Format Nightmare for Format Geeks?

While I do like to geek out on a tourney format pre-event, I've never claimed to be a format expert. That said, from every Tarr post I've ever read, the goal of the tourney format should be to minimize the effects of seeding, provide the same format to everyone, and either crown a champion (in a one-off tourney) or advance the proper total of teams to the next round. So in a multi-tourney event, the most important game is the one that differentiates between the last team to move on and the final team eliminated.

In the current FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying, top 2 go to Olympics automatically and 3-5 move to future qualifying. #6 and lower are eliminated from the 2008 Games. So for the format kids, this shout out goes out to you. Read the article, specifically, scenario #4, but then check the comments below. The writer of the article on the FIBA site didn't actually know the proper tie-breaking format. When I first starter reading #4 I though, "oh shit, someone is being eliminated from further qualifying based on points? That sucks." But the more I read the more it reminded me of a rouge tourney director that didn't know the proper format moving forward with what they decided was the best idea. Obviously, someone at FIBA has already thought this through, but when you are just some dude in some town running a tourney, you don't always have people looking out for you.

Good stuff though for any fans of formats.

Winning the Lottery

When I went to an early season Condor tryout, I played great. On the first day I even had the game winning block in a scrimmage and then threw the winning goal. Guys were glad to see me back. There were loads of "You still got it" being thrown out there at me. And I was kicking around playing again, but there was one big obstacle - my wedding on November 17th. I just wasn't sure I could really put as much thought into my wedding if I was playing ultimate and working full time. I told the captains, Whit, Rhett and Johnny, I wished I could play, but I'd probably have to win the lottery and not be working anymore. So I bowed out after thinking about it for a few weeks.

Well, who would have known, I won the freaking lottery.

OK, OK, getting a fat buyout from work isn't the same thing. But the results are similar - I'm getting paid to do nothing. So I've been working out, getting back into shape and now it's time to think about ultimate. Amazingly, I've got three options I'm choosing from. I could play for the Condors, JAM or masters with Above and Beyond.

Condors are my first love. Won all those titles. Played with them forever it felt like. And I'm the self-proclaimed "Head of LA scouting" for Santa Barbara (yes on Jimmy Chu, no on Sean Boyle. Sean, WTF?). So many close friends and one of the only pieces of the puzzle they need is a bit more veteran leadership. Could be great playing with them.

JAM. Played and won Davis with them. So many ex-Condors that I won titles with. One might think they are my best shot at the title, but then one would also have to realize they have never won any trophies with the letters "UPA" attached to them. But Idris said he knows I bring chemistry and I am damn close with almost every single player on the team. Would probably only play 2-3 points a game, but that's all an old geezer like myself really wants against young kids. Maybe I need to pull a Joe Montana and end my career with some team I have no rights playing with.

Above & Beyond. With 87 guys already on the roster, they certainly don't need me. But they recognize my game is at the top level of the masters. Plus, I bring some quality knowledge of the Seattle and Boulder teams that the NYers don't really have. Tack on the fact that I'd be playing with two of my best friends and my college roommate, it sounds like fun. Let alone all my previous NY teammates from 94-98 that I have not played with for years.

It's a tough call. The friendships I have go deep on all three teams - each has at least one of my wedding groomsman playing on it. I have to decide by Labor Day so I can get in with JAM or Condors. Masters decision would be the default. What would YOU do!?!?!?

so much for confidence

if anything, it was MY confidence that brought the team down. i'd gotten so used to them catching every bomb i tossed out there, i figured it would happen all weekend. not. numerous huge perfect hucks from me (and a few dicey ones) went off people's hands, were lost in the sun, or just simply were not tracked down properly. we lost 11-9 in semis to a team we beat twice this season. i think the fact that my hucks were all i was used to on this team didn't allow me to adjust and play a different game (touch every other, me be a target, etc. etc.). oh, that and the freaking OPEN BAR party friday night. sure, i left at midnight, but i was 6-8 drinks deep plus car bombs, so maybe that had something to do with my lack of being able to run.

first tourney lost this year. i was 5-0 before this and my dream of holding every LA county title in "Tiger Slam" style took a turn stinkier than those fields next to the industrial plants of san pedro. but tempe, winter league, st. pat's hat, DUI and Huck It Long Beach was a pretty nice run. Nice enough to make me and maybe others think I still have enough game to play with the pros. stay tuned this week for a big announcement regarding the club season!

confidence

Quit my job - got a classic Hollywood buyout. Friday is my last day after 7+ years at Nickelodeon and as Nesbitt said, "Your golf game just got a shot in the arm." So yeah, free time also equals blog posts. I actually even am getting a raise to stop working, blog posts might make me feel like I'm doing something to earn the paychecks. And the RSD post about "role playing" got me thinking about how I need to know what my role will be on the internet. Like anything, you need to be confident in what you are doing, so I'm going to try and start banging out some blog posts to up my writing confidence. Here's a fast one to see if I can get into the flow of these crazy "internets."

So getting to the actual topic of Ultimate Talk, in terms of ultimate, confidence is everything just like in all of life, no matter what your role is on the team. A true team player knows they have a specific role on a team and is confident that they can perform that specific job. Because if you aren't confident in your role or in your teammates to know their roles, a team has problems. Role players need to remember confidence has to be found at every level, all the way up the ulty pecking order. I'd bet there are about one hundred guys at the top level that have about the same skill set. The reason why only two dozen or so of those guys are superstars is their level of confidence. And as an old vet, I've really been enjoying watching the confidence level of my summer league team grow. From a record of 3-2, we've reeled off 6 straight wins going into the playoffs this weekend and claimed the meaningless regular season title. I attribute most of the win streak to confidence.

Frankie Rho, who drafted my team for me while I was out of town, picked an excellent summer league team stacked with athletes, but a lot of youth gave us an inexperienced team and only 3 veterans to teach the under 25 crowd. I've experienced this type of thing before in draft leagues. You end up on teams with players that have never won anything in ultimate - maybe you get an "I won a hat tourney once." As someone that has won 50+ tourneys, I always forget that. I always (incorrectly) just assume I'm going to win every game of ulty, beach or grass, that I ever play. And I would like to think that the team I'm captaining has had some of that rub off on them, because everyone on the team looks more talented in throws, D and catching, all the main skills of the game. And lord knows I don't teach any of that crap - I'm just about attitude. Hopefully this weekend we can use that newly discovered confidence to win 3 more games and wrap up that summer league men's league title. It could be the team I most aided in terms of "off the field" contributions, which would be a proud moment. I'll fill you in next week from my couch around 10:30am on Monday - hope you are logging on at work to read it.