SeanLog

In case you accidentally deleted any of Sean's emails, here's a chronicle. Search through the archives and learn of his wisdom.

29-Oct-2005, 15:11

Dear ECP,

I have never given anyone a score of ten on a momma joke, not once, once or twice I have given out a 9 out of ten, but most good ones receive an 8. I guess I've been holding out for that mother of all momma jokes before I give out a perfect score.

It's been a long time, or rather it seems like its been a long time. I promised that I would write one last Frisbee email and here it is, I apologize for its late arrival but I've had difficulty finding the right words. Therefore I'd like you to view this email as less of a "goodbye" and more like "good luck." I'm still not entirely sure if this is the right way to do this. At first I considered offering some final tidbits of advice to improve the game, I wrote down some thoughts in a document, but I can't seem to find them in the endless ocean of word documents stored on my laptop. Always an advocate for individual recognition, I was originally planning on writing a long email where I thank everyone individually, but this requires time, writing skill, and a memory that I do not possess. I have long since made my goodbyes, and I see no need to open up any new wounds, but I have no other play here, so I'm going to stick with my original idea. If I have forgotten anyone, please know that it is not because you're less valuable to me, but it is only a result of my unstable memory. In the interest of time, one would probably be best served to find their individual section and only read that. Some people received "awards" while others simply got endearing remarks. Lastly, I would like to say now that a response to this email is wholly unnecessary.

Erik- Our fearless leader, you might not have been the most calm or collected captain, but you were most certainly the best captain this team could have asked for. On a personal note, I appreciate that you never gave up on me, even when I was ready to give up on myself. Some of my fondest memories of college were going out to the quad on a lazy Sunday and tossing with one of my best friends.

Ann-Marie- More than any of my other friends, you make me feel the most at ease. I am glad that we found some girls this last year to "entertain" you. You truly were the mother of the team, taking the pressure of being one of the only girls on the team, and at least trying to get more.

Siona- Thank you for your enthusiasm and drive. I remember in the fall, when asked what you wished to improve you said, "I would like for people to say that I'm a good player in my own right, not that I'm 'good for a girl.'" Well, Siona, now you have it in writing, "you're good and not just for a girl."

Evan- Where would the team be with out our MVP? A question I do not even wish to think about. The seniors compete to see who is "second best" because we all know who the "first best" really is. Despite your competitiveness, you still manage to be a good sport and a model for a spirited player. For all this and more, you receive the "unrecognized MVP" award.

Dave- I only have two things to say to you: Despite all your faults, I genuinely believe you are a good person and a good friend, and when push comes to shove, there isn't anybody I would rather have in my corner than you. Second, I heard a rumor that you cut your hair. Please confirm or refute.

Char- I'm not sure I would have any friends in college if it weren't for Char. Char and I were in the same orientation group, and I still vividly remember the day Char came into my room and asked if I wanted to go to Frisbee practice. That's where I met most of my friends. For some reason, and I still don't know how this started, Char, myself, and another good friend of mine Ben Bayes (who only played for the team freshman year) started insulting each others mommas. Char was one of the primary persons in keeping the "Sean's mom" joke alive for four years. So instead of awarding him the typical "Team pirate" award, instead I award Char with the much more valuable "Father of the Sean's Momma joke."

Nate- Your music was missed at sectionals as were your "up" calls. I will never forget your miracle D during spring break, which is probably reflective of your contribution to the team, a player willing to give his all for the team, on and off the field.

Sean- If you were unfortunate to not take my advice and are reading all of the entries, I will only take a second to recognize myself. I'm not sure if I deserve it, I felt that I let most of the team down in the spring term, my only defense being the terrible illness that crippled me to my bed during the winter months. Therefore I am only giving myself an award for "Surviving the winter term from hell."

John (junior or senior now)- A quiet player, but no question a valuable one. When I think of this player I think of him coming through when we needed him. At sectionals, I remember him catching a Frisbee that had floated past several players. So this player receives the "most valuable catches" award.

Pat- There are two things I know about this guy, he is tall and he has long legs. Anyway for that Pat receives the award for "Sexiest Mclegs," for being one of the best deeps on the team. Congratulations and good luck being Captain, you deserve it and I know you'll do a great job.

Nolan- This is one of those awards where I have to insult you before I can compliment you. Due to your behavior at other tournaments, I was worried that you would be a spirit problem at Sectionals. But you were not a problem, on the contrary, I saw you offer support when and where it was needed. For that you receive "The player with the most improved spirit." Keep up the good work in the future.

Jay Read- Your skill and spirit were always valuable even when your attendance was sparse. Congratulations on being elected captain, good luck and I know you'll do a great job.

Maureen- Ok, it's fair to say I'm a little biased about this freshman, or I guess at this point, this sophomore, so I'll say nothing except to give her the award for "The best Mail order Chinese bride a guy could ask for."

Allie- Some might be upset about the award I'm going to give to this girl, but credit where credit is due. It seems appropriate that she should receive this anyway, since she is one of the most spirited on the team. I have never encountered someone who is so quick to respond to a momma joke insult, and that is why Allie gets the award for "Queen of the Momma Joke Comebacks."

Rich- The most well rounded freshman, or at this point sophomore on the team, but what is far more important than what he does, is how he does it. Doesn't matter if Rich is bidding, hucking, or running, he always manages to do it sexy. That is why Rich receives the award for the "big sexy."

