More and less than you think,
comes the reply.
Everything and nothing all at once. Neither the end-all nor the be-all though at times it is either and both.
"If one chooses to look upon Go as valueless, then absolutely valueless it is; and if one chooses to look upon it as a thing of value, then a thing of absolute value it is."
But what kind of value?
Today it is the game, the practice, the preparation. The culture, the people, the self-expression.
The self-expression. There is something here. Must investigate further.
An urge to self-expression defines the way each of us plays the games and plays the games within the game as well as the game containing the games. Each decision we make has consequences in ultimate. On and off the field, we craft our "ultimate" selves. We create ourselves in this sport. We build on our workouts, our relationships, our experiences to become who we want to be as athletes, as teammates and as people.
Eventually, what we build grows into our daily lives. Often becoming more like the "ultimate" version of our selves in the regular part of our lives, sometimes the other way 'round. But for a short time in our lives, we push up to the spaces, the freedom of self-definition. Press toward a fuller knowledge of self before the door closes. Before the body gives in and the mind seeks new challenges.
We express ourselves through ultimate. Not just with throws and cuts and d and effort, but in the way we comport ourselves. The way we deal with our teammates and opponents and all others.
To (over?)simplify:
Ultimate is a paint by numbers challenge. Given 70x40+25x40 and an infinite number of options, what will you show us of yourself?
Friday, May 30
what is ultimate?
Tuesday, May 20
some posts
Are really simple and still get the point across.
I hope that this is one of them.
Thursday, May 8
Austin
hmmm... barbecue...
The weekend had ups and downs in Austin. It was hot, we folded in some games, and yet fought through bad ultimate in other games to keep it close.
This early season has been quite the experience for me as a captain. I'm learning more about what I need to work on to be a great captain, but I'm not there yet. I'm learning more and more about my teammates, which is awesome, but now it is time to start putting some things together instead of just getting experiences together.
It will be quite the interesting season, and the reminders of seeing Goat, Bravo and Doublewide's varying styles of ultimate, it left me with a lot of thinking to do about what Pike's style will be this season and in the future. So many different paths to success to consider and reconsider. Once we figure out which blocks we have, we'll determine what kind of castle to build.
Nothing is set yet, but I'm starting to fill in the blanks with this team, and I'm loving what I'm seeing.
Wednesday, May 7
would the game change
if the nba instituted a monetary fine
for every player over a number X of fouls over the regular season(based on a percentage of season played and increasing in size of fine as he number of fouls increases)/a post season series?
What would happen if the rate was variable based on the threshold established the year before? If you always tried to fine 50% of the players what would happen? If you always tried to fine 1%? 75%? 99%?
These are the strange sports questions that keep me up at night.
--
Pikes x and y when to the Beth Coltman Memorial. One of us got to the finals, the other didn't. Got to see lots of guys and how they've progressed since last year (both new players and players who were on Pike in the past).
It'll be a fun fun season, I think.
---
How are the Hawks doing this? Or rather the Celtics not doing it? OR both? Josh Smith scares me (as a small man). KG in a different way... KG shames your manhood. Josh shames your athleticism.
---
There is a way to play ultimate that while you don't create contact, you don't allow contact. You apply force, but not outside the balance of your body. If you play this way, you're always ready. Balanced. Aggressive. Reading the field.
---
KG does these things on a different level. He just dunked all over someone from about 11 feet up off of the ground with a guy banging into him. And now they're showing old clips of The Human Highlight Reel. Oh man. Just... I remember watching him when I was a little kid from time to time and he was just destroying everyone in his path. And I've watched tapes since then... He's *A Terrifying Athlete.*
---
I got skied the other day by Joe Smash. This is not a surprise. Nor has it been a surprise when the other various 6'3"-6'6" range guys who are just tall and fast have skied me.
---
Some guys like me still play ultimate at the top levels. Some of them are really good. If Josh Smith or Kevin Garnett wandered onto any ultimate field that I've ever seen, He would be "Sir" to every single player there. At least until one of the little guys like me stood up to him and got thrown ten feet away with a light shove at practice and everyone would understand that that guy's The Man here.
---
I mean they're not scary as people, or walking down the street because there's no reason for him to be. But competing with one of these guys for a basketball? For a disc that we're running around after?
---
Hell Luke Walton Really Scares Me as an opponent. He's got a Grateful Dead Tattoo and you could picture him hanging out all of his life either stoned or in an environment in which acting like you are stoned is normal behavior. He could have ended up playing ultimate if his dad wasn't Bill Walton. You know? He's 6'10" and Unbelievably Faster and Stronger than me.
Paul Shirley might scare me as an opponent. I haven't actually seen him play, but I can't imagine that he's doing so much that someone couldn't recruit him for an ultimate team. He could write about it. I think I may have sent him an email about this. I wonder if I did or just wrote a draft and deleted it?
---
How can I be aggressive and read the field? What can I see when I look at the field, what can I see develop before it happens? How can I get to where I'll need to be? How can I anticipate the fouls so that I'm balanced and strong enough to push through? That's How I try to Protect myself when I play. Know What Will Happen and make your decision first. Games at Regionals and Nationals are different games than Others. There Are Risks.
---
If I were on the field or court or athletic arena with any of the NBA players you think of when you think of Dominant NBA players who are not Iverson Freaks but the truly "Out of one of the classic NBA Molds" great players or athletes, I would longer be able to compete. Most in ultimate would no longer be able to compete. The only ones of us who would have a chance are the people who already make me irrelevant on the ultimate field. The guys where, if I cared about my image, I would run away from as soon as the disc was thrown (but they're always a chance something will happen... Like when I skied Steve O'Lare and Danny Clark at the same time!) to get out of the picture. In the care of those Dominant Professional Athletes, if I tried to jump in there, I would be Damaged. Because as soon as I really tried to push through and be aggressive, I would run into a True Athlete.
---
What a silly game.
Friday, May 2
got my metrocard...
from my colombian coworker who got it from some mexican tourists...
and my ultimate bag with sleeping bag/pad (so it is a little large).
I must be going to Live Logic.
Have plane tickets, rental car info and directions to relevant places.
Have a small team, but that's great for the guys looking for experience. Both in new roles and with new teammates and all of that. Opportunities to play against Nationals-levels teams are worth it for players trying to expand their club games or just learn what the club game really is. Everyone knows Bravo, Goat and DW bring it, and I think we may have had a tight one with Grit last year taboot. Should be a blast.
Hope we rise to our team and individual challenges this weekend!