Boogie Nights: Winning, Duh!

Written By Jonsey, Edited (loosely) By the Bello

Boogie Nights, a tournament hosted by Miami University is a firm staple in Ghetto Force’s spring schedule each year. The tournament is unique because it offers a cash prize of $200 for 1st place, however the long standing trend has been that the Miami University Alumni always win the tournament and "donate" the money back to the Miami team. Ghetto like a pack of vatican assassins vowed to crush this tradition, stripping the Alumni of their longstanding hold of the title and claim the prize money.

Xavier- Y: 13-9

Ghetto Force’s first challenger of the day was Xavier-Y. Until recently, Xavier Ultimate was most well known for not having a team name (even though virtually every other ultimate team does), and simply being know as “Xavier Ultimate,” an accurate reflection of such a bland university to be sure. Recently Xavier adopted the name “Blob” (or something stupid like that). However, after the events of the weekend a more accurate name would perhaps be “Xavier; tournament ruiners”. Little did Ghetto know it would start Boogie Nights off by exacting a little pre-emptive revenge on Xavier for messing up the second day of the tournament.

Ghetto came out very flat against Xavier Y, and allowed a team that epitomized mediocrity to hang around for the majority of the game. However, even without playing their best, Ghetto’s quality and quantity of talent proved too much for Xavier to handle. Perhaps still experiencing the hangover of their basketball team being upset by Jonesy’s future alma mater Marquette the night before, Xavier had no answer for the phenomenal cutting tandem of Alan “Butters” Smith and Jeff “I love Friday more than Rebecca Black does” Geise. Ghetto took the sloppy game 13 – 9.

John Carrol: 13-7

Ghetto’s next opponent, John Carrol, proved significantly more formidable. However, Ghetto was able to increase their level of play by an even greater factor. John Carrol was a quite gilded opponent; two or three stud players carrying a crew of fairly average ones. Ghetto came out strong early and the game was never truly in question. The most memorable point of the game came when Carrol made the tremendously questionable decision of throwing zone against Ghetto’s pristine handler set, without any significant wind to aid their defense. After a muffed pull that rolled 10 yards behind the handlers, Ghetto went to work on a point that was a thing of ultimate beauty. An initial swing and a throw through the cup started Ghetto’s march down field with perfect flow, rarely allowing their opponents to so much as begin a stall count. Ghetto shredded the would-be zone, and took what was surely less than 30 seconds to grab a score and take half. From there Ghetto would cruise to an easy 13 – 7 win.

Ruckus: 13-9

The third game of the day was Ghetto’s chance to break seed and snatch a first round bye for day 2 of Boogie Nights. Their opponent; the alumni team Ruckus. Alumni teams can be tremendously frustrating even for top caliber college teams to compete against. Despite college teams having a huge edge in terms of athleticism and conditioning, alumni teams usually have throwing ability from top to bottom that is top notch. Ghetto knew it was in for a tough game against a highly veteran team. With Frasz’s and Butters parents watching from the sidelines, Ghetto not only had seed to play for, but some parents that they needed to impress ($$$). They would not disappoint. Despite the high degree of skill and experience that Ruckus boasted, Ghetto’s raw athletic ability proved to be the greater strength. Adam Tardio summoned his inner cookie monster all game long, gobbling up D after D in an impressive showing. Alex Frasz summoned his inner Terrell Owens on a point in the first half, streaking downfield and raising his hand in the air as if to say “Throw me the gosh darn disc!!”. The run and catch was so beautiful that Alex’s father was quoted in a post game interviews as saying (with tears in his eyes) “For the first time in my life, I feel that I can be mildly proud of my son”. The true exclamation point on the game, however, came from none other than El Capitan, Alan “Butters” Smith. With Ghetto holding the lead late in the game, Ruckus put together a run of impressive points and cut Ghetto’s previously comfortable lead down to just 3. After a turntover by Ghetto, Ruckus had the disc just short of the goal line. As can always be expected from alumni teams, a break-side hammer was thrown in an attempt to cut Ghetto’s lead to just two. The throw was well executed, and looked to be floating perfectly to Ruckus’ very tall and very skilled top cutter. However, out of nowhere, Butters decided he wasn’t going to allow any hammer shenanigans to take place on his field. Leaping into the air higher than any Caucasian should be able to, Butters raised his hand in the air and smacked the lame duck hammer down to the ground in a spike that (insert name of famous volleyball player here) would be proud of. Ghetto used this tremendous play to steal the momentum and cruise to another 13 – 9 victory, taking out the #1 seed in their pool.