Small Steve- Widely accepted as the "freshman with the best cuts" and known by many as "a sweetheart to boot," Small Steve receives the "freshman with the best cuts and a sweetheart to boot" award.

Tall Steve- What I admire most about this player is his drive to improve. He is always asking questions and speaking with the upperclassmen to try and figure out how to improve his game. I'm not saying others on the team don't do the same thing, but this player seems to do it the most. Steve, you get the award for "Most driven to improve."

Laura- Laura receives the award "Pokey champion of the world" Nauf said. I also remember during the fall term, when asked what she'd like to improve, Laura responded "I'd like to be better at everything." Well, here you have it. Laura also receives the award: "Better at everything," to make it official.

Jay Sha (I know I spelled it wrong)- One of our best natural players, he picked up the game the quickest. With his field awareness and smart cuts, I know this player will be valuable in the future.

Zippy- It never ceases to amaze me how when Zippy is all alone in the end zone, with no defender within twenty yards, and a Frisbee that is floating into his hands, he'll drop the disc. Yet, when Zippy has to dive through three defenders to catch an over the shoulder hammer throw, where he can only reach it with one finger, those are the catches he makes with ease. Basically, Zippy is one of our best clutch catchers, so he receives the award "Best under pressure."

John- The best freshman thrower (and probably best on the team), I remember this freshman saying he'd like to learn how to make that perfect curving throw into the end zone. The problem I had at the time was that I was pretty sure I had already SEEN him make that kind of a throw. SO John, FINE! You receive the award: "Completed a perfect curving throw into the end zone." This player also gets recognition for best attendance.

Dozer- This is my favorite player on the team, because he does something that I could never do. By his own admission, he is not a great player, yet he has the determination to continue to play with all his heart. He has the ability to ignore the meaner members of the team, to respect the criticism he receives, and to still try and guide the underclassmen, while still putting his heart and soul into every moment he's on the field. If he is a inspiration to no one else, he is an inspiration to me, and I would not be the player that I am (and it is likely I would not even have stayed on the team) if not for Dozer. Thank you Dozer, and therefore you simply receive the award of "Dozer."

I would like to end on a note of thank You. Thank you for the memories. When I look back at the sports I played before college, the good memories are rare and fleeting, while the bad memories are numerous and prolonged. I am not sure how to express my gratitude to the team with providing me happy memories and new hope. You all were my family and you gave me something to believe in, and it wasn't the game, a point, a position, sectionals, or a tournament, you taught me how to believe in myself, and for that I will always be grateful.

Good luck ECP

Sincerely,

The Sexy Sluttmann, the silly fathead, the adorable panda, and the tragic Sean

P. S. Your mother is a whore. And with that, I give myself a ten.

3-Mar-2005, 00:41

Sorry, I haven't written in a while but let's just say that I've had better trimesters. Actually let's just say all of them have been better. Anyway, I wanted to know if anyone was interested in some poker this weekend, namely Friday night (and perhaps Saturday night since Ed Helms decided to postpone his speech). This is mainly for anyone not going on the silver lake trip, which I hope everyone who can is going to. I'd prefer we play for money but if anyone's uncomfortable with that, we don't have to, but don't worry you still only lose ten dollars. Just please let me know if you're coming so I know how many people to expect. Bring your friends as long as they're not too sketchy or good at poker. My mom will serve the drinks topless. Hey I know everyone has seen more than that, but not while you're playing poker.

How to make the greatest Drill in the World even better.

Whatever my misgivings about the actual sport of Frisbee, I have always loved just tossing the disc around with friends. There's just nothing like going out onto the Union quad on a nice day to just throw around. It's not only fun, social, and a good form of exercise but it naturally (perhaps slowly) increases the accuracy, range and skill of your throws. Casually throwing will always improve your game, but I have some tips to make your progression faster.

First, in terms of catching, most returners will tell you that you should always catch with the pancake or alligator (catching the disc between both hands with a slap). I don't agree with this oversimplification, but you do need to mentally train yourself to make that your "default catch." In other words, if you CAN catch it with the pancake, then you should. So when you're just tossing around you should practice one and two handed catches but always keep in mind that the one handed catches are only for sticky situations where you CAN'T catch it with two hands.

The second thing to practice while tossing is to not always "read" the disc. Reading the disc comes rather naturally, and it's rare in a game situation that you will have an opportunity to catch a disc without a defender. Instead catch the disc as if you had a defender right on you with very little room to maneuver. Practice the "Evan catch" where you jump up, catch the disc with one hand and rip it down (ripping it down prevents a defender from getting their hand on the disc).

If you haven't mastered your fakes, then you need to practice them while you're just tossing around. I don't mean you throw a fake here and there, every once in a while. If you're serious about improving your fakes then you need to spend a few sessions doing nothing but throwing fakes before every throw. Practice the "Stop fake." By UPA rules you can take three steps after you catch a disc to "land." Use this to your advantage. Practice catching the disc, making it appear like you're going to take another step, but instead you pivot the other direction.

Now the obvious. You need to practice your weaker throw. If your weaker throw is forehand, then I suggest the following "drill." Stand so your left side (right side for lefties) is facing your receiver. You don't need to do this much, it's just impossible to throw without using all wrist, which is something you need. Don't forget practicing inside-out throws as well as learning how to control the speed of the disc. I recommend you forget the hammer until you've got forehand and backhand down solid, but theat's just me.

