2008 State of the Buzzards Address

2007 was a banner year for the Buzzards Point Ultimate Club which experienced a resurrection of sorts. Last winter, as Annette was doing her best to resuscitate our club, she persuaded me to be the co-sponsor. From my perspective, this simply met learning how to use and manage the e-mail distribution list and carrying out the discs when and if we could ever get a game called. At that time, it was a very sporadic occurrence and we found ourselves looking at a lot of 3 on 3 and 2 on 3 games if we wanted to play. So I figured "Sure, no big deal, put my name on the list".

Then something happened in the spring and I’m not even sure what to attribute it to. Apparently an influx of Ultimate players came to HQ and we did a little marketing of the existence (such as it was) of the club and voila’, we started getting games…twice a week…on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Players started bringing their co-workers and telling others and before we knew it there were 8, 10, 12…sometimes a regulation 14 players coming out. We even started playing 3, 4, and a couple times all 5 days during the week. It was Ultimate bedlam!

We survived a scorching summer on the concrete parade field and made it to the eden of fall on the soft grass of the north fields. Here is a list of players who have played at one time or another this past year. They are in no particular order and I’m sure I’m forgetting somebody…you should send me an email and I’ll make a blog correction for you…and also ask when you’re coming back out.

Visor, Annette, Eric, Coach Brackett, Jeff, Boom Boom, JasonC, Mallard, DD, Brady, MattD, Kelly, Travis, Stephen, Lee, Coach, Rodney, Tag, Marianne, Sniper, CAPT K, Phil, Lars, MattM, JasonN, Shadow, Mandolin, Wings aka Tater, Chris, Kevin, Lon, Brook, Scott, Swinny, BrianT, Conrad, & yours truly.

You can not imagine the breadth of wisdom and knowledge I have come across by associating myself with such a renaissance group over this last year. Just a smattering of things I have added to my repertoire of trivia…Chicago weather nuances, how to tell a hernia from a strained groin, a better appreciation for the admission standards of the CGA, home remodeling using antique autos and parenting tips for felonious teenagers, crew, vegetable slicing, dog training, grapes indigenous to upstate NY, Latin, and some interesting undergarment shopping preferences.

Our economic condition is excellent as the Fitness Council supported the purchase of new discs, cones, & pinnies this year. So now we are bedecked in green & gold and can be found flicking around a bright yellow, hot red, patriotic eagle, and glow in the dark discs.

Our corporate knowledge of the sport has grown as we’ve added players this year that actually knew there were rules and we’ve learned about things such as force, mark, stall, stack, and the area of verticality.

We were fortunate enough to lose no regular players to transfer this past summer. But this year we expect to lose at least 4 (that I’m aware of now) of our strong regulars…Frank, JasonN, Travis, & MattC with a couple other possible losses as well. So we may go for another strong spring recruitment. Pass the word, let me know if we can add new names to the distribution list.

Thank you BPUC for making a 2-hour commute to this place have some extra value each day. Looking forward to another great year and adding more Buzzards to the nest.

~ Bill

6-pack day...

Two days in a row of Ultimate in January! Maybe we’re turning the corner. Today was not for the faint of heart. In fact a new award was established today in recognition of the honor, respect, devotion to duty, and not enough sense to stay out of the wind exhibited by that special breed of player that has kept BPUC going on its lean days. “The 6-Shooter” award is given to those knowing we were only going to have 3 on 3 and knowing that the wind would be gusting at least around 25 mph when they came out and still playing.

Brook, Kashyap, Todd, Tom, Travis & Bill ~ Well done!

The initial plan was to shorten the field some to compensate for the sparse turnout and high winds. Somehow, I missed the dimensions brief and set up my end zone even bigger than normal and several points took advantage of the deep space on the south end of the field.

It had been a while since we’d had a good mugging but that ended when the two tights wearing Buzzards got tangled up in the normal sized end zone. I sent Todd sprawling to the ground and he almost caught in anyway before I continued tumbling over his head. Maybe a slight charley horse but no cleats to the head or groin areas so we just called the foul and then they failed to convert after the penalty.

Otherwise, Todd, Tom & Travis (Triple T) worked a short passing game fairly well and got Travis loose for a few of his sprints and scores.

Bill & Brook couldn’t seem to hit Kashyap on similar sprints with Todd loping behind with his considerable wing span. Kash did flick a nice toss to the corner on one score that I was actually able to hold on to the disc and drag my feet in at the same time.

The wind created a couple interesting plays. On one score Brook and Travis were in the end zone vying for a pass when we suddenly heard Travis yell “Where is the disc?” That’s usually a good sign for the other player and it was in this case and Brook came down with the score. On a similar play later in the endless end zone both players seemed to lose the disc and it descended right on top of Brook’s bean. Unfortunately, we found out he catches better with his hands than his head.

On another interesting play, I used my ultra-intimidating stall count to send Tom to the ground as he tried to pivot for position. Might have been the best defense I played all game…or maybe even the only defense though I think I got my hands on a couple other passes. Hard to hide with only 6 players.

I know we’re competing with Flag Football tomorrow but with a forecast of mid-40’s and sunny, let’s see if we can end January with a trifecta of game days.

