Soaring Eagle, Cowering Snake, Leaping Frog

Day 1 of Ghetto Force Tryouts

Wednesday, September 1st marked the first event leading to the kickoff of the 2010-2011 Ghetto Force season. Working towards an improvement on last years successful campaign, Ghetto hopes to progress deeper into the Regional tournament. Ghetto has high hopes for the incoming class of new players and is greatly anticipating including new talent into the lineup.

If you were to predict the outcome of the season based on the single performance of first day, the outcome would be bright, blindingly bright. The first day of tryouts was an outstanding showing of effort and positive attitude. The new players showed not only tremendous athletic ability but an understanding and awareness of the game. As the team quickly ran through drills, Coach Papa Cork recorded the performance of new players and kept an eye out for the noob chaff to burned in the fires held deep within the Ultimate Mountains of Noob-dom. After some easy going obligatory agility and catching drills were out of the way, Capitans Phil and ButtRexs ushered the team into the perspiration gauntlet, the thresher for noob chaff, a drill only slightly better known as hills. This exercise is the fastest way to separate an Ultimate player from a bleeding heart, liberal, "Frisbee" tossing hippie, after numerous rounds of hills, the team came out the other side of the punishing drill alive and full of energy. "READY FOR MORE!!!" cried the Veteran, Sex Panther into the faces of a few freshman, as he sprinted down the hill ripping his shirt in half which subsequently set the tone for the rest of the try outs. Picking up on this blood thirsty energy, the team then transitioned into partner throwing and a water break.

Filling the remainder of the time was a short scrimmage. It was during this spectacle that many freshman were able to shine and show off their ultimate skillz and potential. Running vertical stack both teams were able to teach the fundamentals such as forces and stall counts. The scrimmage enabled the new recruits to experience only a sliver of what a real game in a tournament would be like. But overall the level of play was outstanding for the first day.

The final task in Tryouts was perhaps the most important, ladders. This drill showed the new recruits how to band together and overcome the physical demands and struggles that they will experience throughout the season. Even though everyone was tired and thirsty, the team still sprinted with the intensity that is expected out of a Ghetto Force squad.

Stay Tuned for More Updates on Ghetto Force and we'll see you at Day 2......

The UPA is now USA Ultimate

The UPA changed its name to USA Ultimate! The organization has been operating under the name "UPA" for over 30 years. USA Ultimate believes the new name will do a better job eliminating brand confusion between USA Ultimate which is used to represent Team USA and the UPA which has traditionally represented ultiamte in the United States.

CEO Dr. Tom Crawford says the organization will begin to focus more externally and grow the sport nation wide. The new website is the beginning of a media, marketing, and communication strategy to increase visibility of the sport and transparency of USA Ultimate.

2010 College East Plains Sectionals - Day 2

Upon finishing 5-0 saturday Ghetto was told by the crack tournament director, Trish, that games would be starting at 10:45. With this in mind Ghetto made the drive back to Dayton, agreeing to arrive at the fields 9:45 the next morning. All was well until our genius TD called at 9:00pm to inform us that we would now be playing at 9:00am instead of 10:45am, apparently she screw-up the schedule... one of many TD screw-ups occurring throughout the weekend. Needless to say, we gave her a piece of our minds, continuing until she hung up on us.

You may be wondering, "why does Central get 7 bids to regionals with 24 teams attending sectionals, Michigan get 4 bids with only 12 teams at sectionals, while the East Plains only gets 5 bids with 24 teams." Well, the reason actually makes sense but I doubt many teams are aware of the rule change. Central received 6 size bids, and once strength bid, East Plains received 4 size bids and 1 strength bid, and Michigan received 2 size bids and 2 strength bids.

In order for a team participating in sectionals to count towards a section's bid allocation it must have played 10 UPA sanctioned regular season games. Most of the teams competing at East Plains Sectionals did not have 10 UPA sanctioned games prior to sectionals. Looking through teams schedules the following are teams that did not count towards bid allocation: Kentucky, because they failed the roster eligibility comparison for 7 of their games; Miami(Ohio) didn't play one UPA eligible game because they failed every roster eligibility comparison prior to sectionals!; Louisville; OSU B; Wooster; Ohio Northern; Denison; OU B; Murry State; Berea; Youngstown State; and Cincinnati B. Its difficult to tell whether Kenyon, West Virginia, Oberlin, and Ohio Wesleyan played 10 UPA eligible games because their schedules are not labeled properly. A big thank you to the following teams for participating in 10 UPA eligible games prior to sectionals: OSU, Ohio, Dayton, Xavier, Cincinnati, Toledo, Case Western Reserve, and Kent State.

Dayton 5 Vs. OSU 15
Ghetto came out completely flat against OSU going down several points early. Hampered by injured , players out of shape (due to recovering from injuries, the tax season, and student teaching), and the large number of starters who quit eayerst this season, Ghetto could not keep up on man defense. Sunday brought light winds making zones ineffective on both sides. In addition, Ghetto played badly on offense, throwing away discs at key points. On a positive note Whoa Pat Bello finally show that he can play top level ultimate... now we just need him to play like that every point! If I had to estimate, I'd say that this OSU team is the weakest its been in several years. OSU went on to play OU in the Finals 13-12, winning on universe point after OU threw the disc away on OSU's end-line, inches away from ending OSU's 11 year sectional championship streak. OU went on to take second place in 13-12 win over Kenyon.

Dayton 12 Vs. Kentucky 15
Dayton continued its Sunday morning downward spiral with a loss to Kentucky, who would go on to take 4th place. Ghettos aging players leaned heavily on their younger teammates, but giving 100% throughout the game. Upon conclusion of the match Ghetto began to question whether earning a regional bid would be attainable. After dropping two games in a row Ghetto would have to win its final two games to qualify for regionals.

Dayton 15 Vs. Cincinnati 8
At this point sectionals became a war of attrition. Fraszzel Dazzle stepped up with with motivating words and led by example shutting down Cinci's young guns on the field. Gali showed what fresh legs can do helping to out man Cinci, will Holmes went down with an injury to the hip flexor. It was quite apparent that Cinci is a young but talented team.


Dayton 12 Vs. Oberlin 10
After the conclusion of the Cinci game T was laying on the ground hoping to never get up and Butters was visibly shaking, but moral was high. Phil and Fraszel Dazzle launched into Oberlin like a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier, while Sex panther and Wind Resistance ate a bunch of Wendy's on the sideline. A shout out to Z Knight who manned the clipboard all weekend recording scores, stats, and game times. Z recorded the start of the 5th place game at 2:15 pm when the horn sounded and 1 hour and 25 minutes later no soft-cap horn had been heard. Z notified us of the situation and we notified Oberlin that soft-cap should have gone off during the point. Ghetto's bused and battered bodies took an 11-7 lead on Oberlin when soft-cap went off. Now the game would be capped at 13. Ghetto scored another goal while Oberlin scored twice more, and just after the hard-cap horn should have sounded Oberlin scored again. Again, no horn or notification from the tournament director, Trish (the dumb-ass). It was 3:52 when the point ended and again we notified Oberlin that the hard-cap should have taken effect at 3:50. This would mean that the score after applying hard-cap was 12-10, and a victory for ghetto. An argument ensued as to whether the we had to wait for the horn to call the caps or if the caps were set based on the time the game started. Of course we all know that the caps are applied in accordance with time, and are not effected by whether the TD blows the horn or not. After speaking with the TD it was determined that she forgot to blow the horns... great work TD.