Lastly, try to throw with a different person every time. Not only is it more social, but it's not always best to practice with someone who can put it right in your hands every time. Sometimes it's good to play with someone who throws all over the place. Whenever you toss with someone, whether they are better or worse in skill then you, you both should walk away having learned something, and that's why it's the greatest drill in the world.

Rules of the game

Knowing the rules of the game in ultimate is more important than knowing the rules in other sports because you have to act as the referee. I'm sure you know the basics, but now I offer you the advanced class.

Confidence. There have been several times that I "lost" a call because I backed down on a call. One game in particular, I called myself in, which would have scored a point for my team, but my defender talked me out of it because he kept insisting I was out. The fact is, when you literally have the disc, it's YOUR call, and nobody else's. So stick to your guns. On defense you can contest, usually, then just leave it alone.
When on offence, always catch the disc. This happened to me at sectionals last year. I cut to the disc, I was open but I swear to God I heard someone yell "PICK!" so I stopped, which allowed my defender to get in front of me and take the disc. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if someone yelled "PICK" or not, I still had to catch the disc for the offence to keep the disc. This is an important fact for our next rule.
When in doubt, call a PICK! I have been beaten on defense so many times, just because I didn't call a pick when I should have. Frankly, in man-to-man defense an offensive player needs to "baby-sit" his defender. That doesn't mean the offensive player needs to allow his defender to cover him, it simply means the offensive player has to make sure he doesn't pick his defender by sprinting through a crowd. If you have ANY obstruction, call a pick RIGHT AWAY. If you don't call it right away, you might be too far (more than ten yards) for it to matter. The best part about a pick call is that you can take it back simply saying "my mistake," because the offense still needs to catch the disc anyway.
A Foul in the end zone is NEVER a point. There is only one exception to this and it doesn't happen much. If there is an uncontested foul in the end zone where the disc was caught, but the foul knocked the receiver out of bounds, then it counts as a point. Other than that, it doesn't matter if it's contested or uncontested in the end zone; it is not a point. If the foul is contested it goes back to the thrower. If the foul is uncontested the catcher plays it in from the front of the end zone closest to where he was fouled. Sidebar: An uncontested strip in the end zone IS a point.
A Call usually has to be made twice before the stall count starts over If you call "double team" the defense needs to back up, but they don't need to go back to zero on the stall count until you say it again. This is also true for "foul" and "fast count" calls.
On Defense, Don't tap in too quickly. Wait at least a few seconds for your defense to set up, but don't take too long either so they can't set up. Also you can begin counting as soon as it becomes clear they're unreasonably delaying so they can set up.
It's not unreasonable to ask someone to "check feet" I often say "check feet" more to slow down the play then to actually see if they're out. You shouldn't be a dick abut it, but it is your right as a defender to call "check feet."
Bonus: If for some reason you set the wrong pivot foot, just fix it. If someone calls travel, you get to keep the disc anyway.

12-Feb-2005, 22:13

I'd just like to take a minute to explain to you what I expect you to take from these emails: nothing. Well, practically nothing, it's mainly a way for me to remind all of you to listen in every Sunday at 11 pm to Unique's and my radio show (the number is 518-388-6151 or x6151, give us a call and lay down your Sean's momma joke).

In all seriousness, (your mom is a dirty whore) I'm surprised at how many people have actually read these emails. I have done enough writing in my life to not take it personal when people don't read my writing (I find that crying before I write something is far more efficient) so it's not like I spend every waking hour hoping that someone, anyone will respond to my desperate cries for the smallest hint of attention, or that I spend weeks on these emails in the frantic attempt to get people to like me, or that I check my email every fifteen minutes, every hour, on the hour in the hopes that some sympathetic soul will have written just one sentence in response. It's not like any of that (please help me). But I enjoy writing them so much, just because you don't read them, doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing them. Otherwise, I am shrewdly aware that this is all a lot of information to take in, especially since we only practice once a week, so I only ask that out of my vast library of emails you learn one or two of my tips.

And don't worry, I'll send them all again in the spring to jog your memory.

I am a bit concerned that I scared people last week with my "Get to the Gym and Exercise" speech. Let me just say that you have no reason to be anxious. I will still take it as my responsibility to make sure that Frisbee is fun, if I wanted extreme competition, where all the players on the same team scream at each other, I would have joined the school soccer team (well in theory). I say again: My MAIN and practically ONLY concern is that no one gets hurt. I have been cooped up inside long enough this winter, due to my injury/illness, to want to prevent it from happening to anyone else on the team. Other than that remember the two most important things:

Your mom is a whore.
"Sean's mom is Unique," is on every Sunday at 11pm, give us a call at 518-388-6151 or x6151 (Bonus: Dozer's radio show is on every Monday at 9pm and Rich and Zippy's show is on every Monday at 11pm. Give them a listen.)

Zone offense

Zone offense is quite simple; it can be broken down into two Frisbee concepts: "Dump Swing" and "Chillax" (patience).

