So i'm going to turn the focus of this blog onto myself. Thinking of it as a self medicating writing experience. A way to vent frustrations, think deeply, and pursue betterment. The other blog will focus on the team, results, recaps, and thoughts.
Each year, i've titled the Blog something new. Last year was Getting Better - basically chronicalling, sporadically, my improvements as a player - and the first year was something about being a rookie - basically, the first time i was on a real ultimate team - odd that i can't remember. So now, this year i intend to step up. Be a big target and provider for the team. Stars have left and new ones will be made, will i be one? Fuck yes.
Finally
The anticipation of our first FULL tournament was killer. Prior to Sectionals we were a team without a purpose, in a somewhat literal and metaphorical way. We practiced, hung out, worked out, pushed each other, laughed together, yelled, fought, drank together but hadn't experienced the point of it all: playing ultimate. Now obviously we played ultimate, but when you play three times a week with the same people, it doesn't really count. So we did our best, as a team we strived for perfection from each other but were still missing the most vital component. Because of four cancelled tournaments, we hadn't become cohesive and hadn't played to any of our potential. People were getting angsty to play other teams, practices came a bit drearier, and the soul of the team hadn't come out. Let me say that, when Pitt plays well, with heart, friends, teammates, brothers - hand in hand - we are a force to be reckoned with; a team that plays some balla' ass ultimate. We hadn't had the chance to do that yet, and
we were begging for it.
To reiterate, we were REALLY excited to play. I don't remember much of what happened in the first games other then the fact that we were having fun, running our system and because of it running train. I don't remember much other then it being beautiful outside and just being really
happy and excited to play. Playing was phenomenal. What struck me as i started to cut and move, go deep, go in, whatever was the fact that my teammates are really fucking good. I remember a point at which i literally made five or six incuts and got the disc each time, moved it quickly and got it right back. In practice people are all over my back, getting an incut is - for the most part - a bitch to do, a defender draped on you, a tight throw, basically you have to be perfect. Here i was just jogging around getting the disc at will - an exaggeration, but the point is valid. I do remember getting a breakside cut and pulling a sweet ass drop step for the goal: first drop step evaaaa, definitely invoked my inner Chow.
The Edinboro game was another story; aka not a cake walk. They're a good team. They are dangerous on every possession of the disc because of the ability of each person on the disc: this is mostly Taft or Tad, but it's still a huge threat. The main contributors to the offense can all huck pinpoint hucks and have recievers all who range from 6' to 6'5"; hence, the deep was a bit of a threat. The downside is their total lack of depth. I think they played an eight or nine man rotation the entire weekend, and this is for sectionals. Apparently it ended up working as they got the final bid to regionals beating Penn State - LOLlerskates - badly, something like 13-9. Our game against them seemed really close, but with a second glance at the score it apparently wasn't. They're defense really isn't anything special and it really confused me why they kept running it when we figured it out and were moving the disc with ease.
Sunday was a cake walk for the most part. Bucknell, in the finals, was a team that just couldn't hang with us. They had a solid handler and one cutter - everyone else was really just fodder. They may have bagged the game against us, but still aren't anywhere close to the level of play we were bringing.
Which brings me to a thought about our play. The thing i noticed about this years team is that we are not flashy. We do not get lots of layout Ds or sky tons of people - unless your Tyler and Chris literally throws it 30 feet in the air for no reason whatsoever - we play hard and we play with tons of pressure. That is by no means saying we are not capable, but alot of the turns come from stall 8 or 9 tight throws that are behind the guy or into one of our defenders. The offense seems to be running smoother as the days went on O line looked solid and i think was broken 1 time all weekend (against Edinboro?). The D line offense at points was amazing. My dropstep point was a pinnacle (not to brag or anything). We moved the disc from the opposite goal line to our goal line in probably 15 seconds with at least 10 throws. Moving the disc that fast made us literally unstoppable.
Now on to the real matter of the day. Who is the front runner for the FOTY?
Alex Thorne
#21
Pros: Doesn't turn the disc over. Alex will not turn the disc over and will still make the big throws when it counts. He throw a goal line to goal line huck for a score and threw a ridiculous high-release bullet-flick breakside for another. He is also great in the air and is a scary little cutter when he wants to be. When this dude bids, it's pretty.
