Arrive first and leave last...Finals Week 2 Review!

Firstly I’d just like to throw it out there and say that my predictions couldn’t have been any more wrong.  But I don’t think many predicted the one sided outcomes of this week. 

First big news is that Black Magic suffered their first loss of the season!  The Gold Diggers took it to the Magic, with some great throws from Stretch Armstrong Dehollander and a couple of sweet grabs from Stoffels.  The turning point(s) in the game was every time that the Magic opted to throw to their star receiver James Queef, who just couldn’t seem to get the hands going.  I’m told of the 100+ throws (possible exaggeration) that went to Weise, he only managed to get his hands on one…..and still dropped it.  Well played from the Gold Diggers, who despite being only able to go for the minor placings now managed a spirited effort overall!

I’m also told that Finny, perennial throw-away-erer for the The Amazing Technicolour Dream Discs sat out the games this week to better prepare his team for next week.  For those of you following at home, Finny is away next Wednesday…..interesting strategy there everyone, we’ll see if it pays off.  With Sean ‘Bevington’ Beveridge sure to fill in as the primary handler, was good to see him make some excellent decisions.  Not sure what the scores were, but I’m sure fun was the real winner.

Now on to the elimination finals!  Game 1 saw the The Highlanders take on the Green Goblins and Game 2 saw Mite-y Discs vs 100 Shades of Grey.

Game 1: The Highlanders vs Green Goblins

With some mixed fortunes last week, this game was sure to be a close contest and in some ways it provided this.  The Goblins exploded out of the gates, taking a commanding early lead and the half 7-2.  As ever, the Goblins had a well constructed offensive line and gave nothing to the Highlanders early.  After half time, the complexion of this game changed completely with the Highlanders producing a strong comeback to bring the game to 9-6 at one point.  I warned the Goblins that Cade would be a force on offence, and his quick give and go offence proved to be the spark the Highlanders needed.  With some quick girls and the two Robs causing problems, this is how they should have attacked from the start.  However, execution let the Highlanders down at some points, with the disc going to ground near the endzone too many times.  The Goblins through defensive confidence and some great throws managed to pull ahead once again.  It seems the Goblins structure was just too much for the Highlanders to contain.  Special mention for the Goblins goes to Matt McIntosh who scored about 100 and Leo BUD for being a great guy.  Special mention also goes to Liss, for once again getting injured.  

Final Score: Green Goblins keep up their good form and bring the Highlanders down, 13-9.

Game 2: Mite-y Discs vs 100 Shades of Grey

I’ve been wrong plenty of times…..not that I ever like to admit it.  But this game I honestly didn’t expect what happened at all.  With the Mite-y Discs looking to bounce back after a pretty heavy defeat last week and the welcome return of Dr Pete, the last-placed 100 Shades of Grey had their work cut out.  The Shades won the flip and took the pull, and to be honest never really looked back.  Mite-y Discs started well, with Mattie Hamilton working some great combinations with his handlers.  Unfortunately, tonight just wasn’t the night of the Mite-y’s. 100 Shades lead by their 8 foot Captain Duncan controlled the disc, set up a great defensive structure and executed most of their plays.  I predicted that the 1% plays would be the difference here, and they were.  100 Shades just wanted it that little bit more, and stuck to their plans very well.  Special mention for the Shades goes to Lena for taking an amazing catch to score and Rob Luke for being a dominant force in the end zone.  100 Shades played probably their most complete game of the season, with a great whole team performance.  Shout out to Scott Hamilton for being the better looking of the Hamilton brothers.  

Final Score: With the hammer out in force, 100 Shades of Grey took the victory 13-3.

With semi-finals next week, make sure you’re down supporting your favourite team that wears a grey shirt!  Also, there will be games next week for every team as the battle for the wooden spoon still rages on.  Until next week, I’ll leave you with a quote that I apparently said a couple of years ago…

“The best Ultimate player is not the fastest, fittest, strongest nor tallest. The best ultimate players are the ones who are the smartest. The player with the best strategies, mental attitude, motivation, awareness and overall knowledge of the game, are the ones who make it the furthest. For ultimate is all about being in the right place at the right time, so practice your throws and catches, but always be aware of the mental side of the game. Like in all games, the most successful players are the ones who arrive first, and leave last.”

