Top 10 of 2009 Part 2

Bloody heck! It's New Year's Eve here at stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion. There are several fatted calves on the rotisserie, the kegs are spiked, the champagne is chilling, and the disco ball is turning. But before we get into the fun, lets quickly count down the second half of the top ten of 2009 ....

5. Trevor Goes Everywhere

The appearance in 2009 of a new club determined to attend every single tournament that it could, oh that happened to be made up of mostly junior players, was a great thing.

4. New Tournaments: Big Sky 9’s, Slamtown Invitational and Brisbane Indoor Ultimate Championships

Three new tournaments arrived on the Brisbane Ultimate scene this year, and fingers are crossed all over that they can become annual annual annual! Each filled a new niche, with Big Sky 9’s obviously a huge success in achieving its ambitious aims – rounds of applause to all involved. (We should mention the Townsville Hat here too. Well done Northerners for enticing a few southerners up too.)

3. Buggers Ascendant

It’s a story that this isn’t a story. Once, nay twice again, the Moreton Bay Buggers took home the Robert Craddock’s Dog trophy for winning the Brisbane Premier League, first in June and again in November. And yet nobody seems too put out by it. Bugger dominance in BPL Finals is just the way of things, like the sun and the tide.

2. World Games in Kaoshing

Well, this did get a lot of attention, and rightly so. An outstanding effort for Ultimate Frisbee globally. For Brisbane rep Mike Neild, its been a roller coaster of a year, and we hope he and his lady are well.

1. UQ Wins AUGs

The week was outrageous. The Final was outrageous. But the University of Queensland were the worthy winners of gold Gold GOLD at the 2009 Australian University Championships on the Gold Coast. The win cemented the club once again as the strongest and most important in Queensland Ultimate. Now, if only they can get it together to go and defend their title in 2010!

Top 10 of 2009 Part 1

Well, its that time of year when we in stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion like to roast a few chestnuts over the fire while turning the air conditioning up full boar, and contemplate the year that was. Of course, the rain has been handy too. Last year we stumbled upon the handy number 10 as the tally of big events for 2008, and we figure we might as well do the same this year.

So here's part 1 of the Top 10 most interesting things that happened in 2009 that we barely otherwise covered here at the Brisbane Ultimate Blog.

10. Matt Boevink Strikes Back

Former QUDA President (2003-2005) Mr Matt Boevink gave everyone one of his ‘well, why the hell not’ smiles at the Association’s AGM in March 2009, stepping back into the toughest job in Queensland Ultimate, and heralding the next phase in the overarching administration of Ultimate and Disc Golf in Queensland. 2009 was another big year for QUDA.

9. The Crawford Report

If you’re a policy wonk like those of us who hang out in the massive library and research labs here at stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion, then you’ll have read the Crawford Report from cover to cover and be excited about what this could mean for the future of Ultimate. But you’re probably not. Nonetheless, we’re slotting this one in, so that if we look back in a few years time, if the future goes as it might, you’ll be able to look back here and say we had it right.

8. Passion Bounced

Its hard to avoid passing judgement, particularly on the friendly Brisbane Ultimate Blog, but its hard to go past tipping the scandal of the Brisbane Ultimate year being the UQ Passion’s disqualification from playing in the BPL Season 1 Finals. Passion’s failure to fill in enough roster sheets to qualify any of its players to play in the Finals series led League Director Stu to forfeit them and invite 5^th place Old School Buggers to play in their stead against 1^st place Dojo Mojo. Many felt this against the spirit of the BPL, which emphasises competitive play over ‘off-field rule mongering’, and were disappointed that if roster sheet-filling were of such importance then it could’ve monitored it during the season and had a quiet word passed on pointing out that Passion would be in breach of the rules. On the other hand, compliance with the agreed rules is also central to spirit of the game, and reams of email saw Stu stick to his guns and point out that the rostering rules were well known to everyone as an important part of ensuring the integrity of the Brisbane Premier League.

The year seemed to go further downhill for the Passion from there – their leadership’s apparent rigging of the BPL Season 1 Most Valuable Player voting (begun much earlier in the year) may have been meant to be a silly prank (no slander to Tomsteve Daley though, who did have a great year on the field in 2009), but in the context of what had gone before, seemed to make the team lose what sympathy they had. An effort at a new start and new look for Season 2 sadly saw the team burning some bridges with the folks at QUDA by taking forever to repay a loan to buy shirts, and the season ended with them missing the Semis again. Passion reps have ignored an invitation to visit the stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion for interview (it is exam time though), but perhaps the New Year will bring a new vibe and a new Passion.

7. JFOG and QUDA Storage, Signage at AJSC

As usual, there were all sorts of adventures with fields this year (let us not speak of the AJSC lights), but a few standout moves this year were the putting up of some signage at AJSC, and gaining some permanent storage (and regular tournament use) of the JF O'Grady Fields in nearby Fairfield.

6. Women Break Out

Some people may not have notice it, but 2009 was a big year for Women’s Ultimate in Brisbane, at least in terms of the turnout to Northern Regionals. For the first time, Northern Regionals had a real women’s division (previously involvement had mostly involved two squads of Sultry ladies having a hit out), with four teams battling up and down the JF O’Grady fields. Can this be matched next year, despite the and will these numbers of tournament ladies

It’s worth noting that while the Open Division at Northern Regionals featured only five teams (down from six the previous year), these were five bigger and better teams, leading to a much more challenging and entertaining event for the lads.

Has Ultimate Blogging in Australia Jumped the Shark?

… assuming the phrase jumping the shark hasn’t actually jumped the shark.

After a booming 2008, Ultimate blogging in Australia seems to be in a bit of a decline. If you look at nothing but the numbers, you'd think that even the venerable Brisbane Ultimate Blog staff have been slacking off a bit (this is nothing to do with Hugh Hefner's efforts to purchase the stately mansion). But maybe instead of quantity we're moving towards quality?

Anyway, since its practically the end of the year, we figured we'd best get to saluting our comrades out in the blogosphere, or at least those amongst the big 4 (yes, there's a few other blogs out there that we haven't mentioned ... perhaps those quieter blogs are perhaps the best examples of shark jumping)

Sif
Tiger and Semfel had an uneven year on the blogging front. It could just be those hormones getting out of control again. But for the perspective of some dog-soldier buck-private Ultimate players facing up to the realities of injury and training for big events, this is the blog to read (leaving aside occasional divergences into poker and general chest beating). Posting was very quiet in 2009 relative to 2008, but still they kept them rolling.

Best Tiger Post: http://sifultimate.blogspot.com/2009/10/eiyuji.html
Best Semfel Post: http://sifultimate.blogspot.com/2009/06/diversification.html

This Things I Believe
Rubes had a third regular year of blogging – roughly a post a month, same as 2008 and 2007. 2009 on the page was dominated by events – Regionals/Nationals, World Games, and then the Tribe of Tiny Horses’ unfortunately dead-end path to World Clubs in Prague (sadly, the successful teams don't go much for blogging). Every post of Rueben’s is worth reading, so go read the lot, and like us, keep bugging him to post more.

Best Rueben Post – we’ll give the hype to this one, just because of the true history involved: http://rjhberg-disc.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-first-layout-callahan.html

Thinkulti
Owen’s adventures in Columbian Ultimate have dominated his blog this year, and for most ‘English-reading’ Ultimate players, this has been a bit of an eye opener for us. Remains essential reading.

Best Owen Post – we have to give it to this one for its insight: http://thinkulti.blogspot.com/2009/10/from-sidelines-unselected.html

Ballarat Ultimate
The annual AUGs build up and follow up and the annual Nationals build up and follow up continue to make Simmo essential reading, but its all the other thoughts and insights that make for the full blogging package. That Simmo does all this of course means that we here at the Brisbane Ultimate Blog can just snipe at the sidelines, or more accurately, from home because we didn’t get our lives together in a format that supports going to Nationals or attending Uni any more. Nonetheless, Ballarat Ultimate remains the gold standard for Australian Ultimate Blogging.

But we’ll have to suggest if you only read one post, you go for this one, just because of the long term service this will provide the Ultimate community: http://ballaratultimate.blogspot.com/2009/08/games-to-kill-time-at-tournaments.html


Hmm, so in sum, all this endeavour I think goes to show that there's still life in the old bloggers yet!

The Pole is the Hole

There's some disc golf on again this Saturday 19 December, at the central-to-Brisbane course at Fehlberg Park, Yeronga (off Fairfield Road). Meet at the child care centre carpark off Hyde Road. Play from 8am-10am.

You don't need a special frisbee!

Contact Tim at discgolf@quda.org for more info.

Beach Boy, Beach Boy, Hit that Perfect Beach Boy

Reminders about upcoming beach options over the festivas (the holiday for the rest of us) season:

G'day Beach Ultimate Fans,

The Beach Ultimate Series - Round 2 and 3 on the South Coast - Monday 28 December at Kirra and Sunday 3 January at Kingscliff.