Cons: Doesn't get any love. With our star studded offense, it's no wonder this little pull catcher doesn't need to do much. When Alex wants to he can kill bitches, but most of the time he really doesn't need to.
Colin Connor
# 5
Pros: Colin is the glue to our offense. When Colin isn't getting
the first pass, he is getting the second. He knows the right spaces to find, and knows how to get to them. He can also sky the fuck out of mad bitches. His name is the Coroner for a specific reason. On defense he is tenacious on the mark and gets layout Ds (even on me, i still blame Rakers). He is also a big thrower. If a flick side break huck is open he will throw it to space: ask Tyler.
Cons: Being a glue man doesn't constitute lots of praise. He works hard and consistently, but unless you're getting the disc every other throw and being a bit of a show off, its hard to get kudos. Also likes to start fights? Kansas, Edinboro, any others?
Tyler Degirolamo:
#81
Pros:
Freak athlete. Not only is he the fastest kid on the team, he can jump the highest, is the tallest, and has a fucking INVISIBILITY CLOAK. I swear to god, against Bucknell Tyler jogged through the endzone, wide open, yelled 'Hey I'm open,' of the three defenders in the area no one decided to pick him up. So he clap caught the goal as me and the rest of the sideline were baffled. Oh yeah and then he also gets lots of D's. Hopefully this weekend is more of whats to come from Tyler, but he did get a shit load of sky Ds.
Cons: Still a bit of a freshmen. Throws need to be worked on, but are always improving. Needs to keep his head up when things don't go his way. Tyler needs to keep his cool a little bit more. During the Edinboro game he got a sweet D on some dude (not pictured) and freaked out at him for calling foul. Yes it wasn't a foul, yes we know it was a bitch call - but he did take it back. So just take a breath when someone calls bullshit and call them out on their shenanigans.
Personal frontrunner. A-Theezy. Though he hasn't needed to show up yet, i feel like when he gets a puuuuurdy layout snag for a goal at regionals people will be all up on his jock... fo' sho. Tyler could steal it away if he plays out of his mind like he did at sectionals. And Colin is one back motha fucka, so i can't discount him. Plus he's got the Bird's endorsement.
The Faces of Pitt Ultimate
So i've had the urge to introduce the scary and frigthening faces of Pitt Ultimate for a while. Hopefully, a motivational and fun tool to get people pumped up for the series and the end of the season. If you guys haven't seen so far there are pictures attached to each person. They are a bit candide, but me and Tyler really took the time to search them out and post them here. Problem is it doesn't look like it due to my crappy color choices.
Let's start off with the tenacious handler unit. In the back field we have #8 Michael Plunkett, a big thrower with a knack for finding a layout d when needed. This dude will spike it so hard when he is totally uncovered, possibly cause he is like... really fast?... and scores a goal, it'll make not only taco the game disc but will taco any discs within earshot. When he can't find the room to throw a big huck you gotta' watch out for Alex 'A-Theezzy' Thorne. #21 loves throwin' the big huck or the high release break flick: watch out though when he isn't throwin' he's skying bitches and 'GIVIN' SOME' to the other team. Another weapon in this versatile arsenal of handlers is none other then Kyle Baynes, he's been breaking ankles and breaking marks since he was born: low release flick huck to the break side in stride is what Mr. Baynes has been doing since his high school days. And you can watch it rain on dem' hoes when he teams up with his former roommate Geoff Zettel.... this shit is bonkers... A little bit on him, when Geoff isn't actually making people fall down from his fakes, he's pulling into the back of the endzone, floating it there for about 5 minutes, and then getting the first d. Goodness forbid you have to gaurd him: honestly... honestly, just take a seat and let him score, save yourself some embarrasment. While we're on the subject of being nasty, one angry and ferocious little man comes to mind: Jake 'the Living Paradox' Christan. Not only does he throw huge flicks and backhands, but the man, the myth, the legend never stops running. # 35 is grinding away at your handler long after he's called foul. On the other side of the spectrum is Brad 'Boo' Bellinger. Not only is he the best looking, nicest, and debonair Pitt Ultimate player, he is also one of the best defenders on the North or South hemisphere. Ask Sherwood how much fun he had.
