This is it.
Pretty much my entire frisbee career I have talked about my senior year. It got to the point where the one catchphrase I ever invented myself was "Now not that I want to talk about senior year, but...." So its here. Jive has lost its greatest class ability wise in years. Jake, Jack, Matt and Nate (yes, even Nate) all gave Jive its first run to regionals and a 11-15 scare to Pitt. I learned a lot from those four players but even if they had mroe to teach any of the remaining Jivers, they're gone. Its up to one motley crew of replacements to try an get jive back on the path to Reigonals.
This summer I played (for the first time) on another team than my college. Key Party is a new coed team in my area and I get to see my first tournament action with them at Chesapeake. That means that this is the first summer where my "training" was not the occasional foray into free weights and push ups, a probably a mile or two before going back to college, and the few wednesday pickups at Longs Park I could make (I think my record was last summer with 3). Through Key Party I got in touch with several Lancaster legends of frisbee, and learned from GMU captain Wes what a 'snertz' was.
Since I have already run the risk of boring anyone to tears about how frisbee was my freedom from 8 (sometimes 9) hour work days at School Specialty, I'll cut to my real point. What do I want to see in my senior year. I am keeping out team goals for two reasons : One, I'm V.P. which therefore means its not my job to make the goals. Two, I want to see where we are talentwise. I'm already hearing about some stud freshmen, and I've heard as weel as seen with my own eyes about players who improved over the summer. Those idiots who got hurt with toad will idealy come back better players. And well, I know my housemate Ian is lookign for a big year.
That cuts into personal goal number one, the biggest priority but actually least serious: Ian is not allowed to sky me. Fortunately I can just give up on deep cuts in scrimmages before that happens. Suck it Hall.
On a more serious note, I want to play d points. That means I have to be faster. Much faster than before. I also have to be smart. My offensive game came around last year, ad its still improving while i work on break throws and decision making, but the pure athleticism that has always been my weakness is hopefully going to start making up ground through actual workouts. Plyos are new to me but I can feel the muscle building. Lets hope it leads to results.
In short, with about a month and a half before my first tournament with Jive (playing with Key Party at club sectionals), I am already psyched for the season to begin. And I would like to see the coed team win a tournament in the Fall, and the mens team make it to regionals in the spring. Thats a ton of work before then. And whoever is back at Dickinson before school, get ready to feel what a snertz is.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Pirates Baseball
It has been months since Sherman on sports released a blog post, so here, after 6 weeks of field school, I have a free moment.
For the first time in my entire life I am paying close attention to Pittsburgh baseball past May. I admitt fair-weather fandom, but the depressiong of watching losing seasons my entire life just left me without passion for the Pirates. In my younger days I followed my grandfathers lead in being a Yankee fan to the bone, but as I grew older the Pirates just spoke to more of what I saw in the other sports franchises I saw. Black and gold, down to earth players, small market, small salaries, well things that were just un-Yankees. Plus the idea of a team buying any sort of player just didn't fit the Pens or Steelers, so I slowly moved the Pirates above the Yankees around 10th grade. For good.
And for the next five years they totured me with some of the worst baseball of all time. Coming into this season, the best I dared imagine was something like fourth in the division, ten games below .500. and I thought I was too optimistic.
Little did I know Clint Hurdle would suddenly turn a pitching staff of rejects and underachievers into respectable status. That guys like Presley and d'Arnaud would come in for Cedeno and Alvarez and keep a scorching team going. That my Pirates could win a series from Boston and Philadelphia. Well we always seem to beat Philly. To top the suprising four games above five hundred first half, my Pirates, whose last winning season came when I was two and a half and just left Virginia, are in the midst of a playoff hunt. Playoffs?
Who are these guys? Hanrahan? Tabata (once he returns from DL)? Correia? Karstens? And is that Charlie Morton with a 3.80 ERA? Morton of the 28 ERA infamy?
The best thing about this early success is it comes with the offense underperforming. McCutcheon and Garrett Jones came on only in June, Tabata cooled off as of late pre-injury. Alvarez who drew comparisons to a better Aramis Ramirez orignially, has been just plain bad pre-DL. Overbay was almost out of the lineup recently. If this group ever matches the pitching watch out.
We just might be talking playoffs in Pittsburgh, for a third sport. Baseball.
For the first time in my entire life I am paying close attention to Pittsburgh baseball past May. I admitt fair-weather fandom, but the depressiong of watching losing seasons my entire life just left me without passion for the Pirates. In my younger days I followed my grandfathers lead in being a Yankee fan to the bone, but as I grew older the Pirates just spoke to more of what I saw in the other sports franchises I saw. Black and gold, down to earth players, small market, small salaries, well things that were just un-Yankees. Plus the idea of a team buying any sort of player just didn't fit the Pens or Steelers, so I slowly moved the Pirates above the Yankees around 10th grade. For good.
And for the next five years they totured me with some of the worst baseball of all time. Coming into this season, the best I dared imagine was something like fourth in the division, ten games below .500. and I thought I was too optimistic.