Ghetto took 5th place securing its bid to regionals for the 4th year in a row. in the words of the K-State-Killa "LETS GOOO GHEEEETTTOOOOO"

Easterns Recap

As the D-town crew rolled in Friday night, along with James Madison University at the Red Roof Inn, it was an exciting feeling to have warm weather and outstanding competition on the agenda.

In short, Dayton took one on the chin, recording it's first win-less day in.....not even sure. But it's probably been a number of years. With a good tight start against Georgia, the 15-11 loss didn't seem too bad. The 15-13 East Carolina loss stung a bit, as it was easily a game that could have been won.

The loss that was really an issue came to Kennesaw State. As the Ghetto led most of the game, the energy was lacking and no sense of urgency was ever established. Not putting KSU Bidness away proved to be a valuable lesson, as we Ghetto got stung as the O-line choked up the universe point with several drops and numerous chances to win, with the final ringing in at 13-12. Wowzas.

The last game of Saturday seemed a bit predetermined. Williams was solid, top to bottom. They were rested, and had been rolling the whole day. By this point, Ghetto was gassed, morale was down, and a win seemed distant. Williams rolled, taking the game 15-8.

After some serious Hooters medication, everyone was relaxing and loosening up. The squad worked their ways back to the fields to see Addison Hoover and Travis Knight play in what was likely the sloppiest (perhaps boring-est?) All-Star Game in record. It's ok, the college kids just need some more time to read the Ed Mack Manual for All-Star Game Success. Luckilly, for everyone's sake, Addison and Trav utilized the manual's cribnotes and obliged, producing the best point of the game when Hoover tossed his new game jersey over his head and hit a 40 yard blind hammer to a streaking Middlebury cutter. Not to be outdone, Knight, in front of the D-town following, was led into the endzone, and produced one of the finest, and perhaps most gratuitous, layout grabs for the score. It was the highlight of the game.

As everyone popped some Advil and cozied up for bed, the squad went to sleep with thoughts of better things to come. As Sunday morning rolled around, things weren't looking so hot. Actually, things looked exactly like Sunday of Terminus.

Powerful rains. Lightning delays. Flooding fields.

It looked as though Ghetto was going to be heading home early, with no wins to show for their 11 hour trek. However, the TD and UNCW team kept everyone in the loop, and helped pull it all together. Albeit a tad late, with soaked fields, Ghetto hit the swamp, er, pitch, and began the tournament in the bracket for 13th place. As Ghetto's resiliency seems to improve all the time, a second shot was not to be wasted. It didn't hurt that Ghetto seems to only get better as conditions get crappier.

Let the steamrolling begin. Dayton pounded the boys from Appalachian State, 13-4, and recorded the first OATBAG of the season. Yummy. Next up was JMU, bringing the Battle for the Red Roof Inn to the front stage. Again, with Ghetto's tight zone-d, and J4 obnoxiously laying out into every puddle in the field, Ghetto was clicking and working the Hellfish over. It wasn't even close, with Ghetto wrapping up the game at 13-7. It can also be noted that one guy from JMU, who knows who he is, will likely never play UD again. There was literally cartoon steam protruding from his ears. He gave up a callahan on the third point of the game. Got layout d'ed a few times in the middle of the game. Then got rocked by Joe Bayer on another errant throw in the endzone he was trying to reel in. The icing on the cake, however, was when MacCorken's final grab for a score turned into a harmless "put a cork in it" spike, that landed near this dude. Without hesitation, this dude grabs the disc, and chucks it roughly 276 feet into the air. It wasn't this cat's day.

Last on the list was Chicago Junk, who, with much travling to go as well, agreed to an abbreviated game to 7. When Junk grabbed an upwind break, things seemed over when Ghetto was down 5-4. However, Corboy strapped up, took the windforced flick side, and was breaking up the Junk cup like it was a Jeff Giese relationship. Ghetto gets the upwinder, then breaks downwind to take the lead. Junk gets the downwinder, and next thing you know, Ghetto is receiving on universe for the win. After a couple solid in-cuts from The Show and T-Money, Trav rips in inverted major, IO backhand to a streaking (and not looking) Mark Anderson. A) Who knew Trav had that throw? B) How the hell did Anderson catch it? It was some Disc ESP or something crazy. Nonetheless, it was caught, game over. Ghetto rallies from a win-less day 1, to a perfect 3-0 day 2 record to break seed and take the 13th place bracket.

No speeding tickets were recorded en route back to Dayton.

For awesome photos of the weekend, check out Chad Borer's site!

Pool Party! Have a Look at the Guest List!

College Terminus is t-minus 8 days away, and believe it or not, the University of Dayton is celebrating with nearly 60 degree weather today! WOOHOO! It's a mighty heavy relief to be experience some decent temperatures before one of the biggest weekends of the preseason.

With all the excitement beginning to build, like the Russian Roulette game that is letting Evan Almighty taking control of the school van - it's time to give things a quick look. For Ghetto Force, this is translates into a worthwhile breakdown of who happens to be in Pool D.

Taking a note from Jason the Bachelor, if we're not up front with the goods, shit is going to hit the reality fan. Oops.

So lets cut to the chase before this airs on national television. It's Terminus - are you surprised that the pool is going to be rough top to bottom? How surly a pool you ask? Pretty surly. For those that have been spending too much time watching The Tool Academy (don't look around like you haven't been) - here's a quick rundown of the crop of talent Ghetto Force has been paired up with for Terminus Pool Play.

The 1 Seed: Pittsburgh; Perennial Metro East power, Pittsburgh sits on a hotbed of PA talent and continues to reel in a crop of strong classes, producing consistent and competitive teams. From Roll Call to the Championships, many of Dayton's players have seen first hand how strong a team Pitt is up and down. And although many Ghetto Force players have paired up against their best via split squad games at fall tournaments, Pitt's a spring team that takes care of business, so don't get it twisted. They've got wins over Illinois, Stanford, and an absolute romping on UCSB 13-1, all at a windy Vegas. With another strong showing at Ultimax, Pitt is ready to have a coming out party at Terminus - don't forget it.

Pitt's 2009 Results

Pitt's 2008 Results

The 2 Seed: Tufts; Not sure where it's located? Try Massachuttsetts - typically an epicenter for awesome Ultimate, namely Boston. Although Tufts is technically located in Medford, these cats can play. Although their introduction into the 2009 season was a little rough in Vegas (2-7), they were playing some powerhouses, so don't look at the record and get fooled. The Tufts x-factor? They're likely to be hungrier than ever. Last year, as if getting rocked once wasn't bad enough, Tufts took it on the chin twice. The boys from Medford took the harsh path of losing two separate games that would have sent them to the National Championships. Probably the most bittersweet 3rd place Regional finish anyone can surmize - not the way anyone wants to wrap up a stellar season. So, the Tufts Emen, not to be mistaken as the Tuft Semen, are coming in with tight wins over solid programs Whitman and Las Positas and will be looking to establish themselves as a threat in the New England region.