Rego is open for both - early bird is $5 per player till Tuesday 22nd December (our longest day). After that date rego is $10 per player and includes insurance, sand, cones, beach, lines, ocean, shade, wind, eskies with ice, sun, prizes and a great excuse.

Sign up at http://afda. com/rego/ showcompetition. php?competitioni
d=758

Space is Limited - so pay to confirm your place - only the first 24 players are confirmed

TIME: come early and leave late.. enjoy a whole day at the beach ;-) but the team draw out of the hat will happen around 2pm and we will be done before 7PM i'm guessing.

Maps: Kirra - http://maps. google.com/ maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=1083404576873726005 05.00047a8f49212 18e5b05d

Kings - http://maps. google.com/ maps/ms?ie=
UTF&msa=0&msid=1083404576873726005 05.00047a8f5f1c3c7c6e96e

Carpooling - Saving fuel, money and time on trains - organise your own car load and ride on this spreadsheet: http://spreadsheets .google.com/ ccc?key=0AvDq1oW
UT9wgdFZNbzZMdFd hZnZiaVJyVklQT3d uZWc&hl=enor go via transinfo.com.
au

Bring: A smile, disc, water, food, drinks...sunscreen, togs....

Bring a friend and a foe

Bring $10 if you haven't paid already!! Early birds only paid $5.

Send your early bird or late payment to

ADBUC Committee BSB: 064435 Account #: 00622595

Email when you send the bank transfer: natman82(at) gmail(dot) com

Website - adbuc.blogspot. com

Don't Iron While the Strike Is Hot

Its that time of year again (actually, it has been for several weeks now), when your average Ultimate player faces the prospect of play in the HOT HOT HOT sun.

Most Aussies are in the game with regards Slip Slop Slap (but don't forget to help with advice should you come across any new chums from foreign lands) but Ultimate's mad love of all day tournament play can place people in danger of illness and certain doom, in the form of hyponatremia (aka loss of salts). Just ask Cupcake, who apparently ended up in hospital a few weeks back, or the lad back in 2004 who spent three days near in intensive care after a day at Canberra's Dis Kapital tournament.

If we may disgress - three days in intensive care is serious serious shit. You go to intensive care if they think you're going to die. And this guy was fit as - he'd finished a four year stint in the army about 6 months beforehand. And he felt fine, up to collapsing in the car on the way home. Lucky his girlfriend was driving, and lucky they were 5 minutes away from the hospital. It was about 9 months before he got onto an Ultimate field again.

So its important on hot days for organisers and players to do a few things (like I say, aside from the generally understood shade, sunscreen, rest and drinks stuff):

- keep your salt up as you go through the water. Whether you use pricey softdrinks or bags of peanuts and chips.

- check the Bureau of Meteorology's Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) website at the start and during the day. WBGT takes into account temperature, humidity, radiation and wind.

As suggested by Sports Medicine Australia, if the WBGT gets over 26, then change the plan, including shortening games, taking more breaks, bigger rosters, and being more alert about yourself and your team-mates. If the WBGT gets over 30, have a good think about whether to postpone play until a cooler part of the day, or cancel all together.

The AFDA hot weather policy is pretty close to this, providing plenty of Ultimate-specific advice, but this is due for an update, mostly to reflect that many players now carry internet-enabled phones, and are thus able to check WBGT to support more objective decisions about play.

The Secret to Winning Nationals

Feeling a bit controversial today. Must be Tuesday!

A lot of people think that the way to defeat everyone else in Australia is pretty simple:

1. get your best players together;
2. train a lot.

That's a reasonable way to do it.

But every year there's many teams in each division who do this, but only one wins. Maybe this isn't the best approach - in fact its only got something like a 10-20% success rate.

Here's a different suggestion.

Want to win lots of National titles in the next decade?

Spend the time you'd spend training recruiting hundreds people into your local Ultimate area.

Crazy, eh?

Lets look at what the data would say if it had been gathered for us to analyse (so, yes, we're going out on an unsubstantiable limb here):

- UQ are one of the biggest Ultimate clubs in the country, and have been for years. Oh, and yes, they have Gold Medals for AUGs for 2007 and 2009 (they didn't go to 2008 ... to busy with all their members).

- Largest concentation of women Ultimate players in Australia? Sydney, has had about 40-50% of women Ultimate players in the country for a decade at least. Number of national champions? Sydney women won every year of the last decade, except whent the NZ National team doesn't turn up and pinch the prize (beating a Sydney team in the final).

- But what about Open? Hasn't Chilly of Melbourne won lots of National titles the last bunch of years? Ever wonder why that is? Well, leaving aside Chilly's 4 recent wins, remember that every other title since 1993 bar the one NZ pinched has been a Sydney team (again, having 30-40% of the nations Ultimate players over this period). But if you got the data from the VFDA, I suspect you'd see one interesting correlation with Chilly's wins - the massive growth in Melbourne Ultimate over the last 5-7 years. It wasn't that long ago that Melbourne Ultimate was only a few teams.

The conventional response might be: the Sydney Women and Melbourne men win because they're the major team for a large area of players (of course, this ignores the fact that other strong teams do exist in these areas, but whatever).

But the important thing is that they're in a large area, with many many grassroots players having access to the team.

You can keep working on your elite group, but perhaps a better strategy is to grow your base so that the elite group gets broader, deeper and stronger.

Then you'll be winning championships.

Its Gonna Be Huge

It occured to us here at stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog manor, that there's going to be some huge Ultimate events occuring in our neighbourhood over the next 18 months.

The Brisbane-Canberra Invitational is scheduled for 27-28 February, here in Brisbane. The tournament's goal is to invite 8 Open and 8 Women's teams to compete. This makes this baby bigger than any Halibut, particularly as you'd anticipate teams bringing large squads, as they're usually serious groups preparing for Nationals glory. Less than 10 weeks away. TD John McNaughton probably needs your help!

Halibut 2010 on 31 July and 1 August will of course be the usual large affair, even with some of the national elite having been occupied in Prague earlier that month. I'd expect at least 12 teams, same as last year, particularly if a TD gets on board soon as is able to start promoting the tournament.

Then in less than 18 months time, the Northern Region is due to host the Australian National Ultimate Championships 2011 over the Anzac Day long weekend in April of that year. A massive 32 teams are anticipated to descend on Brisbane to fight it out - this will be the biggest Ultimate event ever held on Queensland soil. Are we up to it?

Perhaps one thing that will make life easier for the Brisbane organiser types will be the suggestion that Townsville bid to host Northern Regionals 2011. What an exciting thought!?! After all the years of Townsville teams treking down to play in the South East corner, the flow may go in the other direction. But just like the folks in Brisbane who will need to put their hand up to make Nationals happen, the Townsville folks will also have to grab the TD hats and tie them on tight ... and soon!

BUML Season Results

Catching up on our duties as the unofficial journal of record for Brisbane Ultimate, here's the results from the recently completed Monday night Mixed League.

BUML Division 1
1. These Guys
2. Bert and Ernie
3. Arachidonic Acid
4. Ballisitic Fruit Basket
5. Quick Beets
6. Trevor Goes to DIV1

BUML Division 2
1. Kelvin Grove Cougars
2. ExQuisiTe
3. Baby Chimis
4. Dyspnoeics
5. Bermuda triangle
6. Trevor Goes to Annerley
7. Heros
8. Mellow Yellow
9. Discheads
10. Agent Orange
11. Chump Club
12. Poachers

QUDA Bash 2009 - With Celebrity Reporter

Things are a bit quiet here at stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion at the moment. It’s the off-season, you know? Too hot for us. Wettie has retreated to the cooling balms of the Cobra-lair, while yours truly is looking at piles of paper, keyboards and books and sighing with pleasure. And speaking of pleasure, we’re fortunate to have been able to send our new social reporter, Zsa Bin ‘Flick’ Gaboom to last week’s glittering QUDA Bash. Here’s her report.

DAAAAHHHHHLINKKS!

Oh, the QUDA Bash last Friday night. Oh, my head spins dahlinks! It SPINS! No, non, nyet, it was not the jagerbombs or tequila that did it to me (although I did spend some little time on my small bottom tsk tsk, but when you’re wearing seven inchers … ( heels I mean, not that kind you RUDE little ‘ting!) one’s teeter becomes a totter so EASILY). Anyway, where was Zsa Bin?

Well, this was the third QUDA Bash, and once again the social butterfly met up with the flying disc bee as they say in the biological sciences or at least if that was how your mother described it to you when you were six, and it was all thanks to the high powered organisational skills of that QOTS (Queen Of The Scene) Ms Molly Young and her little band of flowers that we have to thank. Molly, you are a true DAHLINK and I kiss you on both cheeks and give your bottom a little pat to say well done. Nice gown too. Your little Flick she loved it dahlink.