So if you get there early and leave late you’re sure to win! Villain out.

Semester 1 2012 Team Previews

So begins the excessively delayed blog posting for Semester 1 2012 league!!!

We are now 4 matches into our 9 match round robin season. With only 2 teams left undefeated the league is still very close!

For this week I will do a team overview plus my predictions on where each team will finish.
Hopefully this will help get our current tipsters up to date on who are the teams to tip and the teams to trash.


Pink Stink (Pink) - current record 4 wins 0 losses

Rob Dehollander's rookie year as captain is proving to be a successful one so far. With the help of Townsville leader Chris Ende, star recruit Bobby Jackson plus some fresh new lady talent Pink Stink are setting the benchmark for the league. Needless to say, there will be many puns made about their 'creative' team name!

My Prediction - Pink Stink to go all the way and take out the league.


We Tie You Die (Rainbow Tie Dye)- current record 3 wins 1 draw

Led by Finny, We Tie You Die is easily the most sexually appealing team in the league, looking stunning in rainbow tie-dye. We Tie You Die recruited strongly this season picking up stars in the way of Liss Bowden and Etienne 'ET' Hine plus getting some athletic new recruits. In regular Finny tradition you would be very likely to see copious amounts of alcohol around his team.

My Prediction - Undecided. Either will make it to the finals or more likely take it easy around 5th place due to prior drinking commitments.


Red Imperium (Red) - current record 3 wins 1 loss

The tag team action on Mattie Hamilton and Sean 'Bevo' Beveridge is once again a big player in the league. He has lost Dave DeHollander from his leadership team from last season but picked up American dynamo Tyler Wright and star part timer Peter Roach. Known for spoiling his team with disgustingly delicious ice cream cake at the end of the year. I want some already!!!

My Prediction - A solid consistent team I see finishing 3rd.


Black Mambas (Black) - current record 3 wins 1 loss

James David running around in his signature tight blacks is always an amazing sight to see! A barrage of new and old faces in the tight blacks leave these guys with an X factor that teams have always underestimated. The little Frenchman Tom Felix will provide James with leadership support and Rowan Hall offers freakish pace and a pretty little morph suit.

My Prediction - Dropping off at the end of the year to finish 4th.


Tea Cup Pigs (Yellow) - current record 2 wins 1 loss 1 draw

Ashley O'Sullivan's Tea Cup Pigs follow in the regular tradition of being a run and gun team that loves to go deep! With the ever improving sticky handed Damien Baillie headlining the attack you know that this will be a team to compete. If your eyes don't work well with fluro yellow I would suggest avoiding this team!

My Prediction - Safe in the middle of the pack. 6th place.


Blue Blizzard (Blue) - current record 2 wins 2 losses

Captain team of Timmy Roland and Ryan Miller have banded together this year to pull together a motly crew of new and old players. Started the season off strongly with american recruit Will & superstar lady Sanne and further bolstered their ranks last week with the pick up of Mike 'The General' Larson.

My Prediction - With the pick up of Mike I see these guys making the final but falling short. 2nd.


More Smarter Than You (Orange) - current record 1 win 3 losses

Zane Quinn has pulled together a group of 'intellectuals' to attempt to teach the frisbee community that brains is better then rugged good looks and sex appeal (not that they lack that either)! With Zane's pinpoint backhand hucks and leadership abilities and Mark Genge & Johannes Hammer-Li running all over the park one could be disappointed with their start so far. These guys are a dangerous team!

My Prediction - With a slow start to the season I can see them taking 7th place


Sky High (Green) - current record 1 win 3 losses

The towering giant Duncan Webley runs Sky High with a giant iron fist. Dispatching his troops over the park with a point of his mighty hand. With the exceptional generals Godfrey & Rob Davies he is very well supported. Be wary of the times when you see Duncan tearing down the field, you will understand why the team is called Sky High.

My Prediction - Due to captains working commitments at times I forsee a 8th place finish.


White Lightning (White) - current record 0 wins 4 losses

Our only American leader for the semester, Cody Wolfe, has struggled thus far. Can see the improvements going as the weeks progress and will expect to see them keep improving! The Townsville talent of Creigan ' Gibbo' Gibson & Rob Edmond are passing on their experience to the rest of the team. Expect to see them rack up their first win very soon!