Tufts 2009 Results

Tufts 2008 Results

Tufts 2008 Regional Tournament Summary

The 3 Seed: Georgia Tech; As alluded to earlier in a prior post, yea, these guys have already played 25 games! That's like 10 more than the average D-III Nationals qualifier. That probably stung, ouch. Tribe, benefitting from being in the south, has taken full advantage and has hit the road to a number of tournaments. Having attending key tourneys like the ACC Championship and Mardi Gras, GaTech has already faced some serious competition, and has walked away tried and tested. Although they've had strong wins over Illinois and Dartmouth, one of their most telling games was an 11-13 loss to Duke, proving to be a national threat. Tribe, could easily be a 2 seed in about any of the Terminus pools, they're conditioned and patient. They have several handlers who not only have good field vision for their cutters, but also take full advantage of opportunities to throw and go. Lets go ahead and call it right now, all of Pool D has a third round bye. Tribe and Ghetto take some time, grab a bagel, stretch well, then slather on the war paint. The most exciting game of Pool D will come in the last round between these two.

Georgia Tech 2009 Results

Georgia Tech 2008 Results

Georgia Tech 2009 Video Footage (check the UNC and Duke games)

Stay tuned for more updates!

Send 'em To Hell - Regionals 2008

The 2008 Great Lakes Open Regional Championships
Detroit, MI
April 26th - 27th

As mentioned before, on this very blog, there were egregious amounts of exciting plots being played out this weekend in Detroit during the 2008 Great Lakes Regional Championships. For some, the weekend was a resounding success. For some others, the weekend signified a catastrophic meltdown. It was intense, well fought, and exciting for all. To be one of the final 16, from all of Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, to still be standing, duking it out, is an accomplishment in itself. But being happy with that accomplishment, and wanting to do more, is in the end, what separates the men from the boys.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Ghetto Force embarked for Detroit in the early evening hours on Friday. The team caravan, leaving in 5 cars, made a pit stop en route to Michigan at the Elzey residence, where the classy men of Ghetto were graciously treated to delicious brats, burgers, and quite possibly the best, prepackaged store bought chocolate chip cookies ever. The Kozby Kid managed a 4 course meal on cookies alone. Luckily, with the arrival of the Chosen Son Evan Corcoran, everyone was treated to a nice desert of Penguin Hockey. Backed with lively debates about how Mario Lemieux would kill Wayne Gretzky in a bar fight, a final goal and an exciting Penguin win prefaced the weekend with some good vibes. Repping Squirrel Hill, Corco's weekend was off to a swell start.

As the train of D-I Ultimate athletes (yes, D-I ONU) left the wonderful hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Elzey, everyone embarked for the Motel 6 in Michigan. Everyone arrived swiftly, save for some nasty traffic which was only properly navigated by Joel Brand...who bypassed the clogging by utilizing crafty illegal u-turns and the cutting off of irate mini-vans while careening by Eminem's house on 8-Mile road. Nonetheless, the team arrived safe and sound, and Shanikwa promptly checked us in under the Motel 6 guarantee of getting your room key in under two hours.

While guys dropped their bags off, everyone reconvened in Papa Corc's room for the ceremonial Pre-Regional talk. A team sporting only 4 losses, Ghetto Force had set a high goal from August of 2007 - to make Top 8 at the Regional Championships. With that goal firmly in place, Steely Corc embarked on a whimsical talk about using Jedi-Defensive powers to bring the Noob Stamp. Unfortunately, the loss of Jeffrey Giese, who was hanging out with living Saint Donna Giese, left everyone thinking of what awkward comment Kid Ic would say at that moment. Realizing the team needed to focus, the Secret Weapon was revealed. Over-nighted from Sir Budd Nerone in Colorado, (for a whopping $16.00) the surprise Secret Weapon was brought into the room still contained in its original Federal Express packaging. Corboy, the guardian of the secret, began to read the hand written note Budd had included. Touching on subjects ranging from Hoover Vaccuums to 11th Edition Rules Committee members, somehow Budd's voice rang through and spoke volumes to the team. What it spoke, is still yet to be determined. However, after flipping and flopping and turning pages, Corboy concluded the letter and pulled out THE Secret Weapon. No, it wasn't a Harry Potter Cloak of Invisibility. It was better!! Just what every team needs before Regionals, an original copy of Meatloaf's Bat out of Hell III cover! Signed on the back by Buddly, the cover was meant to depict the release of the Ghetto Force Monster. And from this inspiration, Ghetto decided to honor Meatloaf, and Budd, by rallying around the weekend's cry to "Send em' to Hell". With sugarplum fairies and bats out of hell in our minds, the Ghetto Force members retired to their Motel Sicks beds in an attempt to get enough shut-eye before the 9:00 am showdown with North Park. Sleep would be sparse, as the energy was high.

SATURDAY MORNING

As everyone awoke, the team outfitted itself with black shorts and black jerseys before boarding the cars and heading to the fields. Taking the day on as a challenge, the team had internalized that today's first game was the most important of the season. Approaching the Crane-infested, drunkenly lined fields, Ghetto was one of the first teams to arrive. Again indicating the growth of the program in the last three years. After getting some throwing in and finding out which field the team would be on, Ghetto was cleated up, and more than ever, locked and loaded.

Taking a 1/2 time Brian Belkin warm up job, Ghetto took full advantage of the added time to mentally prepare and physically prep for the battle that was ahead. Having watched the game footage, Dayton knew full well what North Park brought to the table, and as a #6 seed, NPU had come to win. As the wind began to pick up, the two squads split the field in an effort to run some early drills. On the NPU side of things, the team focused on 30 yard + throws to streaking cutters, while on the UD side, closer in and out cuts were the preference. It was a meeting of two hungry teams, who knew full well that both were bringing different styles to the table.

DAYTON v NORTH PARK, 9:00 am

Getting pulled to, the Dayton offense would start the game. With the sun not fully risen, the battle begun. As Dayton penetrated the field utilizing in cuts, a quick strike by Hoover was followed by a beautifully placed turn-over on an errant continuation throw to T-Nizzle. It would be the first of 264 turnovers by Hoover on the day. Welcome to Regionals. It was the first point and Dayton was already in fear of being broken. Luckily, the D set appropriately, and Dayton was able to take a quick turnover and convert for the first score of the day.

Yet, as they had in the prior week, North Park was experienced and knowledgeable. It wasn't but a few minutes later that the game had been matched. And, minus some well placed hucks, and a couple unsuccessful upwind runs, the beginning of the game was on-serve. The wind, proving to cause problems for both sides, was to be reckoned with. And almost as though everyone knew it, someone was going to break up wind. Finally, with the score tied at 3s, the Brand to Hayson connection was made during the D point, and the first upwind break was earned by Ghetto, 4-3. Now, to capitalize, the D would have to be gotten, and Dayton would have to punch another in, with the wind to our backs. Luckily, with T Knight marking and some nifty D's from Krissek poaching in as a wing, the turnover was received and Dayton took advantage of the wind and marched the disc upfield for the score, 5-3 Dayton. Points again would be traded, and Dayton, fully in control of the momentum, would take half 8-5.