Always knowing where his man is going - because of his always thinking ultimate mind - Nick 'Killz' Kaczmarek proves on and off the field the meaning of dedication. He works hard for the team and pushes the best from each player: if this lovable lefty isn't preaching team philosophy, he is probably wrapping around his man and getting gnarly blocks to demonstrate. Being sick doesn't mean speaking a lot and although what #23 may say doesn't make a lot of sense, what does make sense is that he is a baller. When Eddie Peters sets his mind to a block or a layout, you know it's going to happened: it doesn't matter if its a world's player or a chump - he's getting the D. And while we're on the subject of laying out your best player, Mike 'Pants' Pannone has a knack for getting sick Ds on the best players and having them called back. Not because of a foul, but mostly because it hurts there feelings... and that just ain't nice. If he could only learn to harness he's ridiculously fast speed he'd be the scariest dude who knows how to hack a Wii.
Now the people that burn you for goals come from all corners of this team. When Colin 'the Coroner' Connors isn't murdering everyone and anyone, he is with his girlfriend: oddly enough no one knows her name? Sup with that Col? But seriously, this dude skys the living shit out of people and then throws lefty high releases for nonchalant goals. Not only does Colin dominate the airways for Pitt but so does Tyler 'Ty-Lord' Degirolamo. With a plethora of sick ass freshmen this year it's hard to say who is the best, but it's easy to say who is the most ridiculously athletic. Tyler not only catches all of his goals while in the air 47 inches above the ground, clapping them in his bread basket, he also scores all of the goals. A-L-L. On the defensive side of this swooping falcon like team comes Nick Rivers, number twenDEE. The DEE standing for the Ds that he gets at will: god forbid you throw a swilly huck or even something remotely not-perfect, cause he will out jump, out run your player and then mack on his girlfriend. Ask Julian 'the House' Houseman. After makin' out with a girl, #20 took his gal and banged her. In the room J-House was sleeping in. With him there, ten feet from the deed. BOOM roasted. But seriously, Julian is sick - and if he wasn't totally passed out and like at a thirteen, he might have gotten with that girl - not only does he negate your best handler, he also makes him look foolish, by either point blocking him and then throwing a huck, or point blocking him and throwing a HUGE huck.
The underneath defense is also unreal on this team. Not only can everyone get you inside, but if you have one of your unlucky non-deep players guarded by #4, your shit out of luck. Ravi 'the Dalllah' Ved not only can save your player from a sudden brain hemorrhage, he will also lay them out... maybe he caused, maybe he didn't ask him, he knows: he's going to be a doctor. Another shortman with huge potential and dedication is #3 Allen Rakers. Not only can he do an up-down or mountain man faster then you, he will throw his 3'2" body around and layout d the shit out of you. What he lacks in height he has in heart, strength, and the phrase, "C'MON ALLEN." On the flip side of this dynamic duo of vertically challenged is our big man with the knack for a sick layout D: Patrick 'PHamm' Hammonds. Roasting your dude under or deep, Patrick will rip it for a goal shouting AND1 and drawin' the foul. This big dawg has it all: including the most lovable girlfriend, how that happened... i don't know. (Love you Pat)
On the current IR we have David 'Hogan' Hogan. Oh god, the Metro East- and the Nation for that matter - is both happy and relieved that Hogan isn't ready to cleat up yet. Not only does this dude layout D anyone, everyone he also skys, puns, and quotes Futurama better. If only he had a fuller beard, then he'd be the all American ultimate player. Jason 'not-a-Pokemon-master' Kunsa, has recently been signed off the IR list, or so we hope. This kid is one of the hardest working players on the team. When he isn't running, lifting, or throwing, he's sleeping or playing pokemon. School? Who goes to school when there's ultimate/pokemon to be played.
Thanks to CCCs and a certain captain we now have a way of starting the other teams offense on our call, "tap it in! tap it in! tap it in!" Chris 'Christo' Brenenborg has been hucking and breaking with the best of them since he was on impulse and that little thing called Team USA. #21, i mean #2 has been on many magazine covers considering his hollywood status, most notably the WUGC 2007 DVD. Did i also mention he went to World's? He won and i think he drank like a liter of Dr. Pepper between each game. He's sponsored by them and Patagucci. Truth. Speaking of World's the coaching staff is start studded. Robert 'Dulabeard' Dulabon has played at the Club World Championships with one of the most elite teams this side of the east or west of the mississippi: Deathstar (?). When he was with Pitt he was a fundamental player on offense and defense, and now he brings the defensive hurt on teams with his knowledge of zone and man. On the offensive side we have David 'Vatzer' Vatz. Not only was he like this [-] close to making the Junior world's team, this dude was also a FOTY and all star cutter with Pitt. Now he sits on the side line making the offense move like a fluid machine. Finally, we have David 'Weasel' Lionetti. The man with the plan, the man with a future sight. I mean this dude went to nationals, I think as many times as Jim Parinella: this has yet to be verified. Nonetheless, working diligently Wease has pushed this team to new levels of sick nasty in recent years; once a regionals wanna-be, to a scary nationals threat Pitt has moved up because of his guidance and tutelage.
