All in all, this was a bad week (9 days) of ultimate for myself. But it was a great social week in ultimate for me.
In both tournaments i went to Terminus Club edition and Terminus College edition i played poorly. Why? I don't know. For the club one with Forge, it was a totally different experience. I played with some guys i knew and some i didn't, so i was very happy and excited to see old faces and also excited to meet some new people. But in all this is the strickening feeling that your being judged and that it's a tryout tournament. Not to say this is a bad thing, in fact i thought it was going to be awesome; i wanted to do things people don't usually see me do, perhaps get a chance to make a nice play or two. But continuing...
We played Chain and Ring back to back, both games were an event, yet uneventful (if you understand what that means), in themselves. I don't remember much about the Chain game other then covering my guy and playing good defense on them, i probably screwed up at some point or another, but i felt as though i was hanging - if not more - with Nationals caliber players. On the converse i remember the Ring game pretty well. They were good, not as good as i had imagined - but damn good at that. Three things stick out in my mind.
- Rob is like pretty good at ultimate.
- We threw a really shitty turn and a guy broke deep. No one picked him up, and instead 3 guys surrounded the thrower and hassled him. Neither the thrower nor anyone on the field cared, he simply took his time and found an opening and jacked it to the WIDE open player for a goal. After the point, some guy on the Ring bench yells, "Nice intentional fouling, douchebags." To which both the thrower (Ring player) and everyone else collectively says, I'm paraphrasing, it's not like we've never done it?
- This has been a really reoccurring theme for this week and been pissing me off. I'm getting beat by shitty ultimate. I cover my guy deep, he stops, i stop, begin to front him - since we're 40 yards deep and a huck seems retarded - the huck goes up and with me in a standstill waiting for a movement forward my defender takes off deeper only to receive the disc in the back of the back endzone for a goal. In total this happened to me 4 times on the weekend most notably twice against Penn St.
Against Ring this happened once, i began fronting the guy, i'm guessing they were playing some kind of handler weave nonsense and my guy stops i look at him, turn my head back for the disc, here 'UP,' look up for my guy and mutter words i hate, "Fuckin' balls." I caught up to him, bid over his back, he comes down with it. He said nice play, which made me a feel a bit better (?), but knew i fucked up. It was annoying on two levels. He was 5 inches shorter then me and that was the play i wanted to make and i didn't do it. I hoped the intensity i showed was good, but i was still really disappointed. Later in the finals i saw the same dude grab a disc between two, much bigger, bidding Chain defenders.
Now the week in between was awesome, Spring Break in a fuckin' mountain top mansion. I'm not going into it, but a lot of fun stuff happened. The team officially knows every good line of 12 oz. Mouse and the Chappelle Show, without ever needing to watch them. I've found a new appreciation for hot tubs. I hate baseball world series. I'm not good at poker and Eddie's crazy ways of getting me to pay are awesome. And i need to stop falling asleep at 3AM. But on the Ultimate side of it, it was not good... I think a few of us actually ran around when we found the time. I had a restless morning on Tuesday and went for a jog. It was nice, if not bland, but other then that and throwing a disc 130 yards off the porch of our house, that was the extend of my ultimate training.
This did not pay dividends when it came time for Terminus 2nd ed. I felt slow and i didn't have my 5th gear. The 5th gear used for getting that second acceleration and that second quick step for a D or for a finish to a disc, i just couldn't muster. I remember during the first game against Georgia Tech, Chris threw me a disc deep when i just began a cut in and in my usual motif, i would turn quickly and try to find the gear to go get it, but when i turned i just couldn't do it. It was not a good way to start the weekend.
From there it was a muddle of busying work in the midst of a few good things done well. I thought my zone offense was good, i got a lot of touches and moved the disc efficiently. But other then that, i was out of rhythm and not seeing lanes on the offensive side of the disc. Defense was also poorer then with Forge. I was getting beat to spots i wouldn't have and i was losing match ups that i shouldn't have. I had a few really good spots against Penn and some really low ones. Against Georgia Tech and Tuffs i played well, if not memorably, i remember that anytime my player caught the disc it was a 71% chance of a turnover against Georgia Tech (5/7 total, 3/4 on their main handler/cutter dude), and against Tuffs it was 50% (2/4), Dayton it was 3/5 or 60%. That's not a lot of statistics, but i think that also does show something within itself and i did keep very specific note, considering i didn't make any key plays that i wanted to. Against Penn i didn't have that kind of success i think the guy i covered for most of the game threw back field and the other guy i covered for a point did break me for a goal, lowest point of that game.