After half, there would be more of the same, lots of scores with the wind. Yet there was a looming feeling from the sideline that either North Park would get a break, or Dayton would begin to run away with it. And luckily, Dayton brought the hot O-line to the battle, and the Magnificent 7 decided it was more fun to score, and that getting broken is more fun when it's avoided. With points being traded, Giese decided to give Mrs. Giese, who had brought plenty of rations to the Ghetto sidelines, a nice thank you. As the D-line pulled, an errant offensive throw was given up and Dayton began to take the disc upwind again. As the disc reached North Park's endzone, the disc was quickly swung from Corc to Corboy to Hoove to T Knight, who had executed a sick nasty break side cut, who proceeded to give Giese his opportunity to shine by hitting Kid Ic in the chest for a fully horizontal break side upwind break. All of which Mrs. Giese thoroughly enjoyed.

With another break under Ghetto's belt, the taste of victory was close. So Mr. T, normally quite modest, decided to get down with his bad self. After getting a turn, T received the disc and showing his underrated handling skills, he dropped the meanest flick fake of the weekend, officially putting his mark on the ground in an obliterated state of decay. T, relishing his accomplishment, made quick work of the opportunity by hitting Double D's will a fully break side backhand, who worked the disc upfield getting it to Corc and then The Show for the 2nd half of the upwind break, again furthering Dayton's lead. Now at 13-8, Dayton's D-line was enjoying the moment until the Bull Dog came on the field and outwardly announced the score, claiming it'd be a bad omen if the game was brought to 13-9 (the same score Illinois rebounded from when they upset NPU). The line, displeased with his superstitious naiveté, berated him for his insolence and forced him into Ultimate exile for his life. As fate would have it, Foor's superstitious blunder didn't have any affect on the game, and points would be quickly traded to 14-10.

With Dayton receiving, the Universe O line was sent in to finish the business. Again relying on vicious in-cuts, the squad knew the end was near. Closing the game in a fury of swings and strikes, Dayton's O-line got the disc to Giese-Unit, who, by an act of God, managed to punch in the final score, capping a 15-10 upsetting of the #6 seed.

Air Alert. Saturday morning practices. Dealing with Jeff. It had all paid off.

Ghetto Force, a team that hadn't made any noise for a decade, was again back on the Regional scene and making waves. It's one of the greatest moments in Ghetto Force history. Against all the naysayers and trash talkers, Dayton, as the #11 seed, shut out all the talk and spoke more volumes in one game then any shit that can be said on RSD. Case closed. North Park has outstanding talent, extremely gifted handlers, and what seems to be a really tight knit unit. We knew it'd be a tight game, and to have beaten a team of such caliber, is what made that moment special. Congrats to them on making their first Regional, and all the best to them in the future, it's definitely a program to be on the look out for.

However, as all this was going on, and Dayton was making monumental steps as a program, there was also other major news within the Region. The East Plains, which for those of you not in the know, GOT COMPLETELY SHAFTED IN THE SEEDINGS! There was all sorts of hype about the Central Plains and blah blah blah. Well what happened by 10:30 Saturday morning? OSU, Dayton, and Miami had all won their games. Just to save everyone some quick math, the Central Plains' 6 teams dropped seed by a total of -13 spots. The East Plains' 7 teams, obviously well underrated, pushed up and broke seed by +18 spots. What more can you say? Oh yea, maybe EAST - PLAINS - EAST - PLAINS - EAST - PLAINS!!!

With Meatloaf fueling the fire, Dayton had unleashed a Rush-sized serving of hater tots for breakfast, and everyone, from the parents to the players, was pumped. Dayton was moving on to the Quarterfinals.

DAYTON v NOTRE DAME, 11:30 am

Reaching the Quarterfinals, something Ghetto hasn't done in nearly a decade, again showcased the growth of the program the tenacity to make things happen. After planning out where the team wanted to be way back in August, everything was falling into place like clockwork. And now, Ghetto was going to get to face up against Notre Dame's Ultimate juggernaut, Papal Rage.

Notre Dame, ranked 24th in the country and the #3 seed overall in the tournament, had only 5 losses coming into the weekend (all against the highest caliber teams). And, since the team only allows you to play if you're beastly and over 6'0'' tall, Notre Dame appeared to be a hurdle that Ghetto hadn't faced yet in the season.

However, as the game began, it quickly became apparent that Ghetto was facing a mental challenge, and early in the game, things seemed like they were going in Ghetto's favor. With some sick D's and well placed puts, all of a sudden, Ghetto was up 5-2. With the D line coming in, an outstanding pull put Notre Dame near their endzone, where a quick drop left Ghetto in prime position to extend their lead. Unfortunately, a caught hammer for the score was brought back do to a stall count, which, in the scheme of things, was all ND needed to get back on track. Making quick work of the disappointed Ghetto D-line, ND rebounded, bring the score back to 5-3, and Papal Rage was off to the races.

What separates the good teams from the great teams, oftentimes isn't talent or style or intensity. At a certain level, those aspects begin to become strong across the board, no matter the program. But what really can separate a program is mental toughness. Notre Dame had been here before. They'd played tight games throughout the season against the best in the nation, and had been to the GL Quarterfinals the last three years. Dayton, on the other hand, had played predominantly Sectional-esque opponents during the season, and didn't have a single player on the team who'd ever been to Quarters. And in the end, that experience is what made the difference in this game.

Although Ghetto was up to start, Notre Dame relied on their poise and experience to mentally pressure Ghetto. And, with little comparable experience to fall back on, Dayton was sucked out of the game during the second half. ND seemed to have flipped a switch, and Ghetto couldn't quite respond. Notre Dame took the game 15-6.

Although the score wasn't where any Ghetto member wanted it to be, the experience was awesome. To have made it to Quarters, and to know that this young program (basically returning almost everyone next year) can compete at this level speaks volumes. There are lessons to be learned, and knowledge to bad. Ghetto's time in the Championship Bracket in '08 will be utilized to better the program in the future. This is for sure.

DAYTON v OHIO NORTHERN, 2:00 pm

Having sustained the first loss of the weekend, Ghetto was now relegated to the 2nd place bracket, in an effort to keep the dream alive in the double-elimination format. Ironically, as the East Plains had dropped a bomb in the first round of the day, more East Plains "pwnsaucing" continued in the 2nd round of the day. Although Miami and Dayton sustained losses, Oberlin had beaten North Park, Bowling Green had beaten Chicago, and OSU had beaten Michigan State. The other two East Plains teams, Ohio University and Ohio Northern, had dueled to Universe Point where after a hard cap controversy, ONU came out the victor 12-11.

Having won that game, ONU had earned the right to play the #11 seed overall in Dayton. As Sectional rivals, the orange glow of ONU's jerseys seemed to be all to familiar. Running hybrid, Dayton didn't want any part of some cross-sectional tomfoolery, and made a commitment to expose ONU's ever present array of strategic loopholes.

As the game started, Ghetto took the field like a lax group of players who expected to roll through a game with one hand tied behind their back. Obviously, it's a dangerous stance to take, a la North Park. However, with less than stellar effort, Ghetto came out on top early, took a couple breaks, and was up 5-2. Although Coach Pak and Mack were making every effort to fire up the sidelines, the wheels just seemed to be running on cruise control. D's were coming and points were being scored, but Dayton just seemed to be getting them through the fundamental faults of ONU....not so much through pressure or energy.