Many many well dressed and very pretty young things trod the tiled carpet at the glamorous QUT Campus Club (I thought this was Jangles' house - but maybe he was out galavanting as he does? Such a clean-cut boy - you'll never see him doing that nasty movember thing), very conveniently located for many folks near the city pubs and clubs and of course the Botanical Gardens made for some frolicking and late night disc golf both before and after apparently. And if you weren’t well dressed … well, we still interviewed a few people on the tiled carpet, including Dan ‘the Tan Van’ Young (brother of the QOTS and very sexy indeed – this is a young man that is going places, ladies) who was an early arrival, and Alastair ‘the Dapper’ Don, who this year in solidarity with the brothers and sisters involved in the climate change talks decided to leave the limousine at home (forgetting of course that this meant that his entourage would be lost and turn up a little bit late).

It was indeed a starry night and so your celebrity correspondent gravitated into the powerful field of QUDA’s Astronomer Royale, who was holding court in a fine blue number (the colours though were so bright across the spectrum, and your celebrity correspondent had been a little naughty with the drinks and so maybe the colour was black. I don’t know. Ask your mother.)

Speaking of royalty, things certainly started jumping when the Lady’s Eireann and Carla arrived with their lovable jesters Sir Rob and Doctor Jon … although sadly the Yellow numbers were a little down this year. Alex and Katherine Whan used to like our Brangelina ... but now ...

But of course, I am busy name dropping here and I will stop it, just for your dahlinks because you ask so nicely and don’t complain when I pinch your chubby cheeks. See-mon and sMike of Townsville were there. Those two would make a killing as hairdressers - all you need up north is a set of clippers.

That silly man Jason dR was asked once again to the be MC for the night. Master of Ceremonies I think he thought of himself, but I think he was just a Mic Controller - you can't get that thing out of his hands. Thank goodness there was no kareoke or he would have started on the Freddie Mercury - oy vey! He did look good in his vest, I will give him that dahlinks, although he’ll have to do a proper song and dance routine next year, ala Hugh Jackman, if he wants to keep the job. His jokes fall flat, but on the other hand he’s willing to do it and we should thank him for that. Fortunately, it was a good time for me to sit down as the room was spinning a little bit, what with the good looking boys and the be-yootiful ladies and the drinks and the chatter and the good times and memories of the year and that.

The presentations kicked off with the traditional Club of the Year, and everyone was madly flicking around with their internet enabled phones to find out who won, because it was revealed that the winners had already been leaked on the internet at the Brisbane Ultimate Blog itself (a bit suspicious as they were the sponsors of the award … but then if I were to start talking about suspicious then it would be a bit like the mirrorball calling the glitter-queen a bit too sparkley – je ne pour ou quois? (While I think of it, thankfully the delightful Stephanie was there once again to add a certain class to proceedings too – kiss kiss!)

But in a surprise TWIST, Trevor Goes to the QUDA Bash received an award as “Best New Club of the Year”. And speaking of kiss kiss that’s what Reece and Trevor and Jason did up on the stage. It was almost as bad as that American idol boy, although the age difference was a little scary. Everyone was watching Jason’s hands and thankfully they stayed in sight (not like last year, eh! Not many people noticed but I DID and I’ll be saving that little piece of dirt for when I need Mr de Rooy to do me a very big favour!)

When it came to Club of the Year, of course the University of Queensland Lovers won. Sad that so few of them were there. I think points should be added for coming to the QUDA Bash. I think Julian was boycotting.

Alas, I took a short bathroom break and missed a few of the awards. Upon my return to the ballroom there was a man with a staaah-range accent walking the room with a rubber mallet (perhaps one of those sexy kinky sexy things, perhaps? Get your mind out of the gutter! Maylin is a harsh mistress, I am sure, but not that kind.) Thankfully, only pure thoughts entered me as I noticed Notty up on stage too. That women is so innocent yet so glamorous ….
my friend Daniel Blacklock says she has a wicked gleam in her eye but I will hear nothing of that sort!

Probably the closest category of the night was then announced. Chokers of the Year. There were two nominations, both very very worthy in their own way. Plastic Scourgery and Dojo Mojo. As I overheard from a husky young man next to me “There’s some high quality failure there, and I’m not talking half-arsed failure like Churchill”. But there could be only one winner and that was Plastic Scourgery! Does this mean that the Dojo have come second and choked again though? Sometimes it’s like a mobius loop trying to follow this. By this stage that wonderful wonderful man Mr Dustin Czok had bought me champagne. Andy Langowski looked gutted – this seems to be his permanent expression, except when he’s eyeing off his lovely wife or drunk (which is most of the time, so he’s really a very happy fellow).

2009 was a very big year on the field for Queensland Ultimate apparently (I don’t pay much attention to this kind of thing, but *sigh*, you are reading me for a full account of the evening as I can provide. Of course, the night couldn’t go by without a mention of the king-stud-of-Queensland himself, Mike Neild, who represented Australia at the World Games, or Mr Disc-Golf Tim Marchbank who’s now the Australian Champion at his discipline (ooh, discipline!). Of course, UQ were once again the Australian University Games Champions. And the Fresh Fries were Eastern Youth Champions. Well done all - champagne flying disc, to be sure!

Finally came the announcement of the Bruce McNaughton Award. Bruce was there, escorted by his lovely daughter Peta and that layabout of a son, John (but such a nice smile he has – I understand I think, a little), but as you’ve no doubt heard or read across the twitter-waves, the wonderful winner, the beautiful and talented Adilia Murabito, had done a Cinderella and wasn’t in the room at the vital moment to receive the award! Still, the love I felt …. well it was like Matt Boevink was smiling down on me from on high. He really is like the Sun, you know!? Speaking of sunshine, beach-god Nathan and his goddess Tatiana spoke to me about some off-the-record stuff that will be revealed to all soon!

With the ceremonies seemingly over, I felt a vague concern. Through the bright lights and charming good looks surrounding me at the bar, I knew something was missing. What was it? Suddenly, everything came to life again, as announcements were made for the ladies to put their hands on their heads or their tails, and the gents were asked to lean over the bar, as it was time to judge the Queensland Frisbee Male Arse of the Year. I and many around me squeed with joy! DAAAHHINKS! It was so exciting.

And who should be doing the judging but Eireann! A connoisseur of butts, I understand, having groped many a bum in her time.

After a lot of feeling, three semi-finalists were selected for a re-frotteur. I for one was surprised at how long all this was taking, dahlinks, let me tell you. But Eireann and her helpers seemed to think that the male arse is like a fine wine and best consumed slowly or something. I don’t know. But anyway, the winner was Leon ‘Fatty’ McIntyre! Hopefully the Board of Education won’t find out. But hey kids, Dojo Mojo finally have something to put in their trophy cabinet (perhaps we now finally understand why he was recruited to the team)!

Eventually anyway, much like the glittering stars themselves, the night ended. But oh what a night! I look forward to dusting off the evening gloves for next year.

Until then - as I always say, chaow bella frisky! Zsa-bin out!

Adilia Murabito Wins Bruce McNaughton Award!

Just to report that at the QUDA Bash last Friday, we were proud to announce that Adilia Murabito would be the recipient of the Bruce McNaughton Award.

The Bruce recognises outstanding volunteer contributions to the organisation of flying disc sports in Queensland, and Adilia's effort has certainly been large and long.

The Executive was pleased to receive four nominations this year, demonstrating our membership's appreciation of the work people do for us all, as well as the prestige of 'winning the Bruce'.

Adilia's nomination is below. Congratulations Adilia, and thanks again to you and all the volunteers in Queensland for their work.

------------ --------- -----

We the undersigned would like to nominate Adilia Murabito to receive the Bruce McNaughton Award at the QUDA Bash this Friday.

We consider Adilia an outstanding candidate for the Bruce, and recognition of her vast and lengthy volunteer service to Ultimate is just about due to be recognised.

Adilia has been playing Ultimate in Brisbane for many years, and has volunteered to help organise Ultimate for just as long. There is a rare tournament or league that Adilia has not directly helped with somewhere in the piece, often taking on the more onerous roles like fields or food!

Adilia is an ideal organiser in that she clearly respects anyone else willing to get involved in Ultimate volunteering and works well with them. Whenever she sees a problem she takes the initiative to resolve it - either directly on her own or by alerting the group to the need. Adilia has quietly and smoothly managed the finances for BUDA and many seasons of BUML, and particularly taken the lead on field management (particularly with Yeronga AFL). She has always been of great support to anyone who steps into the shoes of organising a League in Brisbane.

A key interest for Adilia is to bring new players into the game at every opportunity. Adilia has been instrumental in organising many 'Learn to Play' activities over many years, and is always one of the first to offer to help whenever someone else organises such an event.

Adilia is a volunteer in the true spirit of the term - her commitment to getting more people playing Ultimate and growing the number of Ultimate activities is never about increasing her own playing opportunities (she's waaay too busy for more Ultimate, sadly!) - it is always about a genuine affection for the sport and a belief that everyone's life would be better if they played it.

On the field, Adilia is a great teacher and model of Spirit of the Game. She is generous, courteous and cheerful to all. Her laugh adds much to any gathering of the Ultimate tribe.

