Date: Mon, 30 Sep 1996 12:40:47 -0700 From: Alan Lighton Subject: Sectionals Well, we didn't win. We probably don't get to go to vegas, as an open team anyway. It's a bummer, but I still had fun. I would have liked to have played more, but I still had fun. I would have liked to have played better, because I threw away a terrible hammer and an ugly forehand, and I dropped one against bubbles on a pick call in a moment of sheer stupidity, but I still had fun. I would have loved to have played one more game, cuz it's a shame to drive all the way up there and only play 3 games, but I still had fun. I really regret not making it to Als parents house saturday night because that's important for team bonding, Zach and my sunburn had other ideas, but I still had fun. Getting the theme here? After the bubbles loss, the frustration levels were high for everyone. That's to be expected. What is NOT to be expected for what I believe our team "mission statement" is was the externalization of some of those frustrations on other team members. I hope that everyone has or can kiss and make up over anything that was said at that point. C'mon guys, it is, after all, just a team sport that we do to HAVE FUN. If you thought we were going to make it to Nationals, well, I think you may be on the wrong team, not that I wouldn't mind going. So try to keep this all in perspective and play as hard on thursdays and saturdays as ever and keep HAVING FUN. I also am a little concerned about the feelings that Augie has expressed relative to the players that have gone to bubbles. I hope that Augie is the only one that truly feels that way and that he can work past it. Mark, Ian, and Will are not "traitors". They are skilled ultimate players with personal ties to the other bubbles members that happen to believe that Bubbles has a higher chance of going to regionals and Nationals than Hammerheads. They may not be the last members of Hammerheads to go to bubbles. And there may be Bubbles members that finally decide that, when the commitment level to playing at that level becomes too high a price for their own other life priorities, come back to Hammerheads. I believe there is room in SD for three teams, one that wins at all costs, including spirit, one that has spirit but is willing to cut members to achieve at least Regionals, and one that is willing to play their hearts out to win but still not resort to cutting members that are still willing to make the commitment (especially to kick bubbles ass next time!!). If others have a disagreeing philosophy, speak up. If that philosophy includes cutting me and others with my commitment, speak up but I'll argue with you. My commitment to Hammerheads is to be at every practice, twice a week normally and three times a week immediately prior to tournements, and to drill as hard as possible per the coaches instructions up to the level of my athletic skills. This loss doesn't change that for me and I hope it doesn't change it for any of you either. I know that even with me on the team, we have enough skill to beat any team we played this weekend. We just need to work on playing SMARTER. We don't need Jerry Rice on our team to win. We need brains and a commitment to LISTENING so we can play like a team and not a bunch of people running in circles cutting each other off. Tournement Highlights for me: Nils-Youdaman. You only get so many skin cells in this life, but Nils just continues to give them all away on D. Awesome. Doug-Perfection in throwing. I don't recall you throwing a single one away, and those corner shots to Sharc against Long beach were truly inspiring. The almost catch of the day goes to Tom Hoeffel in the bubbles game. Anyone can leap down to the ground to snag one, but leaping out and up at head level is awesome to see. Too bad you didn't come up with it in the end. Csilla's "I got the rules right here....you wanna see!!!!!" was classic. I think Rambo would've backed down from her at that point!! Loss not withstanding, the upwind points against Bubbles Zone were well executed and fun to watch. Made me want to be in on those points. Good job Alex. Good job on the calls, Al. Pain in the ass job, hard to concentrate on the actual play doing all that, thanks. I should let you yank me out on the blown hammer play! Tom C and Dave R, hope you had fun at your first tourney and will come back to the next. I think there's a mini tourney still scheduled for escondido this weekend, but I havent' heard any more details. IS everyone up for it? =================================================================== From: "Laffoon, Mark" Subject: RE: Sectionals Date: Mon, 30 Sep 1996 13:01:40 -0700 Just to clarify the regionals issue. Paul Thoms and i worked it out and HammerHeads were ranked 5th of the teams going to regionals. Since there are at least 5 teams going (and maybe 6) it sounds like you made it to regionals. For those that care, the final rankings were, approximately: Nice Guys Off The Field (SD open) Condors (SB) Scrubbing Bubbles (SD) JV's team (who's name temporarily escapes me) HammerHeads (SD) Lagunatics/Beyondors (not sure which is 6th and which is 7th) Nice to see that SD has 3/5 of the teams going to regionals. Of course, there is the mandatory post-tourny haggling that may change these results, but i think you'd better be making travel plans. Also, the Escondido tourny (Oct. 6) is definitely happening. There are at least 3 teams committed and HammerHeads would make 4 (and, i believe, is expected). Please commit to this ASAP.