And that's the faces of Pitt Ultimate.
Andrej Ababovic* #10
Pictures provided by Andrej and Tyler.
It's dumb to write one for yourself, so if anyone has some witty commentary i'm all ears. *
Let's start off with the tenacious handler unit. In the back field we have #8 Michael Plunkett, a big thrower with a knack for finding a layout d when needed. This dude will spike it so hard when he is totally uncovered, possibly cause he is like... really fast?... and scores a goal, it'll make not only taco the game disc but will taco any discs within earshot. When he can't find the room to throw a big huck you gotta' watch out for Alex 'A-Theezzy' Thorne. #21 loves throwin' the big huck or the high release break flick: watch out though when he isn't throwin' he's skying bitches and 'GIVIN' SOME' to the other team. Another weapon in this versatile arsenal of handlers is none other then Kyle Baynes, he's been breaking ankles and breaking marks since he was born: low release flick huck to the break side in stride is what Mr. Baynes has been doing since his high school days. And you can watch it rain on dem' hoes when he teams up with his former roommate Geoff Zettel.... this shit is bonkers... A little bit on him, when Geoff isn't actually making people fall down from his fakes, he's pulling into the back of the endzone, floating it there for about 5 minutes, and then getting the first d. Goodness forbid you have to gaurd him: honestly... honestly, just take a seat and let him score, save yourself some embarrasment. While we're on the subject of being nasty, one angry and ferocious little man comes to mind: Jake 'the Living Paradox' Christan. Not only does he throw huge flicks and backhands, but the man, the myth, the legend never stops running. # 35 is grinding away at your handler long after he's called foul. On the other side of the spectrum is Brad 'Boo' Bellinger. Not only is he the best looking, nicest, and debonair Pitt Ultimate player, he is also one of the best defenders on the North or South hemisphere. Ask Sherwood how much fun he had.
Always knowing where his man is going - because of his always thinking ultimate mind - Nick 'Killz' Kaczmarek proves on and off the field the meaning of dedication. He works hard for the team and pushes the best from each player: if this lovable lefty isn't preaching team philosophy, he is probably wrapping around his man and getting gnarly blocks to demonstrate. Being sick doesn't mean speaking a lot and although what #23 may say doesn't make a lot of sense, what does make sense is that he is a baller. When Eddie Peters sets his mind to a block or a layout, you know it's going to happened: it doesn't matter if its a world's player or a chump - he's getting the D. And while we're on the subject of laying out your best player, Mike 'Pants' Pannone has a knack for getting sick Ds on the best players and having them called back. Not because of a foul, but mostly because it hurts there feelings... and that just ain't nice. If he could only learn to harness he's ridiculously fast speed he'd be the scariest dude who knows how to hack a Wii.
Now the people that burn you for goals come from all corners of this team. When Colin 'the Coroner' Connors isn't murdering everyone and anyone, he is with his girlfriend: oddly enough no one knows her name? Sup with that Col? But seriously, this dude skys the living shit out of people and then throws lefty high releases for nonchalant goals. Not only does Colin dominate the airways for Pitt but so does Tyler 'Ty-Lord' Degirolamo. With a plethora of sick ass freshmen this year it's hard to say who is the best, but it's easy to say who is the most ridiculously athletic. Tyler not only catches all of his goals while in the air 47 inches above the ground, clapping them in his bread basket, he also scores all of the goals. A-L-L. On the defensive side of this swooping falcon like team comes Nick Rivers, number twenDEE. The DEE standing for the Ds that he gets at will: god forbid you throw a swilly huck or even something remotely not-perfect, cause he will out jump, out run your player and then mack on his girlfriend. Ask Julian 'the House' Houseman. After makin' out with a girl, #20 took his gal and banged her. In the room J-House was sleeping in. With him there, ten feet from the deed. BOOM roasted. But seriously, Julian is sick - and if he wasn't totally passed out and like at a thirteen, he might have gotten with that girl - not only does he negate your best handler, he also makes him look foolish, by either point blocking him and then throwing a huck, or point blocking him and throwing a HUGE huck.