Youngstown State: 13-2

Ghetto Force’s final game of the day was hardly their most competitive. Before the game commenced, captain Phil Brodrick had a hunch the team Ghetto would be playing was anything but a high-level opponent. This hunch stemmed from the fact that the opponent (Youngstown State) was comprised of just 8 players, the most athletic of which was halfway through a fifth of Southern Comfort, and the most annoying of which was sporting a chef’s hat. Despite playing what was probably their worst game of the weekend, Ghetto took an ugly 13 – 2 victory to end the day.

After conducting the contract mandated press conferences and interviews in the locker room, Ghetto returned to a part of Ohio that actually has AT&T 3G coverage. With a spotless record on Day 1, Ghetto was confident they could contend for the 2011 Boggie Nights championship.

Safety In Numbers

With the date of club sectionals looming in the horizon the first ghetto force practice started with the intensity and emotion that comes with one of sex-panthers vegetarian bowel movements. Banished to the badlands of the University of Dayton property (the “fields” at the corner of Main and Stewart), Ghetto Force still managed to draw 28 to the first practice. As the team cleated up, Captain Phil set the tone for practice, deciding that Handler movement to be the focus for the day. After running through the time-honored partner throwing, the team ran through a series of go-to catching drills showing the freshman the speed and intensity that real ultimate is all about. The outstanding freshman class was able to show off their speed and superior hand to eye coordination. After break, Captain Phil introduced some advanced physic theory, known as the “handler weave” or to some as the “dump-swing”. Proving to be an easy task for the team including the freshman. After conquering the handler weave, the team transitioned into some scrimmaging. Still rusty after coming back from the summer off, Ghetto went through some growing pains. Suffering from frequent drops and an obvious lack of breaks, the sub-par performace reminded the team of how much we need to improve before the College season starts.

Stay tuned for news about ghetto’s sectional performance…..

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......

In case you haven't heard, Addison Hoover is now a member of elite club team "Sub Zero" !!!!
Congrats Addison!

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!!

2008 Great Lakes Regional Teams

As of Sunday, April 20th, the final teams to receive bids for the Great Lakes Regional Championships were confirmed. These 16 squads, coming from the East Plains, Central Plains, and Michigan Sectionals, will converge in Detroit this weekend. As a teaser for more things to come, here's a quick look at who will be representing each Sectional, in order of their Sectional finish.

The East Plains

1. The Ohio State University
2. Miami University of Ohio
3. The University of Dayton
4. Ohio University
5. Ohio Northern University
6. Oberlin College
7. Bowling Green State University

The Central Plains

1. The University of Illinois
2. The University of Notre Dame
3. North Park University
4. Northwestern University
5. The University of Chicago
6. Indiana University

The Michigan Sectional

1. The University of Michigan
2. Michigan State University
3. Kalamazoo College

Here are a wealth of worthwhile links:

• UPA Regional Championship Page

• The East Plains Sectional Championships Results Page

• The Central Plains Sectional Championships Results Page

• The Michigan Sectional Championships Results Page

Roll Call 2008 - Day 2

As the Dayton squad managed to enjoy the Sleep Inn, thoughts were quickly turned to the Sunday bracket. As it would be, Ghetto would be faced with Pennsbury High School squad to start the day...the Ghetto Force squad made it a point to get to bed early with the impending 8:00 am start time quickly arriving.