Little did I know Clint Hurdle would suddenly turn a pitching staff of rejects and underachievers into respectable status. That guys like Presley and d'Arnaud would come in for Cedeno and Alvarez and keep a scorching team going. That my Pirates could win a series from Boston and Philadelphia. Well we always seem to beat Philly. To top the suprising four games above five hundred first half, my Pirates, whose last winning season came when I was two and a half and just left Virginia, are in the midst of a playoff hunt. Playoffs?
Who are these guys? Hanrahan? Tabata (once he returns from DL)? Correia? Karstens? And is that Charlie Morton with a 3.80 ERA? Morton of the 28 ERA infamy?
The best thing about this early success is it comes with the offense underperforming. McCutcheon and Garrett Jones came on only in June, Tabata cooled off as of late pre-injury. Alvarez who drew comparisons to a better Aramis Ramirez orignially, has been just plain bad pre-DL. Overbay was almost out of the lineup recently. If this group ever matches the pitching watch out.
We just might be talking playoffs in Pittsburgh, for a third sport. Baseball.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Super Bowl
This is it, my personal favorite sporting event of the year. Its got everything from somewhat funny (and sometimes downright hilarious) commercials, a halftime show that occasionally is watchable, a game that recently has actually been pretty good and a nice bit of socializing along sides. America's current game, and the one to win it all.
It has actually been tough recently, in the best possible way, to have my favorite team in the big game. This means I am a little more stressed than usual while watching, but the chance to have the 'best football team in the world' for the third time in my life is pretty awesome. All I am hoping for is a good game, a close game, and a clean game (no more Super Bowl XL shenanigans). As for who I pick to win, see below.
The matchup this year is great, in having two traditional powerhouses and well known teams in the big game, and the Green Bay Packers face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aaron Rodgers for Green Bay is the hottest quarterback in the league, and with the newfound running game of Starks, backed by a very good defensive core makes an overall good team. The Steelers counter with Ben Roethlisberger, an already two time Super Bowl Champion who has done this the ugly way with some questionable at best officiating (XL); and the classic way with a game winning fourth quarter drive (XLIII). Supporting him is the gritty running of Rashard Mendenhall and the always tough Pittsburgh defense, with a very strong linebacking crew. Here are the matchups to watch.
Big Ben v. Charles Woodson: Woodson is one year removed from his defensive player of the year campaign, but in that same year Roethlisberger tore apart the Packers for a career high 503 yards passing en route to a 38-37 victory. Woodson can be moved all over the field, and is sometimes used on the corner blitz, but Ben might simply be too tough to be brought down. Ben must be aware of Woodson's play, whereever he is.
Doug Legursky v. B.J. Raji: Its pretty obvious that Pouncey is not going to play in this game, and if so, Legursky has to face the phenomenal defensive tackle that is Raji. Raji took an interception back for a touchdown last week, showing the athleticism the big man up front can play with. Legursky will need to be able to win this matchup, or Ben will have to put the team on his back for the entire length of the game without any pass protection.
Aaron Rodgers v. Dick Lebeau: Rodgers is playign very well, its obvious. All week the talk has been on Polamalu and the win percentage of the Steelers without him. But Polamalu has been a step slow recently, which means Lebeau has to have his entire unti ready to go, especially pass rushers Woodley and Harrison. Woodley typically plays well in the playoffs, with sacks in his first 6 playoff games and counting, and 10 overall. Harrison typically plays well always, a former defensive player of the year, and one of the most feared players in football. This is the matchup I am most looking forward to this weekend, and should be a great game of cat and mouse all game long.
At the end of it all there is only one team that clearly comes out on top. And as much as sports expert Tom "Moonshine" von Allmen would love to convince you that the Flyers can win another Super Bowl, its obvious that the Pittsburgh Pirates are the real winners. With the added attention to another deep playoff run, fans in Pittsburgh will remain placated with the success of the Rooneys and the Steelers organization, making that 19th straing losing season that much easier to get through. Go Bucs. sigh.
You didn't think I would actually pick a winner did you?
It has actually been tough recently, in the best possible way, to have my favorite team in the big game. This means I am a little more stressed than usual while watching, but the chance to have the 'best football team in the world' for the third time in my life is pretty awesome. All I am hoping for is a good game, a close game, and a clean game (no more Super Bowl XL shenanigans). As for who I pick to win, see below.
The matchup this year is great, in having two traditional powerhouses and well known teams in the big game, and the Green Bay Packers face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aaron Rodgers for Green Bay is the hottest quarterback in the league, and with the newfound running game of Starks, backed by a very good defensive core makes an overall good team. The Steelers counter with Ben Roethlisberger, an already two time Super Bowl Champion who has done this the ugly way with some questionable at best officiating (XL); and the classic way with a game winning fourth quarter drive (XLIII). Supporting him is the gritty running of Rashard Mendenhall and the always tough Pittsburgh defense, with a very strong linebacking crew. Here are the matchups to watch.
Big Ben v. Charles Woodson: Woodson is one year removed from his defensive player of the year campaign, but in that same year Roethlisberger tore apart the Packers for a career high 503 yards passing en route to a 38-37 victory. Woodson can be moved all over the field, and is sometimes used on the corner blitz, but Ben might simply be too tough to be brought down. Ben must be aware of Woodson's play, whereever he is.