I also got really unlucky with that mother fucker. This is the shit i was talking about before, huck went up, i got in position, in this case a bit behind him, pushing forward, the disc is high so i'm going to get the D, and then all of a sudden it dips literally right into his bread basket. I tried to grab it, but he caught it as well, i'm guessing first cause i ended up tangled with him and the disc. I thought for a moment to try to argue, but between his yelling and my embarrassment i let it go saying, that i was going to get the D on him the next throw. I over commit to stop the dump throw to him, find myself on the wrong side, bid for the breakside, and Boom, break goal.
I'm not really going to say much about the team. I thought we had moments of beauty amongst a busying performance overall. I was disappointed in two tactical things. The first being our total lack of physicality. There were not many fouls called against us, and even less so bids. The former may sound like a good thing, but a team built on aggressive under defense, pressure and containment can not be doing it's job if someone isn't pissed off at either the cutter defenders, the handler covers, or the marks. The second is our total lack of defensive cutting and our lack of offensive endzone. Our defensive offense is let the handlers do some shit, and hopefully we'll get a huck off and score, if we get to the endzone we're kinda screwed. Our offensive endzone was impatient at best. Everyone wanted the break side cut and everyone wanted the force side cut. I tried to bring calm during our games against dayton and whatnot, but i don't know if that translated well. Needless to say, it sucked.
Goals for myself now.
Run.
Around a month until the series starts, so that means for the week i took off i need to work harder to get back into shape and get back into great shape.
Throw.
No need to explain, be better, throw better.
Agility.
I've had some good ideas about cutting motions that i want to translate into some individual drills and exercises. I need to get my directional change into top gear.
Without going further, i need to refocus, get my shitty performance out of the way, and start working hard. I will be great.
Showing posts with label mentality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mentality. Show all posts
Attack
Personally, tomorrow i think i need to go out and dominate. One of my last chances before this tournament to show guys what i can do and that i'm a good player. After watching the TiV video my previous thoughts were very accurate. I was hesitant and i lacked an attacking edge. On a total digression, it was funny that i was guarded by Dusty at one point, and during the time i didn't even realize it was him, until i had to mark him. Severly unimpressive.
But continuing... Tomorrow and Thursday's points of interest for myself are in being physical, imposing, dominant, and tireless. I need to get the notion of being perfect out of my head, i don't need to make perfect cuts, get the disc alot, or clear space for other people. Obviously i can't be a deterent in those fields, but i know i shouldn't over think or place them on a pedastool. Whether or not this is a good choice, possibly Weasel, Chris, Eddie and whoever want to see a player who does those things exceptionally, but i don't know. What i do know is that i need to be active and powerful. On the TiV tape as soon as it turns on you see me marking, as the disc gets swung the camera zooms in on the action of marker and thrower, sadly not paying attention to shut down defense i placed on the main handler. It's this kind of thing that i want people to now take notice.
What that takes is a commitment to be tireless. This is something i hold in high, high esteem. Rob, Josh, and Jake are players that i loved to watch and loved to play with: they also emmulate the one thing i need to do now. They're quick, smart, and intelligent with their cuts - but they are also athletic and commited as fuck. Commited to the team, the workouts, their teammates, and they're roles. Now, with this last few waning practices i need to push myself, my body, and my mind to keep moving, cutting, defending, and bidding to show to the team, to myself, that i am worthy of a spot on this team and a spot on the line.
It's late. Time to get mentally focused and well physically.
But continuing... Tomorrow and Thursday's points of interest for myself are in being physical, imposing, dominant, and tireless. I need to get the notion of being perfect out of my head, i don't need to make perfect cuts, get the disc alot, or clear space for other people. Obviously i can't be a deterent in those fields, but i know i shouldn't over think or place them on a pedastool. Whether or not this is a good choice, possibly Weasel, Chris, Eddie and whoever want to see a player who does those things exceptionally, but i don't know. What i do know is that i need to be active and powerful. On the TiV tape as soon as it turns on you see me marking, as the disc gets swung the camera zooms in on the action of marker and thrower, sadly not paying attention to shut down defense i placed on the main handler. It's this kind of thing that i want people to now take notice.
What that takes is a commitment to be tireless. This is something i hold in high, high esteem. Rob, Josh, and Jake are players that i loved to watch and loved to play with: they also emmulate the one thing i need to do now. They're quick, smart, and intelligent with their cuts - but they are also athletic and commited as fuck. Commited to the team, the workouts, their teammates, and they're roles. Now, with this last few waning practices i need to push myself, my body, and my mind to keep moving, cutting, defending, and bidding to show to the team, to myself, that i am worthy of a spot on this team and a spot on the line.