Handlers: Handlers, you are going to be BUSY. Frankly, Handlers in a zone offense should "dump-swing" the disc at least forty times before they even THINK about throwing the disc up the field. ("Even if a Popper is WIDE open?" you say. YES, even if a popper is wide open you should still "dump- swing" approximately forty times) Why? You've all been in a cup before, it's tiring, and if the mids on defense are doing their job correctly, they're tired too. So if the other team's cup is chasing a disc for ten minutes and our team drops the disc, it's highly likely they'll turn over the disc because they are tired and most of our team (See section on Deeps) is not. We scored against a far better team because we wore them down. They were so tired every time they got the disc, they would huck it, attempting to end the point quickly, but would just end up turning it over. Finally they gave up saying: "Take the damn point already, so we can rest!"

The other thing about handling in the zone offense is pacing. When you catch the disc you have MAYBE enough time to throw a fake before you need to throw it, but that's about it. If you're the dump in the "Dump-swing" process, you don't even have time for a fake. The disc needs to be constantly moving, so that the defensive cup is constantly moving; don't give them enough time to settle anywhere. However, this does NOT mean you should rush. In the word of a great man: Chillax.

Poppers: Poppers, you will be TIRED. Being a Popper is one of the most thankless jobs in the universe. You will sprint, cut, call out, and find openings in the defense and you might never get the disc.

Try to spread out the field wide (just like I spread your mom's legs) and keep an eye out for holes in the cup that you can take advantage of. Try and make your cuts to the outside just as the handler on your side gets the disc, but try not to be too predictable. Just find the holes (it's easy for me, I just practice finding the holes, ON YOUR MOM!)

If you do get the disc, 9 out of 10 times you should throw a series of fakes while you wait for the handlers to move up, then dump it to one of them. If you see a deep WIDE open then throw it, but be aware you should only throw to the deep about 10% of the time.

Deeps: Deeps, you will be BORED. Your job is to bring the defensive deep as far back to the other end zone as possible, ESPECIALLY on low wind days. You can help out the poppers by "overloading" one side or switching places, but never sacrifice your main priority which is keeping the deep away from the poppers.

P.S. Thank you Siona and Evan for finding us a great spring break house.

6-Feb-2005, 15:30

Hey there folks sorry I haven't sent one of these in a while but I've been quite sick. Lust a few housekeeping things to take care of:

Thank your mom for me, the sex last night was worth way more than the 3 dollars I paid for it.
The gym is open before 4 o'clock on the weekdays, and I have been charged with finding out if anyone would be interested in practices during the week and during the day. When this was proposed last practices it received "mixed reviews." Well, I won't know if you don't respond.
Give Siona her money. I believe she will be owed 60 dollars this week, so make sure you bring it, so we can get an awesome house. And no my mom cannot whore herself out for the money. She's already overbooked with other "fundraising" events.
Get to the Gym and exercise. This is perhaps your last week to SAFELY start an exercise program for the spring term. My main concern is not your physical fitness, but your physical health. Let me explain something. I want to go to nationals so bad I can taste it already. I masturbate to thoughts of being spanked (not literally, ok maybe a little literally, ok, ok, maybe a lot literally) by the black tide team, you know the one in the video, who seem like they're from another planet of Frisbee, yeah them. This was not always true, so I'd like to think I acted as Erik's conscience in the past. I was the one who spewed hippy philosophy before like: "It shouldn't be hard, it should be fun!" and "Winning isn't important, as long as you had fun." This won't be the case for Frisbee this spring. Don't worry I'll still act as the "fun police," making sure everyone is having a great time, and I doubt I'll deserve a name like "The General," but now when Erik asks me "Sean do you think 100 laps around the field is reasonable?" I'll say "Not really, unless we're sprinting these 100 laps." And that's way before Evan steps in, to do his drills. The point is, as soon as that sun decides to come out, we'll be training pretty hard and I don't want anyone to get hurt. I'll say it again, this training will be hard and most bodies cannot handle the shock to the system. So go get some exercise, work those muscles.
Inspired by Zippy and Rich, Unique and I have our own radio show every Sunday night from 11pm to 1 am. It should be a monumental failure, so if you're up give us a listen.
That's all for now I think, on to zone defense.

Zone Defense

First let me say that out zone defense is one of our strongest defenses. I almost feel silly trying to improve matters. Almost. I am just trying to make it so we are a fine tuned zone master. Try and master a position in the Zone and stick with it.

The cup: the cup is composed of three players. The mark, the one that counts and marks the thrower, the crotch, the one that is between the mark and the wide, and the wide, who is "furthest" from the mark. These three form a right angle triangle which in theory cuts off all directions but one. Being in the cup is pretty straight forward, follow the disc, keep your unity, and try to force the thrower a particular direction. If it's a windy day, you want to force the thrower to throw with the wind so that eventually a thrower has to throw into the cup against the wind.

Remember not to "cheat." If you ever hear me on the sidelines, telling you not to "cheat in the cup," it means your breaking the triangle, trying to predict where the next throw will be. When you start cheating, the zone defense breaks down rapidly, and any decent team will capitalize on it immediately. If you hear "don't cheat," and you're in the cup, get it together and keep your unity.

