My first nationals. Let's see, I did a fall sectionals review. Maybe sometime I will look back on all the fall regionals. But for now, I will look at my very first nationals, 1997 w/ the Big Ass Truck.

I was 20 and a junior in college and had been playing ultimate for ~14 months. I tried out for Truck that summer, thought about not playing, decided to play, and eventually went to natties. Funny enough, I have only played club natties in Sarasota. Oh, and this was the first time I had ever been on a plane.

Anyway, Wed nite we leave late, get into Tampa late, and down to Sarasota very late. My ears still had not popped so I could not hear anything when I went to bed. Woke up, felt great, and went to play some frisbee. Walking onto the fields for the first time was great. I had never played on fields that good before. Sweet.

Also, my experience against good teams was almost non-existent. The best tourney I had attended was Tune Up that same year when Tune Up was THE tourney. And saw good ultimate for the first time. So I was a bit nervous.

Our first game, I believe, was against Ring. We got crushed. Ugly. No comments nor memories from that game.

Second game vs. New York. I really did not know much about ultimate history at the time. I knew of Kenny Dobbyns, but the was the first time I got a look at him. He was a muscle bound short guy. At one point in this game, someone throws him a disc that is going well out of bounds. He lays out, catches it, and throws a beautiful backhand 50 or so yards. Almost completed, but someone was there to d it. That was amazing to me b/c I could not throw a backhand that well if I had all day to try. Anyway, this game was much better for us. At some point the cap was on and we were up 1, we get a d and I take off for the endzone, wide open to win the game. Lippy throws a really bad forehand to me that just hangs there. They sky me take off down the field and score. Tie game. We turn it over on the 2nd throw next point (I will leave names out of that one). They win. Ugh.

Third game vs. Pumphouse! Arch rivals from the Central Region. I think I threw 2 hammers for a goal in this game. I say this b/c some on the team were getting mad throughout the year as I started throwing more. If you saw our team, you would know why I wanted to throw more. Well, they come out big and stay up the whole game. The key point was a Jimmy Liao sky over 2 of their guys, calls himself in, and spikes it. Well, observer did not make an active call, but apparently did not call him in. BIG argument. They get the disc. They win the game by 2 or 3. Basically, 0-3 for the day. That sucks, also Truck went 0-6 the year before, so now half the team has a complex about going 0-pher again. The next thing I do is drive Greff + Lippy to the liquor store. They buy some beers to gun. We go home, drink some more, head to the party where no one is. Go home.

Friday, we play Condors. I do not believe this was a game. They killed us. Pretty early in the game I laid out for a disc and collided with a defender. I call foul, he yells as I am in pain. That was fun. 0-4

Next game was against Chain. We go up big, something like 9-3 or 4 at half (games to 17 back in those days). It gets a little windy and they put on a 4 man cup. Let's just say that the big lead quickly left. I managed to get point blocked on our endzone after I skiied someone. Anyway, we lose. By a couple too, I do not think it was that close by the end. 0-5

So, what do we do? I drive as Greff + Lippy stop to do some guns again. I am not supposed to be driving the rental and how do I get left out of the guns... Those 2 are rookies on the team as well. Anyway, the 3 of us go to dinner and then the party on the beach. I am part of the distraction as Lippy + D. happiness guys attempt to steal the keg. Let's just say they left a trail. We go to the bar. I can't get in, I am not 21 and left my crappy fake at the hotel. Hammered, Lippy tries to get me in with Cribber. No dice. I set on the bench right outside the patio of the bar and well, let's just say I got some drinks. Eventually, Lippy sneaks plenty of booze out, is seen drinking by the bouncer, who comes over and notices my stash of beers and other stuff. Grabs me and yells "Who is feeding the 12 year old alcohol? Call the police." So I am hammered, I am in Florida under 21 drinking, my parents do not like that I play ultimate at this point (later their attitude changes) and I am very drunk (another thing my parents did not like). I say all this b/c I had to beg for money just to get down to Florida.

Well, my personal attorney Lando comes over and tries to talk reason into the bouncer. The bouncer then accuses him of giving me drinks (That was false, it was Lippy and Geile). Anyway, Lando starts attacking the bouncer and says the bouncer's cred is gone b/c Lando never gave me drinks. Starts saying all the witnesses he will get, blah, blah, bouncer lets go for a second, I run for my life. Good times.

Anyway, Saturday, last game v. Sockeye. As I tie my cleats, the horn for the game to begin goes off. I am not sure what my b.a. level was at this point. I do complete a greatest in this game. And really sky someone on their team that was good. Again, I knew no one at that point. Surprisingly, we lost. 0-6. Truck at that point was 0-12 at nationals.

Do you need to know what we did? Stop and got guns, lots of other drinking, go to the party, which I got in b.c of my "i.d." Word gets out that I am under 21, and at least 1 if not 2 other guys get in on my "i.d." I tell them I will remember them and they owe me beer. I do not remember them.

Sunday watched the finals. Something like 7-0 dog, then 7-7 tied w/ sockeye. What? That game kept me away from O and D squads for at least 4 years. Why have an O squad that can't score? I was winning fantasy ultimate w/ negative cork.

Well, hopefully my chemistry is done. I am hoping to be better than 0-6 in 2 weeks....