With players waking up as early as 5:40 am, the team quickly got ready and made the short trek to the Polo Fields. Upon arrival, a field of frost was readily visible and the 5Ultimate tent made home as Ghetto cleated up to the pulsating bass sounds of the apparel tent.

As Ghetto took the field, it quickly appeared as though this second high school team of the weekend, may quickly turn the D.C. trip sour. Dayton, almost immediately out of the gate, was down one and two breaks throughout the beginning. Ghetto managed to keep it close, and in the second half, finally brought on the necessary breaks to get the game back to serve, and then earn the lead. Of course, taking the lead and pounding it home, would just be too straight forward....universe point anyone? Naturally, Ghetto was getting pulled to, 11-11, and the Universe-O line would be faced with the third universe point of the weekend.

Working it down, the tension could be cut with a knife. The high school kids were coming in hot and playing strong Man-D. Eventually, Ghetto had the disc within endzone striking distance and the victory could be tasted. Unfortunately, the handlers, namely Hoover, stranded primary cutter Kid Ic on the force side sideline....Giese, one of constant poise, called out for a strike cut...which wasn't made....so again Giese was still be pinched tightly on the line, with the endzone in sight. With the stall count rising past 7, Goose looked for any options, to no avail. With the stall count approaching 10, Giese unleashed a forehand rip down the line. As both lines, and even some of the on-field players, held their breath, Corbotronic unveiled his Super Glue 2008 Grip, and ripped the disc down from the sky, completing the come back and ending another heated contest.

With another atrocious victory complete, Ghetto again took a moment to reflect. Though far from pretty, there is something to be said for playing poorly (or horribly) and still winning. They weren't how we wanted them, but we got the victory, and now would be taking on Penn State.

Not much to say here. Legs were spent, guys were lagging, and Penn State just had a bit more in the tank. If Ghetto had come in having not played multiple universe games, things might have been different. Penn State took the win, with a final of 12-7.

It was a long weekend, that when it's all said and done, might have been timed really well. Ghetto learned a lot of worthwhile things from the games in D.C. and now, has a firm grounding as Sectionals quickly approach.

Roll Call 2008 - Quick Recap

70 teams, 40 Open and 30 Women's, all made the trek to fabled ground in Maryland for Cultimate's first ever Roll Call Tournament.

Dayton received a 2nd seed in their pool (which would be held.....unfortunately), and set sights on finishing in the Top 16. It was a long weekend, filled with pulled hammies, cleated backs, cleats to the face, the occasional crappy-as-all-get-out call, and backhand rips to the eyeball. It was a tough, tough weekend. The gang is beaten and battered, and unfortunately, the final goal of Top 16 was not met.

Ghetto finished in 21st place, and an official record of 6-2. Unfortunately, the two losses were poorly timed and both seriously hindered Championship Bracket and Consolation Bracket play. Nonetheless, the tournament, in hindsight, may or may not have been perfect. As mentioned in previous posts, this tournament was all about timing. For some, like Pitt, the timing proved will and consistency were at the helm. For others, like Indiana, timing maybe showed some scares that the College Series was quickly approaching. For Ghetto, the timing has given the team an introspective look into the finer points that all need to be addressed prior to Sectionals....and it's much better those points be addressed before Sectionals, as opposed to after.

The full write up and game recaps will be coming throughout the week. Here are the final game scores, and a quick peak at the heart pounding Universal nature of 3 Ghetto games:

Columbia High: 13-12
Swarthmore: 12-11
SUNY-Oneata: 13-9
Edinboro: 8-13
Pennsbury High: 12-11
Penn State: 7-12
Columbia High: Win by Forfeit
Winner of Richmond v Rensselaer Polytech: Win by Forfeit

Cultimate's Roll Call 2008 - New Pools

The team is migrating eastward, as Ghetto Force's A squad is preparing to descend on Washington D.C. If there was more time to simply analyze the pools and the matchups, now would be the time.....unfortunately, there is no time. We've been chosen, our number has been called, and Roll Call is upon us. Below you'll find the entire tournament field's breakdown, as well as Dayton's Pool F. More updates to come over the course of the weekend.