We think Adilia would be an excellent winner of the Bruce McNaughton Award.

Brisbane Ultimate Blog presents ... Queensland Club of the Year 2009

At the QUDA Bash (occurring as we auto-set this to be posted for all you folks who’re missing it), the Brisbane Ultimate Blog was proud to present the award for the 2009 BUB Club of the Year!

In 2006 it was Bootius Maximus.

In 2007 it was the University of Queensland Ultimate Lovers.

In 2008, the UQ Lovers won again!

Who won in 2009?

But before we post the winner up here, lets go through the process and the countdown.

You'll remember how its done from previous years (we strive for a bit of consistency. Indeed, some clubs may be able to chart their points progress from year to year, to work out what years were better than others (all are good of course (how many sets of brackets can we fit in here?))))

Qualifying Elements
1. Clubs must play two tournaments, or have travelled over 700km for one tournament, or have been included in the previous year’s Club of the Year counting.
2. Club must be majority Qld or NNSW players.
3. Players may play for multiple clubs through the year, but only one club per event.
4. Clubs may accrue additional points via multiple teams in the same event.
5. A tournament must have at least four teams to be included, and be by open invitation/qualification (hence, NUFL not included, as only certain clubs can compete).

Determining Points
1. Points are given for placing in relation to the size of the tournament. Last place gets 100 points, each placing above that gets 100 points, but to 10 teams.
2. If there are more than 10 teams, the maximum points are 1000, and the points per placing distributed down to 100 points for last.
3. Spirit points are given as 20 points per team at the tournament - so for example, winning spirit at a 8 team tournament is 160 points.
4. There is a travel bonus to recognise that getting a team a distance takes more effort. 50km-700km is 100 points, 700-1400km is 200 points, more than 1400km is 300 points
5. Bonus points up to 100 for miscellaneous at the discretion of the award organiser.
6. If there are two divisions in a tournament, second division is treated as a separate event, although points are valued at 75%.

Last year we tried to add a bit of an intangible through Captain voting. But most Captains were too busy drinking with something else to vote, so we decided its too hard.

Sorry if we’ve made any mistakes – let us know and we’ll fix them.

Second to last tangent - we also looked this year at how we could account for League Clubs, but weren't able to come up with a good formula, particularly given BUML has yet to finish for the year. Maybe next time around, Mellow Yellow.

Final tangent – thanks to everyone who’s interested in this. We’re pleased that the prestige (well, noting at least) of this Award has grown from year to year. As always, we offer it with a knowledge of its limitations – and invite anyone who reckons they can do better to get on with it!! :0

So take a seat and let us get into the Countdown!

11th-14th Lounge Lizards (426 points), Barbarians (300 points), Dojo Mojo (150 points), Griffith Guerillas (100 points)
All these teams only played one tournament this year, and entered calculations based on their past experiences as a Club. Maybe next year they’ll enhance their existence? Most sympathy to the Guerillas, who came 12th in Division 1 at AUGs, and probably would’ve smashed a few teams in Division 2, but that’s the gamble. It was great to see the Dojo Club remembering what weekend Ultimate was all about, with a visit to the Slamtown Invitational in the middle of the year. The year was a great third run at Regionals for the Brisbane Barbarians, demonstrating their pluck by taking third place and getting their name on the trophy. And providing that a great idea will never die, the Lounge Lizards came off their rock(ers) for a run at Halibut, taking a healthy 8th position and plenty of points.

10th Slamtown Flatball Club (700 points)
2009 was a tricky year for interpreting the Gold Coast’s growing strength on the Queensland Ultimate scene. Indeed, as the quality has grown, many GC players took the opportunity to play for a variety of clubs through the year, including the Stimulated combo at Halibut and all sorts of groupings at Big Sky 9s. But near as we in the stately mansion can determine, the SFC got a roll at Regionals for 5th (100 points) and Lovefest for 3rd (500 points)

9th Fresh Fries Upsized (800 points)
There will no doubt be claims that the Fresh Fries and the Trevor clubs have a very similar roster and ethos, and therefore should have their points combined. But, you need to have pretty much the same name from tournament to tournament to be a real club in our eyes! Sorry gang (but add those points up if you wish, and there is still a bit of a surprise below!) The Fresh Fries are included under their own name, even though they only played one event in 2009 (Eastern Juniors), because they also played last year. 600 points for winning the 6 team tussle, plus a further 200 points for the travel.

8th Townsville (903 points)
Was there a club called Townsville this year? Well, kinda, and we figure the continuity of some Townsville squads over the years means that we’re adding up their points together as one group. Argue all you want, but remember its a big effort for Townsville to get along to tournaments elsewhere in Queensland, and whether as Thor at Regionals, or the Downstairs Mixup at Halibut, we’re adding up those points, adding in those travel bonuses, and naming them 8th this year (down from 6th in 2008).

7th Trevor Goes to the Club of the Year Awards (1094 points)
Its been a big year for the Trevor franchise, with teams including Trevor Goes to Slamtown, Trevor Goes to Halibut, Trevor Goes to Lovefest and Trevor Skies Mike Neild getting plenty of attention and racking up the points for participation, participation, participation (and having fun too).

Indeed, it is with great pleasure that we name Trevor as winners of the Brisbane Ultimate Blog NEW Club of the Year Award! Well done gang!

6th QUT River Rats (1163 points)
Another big year for the QUTies, one of Queensland's oldest clubs. Successful again in League play, but its their adventures of their Women’s squad at Regionals that really set them apart ... wait, hang on, they did win a nice bronze medal for the first time in Div 2 at AUGs .... plus pulling 9th place at the highly competitive Big Sky 9s. Actually, its probably QUT’s biggest year ever! (For those checking – 2006 680 points, 2007 900 points, 2008 580 points).

5th Delirium (1271 points)
Pulled together to represent Brisbane and Queensland at Mixed Nationals 2009, Delirium showed off the finest shirts in all northerndom while gathering the best talent. A warm-up at Lovefest plus the long road to Hobart and the 12th of 23 result gave them the goods!

4th Sultry (1470 points)
A busy final year for the sauciest logo in Queensland Ultimate sees the ladies go fourth. Two teams plus a spirit win at Regionals, a trip to Perth for Nationals, plus down to Canberra for the BCI, led to a healthy total.

3rd Mind the Gap (1707 points)
Once again this year, the venerable Mind the Gap showed everyone how its done, putting teams in for Halibut (6th), Lovefest (2nd) and Big Sky 9s (8th). Yes, participation is the name of the game, even when you’ve got the zimmer frame waiting patiently for you on the sideline (although perhaps the recruitment of some younger folk for a Gap-year also helped).

2nd Firestorm (2360 points)
A big year for Firestorm, with 5th place at Nationals, 1st and 2nd at Northern Regionals, and 8th at the inaugural Brisbane-Canberra Invitational down south there (looking forward to BCI2010 in Brisbane though!). A big year of travel too, to Perth and Canberra.

Now, some may argue that the rules of the BUB Club of the Year are skewed to prevent proper recognition of Firestorm as a club. All we can say in response is that you need to get your arses to more than three tournaments a year for us to take you seriously (and not come dead last at one of them)! More nicely, note that Firestorm topped its 2100 points of 2008 and 1440 of 2007 – maybe next year?


1st University of Queensland Ultimate Lovers (3415)
Yes, its a three-peat, and a smashing one at that (topping 2408 points from last year). But what do you expect from the biggest, oldest, best organised (Passion aside!) and most famous Ultimate Club in Queensland? In addition to its many League teams, UQ had a team at Slamtown, Halibut, two at Lovefest which it organised, and Big Sky 9’s, as well of course the best result for a Queensland team this year, taking home GOLD GOLD GOLD from the Australian University Games on the Gold Coast in October.

Well done UQ. If you ever get yourself a clubhouse (or even a small piece of wall at a pub), you’ll have three Club of the Year trophies now to put up there.


Well done UQ, and to everyone involved in Ultimate Clubs in Queensland!

Ba-dee ba-dee ba-dee ... That's All Folks!

For a different review of BPL2009.

BPL - Reviewing the Year

Brisbane Premier League Director Stu (bless him) has emailed out a bit of an off-field look back at 2009, and invited ye Blog to host discussion. So here's the post below, and the comments lines are open!

---------------------------------------------------

BPL is over for 2009, overall the season went pretty well but would welcome anyones comments on room for improvement.

Money
BPL still needs to pay AFDA and QUDA fees, as well as few more field costs but should end up with $800 to $1000 in the account. Which is a much healthier given that BPL started in debt this year. The main reason for the cash influx is because it's income has stayed the same (same number of players as last year) but it's outgoings have dropped by about 30% as we've only had to pay for one field, the benefits of only having 5 teams! BPL wants to keep a reasonable balance for any unexpected costs that may come up, but it's your money so let me know how you think it should be spent; developing juniors, free coaching, BPL merchandise. ......... ..