My Prediction - Having a grand old time for the semester will see them ease into 9th place.


Zulu Zebras (Black & White Stripes) - current record 0 wins 4 losses

The tag team of Dee Finn & Carlos Castro have banded together to pull together a group of striped warriors to battle their way through the weeks of league. I only have one thing to say about this team. RAY BRIGADE. He is part man, part machine and pure awesome.

My Prediction - Dee is still learning the way of the Finn. Unfortunately due to this this they will take home the spoon.


That concludes my small novel for the team previews. Stay tuned for the draw and the start of the tipping competition on Monday and then results and power rankings later in the week!

As always lots of love and just keep throwing!

Sparkles

A take on the teams of Semester 1, 2011 - The top 4!

Tytans - Captain: Dave Dehollander

It seems Dave is keen to steer clear of the bottom of the ladder this time around. This team is fast and plays hard all game. They've got Carlos and Dave creating some good movement and both of them turning on a dime the whole game and being a handful. They've got "Springs" (Justin) downfield to provide some ridiculously high endzone grabs. But what else is it that's allowing them to tear apart other teams? Can they be that good? Can even the Red Tide stop them? Or is it just that virgin Tie Dye teams are gifted flawless seasons by the frisbee Gods ala The Tie Dye Hards last semester. Hopefully their good form continues and if so we might see them through to a strong grand final against another tough team.

Hyper-Masculine Feminists (HMF) - Mike Larson

Currently ranked second on the ladder after only dropping points in a tie. Starting with one of the fullest teams they've only expanded after picking up EVERY new player coming down to league (not a fact at all) and bringing along every brand spanking new frisbee-virginesque "recruit" most definitely in inverted commas (see def. 2). There's no reason this team should be even close to the top except for the fact they've got Ray Brigade cutting sick and tearing shit up, but well done that they are. A string of coincidental match-ups may be at work, getting to play strong teams when their strongest player were absent, or it could just be Mike's PMMT's (Psychological Mind Manipulation Tricks - search it on here) at work again. Lairies had them with their tail between their legs in a short game but the game was called to an abrupt stop after a solid comeback by HMF with the game ending in a tie. But good luck to them anyway when they face the variety of teams in the league, it will hopefully make for some interesting and tight matches. But for now, it is time for another team to get a stop and tear down their "SHE-MAN EQUALITY" placards they keep bringing down to the fields. Definitely not the underdogs nor the crowd favourites as Red team never is (at least according to the captain in his intro speeches). Some Presidential favour may swing their way during the spectating of the grand final if they're second to pay their league fees after the Canaries (remember...2nd for this one, not first) and with the last two club presidents on the team, they're probably the team to make that happen if not an almost flawless league championship win as well.

Green Machine - Duncan Webley

The Big Man, Dee-Dub. Reigning down terror upon his opponents and his teammates alike! Salski's there to add a jovial touch to the sometimes scary and sometimes surprisingly friendly Dee-Dub demeanor. Whatever it is is working. The green team is gelling now and it won't be hard to imagine them making it some way into the finals. It's still a mystery what's getting them through the season at such a rate. Surely it's not the big man on his lonesome, handling? With half his throws heading straight to the ground in the trademark Duncan way and the other half packing heat that only a few hands can contain this does not sound like the usual recipe for success. Deanna Finn is present I hear. As is the puppy dog like Frenchie Tom. Not a huge team on paper or by means of number of players, this only means they've got more to gain come finals.

Black Panthers - Criegan "Gibbo" Gibson

Boasting the most subs in first week, this team is still a stronghold for full game pressure and tiresome offense. With C-dog's first stint as captain he's lucky to have some heavy ground support. This team has some fast and experienced players. It's boasting the official female fastest woman of Townsville Sarah, as well as the official top two fastest males, James and Peter. That speed is definitely being utilised by Peter whose quick acceleration can be hard to mark and whose mother can actually run faster than all of you out there, leaving you with no hope on the man himself. James' absence at the start hasn't been a hinderance as they're still sitting high on the table. Unfortunately Peter will be taking off for placement in a few weeks and this will provide a sniff of hope for other teams, but only a sniff...his mother is not allowed to replace him.

