Attitude Reflects Leadership: Grand Final and Finals Week 4 Preview!

Welcome to the final of week of Ultimate for Semester 2, 2012!  By the end of Wednesday night, we will know the team that can claim bragging rights as Champions and of course all the other positions as well.  Our Grand Final sees two surprising contenders, but I’ll come back to that.  First we’ll preview the other 3 games happening Wednesday night.

Wooden Spoon: Mite-y Discs vs The Highlanders

Let’s be honest, no one really wants to win the wooden spoon.  I really wouldn’t even call it ‘winning’ anything…but one of these two teams will have the honour of taking home this coveted prize.  Both teams were Top 4 contenders coming in to the finals, but have had a tough finals series.  Interesting strategy last week from the Mite-y’s, giving themselves a bye week to better prepare for this game.  Mite-y Discs strength is their speed and familiarity with each others games.  Look for Captain Mattie Hamilton to fight until the end to avoid with his ridiculously low centre of gravity.  For the Highlanders and their superior height, it’ll be about exposing the Mite-y’s in the aerial contest.  Professional holidayer Rob Davies needs to get his hands on the disc more in attack. This will be a fun game I’m sure, with lots of turnovers, plenty of throw-aways in a deserving wooden spoon battle.

Prediction: Honestly I’ve picked Highlanders enough times and they’ve lost every single one, so I’m picking the Mite-y Discs because I like Mattie better.  Let’s say, 13-11.  

5^th and 6^th: Gold Diggers vs More Smarter Than You

Last week’s games saw MSTY take out the Highlanders in an epic contest, while the Gold Diggers spent a couple of hours playing with their own discs.  The question here is which one of these preparations will prove to be the best?  Rob Dehollander is an expert 5^th vs 6^th captain, leading his team to 5^th last semester (surprisingly enough beating a team in yellow).  MSTY showed last week that even without Zane they still have the offensive and defensive skills to take down the best teams.  While still being a fun contest, I think this will be an extremely competitive game.  To be honest I don’t know which way it will go, but the winners of mini-battles between Chris Palazzi vs Kramer and Stretch Armstrong vs Your Heiness (Johannes) will go a long way to deciding the outcome.

Prediction: Battle of the girls here is the big decider, with MSTY having arguably the best female group of the league. But I think the Gold Diggers girls will step up, led by bartender extroardinnaire Ashleigh Gibson, to take the win 13-10.

3^rd and 4^th: Black Magic vs The Amazing Technicolour Dream Discs

I think someone got the numbers wrong, because we find the teams that finished 1^st and 2^nd battling it out for 3^rd and 4^th?  Both teams are coming off heatbreaking losses in the semi finals and will look to rebound in the best way possible; a victory.  Last time these teams met Black Magic got the better of the Dream Discs, switching their defence until the Dream Discs just could not break through.  However the Dream Discs showed they can put in a good fight without their #1 handler.  The return of the Finn’s here makes this an even more exciting match.  Both of these teams move the disc around quickly and have some great aerial talents.  Should be a great game to watch!

Prediction: Black Magic to be too strong, as Gibbo (with or without shoes) helps seal the victory 13-9.

Townsville Ultimate Frisbee Semester 2, 2012: GRAND FINAL

In potentially the most surprising grand final matches I’ve seen in my time, the 6^th placed Green Goblins take on the last placed 100 Shades of Grey for the championship.  In a game that shows finding form at the right end of the semester is what this game is all about, these teams have essentially come from nowhere.  The Goblins have been on somewhat of a run coming into these finals, taking down any team that has stood in their way with consumate ease.  100 Shades however, let’s be honest, weren’t great all season.  They only had the one victory during the regular season, yet have managed to rattle off 3 in a row to make the decider! 

For the Green Goblins, the key is the guy they call Mike.  He’s a perennial finalist and champion, so he knows how to get it done.  Captains Ryan and Liss have done a great job bringing the team together, with some excellent comradery seen throughout the group.  But it takes more than friendship to win the title.  The Goblins need to be at their best in every aspect, and these two captains need to lead from the front with their play and their attitude.

100 Shades of Grey, the surprise packet, are pretty strong all over the park.  Decent handlers, great receivers, excellent girls and a genuine want to win for each other.  This team knows what it feels like to lose and through some great teamwork and quality play have been able to perform at their absolute best for each other.  This same attitude will need to be present here as the 1% plays are what make all the difference in big games.  They’ve got to want it, not just individually, but for their team. 

Prediction: I really don’t like predicting my own games, but I’ll leave it to everyone out there to decide who you think will win Wednesday’s grand final.  I’ve been to a final once before and lost…..I don’t want it to happen again.

See you all on Wednesday!        

Grand Finale: A preview of mayhem

Your favourite Disc Hammering Honeys have been kidnapped by this menacing Villain and you must now pay attention to my words once again! Muhahaha!

LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT I SAY:

Tomorrow night is the Grand Finale to my master plans! I have created a playoff situation in which two of your favourites will be pitted against each other. The outcome will be less than favourable for one of these protagonists. Who will it be, the glowing Green Lantern or the dastardly Dark Matter? Or will I just choose to punish both?

Whatever the outcome I want you to watch (click the link) like these people during my last Grand Finale.

So the Green Lanterns, lead by the capable captain Mike “Orangutanga” Larson, have conquered the insurmountable, creeping their way from the bottom of the ladder during the first half of the season to enter the finals. Helped by the unwavering green light thrown forth by the good strong shoulders of the parkfitters – Ryan, Vega, Mitch, Tara – and a bunch of other athletes.