Now the goal of a zone defense is to set up a sideline trap. If a sideline trap is set up correctly with everyone on defense doing the right thing, it should be unstoppable, or stoppable for defense I guess. The important thing to remember is that the crotch is the player that marks the disk on a sideline trap. Typically the mark will cover the dump, and the wide will cover the line, but it depends which side the thrower is on. However, I say again, the crotch should always be the one marking the disk on a sideline trap. Let's assume for simplicity that we're on the side where the mark is covering the dump and the wide is covering the line. I have said this millions of times but people still don't quite grasp this: If you are covering the dump on a sideline trap, TURN AROUND AND COVER THE DUMP! Staying in formation is not advantageous on the line, if you turn around and cut off the dump throw, the thrower has very few options, and none of them are good. If you cut off the dump, that prevents a dump swing, which is the anti-zone. You also have the added bonus of watching the dump, because if he gets within 10 yards of the thrower, THEN you can step in and legally double team the thrower.

If you're covering the line during the sideline trap, it's actually important NOT to cover the line. On the contrary, you give the thrower the throw up the line, it's the mid's job on that side to cover the throw up the line, not yours. Instead back up behind the mark and cover any throws into the center of the field, THAT is you job, don't let anything there.

Side-mids: I doubt I will ever play side-mid again, since I've gotten a lot better at the mid-mid and deep position, but the side-mid position will always have a special place in my heart because it's where I learned to shine. It's basically pretty easy, you cover anyone who enters your zone, but it's the most important, because without this position, no other position can get the disk.

There are two important things to remember while playing the side- mid. First, stay on the outside of whatever man you're covering. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to be all the way on the sideline, but you should always be between your man and the sideline. You want to give your man the in-cut. I don't mean that you let your man get the disk every time he cuts inward, what I do mean is you NEVER let him get the disk when he cuts to the outside. Why? With the cup on top of the thrower, it's a lot harder to throw towards the middle than it is to throw towards the outside. Plus the cutter has to dodge the defense of the mid-mid. (Remember also what I said about where the side-mid looks: away from the thrower and more at his cutters)

The second important thing to remember about being a side-mid is to cover the lines on a sideline trap. If you're the mid on the side of the sideline trap and someone on the other team gets the disc on the line, ITS YOUR FAULT! Let them run around in the center of the field all they want and take their chances with a hammer, but DO NOT let them get it on the line. If you're on the opposite side of the sideline trap, you should pinch in, and try and cover the swing throw. Don't get too overzealous, but keep your eye out for an opportunity to sprint in and grab the disk.

Mid-mid: Mid-mid is hard. I'm not even sure what advice to give about it, except that the mid-mid needs to gauge the other team. If they like short throws, pinch in closer to the cup. Even they like long bombs, help out the deep. The mid-mid should be constantly talking. Have trouble talking during a game, so did I. Here's my advice, it worked for me. Find an empty open space somewhere put a Frisbee on the ground and yell at it. "You are nothing!" I am dead serious. You'll feel pretty stupid, but that's the point. Eventually you won't feel stupid, and if you don't feel stupid yelling at a disk, you won't feel stupid yelling during a game.

Sometimes a team will "overload" one side of the field so that a side- mid has too many people to deal with. If that's the case, go help out the side mid as much as you can without giving up your own zone.

On a sideline trap, you don't need to do anything special except pinch in more slightly. Remember on a windy day, it's much easier to make a short throw, than a long one.

Deep: The deep should never be bored. It might seem that he should be bored because he's furthest from the action, but he will always have the best perspective on the field and therefore should never, ever, shut up. Nor should he stop moving, he doesn't have to move much, but he should be constantly sliding with the disk. If the disc is on the left side, he should be slightly to the left. The number one rule of a deep, is to NEVER let anyone get behind you, EVER. It's the mid's job to cover the short throws, your main job is to cover the high risk, huck-it-or-your-nothing, evan's open in the endzone, char's calling for a deep hammer, Erik's got the disk, throw.

19-Jan-2005, 18:03

Hey all, tonight it seems I will only be at practice in spirit. I will be there to throw the disc around but my leg simply hurts too much to justify playing. I will be seeing no fewer than two doctors next week to see if I can get this thing healed up by the spring term. Meanwhile, is there anyone willing to go to the gym with me on a regular basis? (I'm told I can keep in shape using an exercise bike or any motion that doesn't hurt) So please don't ask me why I'm not playing at practice, it upsets me. And if you've never seen a panda cry, trust me it's not pretty. But enough about me.

First a quick "shout back" to Rich and Zippy. If you listened to their radio show this past Monday, they did a loving shout out to the ECP Frisbee/ 66 Union family, which was much appreciated. Anyway, enough about that.

What to do without the disc:

Perhaps it takes a truly experienced player to understand that it's the players that don't get the disc that are by far more important than the ones that do. In other words, although the person with the disc might seem to be the most pivotal player, at that particular moment he/she is actually the least important.

Let's start with the basics. The stack might seem a silly strategy (it seems silly to me at first) to anyone who doesn't understand WHY we form a line in the middle of the field. The stack is a cheap, simple way to prevent a team from clogging. What is clogging you ask? Well, clogging is anytime that a man on offense is in the way of a better cut. This is why the most important part of your cut, isn't the intial cut, but actually getting back into the stack, back for a dump, or somewhere out of the way. By just standing in front of the thrower you manage to "accomplish" to very bad things. 1) You make it much easier for your defender to defend you and 2) you make it almost impossible for someone else to get open.

