I have had similar negative experiences in hat tournaments. In 01, however, I played in a summer hat tournament here in Boston. Typical "bad news bears" type of folks end up on the team. Folks that think they are better than they are, a couple of vets, some newbies, etc. The TD made me "captain".

    I decided that eveything was going to be non-traditional. We played mostly zone (1-3-3 or cup) to man, ran every spread O known to man, and mixed up the forces. It ended up being a lot of fun, and I think folks learned a lot.

    I will do the same on the few occasions that I will play pick-up. After the never ending force flick points, I will suggest "Hey, want to try force backhand". The novelty of it is fun, and sometimes, even, leads to, dare I say it, zone at pick-up!

    -George

    By Blogger gcooke, at 12/15/2005 9:46 AM  

  • Brent wasn't at natties this year. If he had been, we would have come in at least 8th.

    By Blogger Corey, at 12/15/2005 10:45 AM  

  • I just want to apologize right now.

    I feel terrible.

    Didn't realize it was such a big deal... and now I see that it is.

    For god's sake, I helped push the snowball down the mountain.

    '97 St. Pat's Hat - Balboa Park

    Just dropped out of school and living in Pasadena with my grandma. Dave Mo says I should come check out his shindig.

    I'm on team spearmint.

    1st game of the day... my group of no-names is trembling.

    "Damn, look at that squad! They have Brent, and Jonny Duece, and, and...[insert other LA scene players]"

    "Ok, I recognize the red head, but who the hell are those other people?" I ask myself.

    "Hello? We have a squad here people!", trying my best to inspire this motley crew who've I've known for ~5 minutes (but we did seem pretty darn athletic as far as I could tell).

    Fast forward 75 minutes later and we've taken down Brent and his star studded cast of people I've never heard of 15-12.

    We cruise, in the finals we play "the pick-up team" of Foster, etc. Basically a ringer squad of players who were too cool and too good to pre-register for a hat tournament. Imagine that, they roll through all the comp into the finals.

    They go up 14-11, game to 15.

    Many hucks and a 6 goal run later... and Spearmint has taken the finals 15-17!

    All time record at all hat tournaments ever played.

    1-0

    Those things are great.

    Of course I'll never play in one again.

    By Blogger Idris, at 12/15/2005 11:17 AM  

  • Alright, I admit it. I have never played in one of these tournaments. But, since I hate to lose at ANYTHING, no matter what the reason, no matter how outmatched, I suspect that I would hate to play at one of these tournaments unless 1) I won, 2) I went in with the mindset that I was going to have a great time, which would involve drinking lots of beer DURING the games, heckling a lot, and maybe other things...

    By Blogger Alex de Frondeville, at 12/15/2005 3:42 PM  

  • Unless you're playing against the Tea Party, it's not which good players are on the other team that matters, but which turnover machines are on the other team. Of particular note are good female cutters who just can't complete a pass because of bad throws or bad choices (occasionally you'll find a guy like this who fancies himself a great handler).

    I can choose not to care usually, provided I'm not too personally attached to the team.

    By Blogger parinella, at 12/15/2005 6:53 PM  

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