The January Men

It’s the month of New Year’s bowls, MLK day, Republic Day in India, Australia Day, the State of the Union address, and another, uh, football game that will be played this Sunday in Arizona. January however has not been the month for Ultimate with only a few games having been stirred up the past few weeks since the holidays. As if the god Janus himself had closed the doorway to all things weighing 175 grams. However, as the age (or at least month) of Aquarius began, things began looking up and yesterday the Buzzards returned to the field, albeit covered in goose poop, for a cathartic game of 6 on 6, ushering out the toxins of this cruel month and inviting all things holy back to our humble disc club.

Okay, so we just had a much needed “Game On” call yesterday but it seemed much more important than that.

Just for those of you who may have been worried about the fowl covering on the field, the Humane Society provides this answer to the FAQ about Canadian Goose souveniers.

Is there a public health problem associated with the presence of goose feces in parks and playgrounds?


In some areas, goose feces may be abundant. However, this presents an aesthetic problem, not a public health issue. It is more likely that a person will become ill from coming into contact with dog or cat feces than from exposure to Canada goose feces. Roundworms, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidia, and Toxoplasmosis are all infectious agents that may be transmitted by contaminated dog and cat feces, both of which are often found in public recreational areas.
The best prevention is to practice good hygiene. Always wash your hands before eating, and discourage children from picking up food found on the ground.


It was a great game with big numbers. Everybody, dubbed with their new Latin nicknames, playing inspired disc. Travis running out of his mind early in the game, Phil with a couple of pulls that amazed even him, and a lot of scoring. I noticed there were not a lot of dropped passes yesterday which was surprising considering how little we’ve played. Kudos to all who made time to come out…
Green bolstered by the Travis’ legs also had Todd, Kevin, Scott, Tom & Bill. The Gold team yesterday consisted of Phil, Kashyap, Jason, Brook, MattC, & Derek.


The pinnies have been washed but today there is a “Wind Advisory” in D.C. If we play today, there is a good chance you’ll get your Wind Ribbon if you don’t already have it. Looking for 25mph +, and it’s forecast to be right about that at game time. Keep it flat, keep it low.

Latin...not so 101

For your avian research pleasure...

Todd - Buteo archeri
Eric - Buteo rufinus
MattC - Buteo oreophilus
Boom Boom - Buteo nitidus
Mallard - Buteo platypterus
DD - Buteo rufofuscus
Coach - Pernis celebensis
MattD - Butastur rufipennis
Rodney - Buteo brachypterus
Travis - Kaupifalco monogrammicus
Sniper - Buteo hemilasius
CAPTKev - Butastur indicus
Phil - Buteo leucorrhous
JasonN - Buteo albigula
Frank - Buteo albonotatus
Kashyap - Buteo brachyurus
MattP - Buteo lagopus
Bill - Buteo regalis
Brook - Buteo auguralis
Scott - Buteo magnirostris
Bryan - Henicopernis longicauda
Conrad - Buteo galapagoensis

Who knew Buzzards hibernated?

Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals. Well the BPUC has certainly been in a state of inactivity and I don’t know about metabolic depression but the following comments have been culled from emails about the disappointment of not playing…

“The lack of players is killing me!”

“All I know is I need to get out of the cube…”

“No bill noooooo”

“I need this Bill you have no idea.”

“That’s crap!!!”

“What is the deal with the lack of commitment?”

“UNSAT”

“Please tell me there's a game today.”

“It has been soo long since there was a game.”

“We couldn't even scrounge two more players...how pathetic are these people to sit on their can all day.”

So, I’m not sure whether it’s metabolic or not but the amateur psychiatrist in me would definitely say there are signs of depression in the air.

Fear not Buzzards! We are Game On today and it looks like a big game so we can ease back into the running for those of you who are not taking muscle relaxers.

Also, since we’ve had so much time on our hand…I’ll be giving you all your Latin nicknames soon. Stay tuned for that much anticipated entry. In the meantime…lace ‘em up. Everybody remember how to throw?

Pull!

The Mud Bowl

~ first guest blog account...from Rodney.

Friday, January 11th, 2008

Once the solicitation email went out on a rainy Friday immediate responses were received to my surprise. We had Visor (which came in handy with the rain), Mallard, Phil, Kash, Rodney, Scott, Matt, and Travis.

The walk to the field was what I consider to be the longest walk yet. I figured by the time we got to the field the rain would stop and all would be well, but I think it only got harder.

The field was set and the teams were good to go. Play commenced and so did the mud! I must say that the field was worse than I thought it would be. 5 out of the 8 of us had cleats and the poor 3 that didn’t were all over the place. Travis and Mallard were slipping and sliding like they were trying out for the Olympic Figure Skating team.

Phil threw a short pass to Mallard about 6 inches behind his impressive reach and there went Mallard sliding on his shoes like a barefoot water skier would on a sunny day in FL. Then as impressive was his skiing so was the crash on to the muddy field.

Needless to say when the game was finished so was the field. The players had more mud than clean spots and not a dry piece of clothing existed.

All in all it was a great game. A rainy, muddy day on the Ultimate field is better than a dry good day in the cube!!!!