Teams
There have been several rumours going around of a sixth team forming but nothing concrete yet. I'll need to finalise the field bookings by the end of the year, so please let me know if you are going to establish a new team without an existing one collapsing!!

Fields
In order to cut down on the number of dodgy 'out' calls and to make the game more enjoyable to play and watch. BPL purchased two port-a-fields, which despite being a pain to set up and take down, seem worthwhile. If we are to re-expand to 6 teams then need to decide if we buy a third field, which will cost around $300.

Due to the issues with AJSC we have also moved around a fair bit this year but without missing any games. It sounds like AJSC are going to take a long time to get their lights fixed, you would hope they can do this by mid February but guess we'll just have to see. QUDA has put a lot of effort into it's relation with AJSC but at the same time is always looking for new venues, so if you know of anywhere that's available, let JdR and myself know.

Shirts
To help improve the image of the sport, BPL made a push for all teams to be wearing matching kit this year, and a big thank you to all those team captains and organisers who sorted this out. It certainly looks a lot more impressive watching 4 distinct teams playing on marked out fields, than a bunch of random people running around between some cones. Hopefully teams are able to accomodate new players in some way, and some leniance will be given to a 6th team if they do form, but hopefully everyone will continue with this.

Social
BPL hasn't had a free BBQ during a final for a while now, mainly because I don't have to time to organise it but if people want to volunteer and start this up again, just let know.

At the end of each season, BPL spends between $100 and $200 dollars (depending on current stock levels) on drinks for the final. Do people think this is a good social idea, or a waste of money that encourages drinking?

Rules
I've stuck to the rules probably more than previous LD's to make the job easier and to bring up the proffesionalism similar to the points above. Rules that are in place to make the TD's job easier are unlikely to change but other rules have been put in place due to demand, this demand seems to change from season to season, often by the same players. Any practical proposals are welcome for discussion.

In fact Jason, if you post this on your blog site, people can comment and discuss on there.

Regards

Stu

Halibut 2009 History

Twas only when we started pulling together the points for the prestigious (despite what Jules implies) BUB Club of the Year that we realised that we hadn't made a public record of the 2009 Halibut results.

We thanks to the memories of the delightful Stephanie Levasseur (sadly, soon to leave our shores. *sniff*), here they are (although we're not too sure about the bottom four - corrections welcome in comments):
1 - Cranky
2- Kaboom
3- Stimulated Package
4- Wyld Stallyns
5- Bondage
6- Mind the Gap
7- Business Time
8- Fun with Lizards
9- The Downstairs Mixup?
10- Trevor Goes to Halibut?
11- UQ Ultimate Lovers?
12- Toxic Megacolon?

Best Tournament Ever

So when the WFDF gets around to it, I’ll be looking to nominate last weekend’s Badman’s Birthday Bash as the best tournament of the millennium, if not ever.

Ok, so we’re exaggerating slightly. But as we find ourselves back in the salt mines that we have to do to fund the plush amenities at stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog manor, its hard not to bottom out mood-wise after the highs of the weekend.

Badman’s Bash returned to the Lake Ainsley Recreation Centre, and while the grass wasn’t the lushest (but still very acceptable), all agreed that the combination of cabins next to the fields, beach next to the fields, lake next to the fields, pool next to the fields and partying on, around and next to the fields make it a great event. Props to Dan and aL for linemarking, and of course to Bads for his plover-removal service. While we’re at it – thanks to Jack for dragging the trailer and gear down and back.

A large number of folks trekked down from Brisbane and the Gold Coast (and insanely enough Townsville – you go Townsville kids!) and also up from Sydney and elsewhere around NNSW on the Friday night. And rather than the usual Ultimate tournament night before mellow drinks thing (broken only by a few of the hard core), Friday night pretty much saw everyone who was there up and about until the wee small hours (the larger of the small hours, actually).

For many on Friday night, it was time to have the facts of Badman’s Birthday Bash explained to them. This was not a win-at-all-costs-while-still-respecting-the-Spirit-of-the-Game-tournament. This was a have-fun-at-all-costs-while-respecting-the-limits-of-one’s-capacity-for-fun-tournament. And so it was. Two guys even came just to fish. The other fact to learn was that if you plugged your iPhone/pod/mpeg thingee into the music machine in an unauthorised manner, Bads would plug his music back in and hide your gadget and make you beg a bit and promise to never do it again before he’d tell you exactly where in the laundry cupboard he’s put it.

Saturday saw a large number of folks in attendance for the pulling of the names from the metaphorical hat, and a record six teams take the field in a full round robin of games to 9. Very sensible in the hot and slightly-tired-from-the-night-before-conditions. Full congratulations to the lamely-named Team Awesome, who were undefeated. If we recall correctly, Team Awesome would have taken on a depleted Trevor Goes to Badman’s in the final (which would have involved Tug of War rather than Ultimate), but everyone was too shagged. Its possible that Team Jeff took third place, Bad with Names fourth, Baby in a Blender fifth and ‘Ere We Go to the Jungle sixth. Corrections in the comments, please.

The day of six teams and two fields and games to 9 made for an innovative process for starting games. Essentially, as soon as you finished your game, you worked out who you were supposed to play next in the draw order, and then when you could find them, convince them to play and spot an empty field, then off you went. Yep, no worrying about the time and stuff. Many experienced tournament goers were unused to not having a TD urging them about getting started, but it worked out very well indeed. There was even the occasion of a ‘tactical hassle’, where teams battled to get their teams on the line (or something that looked like their team) and thus claim the field, while others were relegated to spectator status (which wasn’t so bad anyways).

The food was imported from the local pub and was once again great and easy. Having the cabins right there also meant an endless stream of cold beverages throughout the day. Props to Townsville Si for keeping it cool while performing a few odd jobs.

The end of play, dinner and the evenings’ socialising beautifully morphed from one to the other, as folks congregated under a tent here, in a cabin there, on the sand and in the lake. Many drinks were consumed to respond to thirsts generated through the day, all in a highly responsible manner. As Bads said, 10pm to 2am seemed to go in the blink of the eye, or perhaps a skip of the rope.

Sunday proceded in a stately manner, quiet suitable for those of us given to stateliness. JdR and Reece started off the day with some one-on-one Schtick, that slowly evolved into a very large game where keeping score was eventually forgotten about. Lunch brought pretty much everyone out, and then some casual Ultimate led the afternoon as folks slowly drifted away, like flowers in the breeze.

Talk for Badman’s Life, the University and Everything Birthday Bash 2010 is for each cabin to arrange its own theme and show off. We at the BUB are fully supportive of this, and have begun planning both strategy and tactics.

Thankfully, writing this blog post means that when the AFDA puts out its next call for nominations for Tournament of the Year, all we’ll have to do is send in the link.

Brisbane Ultimate Blog to Present Prestigious Award Once Again

Well, the heirarchy over at the QUDA HQ have invited Wettie and me to get out the tuxes and once again present the Queensland Ultimate Club of the Year Award at next week's QUDA Bash.

A quick search of this blog will demonstrate the esteemed and growing history of the award. Previous winners include the UQ Lovers (2008), the UQ Lovers (2007) and Bootius Maximus (2006).

The award is determined based on a calculation of club results at tournaments during the year. Here's the rules:

----------------------------------------------
Qualifying Elements
1. Clubs must play two tournaments, or have travelled over 700km for one tournament.
2. Club must be majority Qld or NNSW players.
Players may play for multiple clubs through the year, but only one club per event.
3. Clubs may accrue additional points via multiple teams in the same event.
4. A tournament must have at least four teams to be included, and be by open invitation/qualification (hence, NUFL not included, as only certain clubs can compete).

Determining Points
1. Points are given for placing in relation to the size of the tournament. Last place gets 100 points, each placing above that gets 100 points, but to 10 teams.
2. If there are more than 10 teams, the maximum points are 1000, and the points per placing distributed down to 100 points for last.
3. Points are given for winning Spirit. Points are calculated as 20 points per team at the tournament - so for example, winning spirit at a 8 team tournament is 160 points.
4. There is a travel bonus to recognise that getting a team a distance takes more effort. 50km-700km is 100 points, 700-1400km is 200 points, more than 1400km is 300 points
5. Bonus points up to 25 for miscellaneous at the discretion of the organiser.

A couple of changes to this year:
- A club also qualifies for calculation if it only entered one tournament, but it was a tournament it played in last year (ie it has a history of playing the tournament) - this is to recognise continuity from year to year. So for example, the Brisbane Barbarians, in their third year of playing Regionals, are in.
- We've done away with the 'Captains Voting' element we tried last year - it was too hard.
- If there are two divisions at the tournament, these are treated as two different tournaments. However, points in the lower division are awarded at 75%. So for example, QUTies will probably receive more points for their 3rd in Div 2 at AUGs than Griffith for its 12th in Div 1, but not a lot more.
---------------------------------------------

2009 Tournaments
The following tournaments are currently (hopefully) entering calculations - please let us know if we've missed ones you've played in: BCI, Northern Regionals, Nationals, Eastern Youths, Slamtown Invitational, Brisbane Indoor, Lovefest, AUGs, Mixed Nats and Big Sky 9s.