Roll Call - The Time Has Come

The time has come. As this season has had its fare share of timing issues (multiple canceled tournaments, horribly timed injuries, late notice van cancellations....lame) its time again for the Men of Ghetto Force to again hit the pitch.

Coming straight off a spring break lapse of 10 days, the UD Men's Club Ultimate team has a week of practices leading into a power-packed weekend of Cultimate competition. With most teams coming in from the Metro East, Great Lakes, and Northeast Regions, the final round up of teams has made for two strong Elite Pools, followed by six sub-elite ranking pools. With the likes of Pitt, OSU, and Harvard rounding out the Elites, many high caliber teams scatter the lower six pools.

Of the 30 in those six pools, Regional contenders, new faces in the crowd, and perennial powerhouses all meld together. From Georgetown to George Washington, Messiah to Michigan State, Princeton to Penn State, the 6 sub-elite pools are as highly competitive and experienced as anything Dayton has seen so far this year.

With a 2-seed in the E Pool, Dayton is sandwiched by teams with loads of playing time and impressive track records. The 5 team grouping of North Park, Dayton, Georgetown, Salisbury, and NYU, should make for strong matchups with heated games. Oh, and does it get better. As if the competition wouldn't be cutthroat enough in the sub-elite pools, Skip and Cultimate are making things more interesting. Because of the stiff competition in the Elite pools, all teams playing in them will automatically get into the Championship bracket. Translation: Only the sub-elite pool winners will get into the Roll Call Championship Bracket. That means, if you want to start Sunday off on the right foot, you have to take down the pool.

With a 7+ hour ride rapidly approaching, a deep threat rocking a Kanye West metal plate in the face, and El Capitan doing debits and credits for The Man, Ghetto has reached the gut check. The headphones will be put on. The eye black will be smeared. The jerseys will get christened with some serious stains. And the fire will be lit. The Noob Stamp must be reoiled and reaffirmed. For Ghetto, the recipe, as it's been all season, is simple. Bring the energy early, keep the tempo fast, and stay on till the end. The Force has a potluck selection of veterans, a German-American Beowulf incarnate, a Jackson Hole Juggernaut, and oh yea, has anyone seen this Kid Ic?

The Pain Will Be Brought.
The Noob Will Be Stamped.
The Respect Will Be Earned.
The Ho Will Be Air Alerted.

Roll Call 2008 - Timing is Everything

Cultimate continues to grow, and in doing so, has added what may be (with Terminus getting canceled and Easters being a tad weaker) one of the strongest tournaments on the East Coast. Roll Call, in its flagship year, has proven to be uniquely timed. For the 40 teams that received bids (there were over 70 that submitted), the consequences of March 29th-30th, could be outstanding. Namely, there are two key issues to consider:

1. Roll Call is immediately preceded by two big time tournaments, Centex and College Southerns. Thus, teams playing at both Roll Call and Centex (Pitt, Harvard) or Roll Call and College Southerns (OSU, Penn State, VaTech, Oberlin, etc.) may be at either an advantageous or a disadvantageous position. Only next weekend will tell.
2. Roll Call is immediately preceding many Sectional tournaments, most notably the East Plains and the East Penn. Having teams from both sectionals competing against inter-sectional rivals the week prior to the start of the College Ultimate Series, could have serious repercussions. Match ups, injuries, the mental game, etc., all could quickly be affected based on Roll Call.

Therefore, with Terminus essentially being canceled, Boogie Nights being snowed in, and many Sectional teams not having seen each other, Roll Call may be the surprise tournament of the spring. I'm by no means saying it will be the most competitive East Coast tourny of the spring (although with 14 teams above 2300 in the RRI, it will most certainly be competitive), I'm just saying, with the way things have played out up to this point, it may be the most surprisingly important tournament of the season. With a good or bad showing, have potentially uplifting or deflating affects on the important start season College Ultimate Series looming.