Doug Legursky v. B.J. Raji: Its pretty obvious that Pouncey is not going to play in this game, and if so, Legursky has to face the phenomenal defensive tackle that is Raji. Raji took an interception back for a touchdown last week, showing the athleticism the big man up front can play with. Legursky will need to be able to win this matchup, or Ben will have to put the team on his back for the entire length of the game without any pass protection.
Aaron Rodgers v. Dick Lebeau: Rodgers is playign very well, its obvious. All week the talk has been on Polamalu and the win percentage of the Steelers without him. But Polamalu has been a step slow recently, which means Lebeau has to have his entire unti ready to go, especially pass rushers Woodley and Harrison. Woodley typically plays well in the playoffs, with sacks in his first 6 playoff games and counting, and 10 overall. Harrison typically plays well always, a former defensive player of the year, and one of the most feared players in football. This is the matchup I am most looking forward to this weekend, and should be a great game of cat and mouse all game long.
At the end of it all there is only one team that clearly comes out on top. And as much as sports expert Tom "Moonshine" von Allmen would love to convince you that the Flyers can win another Super Bowl, its obvious that the Pittsburgh Pirates are the real winners. With the added attention to another deep playoff run, fans in Pittsburgh will remain placated with the success of the Rooneys and the Steelers organization, making that 19th straing losing season that much easier to get through. Go Bucs. sigh.
You didn't think I would actually pick a winner did you?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Defense!
Its been a while since my last blog. Way too long, in fact, even Jake Rainwater managed to update his while I haven't done anything this break. So I decided to give my thoughts on the Playoffs so far, especially with the first double six seeds in the championship games.
That's right, you probably didnt notice, given the recent success of wild card teams winning the super bowl (see '06 Steelers, only six seed to ever win, and '08 Giants, the only five seedto ever win) but two six seeds in the playoffs? Great stuff for the NFL, no way they can screw this up.....lockout anyone? But perhaps my favorite thing about these playoffs is the reemergence of Defensive oriented teams. The Bears, Packers, Jets, and Steeles all have phenomenal defenses ,and phenomenal players. You could probably create an all-pro defense just from these four teams.
But look at the teams who lost in the Playoffs. The Patriots and Colts featured phenomal quarterbacks and offenses, but Rex Ryan's scheming (I even am starting to like the guy now) shut down both teams. The Saints got kicked out because they had no defense. The Chiefs were soundly beaten by the Ravens when their rushing attack failed, and the Falcons lost at home due to some phenomenal defensive plays on the Packer secondary's part.
I love defensive battles. Love. Them. That doesnt mean low scoring necessarily, as exemplified by Steelers-Ravens, no, I am talking about games where the defenses overshadow the offenses. Where the offense has to struggle for plays and fight for every yard. Where the quarterback has to get up after eating the turf of Soldier or Heinz Field and then convert a third and twelve. or nineteen (still cant't get over Antonio Brown). Any way you cut it, I will be peeking at Mike Bennet's smartphone all dinner shift Sunday night, trying to get scores of both games. A shame to miss, and whoever isnt working should definitely check out both games. You know you want to see Ben break his nose again. Or Jay Cutler get nailed by Clay Matthews. Or Sanchez knocked down by James Harrison. Either way, this is one playoff round no one wants to miss.
That's right, you probably didnt notice, given the recent success of wild card teams winning the super bowl (see '06 Steelers, only six seed to ever win, and '08 Giants, the only five seedto ever win) but two six seeds in the playoffs? Great stuff for the NFL, no way they can screw this up.....lockout anyone? But perhaps my favorite thing about these playoffs is the reemergence of Defensive oriented teams. The Bears, Packers, Jets, and Steeles all have phenomenal defenses ,and phenomenal players. You could probably create an all-pro defense just from these four teams.
But look at the teams who lost in the Playoffs. The Patriots and Colts featured phenomal quarterbacks and offenses, but Rex Ryan's scheming (I even am starting to like the guy now) shut down both teams. The Saints got kicked out because they had no defense. The Chiefs were soundly beaten by the Ravens when their rushing attack failed, and the Falcons lost at home due to some phenomenal defensive plays on the Packer secondary's part.
I love defensive battles. Love. Them. That doesnt mean low scoring necessarily, as exemplified by Steelers-Ravens, no, I am talking about games where the defenses overshadow the offenses. Where the offense has to struggle for plays and fight for every yard. Where the quarterback has to get up after eating the turf of Soldier or Heinz Field and then convert a third and twelve. or nineteen (still cant't get over Antonio Brown). Any way you cut it, I will be peeking at Mike Bennet's smartphone all dinner shift Sunday night, trying to get scores of both games. A shame to miss, and whoever isnt working should definitely check out both games. You know you want to see Ben break his nose again. Or Jay Cutler get nailed by Clay Matthews. Or Sanchez knocked down by James Harrison. Either way, this is one playoff round no one wants to miss.
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