SB Invite

Last weekend I went to my first tournament as a coach for San Diego State, the Santa Barbara Invite. I've been to this tournament several times before as both a player and a coach but I can not remember a better weekend weather wise. Beautiful 75 degrees and cloudless both days. Day two was a bit more breezy but not that significant to hinder a good thrower.

Day 1
We knew we had low numbers on the weekend with a few absences in JT, Lobster, and Bobble. We were going to be down to 16 people. But with a veteran team we knew we would be ok.

UCLA - We warmed up well and came out strong agasint UCLA. We expected the typical UCLA style offense with quick squirly handler movements and breaking the mark. But with Smaug losing so many seniors from last year it was obvious from the beginning that this offense was vastly different. They were running a spread style offense where they would try to get the disc up field and have the handlers stay back and let the cutters do the work. However our defense wouldn't let them get the disc up field and they had trouble on the dumps.

Our offense was working well and I don't believe we were ever broken on O. We had trouble initially on our dump sets but after we stressed getting into proper dump position we didn't have much trouble. UCLA will likely have a slow start to the season after losing so many big players from last year. But I would expect that they will improve throughout the season and with the athletes they have they can string together some wins. In the end we take the game 13-5.

LPC - A young team with a lot of High School players. They looked like they had not practiced much this spring yet and had trouble scoring consistently. But with the great coaching LPC has had over the years, Casey Ikeda, and the possibility they will pick up another stud with a year of eligibility left to use they will get better. However with a competitive section its tough to see them finishing any better than 5th place, and the last two years you need 4 bids to get out of that section.

Again our offense was working well and we were scoring pretty consistently. LPC gave us a little trouble since they looked to break the mark when UCLA didn't. We made the adjustment on our marks and mentally and we were able to walk away with the game in the second half. 13-5.

Davis - I really didn't want to coach this game since I coached Davis the last two years. Davis is full of young talent and Taylor is trying to do everything he can to get his squad on board and ready to play. The main difference with Davis this year is they seem full of guys who really WANT to get better and win games. The last few years they would sometimes seem uninterested and not eager to learn or get better. But with adding Eli Kerns along with a handful of other high school players Davis's future is looking up. If they can pull it all together they will be a team that will compete for a sectional championship, and with that who knows what will happen at regionals.

In our game with them I was able to match up our players with their top guys. An advantage I brought just by knowing all of their players. It seemed to pay off since we started on O and then proceeded to go up 3-0. They call a time out to regroup, I think our guys got a little ahead of themselves thinking that Davis would just roll over. But they made adjustments and our offense sputtered a few times and Davis was able to take half 7-6. Davis was looking to huck the disc early, we felt we could match up against their deep cutters and encouraged them to huck. In the second half they weren't able to complete their hucks as efficiently as they wanted. Taylor was over hucking and Eli hucked a few out of bounds. We came down in our junk D periodically to get them out of their string play and we were able to get a few breaks back.

We traded the last few points until it was 12-11 us. We came down on D in our junk and Taylor tried to swing the disc that floated just over the other handler and right into the hands of Dylan (one of our rookies) who was coming down on the pull. He had a clap catch Callaghan for the win but decided to swat at it like it was a Bee. We picked up the disc and ran our end zone O for the win. 13-11. We take the pool and it's off to the jacuzzi. On a side note Richie Prodan went down in this game with a tweaked hamstring. He wouldn't play the rest of the weekend.

Sunday
UCSB
I always have hated playing these guys. It used to be because they would play the typical "Tide" persona. Basically belittling their opponents through bad calls, trash talk, and dangerous play. But that was more of the "Old Tide" mantra, now I just hate playing them because they are well coached and are rarely an easy game.

This game started well for us, our Offense worked it up great and scored without much trouble. We then broke them on the next point. The following point we had a three turn per team point. It was a bit windy and we couldn't close out the point, but our Defense wouldn't let them score. In the end they scored the point but on that play we didn't get the break but we also lost Tyler to a sprained knee, later we would also find out that Cocks broke his wrist in that game and will likely miss Pres Day.

We were able to play tough D and get a few more breaks, our box and zones were working in the light wind and we take half 8-4 I believe. At the start of the second half our small roster size on the weekend was evident. We started making lazy throws and tired cuts and they were able to take advantage of that and bring the game to 9-8. A timely time out, a refocus on our mark, and efficient O helped us regain focus and finish the game 13-9 I believe.

SB will be a tough "out" at regionals. You'll have to account for them as they will get better with they type of program that they have.