Click here for the Roll Call 2008 Website

Click here for the Roll Call 2008 UPA Team Listing

Push it to the Limit

To the person who got lazy.....they're for you.
For the person who continually throws behind their man......they're for you.
And yes, for the patented drop the pancake guy......they're for you too.

When it comes to the go-to drill, along with it's many inverted, breakside, and detailed variations, the push-ups are the equivalent to a drill sergeant's boot briskly grazing your backside. For the drops, the miscues, the laziness, and the many other creative errors that are uncovered over time, push-ups have become Ghetto's calling card for focus. When practice wavers, give me 20. Latta hit another cone? Give me 5. Butters cracked the Noob Stamp on you during Battle Royale? Kiss the concrete.

The push-up, however simple, represents everything that's changed about Ghetto Force over the last 3 years. With a combination of beauty and brute force, Ghetto has slowly, but steadily, made a name for itself.

It wasn't long ago, that Sectionals meant getting thwamp-thwamped. It wasn't long ago Ghetto players didn't have numbers (or in many cases, jerseys). It wasn't long ago that people didn't come to practice. It wasn't long ago that practices were just hotbox, with 5 guys and 3 girls. It wasn't long ago......

Taking a note from The Shawshank Redemption, Ghetto has steadily applied pressure and time.....and, in just a handful of years, has completely reshaped the face of Dayton Ultimate. Today, Ghetto's use of the push-up physically represents the difference in standards the team has taken on, but more importantly, the ever-present pressure to push hard day in, and day out.

Ghetto Force (the #50 Team in the Nation), and the Ghetto Ultimate Blog, will be going on a temporary hiatus to indulge in the University of Dayton's Spring Break. The squad (for the most part) will be taking some time to head home, to see friends and family, and in many cases, make a pilgrimage to a spring college destination (Vegas anybody?).

For those keeping track, the start of Spring Break signals an exciting time for Ghetto. It's going to be a whirlwind tour d' ultimate upon our return....here will be Ghetto's upcoming Schedule:

• March 29th-30th, Roll Call, Washington D.C. (A-Squad)

• March 29th-30th, Wooster Warm-Up, Wooster, OH (B-Squad)

• April 5th-6th, East Plains Open Sectionals, Granville, OH (Both Squads)

• April 26th-27th, Great Lakes Open Regional Championships, Detroit, Michigan (Based on Sectional Qualification)

Stay safe, enjoy your down time, and come back hungry. We've got a full plate, we're going to need plenty of energy for all the Noob Stampings we'll have to give out.

Have an awesome break Ghetto!

Though We Were Ready to Dance, Boogie Nights Was Not Meant to Be

Mother Nature, as was the case in the Dayton Invite, felt that Ghetto just wasn't meant to run the risk of injury this weekend (could she have thrown a bone to Broken-Cheek-Dano?).

With quite possibly the biggest winter storm of the year coming after we're a week into March, everyone is frustrated and disappointed that the Boogie Nights Tournament won't be happening. However much Ghetto and other teams wanted to play, we have to commend the TD, Matt Mastrantuono, for making the right call. With teams coming from as far as 8+ hours away, it's just not worth it to risk people driving and playing in such horrendous conditions. Nonetheless, a ton of work has been put into this event, and it's obvious that people are frustrated with the curve ball the weather has thrown at us (Dayton had a high of 49 yesterday....naturally).

For Ghetto, more than anything, the weekend's cancellation is a sincere disappointment. For the first time in recent memory (at least 5+ years) Dayton holds a Top 50 National Ranking, and an Ultimate RRI in the Top 5. The best thing for Ghetto would have been to subdue rumors by going out and repeating the massacre of last weekend. Though the competition would have been stiffer, and the results potentially different, it was imperative for Ghetto to have an opportunity to see better teams, and to analyze their game at a higher level.....this, unfortunately, will just have to wait till Roll Call.