Ultimate is an intense game we understand if you need to take a breather while you're on the field. What's most important is WHERE you rest. The best place to rest is in the stack. Why? If you're standing still in the stack hopefully your man is guarding you (if he isn't then you should be cutting deep, I don't care how tired you are) and if he's guarding you, then there's plenty of room for the rest of your teammates to make their cut. The most important lesson to be learned here is to make one maybe two cuts to get open, and then get the hell out of the way.

Let me also give you an example of a more "complicated stack mentality." During the Syracuse tournament I believe, one player was marking me very hard. And by hard I don't mean how I screw your mother. He refused to take his eyes of me, and he simply refused to give me any breathing room. So I decided to take me and him out of the game. I simply walked as far as I could into the corner of the end zone to keep him out of the way. We stood in the corner and stared at each other. Basically, now the teams were playing 6 on 6, which is good for the offense and bad for the defense. With less players on the field, there is less a chance of clogging.

On the Turn

When I first started playing Frisbee we have what is called "Go through" which is when somebody behind you tells you to keep going because they are going to pick up the disc. With my experience I have found this to be a mistake. I find myself much more successful when I simply pick up the disc and try and play it, even if there is only one person in front of me. So I discourage at least the "Go through" calls.

The team has to take advantage of a turn, and time is running out as soon as it happens. Once again, we rely mainly on the people without the disc to gain an advantage. On a turn, if you are the closest one to the opponents end zone, RUN, SPRINT as fast as you can for that end zone. Don't worry if you don't get the disc because you've opened the field up. Let me give you an example. During another tournament, there was a turn and I believe it was Jay who immediately picked it up. I was the closest to the opponent's end zone so I sprinted for all I was worth to the opposite end zone. I never touched the disc, but I consider the point that followed an assist on my part. You see whenI sprinted for the end zone, three players on the other team panicked and tried to cover me, leaving another player wide open in the other part of the end zone. See how that works, the key is not to wait for the other team to set up their defenses. I am by no means encouraging the thrower to panic, in fact the thrower should relax at this point. It's everyone else on the team without the disc that should be moving into position as fast as they can.

Give and Gos

I would like to believe that I am the expert on Give and Gos, and I'm sure that I know enough about the game to give some advice on them. But the truth is: Evan is far better than anyone else at the give and go so for the moment I turn things over to him: "Basically with a give and go, the person who makes the throw must initiate it. As you make the initial pass, you must already be pushing off your pivot foot and be on the move. If you are making a pass to the forced side, you already have the advantage because you are stepping, and running, between your defender and to where you are throwing it. Thus, you have the advantage and must continue the cut and keep your defender onthe outside using your body. Then you make your cut straight up the field, if it isn't there cut to the forced sideline which, if not clogged, should be open because your defender is a step behind. My mother is such a whore." Whoa, better stop him there; he was getting a little bit off topic. Evan has accidentally given away the secret to give and gos: NO HESITATION. As soon as you throw the disc you need to making that "Give and Go" cut. In fact, if possible try and spot the "give and go" cut before you actually make the throw.

The Dump Throw

Before I go back to my thesis writing I just want to comment on the dump throw. I know these indoor practices simply aren't the same as playing a real game, but I still feel we don't make enough dump throws. And they're important. If the stall is to a count of ten, you should be looking for a dump anytime you hear a number higher than five. Perhaps the greatest thing about being "the dump" cut is that you don't have to move. It is extremely hard for a defender to cover a dump, so use it if you can't see anything else.

Let me leave you with this example. I try to avoid tooting my own horn but my talents on the Frisbee field are banging your mom and defense. Over the summer I banged your mom a lot, but I also played a lot of Frisbee. During one of the games I got to cover one player who was so injured he literally could not run. He became the "permanent dump." I swear to god I simply could not cover him. If I blocked him on one side of the field he simply walked the other way. The advantage to throwing to the dump is a defender can only cover so many sides. Therefore a thrower doesn't need to throw to a break-side because there is no break side on a dump. Just keep that in mind.

Well, that's it for now, just remember I spent all summer banging your mom. Sean

9-Jan-2005, 02:34

For Christmas I believe Maureen received "Ultimate Techniques and Tactics," from her brother. At first I was excited to learn more about the greatest sport in the world, but as I read the book I learned that due to my experience that book has got nothing on me. First, most of the tips seems common sense-a-cal like this one:

Four rules of throwing:

Lead the receiver.
Make the disc catchable. (sidebar: catchable-not a word)
Put a disc where no defender can get it.
Avoid risky throws. ( page 10)

WOW thanks for the tips, and here I was making my throws "un-catchable." The other problem with the book is that even when it tries to discuss something more complicated than the useful "rules of throwing," it leaves me scratching my head. And rest assured I am a moron, but I did manage to get into Union College on my own merits. Case in point: "The Clam defense." I figured this was where the book might be useful since I was unfamiliar with how exactly the clam worked, and it might be a useful defense against certain teams. See if you can follow this: "The simplest form is the two-man clam, in which two defenders split side-to-side or front to back responsibilities for two defenders. For example, if two cutters are at the back of the end zone in a goal line defense, both defenders would be ahead of the front cutter, one on either side. The only cutting options are at an angle back to the disc on either side of the field so when one of the cutters commits the defender on that side goes with him while the other defender claims the remaining cutter, repositioning herself (to add more confusion male gender voice is used to refer to players on offense, female gender voice is used to refer to players on defense) if necessary to take into account the force." (125) AM I just dense? Not only is that confusing but it doesn't really mention what to do about the OTHER five MALES on the field or are we only concerned about these two alpha males?