Qualifying Clubs
We think the following Clubs will be given points (based on the above). Please let us know if we've missed something: UQ Lovers, Mind the Gap, Lounge Lizards, Firestorm, Sultry, Delirium, Thor, Slamtown, Barbarians, Downstairs Mixup, Fresh Fries, Trevor, QUTies and Griffith Guerillas.

National Trophy Named After Brisbane Lad

In case you missed it, the AFDA have renamed their Australian Mixed Ultimate Championship trophy after Brisbane's own Mr Jonathan Potts.

More info here: http://www.afda.com/trashtalk/showarticle.php?articleid=699

(sorry for the dodgy link - blogger is playing up today)

Ultimate Frisbee in Cairns

We here at stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog occasionally receive an inquiry about Ultimate Frisbee in Cairns, and to save ourselves some time we figured we'd post a bit of info here.

A main reason for these inquiries is the number of people who visit Cairns for a few days or weeks or months, and are looking for a run around.

Alas, as far as we're aware (as at November 2009), there is no regular/established Ultimate in Cairns. This is a real pity, and should anyone be interested in getting it happening, we know that there are folks in Townsville and Brisbane who would love to support this happening.

There are several individuals in the Cairns and Tablelands neighbourhood that we're aware of who have an interest in Ultimate, but it seems that someone needs to take the lead.

Folks down south occasionally hear of spurts of Ultimate up in the Far North - this is driven by the cycles of students attending short or one semester courses at the School for Field Studies http://www.fieldstudies.org/pages/4168_australia.cfm at Yungaburra on the Tablelands. Unfortunately, having a viable number of players from here ebbs and flows, making regularly Ultimate challenging (the Townsville folks do try to organise an annual tournament with these students at Mission Beach (half way between Cairns and Townsville) to get everyone together.

BPL Final - TD's Report

From TD Stu:

Congratulations to Moreton Bay Buggers who last night defeated Dojo Mojo in
a sudden death game, to retain the Championship trophy and have their name
engraved on it for an 8th time.

So final placings were: 1. MBB 2. Dojo Mojo 3. Cobras 4. UQ Lovers 5. UQ Passion(Damn I was close; I had picked MBB, Dojo, Cobras, Passion, Lovers)

I can't remember much of the final [Stu was playing, not drunk - eds], MBB seemed to be up by 2 points for most of the first half, despite JRay repeatedly hucking the disc straight out of the pitch from his own endzone line :-) The Dojo zone defence
managed to force more errors out of MBB and they took the lead in the second
half.

After the hooter, Dojo were 12-9 up, game to 13. Somehow MBB won!!

Congratulations to the following people who made the BPL MVP all-star list,
but it was Leon 'Fatty' McIntyre who takes the trophy home:1. Fatty - 8 pts 2.
Cheeseburger - 6pts 3. Al Don - 5 pts 3. Jangles - 5 pts 5. Wetnose - 4 pts 6. Gref
- 4 pts 7. Silent George - 3 pts 8. Piers - 3 pts

I can't remember the average team spirit scores but UQ managed to tie the win. Final placings were: 1. UQ Lovers and Passion 3. MBB 4. Cobras 5. Dojo

A big thanks to JdR and Rob Lowe for finding alternative venues, which maeant that BPL didn't miss a single game this season.

More emails to follow with the plans for 2009 and what changes players would
like to see happen. Hopefully see you all again on the 11 February 2009.

Regards Stu

Can we here at the stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion say, on behalf of our readers as well as the wider Ultimate playing world, a big thanks to Stuart. Once again we've had an extremely well run League. Good job. We owe you beer.

Buggers 13 def Dojo 12*

Currently unofficial result (this blogger couldn't make the final, dammit), but this is what some reliable folks tell me over the phone.

Apparently it was a cracking, choking, excitement filled Final (dammit, dammit).

Update to come.

Two Years Ago

Continuing our build up to tonight's BPL Final.

Two years ago, the Dojo faced the Crusty Buggers in the BPL 2007 Spring League Final - memories of which may fire up the Mojo, but also remind everyone that we like to see a well spirited game.

Bonus two years ago - Badman's Birthday Bash makes it's first visit to Lennox Heads (venue for this 2009 as well).

Late Mail - BPL Grand Final Tips and Early Heckles

Following our preview yesterday, the following late mail came in:

From Julian 'Big Jules' Sacre (and apologies we didn't get this posted with the others yesterday):

"Bugs to win in a close one. The Dojo have had a great season and taken out top
spot on the ladder through a reasonably reliable offence. But I just cant see
them getting enough blocks against a bigger, faster Bugs team to win the game.
Dojo have had some success with their zone D, but Buggers have plenty of
reliable handlers and good poppers to get through it. Look for Dojo to trade
some early points by working the unders and getting some break side throws out.
First turnover to be an Eastburn 'huck to Jesus' which allows the Bugs to get
their first break of the game. Don't be surprised if Dojo start to come back
after half, before a strategic Buggers timeout stalls their momentum and JRay
slows the game right down by walking toward any disc lying on the ground at a
pace that would place him second in a race with Eric the Eel. Final score: Bugs
14 Dojo 11. "

Meanwhile, the following was offered anonymously via a very weird looking email address:

Top 7 Reasons for Tipping a Buggers Win
1. Grand Final Form – 7 wins from 10 appearances, including 5 of the last 6 Premierships.
2. Have the best player in the country at the moment.
3. Need something to update their blog with.
4. George will cheer out loud (I think). Trevor will grin even more sillily.
5. More girls supporting this team – no idea why. I guess they like the shy ones.
6. Better outfits, including matching shorts and stuff.
7. TD Stu will want the game over quick so he can drink some of that tasty beer.

Top 7 Reasons for a Tipping a Dojo Win
1. Season Form – Undefeated this season. Beat Buggers 13-11 in Round 1 and drew 11-11 in Round 2.
2. Not carrying injuries into Final, as they did in previous appearances. Semi against the soft Lovers no doubt helped. But generally less biff this season suits the Dojo.
3. More backbone this season – some big comebacks after being several points down.
4. Not so distracted by their video camera this season? “Look mum, we’ve lost again” won’t be part of the show.
5. Additional nervousness of driving to St Lucia means team actually turns up on time.
6. It would be a cheap way to feel like you’re on LSD to see Stephen Cameron hold up the RC Craddock Trophy.
7. It’s about &*^%ing time they won one!

Top 7 Hecklers to Watch For
1. Piers – reuses funny things he’s heard Pottsy say.
2. Jray – if calling amusing fouls counts as heckling his opponents.
3. JdR – volume can count as much as wit. “Champagne Ultimate”.
4. J-Mac – not very articulate, but “substandard” is his new word. Encourage him to use it.
5. Wetnose – but only if you like the words “fuck”, “hammer” and “Jangles” repeated
often. See also T-Ross.
6. Stefan – he’s playing, but if you heckle him, he’ll heckle you back, only harder. He’s like the Charles Bronson of heckling. Eastburn is also playing, but I'm not sure if saying "Not" after being heckled counts as a heckle itself.
7. Me – anonymous heckling, particularly using the internet, is great fun.

Tip tippery, tip tippery, tip tip, terree ....

... a sweep is as lucky as lucky can be.

And you the reader and we here at the stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion are extremely lucky today as we've been graced by a range of views from the very best observers of Brisbane Premier League Ultimate that we could find.

We asked each of them:

• Who is going to win this Thursday's smash-em-up-winner-takes-all-prisoners-aren-t-worth-bothering-with-thanks-again-for-all-the-work-TD-Stu BPL 2009 Season 2 Grand Final?
• Why? and,
  
• What do you think the final score will be?

We even promised a prize to any of these observers who picked the correct final score! Don't say we don't ever do nothin' for nobody around here.

So let's start with a guy who's still existing in some sort of strange other-timezone, the sometimes dignified Pete 'Pallen' Allen:

"As I haven't really observed many BPL games this season/year, I'll keep it short and too the point. As for who is going to win, it is hard to go passed the reigning premiers who have only lost 3 finals in the last 10 or something (2 of them against Lovers, just in case anyone has forgotten). Also with DoJo's record of winning finals after taking out the minor premiership I'm going to have to say that Buggers will take out this final. Although I will be heckling on the sideline to help the DoJo out.

On the field I reckon the main players will be Dan, Dave and The Andy Trio from Dojo and on Buggers keep an eye out for of course, Mikey/JRay connection and (wow this is a stella lineup now I see it) also watch Jangles (recently laid out on a beach on camera :O) , Stu and since he is being called the new me, Trevor (who I met last night so there).

The score will be, 15-11 Buggers. One things for sure, I'm looking forward to it."

Seeking a slightly different view, we managed to corner the famous Nathan Litzow, UQ Lovers Captain and newly minted married man, to get his thoughts:

"Dojo might win this season - they have a tight knit line with only 1 or 2 subs, they have the fire in their belly after last season's final loss and they have dug themselves out of a few big holes against Lovers and other teams this season.