Then, ONU took a huck deep immediately after a pull, and Coach Ed Mack went ballistic. Knowing full well how easily tides of games can turn, he was putting his heart and soul into energizing the Ghetto lines. Unfortunately, the team still continued to run on autopilot. Dayton, receiving the pull, began working it downfield when the ONU defense fell apart and the O was in a foot race to score. Taking it across the field, Hoover swung to Corcoran, who, while sporting the backwards Rush hat (I STILL choose Free Will), nearly immediately ripped an open side flick for the score.

However, as soon as the throw was released, ONU's Texas-sized punk thought it in the best Spirit of the Game to battering ram Capitan Corc during his follow through. Not only was it unbelievably dangerous, it was completely deliberate and utterly intentional. There are a lot of asses in the sport of Ultimate, but this kid, he's pretty freaking high up there. To fully be aware that you're going to commit a foul, endanger another player, break every rule that Ultimate has been founded on, and still follow through with it, is absolutely outrageous. To the player, his coach, and anyone that condones this style of Ultimate, you should be ashamed. For a sport trying to grow, you're the leach that sucks the fun and spirit from this game. Get off our turf.

Corc, who's Ghetto thick and thin, wasn't about to play games and immediately stepped up and called this punk out. It might not have been his best display of emotion and spirit, but lets be honest. When someone plows and hacks you intentionally, you're instincts are going to turn to intensity, not so much passive aggression. And, Ghetto, showing its true colors, had its captain's back fully.

Coach Mack, stepping in appropriately, helped defuse the situation and separate the lines and the tension. ONU took a time out, hoping that Ghetto's new found fire would ware off, and Ghetto went to a huddle to get everyone on the same page. Ghetto plays Ghetto Ultimate. We're never going to stoop to some lower level, and that was reiterated throughout the time out. However, our energy had been down, and now it was exploding, and Captain Rush wanted all of it to be used on the field. Coming out of the time out, Mohawks were flaring and eyes were burning with the passion for D's and obliteration. Corboy, who lives with Corcoran (they may be legally brothers, we're not sure yet) was about to go ape shit as a form of repayment for the prior shenanigans. This, for those that aren't getting the drift, translated into full tilt sexy time layout Ds....4 of them in the first half alone. Ghetto, hopping on board the Corboy Pain Train, rampaged a couple breaks in a row and rolled ferociously to half.

In the second half, the punishing would continue. Walcheezian (who secretly has a tat that says I HEART CORC) made a conscious decision to start playing Ultimate beyond the realm of physical possibilities, and began the 2nd half storm by going Mr. Bombastic on his pulls. One of which, yes, was dropped (Karma anybody?). Ghetto worked in every player on the team, and in doing so, gave everyone an opportunity to consume Ultimate revenge. One of the most bloodthirsty was Mastro Leggings Josh Foor, who came on for a D point starving for action as his leggings efficiently wicked to the 5th dimension. His appetite was only furthered when he realized the aforementioned jerk-off had come back into the game (Again, a weak move on their part...why play a guy with such poor spirit that doesn't apparently represent your program? Weaksauce.). Foor, disapproving of his being on the field, began to think hard on the subject. In the end Foor, decided to celebrate Festivus by doing a defensive two-step on this kid, exclaimed to the line "I've got him." As the point progressed, 4$ let his Meatloaf powers coax this kid into making an in-cut. Bad decision. Foor, releasing all hell, put the fully horizontal lay out D hammer down, proving once and for all, Ghetto hits 'em where it hurts. Unlike this kid, who just hits.

This act of fully committed forced penance was greatly appreciated by the sidelines, especially by The Admiral. Knowing what great titillation comes with sick D's, The Admiral stepped in and laid a sick nasty foot block down. The ONU handler, realizing foot block egg had just been smeared all over his face, quickly thought about what he should do, and called a foul....naturally. As he explained his case, he mentioned that after he let go of the disc, he hit Pat's foot with his hand. WHAMMY! As soon as he said that, the 11th Edition aficionados of Ghetto Force pounced. Having just articulated that the throw was off and not affected by Patricio Del Toro, the 11th Edition quotes began to fly, and the D was rewarded. Revenge, is a disc best served on Pat's foot.

After the D, Ghetto continued to ride the defensive train to Pleasure Town. From there on out, everyone chipped in the Defense Fund for the Support of Evan Corcoran and Ghetto rolled to a 15-7 win.

DAYTON v NORTHWESTERN, 4:30 pm

This would be the final game of the day for both teams. With the 2nd place bracket being played out, the winner of this game would get a shot at Ohio State Sunday morning. The loser would have a shot to play for the 7th place.

Having dropped two key playmakers, Dave Hayson and Joel Brand, by this point in the day, Ghetto was beginning to wear down, and Northwestern (the only Central Plains team to break seed) was obviously going to be a difficult opponent.

The two teams, playing in one of the most ferocious crosswinds ever, were in a battle for momentum. The team that could jump out in front would have a clear advantage. And unfortunately, Northwestern was the team to jump out early, starting the game with 4 consecutive breaks.

It was a horribly sloppy beginning, for which Ghetto paid a hefty price. Although the turn-heavy game got within 2 and 3 points, Northwestern kept the momentum throughout, and never relinquished the pressure. There were of course the wind-induced highlights. Some notables include Lebron Corcoran (or Beau Corcoran if you prefer) going up for an errant disc, which resulted in more hangtime than most birds can handle....which he followed up with prettiest strike throw ever. How pretty you ask? lets just say, that the marker turned, watched the disc fly, and proceeded to say 'whoa'. Following Evan's lead, The Show decided to hop on the highlight reel by bringing a sick nasty catch layout D. With all that sexiness though, Dayton's lines were getting haggard and the flow never piqued. Northwestern took the game, 15-10.


SATURDAY NIGHT

With trail mix in hand and the Gatorade Bazooka provided sustenance, Ghetto gathered around to relish in what was truly a great day. Sure, 3-1 would have been better, but 2-2, with an upset over the #6 seed, tends to leave a pretty good taste in your mouth. Everyone huddled around Corcoran as he sang lyrics to Peg, and we all thanked the parents for their constant support. Without the support of our friends and family, Ghetto wouldn't be all that it is. Everyone congratulated each other on an awesome day and expressed how we should all be pumped to take on Michigan State the next morning in the 7/8 game.

Getting to play national caliber teams truly shows how far Ghetto has come. A couple years ago, Dayton couldn't place in the Top 20 at Sectionals. Now, Ghetto is not only making Regionals, but coming and playing, and in some cases beating, the top Regional contenders. It's an awesome feeling to know your efforts are producing results, and unlike the other half of the teams heading home, you and your boys get to wake up on Sunday morning and hit the pitch. Most don't get that satisfaction.

Ghetto broke it out one last time, and everyone cleaned up their garbage as we made ways to our cars en route to the showers. A couple cars headed off quickly, in an effort to clean speedily so the team could head off to dinner promptly. The last two cars, Ed Mack's and The Brand's stood around and relished in each other's presence. Corco did some odd dancing while reciting lyrics to Steely Dan. Addison asked what everyone's favorite Rush song was. Andy asked if anyone knew who Lucius Delicious was. Oh silly Andy.