Well there it is, the teams of Semester 1, 2011. Hopefully it solidifies a few things and makes it clear what moulds need to be broken in the following weeks to advance successfully. The team unity should now be strengthening as the semester draws nearer to a close and the finals approach. The moment in time for leaving anything in the tank has passed and it is all or nothing on the fields now to get your team to the top of those rankings. This isn't life, or your girlfriend...excuses are not an option between the hours of 7 - 9:00 on a Wednesday.

Not long to go, bring your legs and your guts Wednesday night.

Good luck to all the teams and may they continue to enjoy the successful league that we have this semester.

A take on the teams of Semester 1, 2011 - The bottom 6.

With such a large league happening, it's hard to know who's who and what teams to watch out for. Here's one such take on things with a not too serious edge to things and a lot of bullshit.

Lairy Canaries - Captain: Hugh Osborn

The Lairies are struggling with their identity after failing to realise earlier on what other words "Lairy" rhymed with. Those taunts have stung hard. Another one of the small teams in the league, having only ever had a grand total of 8 players. Fortunately they are the fittest, fastest, baddest 8 people ever to rock a tight-fitting yellow t-shirt. The group contains a complete handful of new players with a mixture of the best brand new "Townsville-based" recruits and the best of what's on offer from the US of A this semester. Two-game nights will make it tough for them to get back up the ladder but last week they managed a win with 6 players, so anything's possible for them.

Ginger Ninjas - Ashley O'Sullivan

Coping with things as any group of Rangas could only hope to do. The Gingers are playing well as a team, possibly better than expected and have had a lot of good upbeat games so far regardless of outcome. This should lead to a strong finish of the season. An injury to Ashley a couple of weeks back was a setback but nowhere near as much as it could have been. Coffee cups with their own names on each could be the key to seeing some more wins this season. No soul sucking though please.

White Savages - Tim Roland

The roster has finally settled after losing their original leader Bobby to an overseas trips. They've picked up the best potential players of the semester in visitors and the Townsville locals alike having gained Owen off the HMF and Damon "Rookie of the Season" Scott from the Canaries early on. Tim the idiot is typically busted up having dropped a full 50kg keg of beer on his big toe at the start of the season putting him out for weeks, and now apparently he's got a bung ankle after dirty tactics from Red team which they call the "Schmankle" or smashed ankle offensive. The leadership is spread three ways but without egos in these position that should be a great thing for them. Some more time is required to pool their collective know-how on captaining and playing ultimate and this will end up leading their team to get them some more wins. If they support each other in the manor of Tie Dye's last semester then they could probably come through as a more dominant team. This team could go feral or could bring down a Sabretooth. The passage of time will tell.

Albino Rhinos - Chris Ende

Not much is known of this rare Rhino. Apparently it lacks pigment which expresses the underlying skin as a kind of salmon pink colour that Chris finds to be a turn-on when worn on guys. Captain Chris Ende. Rampant. Raw. Viscous. Those are the words I would use to describe his frisbee. RRV is the acronym for that. The same sound as the Albino Rhino is rumoured to make during mating. It's actually quite a high-pitched sound and is often mistaken for the call of a bird. Birds. Their shadows during the day make me think someone's thrown a frisbee over my head that I need to try and catch.

Tie Dye Another Day - Matt "Finny" Finn

Finny. Struggling to get the wins he had last year. Has a lot of up-and-coming handler types on the team but it just doesn't seem to match it against the teams in the league this semester. Perhaps more patience with the disc will prevent the fat lazy handler stereotypes from having to play the much dreaded defense? Patience with the disc and some more team building exercises might be the only way to get these guys some more wins - perhaps some trust exercises or a boozy weekend away up in Cairns? Get the disc away from Finny's hands and put that lanky freak in the endzone already. Put trust in God's Hand-lers.

Disc Jockeys - Matty Hamilton

Not jockeying with much down at the bottom, perhaps only the Tie Dyes. This team are keeping their heads held as high as possible after discovering early on that Matty H's 5-foot nothing was the team's tall timber! What a shock. Promises of some support in the way of pick-ups has been thrown out the window by the leadership and the pick-ups showing up and they're gonna have to hang tough and pull through it without. Mixing things up on defense and offense and doing some experimenting might be a lot of fun. Might not help. But fun and new could be winners! They did manage their first win the other week against the Ginger Kids. Well done to them, they can keep their pants on!

Tomorrow will follow the top four teams spiel-ly goodness...