The best teams deal with adversity all the time. Ghetto is going to have dig just a little deeper this year. With two spring tournaments being canceled (Ghetto Invite & Boogie Nights), Ghetto is going to have to find ways to press even harder in practices. The focus has to stay strong, and as everyone has said, we have to stay right where we're at (Top 50). And as Addison Hoover said, in regards to our RRI in the recent full-page spread in Flyer News, "we’re not yet the No. 2 team in the nation. That doesn’t mean we can’t be in the future." However, to compete and sustain that level of play, everyone, from top to bottom, has to push. To allow each other to be complacent with our recent successes does nothing but a disservice to everyone.

For all the Air Alert (GOD BLESS IT!), for all the suicides, indoor practices, and the many times YOU'VE RAN INTO CEMENT WALLS FOR A DISC, DON'T LET UP! Ghetto, as a squad and unrivaled brotherhood, has to find the energy.

We have to elevate our level of play every single day.
We have to be out throwing on our own time.
We have to come to practice on time, ready to whoop some ass.
We have to stay intense, and get in each other's faces when the intensity isn't there.

We've earned the right to be #39 in the Nation - and everyone in this Sectional believes we'll spoil it the first chance we get.

I won't let this happen.
You won't let this happen.
We won't let this happen.

Ghetto, in the word's of a Sectional rival, "is an Army". And this Army is on a mission. We will stay hungry and we will not be denied.

Ghetto For Life.

How Good is Ghetto Force?

97 - 14 Point Differential

+ 8 Stitches
+ 7 - 0 Opening Record
+ 7 OWU Tournament Opponents
+ 1 Broken Cheek Bone
+ The UPA RRI Algorithm
___________________________________________________________

= How good is the University of Dayton Men's Club Ultimate Team?

People love to talk. And if there's one thing that crosses nationalities, languages, and interests, across the globe, people love to talk sports.

And in a day when technology allows information and opinions to be transmitted at the speed of The Kozby Show, sports debates rage hotter than a Joel Brand burnt defender. And Ultimate, although certainly unique, is no exception.

With the advent of Mssui.com, Ultimate has turned the professional corner, and is beginning to look at itself with more serious, and credible, opinions than ever before. And just as avid readers of Mssui saw a week ago, Ultimate is constantly going to be analyzed and speculated. With more media coverage, and more reliance on the UPA's Score Reporting system and RRI system, teams across the country are being sized up every day.

And it just so happens that Ghetto Force is being looked at as you read this.

After dropping a Cactus Bomb on the entire OWU EMR Tournament field, Dayton has made some waves.....tsunami waves, if you will.

With the most massive point diff any human being will ever see, people are beginning to ask how good is Ghetto Force? Then, only to make things more interesting, the UPA updated their RRI algorithm, and none other than the University of Dayton sat comfortably as #2 in the Nation. Quite a step for a program that couldn't get two wins at Sectionals, just two years ago. And, to comment on this topic, I would like start by saying this:

Ghetto Force hasn't proven anything yet.

Ghetto went to OWU, and did exactly what it was supposed to do - trounce every team along the path to a Championship. The RRI, though outstanding, doesn't mean we're the second best team in the country. It just means that based on the UPA RRI Algorithm, we've proven we're a strong program, that's capable of doing outstanding things. The real point of the #2 RRI ranking, is to put pressure on Ghetto Force to continue to have the same success story week in and week out, the rest of the year.The math is far simpler than the UPA RRI Algorithm...trust me.....For Ghetto it's easy. We absolutely cannot let up. Dayton Flyers Basketball, The New England Patriots, it's a simple equation....if you don't add successes throughout a season, the final total is negative. Ghetto must be absolutely certain to not let last weekend's victories go to our heads. Relish it, be proud of it, but let it be fuel. We have a target on our backs now, and we have to push ourselves harder because we have to prove ourselves to everyone all over again. Each weekend is a new weekend, and there's no way now, that Ghetto's going to take the foot off the gas.

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