Semi's
UW
They had just beaten the Squids in the quarters and from talking with my Streetgang counterparts they all said that UW is good. It didn't help that UCSD went down early and couldn't get out. But UW looked like they had some Rhino and ECU players on their squad and with a ton of height and athleticism they looked good.

We start on O and promptly turn it on a floaty huck. We go down 2-0 before we put one in to bring it to 2-1. We trade on a few points with our O being patient and our D trying to figure them out. It's 5-3 when they get another break and then take half 8-4. Most of our turns are on lazy throws and tired decisions. UW definitely wanted it more and we did not have the legs to keep up. They started to throw zone to get our smooth O out of rhythm and were able to get another break or two. We generated enough turns to get back and be in that game but we couldn't punch it in. In they end UW takes the game 15-10 in a game they controlled from the get go. We had our chances but obviously we need to get our legs under us before we can really challenge deep into a tournament.

Overall
We finished right where we should have. We held seed and played well, the Feds responded to the challenges that us as coaches presented to them and they earned the wins they got. We have several weeks to still prepare before Pres Day and assuming we get healed we should be a force to reckon with come this local tournament.

Our results from this tournament also helped us get into Stanford Invite and Terminus in Georgia so again overall it was a good tournament.

Until next time...

Do it again...

News years time and just like last year where a new years resolution post got me back into the writing mood I bring you the 2011 version. First a recap on how well I did on last years resolutions...



Move - Check, I am now living in San Diego!
New Job - Well I'm on the right track since I no longer work at Fujitsu, now I just have to go and find it.
Pay off all Debt - Well I have significantly reduced it, and am on a steady plan to keep paying it off. Most of my debt is school related so the rates are pretty good.
Qualify for Nationals - I did qualify with Streetgang for the USA Ultimate Championships last year, but it was somewhat anti climatic. Mostly because I did not play a significant role in it. I broke my foot in the early part of the season and never really could get back to being the player I was.
Win the Super Bowl in Madden 10 - Check
Catch a Handblock - Will have to be a carry over.
Develop better eating and exercise habits - It may have been just that I was in Sac but since I have been down in SD I seem to work out every other day if not every day, and eating mostly the right things. So I say check.
Read & Write More - I have been reading a ton, lately it has been more related to job and soul searching.


Overall I'm going to say it was a good year. I think I achieved most of my goals or resolutions and I'll keep striving to get better.

As for a new years resolution this year, I don't think I'm going to write down any points that I want to accomplish. Mostly I just want to do things that make me happy. Too often I have done things because I feel I have to or because I feel others want me to. So going forward I'm just going to do what I want to do. When it comes down to it I just have to be happy with my decisions.

Drinks are on me...

Updates!

It's been a rough couple of weeks since my last post.

Nationals sucked

I'm no longer employed

And I'm in Oregon

More details to come!

Pre-Gaming

Pre-Nationals meal...Pasta with Pesto Sauce, some broccoli, and a nice piece of salmon. Tasty.

I fly out in the morning for my first natties. This was my goal since the start of club and it is finally happening. It looked bleak when I broke my foot but I'm back and feeling good. I'll try to update anyone who wants to listen. I'll twitter and facebook. Laters

Regionals Day 2...

Day two of regionals was at another location than Saturday and the fields were worse. There were ankle breaking holes everywhere. But that didn't matter because we came focused and ready to claim a spot to nationals.


First game was against Bravo in the semis. We expected to see them in the finals but after our stumble on day one we had them in the semis. It was warmer on Sunday and even at 9 am you were already sweating. We came out on O and over shot two wide open hucks and they broke to start the game. Our offense was turning it but would continue to get it back and prevent the break. Bravo too half 8-7 being up one break.


At half we talked about staying on our man and not poaching their break throws. We were able to trade some more in the first half but they eventually get a few more breaks and we end up losing 15-12. In this game Billings went down with a Calvin Johnson type move. He went up and caught it in the end zone but lost it when he hit the ground and twisted his knee. He sat out the next two games but played in the game to go.

Next game was against Inception, they had trouble moving it up field and didn't have the throws to really challenge us deep. We win 15-2.

Time to take on 405 again who just beat Sprawl in a tight game I hear. They gave us quite a game the day before but this time our season was on the line so we were going to come out ready. We capitalize early on a turn from their handlers and never look back. They run mostly a UCLA type offense with everything running through the handlers. We were able to make things tough on them and walk away with the game 15-6 maybe.

Finally we had to play Condors for the game to go. I think we all expected to be in this game but to get there a different way. But either way it didn't matter we were in a game and it was time to battle. We knew their defense was playing well and our offense was struggling all weekend but we know were a better team and we need to just play our game.