Wait, who the hell is Andy?! Literally, as the two cars were hanging out, laughing and talking, this guy named Andy pulled up in a jeep and hopped out. Noticing our flawless Dayton Ultimate Nike swag, he stopped to give us some news. Although, we were pumped to battle it out for 7th place, former national powerhouse Michigan State, was feeling a tad wimpy and decided to skip town and not return. Even better, they really didn't care to tell anyone, other than a couple people, one of which was Michigan State grad (and pseudo-T.D.) Andy. The news was a major disappointment. Playing on Sunday is a big accomplishment, and it's a serious bummer when a team backs out like that. Especially when the team in question is SO close to the tournament. It's not like they drove 7 hours from Illinois or anything.....it was Michigan State! Anyway, their loss. It would have likely been a great game, and it's too bad they didn't want to play it.


With the news coming that we weren't going to be getting up early to play ringing fresh in our ears, our attentions turned to celebrating. After get the whole crew cleaned up, Ghetto hit the road with a Red Robin in sight. The entire squad, including family, alum, and friends, were all in attendance. The group, with much thanks to the Giese and Maloney family, was able to eat on a picked up tab....to have dinner paid for, was really a treat. Starting a new tradition, the entire group indulged in high-fives and cheers prior to the meal, in what was a classic moment for all past, present, and future members of the program.

Unlike teams that deal with scholarships, or money, or politics, Ghetto Force really is a family. Made up of players, alum, parents, siblings, friends, and supporters, Ghetto Force has again become known in the realm of Ultimate, but more importantly, has instilled a bond in all of its members thats beyond anything I can articulate here. Not much beats winning, that's for sure. But beyond the final scores, getting 7th place, or anything like that, nothing beats being able to spend time with your best friends. To accomplish goals, work hard, share the blood, sweat, and tears, all with your closest group, is really what it's all about.

It was an amazing weekend for Ghetto Force.

To all the friends, family, and other supporters, all of Ghetto Force thanks you.

And to you, the members of Ghetto Force, those in attendance and those not, just look at what we did this weekend. Look at what we can do, and how when we set a goal, how we can reach it. This is an absolutely amazing time to be part of this program. Enjoy every minute of it, because it doesn't get any better than this!!

DAY 2 Recap - Running Riot, Pt. 2, The Championship Version

(Ghetto-A, Championship Warm-up, OWU 2008)

As Saturday night began to fall, it was apparent that the OWU EMR Memorial Tournament would be a quick proving ground for many of the section's teams.

That being said, it was also apparent that one team took feelings, emotions, and the like, into absolutely no consideration.

As Saturday closed, Dayton's Ghetto Force proved their worth by absolutely crushing their pool, and earning the coveted first round bye on Championship Sunday.

Dayton-B, as mentioned in Saturday's article, struggled with some fundamental issues, and couldn't consistently get points to connect across the day. However, the successes of Ghetto-B were a plenty. With progress in handling and cutting readily apparent, Dayton-B's record wasn't the main factor...the real point was to give guys a chance to shine and really have some strong on field time.

With Sunday morning rolling around, Ghetto-B had a Pre-Quarters play in game against a gun-slinging Rochester squad, fresh off the road from the big NY. Utilizing two big play handlers and wealth of strong offensive cutters, Rochester put a pretty strong hurt on Dayton-B. Nonetheless, the value of getting guys on the field, against a very capable opponent, is immense.

Post the loss to Rochester, the Dayton-B squad took on another highly capable Eastern Michigan team. With a wealth of talent and experience, EMU would prove to again be a very challenging opponent. Though Ghetto-B may have been handed a loss by the Hellfish, they proved to their captains and themselves, that they have a load of heart, and all the workings to become a truly strong Ultimate team.

El Capitan, Patricio Del Toro, had nothing but positives to harp on after the weekend. Dealing with injuries and playing in harsh conditions are no easy task, but Ghetto-B battled to the end, and had a wealth of time on the field....both very important to the program. As Pat said, the team kept spirits up, fought hard, and though the W-L column maybe wasn't what everyone had wanted, the tournament did exactly what it was supposed to do. Get guys on the field, and let them showcase their skills.

With tenacity and strength, the squad fought the whole weekend...and that's what Dayton Ultimate is all about. As a program continually evolving and becoming better known on the national scene (as we will address more later!), it's absolutely imperative for the program to develop strong, young talent. And, on the whole, this weekend was a success on every front. To have a group of hungry guys fighting on Dayton-B, elevates the level of the entire program. It elevates intensity, furthers program growth, and shows everyone in the area (and beyond) that Dayton Ultimate is the real deal.

And, on that note, Dayton-A felt the hot breath of the Dayton-B, and responded by absolutely pounding the crap out of every team....(for an understatement, see previous sentence)

With the glorious OWU Wooden Paddle at stake, every Ghetto-A player arrived at the fields hungry to continue chewing up opponents and spitting them onto the ice and slush ridden pitch. With the domination of its pool, Dayton-A was afforded the chance to rest late and take advantage of the Pre-Quarters bye. Arriving for the Quarterfinals, Dayton-A began to look back on the day before. Reminiscing on Saturday's whoopings proved to be enjoyable for all to speak about. That was until team leader, Dan Simon, stepped up and spoke some serious words:

"We can't focus on yesterday. Today is a new day."

He couldn't have been more right. And with the desire to come to the fields with a broken cheek bone (mad ballerness), just to cheer on his teammates, everyone listened and obliged. As Pre-Quarters slowly came to a close, the team ran, threw, and stretched. Having the chance to think of more teams being served up as delicious sacrifices, only whetted the palates of the Dayton-A squad more.

Leading the rallying cry was Captain Corc, who stressed that we come out of the gates hard (go figure), and continue to feast on the OATBAG. Ironically, the most motivating quote of the early morning, came from a Hope College player (they'd be Ghetto's first opponent of the day). As Ghetto watched Hope's Pre-Quarters game finish, a Hope player relayed a humorous quote:

"Yea, the games tied, neither of our teams can score up-wind...so, yea, that's kinda how it's going to be today on this field."

Relieving Evan of his Moron status, will be the dude that offered up this quote. He would be the first of many to earn the highly sought after Noob Stamp. He earned the Mega Noob Stamp minutes later (after he won the flip), as he absurdly chose to start facing upwind. Ah-buh? Cheers to you, Mr. Hope-College-Can't-Score-Upwind-Quote-Guy.

Dayton, reveling in the thought of a team that couldn't score upwind, decided to come out hot and show this Hope team their tournament time would quickly come to a close.

With a voracious hunger for the OATBAG, the Ghetto O and D lines decided to begin feasting early...starting the game on an 8-0 run to take half. Including the end of play on Saturday, this half officially brought Ghetto Force to a 24 point run without giving up a score.

The second half was all of same, except for some Hope noobs wising up and scoring two points. Nonetheless, not much joy could be sufficed from Hope's two scores, and the game quickly finished 15-2, with Ghetto trouncing all of their.....uh, hope.

Ghetto, as it was the theme for every game, found they had finished off their opponent well before the rest of the field. Thus, the Force had to sit idly to find out who would be next on the offering table.

