10 seed isn't so bad....

I don't really have time to post as I have an experiment starting tomorrow with the lambies, but....

Small Rackages is going to Nationals. No exclamation point not due to lack of excitement, but because I expected it. RSD preliminary seedings put us at 8 at the highest (and not by name, just "Central #1), usually around 10. Looks like (again) the central has to go earn some respect. I think we're up to it. Here is a little bit of the sting in the lower seed:

While Boston was the only time we got to play Layuma or Lady Godiva we ROLLED them, mostly with our athleticism; our speed just couldn't be matched by these older teams (I mean that respectfully). Ozone barely scraped a win over Layuma, and lost to them the day before (but, hey, it could be a lot different team). Our big loss to Brute Squad came in the 2nd round of pool play at Boston- that would be the game I (the captain) got there for the last 3 or 4 points due to flight mishaps. Many of the girls had met each other hours before (that's literal-I didn't meet some of them until after the Brute Squad game). The next day, we lost 11-15; pretty respectable. I've no doubt the Brute deserves to be ahead of us, but are they 5-7 spots higher? We then lost the 3/4 game to Backhoe on universe point. Backhoe, granted, was missing a few key players to injury, but our #1 handler & my co-captain had to take off for flights (someday you will learn, little Sheldahl). Just sayin'. But then, I am really just there because I LOVE to play Ultimate and this will be 4 days of matching up against some of the best players in the country- THAT is what I love, that is why I play.

And, as Jon said, there isn't that much difference in the pools for the 8/9/10 seeds. The women's division looks quite a bit stronger, with less parity overall this year (I think). We'll see how it all shakes down. Although, Jon also said "It is because the central teams never do well." My quick (and slightly heated) response: "Except my teams. My teams do well."

Oh, and Jon has the sweetest money throw I won't name here in case of those spies that are worried about the VBBs. He played awesome on Sunday, and was just one among many that were the reason The Van Buren Boys played the best games ever on Sunday. It was so sweet to finally see what they could really do. I will gloat a little by saying: I knew you could do it. Wolfpack leader M.E. has just crazy play after crazy play. Barrett ruled the skies. Stu Jack & Wimer handled like pros; I particularly like whatever it was that Wimer shoved towards Dave's chest in the Madcow game- I dont' even think there is a name for that pass. I was then wont to state, "That guy can complete ANYTHING!"

Money plays in the Rackages final that stand out: Gibbs fingertip D at 13-12 to save the tie score; Kalli's fingertip grab about 22 feet in the air which caused me to hyperventilate; Lana's 75 yard huck to Tai (upwind); Matey's awesome cheer. My team rocks, and we'll be rockin' it in Sarasota in a couple weeks.

MUDI, Zone Retort

I would love to read the MUDI recap from one of the Rackages. Better yet, I wish I could have been there. I keep starting to comment on others' blogs, then remember I wasn't there. I cannot wait until the VB Boys beat Sub Zero- I hope I am able to watch it. No doubt in my mind it will happen. One of the "points" someone had in Lou's blog comments were that the VB Boys stayed in it on layout grabs. Um, yeah, I've played with these guys and those grabs aren't lucky; they just do it. They make it happen.

Right now I am sore, very sore, & hoping it works itself out before the 9 hour drive to Michigan for Motown. I did plyos before pick up on Tuesday instead of on Monday. I ran my slowest 2 mile in years, I think, on Wednseday morning. BUT I had my first layouts for weeks (I was worried abouy this) at league last night. I also had a lot of miscues- TTOs, a missed D, not cutting well enough against Dunlay to give Grant an easy throw. And I had some very well put hucks/pseudohucks. So, yeah, my normal up and down. Please, Lord, let me turn it over less this tournament.

Big disappointment that VB Boys aren't going. I think Rackages is set up to tromp some teams, so we'd have time to watch (as long as we take care of business, of course). This weekend, like probably every Rackages weekend thus far, will see a change in personnel. We've got some gals that haven't even met, yet. The Ames crew is going to be running through our zones this evening, Shel and the Cities crew went through them earlier this week, but with a change to the 3-2-2 that is small enough that it could be incorporated if the disc is getting moved inside upfield on the traps. I want to try to run both this weekend (3-3-1 & 3-2-2, not just variations of 3-2-2); I'll let you know how it goes.

Here is my retort to the zone comments (awesome, by the way, I love comments): first, G. Cooke, great idea to keep both, that's what we'll try to do. To whomever said something about "non-handlers": I love my mark, and I trust it. This trap has the beauty of leaving plenty of space for other defenders to cover- the trapper has a very focused job. I've got a very adaptive mark, a very aggressive mark, and I WILL shut down all but the best throwers (Solarz, baby, that's you). Not only that, but I play with other women like me! I love this trap because it lulls the offense into thinking it really has something going. The tricky job falls to the strong side wing: allow throws to the force side, but no big gainers. The cup, like many defenses, should be adjusting as it goes across the field, in stages and as a unit. On the break sideline, the mark is flatter and the entire cup is flatter. As it moves across the field, the pushing marker gets more and more perpendicular to the thrower, the cup tightens up into a 'C', and trusts the strong side wing to cut off the gainers. The cup in FM is making comparatively large changes on EVERY throw (the crotch and hatchet). I think both cups are workable, BUT both need to be practiced to face up to teams like us (you know, the good ones). Lana didn't post but said she didn't like 2-2 upfield. Here's the thing: it is meant to be less rigid, especially the back 2, than a 3-3-1. It should work more like a poachy, switching person-to-person. The 2 deeps can decide on a short deep/long deep, rather than strong and weak side (although one needs to be ready to play strong side on a trap). I think in either zone we need to get used to having a sideline "partner"- ONE person that is yelling specifically to you.

Here is another item to chew on: does Rackages need another offense besides vertical stack? Nope, we don't have another, yet. I was worried about this, but thought our offense had more problems with throws than with getting open. We worked on what I perceived as our offensive weakness, getting the disc off the sideline. If we could practice a couple times a week, I'd get the circle offense going- I think it would work well with our speed, but it is confusing and not easy to learn quickly. Any ideas, please share.