They will go undefeated this season with a win - so they will get the job gone on Thursday if they can get to 15 before the light go out ;-) Yeah UQ

MBB won't go down without a fight but I'm thinking Dojo 15-12."

So lets move on to our own in-house expert, the ever-brave and snakey Mr Liam 'Wetnose' Gillions:

"Buggers to win it by 3. Bugs to come out hard early and Dojo to be their usual slack selves early on. Bugs establish an early lead and the rest of the game to go pretty much point for point. If Jray is back from NZ then Bugs to win by 6 and expect a lot of Jray-Mike hucks. If no Jray, the disc will touch the hands of Stu-Jangles-Mike-Manuel-Simon-Cootes-Nandor 95% of throws. The Bugs' experience in the big games should show out, and another Dojo choke will truely be looked upon with humour from many members of the Brisbane Ultimate community. That being said, Dojo will not give up and Watto will have a great game. Phil Stocks to pick up. Steve Cameron to snap his clipboard in frustration.

Thanks, Wettie. Ok, to wash our mental spaces out after that, lets turn to the esteemed Dr Jon Good, for his academic assessment of the situation:

"Who's going to win? Buggers, just.

Why? They'll get more D.

What will the score be? Buggers 15-12 (closer if it is very windy)

I have been impressed by Dojo both times we played them this season. In particular, Leon has been having a storming season for them and seems to be the centerpiece of a (I can't believe I am saying this) stable Dojo offence. I certainly think they will make double figures against the MBB defence.

For me, the game will be decided when Dojo are playing defence: they have a very well structured zone, which frustrates teams into turnovers, but I haven't been impressed by their man on man. Looking down the MBB line up, they have enough stable heads and fast feet to work through that zone, if they are patient. They also have a pretty handy get out clause when Neild goes long, but I don't see them needing to call on this that often.

So, MBB to win, simply because I think they will get more turnovers with their 'straight up force and mark the unders' defence."

Thanks Jon! Let's put one rose amongst the thorns, and see what Eireann Gilligan has to say:

"Buggers to win because Dojo have a tendancy to choke when it matters. I think it will be Buggers by 5. That said, I haven't seen men's Ultimate played in a few seasons, so who am I to say!"

Speaking of someone who's benefit a bit more from watching the women's game, now onto the pipe smoking and leather-jacketed Mr Will Churchill Esq:

"Like the assault on Klendathu the Dojo Season 2 2009 Final may be yet another failed offensive against the Bug stronghold.

Simply, they are a very, very strong team.

I thought that it would be the Cobras in the final but the Dojo are just too wise and experienced.

Sadly wise and experienced goes hand in hand with unfit and fragile. I call Stephen Cameron injured within the first 10 minutes with yet another game ending "injury" before Dojo come back from a 7 point slump caused by Stephen.

Final score? Buggers 17-12."

Clever of Will to recall that BPL Finals go to 17 (I think?), but points off for reminding us how much he and Stephen have that love-hate-love-indifference thing going on (but hey, doesn't everyone?). We figure by now you've probably settled right back into your armchair and are deeply considering the different ways this game will go - so its an excellent time to invite the views of strategist and colour-man John McNaughton what he thinks:

The Buggers have to be strong favourites going into this game. They have the wood over the Dojo in recent times, as well as an unmatched record in finals. Everyone knows the Jason to Mike show is a powerful weapon for the Bugs, but having won their semi without the aid of Mr Ray, there's clearly more to the team than just that. Silent George looks like he's moving better every week (he'll be in cleats this week, for a start), Jangles is back from an overseas party, and Stu Austin will cause matchup headaches.

Dojo bring a strong team game, as they've done for quite some time, without the same big name Ultimate. Their depth is unrivaled in BPL, in terms of average playing experience, but many of these experienced players have lessened their Ultimate involvement over the years. If this game turns into a competition of wit and wiles, the Dojo will be well positioned; a game of athleticism will not be to their favour.

For the Dojo, I think their keys to victory will be:

- Offence: need to use their full depth to open up the field, catching defenders out of position and giving their cutters easy opportunity. They will not be as strong if their cutters have to try to win battles on the open side.

- Defence: similarly, if they try to defend the Buggers in one-on-one-cutting, or try to challenge them in footraces, they will lose those battles. Their defence needs to make the Bugs cutters stop and think, something that the MBB offence has never been particularly well equipped for. Obviously, the other key will be limiting the damage from the Jason to Mike show, which will need strong defenders at both ends to have a chance. If it's a windy night, this will favour the Dojo.

For MBB:

- Offence: against man defence, the Buggers spacing and clearing will be their biggest key. As stated, they will win one-on-one cutting battles, so they need to free up their team mates to have those battles without interference. The other key will be the Bugs' ability to penetrate the Dojo zones, which will no doubt see plenty of use to combat the speed of the Bugs.

- Defence: don't get broken; don't get beaten under. That will be the Buggers' mantra, as always, and will sit them in good stead against the Dojo. If they can contain the movement of the disc, that will set up their defenders in strong positions, and the Dojo hucking game is not precise enough to consistently give their receivers uncontested goals. A few easy goals may be given up, but we should also see a number of contested discs - exciting for the crowd.

My tips?
- Buggers 15-12
- Mike to score 6 goals, 4 off Jason backhands of 50m or more
- heckling to be of sub-standard quality
- 19 foul calls for the game, 6 of them contested."

Give that man his own newspaper column! Although in making several tips, he's generating just a bit too much work for us to track these things ....


Thanks thanks three times thanks to all our tipsters for engaging in the fun, and hope to see you all at the BPL Final, Oval 7, University of Queensland, Thursday night from 7pm or so.

So - the Moreton Bay Buggers go in as clear favourites - but maybe the strengthened and streamlined Dojo can deliver and upset? The comment lines are open!

Blow an Hour Cruising with the Dude

New website for purchase of every kind of disc you can probably imagine - Down Under Disc Evolution (DUDE)

Crawford Report

You may notice some info in the media today about the Crawford Report into sport in Australia.

Several Ultimate administrators took some time this year to get involved in the consultation on the report, and we rate a few (small of course) mentions.

Overall, if the government (in the broadest stretch of the word) redirects itself more towards overall participation and less towards Olympic success, this can only be good for Ultimate. Might get around to a longer post on this some time though.

Meanwhile, check out comment 56 over at news.com.au

Remember Kids: If you blow off a limb on your common Bug warrior it's still 86% combat effective

Look at the glint in the eyes of those brave Dojo soldiers. How can the offensive against the Buggers possibly fail?

Ok That's It - If Its More Eastburn You Want ...

I have no idea why, but this post about the new WFDF rules iPhone app has been (according to our Google Analytics data), the most viewed single post on this blog in the last 12 months.

Is it people searching for info on Mr Eastburn? Or people looking for the phrase "Germany is an awesome country"? We're not sure.

Really, we're just a bit confused. Surely this should be a bit more popular? Or this?

Tell us what you think readers - what do we need to do to get some more clickin' goin' on here!

In Lieu of Actual Content

If you like, you can imagine this as a preview for this week's BPL Final.

Notice how this one is filmed all in one take ...

Travel to Badman's Birthday Bash

Its only two weeks until Badman's Birthday Bash.

Some folks in Brisbane are realising this is a great chance for some road trip action.

There are few better ways (that don't involve partying or playing) for Ultimate players to get to know each other that travelling to and from a tournament together.

Its a fairly dull story, but I'll never forget gaining respect in a young man's eye when he realised just exactly how I rolled, music-listening-wise.

Jack L is getting it out there first with his offer of a spare seat in his wheels, down and back.

If anyone else if looking for a lift or has one to offer, read or put something in the comments below (click on the word 'comments' to start reading or adding).

Its Deja Vu All Over Again

I just love that quote in our title today. Yogi Berra, you the man. Scroll down to those quotes.

And they aptly describe what we'll be seeing in the BPL Grand Final next week. Check out our pre-prepared preview.

Next week's BPL Grand Final will be at the UQ Oval 7 again, which after some early nervousness about the lights, proved to be a mighty fine venue. TD Stu even felt the next to get us to test both our footwork and our memories, by bringing the portafields but not bothering with the scoreboards.

We copped a bit of flak in the comments to yesterday's preview for suggesting that the Lovers were more likely to make the Final than the Cobras, but this reflected the Cobras being against some stiffer opposition, as much as the Lovers peaking at the right time after showing the most improvement over the season.

And this is the way it went last night. We haven't seen the official report from TD Stu, but word on the grapevine was that Dojo defeated the Lovers 15-14, while the Cobras were rolled by the Buggers 15-12.

This correspondent didn't see a lot of the Bugs/Cobs match up (being justifiably focused elsewhere), but it sounded like it went to expectations. The scaly ones yelled a lot. Those with the external skeletal structures were pretty quiet.