As Ghetto-B found out early in the day, the Rochester team had brought some serious players, and had quickly finished off their first two opponents of the day. This meant, that as their Quarterfinals game against OSU-B came to a wrap, they would make the dreaded Burma Road march over to Dayton's field of feasting.

Rochester, who was quickly sized up as perhaps the best opponent Dayton had faced on the weekend, showed strengths in the areas of handling and disc movement. It would be the first time Ghetto Force would be tested over the weekend, as the Semifinals would not be decided easily.

At least, that's was what we thought. Coming out with the hype and adrenaline pumping, Ghetto rolled the Monster-fueled Pain Train into town by leveling Rochester 8-0 in the first half, and again, bringing home the OATBAG in the first half. Hoover, having the best start of his life, used his Cactus Bomb cleats to pick up 6 assists in the first 8 points, giving Mark Latta a semi. Continuing the killtastic rampage, second half highlights included Foor bringing a sick layout D against two grumbling opponents. And, as if the destruction wasn't enough, Goose, Corbizzle, and The Name Brand began Air Alerting the Ho - big time. So much so, Brentastic dealt so many Deep Deep D's that everyone lost track of the final tally, (though we'd guess it to be between 10-15). Kid Ic chipped in a sick score-saving layout on a wind drifting disc intended for Mark Anderson, firing up the sidelines and further punishing the score. This only helped topple the Rochester beast, and further Dayton's unreal momentum. Rochester, realizing it was done for, decided to make a final stand, scoring it's only point in the game when Dayton reached 14...leaving Dayton OATBAG-less in the second half, closing out the game 15-1, and without the desired OATBAGel.

Nonetheless, Ghetto had done everything it had planned on doing. Step 1, win the pool. Step 2, put your junk in the box. Step 3, make it to the Championship Game. And that's the way you do it!

However, all of Ghetto was just a smidge surprised how everything had come about. A 52-7 point differential on Day 1 was certainly impressive, but was part of the team's goal for pool play. Continuing it into the Championship Game, at a whopping 82-10 point diff, surprised even some of the Ghetto-A players. Not to mention, that word had spread about how bad the beatings had been, and everyone knew that Dayton came to win and meant business (as well as meant to give the business).

Finishing the Semi (not to be confused with keeping a semi) in quick fashion, Dayton again had to sit, and wait, and wait. The other Semifinal, between OWU and Case Western, seemed to drag on and on, till finally, just after the hard cap sounded, CWR took the game 13-12. Leaving Ghetto just one final opponent, the Case Fighting Gobies (who lost the worst team name battle to the OWU Firedogs) in the Championship.

Since Ghetto had roughly an hour and fifteen minutes to watch some of the other Semifinal and prep for the Championship, the dirty dozen (or so) left standing, took full advantage and got a lengthy warm up and toss in prior to the start of the game. Case, all the while, had to pack things up quickly and mull over to the lion's den to start the final. As all the onlookers could tell, Dayton's legs had yet to be tested, and in the case of taking the field, it was obvious one team was ready to take the Championship.

Starting downwind on O, Ghetto received the pull, and in a matter of moments (probably no more than 20 seconds) had worked it with ease into the endzone. As had been the case all weekend, Dayton relished playing defense and brought the punishing Zone-D and rattled off the next two breaks by getting turns and working the scores to Gieseapalooza. Dayton, unable to comprehend anything other than utter annihilation, pressured more and more, taking the first 6 Championship points, without fail. Dayton pieced together more d's and offense by working swiftly to an 8-1 half.

It was everything Ghetto had worked for, all coming into place. With a Chuck Norris Roundhouse kick-sized first half, Ghetto knew the Championship was in reach, and firmly set eyes on victory. Halftime was built on forceful words from Papa Corc and Coack Pak, focused on getting back out there and driving the game home. To keep the energy up, Ghetto players devoured purple Monster and some big helpings of hater-tots before taking the field with vengeance.

Starting with the same pattern, Ghetto scored early, and often, bringing the game to 11-1. Then, to the surprise of all, something happened. Case began to fight back, taking two points in a row (the first team to take two in a row from Ghetto, the entire tournament). Corcoran, appalled by Dayton's tomfoolery, insisted that the massacre must continue, and no time could be spared.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Papa Corc unleashed all his fury in the form of a full field flick to none other than the Name Brand. In doing so, the duo lit the fire again, producing instant hunger for carnage throughout the entire team.

Hungry for blood, Mark Anderson brought his D game, finding layout sexiness in every corner of the field, producing turn, after turn, after turn, from the zone mid mid position. Combined with the offensive prowess of the handlers, mixed with the desire to score from everyone (did anyone see Evan streaking deep?) the whole unit was hungry to be the one to finish off the bloodbath.

And, as if written, the finish proved to be picture perfect. Coming back to the field against doctor's orders, Joe Bayer entered the game for the final points, accompanied by his 8, "Pain Level 4" stitches, sewn just above his left eye. Ready to rock, Darth Bayder enlisted all of his Darkside Jedi Powers into finishing the tournament...which he aptly did, reeling in the final two scores of the day, leading Ghetto to a 15-4 Championship victory.

Lets just face it. Ghetto Force came to win the OWU tournament, and anything less would have been a complete failure.

Producing an astonishing 97-14 point differential, Ghetto came, saw, and pwn'd.

In all truth, it wasn't the best competition, however, the teams were solid Sectional opponents, and Ghetto did everything it was supposed to do. With wins over area competitors, Ghetto strove to make a statement, and in the winning style used, made a serious impression.

OWU, who, as I called days ago, ignorantly knighted themselves as the #1 seed in the tournament, didn't even make it to the Championship game. And in losing by one point, watched the team they lost to, go on and get punished 15-4. OWU will never have us back for anything again, calling it right now.

It was everything Ghetto Force had wanted, and in many ways, everything Ghetto Force expects. The best teams know they go into every game looking to pounce, and not let up, until the game is done. And with a program on the rise, it was exactly what Dayton did all weekend.

As the season goes on, Dayton will only see better competition (Boogie Nights, Roll Call, etc.) and needs to realize that this obliteration is just a step, and isn't going to be the foundation for bragging rights.

Ghetto Force is becoming what everyone wants it to be, a Regional contender and consistent threat, but we're not there yet. There is much work to be done, and the focus, drive, and intensity, must continue.

Great weekend Ghetto - across the board. From the bottom to the top, effort was huge in all facets and the Championship Paddle is a prize for the entire program. Let this be a focal point for when the practices are hard and morale is down. This is what we want to happen every weekend, and if that's going to happen, this is just the first piece in the puzzle.

Keep up the outstanding work, and lets keep this rolling!

Ghetto Force

The Ohio Wesleyan University Evan
Matthew Reas Memorial
2008 Tournament Champions

DAY 1 Recap - Stitches, Broken Bones, Broken Opponents, The Noob Stamp, and Some Serious Whoopings

Day 1 of the Ohio Wesleyan Evan Matthew Reas Memorial Tournament is done. And with that, the completion of Ghetto Force's step 1 of the season is complete. With strong A and B squads attending the tournament (in different pools) the team set its sights on arriving, and taking care of business.

Ghetto Force gave people the business.