It's late. Time to get mentally focused and well physically.
Icky
This weekend/week have been unproductive. I've been sick, I've been overworked, and I've been down in the dumps. I'm guessing the last is because of the previous, but it really doesn't help. The team practices I've done so far have been going well. I played exactly how i said i wanted to: i used my body, threw myself around and got a few Ds and a few weird ass catches. I could have had a few more but i was still feeling a bit off and a bit unmotivated.
My cardio has gotten worse though - possibly just stunted, not actually worse. I've been very sick, so much so that the congestion really hurts me when i'm doing hard and continuous work. Cutting, playing D, marking, accelerating i felt great, but when i had to do the tumble rolls i was dead as fuck. Chris asked me if i was okay to which i gave him a wheezing, "I'm just sick, I'll be fine." Honestly, it's difficult to breathe when one of your nostrils is working at half capacity, the other dead, and your throat congested with some kind of sickness. On the other hand it is pretty cool to be able to shoot a snot rocket for 10 yards... gross, but cool. My goal for this week is to get better before Ultimax. Whether that means wearing things to keep me warm, or just not playing outside when it's ridiculously cold, or even simply eating better I'm going to have to do it.
Focusing on the team now, i think we're progressing pretty well with defense and offenses... mentality lesser so. Jake called some pretty... Jake-like calls and got the other team aggravated and riled up: i liked it. Everyone started hating each other and the level of the game definitely picked up. The only fear i have is that some people take Jake's and even other team's calls too personally, get to amped up, and then take things beyond themselves. We need to gain a tougher mentality, something i feel like the team has never really had. Whether it's been a bullshit call or getting broken a few times, Pitt has really struggled staying focused in games and making sure that we continue doing things that make us better - the pillars. This goes as far as a team wide mentality and as small as individuals motivations and thoughts. If one person is stuck in their head, they will inevitability affect the teams cog like offense or defense. Whether we need to gel more, get more wins under our belt, or just sit down one on one and make sure our heads are in check our mentality is key to success.
I definitely need to do this. Yet, for me its not a matter of ultimate. I need to be mentally in check before this tournament. I'm getting to work as soon as i finish this post, finishing late homework, finishing late essays, and going to get started on homework due later this week. I've bullshitted for a while now and i need to do my work. I also need to prioritize my financial situation, this is really my one only fear right now. Money sadly doesn't grow out of trees and definitely isn't free. Hmmm... i think what i need is a study buddy, for lack of a better phrase. I need someone who i can motivate to do work (school related) and someone who'll motivate me. Finances are being worked out by me and my mother so it's nothing that anyone can help me out, but someone definitely needs to help me out with my study habits. Then i think everything will start streamlining and start working for me, instead of against me.
My cardio has gotten worse though - possibly just stunted, not actually worse. I've been very sick, so much so that the congestion really hurts me when i'm doing hard and continuous work. Cutting, playing D, marking, accelerating i felt great, but when i had to do the tumble rolls i was dead as fuck. Chris asked me if i was okay to which i gave him a wheezing, "I'm just sick, I'll be fine." Honestly, it's difficult to breathe when one of your nostrils is working at half capacity, the other dead, and your throat congested with some kind of sickness. On the other hand it is pretty cool to be able to shoot a snot rocket for 10 yards... gross, but cool. My goal for this week is to get better before Ultimax. Whether that means wearing things to keep me warm, or just not playing outside when it's ridiculously cold, or even simply eating better I'm going to have to do it.
Focusing on the team now, i think we're progressing pretty well with defense and offenses... mentality lesser so. Jake called some pretty... Jake-like calls and got the other team aggravated and riled up: i liked it. Everyone started hating each other and the level of the game definitely picked up. The only fear i have is that some people take Jake's and even other team's calls too personally, get to amped up, and then take things beyond themselves. We need to gain a tougher mentality, something i feel like the team has never really had. Whether it's been a bullshit call or getting broken a few times, Pitt has really struggled staying focused in games and making sure that we continue doing things that make us better - the pillars. This goes as far as a team wide mentality and as small as individuals motivations and thoughts. If one person is stuck in their head, they will inevitability affect the teams cog like offense or defense. Whether we need to gel more, get more wins under our belt, or just sit down one on one and make sure our heads are in check our mentality is key to success.