Dark Matter started the season sucking teams into its void but then continued to shrink in size throughout the semester until only recently. Its strength grew when it finally sucked through nearby stars James David minor one and Deanna Finn supercomplex three into its ranks. They have increased its power and will be at critical mass tomorrow night.

The game I have set forth seeks to challenge both teams by knowing both their strengths and their weaknesses and finding a balance between the two. There will be various means for the complexities that I have created to reveal themselves throughout the game.

Captain Mike Larson has always known what seems to be a winning formula for the Townsville League having won countless grandfinals, in fact almost all Townsville Grand Finals during his short run at the sport. What he doesn’t know is that this fact alone must be counteracted by others. His Achilles heel if you will has been softened in recent games – a Mixed Nats injury evened out by a well placed Dehollander kick last week took some more of the spring from his step, so though fitness is at an all time high for his career, injury concerns may not be wiped from memory before the game begins and this could weaken his on field control. The mere mention of this fact and release of this sensitive information could inspire some added challenges from Dark Matter.

Dark Matter, has a smaller roster of athletic and tall male players. Besides the star of James David, this height has been under-utelised by captain Ash-O. Will throws that force competition in height be unmatchable in this game and can the Achilles heel of Mike be weakened further to prevent aerial dominance by the orangutang cloud? Will it be a good strategy to use now or should it be avoided with a chance of Mike looming.

The Green Lantern army will be running strongly with endzone looks appearing from plenty of athleticism amongst the ranks. They will surely out-endure the smaller roster of Dark Matter but with an army waiting on the sideline will this just mean no player finds their rhythm on the field? Another wildcard I have placed into this game is Peter "soft trigger" Roach. Recently captured unbeknownst to the Green Lanterns, he has been tampered with and his trigger release is softer than ever and will fire unexpectedly, "just touch it, it's really light" he'll say "BAM!". This could be advantageous if it finds Mike in the endzone or could serve Dark Matter up some more chances with the disc. Muhahaha!

Seeds of doubt over his own ability have been planted evilly in Ashley O’Sullivan's mind over the season, but has the team weeded out these seeds with their recent strong wins lead by a team growing in strength with the like of Jason and Damien reaching dominance onfield during their games? The rest of his team has been stepping up to take the wins in recent weeks rather than their primary handler Ash. Should this trend continue or should he attempt to take control again and say to them and himself "I can do this better"? Will there be harmony of thoughts in this team like the calm of a forest of tall eucalypts on a windless day or will the chainsaw of doubt wreak havoc to this tall timber team?

These are just some of the mechanisms at play that I have constructed for tomorrow night’s game. Of course a true villain never reveals all of his secrets, or is that a magician? – YOU will never know!

As a sidegame I have also schemed the implementation in the audience of Fantasy Ultimate, giving each of you on the sideline the false opinion that you have some control over the outcome of the game I have manipulated in so many ways and can help your friends. Surely your screaming and abuse couldn’t possibly assist/hinder the outcome of one team on the field, you don’t have that power? For this game I have designated winners who I have pre-set to score the most fantasy points and those I have destined for failure.

For the female to score highest in the dreams of the sideline I have programmed Deanna Finn to tally the most points in a man offense situation. Limited mistakes and a majority of goals, she will be required to play hard to see the victory for Dark Matter take place. Her overall score will be 5 points. Mike Larson has been selected from the opposing team. His successful strategy in the Townsville league places full control of his side in his own hands. Goal throws will only come from him and cuts will be controlled by his magical directions...or so he thinks? Can the fantasy player who selects him copy his talent and seamlessly argue his errors away and attribute any mistakes to his receivers? If so his score will be high, points will come from throwing most of the goals on his team's way to grabbing a 13 - 9 victory with a few sneaking in there from his own grabs in the endzone thrown from Peter. Predictions are ranked as 8 points if his Achilles heel doesn’t weaken, but who says it won’t?

The lowest scorer on the fantasy scale has been given to the recently self-deprecating Ashley O’Sullivan. Can his teammates raise him up in time? Has his own pre-finals psyche-up of looking at pictures of Hugh playing Ultimate from facebook assisted in keeping him from being shut out of the game this week? If morale is low come the night, expect to see him somehow attribute errors on the receiver's end back to his own fantasy score and watch it drop. His throw hit you in the chest once more but you dropped it? Not your fault! Be a team player and pretend it was your asthma kicking in and your mind playing tricks on you and blame it on the thrower! If confidence is lacking he'll take the fall for this too! If he Ashley can wipe fault from his mind, expect to see a similar high score to Mike's from lots of great completions to the endzone and his tall receivers and safe hands moving the disc upfield. It'll either be negative 11 or plus 6.

The loser of this playoff situation will meet a gruesome and entertaining end. Be there to watch.

Oh and by the way, I will release the Disc Hammering Honeys from captivity under 3 strict criteria, if these are not met they will face their doom:

a: The release of the results of last week's games.

b: Their preview of the finals and the remaining 3 placing games whose match-ups are not yet known to me. But only if these details are released in the next 12 hours.

c: Everyone must attend the barbecuing of those who have not attended in the last 2 weeks (they've been in the meat freezer). There will be a feast. And I want you there while you watch the sick ending I have in store for your protagonists.