The B squad, though ending the day with an 0-4 record, made many huge strides. Alex Frasz had a stand out day, showcasing his talent both on offense and defense. Frazzle Dazzle not only put on clinics in the area of handling and cutting, but helped contribute to the demoralization of many weak offensive players with his continually potent defense. The Dazz is an athlete and a half, and definitely made his presence felt.

The B team also had strong efforts from JoePa, Lattatastic, and KaiserRoll, all demonstrating their ability to handle and move the disc. JoePa gave some noobs some free lessons, busting a move all around his markers, both with his classy throws and swift cuts. Latta had a big time game cutting, swinging, and increasing the flow of the disc in a tough game against Oberlin-B. Kaiser, as a first year player, stepped up his handling game (who knew this kid was equipped with a cannon?!?) and ripped the biggest 60 yrd. flick of the day, to a laying out Pat "The Love" Bello, for a score. With the wind, snow-capped puddles, and slush consistently casing the disc, it was truly a site to be seen. Pa, Kaiser, and Latta proved they've got the skills to pay the bills, and they're ready to payup.

Though the day may have been a bit frustrating for Ghetto B, the squad showed a lot of heart and desire....not to mention some serious improvement. Z-Nizzle, Pegatronic, and all the other first year players definitely confirmed that the future of Ghetto Force is bright. Z, for one, busted his arse the whole day, laying out and gettin' sick with it, all the way up to the slush-soaked end.

The learning experience that comes with this tournament, proves the value of getting lots of playing time. I think all the members of Ghetto Force B walked away with a knowledge of what their strengths are, and what they need to focus on for improvements. All the pieces of the puzzle are there, and the signs of flow, speed, and consistency demonstrate the work Ghetto Force B has put in. With some focus on fundamentals and knowledge of the field/throws, Ghetto B is going to make some serious waves.

A couple fields away, Ghetto Force A showed up with a tenacity unparalleled at the tournament. Though there are no rabies-infected players on Ghetto A (you might be surprised), it was obvious the slew of talent was foaming at the mouth to ravish the unprepared opponents. And ravish would turn out to be an understatement.

With tough conditions, Ghetto made it a point to rip into opponents early, and continue to beat on them all game long. Playing OSU-B to start, the first point of the day set the tone. Though the two teams met a year ago at Sectionals (ending 13-0 on a Mark Latta Callahan), OSU-B was sporting new additions (including strong Miami grads) and was looking to step up their level of play. As OSU-A made the National Championships last year, the B-squad is full of players ready to step up to the next level. Unfortunately for them, Dayton wasn't having any of it. From the get go, Hoover and Simon made the sexy time connection, and they were off to the races. Becoming addicted to the sexy time, The Hitman and Danisourus Rex laid a beat down off the bat, as they connected for the assist and score, respectively, on the first 4 points of the game.

OSU-B utilized some strong handling and quick working of the disc to break the cup and take advantages of Dayton mistakes, breaking UD and tallying a few points in the first half. Unfortunately, JoeBa, who was desperately seeking the eye black and a D, decided to aim his brain for a backhand huck, and took one like a champ above the eye. Though he was pumped with the sick D, he was less pumped when he realized he'd need 8 stitches. You know our Ghetto Love for BayBay runs deep, and the Force was not about to let that fly.

Ghetto Force, stressing the need to avoid complacency, went on a 3-0 run to take half, 7-3. The halftime rally was focused on us coming out of the gate hard, and laying down a hurt. Sporting the "Do it for Bayer" rally cry, Ghetto took into the second half like raging bulls, and completed what would be the first of many OATBAGs of the day...ripping 6 straight to take the game 13-3. It'd be the start of many sick runs.

Coming second would be a vicious, and strong, Pittsburgh-B squad. At the urging of Papa Corc (err, Pop-A-Corc?), Ghetto had to stay focused, as this game would not come as easy as the first. Captain C-Money, is obviously a moron.

Charging hard, Ghetto continued the sickest run of the season by establishing the second OATBAG of the day, rocking a 7-0 first half. Unfortunately, the half came at a costly price. Danager the Manager made a stellar play to catch a score from JFoor, and was ramroded in the cheek from a bozo, Pitt player. Who obviously disregards the safety of everyone. Though Dan held onto the disc and the score, the immediate pain was unquestionable. Stampede Simon would walk off the field under his own power, but his obviously shaken demeanor showed everyone his injury wouldn't readily be shaken. As our second player in just over an hour to make a run to the ER, Dan has unfortunately been diagnosed with a broken cheek bone, and is pretty badly beaten up. All of the team's thoughts and prayers are with Dan, as we are all thinking of him, and hope he is doing well.

Identifying a quick trend, Ghetto proposed the new slogan, "Do it for Dan" when entering the second half. The Kozby Show, reveling in the slogan, got in the act, and scored the last 4 points of the game for UD. Basically, minus a stupid call-filled point where Pitt amazingly scored, the game was same old, same old. Dayton whooping tail, taking the game quickly, 13-1. Foor, upset he threw the disc to Danimal on the play he got injured, made a point to steamroll a full layout D against a weak Pitt player. Foor would like to make it clear, his issuing of this Mega Noob Stamp was dedicated to Dano.

Of both the opening games, perhaps the most amazing part was the fact that Dayton went on a streak where they played 16 points in a row, and broke the opponents and scored on all 16 points. It was a stat to be feared, and the opponents to come knew Ghetto deserved respect.

The third game of the day was a fun one, against Walsh University's brand new Ultimate team. It was filled with nice, and often really athletic, guys who were excited to be there and ok with the beating that was to come (The Kozby Show had aptly prepped them on the mantastic-sized blasting they would take). Luckily, the guys were really fun to play with, and seemed to enjoy learning the game and playing with a team of such skill. Dayton would take the game with ease, 13-3. (As one will see, this was the only team able to avoid the dreaded OATBAGing).

Coming into the last game against Earlham, Dayton went down good ol' Memory Lane to prep. Earlham was in the minds of all the returners as they surprised UD at a tournament a year ago, ruining what was to be an awesome tournament. Ghetto made a vow, that history, would definitely NOT repeat itself.

Coming into the game, Ghetto was pumped to exact some bush league revenge. Throwing it back to the California Penal League, Ghetto came out and in a ruckus, began what would be a beat down for the ages. Reveling the feeling of a good ol' OATBAG, UD decided to take half with nice 7-0 smoking. During the halftime speech, Ghetto talked about not letting up and keeping the pressure on. Basically, this all translated into in Ghetto going out and getting the 4th OATBAG of the day. And, to the dismay of Earlham, we would not be denied. Rocking what was an outstanding zone D, Ghetto lambasted the Moment of Violence team, and tore into them with a OATBAGle, finishing the game 13-0.

For Ghetto A, almost everything went as planned. If we could have avoided the 8 stitches and the necessary plastic surgery, and the losses of Darth Bayder and Dan The Man, the day would have been perfect. But our thoughts are with them both (BayBay seems to be doing pretty well) and we are excited have them back on the field when they're both ready.

Ghetto, with the Pool-winning, 4-0 running riot, earned the beloved first round bye for Sunday. Now, with the prize firmly in sight, Ghetto starts the day in the Quarterfinals at 11:00 am, with only three games seperating Ghetto and a championship.

Ghetto Force has its target in sight, and like Saturday's rompfest, Sunday's victory will not be denied.