The underneath defense is also unreal on this team. Not only can everyone get you inside, but if you have one of your unlucky non-deep players guarded by #4, your shit out of luck. Ravi 'the Dalllah' Ved not only can save your player from a sudden brain hemorrhage, he will also lay them out... maybe he caused, maybe he didn't ask him, he knows: he's going to be a doctor. Another shortman with huge potential and dedication is #3 Allen Rakers. Not only can he do an up-down or mountain man faster then you, he will throw his 3'2" body around and layout d the shit out of you. What he lacks in height he has in heart, strength, and the phrase, "C'MON ALLEN." On the flip side of this dynamic duo of vertically challenged is our big man with the knack for a sick layout D: Patrick 'PHamm' Hammonds. Roasting your dude under or deep, Patrick will rip it for a goal shouting AND1 and drawin' the foul. This big dawg has it all: including the most lovable girlfriend, how that happened... i don't know. (Love you Pat)
On the current IR we have David 'Hogan' Hogan. Oh god, the Metro East- and the Nation for that matter - is both happy and relieved that Hogan isn't ready to cleat up yet. Not only does this dude layout D anyone, everyone he also skys, puns, and quotes Futurama better. If only he had a fuller beard, then he'd be the all American ultimate player. Jason 'not-a-Pokemon-master' Kunsa, has recently been signed off the IR list, or so we hope. This kid is one of the hardest working players on the team. When he isn't running, lifting, or throwing, he's sleeping or playing pokemon. School? Who goes to school when there's ultimate/pokemon to be played.
Thanks to CCCs and a certain captain we now have a way of starting the other teams offense on our call, "tap it in! tap it in! tap it in!" Chris 'Christo' Brenenborg has been hucking and breaking with the best of them since he was on impulse and that little thing called Team USA. #21, i mean #2 has been on many magazine covers considering his hollywood status, most notably the WUGC 2007 DVD. Did i also mention he went to World's? He won and i think he drank like a liter of Dr. Pepper between each game. He's sponsored by them and Patagucci. Truth. Speaking of World's the coaching staff is start studded. Robert 'Dulabeard' Dulabon has played at the Club World Championships with one of the most elite teams this side of the east or west of the mississippi: Deathstar (?). When he was with Pitt he was a fundamental player on offense and defense, and now he brings the defensive hurt on teams with his knowledge of zone and man. On the offensive side we have David 'Vatzer' Vatz. Not only was he like this [-] close to making the Junior world's team, this dude was also a FOTY and all star cutter with Pitt. Now he sits on the side line making the offense move like a fluid machine. Finally, we have David 'Weasel' Lionetti. The man with the plan, the man with a future sight. I mean this dude went to nationals, I think as many times as Jim Parinella: this has yet to be verified. Nonetheless, working diligently Wease has pushed this team to new levels of sick nasty in recent years; once a regionals wanna-be, to a scary nationals threat Pitt has moved up because of his guidance and tutelage.
And that's the faces of Pitt Ultimate.
Andrej Ababovic* #10
Pictures provided by Andrej and Tyler.
It's dumb to write one for yourself, so if anyone has some witty commentary i'm all ears. *
Series Time
Cool thing about this picture is that at no time was the grab not within my grasp. I knew from the moment i was chasing it down to the moment i bid, that i would get the disc: it was just a matter of when and where - and to be honest that was the last moment i could have grabbed it. I could have bid sooner and caught it at that three foot horizontal period...eh, you live and learn.
There's not really much else to say... I've been working hard. The team has been working hard. I played well. The team played well. With the series coming shortly... not this weekend, what the fuck... we'll be in prime shape and condition to dominate at regionals.
I'm a bit hurt right now, my wrists got effed up, but i am going to be working hard on my legs to make sure i am in great shape. I also need to buy some medicine to get better, cause i've been sick like a motha for the last few weeks. So all's well in the Andrej camp, hopefully getting better.
Work Hard.
Play Hard.
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