Today’s Forecast: Around 40 degrees, light breeze at 8 mph, steady rain and mud…. perfect. Game on!

"...all sorts of Frank's parts..."

…that was the explanation from one of the Buzzards as to why he wasn’t able to catch a particular pass in the end zone today. Apparently there was just a “little” contact. And that was what much of the rest of the game was like as well. Just a lot of incidental (or not so) contact here and there. I’m not sure whether that’s attributed to the soggy field or the return to play after a couple weeks off.

Never the less, the weather was fantastic, we had 5 on 5, and weren’t in the cube so life was good.

Mandolin & Boom Boom took one for the team and took 3 hour lunches so that we could have the big game and they could also meet their subsequent dodgeball commitment. Matt D, did you recruit any new Ultimate players while you were over there or was it just a poor excuse not to be throwing discs today?

By the way, I got positive hits on APBs put out on Mallard & Bob. Between rants about Baton Rouge and wishing he was a non-rate again I culled from my conversation with Lindsay that he’d been traveling some and his current employer wasn’t exactly being sympathetic to his Ultimate schedule. Bob is awaiting signature on a contract so he can get paid to be back in the building. Hopefully we’ll see those two members of the “Ensure” team soon.

Elliot appeared out of nowhere yesterday and it was good to have him back on the field. My addiction to the long throw was fed by a dubious team matchup yesterday that had Frank aka “Endzone” always deep whenever I turned with the disc as well as Brook and Todd who kept tempting me enough with long runs that I just kept giving in…

The gold team had the runners yesterday with Travis & Mandolin but it didn’t translate into a lot of deep hucks for points. Two points of observation here; even if you have two guys that out run everybody else on the field, somebody has to be able to make that throw and if Kash is throwing long, he can’t always be running long. Worked out for good math for the green team if we could have only stopped turning it over on our first and second passes.

Some other observations…if we want to start playing like an actual organized team at some point (clearly hypothetical at this juncture)…Boom Boom, you only have one pivot foot and as soon as you lift that 2nd foot you have traveled, never mind lifting the first one again and then the second one again.

Phil, you could probably have called a couple fouls on me yesterday when I was marking you. Given time for reflection I don’t think I gave you proper “disc space” one diameter of the disc away. However if this is solely caused by movement of the thrower, then it is not considered a marking foul.

Wings – In answer to your question a while back, I think it is generally accepted that the marker should be within 3 meters (that’s 9 feet for you non-Canadians or roughly two Mandolin lengths if he was laid out in front of you) before a Stall count can begin. Of course, if you’re playing with a 1-player advantage I think anybody should be able to initiate the count from anywhere.

As far as offensive formations go…the spread offense may work well in college football but until we get to start playing a Big Ten defense in Ultimate we might consider packing in our formations a bit from the start of play in a vertical line rather than horizontally across the field or just cluster scattered all over the field with Endzone 60 yards away taking away one receiver all together.

Today’s Forecast: Around 50 degrees, light breeze at 5 mph…perfect. Game on!

Return of the Buzzards

I understand, with the New Hampshire primaries and the Joe Gibbs’ retirement that the Buzzards return to Ultimate this week may have flown under the news radar. However, the return after what seemed like an interminable holiday respite, was very welcome. It helped that the D.C. area has had almost record warm temperatures the last couple days.

Turnout was a little sparse yesterday though. Initially only a 3 on 3 game loomed but Phil & Kashyap dragged their boss, Scott out of the office and then an 8th showed up after about 20 minutes and saved the gold team from running 3 on 4. It was obvious that Phil had explained the gist of the rules to Scott because he thought poking me in the eye was a perfectly legitimate defensive strategy early in the game.

You have to love the surprises you always get in a game of Ultimate and we all enjoyed witnessing the two shortest pulls of recent memory, by Todd of all people. In trying to fairly report the facts, I’ll note that they were against a slight breeze and it looked like he might have been trying a new throw (the 65 yard roll pull) but neither throw came close to approaching that yardage and we actually got some extra rest in walking down to pick up the disc that lay much closer to the pullers.

Kashyap may have earned himself a new nickname… "Mandolin” as he came out with a heavily taped finger and wearing one glove to protect a wound suffered at the blade of that dreaded kitchen gadget…not the small guitar-like instrument. I'm not sure what's harder to imagine, him slicing julienned carrots or playing the Orange Blossom Special.

The field was a little soggy yesterday and I enjoyed sliding around some and bringing a couple layers of mud back in with me. Even with cleats the traction was questionable. Just ask Phil, who, when getting ready to make a cut, found himself completely sprawled out with his face in the mud, nobody within 10 yards of him.

The holiday toxins, in the forms of turkey, spiral ham, marshmallow covered yams, 15 dozen cookies, Merlot, Riesling, and a nice new Cab-Franc, began to drain from the body after a few trips up and down the field. The rested upper leg tendon reminded me it didn’t get enough rest and required a hot bath last night but it was great to be back on the field.

Thanks to Travis & Rodney who have tried, with moderate success, calling games in my absence. Let’s enjoy these unusual temps before winter returns next week.

Pull!