Lastly, I might forgive this book on techniques and tactics if it had a chapter, nay anything about Momma Jokes. But No, the book is momma joke free. Although maybe it's better that way, since I suspect the chapter about momma jokes would go something like this:

Four rules of Momma Joking:

Make sure to insult the receivers momma, not someone else's momma, that's just silly.
Make sure the joke is "hearable."
Make a funny momma's joke.
Avoid insulting your own mother.

Well so far I've accomplished two things, showing you how stupid the book is and how stupid I am by comparison. That wasn't my intention, what I wanted to do was to offer my advice on playing, in the hopes that I can improve the team in my small way. Do not worry whether you read them or not because I'm still going to write them.

Now I can give you lots of advice about where you should be looking in all different situations (in fact I will in just a minute) but the most important thing I would like you to learn from this tip is not necessarily WHERE you are looking, but that you should always be AWARE of where you are looking. Looking is everything in Frisbee, that's why we have "UP" calls, there are offensive moves based on looking (the 747 fake), so you should constantly be aware of where everyone (including yourself) is looking

First let's start with defense. If the other team is in a stack formation, things are pretty simple look at the man you're marking. It is not, in any way, advantageous to look at the thrower, if you're looking at the thrower that usually means you're trying to poach and your man is wide open. Also, focus directly on their hips. If you're marking Evan and you're looking at his sexy legs or beautiful eyes, he will fake you out so hard your head will spin. But as long as you focus on his hips he'll only be able to shake you with his famous pelvic thrusts.

The sacrifice you make when focusing on the players hips is you're more vulnerable to a "sneak catch." To solve this problem we have UP calls. Everyone can and should make up calls all the time but as the marker of the disc, it is your responsibility to do it, in other words the marker is the only one who HAS too. When you hear an UP call, that doesn't mean you should necessarily look up right away. This is especially important when you're marking the deep cut. Remember, every time you look over your shoulder you automatically lose half-a-step. Sometimes it's much more effective to be right on top of your man, than to actually see the disc.

The Zone defense is a little more complicated, especially since I'm going to go out on a limb here. The cup is pretty easy, everyone in the cup is watching the thrower, try to predict the throw, but DON'T cheat. Cheating in the cup is when the cup tries to stop the next throw instead of holding formation. Any good team will destroy a cup as soon as it starts to "cheat." Other than the cup, the only other position that needs to be watching the thrower is the deep. (This is where I differ in strategy from most people) The deep isn't watching the thrower so much as facing the thrower, since it's far more important for the deep to just be aware of what's going on on the field. The side mids should have their backs to their respective sideline, slanted slightly in the opposite direction of the thrower. The reason for this is so they can focus the majority of their attention on preventing cuts on their side. Facing the thrower is not advantageous since the cup is worrying about the thrower and by watching the thrower you make it easier for a cutter to fake you out. The mid-mid should have his back to the throwers (there is an exception to this which I'll get to in a minute.) Why? Just like the side mids it is not advantageous for the mid-mid to be looking at the throwers. He or she needs to be aware of the cuts being made in the middle. The only exception to this is if the mid-mid is acting like the "fourth" man in the cup, then he or she should obviously be facing the thrower.

On offense things are a little easier. When you have the disc practice the "no-look" throw. By that I do not mean close your eyes and try and throw. But try not to "telegram" your throw. Instead spot the throw, throw a fake in another direction, and then throw the disc to the cutter.

Let me share something that might help you all out on offense. I love sunny Frisbee days. Not because that's good weather to play in, but I get to where my yellow hat and sunglasses. This gives me a "poker face" on offense. If you've ever seen the world championship poker tournaments, you'll notice that most of the pros are wearing sunglasses. Contrary to popular belief this is not to hide their emotions, but are much more to hide when they are looking or studying another player. I use this poker face technique to make cuts. When I have the sunglasses on my defender can't tell where I'm looking, which makes it easy to fake him out. One of my favorite cuts is to pretend that I'm really tired and out of breath, my defender looks away for a second because he thinks I'm not a threat and when he turns back, I'm gone. The moral of the story is when on offense watch your defender. If your defender EVER tries to sneak a glance over his or her shoulder at the thrower, if your defender gets distracted by an up call, or if you defender puts his back to you, that is when you have to capitalize on his mistake and cut because you will automatically have a few steps advantage.

Well that's all for now, just remember always be AWARE of WHERE you are looking in Ultimate. And your mom is a whore.

7-Nov-2004, 22:44

Dear ECP,

I am not a particularly articulate person, and the little articulation I do have completely crumbles when speaking in front of a group of people, even a group of people so close to me as the Frisbee team. That is why I offer you this letter as sort of an introduction to spirit night (Monday night, 66 Union Ave) since I am a far better writer than I am a speaker.

First and foremost, I believe I speak for all the returners when I express how proud I am of the freshmen. Not only have you improved your games, throwing ability, and endurance through hard work and motivation, but you have also shown respect to the returners throughout the year. On a team without a coach, this respect does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Every freshmen, and I mean every freshmen, has improved their games enough to have a shot at the A-team (as long as you continue to work).