Nothing special happens the first few points we trade to 4's maybe, then we get a break. Our hucks are offline and not connecting and they get a break or two. We break back to take half 8-7 on serve. Feel good coming out of half but the condors go on a run. They score on offense then break us twice to take a 9-8 lead. Again our hucks are not connecting and they go up 11-9. Then 13-10 game to 15. Our backs are against the wall and things don't look good.

We call a timeout and say that we need to apply pressure and make them earn it. That we can still win this game. So we put it in on offense then put on a thug D line. They work it up and throw a goal to Jeff over wormser, 14-11. But Allen calls a travel that the Observer up holds and two throws later Gill gets a handblock and we put it in 13-12. Next Forge gets a deep D and again we convert to make it 13's. Now you can really feel that the Condors are playing tentative, trying not to lose rather than trying to Win.

Next point they punch it in and our offense holds up to tie it at 14's. There was a question of caps that went on and it was decided that it was over time or something but either way the Condors scored on O to make it 15-14 but it was the first to 16. Our O holds up again and it's 15's game to 16, double game point. Winner goes to Nationals. We pull the disc they get they center the disc, they get an under cut where Allen lays out and almost gets it, the guy gets up and tries to throw a quick dump pass. Wormser gets a poach hand block and the disc hits the turf. The guy calls foul, not sure why or on what but he changes his story a few times. Observer says no foul and we get the disc at about the brick, just 25 yards or so from the endzone. Dollar to wormser in the back corner and we've punched our ticket.

It was a great feeling to finally qualify for the show, especially after coming back from such a deficit. I didn't play great in the Condor game, I kept getting matched up on Bacon and he beat me deep twice. It's just made me work harder these last few weeks to get faster and ready for natties.

NATIONALS!

Regionals

My first SW Regionals in 2 years. When looking at the lack of depth in the SW region it makes the NW's number of teams and talent even more impressive. Going in it looked like only Bravo, Condors, and Streetgang could compete for the two bids to nationals. With Bravo and Streetgang being the clear favorites and Condors being a team you'd have to worry about.

Saturday

Saturday started out nice but progressivly got hotter throughout the day. It was easily in the mid 80's by the final round. The format was a bit screwy with 11 teams. So our pool had 6 teams which meat 5 games day one while each game was to be played to 11.

First game was against Sinergy, a Las Vegas team that basically showed up at game time. We rolled through them no problem with a score of 11-3. Overall we were pretty sloppy though.

Next was 405, an LA team comprised of alot of Irvine guys and and some UCLA. We shot ourselves in the foot by going down 3-0, three strait breaks to start the game. And with a game to 11 that meant had to get moving ASAP. It didn't help that on our first D point we had a miscommunication and leaving a wide open deep huck. We go down 4-1. They were constantly working to break the mark and move it through the handlers and they were coming up with some big catches and plays to put the pressure on us. We got a few breaks back and pulled it to 9-8 i believe. Offense finally started flowing and we traded to 10's game to 12. We came down with an aggressive D and got the turn and the break making it 11-10, they score tieing it at 11's. Universe point and were being pulled to. Our offense works it in with no real problems and we pull it out. But again, another sloppy game for us. It was easy to see that we were going to see everyones best game.

Next was Monsoon, an Arizona team I believe. They had trouble getting the disc up field against our D and we were able to finish this game quickly. 11-2

Full Boar Burbank is mostly High School kids with some old guys. One guy had a big sky high hammer that he threw several times, completing one of them.

Next we had Condors. A game we knew they would be amped for since we took care of them at sectionals. They looked to be resting their stars until the final round against us. This game we had Observers by request of the condors from what I hear.

We start slow again getting broken to start the game and then having a turnover fest on point two until we punch it in. We came down in a zone for the first few D points since it worked well at sectionals but this day was less effective. they get another break and take half at 6-4. In the second half we stick with our zone defenses but they weren't getting the D's we needed, we get 2 breaks or so but they break our offense a few more times as well and the game is at 10-8. We throw away the first throw on the goal line and they punch it in for the 11-8 win.

After the game we stretched and tried to quickly put that game behind us knowing that it didn't end our season. We noted a few things we needed to adjust for tomorrow and it really just made it so we saw Bravo in the semi's instead of the finals. So we got some food and headed back to Oxnard to the hotels for some college football and sleep.

Sorry if the details are a bit vague but I don't recall every detail. I'll post Sundays write up later. Pictures to come as well.

Back to writing

I've been MIA for awhile but I'm going to get back up and writting the mindless dribble that all 5 of you are accustomed to.

Congrats to the Polar Bears for qualifying for the show. Now I have to make sure we qualify this weekend inorder to make my decision to not play with them a decent one. Time to carbo load!