I definitely need to do this. Yet, for me its not a matter of ultimate. I need to be mentally in check before this tournament. I'm getting to work as soon as i finish this post, finishing late homework, finishing late essays, and going to get started on homework due later this week. I've bullshitted for a while now and i need to do my work. I also need to prioritize my financial situation, this is really my one only fear right now. Money sadly doesn't grow out of trees and definitely isn't free. Hmmm... i think what i need is a study buddy, for lack of a better phrase. I need someone who i can motivate to do work (school related) and someone who'll motivate me. Finances are being worked out by me and my mother so it's nothing that anyone can help me out, but someone definitely needs to help me out with my study habits. Then i think everything will start streamlining and start working for me, instead of against me.
Be Better
I have to run harder, jump higher, and accelerate faster then anyone i am playing. I know i can do it and i will. I have plenty to prove to myself and my teammates: i will be a great player.
Fuck That
I'm bringing this shit back. My tumblr is going to be for myself - to make sure my academics are in line - while this one is going to be a public, more ultimate based forum.
And with that, i need to blog a bit. So as i've realized my academics have really been slipping. Right now that has no true impact, cause all my class are piss easy and - oddly - not moving quickly at all. On the other hand, my body, mind, and ultimate abilities have personally sky rocketed. I've been working hard with Christo and Eddie - spare this last week - and have really seen noticeable improvements in how i play. My cutting has been a bit hesitant and i've been working on that.
During the Oregon game i started as a cutter and it was great, but one thing plagued me the entire time. 'Don't fuck up.' And that really held me back from cutting full speed and working to maximum efficiency. When i did get the disc i was cool, calm, and knew what to do. The problem was the cutting: i wanted to do everything right. I wanted to make space from players, i wanted good hard cuts, i wanted to make my guy to be chasing me, i wanted too much. What i think people saw from this was a lack of play for me. My mind was going a million miles an hour and my body was moving at two. This wasn't true at CCC.
At CCC i played balls to the walls, i remember in the Wisconsin game just making striding cuts up and down the field, defender behind me, always a step behind, moving the disc, making the space, and i think it all came from the fact that i played with confidence. The Oregon game was the first game of the Spring, against a good team, in a big tournament, it was over my head and i was in my head. I don't want to say it showed in the beginning break mark drill, but it obviously did. I didn't throw well, i didn't do the things i usually do with ease.
So now i make a decision. I am confident. This sounds absurd, you can't just tell yourself to be confident. But you can - it's easy. I know i can work hard, i know i can beat my guys, i know i can do it: so i will.
On a quick other note. I need to throw my body around more. It felt great to do it in practice last Thursday, i nearly had it (mostly because Jason didn't realize the importance of D-ing a disc as soon as you can). My one goal right now is to get some great layout bid for a D. This fall i was amped up to do this, i remember repeatedly hitting the ground in the Space Bro tournament: I also got some pretty sweet D's this summer with Zebra. So I know i can do it, i've done it before: let's do it again.
And with that, i need to blog a bit. So as i've realized my academics have really been slipping. Right now that has no true impact, cause all my class are piss easy and - oddly - not moving quickly at all. On the other hand, my body, mind, and ultimate abilities have personally sky rocketed. I've been working hard with Christo and Eddie - spare this last week - and have really seen noticeable improvements in how i play. My cutting has been a bit hesitant and i've been working on that.
During the Oregon game i started as a cutter and it was great, but one thing plagued me the entire time. 'Don't fuck up.' And that really held me back from cutting full speed and working to maximum efficiency. When i did get the disc i was cool, calm, and knew what to do. The problem was the cutting: i wanted to do everything right. I wanted to make space from players, i wanted good hard cuts, i wanted to make my guy to be chasing me, i wanted too much. What i think people saw from this was a lack of play for me. My mind was going a million miles an hour and my body was moving at two. This wasn't true at CCC.
At CCC i played balls to the walls, i remember in the Wisconsin game just making striding cuts up and down the field, defender behind me, always a step behind, moving the disc, making the space, and i think it all came from the fact that i played with confidence. The Oregon game was the first game of the Spring, against a good team, in a big tournament, it was over my head and i was in my head. I don't want to say it showed in the beginning break mark drill, but it obviously did. I didn't throw well, i didn't do the things i usually do with ease.
So now i make a decision. I am confident. This sounds absurd, you can't just tell yourself to be confident. But you can - it's easy. I know i can work hard, i know i can beat my guys, i know i can do it: so i will.
On a quick other note. I need to throw my body around more. It felt great to do it in practice last Thursday, i nearly had it (mostly because Jason didn't realize the importance of D-ing a disc as soon as you can). My one goal right now is to get some great layout bid for a D. This fall i was amped up to do this, i remember repeatedly hitting the ground in the Space Bro tournament: I also got some pretty sweet D's this summer with Zebra. So I know i can do it, i've done it before: let's do it again.
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