The point I did watch pointed out to your writer one thing that has been missed in talking about the Bugs this season. There's plenty of chat about Mike, J-Ray and the speed of the Buggers, but the Buggers Season 2 2009 have also been really solid with the disc in hand, and this can in a big part be put down to the triumverate of Simon, Manuel and Nandor. One of these guys is always there to relieve any pressure the defenders built up - opponents ignore them at their peril.

Meanwhile, there was plenty of talk before the Dojo/Lovers game that their previous matchup, while close, was a game of error after error after error, with Dojo falling over the line.

This time around was almost the complete opposite. Here were two teams playing great Ultimate and with great Spirit (so spirited that spirit was never even mentioned the whole game, I think). After scoring first, the Dojo led the whole way, but the Lovers kept kicking and biting and scratching their way back into it, eventually tying the scores up at 14-14.

Alas, there could be only one winner, and the Dojo have a week to think about how they can gain revenge over the Buggers for last season's 14-11 Grand Final loss. Compliments to them again though, on a great game. Standouts for the rising sons were Stef's low down and dirty work, Fatty's whole-field running, Sean 'Gandalf' Flanagan, Phil Stock's moustache (coming along nicely), the positive Daz-itude ... and well we may as well mention Andy1, Andy2 and Matty so as to round the team out (plus Steve 'Where's my Clipboard' Cameron) - they were all good.

For the Lovers ... well (slipping out of neutral tones here), we really thought we were going to get that upset and march into the Final. This is a team that has improved out of sight this season, and produced some real 'dudes-to-watch-for-or-you'll-be-watching-their-dust-as-they-score-on-you-again' - Brenton, Neil, Dylan, Mitch, Doug, Kurt, Gord. As well as reinvigorating the play of some older fellas before they're one day put out to pasture (although Rohan and Nathan have a long way to go yet!). Plus we had Neil's Dad and Nathan's Missus down to support us, plus Tomsteve Passion. Great game Lovers, great season.

Now to start gathering supplies for the Final.

BPL Semi Finals - Get Ready to Ramble

Its frickin' busy here in stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion, mostly because Wetnose has disappeared and so there's no-one to serve the martinis, and the UQ Passion seem to have ignored all invitations to pop in for brandy and cigars while we debrief on their year and their tips for the BPL Finals. Nonetheless we soldier on and have a look at the games that will be hucking off in a few short hours' time.

Don't forget - BPL this week and next has moved to Oval 7 at the University of Queensland - "the spiritual home of Queensland Ultimate". Rumour has it that 20 years ago today Buzz Burwell dug a hole and took a dump at one end of the field, marking the venue as one for Ultimate forever more (he put some bugs in there too - insects, we mean). So mores the pity that Buzz hasn't played enough games this season to qualify to join the UQ Lovers' roster for tonight.

Major Semi Final: (2) Moreton Bay Buggers vs (3) Cobras

This game will be a big test for two of the newer look sides in the competition (although of course the Messy Buggers are the current BPL champions ... and the Buggers club as a whole have won 7 of the last 10 Grand Finals ....). The entry of the Cobras to BPL came with very high expectations from a hand-picked squad, and the belly-rubbers will be disappointed if they only make it as far as the Semis. On the other hand, the Moreton Bay Buggers remain probably the tightest unit in the League, which only strengthens the consumate scoring combo that is J-RaytoMike.

The Cobras have managed their list well through the season, with only young Jack missing the cut for game qualification (which was a suprise to this observer, although I think there was a bit of injury through the year. Either that or his Mum made him say in or something). The Bugs will however be missing stalwart Assoc Prof Stew McGlashan (possibly in his last season of BPL if the rumours are true of a transfer to the Central Coast) and crazy legs Mick Watt.

Expect the Cobras to go totally nuts at the start of this game, as their best chance is to take a page out of the Buggers book and try to run the opposition off the park early. If Piers is there, he'll be firing them up because nothing makes that guy lose it and want to burn the flesh off his own body than the sense of nearing the end of yet another year at Uni. The difference though will be in the stack, where wily defenders like Cupcake and Reece will need rubber necks to shut down sharp cuts from Silent George, Jangles 'One Way' Beu and the VPT.

Bugger-It Stu will just be flat out good.

The match is really going to be a question of whether those with the forked tongues can manage to match the discipline of the analising shellfish, or whether the brain explosions will lob in and they'll find themselves kissing balloons.*

Other Major Semi Final: (1) Dojo Mojo vs (4) UQ Lovers

Expect the change of venue to cause major difficulties for the Dojo, who are traditionally fluid (like the ninjas they are) about getting to the fields on time. Given the wide geographic spread of the Mojo homelands (stretching from Dayboro in the north to Bilinga in the south), the roadworks on Coronation Drive could be a godsend for the Lovers. On the other hand, the last time these two teams met, the students took advantage of Dojo-disorganisation to get out to be 8-2 at half, before succumbing to a 13-12 loss (mostly through its own drops, rather than any real improvement in the magically-powered music magaziners). Plus, the proximity of the Staff Club to the venue may be a challenge for some of the senior Lovers who work at the Uni, tempting them to fill in a few hours between knocking off work and fronting up for the traditionally tough aL-Don patented loving warmup.

All that said, this should be a close one. The Dojo traditionally lift for the semi so that they can set up choking falling short in the Final. The Lovers these days seem to leave their choking to the second half of any game against the Dojo or Cobras (although they seemed to get over this with a solid win over the Passion a fortnight back), but nonetheless will relish the "home ground advantage" and the chance for a break from exam study. The loss of Dan Walls and Buzz Burwell to non-qualification will make this less of a spectacle for the spectator, while not having Lee and Gordon there will cripple the good looks of both squads.

On the field, for the Lovers Rob and Rohan have been ripping it up in the endzone. Dr Geoff has been a bit hot and cold all season, so will be looking to fire it up in between telling tales of the days when he used to kayak over from West End to play Ulti on Oval 7. The newer lads may have some jitters in their first BPL Semi-Finals series, but on the other hand the improvement curve over the season remains stratospheric and may throw up some surprises tonight. For fantasy, I'd be picking one of the Lovers' identical twins Dylan and Mitch, as you can usually double your points. For the Dojo, my fantasy is always Fatty because he's just so darn good.

On the Dojo line, it'll be a case of waxing on and off and finding the famous Dojo groove, which so regularly delivers points avalanches. Expect the Stefanic foreign imports to have a big impact in this game, and the orientalists' height to tell.

UQ go in as underdogs, but may generate an upset. Andy Lankowski has been waiting for the right game to put his stamp on, and we hear that he's specially packing his stamp for this match, so expect a bit of stamping.


Here are our odds for the possible Finals combinations:
- Bugs / Dojo Final 2/1
- Bugs / Lovers Final 5/1
- Cobras / Dojo Final 6/1
- Cobras / Lovers Final 12/1


For the record and while we're here, here's the final positions at the end of the Home and Away season:
1. Dojo Mojo - 23pts (+33)
2. Moreton Bay Buggers - 21pts (+27)
3. Cobras - 14pts (-11)
4. UQ Lovers - 12pts (-24)
5. UQ Passion - 10pts (-25)

*Not healthy if you have a forked tongue.

The Other First Rule of Ultimate

Its a great thing and I say it often - the first rule of Ultimate outlines the Spirit of the Game. All that comes after when it comes to rules of Ultimate follows on from Spirit of the Game.

But I recently realised one of my own personal first rules of Ultimate.

Ultimate is never to be used as an adjective. It is a noun.

That is all.

The Beach is Back

With apologies to Elton John.

There's a lot of beach Ultimate coming this way, so put on your noseguard, put out the life guard, and pass the tanning butter, etc etc.

Down in Victoria, the Legend of the No-Look Scooba returns for the very first time, on 5-6 December at Barwon Heads. Rego. Not its the weekend before the Melbourne Hat.

Meanwhile in NSW, there's some thing called the Festival of the Longest Day which is pretty well known and popular*, on 20 December at North Narrabeen. Then there's the Hunter Hat in Newcastle is set for 16-17 January.

But of course, because the beaches and weather in Queensland are so fabbo, the very nice Nathan is set to fire up the BUS - the Beach Ultimate Series - with Round 1 on the Sunshine Coast - Sunday 22 November at Noosa. Rego is open - early bird is $5 per player till Sunday 15 November. After that date rego is $10 per player and includes insurance, sand, cones, beach, lines, ocean, shade, wind, eskies with ice, sun and a great excuse. Space is Limited - so pay to confirm your place - only the first 32 players are confirmed.

The remaining 5 (SQEEEE!**) rounds of the BUS are:
2 - Monday 28 December 2009- Coolangata/Kirra
3- Sunday 3 January 2010 Kingscliff
4 - Saturday and Sunday 23/24 Jan 2010- ADBUC <<< Australia Day Beach Ultimate Championships!
5 - Sat or Sun 20/21 February 2010 - Goldy
6 - Sat or Sun 20/21 March 2010 - Goldy

*to say the least!
**girlish shreik of excitement