Secondly, and I think this is said less often, I think I speak for everyone when I express how proud I am of the returners as well. Although I might criticize some for their lack of attendance to practice (you know who you are) I cannot ignore the significant contributions that every returner has made. Every single returner has stepped up at some point this semester to assume a role of leadership, teaching, or spirit. At the beginning of this year, every returner had adequate skills, but everyone has worked on their ability to the point where we dominate tournaments (even win some). This is the sign of a championship team.

With that out of the way, I can discuss what I'd really like to write about: the future of this team. Due to the nature of the sport, there is always a tension between competition and fun. They do not necessarily have to be at odds with one another, but in Frisbee or at least Union Frisbee there usually is a battle between the two. I would like to avoid that battle this year.

As a general rule it seems the more senior a player the more likely they are to support competition and suggest the fun will start later. This intuitively makes sense. The seniors have played for four years and add the fact that seniors are usually too busy to take on another extra-curricular activity, perhaps they feel it is their due that things are taken seriously. Freshmen, with more free time for activities and another four years ahead of them, are less likely to see it as a "college varsity sport." (HAHAHAHAHA)

I would have to say, that because of my history, I am the closest thing this team will get to a senior hybrid of these two battling philosophies. I am one of the only returners and the only member of the core to have not played all four years. During my freshmen year I was frustrated with how competitive the seniors were and quit after the team decided to start taking attendance at practices (Do not worry if this is ever suggested I will shoot it down passionately). Now however, Frisbee is far more important to me. When I wake up in the morning I am thinking about nutrition for Frisbee practice, during the afternoon I'm getting pumped for practice, and when I go to sleep I thinking about what I can do to improve my game. I hope but do not insist that other players feel the same way I do. On the contrary, Frisbee's very nature is "hippy" so I do sincerely hope that everyone has fun doing it.

So where should the team stand on this issue? The truth is I should not decide this alone. To some extent it comes down to an individual choice. But I think we should all be somewhat on the same page. This will make it better for everybody no matter which side of the fence you're on. The most important thing is to be honest, then and only then can we agree on where the team stands.

I feel that it must be pointed out that we have the most competitive overall team, that this is also the most competitive overall freshmen turnout, and that this is the closest (we're so close we've become "incestual") team I have ever seen here at my four years at Union. So below this letter are my suggestions for the winter term. Read them if you'd like to take things seriously, if not then I hope you continue to have fun playing Frisbee. STAY! WE LOVE YOU.

Whatever direction we decide to take the team, I think it is vitally important to understand that Ultimate Frisbee is a family. We have what every normal family has: a father (Erik), a mother (Ann-Marie), a grandmother (Siona (two words: culinary skills)), a grandfather (Evan: a grandfather that is more athletic than anyone else in the family), an alcoholic philosopher uncle (1.2), a pet (panda) and a pirate (CHAR!). What I am most proud of is not the 19-5 record, or the double callahans, or the freshmen and returners improvement; I am most proud of how supportive and spirited our team has become. I cannot speak for the returners on this matter, but I encourage all the freshmen to look on the returners as older brothers (or sisters) that extend beyond Frisbee. (Come on over for Monday night meat, we'd love to have you). Although there are disputes, arguments, disagreements, misunderstandings, and mistakes, at the end of the day we all still get together and love my mom.

So remember: Bush has been re-elected and your mom is a whore, therefore there is no God, only Frisbee.

I think most freshmen find winter term to be disappointing. Unfortunately because of gym availability, we usually only get one practice a week during the winter term. There is talk this year of perhaps getting two practices a week, but this is still not enough on its own. Therefore it is important for everyone to get exercise on an individual basis.

I promise we will get you in shape for sectionals, but this means we'll be working you very hard for about three weeks at the beginning of the spring term. If one hasn't been getting regular exercise before then, this is not only a bad way to get in shape, but it can also be unsafe. Some people will be fine, but most people's bodies can not take the drastic increase in exercise and the bodies respond with pulled muscles or stress fractures. So there is plenty of time, starting now, to get in shape and there is no need to push your body too hard. As long as one gets regular exercise for the next fifteen weeks, the team should be in good shape for spring term. For those of you who are injured, this is a perfect time to heal. If you aren't getting any exercise, I still encourage everybody to regularly stretch and eat healthy.

There are plenty of options. First, I encourage people to use this email list as a means of gathering people together. Erik, myself, and most Frisbee players enjoy racquetball during the winter because it is the closest physically to the sport of Frisbee and is very cheap. Although it is not very similar to Frisbee, I also encourage swimming mainly because there is an extremely low risk of getting injured. I promote weight-lifting, but recommend you stick to low-weight high repetition lifting because it makes your muscles strong without the bulkiness (it is not advantageous for a Frisbee player to be bulky). If you have any questions about lifting, I used to be a religious gym-rat. Although "any exercise is better than no exercise" I have to point out that skiing doesn't quite cut it. Even though Skiing does work the muscles we usually develop with ply metrics, it is too dissimilar from Frisbee to qualify it as "training for Frisbee." Lastly, since we have so little practice during the winter term, I ask that you make every effort to make it to each and every one of the winter practices. I know with a college schedule this is hard, but the effort will not go unnoticed.

Have a great winter break and awesome winter term. Keep in touch.